These questions were generated through postings on the Message Board and from e-mail sent to the web site.

Question 1 Is there anywhere I can get the entire Ian Thomas collection on CD? If not, are there plans in the works? Can I be first in line? Ian’s Reply There isn't a plan in the works to re-issue all the old titles. Part of the reason for this is that there would not be enough demand to find a place in the stores who today primarily deal in bulk (items selling over a certain number per month) and major titles. Record companies have to pay for rack space in many cases and so with the great diversity of the market, rack space is at a premium. I will speak to Anthem with regard to at least making the titles available on the net through the like of Maple Music or some other web site. Question 2 How about a Double Gold best-of CD like Rush recently released (also through Anthem)? Ian’s Reply This is a greater possibility. I will call Anthem about this. Question 3 Any chance of getting some vintage live solo shows on CD or DVD? I'd love to hear some of those old shows from the late '70s and '80s. Ian’s Reply I don't have any access to old Ian Thomas live shows on DVD. I do however have a live show of The Boomers in Hamburg that I think is great. This I am interested in seeing come out. Question 4 Is there any chance of The Boomers getting together to put on a show? Ian’s Reply Putting The Boomers together is difficult. In fact the desire to do it again might be low as well. It's funny how things have a best before date sown in somewhere. I find the trio format for me as a writer and performer easier with fewer variables to worry about. The few Canadian dates we did were poorly attended, so once again, there is an element of supply and demand at work here as well. Question 5 Was “Mary Jane” written about a specific incident? Ian’s Reply “Mary Jane” was indeed written about a specific incident. In the mid-seventies my children were toddlers and there was a boy (Cameron March if my memory serves me well), around five years of age who disappeared from the Burlington area. The tragedy of the event put a hole in my heart. As I placed myself in the position of Cameron's parents, I felt so lost and angry at what was more than likely a manifestation of sick sexual behaviour. Little lives, innocence, snuffed out or ruined by screwed up sexual motivation is one of the ugliest actions perpetrated by our species. It is perhaps the ultimate shame of humanity. Question 6 I think I recall an alternate album cover for the U.S. release of The Best Of Ian Thomas. Did it have you walking through spotlights with a jacket over your shoulder (Sinatra style)? Ian’s Reply Never had a jacket over my shoulder, but my personage standing in spotlights was the U.S. cover of the Calabash album. The label didn't like the etching done by Hugh Syme that we used in Canada. Question 7 When you performed “Pilot” on SCTV, the intro shows you playing some lines on electric guitar, but aren't we actually hearing a bass? Ian’s Reply In the intro to “Pilot” there are no bass licks in between the John Panchyshen's flute lines. Sometimes I did the licks on my Fender Strat or other times it was Peter Mueller who played guitar for most of The Runner tour in 1981 and performed on that show. Question 8 What happened to the bassist, drummer and keyboardist of your group from that SCTV show? Also, was that Chet Catallo playing guitar with that edition of the band? He looks like a guitarist from Rochester, NY that I've met! Ian’s Reply The bassist is Steve Hogg. Steve is a wonderfully gifted musician and continues to play and record in the Kitchener, Ontario area. He often appears with drummer Michael Oberle and the Roadhouse band. The guitar player is Peter Mueller as I mentioned and I have lost touch with him so I am unsure of what he might be up to. The keyboard player on that show was Lou Pomanti who has gone on to become a composer for both commercials and film. Lou also played with The Boomers on the German and US tours and performed some Hammond B3 on later Boomers albums. Question 9 You produced the Under the Influence LP for Garnett Ford in the late '70s. Whatever happened to him? Have you worked with him since? Ian’s Reply I have not heard of Garnett for years and have no idea what he's up to. Question 10 Is the powerWISE song available anywhere on a recording? Ian’s Reply Not to my knowledge. The entire song was never recorded, only the 30 to 60 second snips for the TV/Radio ads. Question 11 Will you be attending any book signings upon the release of Bequest in the fall? Ian’s Reply Yes, and I think I will be carting some books around to solo gigs. There is a book launch slated for October (2006) and I think the publisher wants to do this at a Chapters store in the Hamilton area – perhaps Ancaster. Question 12 Did you do any musical theatre in high school? Ian’s Reply I did theatre but no musical theatre in high school. However, my brother Dave and I wrote a rock musical comedy Frankenstein in 1971 at McMaster University. It ran for 10 days and featured among others Dave, Eugene Levy and Marty Short. It was a hoot. Gene's hunch-back character from that play later appeared on SCTV. Question 13 Have you thought about writing an autobiography? Ian’s Reply A publisher spoke to me about the same, and the stuff they were interested in hearing about was all of the rock ’n’ roll road story stuff that makes me cringe and would only bring embarrassment to all parties (no puns intended) involved. I promised not to tell.