Three friends making fun music
By Jean Edwards Stacey (The Telegram, St. John's July 6, 2005)

Atlantic Union is a St. John’s-based trio made up of the unlikely combination of a biologist, a dentist and a retired school principal.

Sally Goddard is a biologist who came to this province from her native London, England, 18 years ago.

“I’m a fish biologist, so I came mainly because there’s so much work-related research here,” she says.

Andrew Lang is a dentist who came here in the mid-1970s and practised in Bonavista for three years before moving to St. John’s. He’s been in the capital city ever since — with the exception of five years in the 1980s that he spent in Australia. Lang was born in India but when he was 10 months old his parents returned to England, and he grew up there.

Dan Rubin is from British Columbia and came here with Susan, his Newfoundland-born wife, in 2003 after retiring from his teaching career in New Brunswick.

“What Atlantic Union does together is Celtic, bluegrass, old-timey music (old-style country) and contemporary. … We’re quite eclectic,” says Rubin.

The group’s audience, he adds, is a diverse group made up of people of all ages who enjoy both Atlantic Union’s music and the band members’ humour on stage.

The trio will perform at Harbourside Park in downtown St. John’s Friday at noon as part of the city’s concert series.

They’ll also take part in Mount Pearl’s first Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival July 15-17.

On Aug. 5, they will perform at the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival in Bannerman Park in St. John’s.

Fall events include playing as part of the Cape St. Mary’s concert series Sept. 3 and performing live on CBC Radio’s Morning Show Sept. 13.

Next year, they hope to tour in Europe and Australia.

The group released its second album, The Whole Dance, in March and its members are delighted with the positive feedback they’ve been getting. And they plan to do more recording, perhaps incorporating some of the 270 compositions Rubin has registered with the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada.

All three members of the group sing, and between them they play a dozen instruments. Rubin describes their music as effervescent and changing.

Lang plays the mandocello and accordion, Goddard plays guitar, bodhran and bass, while Rubin plays the mandolin, bouzouki, violin and guitar.

“I was forced into piano lessons as a child and ended up hating music for a while. I got into music again when I was in my late 20s,” Lang says with a grin.

Goddard is a self-taught musician who began playing the guitar at 14 and was singing in folk clubs in London by the time she was 16.

Rubin has been a musician since the 1970s. He learned to play the violin as a child, and taught himself to play other instruments. He’s been composing since he was 14.

Rubin has a solo CD coming out this summer and has five other albums to his credit, both as a solo artist and as a member of other groups.

Atlantic Union was formed in 1996, with Rubin joining in 2003. He came on board following the departure from the province of Scott Schillereff, who played banjo and hammered dulcimer on the group’s debut album, the self-titled Atlantic Union.

Since his arrival in Newfoundland, Rubin has established an arts management company called Second Stage Creative Arts Management Services; a record label called Blue Island Records; and a mobile digital recording studio named Spirit of the Islands.

“I’m one of the smallest vertically integrated companies in Newfoundland, because we’re doing all those things at the same time … and Second Stage is also doing a concert series … all here at our office and studio in Pouch Cove,” he says with a grin.

The members of Atlantic Union were interviewed at Auntie Crae’s food shop on Water Street in St. John’s. Lang comes to the shop every Tuesday and plays during the lunch hour with a bunch of musicians billed as the house band. Goddard and Rubin often come along to listen and sometimes take part.

Seeing the three of them together, it’s obvious they enjoy each other’s company.

“We wouldn’t play together if we didn’t like each other,” Goddard says.

All three are impressed with the music scene in this province. “It’s fantastic,” says Goddard, “the best anywhere I’ve lived.”

“It’s outrageously fine, the best in Canada,” Rubin adds. “There’s a wealth of music and the quality is so high and diverse in its style.”

The members said they admire the strong sense of community and support that’s apparent among local artists, though they admit it’s more comfortable to be a musician if you also have a day job.

“That’s why we don’t look like we’re starving,” jokes Lang.

jes@thetelegram.com

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