Ian Blurton’s name may not sound familiar, but he’s been fronting bands for 25 years and producing records you know and love. In 1982 he formed and fronted the incredibly influential Toronto band Change of Heart. Throughout the course of the band’s diverse fifteen year career, they played hundreds of shows, had numerous line-up changes and released six records (their final being 1997’s eye-opening Steelteeth). In 1999 Blurton recorded Adventures in the Kingdom of Blurtonia, toured it and followed it up with a record simply titled Blurtonia. Taking a step back from the microphone, the south paw guitar slinger joined up with Johnathan Cummings’ band Bionic and recorded and toured for the record Deliverance.
It was during that tour that Blurton became involved with Nashville Pussy’s bassist Katie Lynn Campbell (musically and romantically) and recruited Randy Curnew to bang the skins for his new band C’Mon. They recorded the LP Midnight is the Answer in 2004, followed by In the Heat of the Moment a year later. Recently parting ways with their drummer and label (Maple Music), the band went back to basics and recorded Bottled Lightning of an All Time High last fall with new drummer Dean Dallas Bentley.
During the course of the last decade or so, Blurton has worn the producer hat as well, helming brilliant records by Tricky Woo, The Illuminati, Ron Hawkins and The Rheostatics to name a few. He also produced 3/4 of the Weakerthans catalogue, including their new record Reunion Tour, out September 25 on Epitaph.
I caught up with Sir Ian just before C’Mon’s return to Winnipeg’s most infamous hotel and bar, The Royal Albert Arms.
PZ: So Ian, let’s talk about the new record. It’s available on the website (www.thisiscmon.com) on CD. Is it on LP as well like the first two albums?
Blurton: It’s available on CD right now and just last night we worked out a deal in Calgary for some vinyl distribution.
PZ: I heard a rumour that you were supposed to produce (Winnipeg’s) Hot Live Guys record (Robbin’ A Bank) but that timing got in the way, is that true?
Blurton: I would love to work with them, they’re one of my favourites, one of everybody’s favourites. There’s been a lot of great bands I’ve wanted to work with, like Bullet Proof Nothing.
PZ: Speaking of Winnipeg bands, let’s talk about the new Weakerthans record, Reunion Tour. How was working with those guys again, is it all done?
Blurton: It’s actually done. It was fun. Winnipeg is really cold in January and February.
PZ: Let’s talk about the recording process of the new C’Mon album.
Blurton: When we started it our old drummer quit and we had to start over with Dean. He kinda filled the void. We just self produced it this time. A good friend of ours Daryl Smith, who did Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Tricky Woo came in and mixed the record for a very reasonable rate.
PZ: So is it the same “balls-out rock” this time around?
Blurton: It’s different. We have a string section on the record. Owen Pallett from Final Fantasy plays on it and Marty Kinack(1) from Broken Social Scene, who is a Winnipeger, he plays on it. We’re just trying a few new things.
PZ: You recently departed from Maple Music, who distributed your first two records. Have you had it up to here with labels?
Blurton: I think they’ve had it up to here with us (laughs). I mean, they asked us to tone it down. We’re a rock band and if you tone down a rock band too much you become a pop band. The reason we started this was because we wanted to do this now, and hard rock at 55 is a rare thing. I saw Heaven and Hell recently and I was shocked. Dio was fuckin great, amazing. I’m not even a big Dio fan but he was great.
PZ: How is it working with your girlfriend in the band?
Blurton: It’s awesome. Especially when we get into fights on stage. It’s really nice we get to be together on the road, we like playing together. That’s the reason we quit our bands, we thought we had a pretty good thing. Seemed like a good idea.
PZ: I noticed she sings a little on this record, like on the song “Unh”.
Blurton: She sings a lot more on the new record, she’s great. Takes some pressure off me, I don’t have to sing all the time.
PZ: Would you ever incorporate older material into a C’Mon set, like old Change of Heart tunes? Go back and re-interpret old songs or will you stick strictly to the new material?
Blurton: This is the band I’ve always wanted to be in, best I’ve been in a long time. We don’t wanna go backwards. We’re supposed to put out a Change of Heart compilation sometime in the next year though, we get all the rights to our records next year. We might do one or two shows in Toronto next year but that’s it.
PZ: I guess you don’t really see the guys from the old days that often?
Blurton: Actually they’re my best friends. Bernared Maiezza who played keys is one of my best friends in the world. I see everyone except for one drummer. Actually, I saw our very first drummer two weeks ago.
PZ: Right now in Winnipeg the only real competition for your show Saturday night is the Winnipeg Jazz Festival …
Blurton: We will destroy the Jazz Festival! There won’t be any jazz in our show, I can promise you that. But I do love Sonny Sharrock(2).
PZ: You’ve worked with so many great bands over the years as a producer, is there anyone you specifically want to work with right now?
Blurton: Oh my God, tons. There are a lot of great bands. I would like to work with Fucked Up, they’re from Toronto. I don’t know… I get lots of great opportunities to work with great bands. It’s always interesting to see what happens. I want to do something heavier right now, all the records I’ve done lately were light or light-ish.
PZ: Thank you so much for taking the time Ian.
Blurton: Thanks a lot for having me.
For more on C’Mon (including CDs and merch), visit www.thisiscmon.com or check them out at www.myspace.com/thisiscom.
Special thanks to Jen Zoratti, Doug Darling and Jared Story for helping make this piece possible. They talk music news on The New Sound, Thursdays from 7-8 on 92.9 Kick FM in Winnipeg (streaming online at www.kick.fm).
