Stranger Than Paradise

The Breakfast Club

Physical State: creaky
Mental State: nostalgic
Music: Black Dice - Beaches & Canyons
Fashion sense: black fleece jacket, blue jeans

I've just discovered that TNN (or the new TNN, or the "network that compresses your image to 95% vertically so they can announce what show your watching and have their burn-in") is having a Ferris-palooza today all day Feb.28. They're showing Ferris Bueller's Day Off, ALL DAY! A great film if only to hear Edie McClurg rhyme off the teen cliques that exist at the high school. This got me to thinking about how great those John Hughes movies were and how they don't make teen movies like these anymore (why is that? An Aquarian way ahead of his time). I still sit and fondly watch Superstation's butchering of The Breakfast Club (which seems to be on every other weekend), if only so I can yell out "he never said that". Fast Times at Ridgemount High is another gem that can never be matched either for it's sheer motherlode of present-day celebrities (ok Damone didn't really make much of a career but he lives on in guys like The Strokes) or it's incredible cultural significance (some of you may be balking at this and that's ok). Most of the brat packers continued to make films and have careers (Ally Sheedy managed to become a total iconoclast with her movie High Art). We won't talk about Emilio Estevez's "I'm about to be shot by a firing squad" look on the VH1 Best Hits of the 80's shows. But getting back to Hughes, his movies spoke to me as a teen and some of their messages still resonate with me: misunderstood geek gets the sensitive beau-hunk in the end (Sixteen Candles), guy should stop looking elsewhere when his perfect match is right in front of him (Some Kind of Wonderful), sometimes you can't take life too seriously (Ferris Bueller), deep down we all have problems that aren't that different and we can eventually make peace (Breakfast Club). Teens today need a John Hughes, something tells me that corporate Hollywood would have no place for someone like him now.

The Organ

I swear I'm not a bandwagoner!


Physical State: slouchy
Mental State: taffy
Music: Calexico - Hot Rail
Fashion sense: black fleece jacket, blue jeans

Oh Yes oh yes I am officially losing my indie-cred today. As you may recall I wrote some weeks ago about this (what I thought was a little) all-girl band from Vancouver called The Organ and no fewer than 3 papers in Toronto today have articles about them. Great for the band because they are very good, bad for me because it makes me and my Wavelength review coming out next week look like I'm jumping on a bandwagon (certainly a sin in indie circles). Wasn't it Morrisey who penned "we hate it when our friends become successful". You know what? Who cares. Way to go Organ! I should check you guys out on Saturday (but I have a feeling the place will be packed to capacity and anyone whose been in the Horseshoe during a music festival knows that it takes a certain level of stamina to move around let alone buy a beer). More Music festival venues!

Here for your reading pleasure are 4 Organ reviews: a link to Now's, a link to the Globe's, Kevin Hainey's review today from Eye and mine own that will (possibly) appear in Wavelength this weekend:

Now magazine
Globe and Mail - Carl Wilson article

THE ORGAN

Sinking Hearts EP Mint/604

Believe the hype! Vancouver all-female five-piece The Organ are one of those timeless and amorphous groups who recall countless classic acts while maintaining a style all their own. Armed with sparsely suggestive lyrics and catchy influences from 1976-1984, The Organ rank beside the finest names of the new-rock/post-punk revolution. And like the best DIY gal-groups (The Shaggs, LiLiPUT), The Organ's tight delivery is constantly on the verge of falling to shambles. Think of Blondie being saddened by The Smiths and tossed the restrained cool of The Strokes. This EP tease leaves you like a good lover: wanting more.
KEVIN HAINEY

Wavelength review:

The Organ - Sinking Hearts ep (Global Symphonic)

