Loyal readers of this blog will know that for the better part of my working life I was an elementary school teacher. When I reflect back upon those times, I do so with a smile upon my face. While I enjoyed my summers off and was able to build a happy life for myself and my family because of the salary I was paid, the very best part about being a school teacher was getting to spend time with the kids. I am truly blessed to have met so many wonderful young people and their families. The connections that are made between educators and the students they serve is a priceless treasure that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. That I remain in contact with so many former students is an added bonus. What an honour it has been to watch my tiny second graders get to have their highschool proms, go off into the world to travel, go to university, fall in love, become parents and so much more. There aren’t many professions that offer the opportunity to connect so completely and thoroughly with others as does education. But if I had to pick another that may come close, it would be in the Arts. Today’s story is about a Canadian band named Hollerado, a devastating fire, a unique marketing project and an enduring product that rates as being one of the most unique in all of Canadian music history. The story of Hollerado speaks to the enduring power of personal connection in all of its forms. It also speaks to the strength of those connections as they transform over time. Without further ado, let’s discuss the story behind “Firefly (Annie Murphy)”, one of Canada’s best music stories of all time.
Hollerado formed in 2007 in the Ottawa suburb of Manotick, Ontario, which sits along the shores of the Rideau River. The band consisted of lead singer Menno Versteeg, lead guitarist Nixon Boyd, bassist Dean Baxter and drummer Jake Boyd. Hollerado played a combination of rock and pop. They released four albums over the course of their career as a band (which lasted until 2019). In 2011, the band was nominated for a Juno Award as Best New Band in Canada. Overall, Hollerado’s musical output doesn’t contain any No. 1 hit songs but they had several Top Ten songs that appeared on the Canadian Alternative charts. They were an indie band that toured relentlessly. In doing so, they developed a strong relationship with the fans that they met along the way in towns and cities all across North America. As is the case for many smaller, newer bands, Hollerado always had to be mindful of money. They toured in a van that barely made it from gig to gig. They produced many of their own merch that they often sold from the edge of the stages upon which they played. They never had a bankroll for big budget music videos or endless recording time in professional studios. Like many newer bands, Hollerado relied on a network of like minded musicians and organizations to make the music they did and to bring it to the venues that they played. In the same way that the joy of teaching was never about the money for me, the creative process by which Hollerado made their music was never about fame and fortune, either. It was always about connecting with their fans in a deeply personal way. This is where today’s story begins.
In 2013, Hollerado released their second album called White Paint. The album had a few minor hit songs that received airplay on Indie and Alternative radio stations. In order to promote the album, the band decided to engage in a special music promotion. They offered their fans the opportunity to invest in a special music bundle that included a copy of White Paint, a special band t-shirt, a poster and the big prize, an original song written and recorded specifically for the investor. The members of Hollerado were trying to raise money any way they could because funding was so tight for the band. They figured they might get a couple of dozen fans to bite. In the end, they received offers of money from 111 investors. One of those who invested in the promotion was a woman named Annie Murphy who, in real life, is married to lead singer Menno Versteeg. Over the course of the next two years, the members of Hollerado composed and recorded 111 brand new songs which became the content for their third album called…..wait for it…..111 Songs! The track list for this album shows the title of each of the 111 songs, followed by the name of the person for whom the song was written. Thus, the song written for Annie Murphy is listed as “Firefly (Annie Murphy)” on the album. In total, 111 fans put their money where their mouth was and made a financial commitment to the band. In return, Hollerado made a personal commitment of their own by immortalizing these fans in song. As far as I know, the album 111 Songs by Hollerado is unique in the Canadian musical canon. And while the album never won any awards or sold into the thousands, it stands as a testament to the power of the connections that exist between bands and their fans. Those 111 fans can live to one hundred years of age and will always be able to tell people that their favourite band wrote a song just for them. For their part, the members of Hollerado will always be able to claim that while they never became millionaires or superstars, they did have the very best fans. Hopefully, both truthful claims will bring the same satisfied smile to their faces as the one I get whenever I run into one of my former students and get a chance to have a chat and catch up.
