
Technology helps resurrect late bandmate's vocals for debut LP
Using audio technology director Peter Jackson pioneered during production of the acclaimed 2021 Beatles documentary Get Back, surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were able to isolate Lennon's vocals for the song Now and Then by eliminating all background noise, including a spotty piano accompaniment. The pair next headed into the studio to add newly recorded instrumentation to their late mate's singing voice, the culmination of which was a fresh-sounding track that turned out to be the first Beatles composition in 53 years to top the Billboard charts.
Lloyd Peterson is the owner of Paintbox Recording, a full-service studio at 600 Shaftesbury Blvd. that has hosted the likes of Fred Penner, Begonia and the Dirty Catfish Brass Band. In addition to being intrigued with the Now and Then project from a professional standpoint, Peterson also began to wonder whether he and his longtime collaborator Chris Maxfield could utilize the same creative high jinks, to assist them with a set of amateur recordings they'd been holding onto for 40-plus years.
Daniel Crump / Free Press
Maxfield (left) and Peterson spool up Go Jetter's original 1979 reel-to-reel recordings.
On May 13, following months of trial and error, Peterson and Maxfield unveiled From the Word Go, the debut album from Go Jetter, the band they formed in 1979 in London, Ont., with their pal Rob 'Iggy' Morningstar, who died by suicide in 1983.
'It's really hard to describe how fulfilling it was to bring this record back to life,' Maxfield says, seated next to Peterson in Paintbox Recording's reception area, where the digital release's lead single, the uptempo rocker Tuesday Night in the Morning, is playing in the background.
Peterson chimes in, saying there were definitely moments during the last year that were 'just magical,' as they played along — Peterson on guitar, Maxfield on drums — to Iggy's vocals and keyboard/bass lines, which they'd successfully wrested from a grainy reel-to-reel tape, using essentially the same AI app as the ex-Beatles.
'There Chris and I would be, counting a song in, and then Iggy would start singing through our headphones. We'd look at each other and be like wow, this is exactly how it was, 46 years ago.'
Peterson and Maxfield became friends while attending Westlane Secondary School in Chippawa, a community in Niagara Falls, Ont. They met Morningstar during their second year of high school, after he moved to Chippawa from Prescott, Ont.
'He could play guitar, he looked like David Bowie… right away we were asking ourselves, 'who the heck is this guy?'' Maxfield says, crediting a Sam the Record Man employee for granting Morningstar the nickname Iggy, for a coif resembling that of Stooges lead singer Iggy Pop.
Supplied
Rob 'Iggy' Morningstar died by suicide in 1983.
Peterson and Maxfield had already belonged to their share of upstart bands when they approached Morningstar to see if he'd be interested in jamming with the two of them. Sure, came his response, and in Grade 12, the trio entered a talent contest at their school, billing themselves as Dallas Cooper, a colourful unit that covered the catalogue of — you guessed it — Alice Cooper.
After graduating in 1977, Peterson briefly attended the University of Guelph, before moving to Winnipeg, where his parents had relocated. In early 1979 he received a call from Maxfield, who let him know that he and Morningstar intended to form a new group, with the goal of writing and recording original material.
Peterson announced he was in. They settled into a rented house in London, having chosen that burg simply because none of them had ever set foot there before, and they were seeking an entirely new adventure — one fuelled largely by popcorn and roll-your-own cigarettes.
'We had this 'cutting edge' two-track technology, so what we did was record guitar, drums and vocals on one track, then play that back and add flute, bass and synthesizer,' Peterson says, mentioning they adopted the moniker Go Jetter after a dog, Jetter, Morningstar brought home one afternoon as a surprise.
'We were just kind of making it up as we went along; it was basically us putting down ideas — beginnings, middle eights, endings — that would evolve into full-fledged songs,' adds Maxfield, noting because their musical influences were all over the map, from the Clash to Steely Dan to Gordon Lightfoot, the outcome was everything from 'punk blasts' to more folk-tinged arrangements.
