There is a song Mendelson Joe recorded many years ago about being stuck and helpless. It was the first of his songs I ever heard. It led to me befriending him. I think I’ll play it at the memorial Tuesday. Stiff action on the Tranzac’s grand piano, fatigues the hand quickly but we’ll try. Twenty years ago he gave me one of his guitars, a small Guild. He said it would be great for me because I’m small. He was right. He also told me I would fly if I ever got a motorcycle, again, because I’m compact. Since he died last month, I have been listening to a lot of his music, partly grieving, partly organizing/ assisting other people with versions they are planning to perform at Tuesday’s memorial.

He loved it when I lived in the country. Often proclaimed how smart I was moving out of Toronto. That changed in 2000, he moved to the country and I returned to the city. One time we did a show together. It was for the Council of Canadians in Ottawa in the 1990s and Maude Barlow introduced us. He called her his hero. I can’t recall how we got there, if we flew or drove or where we stayed. I, Toronto I only drove him one time. I was nervous because I knew he was far from comfortable with other people’s driving. I drove easy, careful and stayed away from the passing lane. Some weeks or months later he mentioned the time I drove us and added I was a horrible driver. I didn’t mind. I sort of knew it was a no win situation plus I liked him more than his threshold for panic.

At that Ottawa show he stomped one of his boot wearing feet, making a faux kick drum. He told the soundman to place a microphone by his foot. I wondered about his friendship with the guys in RUSH. They took him on the road during their nascent days. They were a few years younger than him. If he was born in the mid 40s maybe they were born in the later 40s. In 1969 McKenna Mendelson Mainline had many fans and a record deal. The RUSH guys were among them but later their audiences had no interest in the boot stomping solo blues man. I identified with him. I was the solo opener for the Barenaked Ladies when If I Had A Million Dollars took off. Not the easiest tour I ever did. When he was younger he walked away from a band that was heading places because he found the group dysfunctional. He opted for mental health first. Who could imagine a person doing that? I never did get on a motorcycle but he made me feel like I was being doubled anytime I wanted.