A true little pop gem from last Fall, this release from this all-girl band from Vancouver has quickly become a favourite of mine. It’s an ep that I wished existed in the 80’s when I could have danced to it and now looked back on fondly. It really takes me back, more than listening to some lousy Wang Chung record. Odd as this is from 2002! This is the adolescence that I never had! I was robbed! Sinking Hearts is a promising debut for this band and I will definitely be watching them. Katie Sketch has a truly distinctive singing voice reminiscent at times of Debbie Harry. As well there is a definite pastoral post-punk air here that’s inline with those jangly, dancey quasi-gothy bands from the early 80’s. The centrepiece of this band definitely for me, however, is the melancholy cool Hammond “organ” of Jenny Smyth, anchoring all the songs effectively with a nice undertone. This 15 minute slice of nostalgia is part of the other 80’s revival that I wished was happening more, Electroclash be damned. SV

File next to: Blondie, The Cure as an all-girl band, Cadallaca

Smog © Jim Newberry

Smog, new album
Supper March 18!


Physical State: achey
Mental State: crumbly
Music: The Creeping Nobodies - IXU
Fashion sense: black t-shirt, blue jeans

New Smog album coming soon, yes! Described by Insound like this:

(SMOG) 'Supper' (Drag City) - MARCH 18.
A sweeping masterwork that ranges from Lou Reed-esque glam-boogie to Stonesy blues-rock. While their eleventh full-length may strike some as easy listening with its soft steel guitars, female harmony vocals, and fluttering guitars, "Supper" certainly retains Smog's penchant for sharp observations, a steady stream of humorous specters, and discomfiting intimacy.

So today is a bit scattered and I've got a lot of work to do here (nice for a change). Just realized that my dj date is the same night as the Oscars so I'm hoping everyone will embrace their indie-rockyness and not stay home and watch them. Do you really want to see Joan Rivers Senior and Junior riff all sarcastic-like about how Hilary Swank looks like a skank, I've seen her in person and she is no skank people. Listening to the Creeping Nobodies and Derek has got this incredible thing that he does of screaming into the pickup on his guitar, I love it. I wish they'd play live again soon. And yes Wendy that Beans song was fantabulous on Ian's show. I wish that I could talk those guys into creating an Exclaim internet radio station. Just imagine 24 hours a day of Exclaim-type music available to listen to over the net (would you ever listen to anything again?)

Ok back to work. Later peeps.

Update



I hate when this happens, are you with me?

Riff Randells

Physical State: springy
Mental State: slushy
Music: Riff Randells - s/t
Fashion sense: grey t-shirt, blue jeans

Listening to the very short Riff Randells ep. This trio from Vancouver play some nice Ramones-inspired jams. There's something very Vancouver about them (not sure what that means). Ok slow start gotta get some stuff done but I've found out that One Candle Power from Montreal and Heidi Hazelton will be playing the March 23 Wavelength show along with my djing. You can check them out by clicking on their names.

New Cat Power dates announced today (sorry Ottawa):

02-25 Sacramento, CA - Harlow's
02-26 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's 365 Club (Noise Pop Festival)
03-02 New York, NY - Tonic *
03-04 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
03-05 Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club
03-06 Pittsburgh, PA - Club Laga
03-07 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
03-08 Chicago, IL - Abbey Pub
03-09 Chicago, IL - Abbey Pub *
03-10 St. Louis, MO - Duck Room at Blueberry Hill
03-11 Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck
03-14 Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ (SXSW w/Dead Meadow, Spoon, Yo La Tengo)
03-15 Ft. Worth, TX - Ridglea Theatre
03-17 New Orleans, LA - Howlin' Wolf
03-18 Tuscaloosa, AL - The Chukker
03-19 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
03-20 Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
03-21 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
03-22 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
03-23 Philadephia, PA - First Unitarian Church
03-24 Winston-Salem, NC - Project Space 211
03-25 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
04-10 Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
04-11 Winooski, VT - Higher Ground
04-12 Montreal, QC - Theatre Outremont
04-13 Toronto, ON - Opera House
04-15 Detroit, MI - Majestic Theater
04-16 Newport, KY - Southgate House
04-19 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground
04-22 Seattle, WA - Showbox
04-23 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
04-25 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
04-26 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
04-29 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater

