Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Charity shops and soul food...
I was in Preston last week. A town about an hour and a half south of here. Turns out it's the charity shop capital of the United Kingdom. Or at least I assume it is. It must be. It's like an elderly person's (or my) dreamland. Second hand shops as far as the eye can see! Stores full of second hand clothes and music and books! What's better than that? In all seriousness few things excite me more when I'm out shopping or roaming around a new town than stumbling upon an Oxfam shop.
In Preston it seems like every street has a charity shop on it. And yes, they have an Oxfam. I found a sweet copy of Waylon Jennings greatest hits in there. And books! Oh the books. I'd even discovered whilst researching Preston charity shops online before my trip(yes, I do that) that Preston had an Oxfam Vintage shop. For anyone unfamiliar with Oxfam that's where they send all the really sweet second hand clothes. Manchester has a great Oxfam Vintage shop in the Northern Quarter.
Anyway, so it was that I walked off the train in Preston excited about a rare visit to an Oxfam Vintage shop, and so after completing my business I walked to the street where the shop was supposed to be, and walked up it and down it, back and forth for an hour. I could not find it. I could only assume it had closed at some point. Or it was somehow invisible to my Canadian eyes. I was disappointed but the variety and quantity of other charity shops helped dull the pain. During my searching I found a copy of Grinderman 2 in a British Heart Foundation. A copy of Rounds by Fourtet in a small local charity shop.
I also stumbled on a great record shop called Action Records and bought a copy of Dr John's Gumbo for a fiver. For high quality second hand music it was a good day. Oh and I also passed my Life in the UK test. I guess that's of some consequence, too. Shortly after passing my test, I was walking around trying to find Preston's fabled Oxfam Vintage and stumbled accidentally on Coco's Soul Food. I knew immediately it would be wonderful because when it comes to food I'm good like that. I got a Smokey Barbecue Caribbean Chicken Burger and Fries, and yes, it was a majestic celebration meal. I took some picture's to remember it by:
In Preston it seems like every street has a charity shop on it. And yes, they have an Oxfam. I found a sweet copy of Waylon Jennings greatest hits in there. And books! Oh the books. I'd even discovered whilst researching Preston charity shops online before my trip(yes, I do that) that Preston had an Oxfam Vintage shop. For anyone unfamiliar with Oxfam that's where they send all the really sweet second hand clothes. Manchester has a great Oxfam Vintage shop in the Northern Quarter.
Anyway, so it was that I walked off the train in Preston excited about a rare visit to an Oxfam Vintage shop, and so after completing my business I walked to the street where the shop was supposed to be, and walked up it and down it, back and forth for an hour. I could not find it. I could only assume it had closed at some point. Or it was somehow invisible to my Canadian eyes. I was disappointed but the variety and quantity of other charity shops helped dull the pain. During my searching I found a copy of Grinderman 2 in a British Heart Foundation. A copy of Rounds by Fourtet in a small local charity shop.
I also stumbled on a great record shop called Action Records and bought a copy of Dr John's Gumbo for a fiver. For high quality second hand music it was a good day. Oh and I also passed my Life in the UK test. I guess that's of some consequence, too. Shortly after passing my test, I was walking around trying to find Preston's fabled Oxfam Vintage and stumbled accidentally on Coco's Soul Food. I knew immediately it would be wonderful because when it comes to food I'm good like that. I got a Smokey Barbecue Caribbean Chicken Burger and Fries, and yes, it was a majestic celebration meal. I took some picture's to remember it by:
I also found a copy of It Might As Well Be Swing by Frank Sinatra and Count Basie at the Scope charity shop here in town.
Oh and I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying the newest series of Treme. I don't think a better show has been made about community and music. It's uplifting and heartbreaking and just a whole lotta fun to watch. David Simon's importance to American television and American culture in general cannot be overestimated. No one else is as obsessed with showing you the absolute truth as he is. Treme is an incredible celebration of the great city of New Orleans and a scathing critique of how badly it has been mistreated during and post Katrina.
On a final note I'm going to see Paranormal Activity 3 tonight with my wife, and my brother in law and his wife. So, yeah, there goes sleeping peacefully for the next two or three days. It's gonna be great.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Compulsions and late night rambling...
I treat all the animals I pass while out in the world as companions. I think I weird out various neighbours and strangers frequently while doing so. But I can't help it. It's a compulsion. I can only apologise in advance if it ever happens to you.
I'm listening to the song Nightcall by Kavinsky right now. It's really good. I downloaded it from Emusic years ago and recently heard it in the film Drive. Now it conjures up images of Los Angeles at night, and neon and muscle cars and Ryan Gosling. That last part probably sounds a little gay but it's not. Not completely.
I also recently watched Warrior. Tom Hardy is in it, and Joel Edgerton. Edgerton was in the superb Australian crime film Animal Kingdom, and was also Uncle Owen in The Phantom Menace. Nick Nolte was also in Warrior. That dude is the real deal. You should see the film, it's pretty great.
I was just watching this Greek film Dogtooth. It's a weird weird film, but oddly captivating. Well at least it was until one character attacked a cat with a pair of garden sheers. The film is about parents who are raising their three teenage children in a strangely isolated environment.
I've been thinking a lot recently about the idea everything is one single moment. That there is no past or future. That everything happens in one stretched out moment. Sometimes it feels like I could close my eyes, open them again and I'd be an old man. Sat on the couch. I could open them and I'd be ten years old again playing in the snow. I could open them up and I'd be stood outside Flinders Station. I feel like these moments, all the moments that make up my life are separated by a membrane thinner than paper. That is only growing thinner. This idea kind of fascinates me but mostly it terrifies me. I don't know if you know what I mean.
I've been working on this radio show with two friends of mine. It's been reinvigorating for me creatively. For a while it had felt like my brain was shutting down. I'd sort of stopped thinking. Now I'm trying to think up creative themes and idea's for the show. It's been challenging. My brain has not been overwhelming me with original idea's. It's a little scary and more than a little difficult to be creative when you are seemingly incapable of original thought. Still I'm making this sound weirdly negative. It isn't. It's been a blast. We're going into my friends studio to record episode five this week, and we've just extended the running time for each episode from one to two hours. It feels good having to think again. The station should hopefully be up and running soon-ish. I believe there will be a trial run of some sort first.
I did one of those Mojo-esque music questionnaire things for the local paper the other week. The feature is called Pet Sounds. It included a god awful photo of me and in the piece I used the word veracious. What an asshole. That's what I probably would have thought if I was a stranger reading the paper at home. I don't believe I've ever used the word veracious in real life, but I couldn't resist the urge to be a little bit of a pompous dick. It's fun.
If I had to put it down to one thing, I'd probably say the main reason I love cats is because they're jerks.
Am I the only one who finds the theme song for QI with Stephen Fry a little emotional?
I've been listening to Incesticide by Nirvana whilst writing most of this. It's been a long time since I've listened to that album because my physical copy is in Canada and for some reason I forgot to add it to my hard drive before I left but I just found it on Spotify. Hairspray Queen never gets any less goddamn amazing. Jesus I love this record.
Oh and I just watched the trailer for Paranormal Activity 3. It freaked me out. I'm a real sucker for those films. The first one got in my head and stayed there for days. I still don't look at attic doors in the same way. And even though the rational side of my brain understands how gimmicky and artificial those films are, the irrational(and dominate) side of my brain does not. The irrational side of my brain is desperate to suspend it's disbelief for two hours. It's fun.
I discussed Paranormal Activity with my friend recently. We were visiting him and his lovely family in Ireland and he showed me a sophisticated baby monitor he had purchased. It had a little video camera on it that recorded the crib. So you could watch and listen to your baby from the comfort of your living room. The little screen on his mantel displayed a small slightly grainy greenish night vision view of his little girl asleep. I asked him if he'd seen Paranormal Activity? He said no. I said he wouldn't look at that baby monitor in the same way ever again if he did. Then we had a completely unrelated discussion about Catholicism that kept us up far longer than we had anticipated. That was a good trip. He has a little girl who could power the universe with her joy and infectious enthusiasm.
Finally, it's late and I'm tired. Well, I'm tired now but I'll still lay awake in bed in the dark for a fucking hour.
Oh before I do go a big Happy Thanksgiving to everyone back home. I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner ever to celebrate. Never has a chicken been butchered so badly with a carving knife. It was delicious though. I cooked chicken because turkey wasn't available. Tomorrow I'm making chicken soup. It's going to be monumental.
Anyway, good night.
I'm listening to the song Nightcall by Kavinsky right now. It's really good. I downloaded it from Emusic years ago and recently heard it in the film Drive. Now it conjures up images of Los Angeles at night, and neon and muscle cars and Ryan Gosling. That last part probably sounds a little gay but it's not. Not completely.
I also recently watched Warrior. Tom Hardy is in it, and Joel Edgerton. Edgerton was in the superb Australian crime film Animal Kingdom, and was also Uncle Owen in The Phantom Menace. Nick Nolte was also in Warrior. That dude is the real deal. You should see the film, it's pretty great.
I was just watching this Greek film Dogtooth. It's a weird weird film, but oddly captivating. Well at least it was until one character attacked a cat with a pair of garden sheers. The film is about parents who are raising their three teenage children in a strangely isolated environment.
I've been thinking a lot recently about the idea everything is one single moment. That there is no past or future. That everything happens in one stretched out moment. Sometimes it feels like I could close my eyes, open them again and I'd be an old man. Sat on the couch. I could open them and I'd be ten years old again playing in the snow. I could open them up and I'd be stood outside Flinders Station. I feel like these moments, all the moments that make up my life are separated by a membrane thinner than paper. That is only growing thinner. This idea kind of fascinates me but mostly it terrifies me. I don't know if you know what I mean.
I've been working on this radio show with two friends of mine. It's been reinvigorating for me creatively. For a while it had felt like my brain was shutting down. I'd sort of stopped thinking. Now I'm trying to think up creative themes and idea's for the show. It's been challenging. My brain has not been overwhelming me with original idea's. It's a little scary and more than a little difficult to be creative when you are seemingly incapable of original thought. Still I'm making this sound weirdly negative. It isn't. It's been a blast. We're going into my friends studio to record episode five this week, and we've just extended the running time for each episode from one to two hours. It feels good having to think again. The station should hopefully be up and running soon-ish. I believe there will be a trial run of some sort first.
I did one of those Mojo-esque music questionnaire things for the local paper the other week. The feature is called Pet Sounds. It included a god awful photo of me and in the piece I used the word veracious. What an asshole. That's what I probably would have thought if I was a stranger reading the paper at home. I don't believe I've ever used the word veracious in real life, but I couldn't resist the urge to be a little bit of a pompous dick. It's fun.
If I had to put it down to one thing, I'd probably say the main reason I love cats is because they're jerks.
Am I the only one who finds the theme song for QI with Stephen Fry a little emotional?
