Tag Archives: friends

Christopher JJ Reimer Memorial Show Recaps!

Mad love and thanks to all the peeps who came out to see our boy’s show at Sled Island last week. (Two weeks ago, I guess. They say you lose time in grief. It’s true. It goes somewhere).

Also, I don’t know that I properly thanked the Sled Island Festival, and Paisley Sim in particular, for so generously making possible this event. From FFWD:

For Sim, however, one exhibition stands out from the rest: the Reimer show at MOCA. “Marc Rimmer curated it and Marc and Chris were best friends for many, many years,” she says. “It’s a collection of photographs of him by many people in his life and then we’re playing many of his unreleased, ambient scores — they’re all so textured.”

The show features a silent auction to raise funds for a foundation in Reimer’s name.

“More than anything, I feel humbled to be able to present it. I loved Chris and I hope that the show is well-received by his family more than anything else.”

 Paisley, it was. THANK YOU.

CBC Calgary’s The Homestretch spoke to Marc in advance of the show.

And BeatRoute interviewed Rena about Gold.

Thanks to DivinerOne/Kathleen Moors for this lovely ambient video:

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Palamino Tribute Show: New Paths to Helicon Pt. 1

On March 1, 2012, the day of Chris’ cremation, and the day after his funeral celebration, a private concert was held at the Palamino Nightclub in Calgary in his honour. The following videos are from that night, courtesy of Melanie McKay.

MOGWAI

This is one of Chris’ favourite Mogwai tracks, New paths to Helicon pt. 1.

The musicians are: Marc Rimmer, Scott Monroe, (guitars) Matt Flegel on bass, our dad Tim Reimer on drums, and Myke Atkinson.

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Our Dear Sweet Chris

-by Clinton St. John

Hi Nikki,

I don’t know where to start. I can’t stop thinking about Chris. I just revisited the site and tears are flowing again like I just found out. I miss that guy so damn much. Its obvious how easy it was to take Chris for granted.

There was never a moment where I felt it was necessary to break it down like an equation what an amazingly kind genius that dear sweet man was. And now its all there’s left to do. I wish I could have been here for the  celebrations of Chris’s life but I was in Cuba and couldn’t make it back. Looking back I wish I would have made it home somehow, not that it would have changed anything but it would have been good to be with our friends. I can’t imagine how hard this has been for you and your family, and I offer my sincere condolences. Continue reading

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Chris interviewed in 2008

2008 interview on About.com conducted by Anthony Carew.

Calgary quartet Women began as a project: four old high-school pals deciding to make a record to fill in Alberta’s frigid winter months. Roping in local analog-equipment-hoarding weirdo (and Sub Poprecording artist) Chad VanGaalen, Women rolled tape on a set of short, sharp, fragmented tracks in a basement, a crawlspace, an outdoor culvert, and by the side of the river. The resulting record, Women’s debut self-titled set, is a tape-hiss-draped work both mysterious and immediate. Standing outside of a Vietnamese restaurant in Hamilton, guitarist/vocalist Chris Reimer spoke.

Interview: 9 October 2008

You’re in the middle of three solid months on tour. Is it weird to have your life planned so far in advance?
“It’s kind of hilarious: you want to make plans with your friends, and you say: ‘Let’s go for coffee! How’s April?’ It feels weird, but it’s also kinda nice, because playing music for people is the only thing we really want to do.”

Has it always been that way?
“Well, I started playing guitar when I was 10, and started jamming with [Women’s] Pat [Flegel] and Mike [Wallace] when we were, probably, 13. We were the guys at school who played music. We’ve been in bands on and off since then; most of my life has actually been spent making music with the dudes in this band.” Continue reading

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Oh Chris

two bad apples

I miss you so much. I don’t know if I can stand this.

N.

