Just sitting on a balcony keeping an eye on this dark finch like bird who is trying to move in on my crumbs, and perhaps more if the opportunity arises. Went for a nice snorkel earlier and saw some of those blue and orange fish. Just finished re-stringing my guitar and I think the ocean is calling again.
I left Vancouver as a snowstorm covered the city, thinking about work and how those bastards are going to interview me when I get back to find out "why I didn't properly do my vehicle safety check on January 11th when I ran out of gas"... Is the proper answer "that piece of shit vehicle has a faulty gas gauge!"... I believe it is... But anyhoo only a fool and a jackass would feel the rising rage of that one in a calming Caribbean climate where the ocean calls for another lengthy swim. Of course I am many things and I dabble in foolery and the art of Jackass.. Perhaps I should get some fire coral for my interview on the 29th.
Kind of unfortunate that there is Internet here... As I have no business doing this.
On the plane down I watched the movie "the last kiss".. For an airplane movie it was serviceable... So I invest the time watching it and then at the end when the final conversation between the 2 main characters happens the plane PA gives a lengthy speech (in English and then French) on how to order your duty free goods. Then the Movie ends and we have 10 minutes of static and hiss.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Friday, January 12, 2007
The curse
There it was on the front page of the rag 24 hours...
The Leafs don't suck they Blow!
I can almost see Willingdon Black on his way to work seeing that and cringing at the idea that the balance of fate has now been stupidly tipped in favor of the Toronto Maple Leafs. You see the Toronto Maple Leafs play the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow, and event that happens every couple of years... You can see Vancouver vs Minnesota 8 times a year but who gives a damn. Does Vancouver even play Montreal this year?
But the die has been cast
the leafs don't suck they blow... Going to blow out Vancouver 5-1 tomorrow.
I hope for an overtime Leaf win. If the Canucks win will I be happy? Only time will tell, but I have a strong feeling that the idgit who made the call for the 24 cover has made a foolish mistake. There are many tales of sports history where a bad editorial decision has affected a sports match. Scotty Bowman would apparently collect such headlines and post them in the locker room to inspire his team for a stomping.
Before 24 hours and Dose and Metro I was the publisher of the Lynx Paw Courier... We printed 3 papers with fine articles but lacked proper distribution and other important factors. Under no circumstances would I have run an Omen baiting cover like that.
Well I just did some research... Vancouver plays Montreal after Toronto and that's it for the year. 2 games, 1 each against the 2 Canadian teams that are bona-fide classics, and 16 games vs Minnesota and Colorado... That is just completely fucking insane. Toronto and Montreal don't even come to play in Vancouver this year... Totally wrong and outright insulting to the fans that get soaked by this marketing franchise.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
What was I thinking when I came up with this idea earlier this evening... There are these social engagements and scene slithering events this weekend but I have just seen the window of my next creative attack... I need to sanctuary, if you know what I mean a demo idea sits on my phone answering machine, which is a comedy in itself... You would think that with all of the high tech gear that I have worked so hard to earn the money to purchase one wouldn't have to resort to these types of things. I remember years ago Smash offered me a mini cassette player which I should have snapped up at the time... And then you start thinking about how a certain computer maker in the effort to make things easy for the common consumer stunts powerful machines with bizarre software and input diseases.
things I want to do in the next few days: Play with Kaiya and CT, eat well, undertake the beginning of a recording project, play drums, watch leafs vs cannucks, be social
things I have to do: deliver stupid mail, do body core strengthening exercises, feed family
should I move recording to the "have to do pile" and blow off the rest?
back will go out, family will crumble, work will fill out forms
and what if I miss the engagements... Ill have to come up with some excuse for why I missed the show, although recording should be good for a musician but not all see it that way... Could become awkward. Will become awkward, I actually find the music pretty good. Maybe if I start recording take a break whip down to the club and be seen "supporting" catch some of the set race back to recording. Now would any other of the scene sucking bastards do that... Which I guess unroots one of my problems. I don't seem to give a rat's ass about being in a club being part of a scene, but yet it is a necessary element of my tax paying registered business. Possibly this could be solved by quitting my job and writing grants full time to get funding for Canada Lynx Records... Then I'll be writing grants all day? Better than writing in this stupid shithole blog.
