Lee Van Leer

This post is especially for MJM & DC, RE: "Thumbs Up!" CD jewel case insert.

2012-01-29T17:54:00.000-08:00

See image (of 'face side') of said CD jewel case insert in a "Lee's Blog" post date 4-27-11 --
Thats April 27, 2011. Thx4 viewing.

Friends & 'Followers', PLEASE chk out our band's new Facebook page.

2012-01-28T15:21:00.000-08:00

Soul Instigators <--<< is the name of the band, and has been for several months now. NOTE: Van Leer-the-band continues by choice to only play publicly about 4 times a year, whereas SOUL INSTIGATORS is in the process of becoming waay ACTIVE & VISIBLE. By the way, Desmond Nathan's Wed.
evg. jam @ the White Swan [836 Danforth Ave.,nr. Jones Ave.] is under way from 7:30 to Midnight.
The same hours apply to "Guitar George" Kelly's Tuesday evg. showcase & jam ~~~ (The) SOUL INSTIGATORS will do a full guest set commencing @ 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 AND Feb.1st. ~~~ Y'all don't
want to miss this. ~ Lee Van Leer will (in addition to his usual organ & vocal duties) be playing GUITAR in the Feb. 1st set... for the 1st time since early Summer 2011 -- wao! A GRAND reason to visit the White Swan, and maybe start making it one of your new fave venues. ~ Thursday's comedy night and the food is good -- Burgers,etc. AND Cantonese dishes. We'll see you at The WHITE SWAN.

May 2012 treat you well!

2011-12-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder, in August 2011, the Lee Van Leer triangular Logo celebrated its 26th "Birthday".

2011-12-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

Hammond, not hambone, not hamster.

2011-12-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

PLEASE LOOK! at pic attached to post dated 10-03-11, thank you.

The Roland JX3P kbd. synthesizer.

2011-12-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

SOME people are total masters of this unique instrument, programming it (even "on the fly") with the
highly sought-after PG-200 Programmer. I've owned four JX3P's, never tried to own a PG-200. I declare myself a master of this instrument using just the factory voices and some programmed by a previous owner. I just LUV the way its controls are laid out! ~ Roland JX3P and Yamaha PS-55 are,
and will remain, my STAGE keyboards. I own a Hammond drawbar organ (my home kbd.), and have recorded
with my Yamaha DX-21, a Hammond CV, an A-100 and an M. >>---> Large unforseen expenses force me to SELL
my [Hammond drawbar organ, $200] posted on Tor. Craigslist - Musical Instruments - posted Nov. 29,
2011. It's been replaced by a Baldwin Encore, a fairly hi-end 'spinet'. I've roaded two
Baldwins 'back in the day', one with John Ellison, writer of the mega-hit "Some Kind Of Wonderful",
and yes, Virginia, I DO play my JX3P thru a Leslie -- hear it in "The Soul Instigators" and "Van
Leer-the-band". ~ Happy Holidays to all. Be safe. Be well. ~ To view IMAGE of Hammond drawbar organ for sale ($200), pls follow directions in the post above this one, thank you. <---<< ~ Now back to Topic #1!: To learn MUCH
about Roland JX3P, pls view www(dot)vintagesynthexplorer(dot)com -- klik on Roland, then scroll down
to, then klik on, JX3P. Mfd. betw' 1983-1985, they're still in demand! Now will someone PLEASE buy my
Hammond? Price is firm, but I'll accept PARTIAL trades, not necessarily music instr.

To see pics of MIJ Fernandes FL-598 Str*t-oid 4sale...

2011-12-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

...pls scroll down to Jan. 15, 2011 post on this Blog, thank you. ~ This is the fine gtr. posted in
Toronto Craigslist [Musical Instruments]on Nov.27th, 2011. We've consigned it at Paul's Boutique, 69 1/2 Nassau St. in the Kensington district M5T 1M6. Hrs. Noon-7 p.m. EVERY day except Christmas.
Tagged @ $325 but 1st $309 will take it. Zipr BAG is included. ~ Have a safe & happy Holiday season.

Here 'tis: my marvellous Jillard "Lee Van Leer Custom" guitar.

2011-10-13T14:32:00.001-07:00

Jillard Lee Van Leer Custom guitar w/ hard shell case. ~~ I'll probably PLAY it at the Jimmy Kennedy Benefit -- [date not set as yet.] It's my "dream gtr." at last -- total cost around $600 CAD. DO visit www.jillardguitars.com -- Jason Jillard only charged me about $330 for this hard maple
neck. Mike Spicer & others w'd have charged $450 or more, and taken '4ever' to complete one. ~~ I
AM CONTENT. ~ BTW, this gtr. & all Jillard instruments + all those crafted since have STAINLESS STEEL FRETS -- EXCELLENT!! ~~~ TO VIEW IMAGE, pls scroll dn to, and klik on, a post of 4/18/11, ALSO entitled
"Here 'tis: my marvellous Jillard "Lee Van Leer Custom..." and enjoy. ~~~ Thank you for viewing these posts!