Physical State: lumbering
Mental State: skittery
Music: Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny - Beyond The Missouri Sky, The For Carnation - s/t
Fashion sense: blue sweats, black fleece jacket

Ok so it looks like I've missed adding some Sunday info so I better make amends. I saw this noise band from Montreal last night at Wavelength called The Electric End and man were they different (I'll leave impressions to thine own ears). It was so loud that my ears were buzzing for a long time afterward (I'm sure that would be a compliment to them). I should have known what I was in for when I saw people putting earplugs in. I had the same deer in the headlights expression when I saw my first Mogwai show. The Electric End are made up of two former members of Da Bloody Gashes and it's safe to say they probably don't play weddings, unless you're marrying someone who worships Melt Banana (and you know the senior citizens at the wedding will already be deaf so you don't have to worry about them. If they weren't they would be). You can "hear" more of the Electric End at this link here. You may not like them but damned if you can't respect them. They also run a screenprinting company called Serigraphie Populaire. They have made some very creative screened posters for different gigs, you can check out some of their work here.

Just wanted to mention to anyone who might be in Toronto on March 23 that I am going to be djing at Wavelength (sorry no Melt Banana but maybe Belle and Sebastian, they're so much alike). Feel free to check out the show and support the cause.

In other DJ news, Joanne aka DJ Loveless has announced her rescheduled gig at Cinema Classics in NYC.

Subculture @ Rififi/Cinema Classics
332 East 11th St btw. 1st & 2nd
Nearest Subway: L to 1st Avenue
DJs: DJ Loveless & Contra
Tuesday, February 25th , 9pm+
Price: Free!!!

DJ Loveless (from Radio:Loveless) guest spins this week from 10-12. Expect to hear anything from alluring indie rock & shoegaze to post-punk and Brit.

Afterwards, Contra finishes the evening with classic & contemporary synthpop, new-wave, post-punk and other audio treats at this popular East Village lounge/screening room/performance space.

Cave Poster @ Gigposters.com      Jean Seberg

Physical State: weary
Mental State: oatmealy
Music: Radio:Loveless on Live365
Fashion sense: grey sweats, grey sweatshirt

Here's a Nick Cave poster from a great site that I've found called gigposters.com. Here you'll find lots of really wonderful screen and hand done posters for concerts (and updated regularly). This is a great resource. Another resource is this site for Saul Bass (the king of film titles). He did some really great posters as well. Not much happening, getting a slow start to the day really and just listening to Joanne's show again, great music. Pia Frauss (in the playlist) really remind me of Mean Red Spiders from Toronto. I think I'll devote most of my day to finally getting through this Flash book and trying some things out. A book I'd like to turn you on to is one that I read last summer (but thought about when I was looking at Saul Bass' poster for Saint Joan) is a book about Jean Seberg called Played Out: The Jean Seberg Story by David Richards. What a sad but interesting life she had. Best known for her role in Godard's "A Bout De Souffle" you can click on her name to find more info about her.



Revolver Films has the new Sigur Ros video for "Untitled #1" directed by Toronto native Floria Sigismondi, a sadly beautiful and timely video that it is too given the state of world events at this moment. However this is a huge download of 69 MB so not for the faint of bandwidth and be forewarned. Click here to see it.

No War! Notwist!

Physical State: slouchy
Mental State: felty
Music: Notwist - Neon Golden
Fashion sense: jeans, green shirt

Hey kids it's the Notwist North American Tour (supported by Styrofoam) coming to a city near you!