I've been listening to Incesticide by Nirvana whilst writing most of this. It's been a long time since I've listened to that album because my physical copy is in Canada and for some reason I forgot to add it to my hard drive before I left but I just found it on Spotify. Hairspray Queen never gets any less goddamn amazing. Jesus I love this record.
Oh and I just watched the trailer for Paranormal Activity 3. It freaked me out. I'm a real sucker for those films. The first one got in my head and stayed there for days. I still don't look at attic doors in the same way. And even though the rational side of my brain understands how gimmicky and artificial those films are, the irrational(and dominate) side of my brain does not. The irrational side of my brain is desperate to suspend it's disbelief for two hours. It's fun.
I discussed Paranormal Activity with my friend recently. We were visiting him and his lovely family in Ireland and he showed me a sophisticated baby monitor he had purchased. It had a little video camera on it that recorded the crib. So you could watch and listen to your baby from the comfort of your living room. The little screen on his mantel displayed a small slightly grainy greenish night vision view of his little girl asleep. I asked him if he'd seen Paranormal Activity? He said no. I said he wouldn't look at that baby monitor in the same way ever again if he did. Then we had a completely unrelated discussion about Catholicism that kept us up far longer than we had anticipated. That was a good trip. He has a little girl who could power the universe with her joy and infectious enthusiasm.
Finally, it's late and I'm tired. Well, I'm tired now but I'll still lay awake in bed in the dark for a fucking hour.
Oh before I do go a big Happy Thanksgiving to everyone back home. I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner ever to celebrate. Never has a chicken been butchered so badly with a carving knife. It was delicious though. I cooked chicken because turkey wasn't available. Tomorrow I'm making chicken soup. It's going to be monumental.
Anyway, good night.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Brand new posters for our upcoming new radio show, Alternative Revelations!
We're trying to cover all the bases...
Friday, September 16, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
It's the song of the day! (a Monday afternoon pick me up!)
I love a lot of music and have a lot of favourite songs. But when push comes to shove I honestly struggle to find a song that makes me feel better than Say No Go. Four minutes and twenty-one seconds of joy...
Ten years ago...
Ten years ago today I was in the middle of the Toronto International Film Festival. I had the festival pass that gave me tickets to watch fifty films in ten days. Five films a day. My first film would be around 9am and the last would play at midnight. I'd race to catch the last subway at 2am, and would be up and out by 8am. Stand in line....watch a film...stand in line...watch a film...it was magnificent.
Saturday September 11th I woke up around 7:30am feeling like a zombie but excited about the sixth day of the festival. I rode the subway down to Yonge and Bloor, most likely stopped for a coffee from a Second Cup and walked the two or three blocks to the Manulife Centre at Bay and Bloor. I took my place in line and soaked up the atmosphere. It was clear and warm, the sky was bright blue and everywhere you looked people talked about movies.
Eventually the line started moving and we made our way into the Varsity Cinema. The lobby was alive. Line ups veered off in all directions. Volunteers answered questions. Movie fans and industry types waited patiently. We made our way into the theatre and our seats. Today I was about to watch World Traveller A film by Bart Freundlich starring Billy Crudup, Julianne Moore and Liane Baliban. A story about a family man who on one random day leaves his family and goes on a personal odyssey across the country. As the theatre filled up, people ate breakfast, drank coffee and water and talked about the films they had watched the day before.
I went to all the festival films alone back then (I didn't know anyone else interested in watching five films a day for ten days straight) so I sat and watched people. I was very very content. Just before the lights went down a member of staff walked up to the front of the theatre and said there were reports of an incident in America. That further details would be available later. And to enjoy the film. People looked curiously at one another as the cinema grew dark and the screen lit up.
When the film ended and the lights came back on people waited. Often they have special guests(actors, filmmakers, producers) who do a question and answer after films at TIFF. Another member of staff walked up to the front of the cinema again and said there had been an incident in America. That man people were reported injured or dead. To remain calm.
The world outside the theatre was chaos.We walked out of the theatre into the lobby of the Varsity cinema. People moved quickly in all directions. I walked out of the Varsity into the Manulife Centre. There was a constant murmur in the air. Many voices talking at once, worried and confused. Volunteers did their best to answer questions. I was confused. I stood and watched people rushing back and forth. Talking on cell phones. I walked over to a volunteer and asked what had happened. There had been a terrorist attack down in the U.S. Forty thousand people were reported dead. I just looked at him. I headed for the escalator and made my way out of the building onto the sidewalk. People were stood around with strange looks on their faces not knowing what to do. I asked an old guy with a beard what had happened. He said there had been some sort of terrorist attack on New York City. He said his name was Richard and asked if I was okay. We talked for a bit. He was a nice man. One of those mid-sixties, world weary, well educated, funny calming types. He helped me get my head around things a little bit.
I overheard someone mention something about people watching a screen down the street. I walked along Bloor to the corner of Yonge Street and stopped. All the traffic had stopped. The street and sidewalks were full of people stood looking up, like a scene in a science fiction movie. They were starring at a giant screen. I looked up. The giant screen that normally showed commericals and weather updates and news now displayed a shot of downtown New York city. Smoke poured out of the World Trade Center towers. As I watched, bewildered and unbelieving, a plane entered the frame. It was quiet on the street. No one talked. It was one of the most surreal moments of my life. I was dazed. I watched the screen for a long time, horrified and mesmerized.
I made my way back to the Manulife Center, not really knowing what else to do. I found Richard again and told him what I saw. He had seen it too. I don't remember specifically what we talked about then but I know it was big existential tragedy of life type stuff. He was trying to get in touch with his son down in America and I decided I had to get in touch with my family. I found a payphone(I didn't own a cellphone) and called my mom. It became even weirder once I was talking to someone from my own reality, someone familiar. It felt completely inconceivable that this was happening in the mundane world I lived in every day. It was too big of an event.
I walked to the subway and waited on the crowded platform for the next train. The ride home was silent. No one seemed to have anything to say to anybody. I got back to my apartment and sat on the couch. It seemed even more surreal watching it on normal television in my living room. Hearing newscasters reporting all the details. Watching the terrible footage over and over. I called my friend Steven and woke him up. He'd slept through it all. Have you seen the news I asked? No. Put on your television. Why? What happened?
I put my memories of this day in the same folder in my head as my memories of our car crash or our near drowning in Byron Bay. Visceral, and brutally real. Memories where you are unselfconsciously aware of your own mortality. Memories where you feel oddly alive and aware of being a part of something larger. A part of the collective group that makes up humanity, and this terrible tragic world in which we live.
Saturday September 11th I woke up around 7:30am feeling like a zombie but excited about the sixth day of the festival. I rode the subway down to Yonge and Bloor, most likely stopped for a coffee from a Second Cup and walked the two or three blocks to the Manulife Centre at Bay and Bloor. I took my place in line and soaked up the atmosphere. It was clear and warm, the sky was bright blue and everywhere you looked people talked about movies.
Eventually the line started moving and we made our way into the Varsity Cinema. The lobby was alive. Line ups veered off in all directions. Volunteers answered questions. Movie fans and industry types waited patiently. We made our way into the theatre and our seats. Today I was about to watch World Traveller A film by Bart Freundlich starring Billy Crudup, Julianne Moore and Liane Baliban. A story about a family man who on one random day leaves his family and goes on a personal odyssey across the country. As the theatre filled up, people ate breakfast, drank coffee and water and talked about the films they had watched the day before.
I went to all the festival films alone back then (I didn't know anyone else interested in watching five films a day for ten days straight) so I sat and watched people. I was very very content. Just before the lights went down a member of staff walked up to the front of the theatre and said there were reports of an incident in America. That further details would be available later. And to enjoy the film. People looked curiously at one another as the cinema grew dark and the screen lit up.
When the film ended and the lights came back on people waited. Often they have special guests(actors, filmmakers, producers) who do a question and answer after films at TIFF. Another member of staff walked up to the front of the cinema again and said there had been an incident in America. That man people were reported injured or dead. To remain calm.
The world outside the theatre was chaos.We walked out of the theatre into the lobby of the Varsity cinema. People moved quickly in all directions. I walked out of the Varsity into the Manulife Centre. There was a constant murmur in the air. Many voices talking at once, worried and confused. Volunteers did their best to answer questions. I was confused. I stood and watched people rushing back and forth. Talking on cell phones. I walked over to a volunteer and asked what had happened. There had been a terrorist attack down in the U.S. Forty thousand people were reported dead. I just looked at him. I headed for the escalator and made my way out of the building onto the sidewalk. People were stood around with strange looks on their faces not knowing what to do. I asked an old guy with a beard what had happened. He said there had been some sort of terrorist attack on New York City. He said his name was Richard and asked if I was okay. We talked for a bit. He was a nice man. One of those mid-sixties, world weary, well educated, funny calming types. He helped me get my head around things a little bit.
I overheard someone mention something about people watching a screen down the street. I walked along Bloor to the corner of Yonge Street and stopped. All the traffic had stopped. The street and sidewalks were full of people stood looking up, like a scene in a science fiction movie. They were starring at a giant screen. I looked up. The giant screen that normally showed commericals and weather updates and news now displayed a shot of downtown New York city. Smoke poured out of the World Trade Center towers. As I watched, bewildered and unbelieving, a plane entered the frame. It was quiet on the street. No one talked. It was one of the most surreal moments of my life. I was dazed. I watched the screen for a long time, horrified and mesmerized.
I made my way back to the Manulife Center, not really knowing what else to do. I found Richard again and told him what I saw. He had seen it too. I don't remember specifically what we talked about then but I know it was big existential tragedy of life type stuff. He was trying to get in touch with his son down in America and I decided I had to get in touch with my family. I found a payphone(I didn't own a cellphone) and called my mom. It became even weirder once I was talking to someone from my own reality, someone familiar. It felt completely inconceivable that this was happening in the mundane world I lived in every day. It was too big of an event.
I walked to the subway and waited on the crowded platform for the next train. The ride home was silent. No one seemed to have anything to say to anybody. I got back to my apartment and sat on the couch. It seemed even more surreal watching it on normal television in my living room. Hearing newscasters reporting all the details. Watching the terrible footage over and over. I called my friend Steven and woke him up. He'd slept through it all. Have you seen the news I asked? No. Put on your television. Why? What happened?
I put my memories of this day in the same folder in my head as my memories of our car crash or our near drowning in Byron Bay. Visceral, and brutally real. Memories where you are unselfconsciously aware of your own mortality. Memories where you feel oddly alive and aware of being a part of something larger. A part of the collective group that makes up humanity, and this terrible tragic world in which we live.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Shaking off the dust...
I was watching a program tonight, one of those comedy panel shows that are so popular on UK television. David Mitchell was on it and at one point the host did something funny and David Mitchell laughed, not polite normal tv laughter, but proper real furious belly laughter. He laughed so hard he temporarily dropped his guard. He was almost in between laughing and screaming. It was only a little moment.
