Saturday, August 12, 2006

Death from Above call it a night.


Its official,Death from Above 1979 have called it quits. What a sad day for Canadian music,specifically,but all music in general really. They were the most exciting band in the last ten, maybe even 15 years. They made one album that is simply perfect from start to finish, an album that somehow bashes your brain to jelly while making you dance and smile and scream and laugh all at the sametime. Your a woman I'm a machine brings a sledge hammer to all other hard music and will stand the test of time. In fifty years I'll be seventy-seven and that album will still be on my stereo.
In a way its great that they split before they risked tainting their legacy and legendary reputation. Now we will only have good memories of Death from Above. That one perfect album cover (with the elephant trunks) to warm us when we're angry and want to dance. Unlike so many other bands we loved but were forced to watch slowly disintegrate over many years. Bands that produced weaker and weaker music as they aged. I'd start naming em but we all know the list is never ending.
So anyway,I'd just like to thank Sebastian Grainger and Jesse Keeler for giving us so much in such a short span of time. I had the pleasure of seeing them live twice, once at Leeds Festival where Sebastian kicked a guy in the head for grabbing his balls while he was crowd surfing, and once at the Opera House in Toronto,where Sebastian berated a guy who yelled out why did you cut your hair? It was very funny. He said its just hair you asshole,why do you care?Look at you anyway, you longhaired f*%$, you get up in the morning to go to work and it takes you forever cause of all that hair. Look at the dude beside you with the shaved head. He gets to work way faster cause he's more aerodynamic,you motherfu**er. They also never had any security at their shows either. Just them and the crowd. As you proably suspect their live shows were friggin phenomenal.
A couple of other amusing sidenotes,Sebastian also sent a letter to the NME(the worst music magazine in creation) stating how much he hates the current british music scene, and the current bands ie, Razorlight, Kaiser chiefs and the like, because they're all so bland. He went on to say current british music fans were cu**ts. But my favourite dfa79 story was when James Murphy, man behind LCD soundsystem and the head of Death from above records forced Death from Above to change their name,hence the 1979. Sebastian sent a statement to all the papers stating "James Murphy is a useless piece of fu*k. If I had the resources I'd fly a plane into his skull." Brilliant. Simply brilliant. Unapolgetically antagonistic. And with the metal to back it up.
So yeah, thanks for everything. And please check out the dfa79 link to the right and read it in Jesse Keelers own words.
Another sad day for music.

Friday, August 11, 2006

Happy Birthday,Aunt Cathy!!!!!

Hey everybody!!!
Happy Birthday Aunt Cathy,and Penny and gay Keith(hahaha,I couldn't resist.) . Hope you all have a great fantastic day.
I can't believe its been over a month since I was home. And I've ignorantly been out of touch with everyone back there for roughly just over a month. Sorry. I've been workin like a damn dirty dog ever since I got back. Although I have just been promoted to full-time at the music shop,I'm now senior sales assistant or some damn thing.Yeah!!!I knew all these years of hard work would pay off. At least it means I'll be able to go down to two jobs rather than three.Maybe even one!!!!Imagine!!!Comin home from work and not havin to go back to work in an hour and a half. Its very exciting.
Anyway,since I got home we went camping up in the lakes(Ullswater to be specific.),hiked up a mountain and got a ridiculous sun burn.I went topless with a backpack on,so consequently it still looks like I'm wearin my backpack. I went for a day hike on my own(Ambleside),and had a lovely time. And what else???Ummm,work,work,work,tv,tv,tv,work,work,cinema,work,reading,work,music,work,work,work,etc.
Oh,and then there was the reunion in York last weekend. Man oh man oh man. Another legendary gathering of friends from all over. On the first evening,in the middle of our meal an old lady berated Lee for being so loud her and her daughter couldn't hold a conversation. She than slapped him on the head and left,leaving her daughter embarassed and the rest of us in hysterics. I mean could you imagine!Old man Cummins being too loud!!!Utterly ridiculous.
That first incident was the catalyst to an incredible weekend. We laughed and drank and talked and laughed and drank and drank and danced and laughed. It had been too long since I laughed that much. I just want to thank everyone for puttin in such an effort to make it to York and for makin it so good. Dave especially, the mo-fo's like some kind of international super spy. Shows up out of the blue for one night than poof!He's gone. We half expected him to show up by crashing through the hostel window on a black rope. Your a legend,mate. But yeah,everybody,Ciaran and Tom and Lee and Nic and Ryan and Penny and Keith and Kev and Dave and Nile(sorry I forget the correct spelling.). Your all champions! Absolute champions and I love you all! Yeah I know your all rolling your eyes and I don't care, I love you guys and thats that. It always breaks my heart when we have to go our separate ways at the end of the weekend,and I have to fight back the tears, but its like Ciaran said, we just have to start plannin the next one.
And having to wait 6-7 months is just too long. We should plan the next one sooner. I remember someone tossing around the idea of Belfast being the next spot. And that sounds good to me. We'll have to get the ideas circulating strait away. Oh and I'll get my photos up on here in the next few days. And there's plenty of gems,believe you me.
So I'll talk to all of you soon,especially everyone in the motherland.

Bye for now:)

p.s You have to hear this fresh new band from Brazil called CSS! They have a new single called 'Lets make love and listen to death from above', thats freakin good. Tom, you especially will appreciate it. Oh and I hope you Ciaran liked those cds.

Barbeque with the family!!!!






1. Me and Uncle Steve.

2. Me and Steves mom.

3. Mom,me and Rusty.

4. Us standing in the smokin area while Steve stares at me weirdly.

5. Yep,we're still Gangstas and we're still chillin.






1. Cousin Bailey.

2. Aunt Kerry.

3. Barbeque in Uncle Steve and Aunt Cathys' backyard.

4. Cousin Sam.

5. Uncle Rusty.







1. Me,my rad cousin Tash and Shawna shootin pool at the Rivoli,Torontos coolest pool hall.

2. Tash aimin for the corner pocket.

3. Me and my Momma,just a couple of gangstas chillin in the backyard.

4. Aunt Cathy,havin an epiphany from the looks of things.

5. Me and Sha-nay-nay.