HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I'll be celebrating (that is, not celebrating) my birthday this year in


P




E



I


random?

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

bleh!

Just over a year of pretty much absolutely nothing here! Yet readership shockingly continues to climb.

Why have you stuck with me? There's not a hell of a lot going on here.

As I said about a year ago, a blog is an incredibly self-centered thing, although it helps to cover music or whatever, you basically are just producing indulgent monologues for your friends and acquaintances to suffer through-less whiny than livejournal, and not as 'look at me!' as myspace, mind you, but you got to be pretty fucking full of yourself to keep writing continually over a year.

It was an interesting year for me, and a lot of it is on here. But keep in mind a lot is not on here as well. I've learned a great deal in the past while about control of information, and for a lot of people reading their online whatever is the only way I keep up with what's going on with their lives, and I have to ask how does omission fit into things?

Screw it. Here's to another year of carefully controlled dispatches, quasi-reviews and rants.

The Big Site will be up within days, I swear for real! honest!

someone's idea

of the top 50 music videos of 2005.



I'm glad someone compiled something, even if there are a bunch of key omissions (Of Montreal comes to mind right away). but yeah, some good ones in here.

how not to show

1) have your post be vague of even incorrect on details; be sure to emit things like location and cover price

2) don't really even try to advertise it anywhere else, like postering or something

3) switch up the running order of acts, just to confuse and piss off anybody who does manage to show up

4) get all of your annoying friends to dance on stage - they are the only people there, after all


beyond that, it was a pretty good show, whoever the hell it was I saw.

did you get that thing I sent you?

You know.


That THING.


That I sent you?


Well, did you?


pretty good, huh!

what's up what's up

well it seems that the folks at Kellogg's are hardly web-savvy, as I've yet to see any angry lawyer letters at this point. so it's been a few days, I've pretty much pulled out of my nasty chest cold which was wreaking some havoc on me for most of last week.

wavelength 297 last night was pretty nuts, with at least a big a crowd as the Adam Brown pulled in a couple of weeks ago. next week's edition is booker Dylan's last show, and features an extra-special late night surprise, (he assures).

tokyo police club plays the Dollar this thursday and sounds to be worth checking out. beyond intensive editorial/production meetings, no idea what this week will bring.

chilling with Tony

Tony was over last night when I was listening to the latest cut of the new podcast, which will be online very soon. Tony's reaction was very positive, if not predictable. How many minutes before I get a 'cease and desist' email from Kellogg's?


Did I mention I'm on a lot of cold medication right now?

I need some fine wine and you need to be nicer

can just one song make a comeback?



possi-bly.


sit.
good dog.

for the last time...

I'M NOT LIVING IN SINGAPORE!!!

you can't categorize

Photo courtesy of James Tilberg


everything, and especially not every band. in a night where there was a very embarrassing set of riches (that is, things to do), I think we picked well, as the Anagram cd release at the Silver Dollar was, well, the picture really says more than anything.

there's been a lot of heated arguments about 'concept bands' and even the word concept around here lately, and I've stayed mostly quiet on the matter except to point out the obvious: that bands that are interesting and enjoyable are so not because of their schtick, or lack thereof.

we all want to see something different, hopefully entertaining and maybe provocative (everyone has their own criteria and subjectivities, but you get the idea). Anagram is one of those bands that doesn't seem to have any specific twist, but continues to defy catergorization and distinguish itself all while pulling off an amazing live show. THIS is what I want to see.

once again...

my CONGRATULATIONS to uncle jimmy and joy!












love the photoblog too!

road

in march I'm going on the road. I'm not exactly sure with who yet, or for how long. It may be with a band, one which is now reflecting golden light upon college radio stations all across america. it may very well involve a side trip into the Deep South.

it will be very fear and loathing, I suspect, and to capture the magic I'm looking at booking a 16mm Bolex camera and bringing piles of stock. I'm a year behind in my film-a-year project, and the next film I wanted to do will likely have to be delayed thanks to a unusually a warm winter (and it's going to cost a giant pile of money).

the destination is texas, because sometimes you just can't not go.

rodeo

Last night's wavelength was a wild one. With a packed house on hand, it was pretty clear that everyone was back into the swing of things for the new year and into 'show mode'.

With a motley crew of cowgirls and cowboys circling the place (and rumour has it, a gang of indians present earlier on), the indoor rodeo theatrics involving Ford Pier, The Adam Brown, Township Expansion (sort of a more radio-friendly Adorables) and an extra set from...you guessed it...the Adorables, things were quite (if not very) raucous all the way through.

My back hurts from carrying various individuals around, and something else hurts from getting punched-but this cowboy reckons that it comes with the terrritory.

"There's only one kind of happiness,

but misfortune comes in all shapes and sizes.
It's like Tolstoy said. Happiness is an allegory,
unhappiness is a story."
-Haruki Murakami


like, totally my favourite authour these days-I'm getting
kind of obsessed.

oh and music: saw Frontier Index this week-I was pissed that
things started late (should've known better, given the venue
has used this trick before...), but yeah, they're totally the
next Blue Rodeo, for whatever that's worth.

"even with the rest belated,

everything is antiquated
are you writing from the heart?
are you writing from the heart?

even in his heart the Devil
has to know to the water level
are you writing from the heart?
are you writing from the heart?"

-s. stevens

house on fire

Every once in a while you come across something that just completely blows you away and provides gasoline-like explosive inspiration. Usually it's a film or a new album that you can't get enough of. Very occasionally, it's a television advert, and they're almost always european and have never aired on north american television, for any number of reasons.

Said mind was blown while going through the Directors Label Jonathan Glazer DVD yesterday, and his spots Ride (featuring the above blazing house), and Dreamer (one of his big spots for Guinness) were particularly amazing.

Ride is particularly crazy, as it was shot across America over 4 WEEKS with Glazer and a small crew. Dreamer also involved an enormous amount of time and money for what would become a 60 second clip.

It's not like I aspire to make ads one day, as these are distinct and rare exceptions to most television advertising, but fuck!, there is some cool stuff out there.

back

just got up.

Buck Hunter almost made me miss my flight yesterday. it was really close.

most dramatic moment of the trip, hands down.