Daniel Crump / Free Press
Lloyd Peterson jams with fellow Go Jetter bandmate Chris Maxfield, in Peterson's Winnipeg Studio, Paintbox Recording.
When they weren't writing and recording, Go Jetter performed live here and there around the southern Ontario city. But after neglecting to pay the rent for a prolonged period, they received what Maxfield calls an official-looking letter from their landlord, instructing them to pack their belongings and vamoose — a set of circumstances that sealed the fate of Go Jetter.
'It's really hard to describe how fulfilling it was to bring this record back to life'– Chris Maxfield
In the wake of the band's demise, Peterson and Maxfield moved first to Toronto, then later to Winnipeg where they helped form the Cheer, an upbeat foursome that enjoyed a modicum of success during the 1980s. Meanwhile, Morningstar headed to Ohio, where he joined the post-punk outfit the F Models.
Peterson remembers getting set to board a van in December 1983 to leave for a Cheer show in Thompson when he received a call from Morningstar's brother Randy, to let him and Maxfield know their chum had been found dead, two days before his 25th birthday.
'If somebody gets taken from you at such a young age, they're always going to be the person you knew when you were 20; you're never going to see them grow old,' Peterson states, running a hand through his hair. 'Like lots of people, Iggy was complicated and had a lot of stuff to overcome in his life, but in his heart he was an entertainer, and he was very talented when it came to music.'
Daniel Crump / Free Press
Recording pro Lloyd Peterson was inspired to revisit Go Jetter's '70s recordings after AI tech helped resurrect John Lennon's vocals from a rough demo.
Peterson and Maxfield remained in touch after the end of the Cheer in 1989. Peterson eventually moved over to the production side of things — he established Paintbox Recording in the mid-2000s — while Maxfield forged a successful career as a travel executive and currently, as the owner of his own communications firm.
In January 2024, Peterson and Maxfield were out for breakfast when the topic of the aforementioned Beatles documentary came up. Specifically, they discussed back and forth how the producers had been able to clean up the Fab Four's old recordings by extracting individual vocal, guitar and drum tracks from existing tapes — an action Peterson equated with removing the flour or baking powder from an already-prepared biscuit.
'There Chris and I would be, counting a song in, and then Iggy would start singing through our headphones. We'd look at each other and be like wow, this is exactly how it was, 46 years ago'– Lloyd Peterson
'I did a bit of homework and found the applicable AI app,' Maxfield says. 'I happened to have a Go Jetter song on my phone and after running it through the app, I had this eureka moment… I couldn't believe we'd be able to pull Iggy's vocals out and rebuild the song, if that's what we chose to do.'
One song turned into two, two became four, until the pair had successfully recreated 11 Go Jetter tunes from a quarter-inch tape marked 'Go Jetter, Summer of '79.' (Thinking ahead, Peterson also commissioned a local production crew to film the goings-on for what turned out to be a nearly nine-minute-long documentary augmented with grainy snapshots of the three of them, taken with a 'crappy, $15' Instamatic camera.)
Prior to the album being released on streaming services, Peterson and Maxfield were in touch with Morningstar's siblings, who joyfully gave the undertaking their blessing. They also heard from Morningstar's adult nephew, who contacted them from his home in Alberta.
Supplied
The band in 1977, before they were Go Jetter
'He was too young to have known his uncle — he'd only heard stories about him through his mom — and he was really excited to learn more about Iggy, from Lloyd's and my perspective,' Maxfield says.
Every Second Friday
The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney.
For obvious reasons, Peterson and Maxfield don't have any plans to play live shows as Go Jetter, though attendees at a June 14 show at Blue Note Park, featuring a resurrected Cheer alongside Monuments Galore and Chocolate Bunnies From Hell, may be fortunate enough to hear one song off the LP From the Word Go.
'There were so many times we wished Iggy could have been a part of this and we're thinking of playing Minor Sins from the new album, a fresh one written years after he died, all about him and our time together,' Peterson says.
