News Archive

The following are old news updates about The Gutterboys.

A Gutterboy In Graceland

Posted March 17th, 2012

March Break this year was a combination of business and recreational travel for Patrick Calnan as he attended the 2012 WritersUA Conference and also brought his family along to do some sight-seeing in that Mecca of rock and roll... Memphis, Tennessee. He wasn’t the first member of The Gutterboys to have made the pilgrimage to this historic place and in fact, only one member of the band hasn't visited Memphis so far. We'll leave it up to your deductive reasoning to figure out who that is but for Patrick, this was an opportunity to see the very place where rock and roll was born.

His journey began with the landmark that he visited last but is most likely considered to be the most famous location in Memphis... Graceland. While not a big Elvis fan, personally, Patrick has always appreciated and understood Elvis’ influence on the early days of rock and roll. And as someone who loves both music and history, visiting Graceland was an eye-opening experience. The mansion itself was much smaller than expected and the ostentatious, kitschy 70's decor had a nostalgic charm all of its own. Walking the hallways of the place once called home by "The King" himself is moving but for many, Elvis' Vegas period and his eventual decline have led to “The King” being seriously underestimated in recent years. What many forget is what an amazing set of pipes Elvis had and while his sequined jumpsuits and galatic-sized sideburns may have been very much over the top, the man could surely sing. Being exposed to his gospel music and the constant reminders that for him, music was a calling might change your perspective just a little bit. Patrick still isn’t the biggest Elvis fan that you'll ever meet but visiting Graceland certainly gave him a lot more respect for Elvis than he had ever had before.

Stepping away from the musical side of things for a while, Patrick also got to stand below the balcony of the Lorraine Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was so tragically cut down. He and his family didn't have enough time to visit the Civil Rights Museum that they've now turned the hotel into but seeing that wreath and knowing that this was the very spot where he was murdered is both chilling and moving. Like so many others before, seeing this sight made Patrick wonder... what if? What if Dr. King hadn't been assassinated? What if Dr. King were still alive today? Would his struggle for racial equality and peace have been easier? Or harder? Of all the places that you can visit in Memphis, this is easily the most emotionally stirring. The echoes of history can make you reflect and while we can appreciate just how far we've come since those terrible bloody times, the struggle for equality continues.

On a happier note, Beale Street can be a reminder of how life-affirming music can be. It is much shorter than some might imagine and with a young boy in tow, not a place that Patrick and his family could spend much time in after dark. But they did get to wander its length and listen to the music wafting out of open doors and windows. If you ever go to Memphis, you’ll definitely want to spend time exploring Beale Street as it has a lot to offer.

Patrick and his family got to ride the Main Street trolley and walked along the banks of the mighty Mississippi where the riverboats now tied up along the docks are for tourists and not for gamblers. But of everything that he saw in Memphis, the place that excited The Gutterboys’ drummer the most was Sun Records... the site of the Memphis Recording Studio where so many iconic recordings were captured. Elvis' start there was appropriately recognized but it was also the likes of Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison that make it “Ground Zero” for the original rock’n’roll.

If you enjoy history and music, get thee to Memphis. You won’t regret it.

South Mountain Bound

Posted May 9th, 2011

The rural areas of Eastern Ontario are familiar stomping grounds for The Gutterboys who have played venues in Merrickville, Kemptville, Kingston, and Manotick. Now, South Mountain can be added to the list of places visited as the `boys recently played a private birthday party at the Mountain Township Agricultural Hall. And the hospitality shown by the party-goers was yet another demonstration of the warmth and friendliness you'll find in this region. A good time was had by all and the band even had the rare opportunity to enjoy a stage that was both roomy and spacious. Pictures taken at the event are now available in the Photo Galleries so check them out and you might be inspired to pay this picturesque village a visit.

Invited Back Again

Posted March 28th, 2011

The Gutterboys like to boast about the fact that they played Barrymore's Music Hall on more consecutive Tuesday nights than any other band in Ottawa. Not really much to brag about, really, when you consider that not many people go out to see bands play on a Tuesday night. But one thing that the band can be proud of is the fact that after performing at a venue, they are frequently invited back for return engagements. They performed at Barrymore's seventeen times, the Kemptville Hotel on ten occasions, nine dates at the dangerous Stirling Tavern, and five times at the Downstair's Club.