I'm working on a radio show with my friend and another friend. I should have said I'm working on a radio show with two friends or some friends. That would have made more sense. I don't know why I didn't. Oh well, too late now. So yeah, we've already recorded one show. I think it went okay. It had a nice feel to it. Like sitting in front of a fireplace. Or around a picnic table in a friends backyard in the summer. We played good music, too. I'm going back in this week to record a few more episodes. We're pre-recording them so they can just be inserted into the schedule when the station officially launches. I've always wanted to do a radio show. For a very long time. It's exciting that the opportunity has finally revealed itself to me. Very exciting. I've had trouble sleeping some nights because of it. My mind sometimes won't shut up thinking of idea's. Laying in the dark running through things I might say and talk about. Songs I might play. Themes. It's been a reinvigorating experience so far.
I've also been doing some writing for the local paper. Not real writing, but writing nonetheless. I've written a few reviews, and just recently wrote a few preview articles. I also got a chance to do one of those Mojo magazine type things where they ask you a set of questions about the first album you ever bought, etc, etc. Not the actual Mojo one. One similar to it that the local paper does called Pet Sounds. It was fun, though. They took my picture for it. I look like I'm made out of playdoh. It's disgusting. But oh well.
These recent opportunities have helped me realize all over again, the importance of being pro-active. I have a couple of new stories started, a weird idea for a play, and I'm recommitted to getting my camera back out and snapping pictures. Lots of pictures. I've started running a bit too, and I'm eating better. I was beginning to atrophy and am now making strong moves to get things going, to reverse the effects. It's impossible to overstate the importance of creativity in your everyday life.
I've been missing Canada and my family a lot lately. It's no coincidence these feelings have increased in the first two weeks of September, while the Toronto International Film Festival is in full swing. The festival and Midnight Madness in particular makes me think of the great city of Toronto and everything I love about it. The two things will always be inextricably intertwined. It's ten years this month since the attacks on the World Trade Center. That will always be connected to TIFF for me, too. I was at TIFF, watching a film when the planes were hitting the towers. Sat in a cinema at the Varsity in the Manulife Center watching a film called World Traveller. The film ended and we all walked out of the theater and into chaos. I understand the importance of remembering but I do feel a bit uncomfortable with the way some parts of the media have been handling the upcoming anniversary. But it's way too late and I'm way too tired to get into all of that.
Anyway, hope all you lovely people are well. More on my radio show, Alternative Revelations, to come.
(here's a photo of Clint and Clyde to cheer you up.)
I'm working on a radio show with my friend and another friend. I should have said I'm working on a radio show with two friends or some friends. That would have made more sense. I don't know why I didn't. Oh well, too late now. So yeah, we've already recorded one show. I think it went okay. It had a nice feel to it. Like sitting in front of a fireplace. Or around a picnic table in a friends backyard in the summer. We played good music, too. I'm going back in this week to record a few more episodes. We're pre-recording them so they can just be inserted into the schedule when the station officially launches. I've always wanted to do a radio show. For a very long time. It's exciting that the opportunity has finally revealed itself to me. Very exciting. I've had trouble sleeping some nights because of it. My mind sometimes won't shut up thinking of idea's. Laying in the dark running through things I might say and talk about. Songs I might play. Themes. It's been a reinvigorating experience so far.
I've also been doing some writing for the local paper. Not real writing, but writing nonetheless. I've written a few reviews, and just recently wrote a few preview articles. I also got a chance to do one of those Mojo magazine type things where they ask you a set of questions about the first album you ever bought, etc, etc. Not the actual Mojo one. One similar to it that the local paper does called Pet Sounds. It was fun, though. They took my picture for it. I look like I'm made out of playdoh. It's disgusting. But oh well.
These recent opportunities have helped me realize all over again, the importance of being pro-active. I have a couple of new stories started, a weird idea for a play, and I'm recommitted to getting my camera back out and snapping pictures. Lots of pictures. I've started running a bit too, and I'm eating better. I was beginning to atrophy and am now making strong moves to get things going, to reverse the effects. It's impossible to overstate the importance of creativity in your everyday life.
I've been missing Canada and my family a lot lately. It's no coincidence these feelings have increased in the first two weeks of September, while the Toronto International Film Festival is in full swing. The festival and Midnight Madness in particular makes me think of the great city of Toronto and everything I love about it. The two things will always be inextricably intertwined. It's ten years this month since the attacks on the World Trade Center. That will always be connected to TIFF for me, too. I was at TIFF, watching a film when the planes were hitting the towers. Sat in a cinema at the Varsity in the Manulife Center watching a film called World Traveller. The film ended and we all walked out of the theater and into chaos. I understand the importance of remembering but I do feel a bit uncomfortable with the way some parts of the media have been handling the upcoming anniversary. But it's way too late and I'm way too tired to get into all of that.
Anyway, hope all you lovely people are well. More on my radio show, Alternative Revelations, to come.
(here's a photo of Clint and Clyde to cheer you up.)
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Thursday, September 01, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
It's the song of the day!
I was going to find something a bit less obvious but this track is just too nice to deny, setting your Saturday afternoon vibe bar somewhere just outside the stratosphere. Plus the quality of this classic video is pristine.
Hey film lovers...
A hidden gem and a wonderful piece of classic film noir, Allen Baron's Blast of Silence is a brutal unflinching story of a hitman in New York City. It's worth watching for the opening sequence alone.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
A belated compilation...
A couple of months ago I wrote a bunch of nonsense about outlaw music. Around the same time I was listening to all the music I wrote about I put together a big compilation of music...of all the music I was listening to...that I wrote about. Here it is for anyone interested. There's a bunch of related stuff on the compilation I didn't write about, too. Plus two mystery songs! That didn't fit on the screenprint I did.
You could cut the tension with a knife. (I was going to put a crazy picture on above the playlist for effect but then I wrote all this stuff and spoiled it, so I added one on the end.)
The Fresh Cup of Coffee Early Morning Mix! (Click on the title to hear the tunes)
Okay, so the photo isn't that crazy but it is pretty fantastic.
I found it here on this interesting website, Lundahl's Coffee Shop.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Channel Surfing...
I often enjoy watching the Russian news channel Russia Today. The network has a surprisingly refreshing slant on world events, particularly those involving America. When big news stories occur, like the current financial crisis afflicting America, you get a fairly honest view of things. Free of the usual spin you get on other channels. Sometimes you just get weirdly aggressive newscasters saying weirdly aggressive things in strange exaggerated American accents. Plus the set designs and graphics make the channel look like a news station from some alternate universe. Some future that was never realized. Either way it makes for oddly enthralling viewing.
That got weirder.
A debate show called the Keiser Report started on Russia Today soon after. The host is a very intense guy who reminds me vaguely of Oliver Stone. His guest tonight was an American girl who still oddly put on a weirdly exaggerated American accent. She seemed very excited to be on the show. The overall feel of the show is a little bit community television. They started discussing the financial crisis in America and showed a clip of a journalist for the New York Times saying basically that if an alien invasion were imminent that the financial crisis would be solved in a few days. Which, yeah, is a weird argument to hear from a New York Times journalist. The host of the Keiser Report and the American girl then began discussing alien invasions and the financial crisis, and the fact that apparently all it will take to stimulate the American economy is an invasion of beings from outer space.
For roughly twenty minutes it was like watching television in the twilight zone.
So I'm reading The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett and it's blowing my mind. It was written in 1932 and reads like it was written with a sharp knife. Hammett is recognized as one of the masters of hard-boiled detective fiction, and when I started reading The Thin Man I half expected it to be a bit heavy handed and cliched. But the writing is so precise. The story so well realized. It's set in New York City. I've been obsessed with old film noir movies set in New York for ages. Pictures like The Naked City and Blast of Silence. The cinematography is beautiful and fascinating. Hammett's book reads like those films, New York is a vital character, and you can almost smell the city. Taste the air. Feel the sidewalk under your feet. But the book, being a book and as such superior to films, offers you so much more. The interaction between the male and female characters is fascinating. I don't know, maybe I have just been incredibly naive to the hard-boiled detective novels of that era but The Thin Man is a very satisfying reading experience.
I also just watched Super. The second film by James Gunn, the man responsible for the comic horror gem Slither. It's the latest in the relatively new genre of realistic superhero films. It has had many comparisons to Kick Ass, but I don't think the comparisons do either film much justice. They are very different viewing experiences. I don't want to say too much, I think Super should be seen fresh. It stars Rain Wilson from the American version of the Office and Ellen Page. And Ellen Page is a revelation. A awesomely mental revelation. It also stars Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler and Nathan Fillion. If your into horror films I highly recommend Slither too. I watched it sort of by accident on tv, expecting nothing if I'm being honest, and I loved it. It is strange, funny, and wonderfully crazy.
Oh and I was checking out a link a friend forwarded to me the other day. It was to a pretty amazing website called How to be a retronaut. The link was to graduation pictures of famous people. It was really funny. But this one of the great George Clooney still weirds me out.
I was flicking through channels a minute ago and pressed to read the information on a show called Hitler's Children on Discovery History. The synopsis read like this:
Seduction: Hitler moulded German children into an army which would fight in his name to conquer the world. Former participants tell of the unscrupulous methods of indoctrination.Not being in the mood for such light hearted viewing I flicked on and put on Russia Today, the Russian news channel. They were listing off the days top news stories when a headline popped up quickly. I looked at it and read Russia declares war on Jews. My eyes widened, then I saw that the words were superimposed over a photo of a great white shark and I realized it actually said Russia declares war on Jaws. I breathed an audible sigh of relief. For a very brief second I was pretty freaked out. You know, especially so soon after I read that Hitler's Children thing. It was a weird few minutes of television.
That got weirder.
A debate show called the Keiser Report started on Russia Today soon after. The host is a very intense guy who reminds me vaguely of Oliver Stone. His guest tonight was an American girl who still oddly put on a weirdly exaggerated American accent. She seemed very excited to be on the show. The overall feel of the show is a little bit community television. They started discussing the financial crisis in America and showed a clip of a journalist for the New York Times saying basically that if an alien invasion were imminent that the financial crisis would be solved in a few days. Which, yeah, is a weird argument to hear from a New York Times journalist. The host of the Keiser Report and the American girl then began discussing alien invasions and the financial crisis, and the fact that apparently all it will take to stimulate the American economy is an invasion of beings from outer space.
For roughly twenty minutes it was like watching television in the twilight zone.
