Strange Way to Live. Carl Dixon

      All through high school I’d done well with drums and percussion in the marching band and the school orchestra, but propelling a rock band forward is a whole ’nother thing. Well, we banged through some of the Firefly song list, and though I gave it all I had, I really have no idea how I did. Probably more spirited than skilled. Their expressions were inscrutable as they thanked me. After thirty-six hours in Montreal I turned around for the seven-hour drive home with no clue what to expect. A couple of days later the phone rang and it was Richard. “Our drummer decided not to quit after all, but we’d like you to join Firefly as another singer-guitarist. We’ll be a five-piece instead of four.” I leapt at the offer, and a few days later I was headed back up the highway to live in Montreal for the next year and a half.

      Richard, Dave, Bryan, Darryl, and now Carl: Firefly gave me a chance to learn a lot from some more experienced, talented guys who knew how to take a band on the road properly and do well with it. We travelled in a converted school bus, driven at moderate speeds, and compared with the Alvin Shoes’ cube van it felt like the Queen Mary. I got very skilled with the gearshift on the iced, hilly winter streets of Montreal. It was my first experience working with a road crew and playing in a popular band. I didn’t even mind that our first big trip together after a couple of months was back to Newfoundland for eight weeks; Firefly was big there. Richard Kurek on keyboards was the oldest; in the ’60s he had been in a Montreal group called Wizard, and he was now back in music after a hiatus. Darryl Bagley on drums was a good-natured guy who did his best with limited experience but added big personality. Bryan Hughes on lead guitar was a really strong, schooled musician who went on to form recording acts Beau Geste and the Bryan Hughes Band. Nice player.

      Singer/bassist Dave Marleau was skinny as a hockey stick but had a huge voice. He was a big reason for Firefly’s popularity. Dave was not completely in favour of my joining, I think, and warily attempted to manage me once I was in the group. He correctly viewed me as a threat to his status before I even knew I was a threat.