L.A. Beat

Danny Michel’s life is full of adventures. whether recording on an ice breaker in the Arctic ocean with astronaut Chris Hadfield or singing at chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall’s birthday party, or simply being in the news speaking about musicians’ rights.

“I’m looking at a white board wondering what to do next,” said  Michel from his Waterloo home, taking a quick breather from a cornucopia of summer music festivals.

 He recorded his most recent EP “White and Gold” in his brand new home studio. Before that, he recorded  “Khlebnikov” on the ice breaker with Hadfield.

“ I’ve noticed a pattern. I tend to alternate between having a great adventure and recording at home. I recorded the last CD at home, so maybe the next one will be an adventure, but I haven‘t decided what to do, ” he said.
“I played all the instruments on this CD, so it’s  like going back to how I started,” he said.

 He returns to Lethbridge for wide Skies Music Festival on Tuesday, July 30, in the middle of appearances at some of Canada’s biggest folk festivals including the Calgary Folk Festival right before he comes to Lethbridge, and Winnipeg Folk festival. Though he still plays smaller shows in bars and clubs.

“ It feels great to get out of a club and out into the sun at a festival,” he said.
“And I always meet old friends at festivals. Festivals are like summer camp for musicians,” he chuckled.

 He has been touring a lot, since releasing his latest EP.
“But I’m also taking  some time off this summer,” he said.

 Playing for Jane Goodall’s birthday party was  a highlight of a career full of them. One of his most popular songs “Feather, Fur and Fin,” might have seemed like an ideal song to play for her, but she had a specific request.

“ She heard me play  somewhere and asked me to play her birthday party. She wanted to hear  a newer song ‘Nobody Rules You,’ from the new EP and then I sang happy birthday to her, so it wasn't”t really a gig,” he observed, adding he was very impressed by her.

 

“ She’s  got a fierce energy. She’s 85  and does 300 speaking engagements a year and to think I complain about touring,” Michel mused.
 Michel has also been in the new for a rant he wrote on Facebook, about how much it costs a musician to make a living and the challenges faced due to declining CD sales and increased streaming.
 He wrote the post last November  and it is still gathering steam.
“It’s still an important issue.  The Toronto Star has a big piece on it this week,” he said.
“ It’s something all artists face. Our backs are up against the wall. But it had to be said,” he said, adding there hasn’t been a lot of fallout from it, though he has received a lot of support.
 Danny Michel plays the Wide Skies Music Festival Outside Southminster United Church, Tuesday, July 30.