THE INITIATIVE IS NOW CLOSED! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US PASS OUR GOAL

KC ROBERTS & THE LIVE REVOLUTION  - kcroberts.ca

 

We’re an original, independent FUNK/soul band, forged in the cultural flames of Toronto,  Canada . This site is dedicated to the creation of our third full-length record, Parkdale Funk 2 (SIDES), AKA PDF2. We are trying to raise at least $20,000 or more, to make the most powerful record we can possibly make. So we have an exciting proposition for all you true funk believers: From November 1st to January 1st, 2012, we will be doing this Pre-selling initiative, where you can pre-order the Cd and other amazing personal rewards.  The more you can contribute to our recording, the more fantastic a reward and prize you can get. In addition to expanding our musical foundations and taking the Revolution to the next level, this CD will promote positivity and touch people all over this planet. We are ferociously dedicated to making the best music our souls can squeeze.

 

MAKING AN EPIC RECORD -

Have you ever heard a record that gave you the kind of feeling you’ll always remember? A soundtrack to a part of your life? A sort of time capsule where a part of you stayed behind, and you could always visit that memory by immersing yourself in that album? It is a powerful thing!

This is how we look at the art of a full length recording, in it’s finest state. I’ll never forget the feelings that came from albums like: D’angelo’s “Voodoo”, Coldplay’s “Rush of Blood to the Head”, Led Zeppelin IV, Radiohead’s “Ok Computer“,  Jamiroquai’s “Travelling without moving”, MOS DEF’s “Black On Both Sides”, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”, Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going on”, Nirvana’s “Nevermind”, Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” and soooo many more.

Whenever I discovered one these beautiful gems, I would listen from front to end, and then start the record all over again. Some people say the day of the record has come and gone. A record has soul, and the future can’t kill soul. There are some things an Mp3, a soundcloud, a myspace, or a viral video can’t say by themselves. We believe, sometimes a record can take you on a more meaningful journey.

The time has come for us to make a new record! We’ve been writing, performing, jamming and brainstorming for the last two years. The Band has never sounded better than we do today. This music is ready to come out. We want to give something back to the world!

By pre-ordering the record, you can help us get back into the studio and take the time to build something our music deserves. We’re looking to make something even more powerful than our live shows!

This is an opportunity for you to help us achieve the greatest thing we can accomplish as a band, musicians and artists. You can help us launch something magnificent.  Something that will spread music, love and positive energy everywhere we go.

Join the Live Revolution!

Thanks and much Love 

~ KC Roberts

 

ABOUT PARKDALE FUNK 2 (SIDES) - 

• PDF2 will be a conceptual double LP. The “Parkdale Funk 2″ name continues our Parkdale Funk series, making this a progressive sequel to the band’s first 13 song CD, Parkdale Funk 1 (The Pillage of Bloor West Village). The “SIDES” part of the name refers to the two discs (sides) of the record. One disc will be called “Electric Believers” and will showcase rock-influenced, synthy, pop-songwriting aspect of the band. The majority of our “singles” will be on this disc. The second side is called “Concrete Motion”, and will be a reflection of the band’s funkier side. It will act as a recording window to the band’s intense and powerful live show. With a much more “dance” oriented concept, the songs on this side will have more involved arrangements, blazing solos from our gifted musicians, and a variety of dance-y styles from Electronic to 70′s vintage throwbacks.

 

OK, WHAT’S ALL THIS MONEY FOR?