So I'm reading The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett and it's blowing my mind. It was written in 1932 and reads like it was written with a sharp knife. Hammett is recognized as one of the masters of hard-boiled detective fiction, and when I started reading The Thin Man I half expected it to be a bit heavy handed and cliched. But the writing is so precise. The story so well realized. It's set in New York City. I've been obsessed with old film noir movies set in New York for ages. Pictures like The Naked City and Blast of Silence. The cinematography is beautiful and fascinating. Hammett's book reads like those films, New York is a vital character, and you can almost smell the city. Taste the air. Feel the sidewalk under your feet. But the book, being a book and as such superior to films, offers you so much more. The interaction between the male and female characters is fascinating. I don't know, maybe I have just been incredibly naive to the hard-boiled detective novels of that era but The Thin Man is a very satisfying reading experience.
I also just watched Super. The second film by James Gunn, the man responsible for the comic horror gem Slither. It's the latest in the relatively new genre of realistic superhero films. It has had many comparisons to Kick Ass, but I don't think the comparisons do either film much justice. They are very different viewing experiences. I don't want to say too much, I think Super should be seen fresh. It stars Rain Wilson from the American version of the Office and Ellen Page. And Ellen Page is a revelation. A awesomely mental revelation. It also stars Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler and Nathan Fillion. If your into horror films I highly recommend Slither too. I watched it sort of by accident on tv, expecting nothing if I'm being honest, and I loved it. It is strange, funny, and wonderfully crazy.
Oh and I was checking out a link a friend forwarded to me the other day. It was to a pretty amazing website called How to be a retronaut. The link was to graduation pictures of famous people. It was really funny. But this one of the great George Clooney still weirds me out.
A video message from Mr Tom Waits...
For a while now Tom Waits has been hinting at some new developments. He told those who care about such things to check in at his website today at a specific time. This is what he had to say, in typical fantastic Tom Waits fashion...
(if the rest of popular culture is a small man throwing a bucket of waste over you, Tom Waits is a large guy with a sledge hammer and a smile)
(if the rest of popular culture is a small man throwing a bucket of waste over you, Tom Waits is a large guy with a sledge hammer and a smile)
Friday, August 19, 2011
It's the song of the day! (maybe the best ever)
Some mornings you wake up uninspired and weary. Exhausted by the world and the dirge that is popular culture and world politics. You realize your out of peanut butter. Then you check your emails and stumble upon this and spend the rest of the day smiling...
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
It's the song(s) of the day!
Cloudy day. Another runny nose, more plugged sinuses. Reading Zeitoun, a beautiful and frustrating book of non-fiction written by Dave Eggers. Heavy. Things pile on top of you every now and then. Laughter and self deprecation are valuable tools. Optimism over fatalism, so...just in case the first song is too grey for you, I've followed it up with another...
Kenny's Theme by Buck 65
and/or
The Model by Buck 65
Kenny's Theme by Buck 65
and/or
The Model by Buck 65
Monday, August 15, 2011
Use your imagination/It's the song of the day!
It's a sunny day out in the real world, and now it's a sunny day here on the interweb because the first single off of Feist's forthcoming album Metals has been released. You can listen to it below. It's lovely. I also have a weird twitch just above the right side of my mouth that feels like a small weak child is pinching my face every three or four minutes. And David Lynch has an album of electronic pop songs coming out in November. I caught the final episode of Twin Peaks on TV the other night. It is delightful and genuinely devastating every time.
Picture a clown smiling awkwardly. Picture the clown stroking a big black dog on it's head. Picture the dog biting the clown on his hand. Picture the clown punching the dog in the ear. Picture your world in flames and a smug sweating man in a suit laughing. Picture a bowl of cereal. Picture a charcoal pencil and sheath of blank paper.Picture Niagara Falls. Picture a brand new single from Leslie Feist and what it might sound like.
How Come You Never Go There by Feist
Picture a clown smiling awkwardly. Picture the clown stroking a big black dog on it's head. Picture the dog biting the clown on his hand. Picture the clown punching the dog in the ear. Picture your world in flames and a smug sweating man in a suit laughing. Picture a bowl of cereal. Picture a charcoal pencil and sheath of blank paper.Picture Niagara Falls. Picture a brand new single from Leslie Feist and what it might sound like.
How Come You Never Go There by Feist
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Rage...
This is a link to some hypnotic crazy Australian shit. A late night Australian music show of incredible consistency and otherworldly quality. My memories of this show, watching the music videos it featured, in Pott's Point, Sydney,on our tiny television, in our little studio apartment, make me have to stop and catch my breath.
Rage
Remember late night music shows? That featured good music videos? Including songs that weren't singles? Late night music shows like 120 Minutes?
Rage
Remember late night music shows? That featured good music videos? Including songs that weren't singles? Late night music shows like 120 Minutes?
Friday, August 12, 2011
It's the song of the day!
A brutally honest piece of hip hop gold. The low budget D.I.Y video by the legendary Spike Jonze is perfection. So clever it makes me giddy. Spikes ability to match the aesthetic of the video with the aesthetic of the song is unparalleled. This is one of my very favourite pieces of music art. Beautiful.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Fake anarchists and TV sitcoms...
It's been another heavy week as our dying planet hurtles towards apocalypse at a nauseating velocity.
Children rioting in the streets of our cities, stealing and destroying under the false pretense of social injustice. If the looters bullshit were to be believed it would surely mark the first time anarchists paused in the middle of their revolution to steal flat screen plasma televisions and sneakers.
People sat in front of their televisions at home got to watch, over and over and over again, incredibly sad and infuriating video footage of a group of people pretending to help an injured boy up off the ground before robbing him and leaving him confused and scared. We saw images of a woman having to jump for her life from the second story of a burning building. Incredibly enlightening footage of a Sky News reporter asking a boy in a balaclava why he and his friends were taking part in these riots. The boy responding with "It's fun,innit? We get drunk and do what we want."
On a slightly less important but no less distressing note, the illustrious music publication NME had a photo of British band the Horrors on it's cover along with the highly contentious statement that they were, apparently, Britain's best band. Is it a coincidence this particular issue of the magazine coincided with these terrible riots? I don't know. XL Recordings weren't one of the independent record labels affected by the terrible fire at the Sony distribution center in Enfield, so probably not.
Incidently here's a link to a list of all the independent record labels badly affected by the burning down of the Sony Distribution in Enfield Monday night. Go out and buy some music from any of these labels and help support a vital industry, and good record labels now seriously under threat.
I watched a news update the other night that discussed the courts in London and how they were staying open all night to process all those charged with crimes perpetrated during the riots. They displayed photos of individual looters caught on CCTV camera's. One of the people charged with stealing was a male teaching assistant at an elementary school. The man even had his photo on the schools website homepage where he was listed as a mentor for the children. I tell you, you can't write this stuff.
I have to say though, by this point I was exhausted with the rolling news stories, emphasising what a terrible society we have nurtured, and at the mention of the courts being open all night all I could think of was the television show Night Court and how much I loved it. A perfect example of a great American situational comedy. I've never seen it available on DVD, and I'm not sure if anybody is even familiar with it here in the UK. But all I could think of was how great it would be to watch it all over again. John Larroquette was my favourite character on the show. Dan Fielding. A legend amongst smarmy, hilarious, over confident, asshole television characters.
I tend to return to situational television comedy when I'm feeling fed up or particularly stressed. I find reassurance in fun, well constructed, cleverly written television shows. It's a hard art to perfect, and once in awhile you stumble on a show that makes it look effortless. I got a bit obsessed a few months ago with re-runs of Martin. I discovered the whole series on YouTube and had forgotten how great it was. Martin Lawrence was an inspired comedic actor back then. And I've been obsessed with The IT Crowd recently.
For some reason it went entirely unknown inside my brain mind that the Graham Linehan who wrote The IT Crowd was the very same Graham Linehan who co-wrote Father Ted. I was a little ashamed of myself when I made that, what in hindsight was painfully obvious, realization. I was obsessed with Father Ted when it first aired in Canada. It is one of the great television shows of our time. I kept watching episodes of The IT Crowd and seven or eight times an episode I'd think jesus this is well written. It's so subtle and smart and well constructed yet so simply funny. So funny it almost seems obvious. I get jealous watching it. I wish I could write something that well.
Then the other day I was in the middle of telling my wife all of this, about how great the IT Crowd was and she went yeah, it's the same guy who wrote Father Ted. I looked at her dumbly. Inside my head I was viciously kicking my brain. I went on the computer and googled Graham Linehan and discovered he also co-wrote series one of Black Books, another of my favourite TV shows. My respect for Graham Linehan kept growing. Father Ted, The IT Crowd, Black Books.
Oh and I also just put together a compilation of music songs, a playlist if you will. I've attached it below. I have to send out my apologies to Mr Linehan for stealing the idea directly from his delightful blog. It's such a simple way of posting a music compilation, and I'm such a hopeless pathetic idiot when it comes to that kind of stuff. You know, stuff involving thinking.
You should check out Graham Linehan's blog. It's very clever and funny. Not like the one your currently reading.
So yeah, here's some music...I've cleverly titled the list: "Thematically inconsistent, maybe." (Obviously, any time anybody ever openly refers to something they just did as clever, it almost always isn't.) Enjoy!
Children rioting in the streets of our cities, stealing and destroying under the false pretense of social injustice. If the looters bullshit were to be believed it would surely mark the first time anarchists paused in the middle of their revolution to steal flat screen plasma televisions and sneakers.
People sat in front of their televisions at home got to watch, over and over and over again, incredibly sad and infuriating video footage of a group of people pretending to help an injured boy up off the ground before robbing him and leaving him confused and scared. We saw images of a woman having to jump for her life from the second story of a burning building. Incredibly enlightening footage of a Sky News reporter asking a boy in a balaclava why he and his friends were taking part in these riots. The boy responding with "It's fun,innit? We get drunk and do what we want."
On a slightly less important but no less distressing note, the illustrious music publication NME had a photo of British band the Horrors on it's cover along with the highly contentious statement that they were, apparently, Britain's best band. Is it a coincidence this particular issue of the magazine coincided with these terrible riots? I don't know. XL Recordings weren't one of the independent record labels affected by the terrible fire at the Sony distribution center in Enfield, so probably not.
Incidently here's a link to a list of all the independent record labels badly affected by the burning down of the Sony Distribution in Enfield Monday night. Go out and buy some music from any of these labels and help support a vital industry, and good record labels now seriously under threat.
I watched a news update the other night that discussed the courts in London and how they were staying open all night to process all those charged with crimes perpetrated during the riots. They displayed photos of individual looters caught on CCTV camera's. One of the people charged with stealing was a male teaching assistant at an elementary school. The man even had his photo on the schools website homepage where he was listed as a mentor for the children. I tell you, you can't write this stuff.
I have to say though, by this point I was exhausted with the rolling news stories, emphasising what a terrible society we have nurtured, and at the mention of the courts being open all night all I could think of was the television show Night Court and how much I loved it. A perfect example of a great American situational comedy. I've never seen it available on DVD, and I'm not sure if anybody is even familiar with it here in the UK. But all I could think of was how great it would be to watch it all over again. John Larroquette was my favourite character on the show. Dan Fielding. A legend amongst smarmy, hilarious, over confident, asshole television characters.