"Where I come from", said Lee Roy Barker,

2011-10-08T09:46:00.000-07:00

"Beaufort Beauchamp is pronounced BYUFERD BEECHUM." "BB's my uncle and he plays guitar better 'n you, but only on the weekends". [as told to me by L.R. Barker of Blytheville, Arkansas.]

'

Hammond drawbar organ for sale [$160].

2011-10-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

~ Sadly, large unexpected EXPENSES force me to put the Hammond drawbar organ up for sale.
Pls see Toronto Craigslist ad [in Musical Instruments] dated Jan. 13, 2012. ~ Affordable @ $160,
I need it sold ASAP. It can be seen/heard in SW Scarb. M1L 4P9.

IN 2ND 1/2 OCTOBER, I'LL BE 2 YEARS SOBER!

2011-09-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

Some people taunt & try to tempt me w/ free booze. I thank them & politely refuse.

I didn't join AA or any program, I just STOPPED. I DON'T MISS the imported beer or the red wine or
ANY alcoholic beverages.~~ BTW, (for those who don,t know me,) I was NEVER a steady boozer, just a sort-of mini-binge-er. ~~ Regardless of YOUR relationship (or none) w/ 'self-medication' I say,

Be safe. Be well. Be wired to love,laughter, MUSIC!, Sex w/ the right person, of course, even if that person is yourself, LOL.

Post-Aug.24 storm: I'm alive & unharmed.

2011-08-25T06:14:00.000-07:00

Our bldg. in M1L SW Scarb' was treated very gently by the 'volatile weather'.
My family in N. Oakville also safe & sound. [Thank you, Great Spirit.] ~~ To all of you reading this, BE SAFE, BE WELL.

Yo, COMIC BOOK LAUNCH!

2011-08-09T07:58:00.000-07:00

On Sat., Aug. 13th issue #1 of TALES FROM THE CRYPTOGRAPHER will hit (hot dog and lemonade) stands
nationwide (in my mind.) Each issue will contain eerie tales by and about code-makers and code-breakers, with
outstanding artwork executed in invisible ink, Decode THAT, cryptofans! ~ In the words of Des
Yggdrasil, our Senior Editor, "FFit oblac tem ooy parahhj ecoy burtis sahla noom foy e2gg."

RE: Band name change from "The Danforth Project"

2011-07-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

In July 2011 "The Danforth Project" officially changed our name to THE SOUL INSTIGATORS. We played
our first gig under that name on Sunday Aug. 7th at a private party celebrating a 50th birthday AND
a 29th wedding anniversary, ~ The event was staged outdoors w/ the band performing on a deck/stage approx. 1M above ground level. ~ The set was well received by those in attendance. Van Leer-the-band
was supposed to play a set also, but a great RAIN began to fall, so the band gear was quickly
covered w/ tarpaulins and the party moved indoors. ~ The overall good vibe was bolstered by the ample presence of great food -- a FINE day despite the weather!

Incidence of severe electrical storms Up 34% world-wide.

2011-07-02T21:37:00.000-07:00

Be careful.

June 30th @ Brigadoon was GREAT FUN!

2011-07-01T00:33:00.000-07:00

Now please follow us to the Canadian Legion Branch 2 blox N. of St. Clair on the W. side of Victoria Park Ave. ~ R U Red-E Turoq? ~ Band starts at 5:40 p.m. C U there!

CRUCIAL UPDATE! The Danforth Project has TERMINATED its Thurs. evg. Events...

2011-06-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

...at Danny Green's Billiards & Bar, 1218 Danforth Ave., 2nd floor, and we're NOT
looking to stage a Thurs. Event ANYWHERE ELSE. Sorry, friends, fans, followers and
musical guests. ~ We thank y'all for your support and participation. ~~~~ Please carefully read the 5-23-11 Lee's Blog post RE: our search for a venue in which to
stage a weekly Sunday matinee Open Mic/Jam/Band Showcase. ~ Have a great Summer and a great life, everyone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NOTE: the attached pic shows our last (upgraded) Leslie 4sale... asking $400 CAD. GTA pick-up ONLY.

Our 2 bands seek a permanent Sunday matinee venue.

