James Paul - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Hello all,
I have been incredibly busy lately, with my family and the studio filling most of my time. If you are trying to contact me quickly, please do so through one of my linked sites below. Meanwhile, please enjoy this site and I will get back to keeping it up to date sometime soon.
Thanks,
JP
I have run The Rogue Studios for the past fourteen years. Sometimes I liken founding the studio to having started a bar-room brawl.
I prefer the word recordist over recording engineer or producer. It denotes a stronger link to craft and I am obsessed with the craft of recording sound.
I have been involved in the recording of at least several hundred records, tapes and cd's. I have never counted.
When I quit my day-job, as a waiter (what else?), I dove into both recording sound and live sound.
I turned to Leslie Charbon at The Cabana Room to teach me the basics of sound re-enforcement. Anyone who remembers Jimmy Scopes and The Cabana will realize how 'basic' we are talking. However, Les could make that room sound great and, with his guidance, I think I could too. When Leslie left the house gig to work on the road Jimmy asked me to take over the gig.
After The Cabana Room, I also held the house gig at Sneaky Dee's and some jazz club near the airport, the name of which I can't recall. Following the demise of Sneaky Dee's, I became a regular tech at several clubs in Toronto, including: The Horseshoe, The Ultrasound Showbar, The Rivoli and Clinton's Tavern. I also worked regularly with a number of local bands: Monkey Trial, The Leslie Spit Treeo, The Look People, The Patabeatniks and The Supreme Bagg Team, among others.
I have mixed over five thousand live sets, give or take a few hundred. Lately, I have resumed mixing live shows.
I still love what I do.
My Websites:
http://homepage.mac.com/theroguestudios/
http://www.therogue.ca
Some of the recordings to which myself and/or The Rogue have contributed (a list in progress, if you are missing let me know and you will be added):
2007
Fourway Flashers - Debut
Greg Hobbs - Thunder And Dust
The Houseplants - Living Room
Adam Makowicz - Indigo Bliss
Don Scott - Out Of Line
Robert Scott - Pianoptic
2006
Babes In Jazzland - Babes In Jazzland
Chet Breau - Lone Pine III
Treasa Levasseur - Not A Straight Line
Serafin - 2 AM At The Torch CafÃ©
Margaret Stowe - Adventures of the REd guiTar
Hawksley Workman - My Little Toothless Beauties
Hawksley Workman - Treeful Of Starling
2005
American Standard - What Is It To You
Matthew Barber - Sweet Nothing
NQ Arbuckle - The Last Supper In A Cheap Town
Basement 11 - Softcore
Jaymz Bee Presents: Toronto Launch Pad
Luke Doucet - Broken (and other rogue states)
Karyn Ellis - Hearts Fall
Lenni Jabour And The Third Floor - Les Dangereuses
Kensington Hillbillies - Bones In The Backyard
Michael Laderoute - A River I Know
Jeen O'Brien - Sixties
Billy Robinson & Stacie McGregor - Swift
Schloss - Schloss
Antigen - Quiver - 2004
Matthew Barber - The Story Of Your Life - 2004
Five Star Trailer Park - Here - 2004
Greg Hobbs - Threats & Promises - 2004
Jay Clark And The Jones - Home Fires Burning - 2004
John And The Sisters - John And The Sisters - 2004
Melissa McClelland - Stranded In Suburbia - 2004
The Stacie McGregor Quintet - Straight Up (re-release) - 2004
Open Wide Music - versiÂ¨un 01 - 2004
Paper Rock Scissors - Places - 2004
Raoul And The Big Time - Cold Outside - 2004
Laura Repo & The Blue Healers - A Charmed Life... - 2004
The Rizdales - Bar And Lounge - 2004
Serena Ryder - Unlikely Emergency - 2004
John Southworth - Yosemite - 2004
Swamperella - Black Cat Boogie - 2004
Lorna Vallings - Confidential - 2004
Chris Warren - Beautiful Ruins - 2004
Matthew Barber - Means & Ends (re-release) - 2003
Jack Breakfast - Over Big Bridges - 2003
The Cash Brothers - A Brand New Night - 2003
Graeme Donnelly - Graeme Donnelly - 2003
Bob Egan - Lonesome Destiny - 2003
Karyn Ellis - Bird - 2003
The Friendless Youngsters - Try To Play Nice - 2003
Laura Gauthier - Cabin Fever - 2003
Goathorn - Storming The Gates - 2003
Melissa McClelland - White Lies - 2003
The Stacie McGregor Quintet - Straight Up - 2003
Pete Schmidt & Shane Scott - Blues Approved - 2003
Scottmandu - Scottmandu - 2003
Chris Steffler & Platinum Blonde - Cool Jerk Alert - 2003
Swaha - Salutations - 2003
Martin Tielli - Operation Infinite Joy - 2003
Unsigned Volume 17 - 2003
