Nick Zubeck profile picture

Nick Zubeck

Gnome Sweet Gnome...

About Me

Ok, I just read over my bio that's been posted here for a long while, and cringed as I read the details of where I went to school and who I've played with, all written in the third person by me, about me. And I thought, that doesn't feel right. So here I am, in the first person. Now I can talk about what I do and feel somewhat genuine about it...As the writing up top says, I'm Nick Zubeck. I play music in Toronto, and whenever I can, other places too. My main instrument is the guitar, but I also can somewhat competently play the lapsteel, bass, keys and banjo. I write songs and sing. I have a great band. Marshall Bureau plays drums, Darren Wall plays bass, and sometimes Robbie Grunwald plays keys. I have recorded and released two albums out of my home studio - A MEEK SPECTACLE(2001), and HIDING OUT AND LAYING LOW(2003), as well as a bunch of random stuff here and there, some of which is available at www.zunior.com.Over the years I have played in various bands, with many great folks. It all started back in the music room of my high school, with Marmalade, an instrumental classic rock cover band. After that came The Flaming Dutch Insomniacs, Five Corners, Poor Tom, Tenth Planet Ensemble(which had among its members, a young Sandro Perri), The Would-Be Travellers(which had among its members a young Brian Macmillan), and The Lavender Gloom. Since then I've been playing under my own name, for lack of a better one. I briefly played bass with The Great Lake Swimmers, and guitar and bass with Polmo Polpo. Recently I've been playing with Barzin quite a bit. I've had the good fortune of travelling twice to Europe playing music. Currently I also play in a band called The Book Of Gnomes, an instrumental/improvisational outfit starring Ben Bowen, Darren Wall, and Marshall Bureau.Right now I'm in the process of making a new album. The beds were all recorded live off the floor at Canterbury Sound by Jeremy Darby over 2 days at the end of June. The band was comprised of myself on acoustic guitar, Darren Wall on electric and doublebass, Marshall Bureau on drums and percussion, Robbie Grunwald on keys(wurlitzer, rhodes, grand and upright piano, organ), and Justin Haynes on electric guitar, a bit of banjo, and a tiny bit of screaming. This was an amazing experience, and I'm thrilled with how things sound so far. These tracks are now being edited, tinkered with, and otherwise manhandled by me. Sandro Perri will have a hand in some of this manhandling, and hopefully we'll have a record before too long, and not manhandle each other too much.Other than playing music, I also teach guitar and small ensembles through Yellow Dog Music and The Humber Community School, as well as privately. I think that's about it for now. I have a wonderful son named Jacob, a beautiful partner named Kelly(who is a registered massage therapist - visit www.ashamassage.ca), a superdog, who I am inordinately in love with, named Sadie, and a diabetic cat named Max. I enjoy wilderness camping, windsurfing, tennis, mountain biking, books films, food, and of course lots and lots of music.Thanks for reading, listening, and any other expressions of support and love.Nick This profile was made at Whateverlife.com! :)Click to zoom in on my visitor map!
make your own map at: www.modmyprofile.com

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/3/2005
Band Website: nickzubeck.com
Band Members: Sometimes solo, mostly with help from: Darren Wall, Robbie Grunwald, Marshall Bureau, Justin Haynes, Sandro Perri...
Influences: The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Bill Frisell, Miles Davis, Will Oldham, Jim 'O Rourke, Wilco, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Steve Reich, Gavin Bryars, Mountain Music of Kentucky, Rheostatics, Great Lake Swimmers, Sandro Perri, Rat-Drifting, Barzin, Sam Prekop, Thelonius Monk, Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, Daniel Lanois, Gillian Welsh, Joni Mitchell, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, Phish, Polmo Polpo, Aphex Twin, Arthur Russell, The Police, David Bowie, Al Green, Chet Atkins, Leo Kottke, Frank Zappa, Neil Young, Brian MacMillan, Sun Ra, Tortoise, Tom Waits, Gilberto Gil, Jorge Ben, Os Mutantes, John Zorn, Marc Ribot, MMW, the search continues....
Sounds Like: you make the comparisons...
Record Label: none
Type of Label: None

My Blog

The Lucky One (Dove Commercial pt.2)

Hey All... My song "The Lucky One" from the Dove spot is now available here: http://www.zunior.com/product_info.php?cPath=192_53&prod ucts_id=918 For the low low price of $2.22, you can have this s...
Posted by Nick Zubeck on Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:14:00 PST

Podcast of radio performance

The gracious Andy Frank of CIUT's Take 5 and It's (A)live programs has posted a recording of my band's March 6th performance on It's (A)live.  Check it out at: http://www.frankcasting.com/mediapl...
Posted by Nick Zubeck on Tue, 13 Mar 2007 06:34:00 PST

Dove Commercial

Hi Everyone! Thanks so much for the flurry of interest in my song "The Lucky One", currently featured in one of Dove's campaign for beauty ads called 'Through Her Eyes'.  Many of you are asking w...
Posted by Nick Zubeck on Tue, 13 Mar 2007 06:29:00 PST

New Songs! Europe! Grant Rejections!

Just thought I'd drop a little note with some news....  I've posted 2 new songs on the wonderful world of NewsCorp, I mean Myspace.  Both were recorded by me at home and I played everything...
Posted by Nick Zubeck on Wed, 18 Oct 2006 10:47:00 PST

PARADISE LOST

A week tomorrow, on Friday June 30th 2006, The Paradise Cinema will screen it's final film (along with fellow Toronto rep cinemas The Royal, Revue, and Kingsway - The Fox in the Beaches will remain op...
Posted by Nick Zubeck on Thu, 22 Jun 2006 10:13:00 PST

Virginal Blogger

Hi, So, this is my first blog.  My first time.  My hair is standing on end and my heart is racing.  Please be gentle.  If anyone is reading this, please check out the new song I've...
Posted by Nick Zubeck on Wed, 03 May 2006 07:04:00 PST