2011-05-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

Our bands "The Soul Instigators" and "Van Leer" are seeking a SUNDAY performance
venue where we could hold an Open Mic/jam/ band showcase event. ~
Preferred hours would be 4 p.m. to 7 or 8 p.m. ~ If there's no on-site p.a. system, we will provide a vocal p.a. ~ The venue's staging area should be MIN. 14'
wide and (hopefully) 7' deep. WHY? Because we need to be able to supply on a more or less "permanent" basis a backline of two 'biggish' 100+ watt Peavey amp/spkr. units
(1 for bass, obviously), a drum kit, (and room for) a keyboard stand , SO the
staging area should be a PERMANENTLY DEDICATED SPACE. ~ For security reasons, we want
an actual raised STAGE. If the venue does not presently have one, we are fully prepared to BUILD one -- we have experienced General Contractors among our band members. If we build a stage, it will be in several movable sections and will probably be 11" in height. ~ PICTURES attached to this post show the two Peavey amp/spkr rigs and the drum kit. ~ Soon after June 5th,
2011 we may provide 'phone & email contact points besides the one at the bottom of the Van Leer website. ~ IMPORTANT DETAIL!! The Sunday Event venue MUST be situated
EAST OF THE DON RIVER, other boundaries 2B Eglinton Ave. East, Lake
Ontario and "mid-Scarborough". ~ SECOND CHOICE would be a Thursday evening Event. ~ Thanks for viewing this post. We eagerly await your input!

Tidbit

2011-05-02T01:33:00.000-07:00

We used to hang out at the Carousel Club. There was this girl there, Monica, that we could buy hash from. Then Monica became my lady and that was something! There was this old Baldwin organ beside the stage and I could put a mic close to its built-in spkr. and sit in with the band, if permitted.

Are we not here to ROFO?

2011-04-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

Rock Our Faces Off! ~ Pics: Our Toastmistress
Our Watchperson
Our Transportation Co-ordinator
Our Aunt Leslie
Listed in random order.

Update: OMG! Our listed images have been Absconded With!

TMK, there never was a vocal group called "The Exhaust Fans",

2011-04-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

...so their single "Sexual Experimentation" could never have been released.

I dedicate this post to musician and recording engineer James Anderson.

2011-04-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a pic of ONE OF my beloved Roland JX3P's. The one that I'd rent out for $30 CAD per
mo. w/ Operators Manual has some scratches on it (but no dents!) & is in proper working order.
~~ Best wishes also Jeff McMurrich and all @ '6 Nass', and @ Lettuce Knit". === I'm also buying or trading items for Yamaha PS-55, PS-35 & PC-1000 B4 severe storms destroy 'em. These Yamahas r NOT collectible. They're worth $75 CAD ea. in work'g order. Thanks for reading all this.

'59 Buick lands ON EARTH, IN AMERICA...

2011-04-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

...where it sits motionless (for five months so far). While rain and snow can fall on it, animal and insect life forms are kept 3.3 M. from it by a force field. This is for real -- I've been to the site.

Here 'tis: my marvellous Jillard "Lee Van Leer Custom" guitar.

2011-04-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

Wed. Mar. 23 party was XLENT.

2011-03-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

Several joyous reunions, + I made a new friend, film & video editor Eamonn O'Connor.
Next topic: My custom gtr. #1 from www.jillardguitars.com is ALMOST READY & could/should be in my hands April 5th, Jason Jillard's birthday. ~ Pls. enjoy the attached pic -- 24 1/2" scale slender neck, over-width @ nut, dazzling in its whiteness! ~ SBe well, friends, fans & followers!

Wed. Mar.23 party was XLENT!!

2011-03-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

Several joyous reunions, + made a new friend , Editor Eamonn O'Connor. Xcuse me as I
make a wild topical jump to www.jillardguitars.com and the latest pic of my "almost
ready" Jillard gtr. #1. It could/should be in my hands on or soon after Jason Jillard's birthday, April 5th. ~~ "Be well, my friends, fans & followers!", said Lee.

Wed. Mar. 22 from 8ish p.m. Where I'll be:

2011-03-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

The Wrap Party for the 3 1-hour episode mini-series on Bravo Channel -- 2nite's the final episode @ 10 p.m. It started Mon. Mar. 21 -- Its title: "Yonge Street: Toronto Rock & Roll Stories" & I'm a participant, as was John Kay, David Wilcox,
John Finley, Bobby Dean Blackburn, Richie York, & no doubt others ~ I'm just rushing
now to pkg. 5 copies of the "Van Leer" CD "Thumbs Up", then brave the snow to getto the event. ~ I hope not to stay late as I have MUCH going on in my life lately.
I will try to post a follow-up soon. Be well, friends, fans & followers! ~ I must quickly 'phone family & remind them to watch. ~ Post 2U later . Lee

Endorsements!

2011-02-02T11:26:00.000-08:00

Lee VanLeer and Sherri Rhodes? Hmm... Uh, sorry, waay off-topic there! ~ Lee Van Leer
and Gord "Wayne" Munzy play Lado & Jillard gutars & basses on-stage exclusively. PLEASE visit: www.jillardguitars.com We also endorse Belltone strings, forsaking even our former love, GHS Boomers. Belltones are made in the U.S.A. but NOT in the Squier factory. Stringtreat helps the strings hold their clarity of tone longer, inhibiting rust. No, Stringtreat is NOT an oil! DO visit www.belltonestrings.com,
ditto Stringtreat. R u viewing the pics? Good!