02.04. washington, Black Cat
03.04. philadelphia, First Unitarian Church
04.04. nyc, Knitting Factory
05.04. nyc, Knitting Factory
06.04. boston, TT the Bears
07.04. montreal, La Sala Rossa
08.04. toronto, Lee's Palace
09.04. detroit, Magic Stick
10.04. chicago, Metro
11.04. grinell, Grinell College
12.04. minneapolis, Entry
15.04. seattle, Graceland, Chop Suey
16.04. portland, Blackbird
17.04. san francisco, Slims
18.04. san francisco, Slims
19.04. los angeles, Knitting Factory
20.04. los angeles, Knitting Factory

Dan Clowes

Physical State: achey
Mental State: sluggish
Music: Julie Doiron - Desormais
Fashion sense: black shirt, jeans

Dan Clowes, sure everyone's heard of him, he's the dude behind the Eightball (ha ha I just realized that had a double meaning) and Ghost World which was made into one of my favourite films. He has recently become a hero of mine after taking out two of his Eightball books from the the library. I find his sense of humour amazing. You can check out more about Dan at the Fantagraphics site here. Not too much going on today. Phone still not ringing about any of those jobs I applied for. I wonder if my phone works (yep). I'm coming to terms with the designation "barista" over "art director" lately. I saw Peter Mettler's film Gambling, Gods and LSD last night and I liked it. It's hard to describe and you should just go see it. The only thing is is that it's 3 hours long (some parts could have used some edits). It's not really a documentary as much as a visual poem, I though the first half was superb. It's not exactly a movie for someone who digs movie stars and things blowing up, in fact I think they'd run screaming of the cinema if they saw it. Maybe it's for you, maybe not. Not for me to decide.

Make Tea Not War!
Physical State: slouchy
Mental State: gray
Music: Broadcast - Work and Non-Work
Fashion sense: jeans, blue shirt

Make Tea Not War. A great slogan passed on to me by Claire Kember. How about "War: It's a gas". Ok that doesn't work and neither do the damn prices for the stuff. It won't be long before gas hits the $1 mark here in Canada! Nice. Not much to say today except that the Cat Power album is exceptional. Hope everyone is having a good day. Joanne Loveless' dj date has been postponed (but then anyone who went to Cinema Classics in NYC knows that). I will put up a new date as it becomes available. Some things I did want to turn people on to are Broadcast live dates and three internet radio RealAudio shows done by the band with some truly amazing music in them.

Broadcast Live dates:
Wed 5/7 Troubadour West Hollywood, CA 
Thu 5/8 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA 
Fri 5/9 Plan B Portland , OR 
Sat 5/10 Chop Suey Seattle, WA 
Tue 5/13 First Avenue - 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN 
Wed 5/14 Abbey Pub Chicago, IL 
Thu 5/15 Lee's Palace Toronto, ON Canada
Fri 5/16 La Sala Rosa Montreal, QC Canada
Sat 5/17 Middle East Club - Upstairs Cambridge, MA 
Sun 5/18 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY 

Broadcast Radio Shows: Click Radio Mix 1, Radio Mix 2 or Radio Mix 3 for one of the three great shows.

Here's the listing for those who wanted to know what they were listening to:

_______________________________________________
broadcast radio mix 1

73m 29s
01 jean dubuffet: bowery bum
02 ennio morricone (sung by christy): deep down
03 ennio morricone: il gatto a nove code
04 ?
05 tom dissevelt: sonic re-entry
06 the united states of america: coming down
07 ?
08 ennio morricone: from teorema
09 zodiac cosmic sounds: aquarius
10 gilbert/powell/de moraes (sung by astrid gilberto): berimbau
11 ennio morricone: invention for john
12 chris carpenter: waterfalls
13 tom dissevelt: visitor from inner space
14 pete mac junior: the water margin
15 kunio miyauchi: all monsters attack
16 joe meek: the bublight
17 the united states of america: the garden of earthly delights
18 akira ifukube: ootojima temple festival
19 emil richards: garnet (january)
20 the deep: color dreams
21 electric flag: peter's trip
22 astros: space walk
23 john giorno: i resign myself to being here
24 hal blaine: love in
25 ennio morricone: return of ringo
26 bernard parmegiani: du pop à l'ane

______________________________________________
Broadcast radio mix 2

73m 28s
compiled and mixed by julian house, broadcast's
graphic designer and occasional live dj.

