Shotgun & Jaybird

Infobox musical artist
Name = Shotgun & Jaybird


Img_capt =
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Dawson City, Yukon, Canada
Genre = Indie rock
Years_active = 2003–2007
Label = Sappy
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members = Dick Morello
Shotgun Jimmie
Julie Doiron
Jesse Baird
Past_members = Paul Henderson

Shotgun & Jaybird were a Canadian indie rock band based in Sackville, New Brunswick.

History

Shotgun & Jaybird formed in mid-2003 when Dick Morello, formerly of The Janitors, travelled to the Yukon and was later joined by his lifelong friend and former Janitor, Shotgun Jimmie, from Ajax, Ontario. Along with Dom Lloyd, they played a weekly set at The Pit, and recorded "Dawson Towne Recordings" with Sandy Silver.

Following the tour, they headed back to Sackville, New Brunswick. There, they recorded and produced "Sackville Classics for the Simple Ukulele". They also played the inaugural Stereophonic Music Festival, a fund raiser for CHMA-FM, the local campus-community station.

During 2004 both Jim and Morello released solo albums.

Later in 2004, Julie Doiron, known for her solo recording and work with Eric's Trip, relocated to Sackville just in time to play the second Stereophonic festival. Also that year, Shotgun & Jaybird released their eponymous wallpaper greatest hits culled from "Dawson Towne Recordings", "Simple Songs", "6,000 True Stories" and "Rubber Covered Painter".

During this period, the duo began to play as a trio, adding Paul Henderson as a full-time drummer. Early shows with Henderson would often still consist of Morello and Jim trading guitar and drum duties, resulting in a two drum, one guitar band. Later in 2005 the trio began to back Julie Doiron in her solo efforts, and she began to play bass with them.

With the addition of Doiron, the band shifted its makeup so that both Jim and Dick played guitar. This larger, fuller sound was toyed with during the summer and fall of 2005, and in early 2006 they released the "There Are Days and There Are Days" EP on the resurrected Sappy Records imprint. This record featured art and layout by local artists Erik Edson and Very Silly Monkey, and collaboration with local musician W. L. Altman. The record was mastered by Toronto's Noah Mintz.

The album marked a turning point for the band, leading to their first of several cross-Canada tours, as well as their most polished record to that point. During this time, Chad VanGaalen, of Calgary, Alberta, was in Sackville as the artist in residence at faucet media arts centre, and he played several shows with Shotgun & Jaybird.

After touring to promote the EP, Henderson, Doiron and Jon Claytor set the very first Sappyfest in Sackville in motion. It was also during this time that they recorded "Trying to Get Somewhere"; released in the late summer, it has charted as high as #2 on the Earshot! charts. Their tour for this record, with Woolly Leaves and Julie Doiron, has been their most successful to date.

Late in 2006, Paul Henderson amicably left the band and was replaced by Jesse Baird, who has performed formerly with Drummer, the Janitors, Leslie Feist, and Brother of Pidgeon.

It was announced that Shotgun & Jaybird broke up in May, 2007, playing their final gig in Moncton, New Brunswick. [ [http://radio3.cbc.ca/blogs/2007/05/Out-of-Ammo-and-Wings-Clipped-Shotgun-and-Jaybird-Break-Up CBC Radio 3 - Blog - Out of Ammo and Wings Clipped: Shotgun and Jaybird Break-Up ] ]

In fall 2007, Julie and Dick played several shows opening for Eric's Trip, and toured Eastern-Canada with The Superfantastics as Blue Heeler, now known as Calm Down It's Monday. Shotgun Jimmie released another solo album called "The Onlys" in October 2007.

Members

*Dick Morello – guitar, vocals, drums
*Shotgun Jimmie – guitar, vocals, drums
*Julie Doiron – bass guitar, vocals
*Paul Henderson – drums (2004–2006)
*Jesse Baird – drums (late 2006–present)

Discography

* "Dawson Towne Recordings" – 2003
* "Sackville Classics For Simple Ukulele" – 2004
* "Shotgun & Jaybird" – 2005
* "There Are Days and Then There Are Days" – 2006
* "Trying to Get Somewhere" – 2006

References

External links

*myspace|shotgunandjaybird
* [http://www.shotgunjimmie.com Shotgun Jimmie] official website