Now Harry McLean's Pub is following that trend as The `boys have been asked back for a very welcome fourth time. On Saturday, April 9th, Ottawa's self-proclaimed "sweatiest band" will be cranking up the volume and churning out the tunes for a memorable and fun time. So come on out and join The Gutterboys for a fun night... you'll be glad you did.

More Recording, More Playing

Posted March 10th, 2011

As the saying goes, there's good news and there's bad news. The good news is... The Gutterboys have a gig! A real live paying gig where they'll get the chance to play and people will actually listen to their songs! For about five minutes, at least. Maybe more! So what's the bad news, you might ask? Well, it's a private party that's not open to the general public and unless you're on the guest list, you can't get in. Which is a shame.

But there's more good news in that the recording efforts continue and it's been decided that three more musical gems from The Gutterboys repertoire will be captured in digital form. The "Folsom Prison/Sesame Street Blues" mash-up is one of them along with original compositions "A Man Called Flintstone" and "Mr. Secret Service Director (Spy Song)". Patrick will be laying down the drum tracks very shortly and the rest of the band will be adding their particular talents after that. While the addition of these songs will delay the release of the recordings a little while longer, they'll also add to the retrospective package that will hopefully immortalize Ottawa's self-proclaimed "sweatiest band" for time immemorial. OK, that's WAY too many syllables to be putting into one sentence! Whew!

Ice Ice Cold Baby

Posted February 18th, 2011

It's February and while in most years that would mean that one of the world's coldest national capitals would be celebrating Winterlude, this year is following a recent trend with unseasonal warmth causing the world's largest outdoor skating rink to melt into oblivion. Shades of global warming indeed but frigidity and Arctic temperatures will still be a possibility allowing us to segue into a discussion about "Ice Cold", one of the most popular songs in The Gutterboy repertoire. A fast tempo party tune, it's not about the weather so much as it is about the fickle attentions of a woman lusting for stardom. Which can still happen even in February and... what were we talking about, again? Oh. Right. "Ice Cold". Which is now available in a video format in The Gutterboys' Youtube channel. Wait. Two videos in the same week? What's going on here?? It must be desperate attempts to stay warm by combining stills, video clips, and music into... this. Enjoy!

Massacring Videos

Posted February 14th, 2011

Valentine's Day will never be the same. Seriously. Like, if you think about it for a minute, February 14th of 2011 will only ever happen once, right? So with time being linear and all (or is it?), this day can only happen once. Which means that this day is pretty special no matter what happens. So Happy Unique Valentine's Day, everybody! And as a special treat to mark the occasion, we've got a remixed/re-edited/revised video to show you.

Now have we ever told you that Ray has perfect pitch? This can be both a blessing and a curse for while he can tune pianos whenever he wants to, he also picks up audio glitches that others don't hear. For example, he recently noticed that in the original video montage created for the song "Just Wait", a flawed audio file was used. If you listen really, really closely, the stereo mix swaps channels between left and right briefly before the first chorus and then again during the guitar solo. Most normal human beings wouldn't have been able to hear this but... we've never claimed that Ray was completely normal, now have we?

So what does this have to do with Valentine's Day? Not much, really, other than it happens to be the day on which we're releasing a remixed/re-edited/revised version of the "Just Wait" video. Head on over to the Videos page or visit the band's Youtube channel to see what all the fuss is about. But whatever you do, don't sing off-key wherever Ray can hear you!

Sweet Glorious Music!

Posted January 28th, 2011

Ever wondered what the full-length versions of The Gutterboys' songs sounded like? Well wonder no more, music fan! For we've finally caught up with the latest technologies and have ditched the old 30-second clips that have been a staple of this web site for far too long. Thanks to the good folks at ReverbNation and their wonderful widgets, we now have a real, live audio player on our Music page. Full-length streaming audio in an easy-to-play format and available with a simple mouse-click. Now while all of the original songs in The Gutterboys repertoire isn't available at the moment, we'll be uploading more songs in the near future so that they can go direct to your ears! Well... direct to your headphones or speakers, to be specific. So go check it out and let us know what you think.