Fine! FUN!

2011-01-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

Fri. Feb. 28 exemplified how enjoyable weekend musical Events are at Danny Green's
Billiards & Bar. ~ In addition to my descr' in the previous post, let me say that
despite the members of "Jo Rockhead" having come from their day jobs, they put on a
show that was visually as well as audibly energetic, and NO, these were seasoned
veterans, not under-30's. ~ Fine lead vocals from guitarist Tony Oldland proved that "Jo R." isn't a "univox" entity, as Tony & Joanna complemented one another with
right-on! vocal harmonies. ~ Andy Ray Fong played most of the guitar leads and, well,
GollyWao!! ~ Bassist Keith Kayel posed, danced & POGO'D right through to the 2-song
encore, and younger bro Dave hit the kit right 'n' tight! I conclude "Ooh, what a
night! ======MOST SPECIAL PRAISE HERE to our hostess Maureen for, well, everything!
including MMMM! chicken & fresh salad veggies & tomatoes on a whole wheat pita --
NOT your typical greasy pub fare, though "fried stuff" is often available, too. Let
me sing "I Thank You"======

'

Here we've posted pics relevant to the SUPER-LONG Blog entry which follows.

2011-01-17T02:06:00.000-08:00

Big smiles to: Mr. Jackie of 'Jackie & Jacqui', my fellow band members (and their families) "The Soul Instigators", "The Hinges" & "Van Leer" -- Haley & her mom, "The Newsboys" [Garry O'Keefe & John Wilks], Steve Martino & his lady, Margaret N., Stan Endersby and "most special" Sherri Rhodes.

Mon. 2011-01-17: The longest Blog entry I've EVER posted.

2011-01-17T00:12:00.000-08:00

Despite technical difficulties (electronic), and ld gtr & drumr having bn unable to
rehearse several of our unique new musical arrangements, Van Leer-the-band delighted
our followers and made new fans. ~ We got to see/hear all bands xcept the one preceeding us, and EVERY act, including of course the solo set of my longtime friend
Danny Marks, (orig. guitarist of hit recording group Edward Bear, and host of "BluzFM" on 91.1 JazzFM Saturdays 8-to midn't) was of absolute top-flight professional calibre. I was particulary impressed! by "Us", the only band doing a set of 100% original material, and by their dynamic frontwoman/lyricist Marlene. Chk them out online &, better yet, LIVE! ~ BIG ups to: Greg, the house sound tech of the
Birchmount Tavern / ALL members of "The Hinges" particularly guitarist/vocalist Mikey, who aside from ably replacing our 2010 guitarists worked with Coll Audio to
provide a SUPERB backline of Yamaha drum kit, Marshall JMP 2000 1/2-stacks, Orange bass rig and classic late '60s Fender Twin Reverb amp, all in topflite condition...
and SO MUCH MORE that he deserves a separate post (coming later this month, friends)
also drummer John W, replacing Jimmy Cannon & Gordie Grills and others in our 'revolving door' of Van Leer drummers. ~ SPECIAL CATEGORY HERE to praise 1)
bassist-guitarist/b.u. vox/road crew member and dear friend Gord "Wayne" Munzy, and
2)another friend, 2nd vocalist,
percussionist, crew member-when-required and all-'round SHOWMAN Pete Aube'. ~ You who frequent or follow this Blog (and the VanLeer website o'all) will know of our
other musical connection "The Danforth Project" ~ Folks, Wayne & Pete work
HARD. BTW, their wives & immed. families (those whom I've met) are cool, too!

MIJ Fernandes FL-598 Str*t-oid w/ zipr bag, $309, + see pics of other items 4sale on TO. Craigslist.

2011-01-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

You may have seen this guitar described in detail on T.O. Craigslist Mus. Instr. for sale [posted Nov. 27, 2011]. Here are more pics! $309 w/ padded zipr BAG. ~ By Mar. 9, 2011 it'll be freshly set-up. How's THAT for playing comfort? ~ This gtr's in fine cond. and is being sold only bcuz I
don't enjoy playing on 25 1/2" scale necks -- I prefer medium scale or, better yet,
24" 'Jag' scale, but I need at least 43mm wide @ nut -- that's the way I (rock &)
roll! ~ (signed) Lee "V" and S.Rhodes.

Some folks wanted 2C the "white Leslie": here 'tis!