'It will be our tribute to him from the surviving Go Jetter members, carried on by the Cheer,' Maxfield adds.
Supplied
From left, Chris Maxfield, Lloyd Peterson and Rob 'Iggy' Morningstar perform together 40-plus years ago.
For more information, go to gojetter.ca
david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca
David Sanderson
Dave Sanderson was born in Regina but please, don't hold that against him.
Read full biography
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Edmonton Journal
12-08-2025
- Edmonton Journal
Taylor Swift announces new album The Life of a Showgirl for 'pre pre-order'
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Article content U.S. popstar Taylor Swift announced her 12th album, titled 'The Life of a Showgirl,' for 'pre pre-order' just after midnight Tuesday in posts on her website. Article content Her online shop displayed blurred images of a record, CD and cassette tape overlaid with a glittery orange lock, explaining the album artwork would be 'revealed at a later date.' Article content Article content Article content 'This is my brand new album 'The Life of a Show Girl',' she says in the clip from the 'New Heights' podcast, hosted by her boyfriend, American football player Travis Kelce, and his brother, ex-NFL player Jason Kelce. Article content 'The Life of a Showgirl' is the follow-up to Swift's last studio album, 'The Tortured Poets Department,' which was released last year and sold 1.4 million copies the first day. Article content Since 2021, she has been making good on her vow to re-record her first six studio records in a bid to own the rights to them. Article content Article content In June, the 14-time Grammy Award winner, who was locked in a feud with record executives since 2019 over the ownership of her music, said she had bought back the rights to her entire back catalog for an undisclosed sum. Article content Article content The 35-year-old songwriting sensation shattered records with her nearly two-year-long Eras tour that ended last year. Article content Article content Tickets for the tour sold for sometimes exorbitant prices, and it drew millions of fans. Article content


Calgary Herald
07-08-2025
- Calgary Herald
Remembering Oscar: NMC to celebrate 100th anniversary of Oscar Peterson's birth with exhibit, concerts
Article content When Andy Milne was a student studying jazz at York University, one of his teachers offered some seemingly obvious advice: 'Learn the song.' Article content It was in the mid-1980s, and Milne, who would go on to be a versatile and Juno-winning composer and jazz pianist, at first thought this guidance was a little flippant. But it was coming from the great Oscar Peterson, who would routinely toss out these sorts of pearls and spark some deep thinking in Milne about what he meant. Eventually, he realized Peterson was not being flippant or obvious. Article content Article content 'It was weeks later when it hit me what he meant,' says Milne, in an interview with Postmedia from his home in Ann Arbor, Mich. 'It was much richer than that. I just found it fascinating, and, as a teacher myself now, I think back to him saying it literally and matter-of-fact and giving you the assignment to go figure out what he meant. Learn the song could mean 'Oh, I don't know the song very well. I guess if I just learn the song a little better, I'll sound good.' That's not what he meant. In terms of a 360-degree relationship with a piece of music, it's much more of an investigation around it and thinking more richly about the relationship.' Article content Article content Aug. 15 marks the 100th anniversary of Peterson's birth in Montreal and is also the date when Milne will perform Andy Milne: In Tribute to Oscar Peterson 100 at the National Music Centre. It coincides with the centre's newly opened exhibit, Timeless: 100 Years of Oscar Peterson, which features a wide variety of artifacts, awards, testimonials and instruments from the pianist's illustrious career. Article content Article content Milne will play some of Peterson's compositions and talk about the legend's influence on him. As a Canadian jazz pianist and composer — not to mention someone with a personal connection to the man — it may seem that Peterson's influence is a given. But Milne says he hopes to 'highlight maybe the more unusual ways that central cultural and artistic figures' influence people and communities. Article content 'I'm going to pay homage to him by talking about him and talking about his influence and playing pieces that he composed that I played in my formative years,' he says. 'At this point, they mean something different to me now than they did when I was a young kid. My approach is different, and the sound I'm going to be going for is different because I'm not an artist where someone would say 'Yeah, you really sound like you're influenced by Oscar Peterson' — that low-hanging fruit that someone might associate with me, even though he is a huge influence. It's important to talk and share what influence means and how we can be distracted by more obvious ways of looking for that and validating that kind of weight in a cultural space.'