A Voice From The Past

Posted January 21st, 2011

2011 has dawned and what better time to dwell on memories half-forgotten and painfully repressed than at the beginning of a New Year? As was reported last year, a blatant example of cyber-stalking managed to hunt down... errr, locate one Paoule Fondulïlo DuBois, Gutter-Guru-In-Training and High Priest of the Hoo-Ha (a.k.a. Paul Fruitman). Paul was a critical part of the Gutterboys puzzle for he not only put up with living alongside both Todd and Patrick for a time but he also acted as stage manager/tour facilitator/guitar technician/sound engineer/sanity checker for the band (as mentioned in the group's excessively-detailed history).

Despite numerous attempts to escape the insidious influence of Ottawa's self-proclaimed "Sweatiest Band", Paul recently agreed to answer a few questions and dredge up a few things that were likely best left forgotten...

Q: How in the world did you ever get involved with The Gutterboys?

A: Divine providence. I met the guys when I went to Carleton.... not really sure how things happened, it just happened organically... It started from trying to keep all the sweat off the equipment and electrocuting the guys to being the all-around hang-around go-to set-up man.

Q: What's up with the name "Paoule Fondulïlo DuBois"? Who came up with that?

A: Well, the guys were a cast of characters and I wanted to create my own and felt that the name Paul just didn't really live up to the standards of being a Gutterboy. It was a creative effort and came about after several days of hard thinking and hard drinking. We took the inspiration from Pye Dubois who was Max Webster's non-touring, non-performing lyricist. I thought I can't tour or perform... and a little creative thinking around the name Paul. The Fondulïlo part was just there to create a sense of importance. I mean, c'mon, when you are referred to by three names, how could you not respect that?

Q: When you were asked to come along on the Crawling In The Culvert Tour, did you have any initial reservations?

A: I was terrified. I don't really want to say this publically but Ray was a violent drunk and had a tendency to beat people (especially Todd) about the head mercilessly for no reason when he was intoxicated... I think that's how Todd wound up losing his hat eventually....

But no, in reality, I was excited and appreciated that the guys thought enough of me to bring me along. I knew it would be a great time and it gave me the chance to travel out to the East coast of Canada which I hadn't done back then and of course have a great time along the way.

What I learned was, I was only there for Ray to beat on so Todd could get some down time... I still bear the scars of his unprovoked drunken attacks. Lucky for him, I suffered from Stockholm syndrome so I actually grew to love the beatings because he finally paid some attention to me...

Q: What's your favorite memory of the Crawling In The Culvert Tour?

A: Really there are so many... lots of laughs, that's for sure... hanging out at Todd's cottage on Lake Utopia which really was a beautiful place and, of course, Todd's parents' hospitality in Moncton. Getting to see parts of Canada I didn't think I would. Of course, getting to see the Gutterboys play on a regular basis... The whole tour was an experience that I look back on with fondness even today.

Q: What's your worst (or least favorite) memory of the Crawling In The Culvert Tour?

A: Really, there are so many... OK, not really.

There are two that stand out... the first was all of us sleeping in the back of Todd's van when we were in London. Besides the fact that it was probably one of the most uncomfortable positions I have ever been in, you can only imagine that it was also a very odoriferous situation.

But the second is one sad memory that I will never forget near the tail end of tour when we were going to Toronto to play at Clinton's. We had left Ottawa and just drove through Kemptville (the village of the dead) and they announced on the radio that Stevie Ray Vaughn had just been killed in a helicopter crash. At that moment (and honestly this really did happen...), the sky clouded over and for the entire drive and even into the evening, it was one of the worst thunderstorms I could remember. And that night, prior to the show, J.P. accidentally broke Todd's classic Gibson SG guitar. it was a very sad day... the irony is that the day before SRV died, all his guitars were broken in a stage accident... and the album released after his death was called the Sky is Crying... so the whole thing seemed very apropos.

Q: Who's your favorite Gutterboy?

A: I told you Ray... remember the whole Stockholm syndrome thing I just explained...

But really, I can't pick a favorite... each one brought a different personality that made hanging out with them an adventure.

OK, it's Ray.

