Montreal Mystique Interviews Dave Bidini Part One of Two
September 28, 2009, by Homme De Sept-Iles
Dave Bidini craves cold ice and curates cool indie. A hockey author and respected indie musician, Bidini is an authority on both subjects and his fondness for that knowledge is infectious.
His curiosity informs a natural story-telling on subjects ranging from baseball and the Homeless World Cup and spans the iconography of rock music, Canadiana and subjects beyond.
The long-time Rheostatics member and author of eight-and-counting compelling books on rock, culture and his beloved hockey, spoke with Montreal Mystique in the first of a surprising and intriguing two-part interview.
In this interview, we find Bidini discovered a teen-aged Ovechkin on the tundra of Russia well before most Canadians, that he explores the idiosyncratic art of goaltending through playing the position and that he skated with the 1972 Russian team. And more. It’s prime Bidini with plenty of Leaf and Hab verbal memorabilia. A must-listen for anyone who loves hockey, Canada and great story-telling.
Listen Below:
Montreal Mystique PodcastClick play (black arrow button) on the player above to play within the webpage or click the link below to download via iTunes below.
Bidini Facts
partially adapted from Wikipedia
An inventively eclectic and broadly accomplished Canadian artist, Dave Bidini is an iconic figure in both Canadian music and sport.
Bidini formed Rheostatics with Tim Vesley in 1979 and went on an eighteen-year, twelve-album run which saw them influence an entire generation of indie rockers. They scored their biggest hit in 1993 and are cited by the Tragically Hip’s Gordon Downey as one of his most important musical influences. He formed BidiniBand in 2007 and their haunting song The Land is Wild opened Hockey Night in Canada’s broadcast of game four of 2008-09’s Stanley Cup Final. The band is currently on tour in support of their new album (of the same title).
Bidini has written two plays and three films including the Gemini-winning Hockey Nomad. He curated Blue Blood, a 2008 exhibit which explored the 1967 Leaf Cup win and its residual cultural impact using a range of media including paintings, words and video. An accomplished journalist, he has interviewed everyone, everywhere in the world on the subjects that rivet him. From an unexpected interview of Gordie Howe in China to Devo in his youthful days to countless folks on hockey throughout the world, Bidini has covered it all and perhaps almost heard it all.
Dave Bidini was born and raised in Toronto where he continues to maintain a home with his wife Janet and his two children. And, yes, his blood still burns blue.
Albums
with Rheostatics
* Greatest Hits – 1987
* Melville – 1991
* Whale Music – 1992
* Music from The Motion Picture Whale Music – 1994
* Introducing Happiness – 1994
* Music Inspired by the Group of Seven – 1995
* The Blue Hysteria – 1996
* Double Live – 1997
* The Nightlines Sessions – 1998
* The Story of Harmelodia – 1999
* Night of the Shooting Stars – 2001
* 2067 – 2004
* The Whale Music Concert, 1992 – 2005
* Calling Out the Chords, Vol. 1 – 2005
with BidiniBand
* The Land Is Wild – 2009
Books
* On a Cold Road: Tales of Adventure in Canadian Rock (1998) based on a cross-ountry tour with the Tragically Hip
* Tropic of Hockey (2001)
* Baseballissimo (2004)
* For Those About to Rock (2004)
* The Best Game You Can Name (2005)
* The Five Hole Stories (2006)
* For Those About to Write (2007)
* Around the World in 57½ Gigs (2007)
Plays
Five Hole: Tales of Hockey Erotica
The Night of the Dogs
Films
Hockey Nomad
The Hockey Nomad Goes to Russia
Kick in the Head
and far more grooved and styled accomplishments …
Listen Below:
Montreal Mystique Podcastpart two of our two-part interview will go up next week
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