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Weeds Recording – Feb. 8

Reposted from AaronLeaney.com / Multiphonic Sounds

I am sad to hear of Calgary guitarist Chris Reimer’s passing. We just shared a stage on the 8th of February this year where he saved my opening set that night lending me a missing power supply and cable, reassuring me that he was, “happy to help”. He performed solo electric guitar which shined with beauty; I remember feeling like I was in church or in a spiritual ritual hearing bells of cosmic light that filled my soul. Reimer will probably be best remembered as guitarist for the Calgary band Women but I think this set in particular deserves some introspection and meditation – it shines with beauty.

Recorded by Brad Hawkins, February 8th, 2012 at Weeds Cafe, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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Benjamin Middleton

Hi Nikki,

I knew Chris in a very general sort of way, mostly acquainted through mutual friends and from going to shows etc. We spoke only a handful of times; I always had a “bro crush” on Chris and wanted to pick his brain about pedals or talk about deerhoof records…

I was lucky enough to see him perform very intimately, quite literally in my kitchen for what must have been a very early “Women” gig and one of the last shows “Azeda Booth” shows as a sextet…. quintet if memory serves Marc wasn’t present.

Even though I wasn’t close with him, Chris had this “sunshine prince” quality that made you feel like you had been pals your whole life when you were around him….everyone already has said so many wonderful truths about him, much better than I ever could. Continue reading

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Robert Earl Starratt

I have known Chris for about 10 years, and had the fortune to travel around the world with him, faking  my way as some kind of tour manager for the band he played in with the Flegel brothers and M. Wallace.  I have been blessed to have spent so much time with him.  Chris and I were close, and I know we would have been friends forever.  In a way now, we are friends forever.

Chris attracted the best people, and this last week in Calgary has been amazing.  Thank you Nikki, and your whole family.  Chris loved his family in a way that is uncommon, and you guys meant so much to him.

Lots of love,
RS

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Reimer’s Memorial from Lind and DiNinnos

Steven Lind
As a musician Chris would continuously blow my mind and as a friend he was endlessly hilarious, kind and genuine. I met him in 2007 and he quickly made a huge impact on my life. I feel very fortunate to have known Chris and to have been able to make music with him. He was a sonic prophet and a hero. I loved him and I will miss him a lot.

Robert DiNinno
I don’t really know what to say about Chris that hasn’t already been said. He was an amazing musician and an even better friend. I met Chris 5 years ago and in that short time he managed to make a pretty big impression on my life. He was among the most humble of men, never too concerned about himself and always ready to lend a hand and help out with anything. He was always in a good mood and always had something ready to add to any conversation. Chris was, is, and always will be an inspiration to me in both music and life and he will be missed.

Thomas DiNinno
I really looked up to Chris. He was an amazing person, an amazing musician, and an amazing friend. It is rare that you meet such a genuine person and I will forever love and miss him. He has inspired and encouraged me to execute some of the proudest accomplishments in my life. Having the privilege to make music with him was mind-blowing, to say the least… a truly inspirational person, a personal hero of mine, and a great friend… never a dull moment. I really can’t explain how much I will miss chris. Chris you make me strive to be a better musician and a better person…love you man.

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Remembering Chris

Dear Nikki.

My name is (william) James (J.J.) Mathison — people tend to decide what name I go by…  Chris called me Jimmy.  I like that.

I have been punishing my soft little brain for days to find the right words to express my sorrow to you and your family, to all friends of Chris, to myself.  Mostly I have been drinking;  trying to make some sense of it all.  We did a lot of that together, Chris and I.

We didn’t rely on finding the right words too much when we were together.  No doubt Chris had them there, somewhere in that sad-brilliant mind of his.

We drove around.  We were fucking hilarious.  Everybody knows Chris was fucking hilarious.

We hugged a lot.

Smart people tend to be intuitively unhapppy.  Chris was un-happy a great deal when I knew him best.  This made sense to me.

Stupid-happy people are boring.  Sad-smart people are interesting.  Chris was really goddamn interesting.  I think we bonded.

(in case you’re wondering:  sad-stupid people need to just cheer the fuck up already.) Continue reading

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