Shannon Weir & The Even Strangers - Quarters For The Bed - 2003 (I have never actual seen this record, let me know if you have.)
Hawksley Workman - Lover/Fighter - 2003
Matthew Barber - Means & Ends - 2002
The Bebop Cowboys - DÃ©but - 2002
Dizzy D & The Awesome Skasome - Raw-tid Ska-tid - 2002
Kathleen Edwards - Failer - 2002
Bob Egan - The Promise - 2002
Jay Clark And The Jones - Grenville County Blues - 2002
Liberty Justice & The Nevada Hustlers - Liberty Justice & The Nevada Hustlers - 2002
Carolyn Mark and the Room-mates - Terrible Hostess - 2002
Serena Ryder - Live - 2002
Sleeman Label-Free Music - The Best Unsigned Bands Edition 2 - 2002
Bob Snider - Stealin' Home - 2002
Chris Staig - Death Of Romance - 2002
Ember Swift - Stiltwalking - 2002
Richard Underhill - Tales From The Blue Lounge - 2002
Unsigned Volume 06 - 2002
Lorna Vallings - If Wishes Were Horses - 2002
Stephanie Belding - Lustre - 2001
Jack Breakfast - Rock And Roll Album - 2001
The Cash Brothers - How Was Tomorrow - 2001
Jason Collett - Bitter Beauty - 2001
Goathorn - Voyage To Nowhere - 2001
Gordon Jnr. - Egypt, Mississippi - 2001
Kyp Harness - All Her Love - 2001 (I'm pretty sure we did another of Kyp's records, but I don't know which one. Any ideas?)
Hey Stella! - Hey Stella! - 2001
Rachel Kane - All In A Dream - 2001
Steve Ketchen & The Kensington Hillbillies - Steve Ketchen & The Kensington Hillbillies - 2001
Lowest Of The Low - Nothing Short Of A Bullet - 2001
Greg MacPherson Band - Good Times Coming Back Again - 2001
The Northern Pikes - Truest Inspiration - 2001
Scantily Plaid - Just Checkin' In - 2001
The Soul Foundation - Takin' A Trip - 2001
The Supers - Spklanng! (re-mastered re-release) - 2001
The Ugly Ducklings - S.N.A.F.U. - 2001
Hawksley Workman - Almost A Full Moon - 2001
Asha - This Glorious Sadness - 2000
Bacal - Lunatic Love - 2000
The Bellejars - The Bellejars - 2000
Blue Rodeo - Greatest Hits ...Live - 2000
The Cash Brothers - Phonebooth Tornado - 2000
Johnny Favourite - The Tonight Album - 2000
Jay Clark And The Jones - Who Shot Jay Clark And The Jones? - 2000
Mia Sheard - Reptilian - 2000
Pat Temple - One Song At A Time - 2000
Watson - Watson - 2000
Agent Smith - Nice Pants - 1999
Beautiful 2000 - What It Is... What It Was... What It Could Be... - 1999
Big Rude Jake - Suzette - 1999
Bird - Chrome Reflection - 1999 ?
Blue Rodeo - Just Like A Vacation - 1999
Blue Rodeo - Greatest Hits ...Live - 1999
The Brothers Cosmoline - Songs Of Work And Freedom - 1999
The Cash Brothers - Raceway (re-release) - 1999
Claymen - Let It Be - 1999
Clockwise - Accidentally On Purpose - 1999
Gender Fix - Seven Year Sketch - 1999
Greg Hobbs - Confused And Bleeding - 1999
Gregory Hoskins And The Stickpeople - Surgery - 1999
Penny Lang - Somebody Else - 1999
Monarch Brothers - Superstar - 1999
Mummers - Music To Drown By - 1999
Scott Sherman - P1299 - 1999
Whitney Smith Big Steam Band - Swing's Mistress - 1999
William Sperandei - Bo Bo's Blues - 1999
The Supers - Spklanng! - 1999
Boo Watson - Opening Moves - 1999? (if you know for sure, let me know) Chris Whiteley - Blues Party - 1999
James Aldrin - Speak-Easy Dreams - 1998
Astronauts - Astronauts - 1998
Linda Feijo - Savannah - 1998 ?
Steven Fogel & The Disclaimers - Steven Fogel & The Disclaimers - 1998
Jake & The Blue Midnights - Jake & The Blue Midnights - 1998
Joy - Seven Long Years - 1998
Madagascar Slim - OmniSource - 1998 ?
Scott McLoughlin - Salt - 1998
Rascalz - Ca$h Crop - 1998
Lorna Vallings - Taste - 1998
Hawksley Workman - Before We Were Security Guards - 1998
Tyler Yarema & His Rhythm - Gotta Bran' New Suit - 1998
Claudia's Cage - A Shampoo Photo - 1997
Emily 13 - Featuring Michael Keith - 1997
Kevin Hearn - Mothball Mint - 1997 (I think I did some work on another record with Kevin, but I am not sure. If you know, please tell me.)
Swampcranks - The Tapes - 1997
Iron Music Group - Iron Daze - 1996
Michael Keith - Spirit - 1996
Mia Sheard - With Love And Squalor - 1996
Mark Stafford - The Birdman - 1996
Wallnut - Suburban Igloo Stake Out - 1996
Chris Warren - Crazy Wisdom - 1996
American Pop Industry (A.P.I.) - Ouch - 1995
Freedom Rains - About Time - 1995
Leak CD Magazine - Issue 7 - 1995
Monkey Trial - Four Long Seasons - 1995
Days Of You - The Beetles - 1994
The Potboilers - Just Keep Rowing - 1994
Snidely Whiplash - Bootlicker - 1994
David Waldner - Flicker - 1994
Wind May Do Damage - The Binds Of Blood - 1994
49 Acres - Living In The Drywall - 1993
Cate Friesen - Tightrope Waltz - 1993
The Shadow Puppets - The Shadow Puppets - 1993