2011-01-11T18:47:00.000-08:00

Upgraded horn driver & 15" woofer handle 85W r.m.s. ~ It contains NO amplifier but we
power it w/ a Peavey "Bass" head. ~ Ht. 33" + sturdy 4"
casters. 20"D, 29"W. ~ A crucial element in the full sound of The Soul Instigators.

Jan. 8th, 2011 IMPORTANT UPDATE!!

2010-12-31T12:35:00.000-08:00

Van Leer-the-band DID NOT APPEAR anywhere 3 a.m. Jan. 1 -- event was cancelled. ~ NEXT GTA Van Leer gig is multi-band Event @ Birchmount Tavern Sun. Jan. 16th running 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. ~ VAN LEER hits the stage at 5 p.m. Other bands include The Hinges,
Scarpelli (Gino S., long-time member of Goddo) & AT LEAST 5 others. It's a charitable benefit, so there's a $10 cover charge. Big stage, big p.a. & lights, biggish menu, u r gonna love it! ~
May your 2011 be excellent. ~ Pls watch our GTA Appearances Schedule, BUT if it appears incomplete or non-current, do PLEASE return here to Lee's Blog, where we'll
ALWAYS keep u up2date on Van Leer gigs in the GTA, and any Lee Van Leer guest showcases
w/ other bands. ~ The Birchmount Tavern / Cactus Pete's is highly visible in the
Birchmount Plaza, N.E. corner of Danforth ROAD & Birchmount Ave. ~ R U Red-e turoq? Hopefully we'll see you there!

Event, not2B missed!

2010-12-16T22:20:00.000-08:00

THIS SATURDAY, VAN LEER WILL PERFORM IN PUBLIC 4THE 1st TIME SINCE JANUARY 2010, at the Alpine Hotel again on Kingston Rd., E.of Vic. Pk. This is a charitable event w/ 4
other bands, so there'll be a cover charge.~ Start time is 8p.m. ~ 4sure u wanna be there!

Don Paveling & Declan Doran: Heroes, IMHO.

