Artist description From alternative country to a kinda acoustic rocky blues, but always with a bit of a rough edge

Music Style Alternative Country with American Folk, Celtic and Blues.

Musical Influences Randy Newman, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Eels, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, My Welsh Grandmother.

Similar Artists Bob Dylan, Ben Harper, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, , Wilco, Tom Petty

Artist History Like Stompin Tom once said, "Ahhh, never mind." Lionel Lodge, Scottish born but Canadian raised singer/songwriter, has traveled through Europe since he left Canada, The Corndogs (the band he had with his brother Brodie) and their record deal with BMG Canada in 1992, meeting local players and recording the last five of his now seven solo CDs. “It was time for a change, personally and musically. Canada was very good for me at the time, we had recorded four band albums and toured Canada, from end to end, five times. After recording 'She's No Game' I was feeling the need to shake this life of mine up a bit. I was becoming too comfortable, too mellow. Time to take a jump into the unknown." First stop was England where he put together a loud electric band that was said to be a mixture of The Pixies and Stax Volt. With this four piece band his third CD, `Sister', was recorded. "It was a band based on fun, nothing was taken seriously. The effect was very uplifting. We played all over England, pubs, clubs, a few small festivals, whatever came our way." Instead of accepting offers from Chrysalis Records and Virgin Records he continued traveling on his own, going around England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, meeting and working with local players. By the end of this period he recorded his fourth CD, 'Naked', with a six piece, mainly acoustic band. "The band on 'Naked' is a mixture of Irish, Scottish and English players. I'm very proud of that CD. It worked so easily. We recorded it in one day, started at 9:00am and finished the mixing in time to make it to the pub before closing time." But the need for more traveling and musical exploring was still calling, so he went to France then Spain, Greece and through a strange twist of events, after a couple years, ended up in Vienna. In Vienna he's played with many great players like Rens Newland, Hans Theessink, Otmar Binder, Gajus Stappen, Ingrid Oberkanis & Uli Scherer (from the Vienna Art Orchestra). In Vienna Lionel has recorded and released two full albums (`Somewhere In Vienna And Doing Fine´ and the new `Sailing To The Sirens´) and one maxi single (`You're All I Want´). In 2002 Lionel will be releasing two new CDs. One, the Cd produced in Vienna with Rens Newland (`Sailing To The Sirens´) and the second, a record he produced last year with his Brother Bro in Canada (`Beautiful World´). THE ALBUMS:: Man Games Lionel's first solo CD recorded with memebers of The Corndogs and Pat Temple & The High Lonsome Players. This CD is not available to the public. She's No Game Recorded with a Celrec microphone in a big wooden warehouse in Toronto on a Sunday afternoon in July 1992 with an eleven piece band including some of Canada's top players. Very swampy, bluesy country Sister Recorded with Lionel's first British band, said to be a mixture of the Pixes and Stax Volt. Eight songs to skin a fish with. Naked A mainly acoustic album pulling together Celtic and American folk stylings, story songs acompanied by double bass, fiddle, piano, harmonium, brushed snare and acoustic guitar. Somewhere In Vienna And Doing Fine 14 songs from recordings made of Lionel and friends in Vienna and Canada during the last half of 1999 and the first quarter of 2000. Close to the bone and sensed. Beautiful World Recorded in an old church in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, during the coldest time of the year (Feb/March 2001). With Lionel on acoustic guitar and Brother Bro on electric guitar, just the two of them recording songs from both of their's catalogues. Playing through, singing out old and new songs as they felt it. The wind was blowing, the snow was piling and the songs kept coming. After years of the two of them being a drum and bass unit now they have turned to their guitars and voices and have produced a starkly real recording. It has stirings of blues, country, folk and rock. It's wild, it's repentant, it's funny, it's sad, it's clearly sober, it's stageringly drunk. Sailing To The Sirens This CD comes after Lionel and Rens Newland have been playing live and recording together for over two years. Taking a starting point of the two of them on acoustic guitars (as in a lot of their live shows) and then building the arrangements from there. Including members of their Vienna based group this CD glows with Rens Newlands incredible guitar work and arrangement ideas. They have taken 11 of Lionel's new songs, some clearly the best he has written, and delivered a co-production running down the boarder line between Lionel's (Americana/Country/Rock) and Rens' (Jazz/Funk) musical worlds. His live shows have been discribed as "Spellbinding", "A portal to deep emotions", "A voice of the soul, a universal songwriter". Go to http:www.lionellodge.com to check out his website and all his lyrics, pics and live dates. "It was time for a change, personally and musically. Canada was very good for me at the time, we had recorded four band albums and toured Canada, from end to end, five times. After recording `She's No Game´ I was feeling the need to shake this life of mine up a bit. I was becoming too comfortable, too mellow. Time to take a jump into the unknown." First stop in England he put together a loud electric band that was said to be a mixture of The Pixies and Stax Volt. With this four piece band his third CD, `Sister', was recorded. "It was a band based on fun, we played for fun, I was writing for fun, nothing was taken seriously. The effect was very uplifting. We played all over England, pubs, clubs, a few small festivals, whatever came our way. We were loud but not proud." Instead of accepting offers from Chrysalis Records and Virgin Records he continued traveling on his own, going around England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, meeting and working with local players. By the end of this period he recorded his fourth CD, Naked, with a six piece, mainly acoustic band. "The band on `Naked' is a mixture of Irish, Scottish and English players, I'm very proud of that CD. It worked so easily. We recorded it in one day, started at 9:00am and finished the mixing in time to make it to the pub before closing time." But the need for more traveling and musical exploring was still calling, so he went to France then Spain, Greece and through a strange twist of events, after a couple years, ended up in Vienna. "I've met a lot of great players here, people like Rens Newland, Hans Theessink, Othmar Binder, Gajus Stappen, Oliver Gattringer, Willie Lange, Ingrid Oberkanis & Uli Scherer (from the Vienna Art Orchestra). "Playing with these people has been a joy and an honour. Also the mixing of cultures has been both interesting and inspiring. I only planned on staying in Vienna for a couple months, but I met so many fine players here that leaving became a hard thought." In September 2000, Lionel released another CD, his fifth, `Somewhere In Vienna And Doing Fine´ while he was continuing with numerous live shows in Europe and North America. This CD is covers the three different musical settings Lionel was working with. Mainly the two different duos, Lionel and Rens Newland (for most of European performances) and Lionel and Brother Bro (for British and American performances) but the CD also includes a couple tracks with his Vienna based band. In Febuary and March of 2001 Lionel recorded what will be his 6th CD in Canada with his Brother Bro. They set up and recorded in an old church in the middle of tobacco country, South Western Ontario. The CD, named `Beautiful World´, will be released in autumn 2001 along side a 7th CD to be named `Sailing To The Sirens´ recorded in Vienna with Rens Newland between October 2000 and November 2001. The live show is either acoustic duos with Rens Newland or Brother Bro, or up to a eight member group of ocassional players from many different countries and musical attitudes.

