Hello my name is Dave Aardvark, and I’m the current CKCU Program Director in 2025, the year CKCU Goes to L. L as in the Roman numeral for 50, not what you were thinking. So yeah, how ‘bout that, Community Radio is still Mighty in Ottawa, 50 years later.
I’ve been here on staff 12 years now, but I first crossed the threshold at CKCU to sign up as a volunteer right around the time that Cassettera was released now 40 years ago. Cassettera now serves well as an important document in Ottawa’s music history and a reflection of many cool local bands happening back then, leading up to it’s release in 1985.
Earlier this year, my good friend Richard Parks aka Dick AltaVista (currently the host of Attic Thoughts and Roots And Rhythms, both weekly on CKCU) conducted THREE interviews so we could do this retrospective on CKCU back in the 80’s and highlight some of the artists that were on this fabled cassette.
https://www.discogs.com/release/8330119-Various-Ottawa-Cassettera-Vol-1
- - [big thanks to Wednesday Special Blend host Michael Houston aka “tic” for providing the digital versions of the track from Cassettera as well as the track listing as you see it here on the playlist!] - -
| Blind Bargain (excerpt) Restless Virgins - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| That was an excerpt from Blind Bargain by the Restless Virgins from Ottawa Cassettera Vol.1. We will hear the track in it’s entirety later in the program, but for now is a great segue to what we have next…..
So as mentioned there are three different interviews in this Cassettera episode. One with David Bignell then a member of Insect Cult, another with Phil Hogarth who was in the band Bugs Harvey Oswald, but first we will start things out with drummer Jeb Bond who was in both Restless Virgins and Screaming Bamboo, who both have a track on Cassettera. |
JEB BOND interview - (8:10) |
| No One's Home (4:00) Screaming Bamboo - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Next up, Richard converses with Phil Hogarth currently in the band Royal Ottawa, but back then was member of Bugs Harvey Oswald who contributed the track “Sign Or Die” to the compilation. |
PHIL HOGARTH interview - (12:44) |
| Sign Or Die (3:53) Bug Harvey Oswald - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Last but certain not least, our third and final interview is with David Bignell who was part of the outfit that brought us the track “The Garden Path” by Insect Cult, we will roll that track and all the other tracks from Cassettera after this conversation with Dave!
(Dave's current regular gig is w/ the Five Star Monday Band every Monday Night at The Chateau Lafayette (The Laff) in the Byward Market https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/why-mondays-are-a-surprisingly-popular-night-to-see-live-music-in-ottawa-and-gatineau) ALSO: Dave Bignell and the 5 Star Connection with Special Guests - - Friday Nov 28th 2025 9PM Irene's Pub https://www.tickettailor.com/events/irenespubandrestaurant/1889847 |
DAVE BIGNELL interview - (9:07) |
| The Garden Path (3:43) Insect Cult - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Blind Bargain (5:00) Restless Virgins - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Mary Tie Your Mutant Down (3:45) Porcelain Forehead - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Mirrors (3:48) D-Ploy - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Jihad (4:57) Singing Fools - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Stained Glass (3:48) Randy Peters - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Father Was A Rolling Stone (6:49) Ultima Thule - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Think Of Love (4:31) Third Wave - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Soul Disease (4:25) Kroma-Key - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| Epic (6:54) Breeding Ground - Various – Ottawa Cassettera Vol. 1 - CKCU |
| That’s it for our Cassettera feature on CKCU Goes to L, or 50 to sound more polite :p
Thanks to Dave, Jeb and Phil for being a part of it, and to Richard for making these interviews happen! Thanks to tic for providing details and digital tracks from this cassette and thanks to you for checking it out. Please explore the other content on the CKCU Goes To L page. Bye for now and Happy 50th CKCU! Cassettera CREDITS As they appeared on the release): -Compiled and Produced by Andreas Brecht Ua Siaghail (pronounced O’Sheil) for Radio Carleton Inc. - Art direction – Doug Skene & Andreas -Designed by Doug Skene -Artwork for “singles covers” by the bands -Family trees compiled by Roch Parisien -Mastered by Jacques Dumas -Thanks to: Patrick Nagle, David Taylor, Nadine Gelineau, Jor Reilly, Vince Veness, Nancy Poirier (typesetting), Emil Hoist (M.O.M. Printing), Jeff McMaster (Sony), David Simon & Chainsaw for the three typewriters. By the way Cassettera Vol. 2 is out now (40 years later) and in the form of an LP called "Still The Mighty". Limited to 300 (so far) on "gold" vinyl, with 13 great local artists. There will also be a "50 Songs for 50 Years" version on bandcamp with the 13 tracks and a wide array of other great local artists, launching soon.... More info here soon but not yet: ckcufm.com/LP |
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