2010-12-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

On New Year's Day 1961, used car dlr. Ernie Barnhart introduced me to Ronnie Hawkins.
I heard "Robbie" Robertson play his Tele and on the leads I thought it sounded "thin"
and I formulated A THE0RY, to wit: all u need4 a gd blues tone is 2 pickups & a metal
playing surface on your bridge. ``` ` ````` ` `` ````` ```` `` ` ``````` ` ` `````
``````` ``````` `` ```` ``````. I mean, look at Freddy & Albert King! Don P. & Declan D. played '54-56 LP gold-tops when others around them were buying Teles, and their tone was excellent! SO, I drew a CONCLUSION. Soon Mike Bloomfield, E. Clapton, J. Page & J. Beck were also playing LP's and sounding great. TONE to the BONE, my brothers! Case closed, nya-nya, nya nya-nya. I'd rather hear these gtrs. than attend the Sandy Claws Parade ANY year!

ENDORSEMENTS!

2010-11-28T02:43:00.000-08:00

Lee Van Leer and Gord "Wayne" Munzy play Lado and Jillard guitars & basses exclusively, strung with Belltone Strings, their life extended by Stringtreat. Amplification is by Peavey Electronics. ~ Pls visit: www.jillardguitars.com ~
We have no idea who makes our kazoos.

My alien abduction.

2010-11-26T14:11:00.000-08:00

When I was visiting Arizontal, Arizona, I was accosted by four Mexican nationals who possessed no documentation whatever. Three of my abductors looked like, uh, mid-30s male hispanics. The fourth was completely covered in curly, off-white fur, and she BLEATED. The three males lifted me and loaded me into a white Ford van with a cereal box where the rear license plate should have been. Their apparent leader asked of me many questions in heavily accented English, including if I knew the location of a peyote cactus. When I replied that I did not, my interrogator became very agitated
and smashed a plate of poutine into my face. ~ 2B continued.

Did you ever see/hear The Soul Instigators?

2010-11-25T11:22:00.000-08:00

No?, well the day will come again in early 2012. ~ Pete Aube', Scott Sharp, (or John W.),
Mike Murphy<---(optional), Lee Van Leer and importantly, Wayne Munzy, bassist. Keep watching or following this Blog for more news. Meanwhile pls view PICS on my 2911-01-17 post. Be safe. Be well, my friends & fans, and thank you! for viewing and/or Following this Blog.

A very interesting day...

2010-11-11T11:13:00.000-08:00

...is what I had at the MTV Bldg. 888 Yonge St. T.O. on Wed. Nov.10. While
there I had lunch with noted Cdn. film director Bruce MacDonald. (Cool, hey?)
As to what else took place there during my 7 hrs. on-site, my lips are sealed 'til
March 2011.

PLEASE visit Myspace music - Thunderland

2010-10-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

Proud of the logo that I designed. Proud of the music we made when we were 4 & 5-pc. ~ Dear friend Andy Ray Fong was occas. 5th member, like on "Crossroads" -- Please listen. You WILL enjoy! Can Lee Van Leer design band logos? [see also VanLeer & Trill] Does Bigfoot rule the woods? ...

I am DELIGHTED...

2010-10-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

... that Toronto, ON, ca municipal election enjoyed a 50% voter turnout, the largest
in the 10 yrs. of the Amalgamuddle (TM Appl. For).
... that longtime Councillor Sandra Bussin was soundly turfed out on her rump & repl.by Mary-Margaret McMahon, who facially resembles somone I used2 see on SNL
or somesuch. She'll hopefully teach Mayor-elect Rob Ford to be greener. It'll be fun 2 watch. ~ I'm NOT delighted that Frances Nunziata is still in office.
I'm delighted that my Councillor is still Adrian Heaps. ~ 'nuf politix. ~ I'm delighted...

AT LAST! NEW colo(u)r jewel case insert for "Thumbs Up" CD.

2010-10-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

Here 'tis. Enjoy!

And now, an Ad for 2 fine musical products:

2010-10-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

Stringtreat, the best instrument string life-extender yet, and Belltone Strings, which I now use instead of my longtime fave GHS Boomers & my "backup" Dean Markley's.
Please visit www.belltonestrings.com & chk it all out incl. links to, and through,
Haley's Strings. It's as good as the tunes on this (VanLeer) website. (Pls xcuse blatant self-promotion, LOL! I AM proud of our "Thumbs Up!" CD.) ~ Watch for news
of way cool charity benefit shows at a BIG venue in Mississauga.

Tomorrow I'm test driving a...

2010-09-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

...Ford Fiasco annd a Chevy Charade!

U may call me Sherwood...

2010-08-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

...bcuz I "Sherwood" like to hear from Lisa Ehrlich!

What d'you call a 3D 32-sided figure?

2010-08-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

A BALL THAT ROLLS NOISILY!

4th of July was xlent @ N---a-- -- --- -a--, ON.

2010-07-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

Daisy Bain & the Epaulets w/ V. Spl. Guests Shredded Flag and Lee Van Leer w/ Jimmy Cannon, drums - Some Young Guy, bass & gtr. and Russell Drone on gtr. ~ Gallons of Limeade, alcoholic and non-, + plenty of chicken! Fireworks when darkness fell. All in all, a most memorable day.

NEW THURSDAY EVG. EVENT starts June 24

2010-05-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

BULLETIN! Every THURSDAY evg. from 9:00 p.m. The Danforth Project (band) hosts a jam at Danny Green's Billiards & Bar, 1218 Danforth Ave., 2nd floor
