Bob Doige
 

Another point of trivia that keeps me from counting sheep at night: Is Bob Doige the same "Bob" that was Gord's sound man who travelled with him in the "80's (or earlier)?

Re: Bob Doige
 

sorry I can't help you but if you are able to recall the face, here's a pic of what he might have looked like back then (check out the Lanois hair also:) )

btw, this if kinda fun also: YouTube - Alfie Smith Gary White Bob Doidge Jam

DoiDge is a multi-talent...he has been recording Massey gigs the past decade...he would have been pretty busy early 80's adjusting to manning Grant Ave Studio on is own...Gord, Bob and the studio are a trio, all humble

http://cdbaby.com/cd/bobdoidge2

Re: Bob Doige
 

JJ pretty well covered most of what's out there on Bob Doidge in his post and thanks JJ. It's good to see that Bob's name pops up here as he has talent galore.

He, together with Amy king produced a fine CD by our Cathy Cowette who posts here from time to time and her recording is available through Valerie Magee's website which is where I discovered it.

Cathy's recording has six Gordon Lightfoot tunes.

In the early nineties a very popular band called "John Prince and a Piece of the Rock" were on the rise in Toronto and it was my privilege to be part of the management of that group and having recorded two CD's at Grant Avenue Studios in Hamilton we did get to meet Bob and spend some time with him.

He's been a friend of Gord's for many years and was working with Gord around the same time we were there. Bob, together with Gord produced "A Painter Passing Through" at Grant Avenue Studios."

We found him to be a most kind and generous man as well as being multitalented.

He produced, recorded and mixed both CD's of John Prince and did string arrangements, played oboe, piano accordion, flute, recorder, chanter and also did various percussion.

I remember well sitting with him in the studio when the recordings were just about ready and he turned to me and said "someday this music will be discovered."

Tragically the band didn't survive but from what I understand having spoken to Bruce McDaniel, the lead guitar player back in March, he and John were doing a few "new things" together which is very exciting news.

Sure would be nice to get back for a visit to Grant Avenue Studios again after all these years.

Cheers, RJ.

Re: Bob Doige
 

hi Ron...interesting stuff....i noticed a while back that a local station was doing live from Grant Ave Studio broadcasts but I never found them archived anywhere...here's a pic of Amy and Bob

http://www.corfid.com/vbb/attachment...7&d=1216095454

would have been a bit after your sessions but a dozen years ago while working with an indy act (our Grant guy was a friendly sound engineer named Robin Aube) we had a tech problem with one of the analog masters as well as a synching challenge ..well, it was Bob who stepped in and did a salvage job that was similar to the obstacles he overcame while producing the Harmony CD from demo scraps, etc...Doidge eventually coproduced, played some high string and added some harmonies in the wee hours of these sessions...if i knew he'd played the trumpet i'd have asked him to pull it out...hey, that kinda mishmash arrangment has worked out well for Feist...some of the local musicians who played on Gord's last few albums were part of those sessions...since then i've had an affection for all those journeyman session players out there, humbling

back to the question, i think there's a "live CD' thread where the person's name is mentioned who recorded Gord at Massey back mid 70s but it wasn't Doidge (as rm can tell ya, i would have remembered that)

Re: Bob Doige
 

Let's not forget his hugest contribution--he did the the music for The Red Green Show. Up until this year, my local PBS station still ran the show, and I miss it a lot. It's pretty much a "guy humor" show, but my teenaged daughter used to love it as well.
DQ

Re: Bob Doige
 

lol, who doesn't love Red?:)

i remember him from smith and smith...you know a lot of work goes into those inventions (bro worked on the show) ...one of countless faves = "would you like mo-wer coffee?", lol

YouTube - Red Green Show - Lawn Mower Coffee

...i think Bob only did musical direction briefly for RG....

apparently he did some inst work on U2s Joshua Tree, a nice credit

credits are under rated, i read/watch them often (if they don't go by at 100mph!)....i was watching credits with son for Care Bears Big Wish movie from years ago...first, i see my progressive rock band mate from highschool was technical producer, then i see the lady i work with was the voice of Big Wish...then i read that Doidge and King recorded and mixed the Hamilton kid's choir singing the Big Wish theme song...yes, the Hamilton kid's choir....U2 and Red are in good company

Re: Bob Doige
 

Forgot about Red Green - "if they can't find you handsome........"

