Calling all Stittsville music players and lovers – Time to Bust Out the Blues!

(Paul Faulkner, lead vocals and guitar, Steve Rose on Bass and Fred Sebastian on Drums, of Brother Paul & Blues Revival, play at the first Blues Night Jam on March 25, 2025 at Buster’s Bar on Hazeldean Road. Photos: provided)

Paul Faulkner was born and raised on the outskirts of Stittsville. Music has played a large part in his life. His talent was observed when he played the guitar at young age. He’s been known to teach others as he got older. One particular friend who spent time at the Faulkner farm was Stittsville’s Jim Bryson, who, when they were teens, learned to strum Smoke on the Water thanks to Paul. Jim credits Paul for this lesson and recently mentioned his appreciation at his Stittsville Legion show.

During the month of April, Paul is hosting a weekly Tuesday night Blues Night at Buster’s Bar on Hazeldean Road with his band, Brother Paul & Blues Revival. During these Tuesday night blues jams, he is encouraging others to come forward to perform and share their talent – to receive some exposure. Just bring along your instrument with everything else needed being supplied. His first evening on March 25th was a great success with a number of performers taking part. Those in attendance really enjoyed the evening with positive feedback being shared.

A little background on Paul
While attending South Carleton High School (SCHS), Paul formed a rock & roll band with some local guys from Stittsville and the area who also had the same passion for music playing in a band. Known as Gathered Moss, the band was a fixture between 1980-82 playing at many of the SCHS dances. The band members were Anthony Ball on guitar & vocals; Chris Gordon on drums; Steve Johnston sang vocals and played the keyboards; Dan Posen on bass; and Paul also on vocals and guitar.

In the 1980s, Paul left home for university and found Kingston as his new home. There he got into the music scene as a photographer and journalist with the Queen’s Journal. He also was part of the duo with the late Alan Hope-Simpson, known as The Sacred Cows. They could be found performing at Kingston’s well-known Tie One On Bar near the 401 on a regular basis.

He went on to form a band – after the hype of The Hip took Kingston by storm – with Geoff Ward, Chris Grismer and Peter Cassidy. The Stone Cutters became a well-known local band and were constantly in demand to play the social spots of Kingston and area.

While in Kingston, Paul was seldom found without his camera and closely followed the local music scene snapping photos and creating write-ups for the Queen’s Journal. The Tragically Hip, although little-known in the early 80s, was one band closely followed by Paul. He and a fellow writer, Ted Emerson, approached Jennie Punter, the Entertainment Editor of the Journal, suggesting a trivial article be written and photos captured of The Tragically Hip. They received the OK.

On a rainy September day, the band gathered in Victoria Park with Paul behind his lens. As Paul tells it in a recent Queen’s Journal article, “Gord Downie, singer and lyricist of The Hip, had sent someone sprinting to the S&R Department Store to snag a handful of flimsy plastic raincoats – makeshift props for an impromptu photoshoot.”

“Laughter echoed through the park as the band slipped into crinkling plastic raincoats, water beading down. Someone—no one quite remembered who – pulled out a golf club, taking slow, deliberate practice swings between takes. It was the kind of moment that wasn’t staged, just lived.”

“Faulkner looks at these photos fondly now – how the afternoon had unfolded in a haze of rain and laughter, the band effortlessly slipping between candid chaos and uncanny composure. The result was a series of photos that felt both unfiltered and strangely deliberate, as if The Hip had instinctively known they were standing on the edge of something bigger than any of them could yet name.”

Paul’s photos were recently recognized for that afternoon in time both in Michael Barclay’s definitive book, The Never-Ending Present and Mike Downie’s award-winning documentary series The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal (2024). Paul’s photos can be found in the first episode of the doumentary and have been described as “raw, electric, alive”.

Moving from Kingston to Toronto, Paul found himself playing with The Stone Cutters at the El Mocambo bringing him close to the music scene once again. He also formed his duo with his wife Jen Carstairs, a drummer with fantastic vocals, and together they had regular gigs in Toronto as The DINKS. They could be found playing at Lola Bar in Kensington Market, The Local at Roncesvalles, The Pilot in Yorkville, Smokeshow BBQ & Brew in Toronto and the Toronto Polo Club. They were also called home to Ottawa to play at The Atomic Rooster and Wesley Clover Park.

Recently settled back in Ottawa with Jen, The DINKS have performed at The Naismith Pub in Almonte. Brother Paul & Blues Revival have performed at Buster’s Bar, Irene’s Pub and Other with various back-up musicians.

If you are interested in coming out to the Blues Night Jam on Tuesdays, just bring along your instrument and talent – the show starts at 7:00pm.

You can follow The DINKs on Facebook. Brother Paul & Blues Revival can be followed on Facebook; Instagram; viewed on YouTube; or visit Bandcamp to hear Brother Paul’s recently released album, ‘Same Old Blues’.