I tend to return to situational television comedy when I'm feeling fed up or particularly stressed. I find reassurance in fun, well constructed, cleverly written television shows. It's a hard art to perfect, and once in awhile you stumble on a show that makes it look effortless. I got a bit obsessed a few months ago with re-runs of Martin. I discovered the whole series on YouTube and had forgotten how great it was. Martin Lawrence was an inspired comedic actor back then. And I've been obsessed with The IT Crowd recently.
For some reason it went entirely unknown inside my brain mind that the Graham Linehan who wrote The IT Crowd was the very same Graham Linehan who co-wrote Father Ted. I was a little ashamed of myself when I made that, what in hindsight was painfully obvious, realization. I was obsessed with Father Ted when it first aired in Canada. It is one of the great television shows of our time. I kept watching episodes of The IT Crowd and seven or eight times an episode I'd think jesus this is well written. It's so subtle and smart and well constructed yet so simply funny. So funny it almost seems obvious. I get jealous watching it. I wish I could write something that well.
Then the other day I was in the middle of telling my wife all of this, about how great the IT Crowd was and she went yeah, it's the same guy who wrote Father Ted. I looked at her dumbly. Inside my head I was viciously kicking my brain. I went on the computer and googled Graham Linehan and discovered he also co-wrote series one of Black Books, another of my favourite TV shows. My respect for Graham Linehan kept growing. Father Ted, The IT Crowd, Black Books.
Oh and I also just put together a compilation of music songs, a playlist if you will. I've attached it below. I have to send out my apologies to Mr Linehan for stealing the idea directly from his delightful blog. It's such a simple way of posting a music compilation, and I'm such a hopeless pathetic idiot when it comes to that kind of stuff. You know, stuff involving thinking.
You should check out Graham Linehan's blog. It's very clever and funny. Not like the one your currently reading.
So yeah, here's some music...I've cleverly titled the list: "Thematically inconsistent, maybe." (Obviously, any time anybody ever openly refers to something they just did as clever, it almost always isn't.) Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Important Albums: #1 - Pixies "Surfer Rosa/Come On Pilgrim
Yeah, so I discovered the music of the Pixies watching a film. At the end of Fight Club as Ed Norton and Helena Bonham Carter watched their city burn all I could think was Jesus what is this song? I was in Victoria, British Columbia living with two of my best friends. I checked the end of the credits for the name of the band. I immediately went on the computer and downloaded a couple of songs on Limewire or some equivalent. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
The next day I went into town, to Lyle's Music. I searched the P's, found Pixies and picked up a copy of Surfer Rosa and Come On Pilgrim. Even the album sleeve was exotic. Compelling. I looked at the back of the album. Read the song listing. Broken Face. Break My Body. Gigantic. Vamos. Brick Is Red. I didn't know what to think. I went up to the counter and paid for it. Excited. Remember back when when you got genuinely excited about records? I headed for the bus stop and popped the cd in my discman. I caught the number 14 bus back to the house in View Royal. The album started as the bus pulled out and I didn't know what to do. I remember smiling a lot. I must have looked like some kind of fool. When the drums began at the start of Bone Machine, then the guitar kicked in I was confused and unprepared. Frank Black started talk/yelling, then Kim Deal's angelic vocals came in and Frank Black started screaming like a banshee and I fell head over heals in love. It was sort of like taking a walk along a cliff and realising a second too late that you'd stepped off the edge. "I was talking to Peachy Peach about kissy kiss." The lyrics were obscure and perfect.
The first song ended quickly and Break My Body started. Black Francis' jaded primitive vocals mixed with strange effortlessness, with Kim's soft feminine voice. I couldn't make sense of it, and the songs kept ending and starting so quickly. Where had this music come from? And how had I missed it? I didn't know music could be like this. I'd enjoyed plenty of albums before Surfer Rosa/Come On Pilgrim, loved plenty of albums before it. But not like this. When Something Against You kicked in my love was sealed. Black Francis' screaming was so angry. So desperate. So defiant. And at the end when he yelled "Oh yeah, I'm one happy prick." that was it. This guy, this girl, this band were making music specifically for me. For that moment. For my life. I had never heard such a mix of anger and beauty and intelligence and fun.
And each song got better, and better. Every moment. The record was perfect. Frank's squeaking vocals at the start of Broken Face. The crushing grinding guitar. Who produced these songs? I quickly discovered it was the legendary Steve Albini, who if he never did anything else in his entire life would have his reputation cemented in rock and roll history for his work producing the two perfect e.p's, stuck together on this one monumental album. Fortunately he has been responsible for so many other albums and bands in independent alternative music that I needn't have worried.
I couldn't believe how complete the Pixies's sound was. How each song began so flawlessly and maintained that level and built upon it song after song. It was like the band had access to my brain and heart. And had modelled this album and their sound and all their idea's specifically on my personal tastes and desires. Tastes and desires I wasn't even properly aware I'd had until that moment when this album began. That mix of purpose, of specific structure mixed with raw impulse. The way the album felt almost loosely performed and recorded yet still sounded so important, and vital.
I spent that entire bus ride from downtown Victoria to our house in the suburb of View Royal in complete awe. And then River Euphrates began and I was euphoric. Kim Deal's vocals fade in in a series of ra ra ra's, Frank starts singing and then counts down to the chorus and Kim Deals vocals come back in as she ra ra ra's over Frank's voice so you can't understand what he's singing. That moment was everything for me. It summed up everything I loved about this band. I realized I was literally at that very moment listening to my very favourite music I'd ever listened to. The idea that the music, the melody, the pure emotion of the sounds being sung were more vital and important than the actual literal lyrics blew my head open. Opened my whole view on music, widened the avenues of my musical appreciation. It single-handedly did more for my enjoyment of music than any other album, any other band I had heard. And I don't say that loosely. The song that had made me look into this band, that had led me to this album hadn't even come on yet. That was next. Where is My Mind.
That song profoundly affected me for a long time. Normally, when I hear a song that good I struggle to pay attention to the rest of the album. I press repeat a lot. But the very song after Where Is My Mind is Cactus. Probably the song that did grab me the most lyrically. The lyrics are so dark and personal and raw. Gritty and grimy and sexy much like I imagine the dress he's singing about.
Then the album changes direction again as Tony's Theme kicks in, at supersonic speed. The velocity of that song, the change in tone took my breath away. The simplicity of the songs, of the album kept overwhelming me. This was the Pixies debut album, the first songs they had recorded. They hit the ground running at this speed. With a sound that was this complete, with idea's that were this original and so perfectly realized. The Pixies were and still are the band that best represent how I felt, how I feel. If I ended up in heaven this was the music that would be playing. If I ended up on a dessert island this was the specific album I would want with me.
To me, in my personal view the most beautiful sound in music is Kim Deal and Black Francis singing together on Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa. I had never heard such a ferocious mixture of beauty and rage. Riding on that bus it was the most exciting and lovely sound I had ever heard. That hasn't changed.
I almost forgot to mention the studio banter. The legendary studio banter. Frank Black telling Kim to fucking die was a revelation. It somehow added both to the intimacy of the album and to the looseness of the sound. I appreciated that window into the band's lives, that glimpse into their personal relationships. And they were funny as hell. At the start of I'm Amazed when Kim talks about the rumours in high school, it still makes me laugh.
If I had to be extra specific I would have to say Surfer Rosa was actually my favourite Pixies recording. But my introduction to the band was through the version featuring Surfer Rosa and Come On Pilgrim on one disc. So even though they were initially two separate e.p's I always see them as one complete album. And while I do think Come On Pilgrim is the looser of the two recordings, Pilgrim is just as vital and responsible for pushing me over the edge, body and soul into a lifelong love affair with the band as Surfer.
Caribou, is one of their best loved hits and also showcases Kim Deal's wonderful vocals. the two song combo of The Holiday Song and Nimrod's Son were shocking to me, both in the unashamedly catchy melodies and in the serious subject matter. The anger and frustration in the Pixies songs always impacted me greatly.
Come On Pilgrim also contains my all time favourite Pixies song. I've Been Tired. This song encapsulates everything I love about the band and their music in three wonderful minutes. Lyrically it is one of my the best songs ever written from any genre or era. It is amazingly, endlessly clever and inventive. It's happy and heartbreaking and desperate. Musically it's the same. It's catchy and heartbreakingly beautiful, and ferocious. It's unashamedly raw and personal. It's impact was especially heavy me. The mixture of description, and emotion was unlike anything I had ever heard. When Frank Black says Don't give me no shit because... and Kim and him start yelling I been tired. Well, that was me. I'd never heard music that affected me so personally, so specifically. Music that was also so much fucking fun.
The Pixies became a large part of the soundtrack to my time in Victoria. Walking downtown, around the inner harbour. Strolling through Beacon Hill Park. Along Dallas Road. They became a large part of the soundtrack of my time in Toronto, and Australia and everywhere else, too.
I've always been in awe of the rage in Pixies music. I used to listen to a lot of Pantera, Sepultura, Slayer, Helmet, Rage. I still do. But for the most part the anger and rage in that music was always sort of comic book type stuff. Sometimes ironic and whatnot. Black Francis though, his rage was real. I related to his anger. And the weird effortlessness of his vocals really added to it. On Pixies albums his scream is gargantuan. Primal. So I was pretty shocked when I finally got to see the Pixies live in 2004 during their first reunion tour, at Arrow Hall in Mississauga. I went alone. Made my way out to the awkwardly located venue out around Pearson International Airport, walked into the big cavernous building and made my way excitedly up to the front of the stage. I think the Datsuns opened for them, and a local Toronto band called the Marble Index. An unfortunate task for both bands. No one was interested. Everyone just wanted the Pixies. When they finally took to the stage I was left in awe. Or even further in awe, I guess. Frank Black just stood calmly in front of the microphone, playing his guitar. He leaned casually up to the mic, opened his mouth and that hellish scream fell out seemingly without any effort whatsoever. That really blew my mind. And for me that's how it's always been. Frank Black's rage always beat out the cartoon anger of other heavier bands. The Pixies will always be the prettiest and most ferocious band I know, and Surfer Rosa and Come On Pilgrim is the album I love the most.
The next day I went into town, to Lyle's Music. I searched the P's, found Pixies and picked up a copy of Surfer Rosa and Come On Pilgrim. Even the album sleeve was exotic. Compelling. I looked at the back of the album. Read the song listing. Broken Face. Break My Body. Gigantic. Vamos. Brick Is Red. I didn't know what to think. I went up to the counter and paid for it. Excited. Remember back when when you got genuinely excited about records? I headed for the bus stop and popped the cd in my discman. I caught the number 14 bus back to the house in View Royal. The album started as the bus pulled out and I didn't know what to do. I remember smiling a lot. I must have looked like some kind of fool. When the drums began at the start of Bone Machine, then the guitar kicked in I was confused and unprepared. Frank Black started talk/yelling, then Kim Deal's angelic vocals came in and Frank Black started screaming like a banshee and I fell head over heals in love. It was sort of like taking a walk along a cliff and realising a second too late that you'd stepped off the edge. "I was talking to Peachy Peach about kissy kiss." The lyrics were obscure and perfect.
