GUILD SEATTLE ACQUIRES GRIM'S AND THE WOODS
Jason Lajeunesse and David Meinert—in conjunction with Joey Burgess—added two more businesses to their Capitol Hill empire with the purchase of the Woods music club and Grim's Provisions & Spirits, both located at 1512 11th Avenue. They assume ownership on December 3. This acquisition is the first in Lajeunesse, Meinert, and Burgess's new restaurant, bar, and entertainment entity, Guild Seattle. They bought Grim's and the Woods from Laura Olson, who said in a press release, "Because of Lajeunesse and Meinert's track record and commitment to the community, I know Guild Seattle is the right fit to assume the business." Guild Seattle also operates Lost Lake Cafe, the Comet Tavern, and the 5 Point Cafe. The Woods is a cool loft space that hosts mainstream dance music on weekends. Asked if they had plans to alter the venue's musical direction, Lajeunesse replied, "Right now, as it stands, everything will remain the same until we have time to get more familiar with the ins and outs of the existing business."
LIGHT IN THE ATTIC TO RELEASE COMP OF NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC
On November 25, Seattle-based label Light in the Attic will release a collection of ultrarare songs by Native American musicians, Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966–1985. LITA is calling this 34-track compilation their "most ambitious and historically significant project in the label's 12-year journey." The release comes in double-CD and triple-LP formats; the former includes a hardcover 120-page book featuring exhaustive liner notes by Kevin "Sipreano" Howes, artist interviews, archival photos, and lyrics (with translations), while the latter has a 60-page booklet with all the same features as the CD.
Vancouver-based record collector and curator Howes spent 15 years traveling great distances to locate these records and dig for their creators' backstories while piecing together their historical context. I asked Howes to explain what made this music distinctive from other output of its time and if anything surprised him while working on the project.
"The music featured on Native North America (Vol. 1) showcases a key selection of trailblazing aboriginal musicians, poets, and artists who were inspired, like other musicians from around the world, by the global developments in folk, rock, and country during the 1950s and '60s. These artists combined a passionate love of music with their distinct indigenous cultures to create something unique. "When I first heard the original recordings featured on NNA V1, I had to learn more about these records, how they were made and by who. These artists should take their righteous place in our collective cultural history." 
