What’s In Your Fridge is where the Straight asks interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6-cubic-foot refrigerators.

On the grill

Babe Gurr

Who are you

My name is Babe Gurr....yup that's it and nope I was never a stripper and I am not a society woman from South Carolina, or a baseball player, as the name Babe might imply. It is a name I have always been called since birth....I think my name set me up to become a performer in a way, as we moved a lot when I was a kid and each move to a new school would require me to stand in front of the class and say my name. You can imagine the teasing I received over both my first and last name! Over time I found a way to make my classmates laugh by joking about my name and it opened the door to new friendships.

Today I am a singer-songwriter....I had to become a singer as nobody would take me seriously with this name if I had become a brain surgeon . What makes me Fabulous you ask? Well it would have to be how I can stand on my head and play "O' Canada" on the juice harp. I have a new CD out called Blurred Lines which I am very proud of and feel to date is my best work. As a songwriter I am honoured to have received some accolades from both The International Songwriting contest and the Billboard songwriting competition, as well as winning a Nashville songwriting contest.

First concert

My first concert I ever went to was In Victoria with my best friend when we were about 16 years old at the McPherson Playhouse (not many big-name acts came to Victoria in those days or at least what my parents would allow me to go to). The concert was Long John Baldry and he and his band kicked butt! I had goose bumps when the band really launched into the rock portion of the song "Don't Try To Lay No Boogie-Woogie On The King Of Rock And Roll"....and Black Girl. I wanted to be one of his back up singers when I grew up.

Life-changing concert

As with most musicians of a certain generation, when I was a very young girl, I saw the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show and I was mesmerized. At that young age I didn't think wow that is what I want to do, it was more wow, what is this cool music that seems just for me. And who are these cute guys! A complete change from all the jazz my parents were playing. I felt sort of cool because I actually had a dorky Beatles haircut at the time because my grandmother had decided to cut my long locks. From then on, I also wanted to learn guitar. But it would take years to convince my parents that it was an instrument that girls could also play. 

Top three records

I really haven't a top three. There are so many records that I have loved and that influenced me growing up.  But if I had to narrow it down to three, I would say:

The Beatles Rubber Soul....reason...well it is fabulous.....and after all I still had the haircut.

Van Morrison MoonDance..... love the grooves...

Steely Dan Can't Buy A Thrill...love the sophisticated use of jazz chords and arrangements in their pop/rock tunes....and with a guitar player named Skunk Baxter...it made my name seem sort of normal.

All-time favourite video 

Michael Jackson “Thriller” Tough one. I haven't watched any music videos in years. I tend to watch live YouTube videos of bands performing instead. But when MTV and Much Music were a new phenomenon, Thriller by Michael Jackson of course was epic and seemed to set the bar higher than most could match.... they must have used the same budget as a minor motion picture. In total contrast to Thriller. I also absolutely loved the Peter Gabriel video with Kate Bush singing his tune "Don't Give UP". A very powerful but simplistic video of them singing the entire song in each other’s arms while the camera circles them. It was the perfect video for an emotionally powerful tune.

What’s in your fridge

Stiegl Grapefruit Radler. 

Bubbies Saurkrut.

Babaganoush smoked eggplant dip.

Now you might think that I am going to just enjoy drinking and eating the aforementioned food items. But in fact, mix them together and you have one hell of a tasty face mask ... Be forewarned it does draw animals and insects to you when out for a walk and repels most people. Also while wearing the mask I often get a yearning to yodel or sing something in German or Lebanese.....which also repels most people....hmmm.

Babe Gurr plays an album release part for Blurred Lines at the Mel Lehan Hall at St. James Community Square on Friday (November 6). Go here for ticket and show information.