Q: Any advice for the band now that they're trying to dredge up potentially painful memories from the past?

A: Dont'?

Really, never forget what a wonderful time it was in our youth. We got to play music which we all loved, have some great fun. Whatever material is still out there that can be archived, don't lose it. Really glad we were able to reconnect. Every now and then. I think of the Barrymore's gigs, like opening for Jason Bonham and parties at J.P.'s place across the street from the Outlaws clubhouse... Although it was a short time in our now much longer lives, it was still sweet.

Or is that sweat?

Christmas Greetings

Posted December 9th, 2010

Some celebrate Christmas while others enjoy Hannukah. Some partake of Kwanzaa while others observe Yule. And let's not forget Festivus while we're at it. But no matter which holiday you observe this season, The Gutterboys would like to wish you and yours all the best and we hope that 2011 brings you all that you could wish for. In the meantime, photo-editing Santa hats and beards onto a band picture seemed like a suitably silly way to celebrate the holiday season so click on the smaller version to the right to see the Christmas card that won't be in the mail this year... or next year... or likely the year after that either, we're pretty bad about such things. Happy Holidays!

Archived information about the past comings and goings of The Gutterboys.

Who Let Him Have A Microphone?!?

Posted November 29th, 2010

In the history of drummers who sing, there have been a number of fine vocalists who also played percussion. Phil Collins is frequently the most mentioned but Levon Helm, Gil Moore, Don Henley, Ringo Starr, Dave Grohl, and many more demonstrate that holding a pair of drum sticks doesn't disqualify one from being able to warble and croon with the best of them. But then there's... The Gutterboys. Now while Patrick isn't a completely incompetent singer (as demonstrated in this little clip), there was a long-standing band policy of not letting him near a microphone unless it was absolutely necessary. Unfortunately for most people's eardrums, necessity overcame good taste recently when the ongoing recording sessions required that Patrick be allowed to sing. The jury will be out as to whether this effort was a success or not until after the recordings are released but if nothing else, a few strained notes and piercing cries were captured in digital form. Bring on the Auto-Tune!

Birthday Boy!

Posted November 4th, 2010

It's Ray's birthday today! Happy birthday, Ray, and in honor of the anniversary of the day of his birth, we thought we'd give a little insight into one of the founding members of The Gutterboys by conducting a short interview with him...

Q: What's your middle name?

A: Raymond. My legal name is actually Joseph Raymond Lavoie.

Q: Where were you born?

A: At the Grace Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario.

Q: How old were you when you first started playing guitar?

A: Twelve although I did learn to play the ukelele at a summer camp when I was six.

Q: What's your favorite memory of the early days of The Gutterboys?

A: There are lots of things that come to mind pre-"breakup". Basically the "Crawling In The Culvert" tour but especially the time we spent at Cannonball Island which was one of the best vacations I've ever had. Fabulous!

Q: What's different about playing with The Gutterboys nowadays as opposed to back then?

A: These days I'm busier and I don't have as much time to devote to The Gutterboys as I'd like but that's good because I've been able to diversify and try new things. It has been very fun, though, getting back together with my "mates".

Q: What's your favorite Gutterboys song?

A: "Hucker's Creed" although I really like "Ladia" as well.

Q: Why "Huckster's Creed"?

A: Well there are so many that catch my ear for different reasons but I really like the groove and the riff in "Huckster's Creed".

Q: What would you like to see from The Gutterboys in the future?

A: I'd like to see our respective schedules work out a little better so that we can do more. Why have a little bit of fun when you can have a lot of fun, right?

Q: Who's the sweatiest Gutterboy?

A: Back in the day it was always J.P. but these days, I'm no slouch myself. It gets hot up there under those stage lights!

Q: When was the last time you were kissed?

A: A gentleman never kisses and tells. :-)

Thanks to Ray for the interview and we hope that he has a very fun birthday. And if you'd like to see at least 50% of The Gutterboys performing live, Ray and J.P. will be performing as a duo at Serendipity Bistro in Merrickville on Friday, November 19th. Don't miss it!

Solo Mio?