We have already begun laying bed tracks for PDF2, so the ball is already rolling. However, the ambitious double LP concept and sonic approach have made the process of creating this record a slow one.  Our band has no label representation or external funding, and while we continue to explore available grants and funding sources, our main goal is to make sure that PDF2 sounds better than any Canadian record in history, and to release it by the summer of 2012.  Sounds intense, right? Well, inspired by the recent popularity of crowd-funding, we thought “I bet if we offer our amazing fans some irresistible incentives to pre-order the record, we’ll achieve all our goals for sure!” But that doesn’t answer the question of how much money, and why?  We’ve set a goal of $20,000, which represents the minimum amount we need to shift the funk paradigm.  Here’s how that number breaks down:

1. Studio Days/Recording – $6,000 –  This is the least amount we need to successfully record all the 22 songs, instruments, vocalists and guest musicians on this record.We have done the majority of our recording Escarpment Sound, since Parkdale funk 1(2009). Through all the work and success, we have developed a fantastic working relationship with the engineers and owner. Here’s footage of us doing a live off the floor recording at the studio, as an audition for CBC – RUN TO YOU. This studio gives us a more competitive rate, and quality time to truly capture the music the way we want. Earlier this year we partnered with Escarpment to buy a 600 pound STUDER tape machine…named “BRUCE“. Bruce made a bunch of Gold Records in the 70′s and 80′s. With ‘his’ help, PDF2 will represent a fusion of analog and digital recording methods. We will also need to buy At least 2 rolls of 2 inch tape ($600). We are a very well-rehearsed band, and only venture into the studio when the music is ready. However the kind of recording we want to make takes a lot of experimenting with mics, instruments, sounds, and techniques. If we can raise more than the $6,000, the more time we will spend refining and perfecting each sound down to the atomic level.
2. Mixing/Producing – $6,000 – It has been said you should put as much money or more into the mixing process as you do into the recording. Mixing is where a lot of the magic happens. It helps stylize the music so it can become transcendent. Our ideal situation would be to raise enough from this pre-selling initiative to send some of the tunes off to ‘big name’ producers and/or mixing engineers.
3. Mastering – $3,000 - Especially for a record as dynamic and diverse as PDF2, mastering can bring the whole thing to life.  You know all those records that are ridiculously loud, and you need to turn your headphones down every time a song comes along on shuffle?  Or those records that just don’t have that sexy polish? Mastering is important so that we can avoid those and other sonic issues.  More importantly, mastering can We found an amazing mastering facility called Lacquer Channel in Toronto. They’ll help us bring out all the important nuances from our music so that it matches and surpasses the sonic quality of everything else on the radio.
4. Manufacturing – $3,000 – While we haven’t yet fully conceived of the visual/packaging concept for PDF2, we want to make sure that we are able to manufacture enough copies for all of you.  The package will include beautiful artwork, high-quality CDs detailed liner notes (including recognition for your support – see the rewards in the sidebar!)
5. Promotion – $2,000  – It may not sound like much, but trust us: a little bit of money goes a long way in promotion.  A few hundred press kits, a bit extra for design and photos from our close network of artistic geniuses, and a bunch of sleepless nights.  History will be made.  That said, the more money we raise through pre-sales, the more capable we’ll be to push PDF2 to the edges of the Earth.

ABOUT THE BAND:

 

KC ROBERTS

Lead Guitar, Vocals: Born and raised in Toronto. KC has played his road worn strat from British Columbia, to Africa, to Trinidad and back. Has opened for Jimmy Cliff, The Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna and Talib Kweli. Started writing and playing music at 9 years old, started playing local Toronto clubs at 14, went on his first tour as a sideman at age 18. He is the principal songwriter, arranger and frontman of The Live Revolution, and at 6 foot 6 above sea level, he is constantly reaching higher for something music keeps only on the top shelf.

 

MATT FULLBROOK

Bass Guitar: Dressed in a suit, bopping his head, digging into a 5 string bass and donning his signature old-school Blue Jay cap, Matt is a driving force behind the band’s energy. At the age of 14, Matt picked up a bass and started to eat Primus, Flea and the finest hip-hop, daily. He has performed with Ashley MacIsaac, Orin Isaacs, and has worked with many local hip-hop producers as an instrumentalist. Whether researching Canadian boards of directors, making his homemade cola, guitar /bass pedals, wine and beer, or talking gear and baseball statistics….Matt is undeniably funky!