Globe and Mail
04-08-2025
- Globe and Mail
She was quick with a quip but Amey Cushman's positive outlook always inspired her family
Amey Dexter Cushman: Sister. Savant. Joyful. Kind. Born June 13, 1949, in Morristown, N.J.; died Jan. 12, 2025, in Pointe-Claire, Que., of esophageal cancer; aged 75. Growing up, Amey Cushman spent hours winding up her record player to listen to songs such as Perry Como's Catch a Falling Star and musicals like My Fair Lady and Oklahoma. Amey's philosophy mirrored the optimism of the lyrics, 'Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh, what a beautiful day!' Amey lived at a West Island Residence for the Intellectually Handicapped in Montreal for more than 30 years. She was known for her joyful disposition, delightful sense of humour and savant-like memory. Her love for music evolved with the times, and she embraced rock 'n' roll and the Beatles, identifying songs and artists with remarkable precision. When the board game Trivial Pursuit was released, Amey's knowledge of pop culture outshone her siblings. Amey's parents Jan and Bob Cushman spoke French, and Bob seized an opportunity to move the family, leaving New York for Montreal to work for ALCAN's steamship subsidiary. Their children – Robert, Amey and Hope were born in the U.S. Two more children, John and Charlotte, were born in Montreal. Amey's memory was formidable: On one occasion Robert forgot his landed immigrant card as he returned home from Boston. He had to call home in desperation from the Canadian border. Thankfully, Amey answered the phone and instantly recalled the family's arrival date in Canada, Nov. 6, 1952. The border official confirmed the date and commented, 'Buddy, you're lucky to have such a smart sister.' While Amey had a disability, she had so many remarkable abilities. She engaged everyone with genuine curiosity, remembering details about others and lifting their spirits. Spending time with Amey always left her siblings feeling better, her positive attitude dispelling any petty or existential concerns. Faith played an important role in her life. She often recited her favourite grace at family gatherings and at her group home. Known for her impeccable manners, Amey punctuated conversations with 'please' and always sent thank-you notes after overnight visits. In the 1950s and early 1960s, when few services were available for children with intellectual disabilities, Amey's parents joined forces with other parents to foster social groups and to pioneer services, including swimming lessons, day camps and later, group homes where Amey lived with friends from childhood. Some years ago, Jan received an award for her activism from a group that got its start in the basement of her family home. Amey participated fully in life. She worked at a Renaissance Thrift store in Montreal, attended adult school and read to grandnieces and grandnephews. She swam in races for the Special Olympics, walked her many dogs in McGill's Morgan Arboretum and skated on the Rideau Canal. During a trip to New York, Amey braved the walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, despite her fear of heights. Amey was comfortable in any social setting and quick with a quip. In 1978, when Robert called home to share a surprise, she guessed it first: 'What, you and Lynne are getting married?' and then added, 'It's about time.' One New Year's Eve, when offered a selection of fancy beers, Amey playfully shot back, 'Don't you have any real beer like Molson or Labatts?' Amey never focused on her own challenges, even during her three-month battle with cancer. She was the glue of the Cushman family. Her compassion for others and concern for those in need were a beacon. And her family always thought Amey's favourite expression – 'This is really living!' – reflected her full embrace of life for all 75 years. Robert Cushman is Amey's brother. To submit a Lives Lived: lives@ Lives Lived celebrates the everyday, extraordinary, unheralded lives of Canadians who have recently passed. To learn how to share the story of a family member or friend, go online to You can find obituaries from The Globe and Mail here. To submit a memory about someone we have recently profiled on the Obituaries page, e-mail us at obit@