Muscle Memory: Hamilton, ON Hard-Grooving DOCTOR TONGUE Drops A Jam You Won’t “Forget”
Anybody can have an existential crisis, but not everybody can make it fun to listen to. “Not everybody” means musical eccentrics Doctor Tongue, who’ve found the funkier side of emotional detachment on their infectious groove of a new track, “Forget About Love.”
A deceptively boppy little outing in a quasi-Curtis Mayfield mode, the song is actually meant to convey the alienation of today’s culture – specifically the isolating effect of personal devices and other single-user technology. Yet from the universality of the lyrics and the irresistible pull of the music, you could easily assume you were merely listening to a great, format-busting hit about romance gone bad.
Forget about the fortune
Forget about the pain
Forget about the torture
Forget about the fame
Forget about the darkness
Forget about the light
Forget about me
Forget about love
Forgettable? Anything but. Like the bombastic SCTV horror host with whom they share a name, Doctor Tongue works in vibrant 3D. The Hamilton, Ontario-based sextet finds inspiration in genres as diverse as rock, funk, soul, hip-hop, and country. “Forget About Love,” though, is way more cohesive and focused than that eclectic list of influences might indicate. From its confidently strutting rhythm to the fuzzed-out, high-sustain guitar that squeals around the supple vocal line, the song sounds like the opening number to a lost blaxploitation flick – if blaxploitation flicks had been about retreating from personal attachments instead of taking down neighborhood pushers.
And if any band could be excused for giving in to the urge to retreat, it’s Doctor Tongue. Formed in the midst of the COVID quarantine, the group made a grand debut in May 2022 at the Come Together festival in Durham, Ontario. Tragedy struck not a year later when guitarist and founding member Dylan Matthews tragically passed away. Instead of curling up in the fetal position and going to radio silence, the unit reconfigured itself, rallying in a style as bold and triumphant as vocalist/keyboardist’s George Panagopoulos’ top hat and funky shades. The current lineup is rounded out by Mark McMaster on drums, Olivia Brown on bass and vocals, Chris Wheeler on guitar, Tom Bigas on percussion and Jethro Mann on rhythm guitar and vocals.
With four singles under the group’s collective belt pre-“Forget,” the current plan is to release a new song every 6 to 8 weeks, telling the story of Doctor Tongue in song and video until the results can be compiled into the group’s first-ever full-length album. Building anticipation a few months at a time? Sounds like the best prescription for engagement a doctor could write.
Care to introduce yourself?
And if any band could be excused for giving in to the urge to retreat, it’s Doctor Tongue. Formed in the midst of the COVID quarantine, the group made a grand debut in May 2022 at the Come Together festival in Durham, Ontario. Tragedy struck not a year later when guitarist and founding member Dylan Matthews tragically passed away. Instead of curling up in the fetal position and going to radio silence, the unit reconfigured itself, rallying in a style as bold and triumphant as vocalist/keyboardist’s George Panagopoulos’ top hat and funky shades. The current lineup is rounded out by Mark McMaster on drums, Olivia Brown on bass and vocals, Chris Wheeler on guitar, Tom Bigas on percussion and Jethro Mann on rhythm guitar and vocals.
Tell us about the process of recording “Forget About Love?”
George: We’re blessed, you know. Sometimes, you find yourself in a situation that seems to create itself, and it feels like you’re just along for the ride. But then, suddenly, you realize you’re driving. The making of this song was like that for us. Everything that makes this band possible was set up before its existence. Mark and I had been making music, but not together in a band, until Dylan made Doctor Tongue happen. We had this studio dream – we went nuts and put everything into creating a fantastic place to record. There are no aspirations other than the freedom to record with an actual console, a tuned room, and all that great gear – the tangible versions of what everyone buys as plugins. We were tired of working “in the box” and wanted to capture real performances, no sampled sounds or digital replacements. The solution? Sell your soul and a house, buy a 32-channel Rupert Neve design 5088 and tons of outboard gear. Make sure your best friend Mark is smart enough to design and build the actual facility to a 1970s world-class specification. Insane, but the best decision I’ve ever made. That’s how the studio came to be.
The song originated from Doctor Tongue’s previous incarnation before we tragically lost Dylan, the original lead player who brought this together. Now, recording ‘Forget About Love’ with the new version of the group, it’s different, but in the best way. Everyone has had tons of experience in their projects – Realizing our collective talent, I wanted this to be a band, not just a studio project. It was important for Mark and I to separate the role of producer from the role of being in the band. A good gardener waters and feeds the plant. They don’t tell the plant what it is. It already knows. With this in mind, we started with a fantastic drum take. Mark is a craftsman in creating his part and his sound. There is nothing better than a drummer who engineers and produces. Once you have an amazing drum take, the rest becomes less stressful. He had already put the time in, so it only took one or two takes. I played scratch keys and a scratch vocal, and then Olivia did her bass part. We encouraged Olivia to play something that represented her. Olivia Brown is a musical powerhouse, so we just let her have fun and push a few boundaries: By her fourth take, she was making us dance, redefining the song with her bass line.
Chris Wheeler, our new lead guitarist, just walked in and nailed his part in one go – a mind-blowing performance. We had some time left, so he added a few quick, improvised leads on the last chorus. That was the moment that the actual hook for each chorus was created. He is very melodic and has a treasure trove of unique pieces to play with.
Jethro, more methodical, crafted the perfect rhythm and counterparts. My vocals were finished at my home setup, where I used an excellent preamp and AD convertor. We added Jethro and Olivia’s vocals in one session, along with some keyboard rewrites. Finally, it was time for Tom. His part was something that wound up driving the song. The guy is a monster. Mixing on a Neve with these musician’s performances was a breeze. That’s the process—great gear, even better bandmates, and a song that moves you.
What’s it like being an artist in Hamilton?
George: In Hamilton, your experience is what you make of it. It’s a tough town to impress, where I learned to make music my way. Venues like The Corktown, The Casbah, The Cat and Fiddle have always believed in our sounds. Bar owners like Lou Molinaro, William Schwendiman, and Jimmy at the Corktown care deeply about us. Journalists like Ric Taylor, Graham Rockingham, and Gunner Smith are part of a community that roots for your success and makes you feel like you’re sane. Hamilton as a City has an essence; it never changes. Even when it does, it remains unmistakably Hamilton. As people may come, the city’s heart has stayed the same.
Who was the first and most recent Canadian artist to blow you away?
George: The first was Neil Young. My admiration began as a kid when I heard “Cinnamon Girl” amidst the classical music and jazz I was learning. It was like a relic, yet better than anything I’d heard – real people playing on tape, mixed on a console, making this vast sound. It inspired my dream of a real recording facility. Most recently, it’s The Tragically Hip. They’ve always been excellent, but Gord Downie’s last show embodied what it means to be Canadian for me.
You’ve been making music for a while now. What’s one piece of advice for those starting out?
George: Have fun, and don’t ever lose sight of what got you into music in the first place. If you want to play music all the time, then start playing all the time. I’m talking about 8 – 10 hours daily for at least 6-10 years. Music rewards those who invest their time in it. Sure, you can find fame and success with a great producer, and some auto-tune, but for real happiness? Take your time. Find your voice, however long it takes. Ultimately, you must love the music you make, or you won’t be happy. I’m grateful to have discovered this and found wonderful partners in this journey.