Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Daily Epiphany: VAMS


If you want to hear something you probably haven’t heard about before, tune into the CBC Radio One show On The Coast this afternoon (or tomorrow…News can always bump something!) between 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. I’ll be chatting with host Stephen Quinn about one of Vancouver’s newest recording studios: the Vancouver Adapted Music Society (VAMS). VAMS was started by former Vancouver mayor and quadriplegic Sam Sullivan with friend Dave Symington back in 1988. The two were in a band together with the cheeky name of Spinal Cord. VAMS was a simple music room until late last year when it became a fully functioning sound recording studio. At first glance it looks like a typical bedroom studio with an Apple computer equipped with Pro Tools and some instruments lining the walls. At closer inspection you’ll find the table is hydraulic so people in wheelchairs can use it. You also find tools that make the studio accessible to those with limited mobility like a mouse controlled by a person’s breath. VAMS has put out a CD with some dramatically diverse artists on it, which some of you might find of interest. I got a kick out of the guy who set up the equipment in the room. His name is Bobbi Styles, and he’s been producing music for years, name-dropping Duran Duran among one of his clients during our interview. The man’s head is clean-shaven today, but check out his hairdo when he used to be in a band back in England. This video and track are extremely dated; nevertheless, I think it’s pretty rad that he didn't let his cerebral palsy and wheelchair get in the way of rockin' out this hard...and with that much hairspray.


1 comment:

  1. Interesting. I passed this on to my friend Roger the quadriplegic fellow I work with. http://www.rogerbjones.com/

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