Adam Washburn is in a long-term relationship.

Don’t worry ladies... Washburn is up for grabs, but you will have to compete with his heart devoted to music.

“I think it’s always been there. I think my friends know it’s always been there. I love performing. I guess it was my first love. It’s hard to ex-plain, I am very passionate about my music and I really get lost in it on stage.”

Last spring, Washburn’s relation-ship with his music jumped to a whole new level when he received an artist grant from the New Brunswick government. The arts development branch of the Department of Culture awarded Washburn $1,200 and the result is a collection of songs that could end up in an EP or full length album.

“I was pretty pumped because I never really planned on going into a studio to do recordings. I was happy just producing some stuff from home. The grant was an opportunity to get to work with an award-winning producer.”

He headed down the highway to Port Howe, Nova Scotia and began to put his money to good use. Wash-burn spent some quality time with his guitar at Come Undone Records

where he worked alongside East Coast Music Award nominee Dale Murray, the nephew of Nova Scotian songstress Anne Murray.

“Dale and I already have an EP re-corded with five of my original tunes. Right now, we are going over the final mixes but I have to decide if I want to do an album or an EP. A part of me wants to wait, record more songs and do an album. But at the same time an EP may allow me to receive more funding to do an album in the future.”

Washburn’s hands rhythmical-ly tap the table top in James Dunn Hall, making his coffee cup shake. He makes it clear the St. Thomas has played a big role in his music.

Washburn plays open mic nights at Fredericton bars and is inspired through specific classes at STU. One, with professor Andrew Titus, in-spired him to look at music in a new creative way.

“I took a poem by William Word-sworth called Tintern Abbey. I broke it down and took Wordsworth’s ex-perience and tried my best to put my-self in his state of mind. Then I wrote my own song out of it and thought that was really cool. It made me think of music in a different way and it was thanks to Titus that I had that.”

What allows every relationship to overcome tough times is a strong

connection. Relationships require honesty and lots of heart, something Washburn experiences every time he steps on stage.

“It’s all about being honest on stage and opening yourself up to your audience. I want to be some-body who they can get to know,” said Washburn. “I actually had a friend come up to me after a show and she told me I was more honest on stage

than I was in person. I thought that was weird, then I realized she’s prob-ably right.”

There comes a point in all strong bonds when a choice needs to be made. Do you keep chasing what brings you passion? Or do you walk down another road? For Washburn, the choice is simple.

“Being a musician in the Mari-times, you may have fewer fans but

they treat you like your family. If you are somewhere else you may have more fans, but it’s less personal. The connection to fans in the Maritimes is more loyal and I really like that.”

Adam Washburn plays the Cellar with some friends on Oct. 9 at 10 p.m.

Nicole VairThe Aquinian

Washburn credits university l i fe for fueling his love of music

STU’s Adam Washburn’s love affair

Washburn received artist grant from NB government (Cara Smith/AQ)

When the first chord was struck, the crowd put their arms out and shoved whoever was nearest. There were about 12 people at the front of the stage, falling from the spilt beer on the floor and in their stomachs.

Dartmouth’s The Odd Socks played at Fusion Nightlife in Fredericton last Friday night. They were the final act, with their friends The Scoop Outs and Fredericton’s The Lee Harvey Oswalds on stage first.

Ian Rogers, bassist and guitarist of The Odd Socks, kept on his feet all night.

“I never fall when I’m drunk. I rarely fall,” said Rogers. But the speed of the music was something harder to stay on top of.

“I don’t know what song that was played last [Friday] night that was so fast, I could barely do it. Sometimes we get into like turbo speed and ev-eryone’s playing as fast as they can. We play like 10 songs in 15 minutes.”

The band consists of Rogers and Nick O’Leary on bass and guitar, Dylan Jewers on drums and Jeff DeCoste on acoustic guitar. All members are on vo-cals but DeCoste writes most of the music. Most of them are also working on their education in Halifax.

When O’Leary, DeCoste and Rogers aren’t sitting in their respective university classrooms, they’re finishing up the recording of their new album with sounds of folk mixing electric, played at punk speed.

The band recorded 11 songs in seven hours at the Echo Chamber studio in Halifax, but jammed at a warehouse rented out between several Dart-mouth bands.

The ceiling leaked and needed repairs. The band

didn’t stay for long, but leaving wasn’t their choice.“We got kicked out for not paying the rent. There

were like 14 people splitting on it so it got all messed up. We [the bands] had it for like three months. There were people living there before so we’ve when they moved up we got it for a jam space.”

Staying on top of rent payments isn’t high on the band’s priority list. The passion they have for playing live music overrules aspects of the job that other musicians would hold dear. One of those aspects being payment for shows.

“We will play anywhere, for no money. Doesn’t

matter. It’s mostly just for fun. No one makes any money,” said Rogers. “We’d like to do a tour at some point like go to Ontario and back or something but no career aspirations of any sort.”

Rogers has been friends with Jewers and De-Coste for several years and just met O’Leary when the band was getting together two years ago. Rogers has always been surrounded by musician friends. Almost everyone he knows can either pick up a guitar or carry a tune.

Rogers started tapping each finger, counting the number of bands he’s been in.

“Four or five. No five. I’m not a hundred per cent sure. It’s probably more like 3.6,” said Rogers. “I’ve

been in a couple of half bands that never did any-thing, we just jammed.”

Halifax is right across the harbour and it’s hard to keep people on the Dartmouth side of the bridge, said Rogers. The Odd Socks tend to take the stage at Jacob’s Lounge in downtown Dartmouth. Ben Manual from The Scoop Outs is mostly responsible to book the bar’s live shows, so his band and The Odd Socks have free range on Friday nights.

“The crowd is small. It’s mostly just friends of ours and some various people from around the neighbourhood. It’s kind of random, sometimes there will be a bunch of people and sometimes there is literally know one.”

They also play Gus’ Pub in Halifax, “It’s half full of VLTs and the wallpaper is of fall leaves,” said Rogers.

The Odd Socks and The Scoop Outs took a break from the VLTs and fall themed wallpaper and packed their gear for Fredericton. The gig hap-pened almost accidentally and the bands piled in their cars.

“The Cannisters [Jewer’s other band] played here a couple months ago or something, and they met some dude [Charles Barry, Fusion entertain-ment booker] and I don’t know he got us a show here so we came. Basically is why.”

The best show Rogers can remember playing was in July at Reflections Cabaret in Halifax. During Pride Week, the band took part in $Rockin’ 4 Dollar$, an open mic style contest for cash, and every band that played had to dress up as the opposite sex. Rogers brought his dress to Fredericton, just in case.

“I have my dress, It’s pretty stylish. It’s got sleeves and is covered in gold. It’s very modest. I wasn’t slutty. You can borrow it if you want.”

Meghan O`NeilThe Aquinian

Dartmouth folk-punk band is in it for the music

For The Odd Socks, playing live music is priceless

The Odd Socks brought their evening gowns to Fredericton, just in case (Submitted)