Internet Musician | Singer/Songwriter | Steve Chatterton

Steve Chatterton on Breakfast Television (BT)

Evidently I’m Beatlesque

Yesterday I was invited down to the Toronto studios of CityTV (299 Queen Street West) for the live broadcast of the city’s number 1 morning show, Breakfast Television, affectionately known as BT by its fans.

Just in case you’ve just tuned in to this story, here’s the brief synopsis: BT started a new segment, “Ask Kevin and Dina,” where they encouraged viewers to send in questions via email seeking advice from the shows co-hosts, Kevin Frankish and Dina Pugliese. They sometimes lamented the segment’s lack of proper intro music, and one day as they did so a tune just popped into my head. I quickly recorded it and sent it in on spec. They contacted me soon after saying they wanted to use it and they wanted me there for the grand reveal.

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For those of you who want to sing along at home, here are the official lyrics:

Ask Kevin and Dina
Sometimes they’re right but sometimes
They’re oh so wrong
But they always try to help
So ask Kevin
And Dina

I was nervous as hell when I got there, but they were all super nice to me and helped me relax just in time for the cameras to start rolling. Producer Kevin Forget even got me a lovely cup of tea. They told me that people keep walking around their offices humming my tune, which was very nice to hear. I love planting ear bugs.

I also had my picture taken with Frank Ferragine (AKA Frankie Flowers):

The thing with the hands, that was his idea, I swear.

During the interview, they kept throwing me for loops with their questions, which had to be answered fairly quickly out of respect for their time constraints. Since there are no such restraints here, allow me to elaborate, if you will.

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Q: You’re a musician, correct?

A: Yes, indeed I am. I’ve studied guitar since I was 16, played in more bands than I could count (none of which you’re likely to have heard of), and spent four solid years studying jazz at the post-secondary level. I dabble as a producer, and have released a couple of electronic records as well. I’m also a songwriter/arranger/composer who has experience working in a variety of genres, and I’ve written pieces for jazz big bands and symphony orchestras.

Q: Do you have your own band, or do you go solo?

A: At this crucial juncture in history, there currently is no live element to my music. I’m a stay-at-home dad spending all the time I can with my two kids, so I really have no desire to spend hour after hour in rehearsals before my youngest is in school full-time.

Q: So do you just mess around with music or are you actively looking for a band or looking for a record deal?

A: I’m currently looking to squeeze in a little time in the studio honing my craft for a bit and sharing my creations through my website. The “Ask Kevin and Dina” piece was my first time recording in well over a year, and that seemed to go over fairly well, and I have a considerable backlog of songs that I want to work on for what may eventually be a proper album of songs that could find its way to a retail outlet someday. I don’t know if I’m ready for a band right now, but when the time comes I have a few ideas about who I’d like to call (no names yet, though, I wouldn’t want to jinx anything). I’m definitely not thinking about a record deal right now, but if any record deals were thinking about me I’d be flattered.

Q: Do you even remember the theme music for Webster?

A: No, not at all. I can barely remember Webster at all.

Q: What would your opening line be?

A: I don’t have any opening lines. Period. I very much like women, but they make me feel spastic and awkward, to the point that I didn’t have a serious date until after high school. I’m a happily married man, dammit, and I’d like to keep it that way!

Q: Would you feel the least bit uncomfortable if we asked you to pick up strange women on TV while your family watches.

A: Actually, yes, that’d make me very uncomfortable.

Q: Would it make up for it if we likened your work to that of The Beatles?

A: Heck, yeah, it would; very much so.

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To hear the song with minimal audio compression (but no video), visit this link:
Steve Chatterton’s Music Blog: Countdown to Breakfast Television

And by the way, if the BT guys ever do get around to producing that sitcom, I’ve got the perfect theme song for it. It’s entitled “Sitcom Theme Song,” oddly enough. Seriously.