BLAKE HAVARD The Vancouver singer/songwriter listens to everything, but holds a special place for those three-minute wonders that transport you to a different place. As a youngster growing up in a bedroom community near Edmonton, Havard listened to the Beatles, David Bowie, and the Rolling Stones. Havard has just completed recording some new songs with singer songwriter/producer Pete Droge. Pete recorded three solo albums of his own with producer Brendan O'Brien (Bruce Springsteen) was a member of Columbia records "Thorns" and toured opening shows for Tom Petty, Sheryl Crow and the Dixie Chicks. Havard and Droge hit it off right from the start having many of the same musical influences. The new recordings are very organic sounding and have a lot of soul. "These songs pack a lot of emotion and they are really getting a great response live." Yes, Havard is well versed in progressive rock and owned a copy of 'Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols', but he always returns to the kind of song that borrows from the grand tradition of Chuck Berry, the Stones and John Lennon. You can hear Havard's love of and reverence for great rock 'n' roll in Wanted to Believe You, Dead Man Walking, Wave Goodbye and Follow it Down from his upcoming CD. Urgent and utterly infectious, these are straightforward, well-constructed songs that demonstrate the songwriter's impressive gifts. Havard has already earned plenty of recognition, for his song-writing and as a superb front man. Havard's debut CD "Vol.1" won praise from both fans and critics. The CD featured members of Canada's Odds and drummer Charlie Quintana (Bob Dylan/Social Distortion). The CD was mixed by Steven Drake (Tragically Hip/54-40). When Havard speaks of his consuming passion for rock 'n' roll, he uncoils a bundle of raw energy that is matched only when he is onstage fronting his own band and playing the music he loves. "A lot of what I do is about relationships and loneliness, just about being on your own on this planet and having rock 'n' roll to scream about it. Sometimes I get really scared that I'm going to block it off and not be able to say anything. But that's why I have rock 'n' roll, it's the only thing I have to get loose."