 

CHINO DE VILLA

Drum Kit: Born in Manila, Philippines, Santino (Chino) De Villa came to Toronto at a young age, riding a drum kit across the sky, and landing on the fiercest backbeat imaginable. He quickly became known all over the Toronto scene for his deep pocket, and unmatched rhythmic feel. Here’s chino blowing away Queen street – {CHINO DRUM SOLO} -If Chino’s not forcing your head to bop uncontrollably, he’s biking 100k somewhere in Southern Ontario, or discovering the craziest new groove music in the world. Chino is the monstrous foundation that moves the Live Revolution to the people!

 

MATT GIFFIN

Keyboards: A giant sound from a small east coast town! Matt Giffin comes from Middle Musquodoboit a small farming community in Nova Scotia. Matt is a sonic scientist, mastering the most contemporary electronic keyboard and synth sounds, as well as deeply digesting the keyboard sounds of the 70′s, 80′s, 90′s and 00′s. Matt had a promising career as a symphonic tuba player but fell in the love with the future and dove into circuit boards, electricity and synthesizers. An accomplished student of Jazz, A founder of one of the best Daft Punk Tribute bands in North America, a singer, a producer, a composer, and an unstoppable force of funk energy, Matt Giffin is the rocket fuel behind the Live Revolution! 

 

JON CHALLONER

Trumpet: Hailing from the small town of Coombs, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, a young Jon picked up a trumpet one day, and something instantly clicked. At the young age of 17 Jon’s prodigious playing brought him across the country to Toronto. As one of the youngest, and most talented players EVER to come out of Toronto, Jon quickly began playing with local and international Jazz legends two and three times his age. Jon has shared the stage with Don Thompson, Phil Dwyer, Branford Marsalis, Seamus Blake, Chris Potter, Galactic and Bedouin Soundclash. With his strong pure tone, burning speed, and reflective musicality, Jon is the Bugle call leading the Live Revolution into battle!

 

JARED WELSH

Tenor Sax:  From Mississauga, Jared is a soulful force of stylish funk lightning. A purveyor of jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and anything funky-slick, Jared’s solos are blazing and full of soul. He was a Co-founder of Tomphoolery (a former funk/hip-hop band with KC and Matt).  After working through the Humber and U of T jazz programs, Jared left Canada for several years to study music in Amsterdam, and New York City. Now back in Toronto, Jared has an unyielding passion for music and brings a deep sound to the people! Jared is by far the most stylish band member and can rock an umbrella, scarf or hat like no other!

 

CHRISTIAN OVERTON

Trombone:  Originally from the Big Nickel, Sudbury, C Bone (Christian Overton) Rode into town, with his trombone blaring at the sky. One of the most in-demand trombone players in the city, Christian blows pure sonic power from the bell of his slide trombone! A talented Big band arranger, Jazz Composer and proud new father, his monster sound is heard regularly on TV, radio, the movies, and in every Toronto theater and club. His most recent collaborations have been with Glass Tiger, Sloan Jully Black and Bedouin Soundclash. C-bone can make an elephant horny, warn a small town about an approaching tornado, and cause spontanious dance parties with a single horn blast.

 

KIRSTEN REA

Vocals: Hailing from the rough streets of Oakville, Kirsten Rea realized at the age of 8 she was gifted with a beautiful and very powerful voice. When she’s not rocking out with the Live Revolution, Kirsten is busy as a session vocalist singing Rock, Country, Hip-Hop, Funk and more. Kirsten is also a destructive soccer hooligan, on and off the field. Kirstin, KC and Angela have been a vocal tag team since early 2006! Kirsten got the vibes!

 

ANGELA MONKHOUSE

Vocals:  Came to Toronto from Halifax in 2003, went to Humber for Jazz Vox, joined Tomphoolery with Kc and Jared. Has been in Rock bands since age 14. Has performed the full spectrum from jazz singer to metal singer (oh ya). She has a harp, she’ll break your heart and when she fishes, she catches the carp? No she doesn’t fish…it rhymed…but it wasn’t true. Bottom line Ange rocks!