Articles by: reidsanctuary

Neighbours Band Album Release!

February 8, 2025 Comments are Disabled

Neighbours Band (NeighboursBand.ca) has released our first album of originals! Search for the album title Winter (Longing for Peace) on Apple Music or iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music or Youtube Music. 

Neighbours Band continues high energy live gigs with covers of popular artists at community events and parties. Our album releases allow our original songwriting to respond to the storms of current issues that continue to rush at us. So the Winter album is a bit serious like the times. Its genre is hard to pin down – blending many styles – lets just call it singer/songwriter.

Two years ago in 2023, we were anticipating a 23 Stories album with 23 originals. Its now 2025 but good things take time – with recording and production moving slowly between fun live gigs, jobs, families, travels and enjoying our wonderful Vancouver Island.

Songwriting has continued, and now Dave, Mick, John and Jaime in Neighbours Band are planning several short album releases this year.

Watch our website for updates! Posts, lyric videos and other album releases will continue through the seasons of 2025.

Why Do We Have To

April 5, 2023 Comments are Disabled

If Night in Ukraine (re-released today) is about courage and defiance, Why Do We Have To (Say Goodbye) is the flipside of sadness and grief in the face of separation.

The song is relevant to Ukraine. But the original was written for two dear friends.

Rob Hobby (deceased 2022) was a lifetime friend who we saw one Thursday night and who was suddenly gone within days. He introduced me to fishing, kayak building, storytelling, and good humour. A late-in-life back to the lander, he was living off-grid and innovating on his 30 acre lakeview retreat in the BC Interior. I regret never getting there, but heard many stories. Rob raised Ted and Kara with spouse Pat, and they are out changing the world with his pride and blessing.

The other person in the back of my mind is Ron Reid – a dear brother who is very much alive and active, while being at very high risk. A fish and wildlife grad from U of Guelph and recently an honourary Doctorate, he has dedicated his life with spouse Janet to conservation causes, founding the Couchiching Conservancy.  Thanks, Ron, for being my guiding star in environmental causes. You will live forever!

All of us – Ukrainian, Russian, anyone anywhere in the world – are losing someone. If we keep them in our hearts, we don’t have to say goodbye.