01 donald erb - in a strange land (excerpt)
02 ghost - people get freedom
03 david axelrod - the sign part 1
04 john baker structures
05 ennio morricone - senza movente
06 the cyrcle - the visit
07 electronic sounds - the eye of horus
08 stained glass - a scene in between
09 the love machine - lunar sea
10 delia derbyshire - ziwith ziwith 00 00 00
11 kid 606 - dodgy
12 david seeland band - beat construction
13 silhouette - an offering in music
14 lesiman - confronto
15 rotary connection - lady jane
16 delia derbyshire - towards tomorrow
17 dimension 5 - abracadabra
18 gill melle - widlife
19 the endd - it's out of my hands
20 pierre duchamp - beach buggy
21 hairy diamond - giving up
22 ufo or die - zombie tube
23 ennio morricone - quiemada

____________________________________________
broadcast radio mix 3

71m 38s

01 the painted ship - frustration
02 goblin - la caccia
03 american spring - falling in love
04 ? - pop electronique
05 krystof komeda - when angels fall
06 stainton/demasi - gold
07 danielle patucci - la dimo strzione
08 rita monico - thrilling
09 steven jesse bernstein - no no man
10 wendy & bonnie - children laughing
11 sean schultiaeis - danger
12 ? - ?
13 piero piccconi - capricco
14 ravi shanker - chappaqua
15 los gatos - cuando llegue el no 2000
16 enno morricone - my name is nobody
17 president's analyst
18 dick hyman - moon gas
19 krystof komeda - knife in the water
20 antonio carlos jobim - children's games
21 les baxter - machine
22 raymond scott - nescafé
23 mikis theodarakis - café rock
24 alice coltrane - galaxy in turina
25 greek fountains - an experimented terror
26 joan giorino - everyone is a complete disappointment
27 angus maclise - loft collage

happy listening!

CAT POWER YOU ARE FREE, OUT TODAY!



Happy Cat Power Day, "You Are Free" is out so pick it up. If you can't then at least give it a listen here. Also Happy Birthday to Wendy who is 9 today! (just kidding ok maybe she's a little older).

Physical State: lumbering
Mental State: crunchy
Music: Mojave 3 - Out of Tune
Fashion sense: grey sweats, black shirt

Brooklyn's Ida

Physical State: groggy
Mental State: scattered
Music: Ida - You Are My Flower
Fashion sense: black sweatshirt, jeans

The mighty Ida from Brooklyn, nice album by Dan and Liz of the band. There's a follow-up to this one by Liz specifically called "You Are My Sunshine" available on Last Affair Records.

So Joanne Loveless is going to be djing tomorrow night at Cinema Classics in New York (a long cold snowy ways away from Toronto unfortunately) so go check her out if you're in the NYC area:

" SUBCULTURE " Tuesdays
9pm+, No cover, 21 & up
Venue: Cinema Classics (212-677-1027)
332 East 11th Street btw. 1st & 2nd Ave, NYC

Contra takes it below the surface for a night of classic & contemporary synthpop, new-wave, postpunk, Britpop, and other audio treats at this popular East Village lounge/screening room/performance space. Suggestions and comments are always welcome.

Special guest DJ Loveless spins on Tuesday, February 18th from 10-12. Expect to hear anything from alluring indie rock & shoegaze to postpunk and Brit. Make sure to check out Radio:Loveless online.

Ok so not much happening today, applied for a ton of jobs again and tried to get this booklet done that I'm working on. I did a ton of variations of the cover and I still don't think the client was happy ( I wish I hadn't spent so much time on the one I liked). It's always the case that the one you throw in at the last minute is the one that a client will like. Wendy called me to ask me if I was watching Joe Millionaire. I swear I was not watching it. I had some of her tasty lasagna for dinner tonight that she let me take home when I was over there yesterday. Friggin' cold today. Sometimes in a Canadian winter you just wanna hibernate, today was kind of one of those days.

