Rachelle Van Zanten

It has been a great four weeks of rehabilitation of the brain and lungs. No touring for this period of time. Just R&R for me. Now, it is time to bust a move to the UK and give the Brits what they need- rock. Robes and Hammers are out of sorts due to the recent demise of the English Football Team. Sorry guys. Keep your chins up and look forward to 3 years from now when you shall rise again. Yes, in 3 days I take a car to a bus to a small plane to a big plane to a bus to hopefully a warm car with my road manager, Stan, at my side. Then it is celebration time as drummer Robes/G/Eggy Kaos celebrates his birthday in good British fashion. I have been wetting their whistles with photos of Canada in all of its glory, hoping that when the next big northern tour gets booked, they will jump at the chance to tour in -40 degrees celsius. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and since the latest tour van has a block heater as well as rear vent, they should be fine. I also noticed 2 for 1 Parka sales in town the other day.

Posted by Rachelle at 9:33 PM | Permalink

House of Mercy Radio presented by Barry Marshall-Everitt
midnight to 3 am GMT
Listen to totalrock.com

Posted by Rachelle at 9:08 AM | Permalink

"A Personal Touch to the Blues". Check out this edition for Alan Harvey's EXTENSIVE interview with Rachelle.
www.bluesmatters.com

Posted by Rachelle at 8:51 AM | Permalink

Read this: www.miningwatch.ca/index.php?/npri/npri_suit_launched

Posted by Rachelle at 1:53 PM | Permalink

I hanging out in the shelter of the farmhouse, watching giant sized flakes fall and cover the trees and ground. I think that it is for real this time. On the stereo, Dayna Kurtz is singing "Right For Me" and I am waiting for one of my large files to upload. We have dial up so that means it could take a half hour maybe.
I had a great night singing and then hanging with the good folks of Burns Lake at the Group Home Fundraiser on saturday night. I think around $2000 was raised to go towards their new 3 wheel bicycle! So cool. The nice thing about local shows such as those, the food table is always packed with most excellent baking. Granny and I were fond of the whip cream balls. Mmm.
It is a writing day today so i am charging myself with Spirulina and fair trade Kicking Horse Coffee. Then I shall frolick in the snow with whomever I can find to join me.

Posted by Rachelle at 11:18 AM | Permalink

Sacred Watershed Awareness Rally
Shell Station- Highway 16
Burns Lake, B.C.
www.skeenawatershed.com
"Keep the Shell Out"

Posted by Rachelle at 4:50 PM | Permalink

8 songs down and painted with a rough sketch for the new album. I am so excited to get to England and start work. I miss the studio and the intense head space that it puts you in.
I have been busy learning about our local mine and all of the wonderful things (molybdenum, iron, and cyanide just to name a few) that are being released into the sacred waters of Francois Lake. I went on a field trip to the Ministry of Environment in Smithers last tuesday and discovered how corrupt the situation is. It basically came down to the fact that the Environmental Engineers and Biologists are told what is permitted and what is not by the Beaurocrats over in Ottawa. The bottom line is that money talks. I was overwhelmed and did not sleep that night due to anxiety brought on by lack of faith in the people that control our last frontier. We have a gem here and by the time I am 60, this truly spectacular landscape will be scarred with oil wells, open pit mines, holding ponds, and logging roads. That is unless there is a miracle, or mass uprising. Do we have it in us? It would take a hell of a lot to stand up to the government and say, we need an alternative here. Okay, time to write.

Posted by Rachelle at 12:17 PM | Permalink

"Her outstanding slide and finger picking techniques are showcased throughout but never to the extent that her superb and varied song writing is overshadowed.
Back to Francois is a fantastic debut that never allows a sense of complacency, an album that's been a long time coming and hints of greater things to come."

Posted by Rachelle at 1:12 AM | Permalink

The snow is coming down in big, luscious flakes and this means maybe skiiing by sunday maybe maybe. Yay! Downtime is good so far. Writing new grooves. Currently working on a Steve Gad kinda swing thing to match G's woodshedding session back in UK. New album soon! Pancakes on the table. Learning how to peel logs and build log houses. Fun! Life is wonderful.

Posted by Rachelle at 10:37 AM | Permalink

CBC Canada Live
Guitar Woman @ the Ashcroft Opera House
Live Performance with Roxanne Potvin, Ellen McIlwaine, and Sue Foley
8 pm

Posted by Rachelle at 3:06 PM | Permalink