V/A – Dove Project No. 9 (No Label, 1970)
The Dove Project No. 9 compilation is one of the most obscure artifacts of Canadian psychedelia. The main individual responsible for this excursion into the remote recesses of rock’s underground was a young and aspiring musical businessman named Doug Wong. In 1969 Doug was a leading member of the student newspaper published at his high-school. Unlike many student rags of the time, Doug’s paper was able to turn a profit at the end of their 8th issue by writing atypical articles about the local and foreign music community; articles people liked enough to purchase. Initially, the newspaper volunteers wanted to blow their profit on a huge party at the end of the year but their plans were thwarted when the principal of the school demanded the money be used for next year’s paper. To hell with that, thought Doug! We’ll blow this money on the last issue of the paper. But how? Ideas such as a glossy, colour newspaper were thrown around before the ingenious Doug stated “why don’t we package the newspaper with a record!”
Finding bands for the record was a bit of a struggle before they realized there was a hot-bed of musical talent next-door at the student folk club. And thus they recruited other high-schoolers and friends and encouraged them to record songs for this compilation. 500 copies of the 7″ were pressed at Imperial Records in Vancouver, BC and Doug and a friend made 100 screen printed picture sleeves (of the two other known copies neither have a picture sleeves, but apparently it featured a black and red two tone back-ground with a white dove printed on top). The last issue of the paper (it’s ninth issue – inspiring the name of the record) was a success and the students walked away from their creative endeavor proud and quick to forget it all as they moved on with life. Doug used his new musical experiences and connections to book bands while working at a Chinese restaurant and eventually settled as a successful record producer and pressing broker and is still active today in the CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray manufacturing business. Many, if not all, of the bands featured on the compilation retired from music to pursue a variety of other careers (one of the members of Wrinkled Pumpkin is now a famed publisher of Science Fiction novels).
And the music? Blistering fuzz-guitar basement shred fests. The songs by Wrinkled Pumpkin and Dusk pound the listener with intense, distorted squall and punchy un-mic’d drums. To contrast the aural intensity, two nice Dylan-inspired folk songs by Tim Johnson mark the last vestiges of Tim’s musical career (unfortunately). Meanwhile, sprinkled inbetween this audible diametric is Sundance Reunion with their a-few-years-too-late garage-punker “I’m Leaving” and Mace’s sunshine-pop inspired “I Can Not See.” All of these sounds are drenched in the lovely and soft sounds typical of lo-fi / DIY recordings.
I’d like to thank Doug Wong for his hospitality and kindness as he hosted my stay in Calgary to look through his storage in an attempt to uncover more information about the elusive Dove Project No. 9. One day we hope to uncover the original newspaper and pic-sleeve but until then, here’s the sounds:
[audio:http://waxidermy.com/images/01-hello.mp3] (Wrinkled Pumpkin – Hello)
[audio:http://waxidermy.com/images/01-three-thirty-two.mp3] (Dusk – Three Thirty Two)
[audio:http://waxidermy.com/images/im-leaving.mp3] (Sundance Reunion – I’m Leavin’)
If you were involved in the recording of Dove Project No. 9, own a copy of the newspaper or pic sleeve, please e-mail me at: aaron [at] cantorrecords [dot] com
18 Comments
Wow you’ve nade my day, maybe even the year..
A number of years ago at one of the infrequent record shows here in Calgary I was talkin’ to a fellow collector & he told me the story of Dove Project # 9. He said his copy as well as another by an Edmonton collector (i assume he meant you) where the only 2 that had surfaced so far. He also said the High School in question was Crescent Heights (that true?) After mentioning I would love to hear the record I came home from work a few weeks later to find a CDR of the record sitting in my mailbox. If I had known Doug Wong was behind this I may have done my own digging, so thanks for doing it. Any chance you will be at the show here on the 24? Would love to hear more of the story
PLPD Rick
Wow…. not much to say but Wow!
Really an incredible story attached to a record worth talking about. Thanks so much for posting, and kudos to Doug and everyone associated with the project.
!!! love it!!!
incredible!!
Damn, I need this…
Hi Rick,
I will be at the Calgary record show. I will have a booth and A LOT of tepid mid-70s soul records ;)
The second copy that turned up was a friend of mines. This is the third copy. Well, technically at Doug’s place we found a four other copies, but Doug has the other two. My friend who found that second copy will be at the record fair as well.
Best,
Aaron Levin / canonical
All three tracks are great. Reminds me of the better tracks found on exploitation albums but instead of using soulless studio hacks, the music is created by idealistic teenagers that conquer and overcome their limitations with great results. This is the real deal! Also, I would like to meet the guy that came up with the band name Wrinkled Pumpkin – classic!
I’ll take two copies with magazines pronto!!!
this is great, such an interesting story to accompany a cool record
Aaron – This is fuckin’ rad! That Wrinkled Pumpkin track is a blitzkrieg!
–J
scunt
BUENISIMO
Awesome music! Any chance of mp3s or a cd / vinyl release of these tunes?
C’mon. Post the MP3’s so I can listen to this on my ipod
Put some Sundance Reunion vocals on that Dusk track and you got forever music. Sounds like Neil at 15.
Funny…I pulled out this record to give it a spin today, and thought I’d look it up on the internet to see if there was any information on it…and found this.
I found this record at a garage sale down the alley from my house in Crescent heights when I was living in Calgary…I gotta admit, this was among some really decent garage 45’s, and it didn’t peak my interest much at the time. Interesting story though. Have any of these been sold recently?
Sell yours to me. andy@texassoulrecordings.com
Fantastic record AND story! Cheers for posting it.
Great record a vinyl reissue would be great,hopefully someday it will happen.