Posted October 25th, 2010

A guitarist by the name of Richie Sambora (who plays with some band from New Jersey) once said: "Solos are like sex, so it's surprising to me that there aren't more guys playing them." Which isn't a bad philosophy to follow if you're a guitar player and fond of Ye Olde Guitar Solo. The Gutterboys certainly take full advantage of the benefits of guitar solos and in a bit of behind-the-scenes footage, you can now see a solo being recorded by a very fine guitar player named Jean-Pierre Côté. J.P. and Ray were recently captured on film in the midst of recording the latest Gutterboys opus and while the two of them normally exchange solos back and forth like the talented musicians they are, you can now visit the Video page to see Mr. Côté hard at work. More guitar solos, bass riffs, drum fills and other sonic goodies will be forthcoming but hopefully this will give you a taste of what the future has in store from Ottawa's self-proclaimed "sweatiest band".

Audiomagick

Posted October 20th, 2010

So what, pray tell, have our favorite Guttersnipes been up to lately? More recording, actually, as guitar solos and other finishing touches are being applied before we move into the mixing and production stage. Or if your name is Todd, you're also attending performances delivered by other artists and posting very cool reviews about them. So while things are still a little bit quiet on the live performance front, the recording efforts continue with the hope that final results will be available for the general public before the end of this calendar year. Rumor has it that we'll see another Gutterboys live performance before then as well so keep checking back for more updates. Wait... we say that everytime, don't we? It's still true... check here for more news to come!

More Studio Time

Posted September 13th, 2010

Ours goes to eleven! But in this case, we're not referring to amplifier volume but rather recorded songs that are nearing completion. After drums and "scratch guitar" tracks were recorded for eleven Gutterboys originals, J.P., Todd and Ray got together yesterday and added bass, rhythm and lead guitars to the mix. More work remains to be done as guitar solos, vocals, and violin concertos need to be recorded before... wait a second... violin concertos??? In all seriousness, no violins or small animals were harmed during the recording of these songs. Ear drums are a whole different kettle of fish but the point is clearly on the top of Pat's head.

Now where were we? Oh yes, so eleven tracks are nearing completion and very soon, Ray will be moving into the mixing and production stage of the process. Similar to, but not quite the same as, when the original singles were recorded at Ambience Studios. And speaking of this moment in history, The Gutterboys recently passed a milestone of sorts when they marked the anniversary of the completion of the month-long "Crawling In The Culvert" tour. Want to know more about those heady times? Check out the story of The Gutterboys when getting fired in North Sydney, Nova Scotia was a particularly painful rite of passage. And stay tuned for more updates!

Recording Once More

Posted August 19th, 2010

It's been a very, very, very.... VERY long time since The Gutterboys last entered a studio environment in order to record some of their creations. And with half of the band being principals in Lonesome Studios Productions, it didn't take a genius to figure out that they would eventually take advantage of this and do some recording. Which is a good thing since Ottawa's self-proclaimed "sweatiest band" aren't exactly known for being geniuses anyway. Smiley face

Here are some pictures posted in the Photo Galleries of the recent session as finally the 'boys are "laying down some tracks" which sounds kind of like railroad construction but no rails or ties were involved. Instead, the bed tracks for eleven (11) Gutterboys originals are now "in the can" with the potential for more to be recorded in the near future. Ray will be practicing his usual technical wizardry with hopefully a full-length CD release being available sometime before the end of the year.

And if you can't wait that long to hear some Gutterboy goodness, did you know that Lonesome Studios Productions now provides online purchasing and MP3 downloads of Gutterboy music? The original singles are there so go check out the Lonesome Studios catalog and if you want your own copies, they're just a mouse-click away.

More news on this and other exciting developments can be found right here so check back for future updates!

You-Who???

Posted July 21st, 2010

Having trouble viewing some of the video clips from our Video page? Well thanks to the good folks at YouTube, that issue is now hopefully a thing of the past. As of today, The Gutterboys have their very own Youtube channel so that no matter what type of computer you're using, you should hopefully be able to see the videos without any technical difficulties. And with the video clips hosted on the Youtube site, we can now embed them into this web site as well so that you don't need to download any files or open an external viewer (unless you really want to). Now who said a bunch of sweaty old rockers couldn't handle a few technical problems, eh? Ummm, and by sweaty old rockers, we mean Patrick, of course!