indeed
things I want to do in the next few days: Play with Kaiya and CT, eat well, undertake the beginning of a recording project, play drums, watch leafs vs cannucks, be social
things I have to do: deliver stupid mail, do body core strengthening exercises, feed family
should I move recording to the "have to do pile" and blow off the rest?
back will go out, family will crumble, work will fill out forms
and what if I miss the engagements... Ill have to come up with some excuse for why I missed the show, although recording should be good for a musician but not all see it that way... Could become awkward. Will become awkward, I actually find the music pretty good. Maybe if I start recording take a break whip down to the club and be seen "supporting" catch some of the set race back to recording. Now would any other of the scene sucking bastards do that... Which I guess unroots one of my problems. I don't seem to give a rat's ass about being in a club being part of a scene, but yet it is a necessary element of my tax paying registered business. Possibly this could be solved by quitting my job and writing grants full time to get funding for Canada Lynx Records... Then I'll be writing grants all day? Better than writing in this stupid shithole blog.
indeed
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
A few things
Ok, so a blog must be policed from being some "rant zone" where insane maniacs, such as I, go into swearfests over meaningless things.
Now I believe that meaningless has been re-defined this week.
I guess I should go back a bit, I questioned the relevance of "Myspace friends" a few blogaroo's ago even going so far as to describe my legion of "friends" as Hammerheads... Perhaps you recall. And then at the Supper Show I introduced the idea of a "Willingdon Black" myspace page which provided some amusement for all but one. And then, My main man Ken Killbeat, who is doing a mail-out for our 21 Tandem Repeats CD "Never Wanted to Be Anyone", shot me an email asking me to make 1 or 2 songs on my myspace page available for free download because that is what all the Indie labels are doing... Make a free download and tell the world. Well I got my Karma that night trying to change that (it appeared that the myspace servers were not functioning for the "upload music properly" function... The result being me spending the night on myspace ruining our page with songs that didn't play, working myself into a fine rage.
Back to the meaningless definition. I know a band in Vancouver that has paid some guy in India $100 to get them 10,000 friends. And that is a deal because the going rate is $500. There is a whole economy of people getting other people "friends", which is good to know, because now I know there is no point in the Supper Show People trying to have Willingdon Black's page be the number one page in the world... I mean it would be anyway, being a tribute to the greatest guitar player in the "early evening" Vancouver scene.
This is the same week that Mule Hughes has his image on Myspace for his involvement in DCR.
apparently band websites are a waste of time and money as the myspace page has it all... Music right away, image, bio and show listings, contact... Which is now the band website. Which once again makes me a jackass with hay breath... Just thinking about the money I spend on hosting 21tr.ca and canadalynxrecords.com, and the links sent with a pro press release end up being Myspace pages for the two... Which cost me nothing. I guess that's what you call a left handed compliment to myspace. It IS a VERY important industry tool, if they could just make some browser that didn't show all the "thanks for the Add" and LOL comments I would pay for it.
tonight's second discussion
Mule Hughes from Difficult Music talking about playing in bands
"Every time a thing gets to the point where gigs have to be played and studio time is booked, that's when it all goes pear-shaped and I have to step back. It's self-sabotage, I guess."
The key word being "have"... We have to play a gig or we will... Turn into a pumpkin?, die a lonely life with nobody ever aware of our omnipotent talent? Not progress properly?
It was Christmas Eve at the Cottage Bistro maybe 6 years ago when Shockk and I were doing our then annual Christmas eve show at the Cottage Bistro... Mule and a few of his bandmates were there and the idea for them to play was put to them... There was the usual inward waffling until Mule silenced the crew with a sharp tirade with the words "well if we can't fucking do this then we can't do anything"... They went up and played a wonderful set.
And then studio time gets booked... And then what? The band has to begin to take everything seriously pulling out a giant comb of negativity to rid the material of any kinks that you didn't see when you were playing for fun.
Score another notch on the belt of the mighty Mule.
Imagine a reality show where some slick Hollywood agent blow into town and signs Mule records to a 5 album deal. The theme song would be Restore "you really sold out" and the first episode would be called Mule Makeover... Where the Mule becomes known as the Stallion and is followed by a pack of chatty cathy's from beauty salon to "hip" clothing franchises to lose them only during voice coaching and personal training... Ideas for episode 2?
