b'COASTAL LIFEWhat makes music resonate? home life, music became his refuge.Tuneandbeataretwoobviouschoices,asisvocalMusic was a saviour for me, a therapeutic way to delivery. channel my emotions.Without it, I dont know what Lyrics bring a dimension to the musical table as well.wouldve happened.And the best of those succeed by tapping into listenersWhile he could not formally read music, Mike learned emotions; if youve personally felt that way, whetherthat he had a musical ear.His burgeoning musicianship the songs expressing joy, hope, or sorrow, youll establishsignaled that it was time to reach for the next level.And a connection with the composition that can resonate for ajustliketheexplosion,whichoccurredwhenhe rst lifetime. picked up the guitar, that next level opened up like a So if youre a songwriter, how do you create something,creative dam bursting.which packs that kind of emotional charge? I started to write songs, he remembers.Pretty soon You live it. it became an unstoppable outlet.My music bubbles up from the soul and just poursFate contributed signi cantly at this early moment in out, says Port Perrys Mike Latimer.I use my lifes ex- Mikes musical career.periences to write about the human condition. A friend introduced me to Mark Hobbs.He was a Mike came of age under challenging conditions, liv- con dent guy with a stable family life.That con dence ing in a high-density area of Oshawa with a single father.and his family changed my life forever.Seeingrst-hand the underbelly of society, as he termsThe two became musical partners, joining with high it, provides an ample supply of life lessons on which heschool friend Rob Brezina to release an EP as Whits End.can draw.Under those conditions, you might expect lyr- Over time, Mike found his river of music had multiple ics tinged with sadness and regret, but the opposite is true. tributaries.I believe your past doesnt have to be your future, so IThemusicImakewithMarkandRobwellbe focus on societys and peoples redeeming qualities. releasing a CD this year under the name A Whip Short As with many musicians, Mike traces his passion for leans toward rock n roll.But what I do on my own Id music back to childhood and to a de ning moment. call Canadiana.Ive always admired Blue Rodeo, Neil I started with drums, in elementary school, he re- Young, The Hipa blend of blues, folk, and country rock. calls.But at 14, my stepdad encouraged me to play hisI cant marry to just one genre.guitar.I learned quickly how much music I could makeSo where does a new song wind up, with the band or with just a handful of chords. as a solo e ort?For a young man at a sensitive age and living a dicultPlease turn to page 34FOCUS - JULY 202133'