Glen Foster is a Canadian singer songwriter, music producer, entertainer, multi-instrumentalist and president of his own companies Rescue Records, and Parent Publishing and Productions. In short he is a “do-it-all-myself” kind of guy.
He has been performing professionally for more than 40 years and has released 10 original albums featuring his own compositions, many of which include self-produced music videos. In 2023 Different Highway was selected as a Top 10 Indie Pick Hit on CashBox Radio, and Christmas In Vancouver from The Spirit Of Christmas was #3 Cashbox Top 20 Pick Hits Dec 2021.
Foster is no stranger to large crowds and the rigors of touring. He was front man of his own band called Falcon, signed with Quality Records in the 80s, and lead guitarist for several years with WEA’s Ray Materick of ‘Linda Put The Coffee On’ fame. Live appearances include The Ian Tyson Show, Tommy Banks Show, The Cave, P.N.E. Gardens, Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, Ontario Place, Massey Hall, El Mocambo, and the legendary Riverboat in Toronto. He has toured Canada extensively from coast to coast on the same bill with Lighthouse, Sammy Hagar, Dr. Hook, Jose Feliciano, Valdy, Jesse Winchester, Stan Rogers etc., performed at the Richmond Ozone for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and plays regularly at music festivals, pubs, concert and dance halls on the west coast with his band Glen Foster Group.
Foster was a professional music teacher for over 20 years. He has studied rock, jazz, Chet Atkins finger style, Hawaiian, and classical guitar, having been awarded two silver medals from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Glen Foster is following his Unnatural Tendencies these days. After being a full-time-on-the-road musician for many years and having released 10 of his own albums, he’s doing things altogether differently now. Rather than follow his natural tendencies, he’s taking a contrarian approach to this, his Tenth album. Even with the considerable success he’s had over the years touring across Canada playing on some of the most prestigious stages, making Television and Radio appearances, logging significant airplay, etc., he has decided to try some unusual tactics.
Partly from frustration with changes in the music and entertainment industry like rising costs and diminished returns, a new damn-the-torpedoes approach seems to be the prime directive for this present day songwriter/performer.
“A lot of the things I’ve learned and utilized successfully over the years just don’t seem to be cutting it nowadays. Now it’s releasing singles instead of albums, accumulating streams instead of sales, repetition instead of virtuosity, image versus musicianship, 30 second sound bites instead of deep cuts”. Foster is certainly not alone! As the music business has changed rapidly and dramatically, and continues to do so, it has left many artists wondering ‘who moved my cheese?’
So now Foster is even breaking his own rules. The title track ‘Unnatural Tendencies Suite’ is almost 17 minutes long, moves fluidly through 3 different songs, each in a different key but with the same chord progression and tempo. Other ‘rules’ being broken are: unusually long intros, don’t bore us get to the chorus, lyrics about religion and politics (typically big taboo No No’s) and using words like ‘dead, death, mad, hate, rage, abuse and pain’.
One of his most elaborate productions, called ‘Seeing Red’ deals with certain First Nations issues and utilizes some aboriginal voices on the track. There are references to a red dress and an orange shirt which provide very powerful imagery. Not too often does a popular song deal directly with anger and confrontational issues. “I didn’t intend to write this song. It started out with the music, and the lyrics just seemed to appear out of nowhere. They suited the mood and the great thing is; they help to bring awareness of a situation that has taken a long time to surface and be confronted head on.”
Still there are a couple of concise, punchy singles. On ‘Different Highway’ a road weary musician keeps coming back to the same towns, seeing the same people, chasing the same old dream. ‘Don’t Need A Reason’ tackles the unpopular topic of rants and rage on the internet, and ‘White Funeral’ takes a whimsical approach to coping with death.
“This is my Tenth album (which prompted the word Tendencies in the title) and I’m making it fit for me. It’s the way I like to hear music, in album form the way I believe my fans do. These are some of my best songs ever; I’m singing and playing guitar better than I ever have, and I brought in the best musicians I could find rather than use synthesizers and samples.”
