It seems longer, but it has been barely a year since local record company Norwegian Blue Records released their first Windy Rock compilation to showcase an array of local bands.
But, as planned they are all set to release the sequel, May 5 just in time for the Electric Eye Music Festival.
“ We have seven repeats and nine new bands,” said Norwegian Blue president Tyson Wiebe who is in three of the bands — his alternative rock band Planet Telex, Mormon Girls and a new surf rock project called Atomicos with Lustre Creame drummer Chris Lipinski, plus Lance Sewell and Ryan Williams.
They put out a call in January for bands who wanted to be part of Windy Rock 2 and recorded most of them in their new northside studio space below Luigi’s.
There are a variety of styles of music on the CD from jazz / folk to electronic music, surf rock and a lot of modern rock.
“ Ryland Moranz contributed a banjo foot stomper, so it is not just about distorted rock and roll,” Wiebe said adding the primary purpose of the Windy Rock compilations are to help spread the word about the variety of music being created in Lethbridge.
The participating bands on the Windy Rock 2 compilation are The Void, Dirti Speshuls, John Greenshields, Ryland Moranz, The Utilities, The Ruby Plumes, Cosmic Charley, The Yeah Dads, New Weather Machine, Mormon Girls, Night Thorn, Jolene Draper, Atomicos, Hoverkraft, Internet Love and Planet Telex.
“The only copies left are in the hands of the bands. We’re sold out of them,” he said, adding there are more bands on the compilation this year as they accepted all submissions.
Last year, Windy Rock featured 14 bands.
“We got 14 then two more and we thought what’s another two. So we added them,” he said adding the compilations helps unknown artists get their songs heard.
“ It helps people who might not be able to get a song out otherwise,” he said.
“ People are willing to take a chance on a five dollar cassette where they might not want to spend $10 or $20 on a CD or on vinyl,” he said.
He noted the compilation will be out in time for the Electric Eye Music Festival, May 8-10 during which Norwegian Blue is planning a showcase of some of the bands on their label.
“ It’s done. We’re just waiting for Jesse Northey to master it again. So we’re pretty close,” he said.
“ We have digital downloads and the physical copy, which is pretty cool,” he continued adding they are planning the third edition for next year.
“Things ran pretty smoothly just like last year,” said Wiebe who runs Norwegian Blue in a addition to holding down two day jobs as a librarian at Lethbridge College and working at HMV.
“I’m passionate about it, so I make it work,” he said.
“ It’s been really fun,” he said.
