DRUG COP TURNS IMPRESARIO FOR A CAUSE

The Odd Squad Helps Addicts In The Downtown Eastside Overcome Their
Dependency

Chris Graham, the Vancouver Police Department detective-constable, was
at Pender and Abbott Street recently. That's home turf for a chap who
has been an undercover drugs investigator. While there was enough
street-and-alley activity to warrant his professional participation,
Graham, accompanied by 15-year-old daughter Jenna, was there in his
alter-ego capacity as impresario and record producer.

Off the street and inside the Honey lounge of Mark James's Lotus
hotel, bands played songs such as Waiting For The Drugs To Take Hold
and Learn To Say No. Those and 13 others, all addressing Downtown
Eastside drug-taking, appear on the 15-song CD On The Beat, which was
compiled to benefit the Odd Squad. Its members are city police
officers who work on and off the payroll to help drug users appraise
and overcome their addictions. Twenty-two-year copper Graham has been
a director of the appropriately named squad since 1999. He has also
worked on liaison between the force and city schools.

A video of the album's lead song, Jesus The Bookie by Bocephus King
(real name Jaime Perry), has played lately on MuchMoreMusic.

Videos'R'Us might be the Odd Squad's mantra. Its international
reputation is based on Through A Blue Lens, a documentary it produced
eight years ago. The tradition of members proposing projects and
running with them continued after bands and artists volunteered songs
and Graham asked: "Why don't we make a record?"

On The Beat's artists include Paul Hyde, Bughouse Five, Town Pants
member Aaron Chapman, and the Universal Gospel Choir. Graham hopes to
sign Ron Sexsmith for a sequel CD to be released late this year.

With Elvis Costello and wife Diana Krall donating a signed guitar to
the Odd Squad's June 15 gala, Graham should sweet-talk them for a
song. With Bruce Allen's Carrall-at-Hastings office located at the
squad's operational epicentre, that mogul could add star-clients Bryan
Adams and Michael Buble.

Far fetched? After what these non-judgmental officers have achieved
with addicts, recruiting million-selling pop artists should be a snap.