Canadian obituaries: Kate McGarrigle, Paul Quarrington

My only real association with Paul Quarrington is Whale Music; I'm familiar both with his novel and the delightful film made from it (starring the great Canadian character actor Maury Chaykin in a rare lead role, as a drug-addled, burned-out rockstar, loosely based on Brian Wilson, who finds himself drawn back into the human realm by a mysterious young female visitor). Cinephiles interested in Canadian films need to seek this one out, as an eminently likeable experience; tho' written in Toronto, certain familiar landmarks will give it away instantly as being filmed in Vancouver. The book is great fun, too! It's enough for me to want to take off my hat at Quarrington's passing - and I may pick up the solo album mentioned in that obit, to hear his song about the experience of dying ("Are You Ready"). Quarrington died at 56, after a brave battle with lung cancer, and kept working right to the end.

Also departed, also Canadian, also taken by cancer at too young an age: Kate McGarrigle, my primary association with whom is her charming rendition, with her sister, of "The Log Driver's Waltz," that accompanies the sweetly clumsy NFB animation of yore (talk about Canadiana!). And then there's Rufus Wainwright - shown here with Kate and Anna doing "Hard Times Come Again No More" - and Martha Wainwright, both mothered by Kate and fathered by Loudon Wainwright III, whom I gather is the "Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole" that is the subject of one of his daughter's songs. Yes, folks - I know Kate more from Loudon's songs about his troubled relationships more than I do her own music, and I won't try to fake it... but my condolences to those who knew her and knew her work better than I did...

With apologies to Kate, may I further direct interested parties to Loudon's interesting explanation for the Shakespearean inspiration for "Prince Hal's Dirge" - a song of his I've always liked...