biographical info
THE STRANGE MAGIC: THE NEW ALCHEMY:I put a spell on you was the cry at the birth ofrock and roll, and generations of musicians since,from ABBA to Zappa, have captured thislightning in the bottle. At the end of this lineagestands The Strange Magic, a collective ofVancouver's finest practitioners of psychedelicpop music. The group was founded by a trio ofmembers from Vancouver's elusive undergrounddwellers The R.A.D.I.O. - Ray Down, KayokoTakahashi and David Mielke in 2007 - and soonjoined by the rock solid cast of Jon Schubert(Panurge), Tony Koelwyn (The Awkward Stage)and Steve Barmash (Blackout Lights). The Strange Magic madeit's debut appearance on the foreign shores ofJapan in the fall of 2007, playing to enthusiasticcrowds in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Back inCanada, the group signed with Northern ElectricRecords in early 2009 and put the finishingtouches on its debut release, 'Songs To Burn' E.P.released May 2009. The album was produced byKurt Dahle (New Pornographers) and Todd Simko(Pure) with Kurt starring on drums and both onthe bass guitar. The release garnered quickacclaim and the band has performed numeroushigh profile shows with Os Mutantes, Pointed Sticks,Shonen Knife and even Susan Jacks! This summerthe Strange Magicians have been invited to thefamous Cavern Club in the UK to deliver itspatented brand of infectious hooks, futuristsoundscapes and dead-poet's-society lyricismon the unsuspecting ears of the world. Call it thesongs of tomorrow today.Call it The Strange Magic.THE STRANGE MAGIC: THE NEW ALCHEMY:I put a spell on you was the cry at the birth ofrock and roll, and generations of musicians since,from ABBA to Zappa, have captured thislightning in the bottle. At the end of this lineagestands The Strange Magic, a collective ofVancouver's finest practitioners of psychedelicpop music. The group was founded by a trio ofmembers from Vancouver's elusive undergrounddwellers The R.A.D.I.O. - Ray Down, KayokoTakahashi and David Mielke in 2007 - and soonjoined by the rock solid cast of Jon Schubert(Panurge), Tony Koelwyn (The Awkward Stage)and Steve Barmash (Blackout Lights). The Strange Magic madeit's debut appearance on the foreign shores ofJapan in the fall of 2007, playing to enthusiasticcrowds in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Back inCanada, the group signed with Northern ElectricRecords in early 2009 and put the finishingtouches on its debut release, 'Songs To Burn' E.P.released May 2009. The album was produced byKurt Dahle (New Pornographers) and Todd Simko(Pure) with Kurt starring on drums and both onthe bass guitar. The release garnered quickacclaim and the band has performed numeroushigh profile shows with Os Mutantes, Pointed Sticks,Shonen Knife and even Susan Jacks! This summerthe Strange Magicians have been invited to thefamous Cavern Club in the UK to deliver itspatented brand of infectious hooks, futuristsoundscapes and dead-poet's-society lyricismon the unsuspecting ears of the world. Call it thesongs of tomorrow today.Call it The Strange Magic.
lineup
Ray Down Vocals/Vocoder/Guitar/Moog
Kayoko Takahashi Vocals/Keys/Moog/Percusion
David Milke Vocals/Lead Guitar
Jon Schubert Bass/Vocals
Tony Koelwyn Drums
Steve Barmash Guitar
influences
The Beatles
Beck
Syd Barrett
Ween
Os Mutantes
The Buzzcocks
Spirogyra