The story of Hollerado and their album 111 Songs would be cool enough as it is but hold on a second because there is much more to it than that. First of all, let’s talk about Menno Versteeg and his wife Annie Murphy. When Hollerado was just starting out and attempting to make a name for themselves in the world of Canadian music, Versteeg and Annie Murphy met and fell in love. Annie Murphy was also involved in the Arts scene as an actress. In time, Murphy would go on to gain fame as a character named Alexis in the popular television show Schitt’s Creek. In fact, if you are at all familiar with the show, you may remember a scene in the series where Alexis auditions for a role in a local production of Cabaret. For her audition she performed a song that she claimed to have written called “A Little Bit Alexis”. In a true case of life imitating art, that song became a quasi-successful song and earned airplay all across Canada for a short while. In any case, “A Little Bit Alexis” was actually co-written by Murphy’s husband Menno Versteeg. But long before fame and fortune came to the lives of Murphy and Versteeg, they were just another struggling pair of artsy newlyweds living in an apartment in Toronto.
Like many newlyweds who didn’t have a lot of money at the start of their marriage, Versteeg and Murphy scrimped and saved. They managed to see other artists that they admired in local venues. They had dinners and attended parties with their friends. They appreciated the world in which they lived and started to collect little mementos of those times which, in turn, served as decorative items for their apartment. Unfortunately, tragedy would soon strike the happy couple. One day while Versteeg was working with the band on a music video for a song from their second album, a fire broke out in their apartment. The blaze consumed the apartment. Almost everything that Murphy and Versteeg owned, including their clothes and personal mementos, went up in flames. Several things happened all at once in the immediate aftermath of the fire. The first thing was that members of other bands and other actors from the Toronto music scene rallied around the couple, providing them with food, lodging, clean clothes and so on until Murphy and Versteeg could get back on their feet financially. Sometimes, it takes a tragedy to help us all realize the extent to which we are valued and loved by others. This message came through loud and clear for Versteeg and Murphy. The Arts community stepped up and held these two people in their warm embrace. As for Murphy and Versteeg, this fire could have ended their relationship but instead, they held hands and promised each other to get through it together, which is what happened. For Murphy, the better times that lay ahead included her big break on Schitt’s Creek which, as you may know, was a show built upon a premise of creating a world where acceptance and empathy and friendship and love were simply the way things were. For Menno Versteeg, he went to work on those 111 songs, one of which was dedicated to his wife, which he called “Firefly (Annie Murphy)”.
If you have ever been lucky enough to witness fireflies flitting about at night, then you can visualize how they take on the appearance of tiny dancing stars….or, sparks from a fire. The song “Firefly (Annie Murphy)” talks about how their love is going to bring light to the darkness. It is obviously about standing together and moving forward after the tragic fire that burned all of their things, including the mementos of a young life spent together. Commemorating that pivotable life moment in song for the woman you love would be a cool gesture in and of itself but there is more. Versteeg cobbled together some funding and produced a music video for this song. The thing that makes this music video super special and unique is what it uses for props. Every prop that you see in the video are actual pieces of their mementos that they were able to salvage from the apartment fire. Everything you see in the video…everything…came out of the ashes of that life-altering blaze. When you watch the video, pay particular attention to any words that appear. The letters are often composed of snippets of this and snatches of that which once adorned shelves and dresser tops of Murphy and Versteeg’s home. One of Versteeg’s most prized possessions was an autographed photo from singer Michael Jackson, which was recreated using computer technology especially for this video. In the end, this video is one of the most personal and love-filled videos I have ever seen. It is something that stands as an affirmation of the power of love and of community. It is very special.
We all have many things that we share space with that seem important to us. Photographs. Awards and certificates of accomplishment. Knick knacks that remind us of places we have visited or adventures we have experienced. Things. We all have our things. Sometimes we manage to convince ourselves that it is those things that give our lives meaning and value when, in reality, those things are merely symbols of a life well lived. As we saw in the case of Annie Murphy and Menno Versteeg, those things which we assign meaning to can be taken from us in a flash. In the end, what matters most is the human connections that exist in the first place. For Murphy and Verseetg, they realized the true strength of their love for each other and their marriage grew closer and stronger as a result. The pair found out how loved they were by their friends who so selflessly stepped up to help them in a time of need. Finally, Versteeg found out about the true value of what he was attempting to do as a singer and performer. 111 people stepped up and invested in his artistic vision. He replied in kind by using his passion to create connections with these people that will last for the entirety of their lives. In the end, building bridges between people and establishing authentic connections with them is what helps make our world a better place for everyone. To my way of thinking, making these connections is life’s true treasure. Thanks to everyone who has allowed me into their lives and has willingly become part of mine. Life is truly good.
The link to the video for the song “Firefly (Annie Murphy)” can be found here.
The link to the official website for Hollerado can be found here.
The link to the video for the faux sing “A Little Bit Alexis”, as seen on the television show Schitt’s Creek, can be found here.
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