My Interests

My family.

Music: listening, recording and performing.

Photography and film: I must admit that I am addicted to DVD's. Look below or in the blogspace for some reviews. This filmic obsession is about to grow - I have two writing/directing projects which I am developing. I know, very foolish.
I love photography. The advent of the digital camera has allowed me to pursue the hobby. Somehow that old problem of actually getting the film developed had held me up before. (I did once learn how to do it myself but I have never had the luxury of a darkroom.)

Books (and reading them): I would love collecting old books but a small apartment and my partner's dust allergies keep me in check.

Art and creative media in general. I was blessed to have grown up in the midst of my father's collection of Canadian paintings and sculptures. I thought that having six or so pictures on each wall was normal.

Old radios, art deco and mid-twentieth century industrial design.

Old cars (I have a 1927 Chev I want to restore).

Caffeine, in all its wondrous forms.

I'd like to meet:

Bob McDonald and James Burke.

Music:

In addition to facilitating a lot of recordings and mixing live shows, I listen to music voraciously. I really only stop to watch movies, to listen to podcasts (some musical in nature), to sleep, for intense conversations, or when my daughter doesn't want any music on.

Recent favourite: Adam Makowicz

Current Top Five: The Beatles, Talk Talk, The Waterboys, The Who, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Midnight Oil (yup, I know I can't count.)

Current iTunes Top Five (at The Rogue):
1. Classical Gas - Mason Williams
2. Love For Sale - Lena Horne
3. It's My Life - Talk Talk
4. Give Peace A Chance - John Lennon
5. Behind Blue Eyes - The Who

Current iTunes Top Five (at home):
1. A Moth Is Not A Butterfly - Hawksley Workman
2. One Short Day - Idina Menzel & Kristen Chenoweth
3. The Wizard And I - Idina Menzel & Carole Shelley
4. What Is This Feeling? - Idina Menzel & Kristen Chenoweth & cast
5. Dear Old Shiz - Wicked Broadway Cast
Yup, Tallulah was really into Wicked for a while.

