The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir on stage.
Members of a now-defunct band are rallying in support of a friend facing challenges due to multiple sclerosis.
The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir is working to sell the last of its inventory of CDs to raise money for their bass player, Vladimir Sobolewski, and the MS Society.
“Bob Keelaghan, the guitar player for the Choir, wanted to do something for me to help me out,” Sobolewski explained. “He talked to the Choir members and everybody was behind the idea, which is awesome. They’re all very nice boys.”
MS is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system. The immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath that covers nerve fibres and causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body.
The CDs that are being sold for the fund-raiser are Ten Thousand and Fighting and Onions by Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir and Campfire Tales by Agnostic Phibes Rhythm and Blood Conspiracy.
The band is asking for donations, with a suggestion of at least $15 per CD ($20 outside Canada). The CDs are available at paypal.me/vladimirsobolewski.
Sobolewski is well-known in music circles and in Fort Macleod. His family moved to Calgary in the late 1970s where his father Sigmund Sobolewski began selling real estate.
Sigmund Sobolewski began selling hotels, and in 1981 bought the American Hotel in Fort Macleod. The family later owned the Heritage Motel on Main Street.
Vladimir Sobolewski said his family shaped his interest in music early.
“My mom and dad both listened to a lot of different music when I was growing up — jazz, big band, and Cuban music. So I was influenced by them musically.”
“My older brother listened to a lot of punk rock and new wave stuff when I was younger and I always gravitated to the bass beat. I’m not sure exactly what drew me to the bass. Four strings are easier to learn than six, I guess.”
Sobolewski played with a number of bands in Calgary in his early 20s and 30s, including Great Uncle Bull.
When Great Uncle Bull broke up, slide guitar player Judd Palmer got Sobolewski, drummer Pete Balkwill and guitar player Bob Keelaghan together in early 2001 to form the Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir.
The Choir’s blend of pre-World War Two blues and country rock appealed to both roots and rock fans and the band was in demand.
Balkwill left the Choir in its first year and was replaced by Jason Woolley. They recorded their debut album, St. Hubert, in 2003. Fighting and Onions followed in 2005.
Woolley left the band and was replaced by the familiar Balkwill. In 2008 the Choir recorded Ten Thousand.
The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir’s music was being played across Canada and the band toured the country as well as the United States and Europe.
“Those were fun days,” Sobolewski said. “It was a great way to travel the world and see everything. But now that life is behind me.”
Sobolewski was diagnosed with MS in 2009 following the Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir’s tour in England and Ireland. Symptoms of numbness in Sobolewski’s limbs were present during that tour but he still played up a storm.
“That was the last time I was on tour,” Sobolewski said. “By that point I could only barely use one finger to play my stand-up bass. The first couple years were tough after the diagnosis. Losing the use of an arm and a hand to MS is not describable.”
Sobolewski hasn’t been able to play his bass for years. In addition to curtailing his music career, MS has made it difficult for him to earn a living. He always worked with his hands but has now lost strength and mobility and has to deal with fatigue and pain.
“Each case of MS is very different,” Sobolewski said. “Over the last six months or so the MS has spread to my left arm and hand. That’s the concerning part. As far as work is concerned. I really don’t know what will be my next move. What does one do with no hands?”
Since moving to Calgary after three years in Red Deer Sobolewski has got involved with the MS Society and Alberta Works but despite their help has yet to find work.
That prompted the Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir to lend a hand.
“Asking for help is difficult,” the Choir wrote on social media. “We write this knowing that so many people have been hit by hard times in the last two years. Regardless, we thank you for taking the consideration to read this post. Take care of each other and look out for those who need help.”
