Thursday 18 March 2010



Dan Achen 1958-2010

Dan Achen, former guitarists with Hamilton band Junkhouse and owner of Catherine North recording studio in Hamilton, died of a suspected heart attack while playing hockey on Monday, March 15, 2010.  Achen was part of a regular pick up game with other musicians and industry insiders, and he collapsed while on the ice.

In the 1990s, Junkhouse scored an international hit with their song “Out of My Head”.  Catherine North studio hosted a number of prominent recording sessions, including his niece Leslie Feist, and Kathleeen Edwards, who married Achen’s Junkhouse partner, Colin Cripps.   In 2008, Achen co-produced City & Colour’s Juno-winning Bring Me Your Love, and last year he helped QBiM favourites The Rest as co-producer on their debut, Everyone All At Once.

He arrived in Hamilton in 1981 from Regina, Saskatchewan, and instantly fell into the city’s music community.  In tributes and memorials across newspapers and website this week, Achen has been described as a lovable and likable guy, who’s spirit and intensity matched his fiery red hair.  While maybe not a prominent figure for most Canadian music fans, the impact of his passing has reverberated through the music community.

MP3: The Rest “Walk On Water (Auspicious Beginnings)”
MP3: City & Colour “What Makes a Man”





by J. Di Gioia | 1 Comment »

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 18th, 2010 at 8:35 pm and is filed under In memoriam, MP3. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

One Response to “Dan Achen 1958-2010”

Michael Chambers July 13th, 2010 at 2:20 pm

Thanks for the article. Today, July 13, would’ve been Dan’s 52nd birthday.

Ian Smith (of Spirits/The Miniatures) wrote a song called Passing Trains in memory of Dan just days after Dan passed away. We recorded it at Catherine North, and it was the first new project we started without Dan.

We just released the song today in honour of Dan’s birthday: http://www.catherinenorth.com/2010/07/tribute-to-dan-achen-released/

The spirit of Dan Achen lives on. As Mike Marcone, a recording engineer and friend of Dan’s, posted on Facebook today:

“I hope you would have been proud of all the people you left your thumb print on. The impression you left on all of us is enhancing everyone day to day. If anything, I’d like to be remembered for an achievement half as great as what you’ve done for all of us. Thank you Dan.”