Now I believe that meaningless has been re-defined this week.
I guess I should go back a bit, I questioned the relevance of "Myspace friends" a few blogaroo's ago even going so far as to describe my legion of "friends" as Hammerheads... Perhaps you recall. And then at the Supper Show I introduced the idea of a "Willingdon Black" myspace page which provided some amusement for all but one. And then, My main man Ken Killbeat, who is doing a mail-out for our 21 Tandem Repeats CD "Never Wanted to Be Anyone", shot me an email asking me to make 1 or 2 songs on my myspace page available for free download because that is what all the Indie labels are doing... Make a free download and tell the world. Well I got my Karma that night trying to change that (it appeared that the myspace servers were not functioning for the "upload music properly" function... The result being me spending the night on myspace ruining our page with songs that didn't play, working myself into a fine rage.
Back to the meaningless definition. I know a band in Vancouver that has paid some guy in India $100 to get them 10,000 friends. And that is a deal because the going rate is $500. There is a whole economy of people getting other people "friends", which is good to know, because now I know there is no point in the Supper Show People trying to have Willingdon Black's page be the number one page in the world... I mean it would be anyway, being a tribute to the greatest guitar player in the "early evening" Vancouver scene.
This is the same week that Mule Hughes has his image on Myspace for his involvement in DCR.
apparently band websites are a waste of time and money as the myspace page has it all... Music right away, image, bio and show listings, contact... Which is now the band website. Which once again makes me a jackass with hay breath... Just thinking about the money I spend on hosting 21tr.ca and canadalynxrecords.com, and the links sent with a pro press release end up being Myspace pages for the two... Which cost me nothing. I guess that's what you call a left handed compliment to myspace. It IS a VERY important industry tool, if they could just make some browser that didn't show all the "thanks for the Add" and LOL comments I would pay for it.
tonight's second discussion
Mule Hughes from Difficult Music talking about playing in bands
"Every time a thing gets to the point where gigs have to be played and studio time is booked, that's when it all goes pear-shaped and I have to step back. It's self-sabotage, I guess."
The key word being "have"... We have to play a gig or we will... Turn into a pumpkin?, die a lonely life with nobody ever aware of our omnipotent talent? Not progress properly?
It was Christmas Eve at the Cottage Bistro maybe 6 years ago when Shockk and I were doing our then annual Christmas eve show at the Cottage Bistro... Mule and a few of his bandmates were there and the idea for them to play was put to them... There was the usual inward waffling until Mule silenced the crew with a sharp tirade with the words "well if we can't fucking do this then we can't do anything"... They went up and played a wonderful set.
And then studio time gets booked... And then what? The band has to begin to take everything seriously pulling out a giant comb of negativity to rid the material of any kinks that you didn't see when you were playing for fun.
Score another notch on the belt of the mighty Mule.
Imagine a reality show where some slick Hollywood agent blow into town and signs Mule records to a 5 album deal. The theme song would be Restore "you really sold out" and the first episode would be called Mule Makeover... Where the Mule becomes known as the Stallion and is followed by a pack of chatty cathy's from beauty salon to "hip" clothing franchises to lose them only during voice coaching and personal training... Ideas for episode 2?
Friday, January 05, 2007
Question Mark
I guess it's no secret that I am a complete lunatic. Just read a few of the blogaroo's and embarrassment is the word of the night.
Tonight I stood up from the dinner table with the Russian salad dressing in my arm doing a windmill to put a centripetal force on the last of the dressing to get the bottle clean all the while looking at my young daughter explaining the relevance of everything.
what should I do with my life?
Tonight I stood up from the dinner table with the Russian salad dressing in my arm doing a windmill to put a centripetal force on the last of the dressing to get the bottle clean all the while looking at my young daughter explaining the relevance of everything.
what should I do with my life?
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Mishaps... Was Myspace but the spell check did that "mishaps" and I felt it artistically fitting.
Well well, a blogaroo about Myspace... You know it was due.
