- United Steel Workers of Montreal
United Steel Workers of Montreal (or USWM) are a six-piece
alternative country ensemble based in downtownMontreal . At present, the band consists of Gern F (vocals/acoustic guitar), Felicity Hamer (vocals/accordion), Sean "Gus" Beauchamp (vocals/acoustic guitar), Matt Watson (electric guitar), Eddie Blake (bass) and Christopher Reid (banjo/mandolin). The band draws onpunk rock ,bluegrass and country influences, and is part of a "citygrass" scene of alternative country musicians in Montreal which also includesKatie Moore and Lee Mellor and the Mudhounds. [ [http://www.urbanhandedworks.ca/pages/Citygrass1.html Citygrass!] ]The band began as an informal busking collective, playing every Tuesday in Montreal's Lucien-L'Allier metro station. [fr icon [http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone=4§ion=6&article=55934 "De terre et d'acier: The United Steel Workers of Montreal fait le point sur la nouvelle scène country montréalaise."] , "
Voir ", January 3, 2008.] After about seven or eight months, they booked a rehearsal space and began to actively record and perform as a permanent band. Their debut album "Broken Trucks and Bottles" was released in April 2005 and featured Sean Moore on banjo, mandolin and guitar. Shortly after the album's release Moore left the band and was replaced by Kevin McNeilly, while session man Roger Dawson also became a member.The new lineup followed with "Kerosene and Coal" in 2007 [ [http://cdbaby.com/cd/uswom2| Album Advert and Article at CDBaby] ] . That same year, a "
Montreal Mirror " readers' poll voted them the third best act in the city, behind onlyArcade Fire and electronic duo Team Canada. [" [http://www.montrealmirror.com/2007/053107/bom-07-05.html Best of Montreal Readers Poll 2007] ", "Montreal Mirror ", 2007-05-31. Retrieved on 2008-09-23.] In 2007 Dawson left the band and was replaced by bass player Eddie Blake.The band is currently signed to Toronto-based indie label
Weewerk [ [http://www.weewerk.com/| Weewerk Website] ] .They have toured extensively across Canada and the United States, including shows at the 2008
SXSW andOttawa Bluesfest . [ [http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/music/music.aspx?iIDArticle=15041 "Support your local blues chapter"] , "Ottawa XPress ", July 3, 2008.] Their music has also been playlisted onCBC Radio 3 [ [http://www.radio3.cbc.ca/concerts/USWM-in-Session-2007-11-19| CBC Concert] ] .Discography
* "Broken Trucks and Bottles" (2005)
* "Kerosene and Coal" (2007)References
External links
* [http://www.uswm.ca/ United Steel Workers of Montreal]
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