Podcasts:
CBC Radio 3
Quirks and Quarks
this WEEK in MEDIA

Movies:

I love movies. Great movies, bad movies. Really, really, really bad movies.
Recently:
Just an American Boy (2003) - A disappointing documentary which proves that good content cannot outweigh a bad sound mix, poor editing and video effects that range from middling to terrible.
Additionally, more interviews would have helped to give the film a connective thread. Currently, the film can't seem to decide whether it is a documentary or a concert pic.
Bedazzled (2000)
Asphalt (1929)
L'Ours et la poupÃ©e (1969)
The White Countess (2005)
Ã†on Flux (2005)
The Amazing Mr. X (1948)
The U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006)
Alfie (2004) - Just in case it ends up sounding like I am panning this film, let me start off by saying that I liked it and I was entertained. That aside, I cannot actually fathom why anyone wanted to to remake this story.
Alfie, the original with Michael Caine, was a comic tragedy about a low-rent womanizer whom we cheer to a moment of near epiphany. He is given the opportunity to reshape his life but he fails and we are left too witness him attempt to regain his glories as the world slips him by. When the story is taken out of its original time, the issues mete with are no longer taboo or racy and it loses all of its grit and resonance. What is left is a fairly flat tale of a womanizer who has pangs of loneliness and probably sorts it out in the end.
Taken on its own, the new Alfie is a well made but largely vacuous semi-romantic comedy. Jude Law does a very convincing Michael Caine impersonation in the titular role. No really, he is good at it. Marisa Tomei is quite good as the single mom girlfriend and Omar Epps and Nia Long are actually touching as the couple who survive Alfie's interfence. Unfortunately, Susan Sarandon is far less interesting or entertaining than Shelley Winters in the parallel role. Everyone looks great. In fact, the real star is probably the director of photography, Ashley Rowe. The film is wonderfully shot, even if I did find the manipulation of colour saturation somewhat distracting.
Sadly, all that doesn't answer my question of why, and by tomorrow evening I will have likely forgotten most of this remake, but I will still be thinking of the original.
Lola rennt (Run Lola Run) (1998) - The first film for which viewing can be rated a cardio-vascular exercise. More on it later when I have caught my breath adn get a chance to view it again. Very recommended.
Some favourites (in no specific order):
Hero
The Man Who Would Be King
Dr. Strangelove, Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb
Young Frankenstein
Singing In The Rain
Withnail And I
Goldfinger
The Princess Bride

Television:

Rarely, but anything in the whedonverse.

Other favourites include:
The Prisoner
Barney Miller
The Rockford Files
Columbo
Star Trek and The Next Generation
The Muppet Show
Greg The Bunny

Books:

I read a lot.
Unless it's very badly written and teaches me nothing, I will slog through pretty much anything.
Favourite authors include: Albert Camus, Joseph Conrad, Timothy Findley, Farley Mowat, J.R.R.Tolkein, John Wyndham
Currently:
Allen Strange - Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques & Control (2nd Edition) - far more engrossing that you might think, really.
The Norton Introduction To Fiction, 2nd Edition - edited by Jerome Beaty
William Shakespeare - The Complete Works Of (this is gonna take a while)
recently:
Louis de Bernieres - Captain Corelli's Mandolin
A fine, 'living' novel. It reminded me greatly of Catch 22 but with greater emotional range and impact. Highly recommended.
John Keats - Complete Poems
Mark Cousins - The Story of Film
Johnny Cash - The Man In White - A novel based on the life of the Apostle Paul written by the Man In Black. Okay, I bit and so did The Man In White. This was one of the worst pieces of tripe I have come across in a long time. Anyone want my copy?

Heroes:

Mom
Dad & Mom
Dedo
and, of course, Leigh!

My Blog

A more complete client list. At least as complete as I can recall.

This is the current version of The Rogue client list. It is not perfect, but it is what I remember. Artists websites, if I know them, are clickable. Their Myspace pages, once again, if I know them, ar...
Posted by James Paul on Fri, 23 Jun 2006 04:06:00 PST

Older Movie Comments and Reviews

Alina (1950) A bit difficult to muddle through the poor DVD print and the awful english dubbing but a decent romantic thriller with Gina Lollobrigida in the title role. She portrays young Italian...
Posted by James Paul on Sat, 15 Jul 2006 11:56:00 PST

Montreal Bistro Piano Comes To The Rogue

It is sad news that the premier jazz club in Canada has closed its doors forever. The venue has been forced to shut as it was unable to meet its rent requirements. The Bistro, through the efforts of o...
Posted by James Paul on Sun, 09 Jul 2006 04:47:00 PST