Gunning For Love

Posted July 19th, 2010

The opening line of the The Gutterboys's original composition "Love Gunner" is: 'I can see the writing on the wall'. In this case, the writing says: GO TO THE VIDEOS PAGE TO CHECK OUT THE LATEST CLIP! OK, that wasn't very subtle. But the point was made in that even if you missed the 'boys performance on Canada's birthday, you can still re-live a moment captured from the first set in all its digital video glory.

The band is proud of its original songs and while some tunes are meant to make some deep or meaningful philosophical point, others are just straight-ahead rockers designed to get your toes tapping and your head bopping. In this case, "Love Gunner" is a little bit of both for while enjoying the superlative guitar work of Monsieurs Lavoie and Côté, you can also 'attend the temple of within'. Check it out as you'll be getting a preview of one of the songs that will be appearing on The Gutterboys's new album which is being recorded right this very second. All right, not this second. But maybe that second. Or maybe that one!

Simultaneously Sweaty And Sweet

Posted July 8th, 2010

Did you make it to The Gutterboys show on Canada Day at the Serendipity Bistro in Merrickville? If you did, you enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon on the patio as the 'boys rocked the joint and celebrated their national pride. Small consolation for those who weren't able to enjoy the songs and the sunshine but here are a few photos to commemorate the event. Those who were there will have their own fond memories of a rockin' good time had by all as The Gutterboys sure enjoyed themselves.

It was a pretty busy holiday weekend for only two days later, The Gutterboys returned to Harry McLean's Pub for another evening of good times and great music. So what's next, you ask? A short break from live performances as the band will be devoting itself to finally recording some of their original tunes that have yet to be immortalized in the studio. The summer's not over, tho', so check back here for more updates on upcoming shows and the latest news. Cheers!

Canada Day Extravaganza!

Posted June 14th, 2010

Feeling patriotic? The Gutterboys sure are and they'll be proclaiming their national pride live and on stage at the Serendipity Bistro in lovely downtown Merrickville. An outdoor show taking place on the patio from 1:00pm to 4:00pm in the afternoon, it promises to be a great time of festive tunes and Canada Day spirit. Hopefully the weather gods will be cooperative and it'll be a sunny day but rain or shine, Ottawa's self-proclaimed "sweatiest band" will be rockin' the house and shakin' the dance floor.

And if that's not enough, they'll be returning to Harry McLean's Pub just across the street from the Serendipity Bistro on Saturday, July 3rd. So if you can't join us for Canada Day, come on out on the weekend for an evening of good times and great music. See you there!

Space? Myspace??

Posted May 27th, 2010

The Gutterboys aren't likely to get their own dating reality show on MTV anytime soon (thank goodness!) but they are broadening their cybernetic horizons by getting their very own Myspace page! Having already delved into the world of social networking with a Facebook page, it was decided that having even more public exposure would be even better. Ummm... not THAT kind of public exposure. Certain restraining orders and decency laws make that kind of public exposure a really bad idea. But the GOOD kind of public exposure is perfectly acceptable as more people can access the music and learn more about Ottawa's self-proclaimed "Sweatiest Band". So check out http://www.myspace.com/thegutterboysrock for more electronic tidbits and music. We're not likely to take over anytime soon as the most popular artist on MySpace but who knows, this just might be the kind of public exposure that we won't be arrested for!

Another Job Well Done

Posted May 10th, 2010

The Gutterboys brought the house down (not literally) this past weekend at Harry McLean's Pub with a strong performance that included two brand new original songs. "Drinking Song" in particular went over very well with a boisterous and appreciative crowd that danced and cheered and generally made the `boys feel very welcome. A few minor technical glitches didn't mar the performance and one of the problems, an exceedingly rare broken bass guitar string, demonstrated Todd's musical abilities as he was able to compensate and play an entire set with his instrument reduced from four strings to three. A virtuoso performance by a master musician done under pressure with both grace and style. Now if only the drummer had been able to slow down just a little bit, Todd's efforts wouldn't have been quite so difficult but Mr. Snelgrove has vowed revenge so all is good.

