Music
Press
“Singer songwriter Eugene Ripper is one of Canada’s most exciting folk artists. His lyrical tales of near death, trains, outlaws, lust love gone bad and Vincent Van Gogh merge with an intense live energy. Ripper arrives somewhere between John Prine and The Ramones. Ë?
MARIPOSA FESTIVAL PROGRAM
- Mariposa Festival Program
" Roots rock rebel summons up visions of film noir and spaghetti western and Johnny Cash " HALIFAX HERALD.
- HALIFAX HERALD
One of Canada's most respected yet underexposed songwriters
TORONTO STAR. - TORONTO STAR.
" Few can turn a couple of chords into something majestic, and
Eugene Ripper has the gift." OTTAWA CITIZEN.
- Ottawa Citizen
“ Volleying between punk, folk and rock Ripper jumps all over each style, stealing from one and reshaping another until he comes up with a unique sound and vibe all his own.�
NOW MAGAZINE
- Now Magazine
Discography
2010: Punks and Pushers...(Album)
2007: Fast Folk Underground 2.0 (EP)
2006: Crackle (EP)
2004: The Ballad of Black (Album)
2004: Folk It - Anti Up (EP)
2002: Hi Lonesome (EP)
2000: El Musico (album)
1999: Folk Song 2000/Apollo Meltdown (single)
1998: Comes and Goes (single)
1997: Faster than you Think (album)
1993: Fast Folk Underground (album)
1992: DeadHead Cool (EP)
1990: Again and Again (single)
1989: Eugene Ripper and the North (EP)
1987: Wreck of the 97 (Single)
1986: Peking Hop (single)
Photos
Bio
Latest Album " Punks and Pushers and notes from the Fast Folk Underground"
(Soul Surfer Media RIP 007 2011)
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" One of Canada's most respected yet underexposed songwriters " TORONTO STAR.
" Ripper puts spikes back in folk music." VANCOUVER PROVINCE.
" Few can turn a couple of chords into something majestic, and Eugene Ripper has the gift." OTTAWA XPRESS.
" Roots rock rebel summons up visions of film noir and spaghetti western and Johnny Cash " HALIFAX HERALD.
"Volleying between punk, folk and rock Ripper jumps all over each style, stealing from one and reshaping another until he comes up with a unique sound and vibe all his own." NOW MAGAZINE (Toronto)
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THE SKINNY on "PUNKS AND PUSHERS and notes from the fast folk underground"
Underground Canadian songwriter/producer and fast folk rocker Eugene Ripper returns in 2011 with a brand new mini album wrapped around a sonic anthology of other recent work. Four new tunes including key tracks ("Perfect Day in Hollywood", "Punks and Pushers”) and two fresh instrumentals ("Brooklyn Down" and "Gone Fishing") sandwich seven signature Ripper tracks - culled from the Hi Lonesome, Crackle and Folk It EP's - categorized by genre and re-imagined within
the context of this project.
"There's a fair measure of both personal and professional significance in this album of work, " says Ripper. " It represents collection of material that provides me with both an opportunity to release new material in Canada while leaving the door open to reach out to new audiences with some of the other recent work I've created within the milieu of the fast folk underground - bit of a songwriters and producers notebook."
TRACK LISTING and some notes:
"PERFECT DAY IN HOLLYWOOD"
produced by Laurence Currie and Eugene Ripper
mixed by Laurence Currie
Eugene Ripper - vocals, guitars, harmonica
Ray Walsh - guitars, bass, accordion, keys
Charles Austin - additional guitar
Martha Haldenby - backing vocals
"PUNKS AND PUSHERS"
produced by Laurence Currie and Eugene Ripper
mixed by Laurence Currie
Eugene Ripper - vocals, guitars, harmonica
Ray Walsh - guitars, bass, percussion
ROCKERS AND RACKETS
"Tech Know Me"
produced by Vince Jones, Eugene Ripper and Brodie Smith
mixed by Brodie Smith
Eugene Ripper - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Vince Jones - electric guitar, bass drums
Rich Priske - bass
"Go Van Gogh"
produced by Eugene Ripper
mixed by Brodie Smith
Eugene Ripper - vox acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass
Walter Kuhr - accordion
Billy Ficca - drums and bongos
"Thought I Saw Her"
produced by Vince Jones and Eugene Ripper
mixed by Vince Jones
Eugene Ripper - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Vince Jones - electric guitar, bass, drums
BALLADS AND BLEEDING HEARTS
"My Lovers Chains"
produced by Vince Jones and Eugene Ripper
mixed by Vince Jones
Eugene Ripper - vox, acoustic guitar
Vince Jones - piano, strings
"Hang around Sundown"
produced by Eugene Ripper and Vince Jones
mixed by Vince Jones
Eugene Ripper - vocals, acoustic guitar
Kevin Bell - guitar
Walter Kuhr - accordion
Billy Ficca - drums, percussion
"Hi Lonesome"
produced and mixed by Vince Jones
Eugene Ripper - vocals acoustic guitar,
Vince Jones - drums,bass,piano,pump organ optigan
"I Won't Believe It"
produced by Eugene Ripper
mixed by Brodie Smith
Eugene Ripper - vocals, acoustic guitar, keys
Meghan Engel - violin, viola
Brodie Smith - Melodica
INSTRUMENTALS
"Brooklyn Down"
produced by Eugene Ripper and Charles Austin
Eugene Ripper - guitar, keyboards
Charles Austin - bass
DJ Crazy - drums
"Gone Fishing"
Produced and Mixed by Eugene Ripper
Eugene Ripper - guitar, keyboards
Ray Walsh - bass
Tom McMurtry - nature sound design
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ADDITIONAL BACK STORY
My roots can be traced back to my first band: Stark Naked and Fleshtones - surf punk pranksters who tore up the Toronto club and concert scene in the earlier 80's. I went solo in 1985 to and pursued a more roots rock based sound.
A series of singles and videos and gained some recognition via 102.1 The Edge Casby Award nominations as best indie artist (1987, 1988) and Q 107 Toronto Music Award nominations as best folk musician (1987, 1988). I also got under the lights with my full band (The North) on the main stage of the 2nd annual EdgeFest at Molson Park and into the mix with my songwriting skills to the Mariposa Folk Festival. In the early 90's, I relocated to Vancouver BC and released my first full length album "Fast Folk Underground" recorded and released a EP with a punk/reggae/ska project called Deadhead Cool and continued to work on my songwriting
Around this time, I also left a small footstep on the international scene with the release of "Fast Folk Underground" in Germany in 1993. Later that
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