The freeform rock heyday of the 1970s hits the Brackendale Art Gallery on Saturday (March 5). Bill Henderson and Claire Lawrence, both former members of iconic Canadian band Chilliwack, bring their collective musical prowess to the venue at 8 p.m. The band had numerous hits in the 70s and 80s, including 鈥淢y Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone),鈥� 鈥淲hatcha Gonna Do鈥� and more.聽
Henderson is an acclaimed singer-songwriter, Juno Award-winning producer and former director of the Canadian Association of Recording Arts and Sciences, as well as a past president of the Songwriters Association of Canada (SOCAN).
鈥淐laire and I have been working together as a duo for a while now,鈥� said Henderson, who has continuously fronted Chilliwack since 1970. Before that, the group was known as The Collectors, a band that was active on the music scene during the 1960s.
鈥淐laire and I both went to UBC School of Music,鈥� said Henderson. 鈥淟ater, he was making a living in a band called The Classics, and in 1966, he phoned me and said they needed a guitarist. I said yes, and that was the start of The Collectors.鈥�
Those early days consisted of lots of freeform and improvisational rock music, he said.
鈥淚 remember once we opened a show in Pasadena for Vanilla Fudge, and our singer and bass player didn鈥檛 show up,鈥� said Henderson.聽
鈥淭he rest of the band just went up and jammed鈥� The crowd went nuts! It was very hard for Vanilla Fudge to follow that and have to get on stage.鈥�
For Henderson, it is about playing 鈥渋n the moment.鈥�
鈥淪o much of what people play on stage is what they鈥檝e prepared,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey just want to make it sound like the record. But people want more than that.鈥�
Henderson and Lawrence are determined to deliver that something more by recreating the improvisational music that was a hallmark of their early careers. But they鈥檙e not just making it all up as they go along, he assured.
鈥淲e do have a set list,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd some freeform jams. But it is really exciting for audiences to not know what鈥檚 coming and be drawn in.鈥�
To get drawn in to Bill Henderson and Claire Lawrence at the BAG on Saturday night, buy your tickets at Xoco or at the door. For more on Henderson, go to www.gonegonegone.com.