The first song ended quickly and Break My Body started. Black Francis' jaded primitive vocals mixed with strange effortlessness, with Kim's soft feminine voice. I couldn't make sense of it, and the songs kept ending and starting so quickly. Where had this music come from? And how had I missed it? I didn't know music could be like this. I'd enjoyed plenty of albums before Surfer Rosa/Come On Pilgrim, loved plenty of albums before it. But not like this. When Something Against You kicked in my love was sealed. Black Francis' screaming was so angry. So desperate. So defiant. And at the end when he yelled "Oh yeah, I'm one happy prick." that was it. This guy, this girl, this band were making music specifically for me. For that moment. For my life. I had never heard such a mix of anger and beauty and intelligence and fun.
And each song got better, and better. Every moment. The record was perfect. Frank's squeaking vocals at the start of Broken Face. The crushing grinding guitar. Who produced these songs? I quickly discovered it was the legendary Steve Albini, who if he never did anything else in his entire life would have his reputation cemented in rock and roll history for his work producing the two perfect e.p's, stuck together on this one monumental album. Fortunately he has been responsible for so many other albums and bands in independent alternative music that I needn't have worried.
I couldn't believe how complete the Pixies's sound was. How each song began so flawlessly and maintained that level and built upon it song after song. It was like the band had access to my brain and heart. And had modelled this album and their sound and all their idea's specifically on my personal tastes and desires. Tastes and desires I wasn't even properly aware I'd had until that moment when this album began. That mix of purpose, of specific structure mixed with raw impulse. The way the album felt almost loosely performed and recorded yet still sounded so important, and vital.
I spent that entire bus ride from downtown Victoria to our house in the suburb of View Royal in complete awe. And then River Euphrates began and I was euphoric. Kim Deal's vocals fade in in a series of ra ra ra's, Frank starts singing and then counts down to the chorus and Kim Deals vocals come back in as she ra ra ra's over Frank's voice so you can't understand what he's singing. That moment was everything for me. It summed up everything I loved about this band. I realized I was literally at that very moment listening to my very favourite music I'd ever listened to. The idea that the music, the melody, the pure emotion of the sounds being sung were more vital and important than the actual literal lyrics blew my head open. Opened my whole view on music, widened the avenues of my musical appreciation. It single-handedly did more for my enjoyment of music than any other album, any other band I had heard. And I don't say that loosely. The song that had made me look into this band, that had led me to this album hadn't even come on yet. That was next. Where is My Mind.
That song profoundly affected me for a long time. Normally, when I hear a song that good I struggle to pay attention to the rest of the album. I press repeat a lot. But the very song after Where Is My Mind is Cactus. Probably the song that did grab me the most lyrically. The lyrics are so dark and personal and raw. Gritty and grimy and sexy much like I imagine the dress he's singing about.
Then the album changes direction again as Tony's Theme kicks in, at supersonic speed. The velocity of that song, the change in tone took my breath away. The simplicity of the songs, of the album kept overwhelming me. This was the Pixies debut album, the first songs they had recorded. They hit the ground running at this speed. With a sound that was this complete, with idea's that were this original and so perfectly realized. The Pixies were and still are the band that best represent how I felt, how I feel. If I ended up in heaven this was the music that would be playing. If I ended up on a dessert island this was the specific album I would want with me.
To me, in my personal view the most beautiful sound in music is Kim Deal and Black Francis singing together on Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa. I had never heard such a ferocious mixture of beauty and rage. Riding on that bus it was the most exciting and lovely sound I had ever heard. That hasn't changed.
I almost forgot to mention the studio banter. The legendary studio banter. Frank Black telling Kim to fucking die was a revelation. It somehow added both to the intimacy of the album and to the looseness of the sound. I appreciated that window into the band's lives, that glimpse into their personal relationships. And they were funny as hell. At the start of I'm Amazed when Kim talks about the rumours in high school, it still makes me laugh.
If I had to be extra specific I would have to say Surfer Rosa was actually my favourite Pixies recording. But my introduction to the band was through the version featuring Surfer Rosa and Come On Pilgrim on one disc. So even though they were initially two separate e.p's I always see them as one complete album. And while I do think Come On Pilgrim is the looser of the two recordings, Pilgrim is just as vital and responsible for pushing me over the edge, body and soul into a lifelong love affair with the band as Surfer.
Caribou, is one of their best loved hits and also showcases Kim Deal's wonderful vocals. the two song combo of The Holiday Song and Nimrod's Son were shocking to me, both in the unashamedly catchy melodies and in the serious subject matter. The anger and frustration in the Pixies songs always impacted me greatly.
Come On Pilgrim also contains my all time favourite Pixies song. I've Been Tired. This song encapsulates everything I love about the band and their music in three wonderful minutes. Lyrically it is one of my the best songs ever written from any genre or era. It is amazingly, endlessly clever and inventive. It's happy and heartbreaking and desperate. Musically it's the same. It's catchy and heartbreakingly beautiful, and ferocious. It's unashamedly raw and personal. It's impact was especially heavy me. The mixture of description, and emotion was unlike anything I had ever heard. When Frank Black says Don't give me no shit because... and Kim and him start yelling I been tired. Well, that was me. I'd never heard music that affected me so personally, so specifically. Music that was also so much fucking fun.
The Pixies became a large part of the soundtrack to my time in Victoria. Walking downtown, around the inner harbour. Strolling through Beacon Hill Park. Along Dallas Road. They became a large part of the soundtrack of my time in Toronto, and Australia and everywhere else, too.
I've always been in awe of the rage in Pixies music. I used to listen to a lot of Pantera, Sepultura, Slayer, Helmet, Rage. I still do. But for the most part the anger and rage in that music was always sort of comic book type stuff. Sometimes ironic and whatnot. Black Francis though, his rage was real. I related to his anger. And the weird effortlessness of his vocals really added to it. On Pixies albums his scream is gargantuan. Primal. So I was pretty shocked when I finally got to see the Pixies live in 2004 during their first reunion tour, at Arrow Hall in Mississauga. I went alone. Made my way out to the awkwardly located venue out around Pearson International Airport, walked into the big cavernous building and made my way excitedly up to the front of the stage. I think the Datsuns opened for them, and a local Toronto band called the Marble Index. An unfortunate task for both bands. No one was interested. Everyone just wanted the Pixies. When they finally took to the stage I was left in awe. Or even further in awe, I guess. Frank Black just stood calmly in front of the microphone, playing his guitar. He leaned casually up to the mic, opened his mouth and that hellish scream fell out seemingly without any effort whatsoever. That really blew my mind. And for me that's how it's always been. Frank Black's rage always beat out the cartoon anger of other heavier bands. The Pixies will always be the prettiest and most ferocious band I know, and Surfer Rosa and Come On Pilgrim is the album I love the most.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Another week in music...rhythm and noise...
No matter how often it happens it's always a tiny bit unnerving when your downstairs in the kitchen and the bedroom door slams shut upstairs. You know it's just a draft but that never stops it from feeling a tad strange. Especially when it's raining outside, your neighbour is screaming at her children through the walls, your wired on too much coffee, and frustrated by the state of things.
It's been another week full of all kinds of news. As most weeks are. Obviously the world news has been considerably bleaker this week. The tragic events in Norway were devastating as they unfolded on television over the weekend. I don't think anyone expected it to turn out as horrifying as it did when they woke up Saturday morning.
We went to see an Amy Winehouse tribute act Friday night and woke up Saturday to find out the real singer had died. The same media that spent the last four or five years ridiculing her and systematically tearing her name to pieces changed their tone instantly to gut wrenching sincerity and heartbreak at the tragic loss of a truly special talent. Individual people have been guilty of this too. People who viciously attacked her character for years now express their sadness at such a tragic loss of talent at such a young age. It is indeed a sad story. Back In Black was and is a fantastic record and the work of a uniquely and undeniably talented artist. I just found the hypocrisy in certain responses to the story a bit hard to swallow.
Fortunately it's been a great week for friends and family. Celebrating new arrivals, beginning brand new journeys around the globe, making a long overdue return home. Lots of positive events happening to a lot of great people that mean everything to me. It warms my heart to hear it.
For myself there are a few possible creative opportunities coming down the pipeline. Nothing monumental but interesting and a little exciting all the same.
Oh and of course in the midst of all these events occurring around the globe, both tragic and wonderful, I have been listening to a lot of music. All styles and genres. Songs to match any mood. Music that forms the never ending soundtrack to my life in all it's mundane glory.
As usual over the last week or so a handful of songs stood out. Well, a handful and a bit really. Seven, once again being the lucky number.
We start once again at the beginning. I'd discovered this record while working at the illustrious Refried Beats on Yonge Street in beautiful downtown Toronto. But had sort of forgotten about it recently. Then the other day this song Science Killer came on my headphones like this sludgy rhythmic nightmare, filled my head up with euphoria and pummelled my brain into mush. I just kept turning the volume up and smiling like an asshole. The band responsible for this piece of magnificence are called The Black Angels. A psych rock band from Austin, Texas. The song can be found on their fantastic album Directions to see a Ghost.
It's no secret I'm a huge fan of the blues. A big moment in my musical education was being introduced to the Chess label and it's unequalled stable of artists. The other day this beautiful song by Jimmy Witherspoon called Ain't Nobody's Business really stuck in my head. A mellow number about a guy contemplating breakfast and shooting his woman. Witherspoons voice is effortless and haunting. The subtle bass and piano carrying you along as his story unfolds.
Sticking with the blues theme but adding a serious goddamn dose of psychedelia is the one and only Muddy Waters. The song is Tom Cat from his wonderfully titled 1968 album Electric Mud. A Hendrix-esque mix of blues, funk, and psychedelia, that must have ruffled the feathers of many a blues purist when it was released. Nonetheless the album was a massive influence on psychedelic bands of that time. The song is a beast that showcases the raw attitude present in all of Muddy Waters music. For me not many artists come close to the power of Muddy's music. Muddy was a baaaaad man and everyone needs to know it.
