“We started recording these songs in January 2012 with the intention of spending a couple of months demoing all of our material in preparation for a full length studio album. Our drummer, Chris Reimer, had brought over his beloved 4trk cassette deck, small mixer, and collection of microphones and we spent some days and nights together playing with gear. On February 21, 2012 Chris passed away unexpectedly in his sleep of a previously undiagnosed heart condition. This EP is an archive of the four songs we had completed with Chris on the drums and the console, and is dedicated with so much love to him and the inspiration he filled us with.”
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’sThe Homestretchspoke to Marc in advance of the show.
We’re really excited about our latest show on May 1st; we’ve got 3 great Calgary bands Lab Coast, Gold and the Diet and Lethbridge’s best import since Pilsner, Fist City. Come out and support some great local talent and help us open our new patio, which weather permitting, will be the start of many great patio nights. Our friends from Gold recently lost a close friend and bandmate so we asked them to write something for you all. Please take a minute to read below and consider donating to the CJJ Reimer Memorial Fund.
The members of Gold wish to extend a special invitation to our performance on May 1st to all friends, family, colleagues and fans of Chris Reimer. Chris was a long time friend who also drummed with us for six months, making him an integral part of the development of our songs and our sound, and we were shattered by his passing on February 21st, 2012. We are pleased to be able to return to the stage and we want to take this opportunity to spread the word about the CJJ Reimer Memorial Fund: A non-profit organization that will raise money to provide youth scholarships in music and dance, and also to produce a release of Chris’ own written and recorded music. We will be accepting donations to the fund at the merch table throughout the evening, and we hope you can make it out to support us as well as our good friends in Lab Coast, Fist City, and The Diet – musicians who were all friends to Chris and who share our loss and our desire to pay tribute to him.
christopher john joseph reimer 