PLAYING WITH FIRE: ASHLEY MACISAAC

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia has produced many a fine fiddler over the past 200
years.

Ashley MacIsaac has the double distinction of being one its most famous as
well as its most infamous.

By the age of 11, he had started to blaze musical trails throughout Canada
with his fiery fiddling energy.

At the age of 20, the American release of 1995's hi, how are you today
added fuel to that fire. But by last year, he may have burned a few too
many bridges and was forced to declare bankruptcy.

But it appears that in 2001, Ashley is rising like a phoenix from the
flames to release two brand new CDs.

"Fiddle Music 101 is a collection of traditional tunes that was created for
a mass audience of traditional fiddle music enthusiasts," explains the
26-year-old musician in a phone interview from Toronto. The disc, recorded
with guitarist David MacIsaac (no relation), is a self-published effort.
"It was a pure, emotional, and wonderfully-creative experience. I've sold
40,000 to 50,000 units so far, but if it gets picked up by a major label,
then great!" he exclaims.

His other new release, Cape Breton Fiddle Music Not Calm, was recorded live
with fellow Cape Breton fiddler Howie MacDonald. "That project was real
interesting and we had a lot of fun doing it," says MacIsaac.

Besides the two new CDs, he has also contributed songs for a film being
produced by Vancouver music mogul Sam Feldman.

"I'm also doing the narration for a National Film Board movie about
Canadian songs and I've just had a script sent to me that I'm looking at.
It's about an ex-rock star and recovering drug addict who gets coaxed back
onto the stage and has many revelations while on the road. They want me to
play the rock star in that one," states Ashley.

When asked about his own recovery from a crack cocaine addiction, he
replies, "My only two remaining (addictions) are food and marijuana." When
pressed to explain, he adds, "In the past when touring, I would eat a large
amount of food, sometimes three large pizzas after a gig. Because of how
intense my shows are, I would burn 10 to 15 pounds during a concert. And to
relax after a show, nothing works like marijuana.

"Now with my lifestyle changes, I am eating more seafood, but I still enjoy
the greasy pizzas and hamburgers every five to 10 days," he admits. When
asked to share his feelings about the western leg of his tour, Ashley had
this to say: "I look forward to playing the Vancouver area. It's very
healthy there for me with the seafood and relaxed attitudes toward marijuana."

For his upcoming Arts Centre concert Tuesday night, he'll have his cousin
Wendy MacIsaac along to accompany him on piano.

"Last summer I did some shows with Wendy's band in Harrison Hot Springs. I
drove through the Chilliwack area a few times and thought it was just
beautiful country especially with the mountains all around," says the
left-handed fiddler.

The last time he played Vancouver was last fall with the Chieftains. "I try
to make myself available whenever they come and need another player," he says.

With five CDs of his own and 200 years of tunes to draw from, MacIsaac's
concert material is vast and varied.

Steeped in Celtic tradition, his ancestral roots include grandparents on
both sides of his family who were fiddlers, pipers and dancers. His
parents' Inverness County home overflows with Ashley's Juno, Gemini,
Canadian Country Music and East Coast Music awards garnered for his
fiddling feats.

"I'm second or third cousin to Buddy McMaster (Natalie's uncle)," he says.
"My younger sister (fiddler Lisa MacIsaac) is doing Deny Doherty's musical
tribute stage show about The Mamas and Papas."

The former Papa's Dream a Little Dream, is currently enthralling audiences
in Toronto.

"It's a great break for her," concludes Ashley.

It's obvious Ashley is happy for his sister. And happy is not a word that's
been bandied about in the past to describe MacIsaac. It looks good on him.

Be sure to catch the fabulous fiddler's performance at the Chilliwack Arts
Centre, Tuesday, July 17, 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.50. For information, call
792-2069.