270

From Cafe Jos

270; named after a system of measurement, was created by Julian and Gray. 270 is one of the greatest musical ensembles you will never hear of. Their one underground hit "Oranges" became known far and wide for its musical genius and deep lyrics. It is the tale of a young man and his journey towards promised fruit and though all but one copy of this track has been destroyed it lives on forever (or until we all die).

Rumors persist of a reunion performance at the 2012 Salmon Festival splash concert.

The Live Album (Summertime)

• Slow Cars
• Good Medicine
• Crazy Skeeze
• Purple Clouds
• Flying Underground
• Hallway
• Champion
• Summertime
• Oranges
• Allio
• 4 Hour Relief

Download the full album here

The debut 270 album was recorded live in one run at Julian's bedroom studio in Grand Falls. The equipment used consisted of several keyboard synthesizers strewn about the room, a computer running ReBirth, a Karaoke machine and the legendary "Rouge's Keyboard" which was featured in Oranges.

Most tracks featured Gray and Julian moving switching around to different keyboards and to the computer as songs progressed. During the recording of Champion, Julian left the room to answer a phone call which was from Champion, leaving Gray stuck on the top bunk of a bed with 1 keyboard, unable to reach the computer or any other instruments. This led to long-winded, exhausting keyboard solo magic.

Summertime was a track in which the time of summer was rejoiced as Julian's summer chanting reflected the sunny weather outside.

Good Medicine may be somewhat related to the band's name, but mysteries still surround this issue.

Oranges Lyrics

Welcome to our song, here's Justin Gray!

Ahhh!

I left my house, I left my house, I put on my shoes to leave my house, I put on my shoes.

So I walked outside, I walked outside and I left my house,

I left my house and i walked around, I walked around, I walked around.

I seen puddles and there was ducks walking in the puddles.

And there was all kinds of stuff in the sky, I'd look in the sky, I'd be all like sky, sky....

Like whats in the sky? So I walked up on a hill and I sat down on a hill, I sat on it.

I looked up at the sky, I looked at the sky and I could see things,

I seen all these things, all these things flying around things that were in my head, that were on the hill.

So i sat on the grass and i looked at the things in my head that were in the sky,

and I was looking around, a plane drove by and I jumped into the plane, the plane told me to come.

And i got into the plane, and I flew in the plane and i sat in the chair

and they gave me peanuts for snacks, peanuts for snacks, peanuts for snacks.

Peanuts for snacks they gave me on the plane.

I flew on the plane, they made me go to the cockpit where I would fly the plane.

I would fly it holding the steering wheel, i would fly it myself because the pilots, they wanted me to fly.

The pilots wanted me to fly the plane so i flew the plane and we drove to another place.

And I got out, i got out when the plane was done, i got out then i went down to the store.

I went to the store and bought some oranges, I bought some oranges.

I left the store, i left the store and ate all the oranges...There was 6, and i paid 5 dollars for 6 oranges,

That I ate, they were yummy, and then, then i went to school, I went to school in July

I was looking for my paper, the paper was not there...so i left.

Then I decided to go back home then, I went back home, i took off my shoes,

So I went in the kitchen and I ate my oranges some more that were 6 dollars for 5,

6 dollars for 5 oranges and I ate them, I ate my oranges in the kitchen.

Behind the music (the alternate universe history)

270 was formed in a back alley on High Street at some point in the early 90s. The brain child of two eccentric weirdos, known and Gray and Julian, the band knew little commercial success, but maintained a strong cult following.

An accomplished multimedia performer and studio virtuso, Gray had enjoyed a high-profile, commercially successful career, but when he met the street magician known as Julian a darker and more creative sound resulted.

Gray had leapt into the spotlight in 1987 with the Graytets, a pop quartet known for their military reenactments and mod haircuts. Their first album - “Promise me Funk,” was considered a gem by critics and indicated promise for the up-and-coming youngster.

Meanwhile, in Montreal another star was being born, but of a different sort. Julian had been following a relentless obsession to achieve chart success with the xylophone, an instrument he felt deserved more recognition. And to this end he had long made the choice to turn to alcoholism.

The early recordings of 270 did not match the success of Gray’s earlier work, but in 1992, Julian hit his commercial prime with 270s, home-recording known as “Oranges.”

This came after a 5 year break for Gray and his 1992 return was widely anticipated. For the first time since the Graytets new music could be heard in elevators and while on telephone hold. Many of the older fans were dumbfounded by the addition of the xylophone, but despite raised eyebrows, 270 would persevere through the 90s.

In 1999, 270 produced an unusual album titled “Concept,” which sampled heavily from educational television. This move to edutainment hurt the band in the eyes of many fans and is credited with their final disbandment. Gray’s career went the way of the dinosaur, but the xylophone was returned to its rightful place and so Julian’s life-project was completed.

Reports from later periods are unclear, but it is believed that Gray went through a period of heavy coffee use. He was often seen outside of the HealthPlex screaming that he needed Kev to get him a refill.

270 assembled on stage in mid-2007 to play one last Salmon Fest, but unfortunately for fans, Julian was removed from stage by police shortly before the performance was to begin. He was dragged away screaming, “You’ll never take us alive!” and gripping tightly to the instrument that had started it all.