Varty, Doug - Feel Free

Tracks

		Track Name	Length
	1	Kickin' Ass	03:55
	2	Upsetter (feat. Mr. Chill)	03:01
	3	Feel Free (feat. Mr. Chill)	04:45
	4	The Itch	03:30
	5	Paid	04:27
	6	Now You're Talking	03:50
	7	Misfit	03:28
	8	Intoxicated	04:10
	9	I Wanna Fight About It	04:29
	10	Make My Day	03:38

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Information/Write-up

Doug Varty is a rock ’n’ roll survivor whose career spans more than five decades of relentless performing, recording, and touring. Born and raised in London, Ontario, he left home at age 17 to join a recording and touring band in Toronto, beginning a lifelong pursuit of music in 1970. Since then, he’s fronted countless acts and shared the stage with legends including Bob Seger, Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer, Meat Loaf, and Tina Turner. From early outfits like SeaDog, Lowdown, Old Chicago Band, and The Bushdoctors to his long-running Doug Varty Band, he has remained a cornerstone of Canadian classic rock and blues.

Over the years, Varty honed his skills as a singer, guitarist, and songwriter while developing a reputation for his gritty vocals and high-voltage stage presence. Yet, despite a long string of recordings, there was always someone else influencing the sound—until Feel Free. This album marked a turning point: “Every time I’d recorded in the past,” he said, “there was always someone in the background not quite letting me do my thing. This time it was my chance to finally make a statement — this is who I am.”

Feel Free was produced by Robert Breen, who encouraged Varty to write and perform without restraint. Recorded live to 2" analog tape at Breen’s studio “The Bunker,” the sessions captured the raw power of a classic rock trio — Varty on vocals and guitar, Rob Allen on bass, and Dale Penney on drums — augmented by Big Sugar’s Kelly Hoppe on harmonica. In a unique twist, the recording sessions were streamed live over the web, with fans from around the world offering real-time feedback as the album took shape.

The resulting record, Feel Free, is a muscular, good-humoured, and deeply authentic set of rockers and blues burners that reflect both Varty’s unfiltered energy and his commitment to craft. Fireworks UK magazine described it as “raspy, take-no-shit vocals, soaring guitar and constantly pounding bass... a glorious dose of blues rock littered with great vocal hooks and memorable riffs.” The London Free Press named it one of the Top Ten CDs of 2011, praising its “retro but fresh, honest and true” rock ’n’ roll spirit.

Tracks like “Kickin’ Ass,” “Now You’re Talkin’,” “The Itch,” and the title song “Feel Free” evoke the swagger and soul of AC/DC, Bad Company, and early Foreigner — but always with Varty’s distinctive melodic touch and sense of humour. European reviewers likened the album to “a riveting album of Classic Hard Rock ’n’ Blues,” while French radio host Thommy Martinez hailed it as “loaded with hits... catchy riffs, devastating solos, impeccable rhythm, and heartbreaking vocals — a must!”

For co-producer Bob Breen, the album also captured the essence of who Doug is — not the rowdy rock persona of the songs, but the loyal husband, proud father, yoga instructor, and consummate professional beneath the surface. “He hasn’t been edited, auto-tuned, or endlessly fixed,” Breen wrote in the liner notes. “This is what he does best — he entertains.”

With Feel Free, Doug Varty reaffirmed that true rock ’n’ roll isn’t dead — it just needs to be played with heart, humour, and honesty. The album’s analog warmth, live energy, and refusal to bow to modern production trends make it a timeless testament to an artist who has spent his life on the road, guitar in hand, still chasing that perfect groove.
-Robert Williston

Doug Varty: guitar, vocals
Rob Allen: bass
Dale Penney: drums, backing vocals
Kelly “Mr. Chill” Hoppe: harmonica

Produced by Doug Varty and Bob Breen
Recorded and mixed by Bob Breen at The Bunker, assisted by Dani Breen

Rob Allen: bass
Dale Penney: drums, backing vocals
Kelly “Mr. Chill” Hoppe: harmonica

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