Pictures of the performance can be viewed from the Photo Galleries page which has also been improved with a new and better way of displaying photographs. Rumor also has it that future bookings are pending and serious planning to record more Gutterboys originals has already begun so keep checking this site for future updates.

Sneak Peek!

Posted May 3rd, 2010

In the days leading up to The Gutterboys next performance at Harry McLean's Pub, the set list has been bolstered by not one but two brand new original songs. And in an exclusive sneak preview, not-so-secret hidden-camera footage has now been posted on this web site that captures the songwriting session that created one of the new songs.

Check out the Video page for some insight into the creative process from which Gutterboys compositions emerge. And to hear the finalized version of this song (as well as other musical gems), join us on May 8th in Merrickville for a night of Gutter-fun and sweaty shenanigans. It promises to be a night of terrific tunes and raucous rhythms so head on over to Harry McLean's Pub to catch the `boys in action. You'll be glad that you did.

More Gutter-Goodness!

Posted April 12th, 2010

Something's brewing in the House of Gutter but that smell isn't coming from the kitchen! Ummm... wait a second, that's not a particularly good analogy.

The G'boys recently got together to rehearse for the upcoming gig on May 8th. But the rehearsal evolved into a songwriting session as well with compositional energies flowing freely. Todd shared a few new songs that he had been working on and some of these may or may not become part of The Gutterboys repertoire. He also showed the lads a bass riff he'd developed and from this, a brand new Gutterboys song was written! It's still very much a work-in-progress and Ray has volunteered to write some lyrics for the new piece so it's title is still undecided. It's unlikely that the new song will be ready in time for the next performance at Harry McLean's Pub but the guys are excited by the rejuvenation of their collective creativity. Rumor has it that some not-so-secret hidden camera footage may have been recorded during the songwriting session which might find its way onto this web site. Keep checking in for more updates!

Bless The InterWeb!

Posted March 8th, 2010

Having recently returned from a foray to view the 2010 Winter Olympics, Todd graciously hosted yet another Gutter-jam at his house as the lads prepared themselves for another upcoming show at Harry McLean's Pub in Merrickville. And in re-uniting for yet more musical meanderings, it was discovered that Paoule Fondulïlo DuBois (a.k.a. Paul Fruitman) had been located despite his many years of successfully hiding out in The Big Smoke. The Gutterboys' former road manager and touring companion had somehow managed to evade re-discovery up until this point but through the wonders of technology, he was eventually hunted down and cornered. Whether this will result in an eventual face-to-face reunion remains to be seen but The Gutterboys were pleased to re-establish a connection to their dimly-remembered past.

Technology has also brought about yet more developments as The Gutterboys are now on Facebook! Social networking is now part of the band's new repertoire as both Patrick and Ray are already on the ubiquitious system. But why, you ask, would I want to go to the Facebook page when I'm already here at The Gutterboys web site? Good question. And the answer is that while this web site prides itself on being the most awesomest of the awesome, there will be new and different content posted on the Facebook page. You don't HAVE to go to the Facebook page. But do you want to risk missing out on yet more details about what some are describing as Ottawa's sweatiest band?

Finally, and most importantly, is the good news that not only have The Gutterboys been tinkering around with things technological but some musical composition has also been brewing. J.P. has written a new tune named "Drinking Song" and this has now been added to the band's repertoire. Based on the song's subject matter, it seems appropriate to debut it at the Harry McLean's Pub show so please join us to hear this latest gem of musical genius!

The Band That Will Not Die

Posted February 3rd, 2010

Like the decaying stars of a George Romero movie, The Gutterboys are staggering back to life once again. Rejuvenated by their successful performance at Harry McLean's Pub last month, the `boys will be heading out to Merrickville once again as they've booked a return date at Harry's for May 8th. And if that's not enough to rock your socks, a video clip from the January show has been posted to the Video page!

But wait, as the commercial says, there's more! For all of this recent Gutter-goodness and cameraderie has convinced our friendly neighborhood Gutter-snipes to dust off the old set lists and book a few more gigs as well. Another tour is highly unlikely but several local venues and events may be graced with a Gutterboy presence in the coming months. And if that's not enough, discussions are currently underway to produce studio-quality recordings of a number of Gutter-tunes that have yet to be immortalized in a recorded form. So what are you waiting for? Check out the Shows page for updates and stay tuned as it's likely that these over-the-hill reprobates may be coming to a stage near you!