On his song Final Act Of Defiance, Foster has done everything possible to create a composition that has something everyone can hate. As if in defiance of any commercial acceptance whatsoever, the track starts with a 20 second Hip Hop rant featuring the voice of rapper friend Voxman Kyle (Shepard). Then launching into a loud, distorted R&R riff, the band adds a satirical Sitar hook, jumping into an Accordion solo with a Polka beat after the first verse! Next there is a bluegrass Banjo break, and a highland Bagpipe solo, after successive verses. If that isn’t enough, the song seamlessly segues into a walking bass Disco ending, complete with Bee Gees style falsetto vocals.
You can find Glen Foster Group playing showrooms, music festivals, concerts in the park, pubs and other venues in western Canada.
Foster only has so much time to make an impact and accomplish his lifetime goals. He may be on a Different Highway, Seeing Red and this may be his Final Act Of Defiance, but he’s using his basic instincts and still following the same old dream!
Unnatural Tendencies Apr 20, 2024 Glen Foster Group, containing the singles Different Highway,
Seeing Red, Don’t Need A Reason, Final Act Of Defiance, Hammer Pull, White Funeral, Me & Maggy
and In The Green Room. CashBox Radio selects Different Highway as a Top 10 Indie Pick Hit.
The Spirit Of Christmas Oct.15, 2021 Glen Foster. 12 tracks including the title track which was originally released with The Twelve Guitars of Christmas in 1986, 35 yrs ago , on a red vinyl 45 rpm record and re-released digitally in 2011. There are instrumental tracks on solo guitar, and vocal arrangements of seasonal hits. Guests: Marty Steele, Ken Hamm, James McRae, Marisha Devoin.
Single: Christmas In Vancouver, with Elise Boulanger, placed #3 on CashBox Top 20 Pick Hits Dec 2021.
Feelin' Alive! July 5, 2021 Glen Foster and Friends. 14 tracks from a Live Concert recorded Feb 21, 2020 plus 2 Bonus tracks recorded in the Studio by Glen Foster Group in 2021.
Singles: Three Man Band and Friends Like That which placed on CashBox RadioTop 50 Picks for 2021.
Not Far Away Apr 24, 2020 Glen Foster Group with Featured Guests: Brent Boehler, Elise Boulanger, Thomas Neville, Jay Stevens, The Skallywag Skiffle Kings, The Cryptomnesia Choir
ROCKABILLY FEVER placed Top 16 finalist in The Rockabilly Rumble Original Song Contest 07/21
PARTY OUT THERE TONIGHT placed in Tinnitist Top Ten Music Videos of 2019
Singles: Party Out There Tonight, Rockabilly Fever, Feel Alright, Brains Brawn and Beauty
Party Out There Tonight Apr 9, 2019 Glen Foster Group 4 song EP. Includes Rockabilly Fever and the Title Song (co-written by Glen Foster the musician and Glen Foster the comedian 'That Canadian Guy')
Music Alchemy June 1, 2017 Featuring: Mark Crissinger, David Gogo, Paul Gogo (Trooper), Marty Shepard (REO Speedwagon)
Singles: Crashing Down, Cactus Whiskey, Stepping Out On Saturday Night
Leaving The Lagoon Dec 1, 2015 #1 on CHLY 101.7 Nanaimo Top 30 in Dec2015 and Jan2016, #13 on The Independent Radio Show Playlist (syndicated to over 3000 radio stations), added to CBC National Radio Virtual Music Library
The Reckoning Sept 1, 2012 Videos: Reckoning, This That These & Those, Someday (It’ll All Work Out), Easy Rolling. Single: Pixelated Man
Trusted Tried & True Feb 1, 2010 Guests: David Gogo, Gerry Barnum, The Turtle Doves. Destination Desolation Sound video appeared on BC Tourism website for the ‘Vancouver, Coast and Mountains Region’.
Walk Into The Mirror/The Falcon Apr 1, 2008 compilation CD of two previous albums, including the single Los Angeles winner of a 1980 talent contest on CKOC Radio Hamilton, as selected by Neville Grant.
The Spirit of Christmas and The Twelve Guitars of Christmas, a 45 rpm single on Red Vinyl was initially released in 1986 and received national airplay in Canada. The 25 year anniversary re-release of Nov 2011 features digitally re-mastered mixes.