Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

He made headlines for his drug bust, marriage breakup and departure from Canada’s favorite band. But the former Barenaked Ladies frontman has clearly turned over a new leaf. After scoring theatrical plays at Stratford and recording a collection of cover songs with a jazz and classical ensemble, Page is back with a strong collection of witty, melodic pop and an impressive commitment to songcraft. “No waiting limos, no cocaine and discos,” he sings, “I gave that all up for the chorus, girl.” Brave new beginnings.

Twenty years is a long time for any partnership—longer than many marriages. For two decades, Steven Page and Ed Robertson shared vocal and songwriting duties as co-founders of Barenaked Ladies, one of Canada’s most successful pop bands. In that time, the pair—who began writing together at summer music camps—was responsible for a string of hits that mixed humor and intelligence. But the partnership ended a year ago after Steven’s arrest for drug possession. Now, with Steven pursuing a solo career, Ed and the remaining Ladies—drummer Tyler Stewart, bassist Jim Creeggan and keyboardist Kevin Hearn—have forged ahead and released the band’s 11th album, All in Good Time. Change has been good for t...

The Ladies' luck has changed. While Canada's Barenaked Ladies have fizzled at home in the past few years, their career has exploded south of the border. Last week, with the release of the pop band's latest album, Stunt, the five musicians performed on ABC-TV's Good Morning America before an estimated 3.8 million viewers. Later that same Monday, the Ladies flew to Boston where they gave a free, half-hour concert for 80,000 people-double the number local officials were expecting-in front of city hall, followed by a four-hour autograph session. On Tuesday, they delivered more tunes and signatures to fans at a Detroit music store. Then it was on to Chicago, where the band did it all over again a...

It was like an IQ test question asking which was the apple among the oranges. In the summer, Canada's Barenaked Ladies had been booked to play Chicago's Rockfest at the city's motor speedway. But the fun-loving popsters found themselves sharing top billing with heavy-metal road warriors Metallica and white-trash rapper Kid Rock. As soon as the Ladies hit the stage, rap-metal fans in the audience realized that this group didn't share their "Rage Against Anything" credo. First there was booing, followed by dozens of middle fingers being thrust angrily in the air. Things turned uglier as the rabble started hurling beer bottles and homophobic insults towards the stage. Drummer Tyler Stewart...

With his straggly, shoulder-length hair, torn blue jeans and red sneakers, Greig Nori doesn’t look like the sort of man to be wined and dined in elegant restaurants by smooth-talking business executives. But Nori, who is in his late 20s, is a singer-guitarist in a band called treble charger, one of the hottest new acts in Canada. And several major record companies have been vigorously courting the group for the past year with a series of lucrative contract offers. Although flattered by the attention, treble charger shocked many in the record industry last month by turning down all the big-league offers. It chose instead to continue releasing albums on its own Smokin’ Worm Records, the company the band created in 1993 for its acclaimed debut, NC17. Distribution will be handled by another tiny label, Hamilton’s Sonic Unyon. "Sure, a record deal may be every kid’s dream," says Nori, who is originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. "But we felt confident enough that we’re better off on our own."