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Toronto-based rock and roll revivalists Original Pairs unleash “Star Guitar,” a dark and defiant anthem to DIY spirit and six-string glory. Fueled by a caveman riff and retro-psych energy, the track is equal parts glam rock snarl and garage band grit – a love letter to every barstool shredder with something to prove.
Written in homage to the final days of Toronto’s storied Dakota Tavern, the song captures the bittersweet end of a beloved venue where the band once played regularly. “They stopped giving bands beer, the doorman disappeared, the sound tech ghosted – we knew it was over,” says guitarist/vocalist Andrew Frontini. “But we plugged in anyway. Because the show must go on.”
Recorded live off the floor at Lincoln County Social Club, the band powered through four tracks in one day. Exhausted and unraveling, they built in four silent beats to bridge two takes – only for keyboardist Jon Loewen to forget and play through the pause. That happy accident became the final cut, later crowned by a synth solo tracked in one take on John Dinsmore‘s vintage Moog, giving the song its warped, nostalgic edge.
It’s a song for wannabe guitar gods and barroom believers. It’s dumb-smart, loud-proud and it feels like the end of something important. – Andrew Frontini
Original Pairs have been simmering in Toronto’s rock underground since 2008. Founded by drummer Lisa Logan and guitarist/vocalist Andrew Frontini (formerly of Gord Downie‘s first band The Slinks, Quadruped, and Sean Penitentiary with Hugh Dillon), Original Pairs has forged a slow-burn legacy of barroom ballads and existential fuzz.
