Being productive is the bane of my life. It irks me, therefore, to cite “wrote a blog about a productive person” as the most productive thing of my day.
On a blustery February weekend in Toronto, Canada, I had the pleasure of seeing some of the 150 artists on show at the free roots and blues festival, Winterfolk. The highlight came from Brock Zeman, a Canadian singer-songwriter who has to be a strong candidate for the most productive musician I have ever met.
Brock’s superb storytelling was an instant hit with the Winterfolk crowd; the lone guitar and gravelly voice suiting his tales of the road, the winter, the small town and the ex. The banter between songs was also of high quality, which added greatly to the performance.
A quick peek at the man’s website, however, shows a horrifying fact that will make all procrastinators cringe: since 2007 he has played over 900 gigs (all of which he booked himself). One can note an annual American tour and a mind-boggling bi-annual assault across the whole of Canada (the second largest country in the world, by the way).
What is worse, he has released 8 albums in as many years.
And they are good, too. His live album, Live @ the Acoustic Grill, is a fine starting point for anyone wanting to get stuck in to his back catalogue. Or, you can wait a while and he will no doubt turn up in your town, armed with songs and wit (if he isn’t doing his first tour of the Moon, or driving across Montana, or something).
Did I mention he had just set up a label? Did I say that he has been recording albums in his studio out in the Canadian wilderness? Did I mention all that, on top of playing gigs and making music and being doing it very, very well? No?
Some people just make you sick.
Man, fuck that guy.
One of my favourite Canadian singer/songwriters. As for which of his CDs to buy..I just tell people: Collect ’em all!! 🙂