Group Members Lionel plays an acoustic guitar with 1) with his six piece, Vienna based, Jazzy/Bluesy/Rocky/Groovie band know as The Lionel Train with Valentin Oman on Piano, Thomas Eder on Guitar, Bernhard Osanna on Contra Bass, Georg Beck on Drums and Marie De Silva on Backing Vocals or 2) in a more blues and country duo with electric guitarist, his brother, Brodie Lodge. Then there is also the number 3 alternative when he puts Brother Bro on The Lionel Train and the engine gets truly stoked.

Instruments voice, acoustic guitar, piano, bass, drums

Albums Man Games (1989), She's No Game (1992), Sister (1994), Naked (1997), Somewhere In Vienna And Doing Fine (2000), Beautiful World (2002), Sailing To The Sirens (2002)

Press Reviews This genial maverick is a passionate singer who wears his heart on his sleeve and this is what fuels his music's brazen beauty. Uplifting and touching ... there is much to enjoy here ... streets ahead of most of the competition. Lionel Lodge deserves a place in your heart check him out definitely one to watch. Micheal Flynn, audiostreet.co.uk He's writing wonderful songs, has a unbelieveable feeling for melodies and writes lyrics that Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen would of liked to of written...and a great voice that's still looking for an equal." Tom Proll, XAct Music Magazine, Austria "With words and music Lionel painted pictures so vivid you could reach out and touch the canvas." Flicky Harrison, Swindon Evening News, England "...great music and beautiful songs." Raymond Swennen, ATL Radio, Belgium

Additional Info Plays and travels all over and always open to an invitation

Location Vienna, Vienna - Austria

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