I was at a Lightfoot concert in '87 and he asked a "Bob" to adjust a monitor on stage. I was too bedazzled by the sound board to pay attention to the face of the fellow operating it. Mr. Doidge (got the spelling right this time) is credited in the "Live in Reno" DVD, as you all know.

Great pictures and thoughts here - thanks a lot.....

Re: Bob Doige
 

Red rocks!!..my errand list for tomorrow has me picking up some more duct tape..
;)

Re: Bob Doige
 

The Bob Doidge FAQ

Bob Doidge (with a d) is the Co-owner of Grant Avenue Studio in Hamilton. He started life as a trumpet player. He was the star of "Tiny Talent Time" in Hamilton in the 1960's, but only because Canadian Idol had not been invented yet.

He was a partner with Daniel and Bob Lanois until they sold their interests in the studio in the mid-late 80's. He was the bass player in Tranquility Base ("If you're lookin'") and Morgan. He also worked with Ray Materick, Shirley Eikhard, and Sylvia Tyson.

He is the father of folksinger Kate Doidge.

He is the "Bob Doidge" credited by U2 and Brian Eno.

He was also the engineer / producer for Ani DiFranco, Crash Test Dummies, Cowboy Junkies, Brooks Williams, etc.

Bob has worked with Lennie Gallant, Steve Smith, Bruce Cockburn, Rita MacNeil, Teenage Head, Keith Glass, Kevin Breit, Chantal Chamberland, The Skydiggers, Jane Child, Junkhouse, Colin Linden, Ben Mink, Dave Rave, Fred Eaglesmith, Splash N' Boots and many more.


He has no interest in Doidge's Bar in San Francisco. He did not write "The Brain That Changes Itself", although he is convinced that he could perform brain surgery if called upon in an emergency.

He has recorded most of the Lightfoot Massey Hall shows for the past decade or more, and produced Painter Passing Through and Harmony.

He recorded and mixed the Lightfoot Live In Reno DVD.

He is the guy who wrote and recorded the theme for the Red Green Show, worked with Smith & Smith - one of the first ten Possum Lodge members.

He has had a career in the avant garde recording CDs for Joel Chadabe, Iannis Xenakis, John Cage, Luc Ferrari, CCMC and prominent Canadian composers.

He is an enthusiastic amateur pilot and spends much of the summer on the French River. He did produce and play on Cathy Cowette's album.

He prefers Larrivee "Orchestra" acoustics and owns the world's oldest, ugliest Rickenbacker bass. He plays a Gretsch "Silver Jet" electric.

A number of his recordings have been nominated for / won Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. He was nominated for a Grammy for his work with the Torchmen. He has been honoured numerous times by the Hamilton Music Awards.

He has recently recorded his first solo album "Orion's Ghost" which has done very well (5 star reviews) through CD Baby.

http://cdbaby.com/cd/bobdoidge2

Re: Bob Doige
 

there are some similar prior threads if you search Doidge here

I detoured on the way back from Hamilton last night through Ancaster to see if i could spot the old Lanois house on Robina Road where the boys first experimented with production in that basement....they played in a folk band in high school playing Lightfoot-style tunes...Bob always wanted to play bass in Gord's band

here's a pic of Bob behind the glass at Grant....I wonder if you can still smoke in there

Re: Bob Doige
 

australians will know, but the guy 2nd from the left is a spitting image of Daryl Somers in the 1970s! :)

edit: the photo that jj posted didnt show up here, but its above in the thread

Re: Bob Doige
 

mmm, i don't know him(Somers)...but that is the multi-talented Daniel Lanois...(and Bob Doidge is first on the left)

YouTube - Daniel Lanois - Special Performance on The Hour

i'd like to see that documentary

Re: Bob Doige
 

Good picture of Mr. Doidge behind the board. I'm sure that people such as Bob, and others behind the scenes like photographer Tom Bert, the guitar service people, Gordon's manager, and so forth, all contribute to an artist's career. The guy behind the mike gets the attention but the others sure help out.