Bonne nuite mes amies.

I want to talk at this moment at 1.30 am about my father. For many months he has been in the hospital for a variety of complications. He went to the hospital in August for an arterial aneurysm operation. He got through that operation but experienced a whole gamut of complications that ended him back in intensive care twice. He has not left intensive care since the middle of November. I am feeling very sad today. He seems so weak and it both scares me and troubles me at the same time. Every time it seems like he'll slip away he turns around and seems to improve. Then a few weeks he gets knocked down by an infection or some complication. You can only take so much of seeing him like this before you wonder if he'll ever leave the hospital and if he does if he'll ever have a normal life again (it's that serious and has been for a long time). At the moment I feel like unplugging the phone, turning off the lights and just listening to silence (this is why I have no music on tonight). I keep asking why he never seems to get better. He's so thin it's scary, because he's been lying in bed literally for months. This ain't no paradise for anyone. This is not how I want to remember him. I want to see him go home, happy healthy and full of life not dwindling on the edge for his very life. This battle is far from over but we're all pretty tired of fighting. But tomorrow's another day and he's beaten the odds so many times already why shouldn't we expect it again. I dunno what to say. Today was not a great one.

Valentine (Irene Jacob) from Three Colours: Red

Physical State: sluggish
Mental State: murky
Music: Rachel's - The Sea & The Bells
Fashion sense: blue sweats, black shirt

Ok so it looks like I missed a daily entry yesterday on Valentine's Day (got really busy and was intending to). No Valentine either for me so the day seems a little insignificant. I've always felt that Valentine's day was a greeting card/chocolate industry sanctioned holiday (if it was a real holiday wouldn't they give you a day off work?). So go the words of a bitter single guy. Maybe it's a day to make compilations of love songs (aren't most songs love songs?). So as I missed it today I offer up a picture of a Valentine (in this case the actress Irene Jacob playing Valentine in "Red"). If you didn't already know, Irene is my Ingrid Bergman and has made quite a lot of crappy films of late (mostly in English). But I don't hold that against her. Originally born in Switzerland but always thought of as French, she came to fame when she won the Cannes best actress award for her magnificent portrayal of Veronique in "La Double Vie de Veronique". Red was also a great film too. Came back from Wavelength last night and what a great show, I was pretty amazed by the Dirty Hearts and will be checking them out again. Kind of a mix of a Sadies boozy twang with a more straight-ahead indie-rock sound. One song I kept telling Minesh Mandoda had its groove taken from Johnny Cash's "Cocaine Blues" good song to pick a riff from.

Beans

Physical State: springy
Mental State: sharp
Music: Beans - Tired Snow ep
Fashion sense: grey sweater, jeans

I wanna kill the dude who came up with the idea of pop-up ads on the internet. When you go to a website you get bombarded by ads to play casino games, buy a stupid deskcam, become aware that your computer is under surveillance and NO I don't know any of these people at Classmates.com, so get lost! They're like the equivalent of seeing your mailbox full of flyers. You end up hitting your forehead like Homer Simpson screaming out "D'oh"! If there was an apocalypse after King George got our asses kicked, there'd still be cockroaches, taxmen and internet pop ads still around, mark my words.

So today I decided to slip on the Beans ep that I haven't listened to in awhile. I think these Vancouver guys are on the verge of something big. Very cinematic stuff. They play great instrumentals and the perfect soundtrack to that long lonely drive (one of their art pieces was even based on just such an activity called "Driving West"). Similar in some ways to Mogwai or Do Make Say Think. Check out some of their tracks from New Music Canada. They are on the same San Francisco label as P:ano.