(rt. across from the Roxy Theatre bldg.) ~ Guests are MOST welcome -- come jam with us! ~ Great seating & sightlines, good food, big p.a. -- the best Thursday music event in the east end! ~~
CRUCIAL UPDATE RE: TDP's weekly Thursday event: EFFERCTIVE 2DAY June 9th, 2011
The Danforth Project (Pete, Lee John, "Wayne" and Scott) are TERMINATING our Thurs.
evg. Event at Danny Green's Billiards & Bar. ~~ To find out what's happening at
Danny Green's, i.e. 8 and 9-ball tournaments, Sat. evg. and other musical events,
please CALL (416) 462-3733 Wed. through Sun. afternoons & evenings, or drop in!

"Hu?"

2010-05-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

Q.: "Hu" would win a fight between a PLANIPLOTINIPS and a TRIMMAZORBITUS if '80s Detroit
rock were the referee? A.: The fight ended prematurely with a portion of the Livingston house collapsing on both combatants. ~ Brush Park ruins 1, obscure species 0.

May 2 matinee at The Ice House was awesome!

2010-05-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

Totally fun! Bick Bazilian & the Flap gave 115% -- Rick's voice is a cross betw' Paul
Rodgers & Eddie Vedder. I stood riveted near a p.a. spkr. stack for the 1 hr. set,
entranced. When an encore was demanded, Rick picked up a Les Paul & yelled, "a tribute to Lee Van Leer!" and proceeded to almost shred using my thumb lead technique. Huh? I didn't even know that Rick played lead! He plays acous. rhythm on
1 or 2 songs in their set. Wao! ~ Well, the gauntlet had been thrown in a friendly manner, so luckily I was able to borrow the SG/Les Paul Jr. from Shredded Flag with
which I'm so comfortable, and let loose w/ "Bruised Apple Pie" and Jeff Beck's "Free-
way Jam" at the end of my set. The audience roared -- They hadn't seen me, on gtr. or otherwise, since Summer '09. Having the b.u. vocal ladies was a huge plus, also,
on tunes like "A Love To Last A Lifetime Long." I'm still radiating enthusiasm. The
crowd was over 200, Bill said, so everyone was content. I think the next show is planned for late June. I'm stoked!

Greetings, friends and fans. 2010/01/16

2010-02-16T06:43:00.000-08:00

L.Hip replacemt surgery and its immed. aftermath have gone v. well & w/out incident.
Pain level decreases every day & some days my hip gives me hours of NO PAIN AT ALL, yay! Mercifully , I've bn granted 6 MONTHS of WheelTrans eligibility (sigh of relief.)and in buses & vans f'sure from 2moro on, bcuz riding in a sedan w/ my raised seat cuhion is just total discomfort. Grr! ~ Until late, late Mar.2010, The Place to buy the Van Leer CD "Thumbs Up" wl be ENCORE MUSIC EXCHANGE, 40 Danforth ROAD, beside the Dairy Queen. There's street & DQ parking. U shd CALL 1st, (416) 691-2686, Noon-5:50pm Mon-Fri, & 11am- 4:50 p.m. Sat. as CD r runn'g v. low over there & might not get re-stocked 'til April 28 or later(sorry 'bout that!) ~ Lotsa cool stuff at E.M.E., fairly priced, including "real" USA Gibson & Fender (used), Ibanez,'80s MIJ Fender & so much more,
incl. a vintage ('59? early 60's) big-face elec. alarm clock, works great, and has bn a prop in a movie & a TV show. $35 firm. Wao! ~ Enuf sitting. Must lie down 4 a bit. Thanks 4 reading/following. Yours in Music, Lee

Fri.Feb. 5 is my surgery day: total L. hip replacemt.

2010-02-01T18:58:00.000-08:00

I'm lkg. 4ward 2it, tho' 1st 2 wks.= chronic pain, but apparently not a baaad kind of
pain. I'll be in hosp. for 8 to 10 days, I've been assured. I like that better than the 5 days that they often turf u out after! Typical recuperation period is 6 wks., after which the patient can usually drive cars & do quite a few other "normal-type"
things. I wonder when I'll be able to stop using my cane! ~ By Mar. 19 I HOPE to be able to resume gigging with The Muddy Guys and the seldom-seen Van Leer (band). I DO
KNOW that during the recupe' period I am warned against long periods of SITTING,
therefore no rehearsals and no computer "marathons". ~ Next post wont be 'til Feb. 16
or later, my frieds, so BE WELL. LVL

Jan.9 @ Alpine Htl. was Different & Excellent!

2010-01-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

We had advt. this event as a "The Muddy Guys" gig, but due to circumstanza beyond my (LVL) control, we instead hastily assembled a variant of VanLeertheband which included Rick Lintlop (ex New Regime bassist), drums ~ impressive, melodic Grant
Crawford on gtr. ~ bassists were Peter Benn & Alex A ~ Peter also sang & played rhythm gtr. (and one nice lead!) We vocalists were in FINE voice, and we did one long set of "classics" and originals, then a short set feat. Peter's lead vocals near-exclusively w/ Alex A on bass. Everything gelled SUPERBLY and we won some new
fans who bought LVL "Thumbs Up!" CDs. ~ All musicians present including Ryan L., Joe, "big" Eric, 2nd set drummer Al, and others not named here were MOST helpful w.
set-up, tear-down and sound reinforcement. Thanks SO MUCH, guys! ~ I was invited to stay for Mrs. L's birthday party, to be fed & hear 2 great bands (one of them college-age)but a red fruit drink I started to ingest after Set 2 set my hernia off into Severe Pain mode so I left, personal gear & all with my friends Pete Aube' &
son "Scott Sharp" who refused to accept expense money that I offered. ~ Some of my
friends frequently spoil me 4sure, LOL! ~ Spl. thanks to my dear Sa---, who sent 5
of the "new fans" my way. BTW, my pain subsided by 9:45 and I was able to "resume
normal life". ~ I'm posting this entry from Oakville ON where I'm visiting family -- always a pleasure.

In this post I compare 2 teen girl metal gtr. queens...

