Locomotive Ghost

Locomotive Ghost writes folk-rock for nerds and lovers. They are a collection of musicians, poets, and artists who play guitars, keyboards, bass, ukulele, banjo, drums, and percussion. Together, they make music that draws from classic roots-rock influences like The Band and Paul Simon while incorporating contemporary inspirations such as Dave Matthews and Feist. The Calgary-based quartet samples their scientific backgrounds, exposes personal anecdotes, and injects artistic improbabilities to create “a mature and confident sound that stands out from a lot of other Canadian bands right now” (Grayowl Point).
With two conventional albums under their belt, Locomotive Ghost sought a new creative approach to stimulate their next venture. After months of brainstorming, they conceptualized a set of seasonally-tied 7” vinyl records exploring the themes of life, love, and the passage of time. The project follows an extremely strict schedule with three-month cycles for the creation of each four-song record. The financial challenge of multiple releases has necessitated the group to stretch the limits of their do-it-yourself approach. From the home-studio recordings to the hand-painted record jackets, they are completing every possible aspect of the project in house. To mark the release of each 7” record, the group is presenting seasonally-themed events and home-crafted sundries, both done in collaboration with Calgary artist Rachelle Quinn. The series began with the releases of Spring and Summer in the first half of 2013, and continues with the release of Autumn in October of 2013.

Locomotive Ghost was formed by Mike Buckley and Ben Nixon while they were attending Selkirk College’s music program in Nelson, BC. The friends instantly connected when a casual jam brought forth a mesmerizing rendition of Neil Young’s "Cortez the Killer". They played together off-and-on for nearly a year before focusing on the project and settling on a name (taken from an Allen Ginsberg poem). In 2010, Locomotive Ghost released their self-titled debut, which was followed soon after by 2011’s Close Your Eyes and Listen. After relocating to Calgary that same year, the group experimented with several different membership configurations. In 2013, they welcomed local multi-instrumentalists Paul Orton and Mac McDougall into the fold.

Locomotive Ghost has performed extensively through Alberta and British Columbia, including appearances at a number of regional festivals and City of Calgary events. The band's music has been played on a dozen Canadian radio stations and several international podcasts, including the popular show This Week In Science. So far this year, Locomotive Ghost were voted as regional finalists in CBC’s Searchlight contest, and were selected as finalists in the Calgary Folk Festival Songwriting Competition and X92.9’s Xposure contest. Cheryl Hodge, Editor of Songstuff.com, was quoted as saying, “You know that feeling a person gets when they see a musical act destined for greatness? Those are the kind of chills that run up my spine when I see Locomotive Ghost." Come see for yourself as they release a new series of recordings in 2013.