I listen to Sonic Youth every week. My appetite never wanes. The band are true music pioneers. I got into their music fairly late when I found a cassette copy of their 1994 album Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star. Controversially the album is probably still my favourite Sonic Youth record, not necessarily because it's their best or most important, but I guess because of how it made me feel when I first listened to it. I felt like I'd just discovered alternative music. I didn't know a band could sound like that. I fell in love with them instantly. The intensity in the combination of Kim Deals vocals and Thurston Moore's guitar playing really affected me. You know when people say stuff like who needs drugs when you have music? Well that's how Sonic Youth made me feel. that's how they still make me feel. The song that came on my headphones this week wasn't from Jet Set trash though. We have to go all the way back to 1983 for this song, and the bands first studio album Confusion Is Sex/Kill Yr Idols. That early Sonic Youth sound is a world away from Jet Set. The song I'm talking about in particular is Kill Yr Idols. A ferocious two minutes of defiance and disgust. The recording is minimalist, raw and fucking perfect. But the video link I posted the song to on here isn't from the album. It's from a live show from 1985. Recorded in a small club in Brighton, England it captures the band in all their beauty. Oh to have been in that crowd.
Funny enough the next song that caught my attention this week was a cover of a Sonic Youth song by another of the truly great rock bands of the last 25 years, Seattle's mighty Mudhoney. The song is Halloween and was featured on a split single Sonic Youth and Mudhoney released together in 1988. Mudhoney covered Halloween and Sonic Youth covered Touch me I'm Sick. The song is also featured on the deluxe edition of their seminal album Superfuzz Bigmuff. There are few sounds more grin inducing than the production on Mudhoneys early recordings, and Halloween is no exception, featuring one of my favourite guitar riffs ever. It's a serious undertaking covering a Sonic Youth song, but I think somehow Mudhoney improved on it. The track is drenched in all that wonderful Mudhoney defiance and anger and sounds magnificent.
We take a sharp turn away from alternative rock for the penultimate song of this past week and head to New York circa 1994 for a slice of hip hop bliss. I've been fairly obsessed with Gang Starr for a few years now. Dazzled by Guru's smooth rumbling vocals and Premier's superb understated jazz breaks and samples. This week I was passing through a park when Mostly Tha Voice came on from Gang Starr's fantastic fourth album Hard To Earn. Guru tells wannabe rappers how it is over another sweet Premier beat. Few hip hop duos made it sound as easy as Gang Starr, and the hip hop world lost a true legend when Guru passed away last year. Gang Starr are one of my main go to groups when I want to chill.
Finally fans of mid 90's hip hop will probably recognize the opening few seconds of this last song. A driving funk track from 1967 called The Sad Chicken, recorded by Leroy & the Drivers. A serious song for walking and a mean way to start a night. I have lot 60's/70's funk and soul compilations on my itunes so periodically and randomly during my day I'll get slapped hard with a solid piece of funk like this.
It's been another week full of all kinds of news. As most weeks are. Obviously the world news has been considerably bleaker this week. The tragic events in Norway were devastating as they unfolded on television over the weekend. I don't think anyone expected it to turn out as horrifying as it did when they woke up Saturday morning.
We went to see an Amy Winehouse tribute act Friday night and woke up Saturday to find out the real singer had died. The same media that spent the last four or five years ridiculing her and systematically tearing her name to pieces changed their tone instantly to gut wrenching sincerity and heartbreak at the tragic loss of a truly special talent. Individual people have been guilty of this too. People who viciously attacked her character for years now express their sadness at such a tragic loss of talent at such a young age. It is indeed a sad story. Back In Black was and is a fantastic record and the work of a uniquely and undeniably talented artist. I just found the hypocrisy in certain responses to the story a bit hard to swallow.
Fortunately it's been a great week for friends and family. Celebrating new arrivals, beginning brand new journeys around the globe, making a long overdue return home. Lots of positive events happening to a lot of great people that mean everything to me. It warms my heart to hear it.
For myself there are a few possible creative opportunities coming down the pipeline. Nothing monumental but interesting and a little exciting all the same.
Oh and of course in the midst of all these events occurring around the globe, both tragic and wonderful, I have been listening to a lot of music. All styles and genres. Songs to match any mood. Music that forms the never ending soundtrack to my life in all it's mundane glory.
As usual over the last week or so a handful of songs stood out. Well, a handful and a bit really. Seven, once again being the lucky number.
We start once again at the beginning. I'd discovered this record while working at the illustrious Refried Beats on Yonge Street in beautiful downtown Toronto. But had sort of forgotten about it recently. Then the other day this song Science Killer came on my headphones like this sludgy rhythmic nightmare, filled my head up with euphoria and pummelled my brain into mush. I just kept turning the volume up and smiling like an asshole. The band responsible for this piece of magnificence are called The Black Angels. A psych rock band from Austin, Texas. The song can be found on their fantastic album Directions to see a Ghost.
It's no secret I'm a huge fan of the blues. A big moment in my musical education was being introduced to the Chess label and it's unequalled stable of artists. The other day this beautiful song by Jimmy Witherspoon called Ain't Nobody's Business really stuck in my head. A mellow number about a guy contemplating breakfast and shooting his woman. Witherspoons voice is effortless and haunting. The subtle bass and piano carrying you along as his story unfolds.
Sticking with the blues theme but adding a serious goddamn dose of psychedelia is the one and only Muddy Waters. The song is Tom Cat from his wonderfully titled 1968 album Electric Mud. A Hendrix-esque mix of blues, funk, and psychedelia, that must have ruffled the feathers of many a blues purist when it was released. Nonetheless the album was a massive influence on psychedelic bands of that time. The song is a beast that showcases the raw attitude present in all of Muddy Waters music. For me not many artists come close to the power of Muddy's music. Muddy was a baaaaad man and everyone needs to know it.
I listen to Sonic Youth every week. My appetite never wanes. The band are true music pioneers. I got into their music fairly late when I found a cassette copy of their 1994 album Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star. Controversially the album is probably still my favourite Sonic Youth record, not necessarily because it's their best or most important, but I guess because of how it made me feel when I first listened to it. I felt like I'd just discovered alternative music. I didn't know a band could sound like that. I fell in love with them instantly. The intensity in the combination of Kim Deals vocals and Thurston Moore's guitar playing really affected me. You know when people say stuff like who needs drugs when you have music? Well that's how Sonic Youth made me feel. that's how they still make me feel. The song that came on my headphones this week wasn't from Jet Set trash though. We have to go all the way back to 1983 for this song, and the bands first studio album Confusion Is Sex/Kill Yr Idols. That early Sonic Youth sound is a world away from Jet Set. The song I'm talking about in particular is Kill Yr Idols. A ferocious two minutes of defiance and disgust. The recording is minimalist, raw and fucking perfect. But the video link I posted the song to on here isn't from the album. It's from a live show from 1985. Recorded in a small club in Brighton, England it captures the band in all their beauty. Oh to have been in that crowd.
Funny enough the next song that caught my attention this week was a cover of a Sonic Youth song by another of the truly great rock bands of the last 25 years, Seattle's mighty Mudhoney. The song is Halloween and was featured on a split single Sonic Youth and Mudhoney released together in 1988. Mudhoney covered Halloween and Sonic Youth covered Touch me I'm Sick. The song is also featured on the deluxe edition of their seminal album Superfuzz Bigmuff. There are few sounds more grin inducing than the production on Mudhoneys early recordings, and Halloween is no exception, featuring one of my favourite guitar riffs ever. It's a serious undertaking covering a Sonic Youth song, but I think somehow Mudhoney improved on it. The track is drenched in all that wonderful Mudhoney defiance and anger and sounds magnificent.
We take a sharp turn away from alternative rock for the penultimate song of this past week and head to New York circa 1994 for a slice of hip hop bliss. I've been fairly obsessed with Gang Starr for a few years now. Dazzled by Guru's smooth rumbling vocals and Premier's superb understated jazz breaks and samples. This week I was passing through a park when Mostly Tha Voice came on from Gang Starr's fantastic fourth album Hard To Earn. Guru tells wannabe rappers how it is over another sweet Premier beat. Few hip hop duos made it sound as easy as Gang Starr, and the hip hop world lost a true legend when Guru passed away last year. Gang Starr are one of my main go to groups when I want to chill.
Finally fans of mid 90's hip hop will probably recognize the opening few seconds of this last song. A driving funk track from 1967 called The Sad Chicken, recorded by Leroy & the Drivers. A serious song for walking and a mean way to start a night. I have lot 60's/70's funk and soul compilations on my itunes so periodically and randomly during my day I'll get slapped hard with a solid piece of funk like this.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Brand new Bjork...
Finally, a new video clip from Bjork. Reuniting with the wonderful Michel Gondry, the two have worked together to create another visual feast. The song is an early single from Bjork's highly ambitious new multimedia music project Biophilia. The Icelandic pioneer remains light years ahead of the pack as she continues to push music and technology to unknown places.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Partially confused ramblings on a Friday afternoon...and the song of the day...
I'm not a music expert. I don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of albums, bands and singles. I'm not really an asset to have on your team during a pub quiz. I know people like that and I've met plenty of people like that. They could tell you about West German vinyl pressings of Beatles albums, and which Stones pressings have the superior sound quality. They can name songs with a word or two from the most obscure song lyrics.
I struggle to remember song lyrics. I don't know much about obscure vinyl pressings. I can't discuss the structure of music, of songs, in any kind of technical terminology, and I don't really play any instruments. I was gonna say I'm not an aficionado but then I looked up the definition of the word in the dictionary. Aficionado: A person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject or pastime.
So maybe you could say I was an aficionado. Though I'd prefer you didn't. Labels make me cringe. What kind of an asshole actually gives himself a label like that anyway?
Problem is everything I know is based on what I like. And there's not really any rhyme or reason to what I like. I like what sounds good to me. It's all very personal, and largely related to my own individual experiences. For instance right now I'm seriously digging Mitch Ryder and Holly Golightly. Why? I don't know, I stumbled upon them again and their music matches my mood.
I do have the enthusiasm nailed though. I know what I like and I'm enthusiastic about what I like. I guess that's the short and sweet of it. If I'm sat with you and a really great song comes on, I'm really good at obnoxiously telling you how great the song is. In simple blanket terms. If you asked me why the song is so good? I'd say something like what do you mean? Listen to that fucking guitar! Not terribly insightful, I know. An expert would explain something about what key the guitarist is playing in. Or point out a clever chord change or something along those lines.
All I'm good at is pointing out music that interests me, and relating what it means to me. In emotional terms not technical terms. I love Pink Floyd's album Meddle because of how it feels, and how it makes me feel.
I don't know, I'm probably being stupidly, embarrassingly obvious here. What can I say, I sat down needing to write something on here and this is what came out.
Music affects and excites me on a primitive level. All genres, all eras. As long as there's truth in it.
Take Joel Plaskett for instance. I'm listening to him right now. His album La Di Da. The real strength in Joel's music, of which there are many, is his voice. His voice is genuine. True.
Anyway, here's my song of the day for this uncertain Friday afternoon...enjoy...
I struggle to remember song lyrics. I don't know much about obscure vinyl pressings. I can't discuss the structure of music, of songs, in any kind of technical terminology, and I don't really play any instruments. I was gonna say I'm not an aficionado but then I looked up the definition of the word in the dictionary. Aficionado: A person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject or pastime.
