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Don Pyle

@thedonpyle

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42 years ago, #otd on Friday, October 19, 1984, Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet played their first ever show opening for my postpunk band Sturm Group at the Rivoli!
We first asked Change of Heart, who had opened for us earlier that year on Friday, May 18, 1984 to open for us, but they were no longer opening for local bands. However, they offered to have their offshoot band Slightly Damaged (with Ian Blurton playing drums) open for us. Approximately 10 days before the show, they called us up saying they only had 20 minutes of material, so we were frantically on the case of finding a second opening band. Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet were already sharing our rehearsal space with us (Sturm Group drummer Hugo von Levetzow knew Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet drummer Don Pyle from his high school days.....a mutual friend from Hugo's high school introduced Hugo to Don and they saw a lot of shows together). We asked, on a dare, as they were leaving the rehearsal space and we were entering, if they would open for us. They took up the offer, came up with a band name for themselves. made a poster for the show, as we had already made a poster for the show, and it happened! Their poster said Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet Friday, October 19 The Rivoli bring the boloney in a Sturm Group and Slightly Damaged sandwich. While they were opening, Hugo's John St. just north of Queen St. W. roommate Susie Mickunas, former Ice Capades star, roller-skated on the Rivoli floor holding up big signs with the song title of each Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet song. I still remember the sight of Susie skating the Queen St. W. sidewalk the two and a half blocks to the Rivoli
Today is also Don Pyle's birthday! Happy birthday Don!

Live Sound by Mike Dent

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I normally try to avoid #wots like the plague, but went to support/hear my friend @thedonpyle (“Rough Description” @ecwpress ) alongside @therewasnosound (“A Nation of Tinkerers” @invisibooks ) + Rollie Pemberton (“Ways of Listening” @mcclellandstewart ) hosted by @thatericalper this session fking rocked chock full of music history, the local scene, connections before the internet and why you should dump Spotify. Want to read them all.

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100% free to attend! This afternoon I’m moderating the Word On The Street’s 37th Annual Festival panel ‘Life in Music,’ a conversation with three authors whose new books every music lover should have on the nightstand. Michael Rancic’s ‘A Nation of Tinkerers: A History of Canadian Electronic Music from 1945–1985’ uncovers the inventors, composers and scene builders who helped shape the sound of the modern world, from Hugh Le Caine’s Electronic Sackbut, widely considered the first voltage-controlled synthesizer, to the disco and hip hop pioneers of Montreal and Toronto. Don Pyle, drummer and co-founder of Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, shares ‘Rough Description: Love Letters and Ghost Stories from a Life in Music,’ a funny, tender memoir full of stories about Steve Albini, Dallas Good, the Ramones and the theme he helped create for ‘The Kids in the Hall.’ Polaris Music Prize winner Rollie Pemberton, also known as Cadence Weapon, brings ‘Ways of Listening: Building a Deeper Relationship with Music in the Streaming Era,’ a thoughtful and joyful guide to finding your own path through music beyond the algorithm. I can’t wait to dig into invention, memory, and the thrill of discovery with all three of them. Join us today at the David Pecaut Square from 1:30 to 2:15 pm. @torontowots

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Word on the street books Michael Rancic Don Pyle Rollie Pemberton David Pecaut Square toronto

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Word on the Street is this weekend!! Along with the signings at our booth, we have authors participating in some amazing conversations. Link to the full schedule is in our stories. We can’t wait to see you there! 📚

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I’m reading @thedonpyle ‘s Great New book “ ROUGH DESCRIPTION “ and it’s taking me back in n a beautiful way with his insightful memoir… I’m on page 171 of the WENDY COBURN chapter, he has taken a portrait of Wendy and describes how the Toronto’s waterfront has changed … “It was 2014, in the midst of a middle-aged growth spurt, the city becoming uglier and blander with each bad new architectural choice, all replacing something that was distinctly more beautiful.
The Royal York Hotel, once the tallest building downtown, now partially pecked out from behind the growth around it.”…..I shot this photo only days ago while stuck in Traffic on the Lakeshore, lamenting much the same thing ❤️ loving this book #donpyle #torontomusic #torontoauthor #shadowymenonashadowyplanet #roughdescription

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Poderia ter comprado a versão digital ? Sim. Mas eu ainda tenho um lado não tão tecnológico. Livro e disco tem que ser palpável, tem que ter cheiros e alguma história por trás. Um belo dia, indaguei um certo cidadão sobre a estampa do blusão que ele usava. Era da capa de um disco, acho que o penúltimo, do Low. Por ter gostos parecidos, um seguiu o outro. Nas conversas, descobri que o cara era um dos pilares do punk Canadense: voz, olhar, atitude e militância. E que tem também um coração gigante. @thedonpyle your book arrived a couple of minutes ago ! Thank you so much for the friendship.

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WOTS Presents: Life In Music

From invention to inspiration, three authors explore the ideas, stories, and connections that make music matter.

Where: The Neighbourhood Stage
When: Sunday, September 27th, 2026 at 1:30 pm

Official Bookseller: Queen Books @queenbooksto

#TorontoWOTS #WOTS2026 #MeetMeAtWOTS

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“Is there a fairy in your home?”

She arrived. Today.

She’s a pretty bird.

And thick. Love Chunk 2.

from the author of “Poetry is Queer”

“This way >>>” @palimpsestpressbooks
palimpsestpress.ca/books/fairy-kirby/

kirbyfairy.ca

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Como diria um fella lá do norte do globo: SINISTER ! Cramps, Gravest Gravy, demos resgatadas lá no cafundó do inferno. Sujo. Tosco. Muito bem gravado, tem um certo peso. Não 🙂‍↔️! Não é caça níquel ! Realmente valeu a pena o $ gasto aqui ! @vos011 valeu por ter guardado este pra mim ! PS Sim, tara pelo The Cramps ! PS II Por onde andará a senhora Poison Ivy !? PS III Aqui a formação mais foda do Cramps - Bryan, Lux, Knox e Ivy ! PS IV Me perdoe Kid Congo, love u, mas Brian Gregory é Brian Gregory.

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Tomorrow night vinyl release show!! @cutflowersmusic @longbranchband. Tickets at the door. 7:30pm 🪇☄️🪾💐😵‍💫🎢💫

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Cut Flowers with @longbranchband THURSDAY NIGHT @bsmt254toronto

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Where do you end up after a show? Whether your a fan or a band....I might start visiting these places and do some shout outs, tell me if you’d want that? I might do it anyway, Im hungry. PIZZA GIGI is at 189 Harbord St in Toronto #pizza #torontomusic #favouriterestaurant #bandfood

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