What brought us to this? It was actually this band The Rocky Fortune, and this song called Merry Boxing Day... Which I see they have taken down, which is unfortunate. The dude that wrote and sings the song is a guy called Fox Northman and he came out to the Super Robertson Supper Show for a few months playing the quiet Beardman at the back of the table... I almost threw him in on bass one night, and then set him up to play.... All I knew was that he came to Vancouver from Calgary to write some songs and was staying in an unheated storage space. Anyhow he played and was absolutely scintillating... And he played that song. So I heard from Shockk that his band "the rocky fortune" had that song up on their myspace page and that they were "friends" with interior design. So all I had to do was wade through the multiple pages of interior design friends to find them (as a search proved unsuccessful, for various reasons)... I found the song and enjoyed it... Even tried to download it, which is something I cannot ever seem to do &%%(... which is a shame now that the song is gone... However I figured I aught to tell a few people so I told the 2 of my friends who are most into music... The Mule and A Parker.
Both flinched at the idea of going onto Myspace... The word hate was used. Both did check out the song and enjoyed it... One had to leave early because it was killing him to be on myspace.
But EVERY BAND OUGHT TO BE ON MYSPACE for important exposure, the more friends the better right?
Don't get me wrong I have 4 myspace accounts, the one that I signed up for to check out SUPERSIMIAN when SIM put it up and that one is under my name and has a picture of my naked ass... I never check it... I threw up a ROADBED one, a 21 TR one and a Canada Lynx Records one, just to be involved right.
I find Myspace good for tracking down certain musicians who play bass and horns... Almost better than a phone call. But as I gain more and more friends (I always accept friends requests for some reason) the harder it is for me to find the person I want because I have to wade through a sea of faux friends... Just like the music business right.
People in bands fall prey to the idea that they are getting through and there big break is just around the corner... Does 1678 profile views mean 1678 people were checking out your band... How many gave a shit about your music? All you have to do is stay up all night adding people to your friends and you will have more visits and song plays and you will be able to see your career grow... And then any time you want to send a message to somebody about a Supper Show you have to wade through hundreds of hammerheads to find them.
I think Myspace is great for certain things... I have actually succeeded in having a discourse with the Naso Brothers, but my ability to find the needle is becoming harder in this haystorm of opportunity.
I have more points but I need sleep now
What brought us to this? It was actually this band The Rocky Fortune, and this song called Merry Boxing Day... Which I see they have taken down, which is unfortunate. The dude that wrote and sings the song is a guy called Fox Northman and he came out to the Super Robertson Supper Show for a few months playing the quiet Beardman at the back of the table... I almost threw him in on bass one night, and then set him up to play.... All I knew was that he came to Vancouver from Calgary to write some songs and was staying in an unheated storage space. Anyhow he played and was absolutely scintillating... And he played that song. So I heard from Shockk that his band "the rocky fortune" had that song up on their myspace page and that they were "friends" with interior design. So all I had to do was wade through the multiple pages of interior design friends to find them (as a search proved unsuccessful, for various reasons)... I found the song and enjoyed it... Even tried to download it, which is something I cannot ever seem to do &%%(... which is a shame now that the song is gone... However I figured I aught to tell a few people so I told the 2 of my friends who are most into music... The Mule and A Parker.
Both flinched at the idea of going onto Myspace... The word hate was used. Both did check out the song and enjoyed it... One had to leave early because it was killing him to be on myspace.
But EVERY BAND OUGHT TO BE ON MYSPACE for important exposure, the more friends the better right?
Don't get me wrong I have 4 myspace accounts, the one that I signed up for to check out SUPERSIMIAN when SIM put it up and that one is under my name and has a picture of my naked ass... I never check it... I threw up a ROADBED one, a 21 TR one and a Canada Lynx Records one, just to be involved right.
I find Myspace good for tracking down certain musicians who play bass and horns... Almost better than a phone call. But as I gain more and more friends (I always accept friends requests for some reason) the harder it is for me to find the person I want because I have to wade through a sea of faux friends... Just like the music business right.
People in bands fall prey to the idea that they are getting through and there big break is just around the corner... Does 1678 profile views mean 1678 people were checking out your band... How many gave a shit about your music? All you have to do is stay up all night adding people to your friends and you will have more visits and song plays and you will be able to see your career grow... And then any time you want to send a message to somebody about a Supper Show you have to wade through hundreds of hammerheads to find them.
I think Myspace is great for certain things... I have actually succeeded in having a discourse with the Naso Brothers, but my ability to find the needle is becoming harder in this haystorm of opportunity.
I have more points but I need sleep now
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