So maybe you could say I was an aficionado. Though I'd prefer you didn't. Labels make me cringe. What kind of an asshole actually gives himself a label like that anyway?
Problem is everything I know is based on what I like. And there's not really any rhyme or reason to what I like. I like what sounds good to me. It's all very personal, and largely related to my own individual experiences. For instance right now I'm seriously digging Mitch Ryder and Holly Golightly. Why? I don't know, I stumbled upon them again and their music matches my mood.
I do have the enthusiasm nailed though. I know what I like and I'm enthusiastic about what I like. I guess that's the short and sweet of it. If I'm sat with you and a really great song comes on, I'm really good at obnoxiously telling you how great the song is. In simple blanket terms. If you asked me why the song is so good? I'd say something like what do you mean? Listen to that fucking guitar! Not terribly insightful, I know. An expert would explain something about what key the guitarist is playing in. Or point out a clever chord change or something along those lines.
All I'm good at is pointing out music that interests me, and relating what it means to me. In emotional terms not technical terms. I love Pink Floyd's album Meddle because of how it feels, and how it makes me feel.
I don't know, I'm probably being stupidly, embarrassingly obvious here. What can I say, I sat down needing to write something on here and this is what came out.
Music affects and excites me on a primitive level. All genres, all eras. As long as there's truth in it.
Take Joel Plaskett for instance. I'm listening to him right now. His album La Di Da. The real strength in Joel's music, of which there are many, is his voice. His voice is genuine. True.
Anyway, here's my song of the day for this uncertain Friday afternoon...enjoy...
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Primus to play Massey Hall...
Goddang, Primus are playing a show at Toronto's prestigious Massey Hall October 5th. I want to go to there.
Monday, July 18, 2011
The Show That Never Was...
You know, I once had tickets, a strip of seven or eight tickets, to a show named The Rhyme and Reason Tour. It was the summer of 1999. I don't believe I've ever been more excited buying concert tickets than I was the day I bought those tickets. The show was to take place at Molson Park in Barrie, Ontario, and the line up was as follows: Co-headlining were the Beastie Boys and Rage Against The Machine. The other artists on the bill were Busta Rhymes, At The Drive In, a hip hop group called Jurassic 5 and a little known band, led by a man named Josh Homme, called Queens of the Stone Age.
I think this needs a little context. In the year of our lord, 1999, QOTSA hadn't even released Rated R. That album wouldn't be released until 2000. And Songs For The Deaf wouldn't be released til 2002. Jurassic 5 had only released their relatively unknown self-titled album. Quality Control wouldn't be released til 2000. Similarly At The Drive In hadn't released their seminal album Relationship Of Command. An album that funnily enough would also be released in 2000. In 1999 Busta Rhymes was still a relevant and very exciting hip hop artist, having just released in the few years prior, his critically acclaimed albums When Disaster Strikes and E.L.E(Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front.
The Beasties had just released Hello Nasty, the disco funk breakbeat extravaganza that still holds a special place in my heart and record collection, and as for Rage Against The Machine, they had just released Battle of Los Angeles. A record that might not stand up against the first two RATM albums, but a record that packed a mean punch and a lot of great tunes all the same.
At the time I was primarily excited about the prospect of witnessing two of my all time favourite bands share a stage under the expansive skies at Molson Park. I spent part of each day in the run up to the show looking at the tickets and talking about the sheer awesomeness that would be. Nowadays I am very familiar with the work of all the bands that were listed below the headliners, and am a huge fan of all three monumental records they released in the millennium year 2000. Imagine! Quality Control, Relationship of Command and Rated R all in one year! Holy jeebus. Imagine a gig where you would witness the Beasties and RATM share a stage, and see Queens, J-5, Busta Rhymes and At The Drive In in their absolute prime.
Now picture Mike D. Riding his low rider bicycle through the streets of bustling downtown Manhattan. Picture Mike D falling off his low rider bicycle on the streets of bustling downtown Manhattan. Picture Mike D breaking his shoulder in the fall and as a consequence having to cancel the much anticipated Rhyme and Reason Tour. Picture me in the moments and days after hearing of this news, staring despondently at a long string of concert tickets.
Unfortunately the tour never got back on it's feet again. And RATM broke up the following year. Fortunately the Beastie Boys had played Molson park the previous year. August 15th, 1998 to be exact. Tribe Called Quest were supposed to open for them at that gig, but get this, broke up just before the gig. But once again, all was not lost. The Diabolical Biz Markie opened in their place. Playing a selection of records, including a improvised and hilarious version of Just A Friend, that included the verses "You, you got a hair weave! But you say it's your real hair, yeah, you say it's your real hair." And "You, you got a disease, but you say it's just a rash, yeah, you say it's just a rash."
We waited in the sun for six hours outside the gates of the main stage that day. Without much water. When the guy finally opened the gate, one single unfortunate skinny man, they were flung open and 20,000 fanatical Beastie Boy fans ran for the front of the stage like a marauding army looking for women and children. People fell, and people leaped over the fallen. My friends and I got a spot dead center in front of the stage, roughly fifty people from the front. And it was the worst crowd I've ever been in. Thousands of people surging forward, wave after wave. Drunk Americans pouring beer on girls heads. A girl next to me, panicking from the push of the crowd, was literally crouched down by my feet, crying. I had a bottle of ice tea in my back pocket and when we finally got pulled out of the crowd just before the Beasties came on it was hot to the touch.
But we got a good view from the side and the Beastie Boys took the stage and destroyed the place. Mix Master Mike opened with a scratch mix of the intro to Tom Sawyer by Rush. The Biz Markie came on stage toward the end and sang Benny and the Jets. Mike D even got the crowd to make a tunnel and started a soul train. I remember I was suffering pretty bad from being in the sun all day, and every time I jumped up my head pounded. Still, it was a great great show. My one and only live Beastie Boys experience.
Funny enough, just a minute ago whilst searching the interweb, I found the actual setlist from that show thirteen years ago. Here it is, in all it's magnificence:
I think this needs a little context. In the year of our lord, 1999, QOTSA hadn't even released Rated R. That album wouldn't be released until 2000. And Songs For The Deaf wouldn't be released til 2002. Jurassic 5 had only released their relatively unknown self-titled album. Quality Control wouldn't be released til 2000. Similarly At The Drive In hadn't released their seminal album Relationship Of Command. An album that funnily enough would also be released in 2000. In 1999 Busta Rhymes was still a relevant and very exciting hip hop artist, having just released in the few years prior, his critically acclaimed albums When Disaster Strikes and E.L.E(Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front.
The Beasties had just released Hello Nasty, the disco funk breakbeat extravaganza that still holds a special place in my heart and record collection, and as for Rage Against The Machine, they had just released Battle of Los Angeles. A record that might not stand up against the first two RATM albums, but a record that packed a mean punch and a lot of great tunes all the same.
At the time I was primarily excited about the prospect of witnessing two of my all time favourite bands share a stage under the expansive skies at Molson Park. I spent part of each day in the run up to the show looking at the tickets and talking about the sheer awesomeness that would be. Nowadays I am very familiar with the work of all the bands that were listed below the headliners, and am a huge fan of all three monumental records they released in the millennium year 2000. Imagine! Quality Control, Relationship of Command and Rated R all in one year! Holy jeebus. Imagine a gig where you would witness the Beasties and RATM share a stage, and see Queens, J-5, Busta Rhymes and At The Drive In in their absolute prime.
Now picture Mike D. Riding his low rider bicycle through the streets of bustling downtown Manhattan. Picture Mike D falling off his low rider bicycle on the streets of bustling downtown Manhattan. Picture Mike D breaking his shoulder in the fall and as a consequence having to cancel the much anticipated Rhyme and Reason Tour. Picture me in the moments and days after hearing of this news, staring despondently at a long string of concert tickets.
Unfortunately the tour never got back on it's feet again. And RATM broke up the following year. Fortunately the Beastie Boys had played Molson park the previous year. August 15th, 1998 to be exact. Tribe Called Quest were supposed to open for them at that gig, but get this, broke up just before the gig. But once again, all was not lost. The Diabolical Biz Markie opened in their place. Playing a selection of records, including a improvised and hilarious version of Just A Friend, that included the verses "You, you got a hair weave! But you say it's your real hair, yeah, you say it's your real hair." And "You, you got a disease, but you say it's just a rash, yeah, you say it's just a rash."
We waited in the sun for six hours outside the gates of the main stage that day. Without much water. When the guy finally opened the gate, one single unfortunate skinny man, they were flung open and 20,000 fanatical Beastie Boy fans ran for the front of the stage like a marauding army looking for women and children. People fell, and people leaped over the fallen. My friends and I got a spot dead center in front of the stage, roughly fifty people from the front. And it was the worst crowd I've ever been in. Thousands of people surging forward, wave after wave. Drunk Americans pouring beer on girls heads. A girl next to me, panicking from the push of the crowd, was literally crouched down by my feet, crying. I had a bottle of ice tea in my back pocket and when we finally got pulled out of the crowd just before the Beasties came on it was hot to the touch.
But we got a good view from the side and the Beastie Boys took the stage and destroyed the place. Mix Master Mike opened with a scratch mix of the intro to Tom Sawyer by Rush. The Biz Markie came on stage toward the end and sang Benny and the Jets. Mike D even got the crowd to make a tunnel and started a soul train. I remember I was suffering pretty bad from being in the sun all day, and every time I jumped up my head pounded. Still, it was a great great show. My one and only live Beastie Boys experience.
Funny enough, just a minute ago whilst searching the interweb, I found the actual setlist from that show thirteen years ago. Here it is, in all it's magnificence:
- 1. Mix Master Mike Intro
- 2. The Biz Vs. The Nuge
- 3. Super Disco Breakin'
- 4. Sure Shot
- 5. Skills To Pay The Bills
- 6. Putting Shame In Your Game
- 7. Time To Get Ill
- 8. Sabrosa
- 9. Tough Guy
- 10. Transit Cop
- 11. Remote Control
- 12. The Move
- 13. Flute Loop
- 14. Egg Man
- 15. Slow And Low
- 16. Three Mc's And One Dj
- 17. Ricky's Theme
- 18. Song For The Man
- 19. Time For Livin'
- 20. Soba Violence
- 21. Root Down
- 22. Body Movin'
- 23. Paul Revere
- 24. Shake Your Rump
- 25. Something's Got To Give
- 26. Gratitude
- 27. Heart Attack Man
- 28. Benny And The Jets
- 29. Do It
- 30. So What'Cha Want
- 31. Intergalactic
- 32. Lighten Up
- 33. Sabotage
The audience actually sang Paul Revere. That was a good moment.
I still have the ticket stubs to that Beastie Boys show hidden in a box somewhere, alongside the tickets for the Rhyme and Reason Tour. The show that wasn't meant to be. Just so you know, I've watched it in my head and in my dreams and it was glorious.
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