Just wanted to say a special congrats to Jonny and Derek, the founders of Wavelength who will be celebrating their 3rd anniversary starting tonight with some great concerts in the Toronto area. For more info click the Wavelength link to the left in my list of favourites. Double congrats are in order as they will also be interviewed tonight by Patti Schmidt on Brave New Waves (link also at left). Way to go Wavelength! You can hear this interview after midnight across all of Canada on CBC Radio2 (I will put the link up to the archived interview when it becomes available).

My last thanks for the day goes to Fat Cat Records men Dave Cawley and Thomas who have never been anything but exceptional in sending me promos from their label. I urge everyone to buy a Fat Cat release today. Not only are they nice but they also have excellent taste in music. Good on ya, mates. Reviews for Sylvain Chaveau to come.

Claire Kember

Physical State: crackin'
Mental State: cloudy
Music: The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic
Fashion sense: black fleece jacket, jeans


Top Ten Reasons Why Claire Kember is Cool

10. Brighton rock (not just a bad hair-metal band)
9. likes Nick Hornby (and can appreciate the importance of lists)
8. "truly pants"
7. shares the same last name as the Spaceman 3 guy
6. plays independent bands and things sent in, supports the little guys
5. consistently hilarious
4. johnny cash fan
3. "ho HO!"
2. 3 minute hero
1. the high-preistess of Totally Radio

I found this commercial for Torengos tortilla chips that reminds me so much of trying to make sense of people in Glasgow, Scotland. Check it oot, mahn. Torengos at Chinagraph

For my stupid neighbours downstairs I spontaneously came up with this variation on Suzanne Vega's hit song (I don't think she'll be recording it though). I think I should sing it when they make too much noise. Everybody sing along, you know the tune.

Dudley

Our name is Dudley
We live on the second floor
We live downstairs from you
Yes I think you've heard us before

If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble, some kind of fight
Just some idiots that's all it was
Just some idiots that's all it was
Just some idiots that's all it was

I think it's because we're stupid
We try not to talk too bright
Maybe it's because we're crazy
Maybe it's because we're not alright

They only bicker until you yell
And after that they can go to hell
Just don't argue anymore
Just don't argue anymore

Yes I think they're not okay
He went and slammed the door again
Well, if you ask they're not okay
But they'll make it your business anyway
I guess I'd like to be alone
With no screaming morons down below
Just don't ask me how I am
Just don't ask me how I am
Just don't ask me how I am

Aimee Mann cracks a smile

Physical State: chilly ends
Mental State: blankety
Music: Aimee Mann - Lost in Space (from her website)
Fashion sense: "we make no sense, no sense, no sense...we have no sense"

Trying to get a lot of things done today and I realized that I should tell people about this newish Aimee Mann album Lost in Space. While I usually don't go out for more adult contemporary fare, this album is so sad and beautiful. The website and the album have really great illustrations of Aimee and others by Canadian illustrator Seth. Anyone who loved the music from Magnolia (and could relate to the "Wise Up" sing along with the cast) will love these songs. Fitting neatly somewhere between a saddened Ivy and the female equivalent of Ron Sexsmith, this is a winner. Great narratives of addictions, alienation and regret, what you've come to expect from an Aimee song afterall.

Went to see Frida with my friend Wendy last night and I liked it. I thought there were some very interesting ways of showing her artwork and relating it to the film although this element could have been pushed farther (like what made her create such work). I agree that the movie is a bit of a "romance" between her and Diego. It's interesting to consider this one against Bruno Nuytten's Camille Claudel or Ed Harris' Pollock for that artist biography movie. It seems it's difficult to interpret the life of an artist in a film because a lot of what they created is based on their subjective thoughts which can be read but are harder to translate on film. Not a bad film for Hollywood and certainly a triumph for Salma Hayek. Nice to see the criminally underrepresented talents of the Quay Brothers in one sequence in the film. So I ended up watching Joe Millionaire later (high art to low art) and can I say that I am so scared for the state of American culture, ha ha. Ok it's all about guilty pleasures fair enough. Who will Trista pick, yes that is the question. I've just blown my coolness factor at least I'm honest with myself.

