Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Experience The Best of Canadian Alternative Rock Band AWOL
Being normal seems like the hardest goal to reach, but I will always be AWOL until the day I die! So I am proud to release to you the best of my high school band AWOL. It is officially my greatest hits album and I’m super stoked for you to hear it! I know you will not be disappointed by the fury intense energy it embodies. I really dig the album cover too and the 14 songs I selected out of 50 recorded tunes shows the true testament and spirit of an escape that we all crave. I hope you enjoy!
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Celebrating the 20 year anniversary of The Casanova Playboys debut album, “Ladies and Gentlemen”
20 years ago today on May 29, 2004, The Casanova Playboys hosted the CD release party at Reds in West Edmonton Mall.
Monday, May 27, 2024
Brand New Release! Jamie Stars Storyland "Hot Dish Off The Rockies"
Experience the robust intensity and the very best of Jamie Stars Storyland. Jamie Salloum is the singer of The Casanova Playboys and after the band split up in early 2007, Jamie continued to write and record music solo. Enjoy "Hot Dish Off The Rockies", classic quality music performed by Jamie Stars Storyland.
Friday, October 20, 2023
Jamie Salloum Discography
2007
Finally, we have a nice new wave production that welcomes you to the wonderful realm of video game sounds. Jamie Stars Storyland is tight and the melodies move perfectly, while it has pleasantly surprising twists which make the songs very listenable. I'm telling you, aliens have landed and they're doing strange things to what were once harmless musical instruments. If we ever come back out from behind our sofa and listen, we may learn how music can be fascinating and innovative even with our primitive technology.
2006
The Casanova Playboys don't need to rely on high-fashion duds to seduce new listeners. Low Noise is an ample aphrodisiac -- high-energy dance-rock bursting with jaunty guitars, infectious synth/piano melodies, echoes of the '80s and Jamie Star's sassy lyrics. A slick affair of radio-friendly pop-rock on a funk foundation that- like the group- isn't afraid to show a little gloss.
2004
Witness The Casanova Playboys debut album, Ladies and Gentlemen. Despite the fact that these guys are self-proclaimed Casanovas, much of the album’s lyrics deal with the many frustrations and heartbreak women bring to their lives. So the big question is, are they as big with the ladies as their name would suggest? Defining their sound is a nearly impossible task, as the album is all over the place, going from ska to punk to metal to emo and others.
2002
Experience Chick Maggot with Jamie on drums. The band was known for its refined pop punk sound and hilarious lyrics. The Worst 20 Minutes of Your Life was a favorite oddity among the awkward weirdos and outcasts of the Edmonton punk music scene.
2001
The Opposed hailed in the dawn of the millenium during an important period of the Edmonton punk music scene that allowed them to play many shows and record studio albums. With Jamie Salloum on drums, along side singer Aaron Clark, The Opposed was known for wild stage antics and the energy created made the circle pits crazy when The Opposed played. If you like hardcore punk, you will love The Opposed.
2000
Jamie's high school band AWOL formed in 1999 and is pre Casanova Playboys brothers Jamie Salloum and Nathan Salloum along with Zack Yerxa who spent their youth playing all ages shows, winning numerous competitions and recording music in world class studios. Working with a producer from Vancouver, the band spent considerable time writing songs for a future record that was ultimately The Casanova Playboys debut "Ladies and Gentlemen" released in 2004. AWOL was known for possessing raw powerful energy that set them apart from others and generated quite a buzz in the Edmonton music scene.
Thursday, January 20, 2022
15th Year Anniversary of The Casanova Playboys Low Noise
On January 20, 2007, The Casanova Playboys released the sophomore album "Low Noise" at the Sidetrack in Edmonton.
Friday, July 9, 2021
Jamie Salloum is the singer of The Casanova Playboys
Here you will find quality music from singer Jamie Salloum. First things first, check out The Casanova Playboys "Low Noise" album released in 2006
Experience the intensity of The Casanova Playboys first album "Ladies and Gentlemen" released in 2004
Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Jamie Salloum Bio: The evolution of AWOL and The Casanova Playboys
For a band name like AWOL, you would expect brains in a blender. The question is, what are you going to say, really? Soldier runs away. Can't find an escape. Alas, there is Jamie Salloum. The only one who can make the word 'national' sound like a swear word. But let's start at the beginning. In late 1997, 14 year old Jamie Salloum entered a province-wide battle of the bands. Recruiting his younger brother Nathan Salloum and friend Zack Yerxa, the boys called the group Nidus. With enough luck, they managed to receive the first place prize out of twenty aspiring bands, winning recording time at Powersound studios. Ironically, Nidus was the youngest act in the competition.