Rockin' The Pub

Posted January 25th, 2010

A grand time was had by all at Harry McLean's Pub in Merrickville this past Saturday night. Or, at least a grand time was had by the lads on stage while the audience seemed to be pretty appreciative. If you weren't able to catch the show, check out the Photo Galleries for some pictures that have just been uploaded. And while the folks in Merrickville are definitely a lot of fun, the food at The Baldachin Inn is even more awesome! Four servings of the organic prime rib were devoured before the music began (Todd magnanimously ordered a cheeseburger when his bandmates claimed the last of the prime ribs) and the meals were fantastic.

The music may not have been as fine as the dining but The Gutterboys cranked out two sets of loud, proud rock'n'roll that went over very well with the vocal and appreciative crowd. Formerly Unknown closed out an enjoyable evening that saw a little bit of dancing, a little bit of nostalgia, and a whole lot of good times. When asked if this was the last time that The Gutterboys would ever be performing live, Todd was heard to say: "It'd be a shame after we went to all the trouble of re-learning these songs." Will there be more Gutter-goodness? Stay tuned to find out!

Once More From The Top!

Posted January 12th, 2010

With only a little more than a week before the next (and last?) Gutterboys show at Harry McLean's Pub in Merrickville, the lads are frantically rehearsing and ironing out some last minute bugs in their set list. The performance takes place on Saturday, January 23rd, and the band is hoping you'll be there for a night of great tunes and fun times.

The good news is that they won't be the only ones on stage as Formerly Unknown will also be joining them for a song or three. FU's keyboard wizard, David Moyer, joined The Gutterboys for a jam-tastic medley at the Lonesome Studios CD Release Party so the chances are good that this blend of musical merriment and mayhem will repeat itself.

Even more intriguing, however, is the rumor that after years of being apart, a brand new original Gutterboys tune is in the works. So for a blast of auditory treasures and even a moment of hilarity or two, come out to Harry McLean's Pub on the 23rd.

(Pssst! Go check out the Photo Galleries, we've added more pictures from days gone by!)

Are They Or Aren't They?

Posted December 15th, 2009

While The Gutterboys' recent reunion performance at the Lonesome Studios CD Release Party ended a lengthy hiatus in live gigs, it has also led to speculation that the band might re-form once again. Now while a full-blown reformation may not be in the works, another reunion performance will most definitely be taking place on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at Harry McLean's Pub in Merrickville!

And this time, it won't be just a few songs for The G'boys to perform but rather an entire evening's worth of three sets that they'll be playing! So come on out to Merrickville for a night of Gutter Goodness and sweet, sweet sensational sounds. Hope to see you there!

They Live!

Posted December 10th, 2009

After 5,712 days (or 15-1/2 years) since their last live performance, The Gutterboys reunited to put on a killer set at the Lonesome Studios Productions Compilation CD Release Party. The date was Saturday, November 21st, 2009 and the Montgomery Legion was the location for a night of memories and music.

The event was organized to celebrate the release of "Archives: Decades of Distortion, Din and Disquiet from the Vaults of Lonesome Studios", a compilation CD from Lonesome Studios Productions. With a track from The G'boys included on the CD, the band felt that it had to get together one more time and drag out the old songs for a celebratory performance. And just like in the days of old, there was sweat for everyone as The Gutterboys belted out their unique blend of musical craftsmanship and creativity. Check out The Music and Video pages for clips from a performance that captured some of the old magic.

Web Site Redux

Posted December 1st, 2009

For many years, The Gutterboys web site has been little more than brochure-ware as an electronic tribute to a musical act long since confined to the dust bin of history. With the band's recent resurgence of activity, however, it was felt that a little bit of re-modeling and re-decorating was in order.

And so, with the help of a free template from the Free CSS Templates web repository, we have The Gutterboys web site 2.0! Or maybe it's 3.0 by this point. We're not really sure. But feel free to explore around and check things out. We can't promise to update on a timely basis but you'll never know when you might find out something new about a group that once proclaimed itself "Ottawa's hardest working band".