Something new in OL’CD
Earning a living as an artist is not easy, but most of the time the rewards are amazing. Money is not the big motivation for me as a writer. Most writers in this country just get by. However, I find a lot of satisfaction being able to work at something I am passion about. This is the case for most artists, whether they are writers, visual artists, performance artists, dancers or musicians.
Every time I write a column or a story, I enjoy the process of creativity. When I start to put words to screen or paper I have an idea of what I want to cover and it makes me feel good to move ahead one word at a time to produce a story where there was nothing before. When I see my work in print or online and there is a public reaction to it then that makes everything worthwhile.
I know many artists and I have heard them make similar comments when it comes to producing their art. Recently, I had the chance to chat with Wesley Martin, a young friend of mine who is a musician from Six Nations. Wesley reminded me of just how privileged anyone is to have the life of an artist.
I met him after he had just returned from touring Ontario and Quebec with his band, OL’CD. He was so enthusiastic and still beaming with stage lights in his eyes when I had coffee with him. He talked about how great it was to hit the road in a van with his fellow bandmates. He had great stories about the road, setting up the equipment at the various gigs and then rocking the night away for wild crowds of young people.
Over the years I have come to know many artists and a lot of them are musicians. Wesley is my favourite for the simple fact that he is so devoted to his music. I recall first hearing him play guitar and sing when he was just a little boy. At that point he was in a group called Breaking Wind that performed in the Hamilton area. I could see then that he wanted to be on stage, singing and playing his heart out. He kept at it over the years and never gave up the dream, which led him to taking a music program at Fanshawe College in London.
Over the past few years he has been honing his skills as a singer, songwriter and guitarist. His recent education has provided him a solid foundation in terms of what it takes to make it in the music business. He studied everything from sound recording to management to performance staging.
Like most artists, Wesley needed support to enable him to follow his musical passions.
Lucky for him, parents Chris and Luanne Martin provided the fertile ground where he could access musical instruments and find encouragement to play and sing. His dad Chris has always been a natural on guitar and Wesley’s brothers Chris Jr. and Glenn also play instruments and are creative as writers, musicians and actors. His grandparents, John and Norma Bradley, all of his immediate family and his extended family on Six Nations have all played a part in turning a determined young boy with a guitar into a blossoming musician with hundreds of fans at his back.
Wesley and his band OL’CD are all about good solid rock’n’roll. They are focused, tight and original, and they know how to entertain a crowd. Currently, they are preparing for the release of their CD titled Choco Moloko. You can listen to their music on their website at www.olcdmusic.com, their Facebook page at OLCDmusic or the twitter page @OLCD_music. If you are a First Nation community, organization or group looking for exciting live music, contact the band.
My favourite tune is “Now’s The Time.” It describes the band’s philosophy to making music and life in general. Wesley has found his soulmates in OL’CD members Cam Hilborn, Richard Stewart and Brad Picard. They are the real thing when it comes to crafting exciting original tunes, they can play tons of covers when the crowd demands it, they are sophisticated musicians and at one with their instruments, they are hi-tech savvy and they know what it takes to get their music out there.
Wesley is proud of his Mohawk ancestry and hails from a vibrant First Nation that has produced many prominent artists. Two of its most famous sons – rocker Robbie Robertson and actor Graham Greene – are role models for Wesley. Right now he is running down many of the same trails these two powerhouse artists once trekked and he’s enjoying every minute of it. The time for OL’CD is now.