The champions recorded the winning single "Rotten" and the band was officially born with all rites of passage. In the next year and a half, the group formulated an intense sound. By the summer of 1999, Nidus changed the name to AWOL. Jamie was popular in the city music scene recording bands in his studio, putting on shows and other fun musical endeavours. The live performances and bursting energy created a buzz in the streets. The first bootleg demo "Rednecks Have No Fun" was released in October 1999 at Punk Rock Cafe for $5 a copy.
AWOL flew to Vancouver in March 2000 to record the first self-titled album with Jonathan Fluevog at Vogville recording. The studio sessions challenged the youngsters but they prevailed on. High school continued and AWOL morphed into the hallways handing out flyers to the shows. Some of the coolest local bands made way into Jamie's Basement recording studio. By September, Jamie recorded the first batch of demos to be sent to the record producer in Vancouver. The goal was to make a mega commercial album that could not fail. By the end of the year, AWOL won first place at another Battle of the Bands. Mitch Miller joined the group as the second guitar for a more heavier sound. In May 2001, Mitch quit and was replaced by Adam Thompson. In June, Jamie graduated high school.
Jamie immersed himself more into the scene and as a result, more opportunities came for the band. He also drummed on the side for punk rock group Chick Maggot and The Opposed that had great followings. AWOL's last demo cleverly titled "Um Ya" was recorded in 2002. Adam quit the band and moved on with his life. Zack quit high school to work at a radio station. Nathan continued school and wrote his own material. After a failed relationship in early 2004, Jamie decided to reunite AWOL once again. They played a reunion show and proceeded plans on recording "Ladies and Gentlemen" at Grandmother Sound in Edmonton. The band decided to change the name again to The Casanova Playboys. The young starlings flew to Vancouver and mixed "Ladies and Gentlemen" with Jonathan Fluevog. The tracks were sent to Colorado to be mastered by Dominick Maita at Airshow. The sound of the album exceeded all expectations from everybody and the skies looked very promising.
The Casanova Playboys had to think big from the start. Zack called his long time friend Williem Manchuk to play keyboards. There was an instant connection. Soon after, Cody Nouta responded to an ad to play lead guitar. The group started jamming regularly. Radio interviews, industry shows, fundraisers and media response followed. The Casanova Playboys moved to Vancouver in September 2004, except Nathan. Cody left after a couple days. The band was forced to replace the entire front line. Jonathan hooked up promising guitar player Joshua Parrett. Jamie, Will and Zack lived in a shabby house in East Vancouver, jamming in the basement every night, recording at Vogville during the day and meeting industry contacts at the clubs. Played with The No No Spots at the Media Club and The Rub at the Railway. Things seemed to be going right for The Casanova Playboys, other than they were running out of money fast. Drum techs and assistants are expensive in the recording realm.
A proposed performance with the Scissor Sisters hung on the fridge. Zack left back to Edmonton to pursue a music director job. Jamie and Will moved back home leaving Josh behind. The band went on hiatus for a while but reunited on talks of recording a record. "Low Noise" was to be completed long distance fashion. Jamie flew back and forth week after week tracking vocals. The album was a work in progress and took considerable time to finish. By the end of 2005, production was coming to a close and Fluevog mixed the album, sending the songs to Sterling Sound in New York City to be mastered by Ted Jensen. Finally, a rock solid album. The Casanova Playboys found the pot of gold waiting for them. In the spring of 2006, Josh moved to Edmonton and Mitch came back to play bass. The fivesome performed and promoted constantly.
Once again, the group was on fire playing every week all over Canada with bands like Electric Six, Jeff Johnson and Kelly and the Kelly girls. The Casanova Playboys were respectively named Band of the Month at the local rock station and other various pop stations around the country received the single "Burlesque". The Casanova Playboys charmed the critical media with a wave of good press and reviews. The audience loved the band's fresh live sound and the path seemed clear. Unfortunately, personal problems and expected bad egotistical differences got in the way of the business. The band released "Low Noise" at the CD release party in January 2007. Within a couple of weeks, the band broke up and shows were cancelled. More coming business, touring opportunities and distribution proposition was axed. Zack decided to move back to Vancouver and Josh followed him after. Jamie, Will and Mitch continued life apart from eachother.
Jamie spent all of his time in the studio recording electronic pop music without his band. He started his new project called Jamie Stars Storyland producing an album in 2007. Soon enough, reality started drowning the young singer. In 2009, Jamie started promoting The Casanova Playboys again all over the web despite the absence of his counterparts. That led to more guitar playing and Jamie assembled an amazing catalog of acoustic songs. 2011 brought Mitch back in town forming a heavy trio that only lasted half a year. Since then, Jamie has kept the music alive for all to hear and plans on writing and recording more music in the future.
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