2009-12-27T10:36:00.000-08:00

...who reside an ocean apart. ~ In Connecticut, U.S.A. Desiree' Bassett -- Technically facile player who also sings well. Has no grasp of what gtr. TONE should be -- has a too-dirty, scooped mids sound like 300 other shred-oom. Does not grasp the ideal feel of The Blues (witness her sit-in w/ Marshall Tucker Band in her home
area.) Des' should listen to: Red House - J. Hendrix
Paul Gilbert, a "shredder" who really understands
The Blues AND tone
Lee Van Leer - Roll On Through The Night
In Britain, Jacqueline Mannering, who has that awesome M. Schenker-Tom Scholz-Wolf
Hoffman tone (lots of 800 Hz mid and a clear "singing" quality to every note) especially with her SG Standard. All Jacqueline needs is intensive time with a vocal coach and she'll leave Ms. Bassett choking in the dust. Chk. out J.M.'s Jet To Jet
(Alcatrazz) and Crazy Train (Ozzy) covers on YouTube and become a fan!
Excuse me now while I go enjoy the above 2 vids to start my day RIGHT, before spending the rest of the day & night with The Special One. ~ Have a great Boxing Week -- Don't get Boxed In!

I'd like to see a post labelled"!&<^>&!"

2009-11-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

But the Blogscape doesn't permit that. ~ In Mar. 2010 (or whenever), please find me a Yamaha PS-55, PC-1000 or PS-35 in proper working order. These are digital preset synths of the '80s (home keyboards, predecessor to PSR series). I have a distressed
PS-55, but want a GOOD'UN! I won't pay much, pref. $80 or less... they're NOT collectible, but I LIKE 'EM!

Random bleats & blurts, 2009-10-26.

2009-10-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

Upon graduating from high school and enrolling in a college drama course, Ms. Carmen
Diaz adopted the first name CAMERON to be distinctive and unforgettable. She certainly is! View her new film "The Box". Crafty Cordell's snagging us TKTS! ~ Chk. out "Shop Talk" by Cold Blood on YouTube & get in a Right Mood! ~ C U at Danny Green's on Thurs. evgs. starting June 24 (emperor Kwong-tse's birthday.)
-30-

A truth about me, LVL, RE: time management.

2009-10-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

I'm NOT v. good at it, especially in recent years. How that affects "Lee's Blog" is
that some entries that I want to post, well, they're on my mind & even writn of on papers or in a jrnl rt. near this keyboard, yet it can take up to 10 days or so for them to be posted. ~~ I've lrnd by recent, bitr experience that I must NEVER compose
an email OR post a Blog entry if I'm tired or not yet fully mentally awake. By that I
mean, 4example, if I rise up at 8:30 a.m., I won't be "runn'g on all 8 cylinders" brainwise, 'til 12:30 p.m. ~~~~ I've always detested the taste of coffee and I choose
not to use any other types of stimulants, legal or o'wise. ~~~~ I always used to say as a youth, "I LOVE waking up to an empty house!" (tho' I can adapt nicely when living with The Right Woman.) SO, those of you who've bn entrusted w/ my "Very Secret" home
'phone # know that 1) you are not2call B4 noon, and 2) if I've had a really late nt.,
the 'phone's ringer will be OFF 'til I feel rdy to deal directly w/ incoming callers.
Two silly nicknames that I'll accept w'out glare or growl wl therefore be, "Boris
Ringeroff" and "Les Keystrokes".

My primitive computer keyb'd. & its limitations.

2009-09-05T23:24:00.000-07:00

My comp' kbd. doesn't DO accents like aigu, grave, circonflexe or the sedilla SO I'm frustrated and somewhat embarrased at having to position a "'" instead of an
acccent aigu on words like resume' (REZ-oo-may) and fine surnames like Cote' (CoTAY), Aube' (o-BAY) and Larive'e. Darn! Maybe even DAMN!

Does your band/venue feature V. Special Guests?

2009-08-20T01:28:00.000-07:00

Engage Lee Van Leer for The Voice (falsetto still intact!), the Magic Thumb guitar,
plus, plus. ~ Mid -'60s style R&B, Classiq Rock, melodic hard rock and, as always, The Blues. Selections of pre -'73 Country Gold, too.
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Please visit: www.vanleer.ca, (The Van Leer website) It might LURE you to contact "Bookings@VanLeer.ca" [Spam will be ignored & swiftly deleted.]
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Music is essential! (LVL) ~ Without music, life is a journey through a desert. (Pat
Conroy)

"Trill" is DISBANDED. Long live "Van Leer"-the-band

2009-07-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

"TRILL" (Dec. 2005-Dec. 19, 2008)is now officially DISBANDED. Its successor: "VAN LEER". As in previous bands, Lee will be assisted by other lead and b.u. vocalists who will also play instruments. ~ The debut performance will either be at The Black Swan or The Ice House. It'll be a 2 or 3-band Event and IT WILL ROCK! ~ Keep watching HERE or at the Van Leer web site for details! We repeat: TRILL is disbanded! Long live VAN LEER!
NOTE: A long-time friend and follower of my bands asked me if "Van Leer" was supposed to be the successor to "Trill" and I replied that Van Leer-the-band is the successor to (Canadian) Thunderland -- a 'voyald' of difference! Please visit and you'll immediately understand. For example, one of the superb guitarists heard on T'land's MySpace page is Andy Ray Fong, who is recording and stand-by guitarist for "Van Leer". The several alternating Van Leer drummers are Scott Aube' a/k/a Scott Sharp, John W. and Jimmy Cannon, none of whom ever played in "Trill", so there!