The sad instrumental song of the day comes courtesy of the fantastic new ep Expressing Scorn, Contempt or Disgrace by Moly from the UK. Click here to hear "Me and Lucifer" in Real Audio, look out Mogwai.

Andy French of Mission Hill

Physical State: lumpy rutherford
Mental State: scattered
Music: The Go-Betweens - Friends of Rachel Worth
Fashion sense: Magnet magazine black t-shirt (indie-rock staple)

Mission Hill. Do you know about this cartoon series? I've been getting totally addicted to it lately (found on Teletoon here in Canada). I guess they aren't making new ones and I'm not sure why because it's great. I love the artwork and the sarcastic slacker vibe it has. As an example of how cool this show is here are some bands whose songs have appeared in the show in the past: Looper, Silkworm, Halo Benders, Luscious Jackson, Pavement , Flaming Lips, Gloria Record, Jega, Joan Of Arc , Lambchop, Legendary Jim Ruiz Group, New Order and Quasi among others. The show follows the dumpy life of Andy French and his nerdy Brother Kevin. Check it out. Ok so I'm using this moment to procrastinate but I should add something for today.

The Organ

Physical State: stiff
Mental State: gloopy
Music: The Organ - Sinking Hearts
Fashion sense: t-shirt, sweatpants (hey its 9.30 am on a Sunday)

Everyday is like Sunday, every day is silent and grey - Morrissey

Ok the sun is shining so it's not a grey day, neither is it silent with idiot #1 and Mrs. Idiot #1 downstairs (don't these people ever sleep in?) and it's lousy because I have a headache. Some of you are probably wondering why I bitch all the time. I'm actually a nice guy if you get to know me (I think). I was so sleepy last night watching Saturday Night Live (surprise huh?) that I decided to go to bed fairly early for a Saturday. I woke up and got freaked out because I could see (usually I wear glasses or contacts). Yep I had my contacts in still and I'm not supposed to sleep with them in (this is why I probably have the headache now). Ok so I keep listening to these girls from Vancouver called The Organ and I have to write a review of their ep "Sinking Hearts" for Wavelength. I keep hearing Debbie Harry and Cadallaca in their music (not that there's anything wrong with those two). I wish I could get a promo this month like Jim Guthrie's album last month (which was incredibly easy to write about as it's great). Gonna write about the new Cat Power album as well (I'll be picking that up the day it comes out). I have to watch this video I still have sitting on my coffee table of a film I watch every once in awhile, Maborosi by Hirokazu Kore-eda. Such a great slow film (maybe tonight). Well time to get going here, going to have brunch with Vivian.

Physical State: tired
Mental State:messy
Music: Belle and Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
Fashion sense: t-shirt, jeans

Ok so this day started out great and then got kind of messed up by the end. Nothing major, just a long weary day. I went to see my dad again and that gets me down (he seemed to not really want to notice me in the hospital, like he was mad at me or something). I went with my sister who was supposed to show up a lot earlier in the afternoon but showed up around 7 instead. I came up with a promo idea for my design work to send along with my resume. I'll have this large matchbook mailer thing and inside will be an id-rom with all my design work on it as a pdf document. I'm not sure about the copy for this thing but it would be super cheap to make. Also you can buy tons of id-roms (biz card cdroms) for cheap and burn them yourself. I think I should work out some contra deal with Michael that if he can help me do something fancy on the interactive side I'll do some photoshop stuff for him for free later. Who knows. I just have to do something soon so I can start making some money (any money). This is another reason that this day is getting me down, I want to go places and buy things but I keep holding off on them while getting more frustrated. I wish there was a way to get this stuff done with so I can go back to having a normal life again. One upside is that I learned to play that B & S song that Joanne has in her playlist "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying" such a happy upbeat song for such a sad song title. Thanks Wendy for helping me out with my portfolio.

Atomic 7 say "You ain't havin' fun
until you're dialing 911"

Physical State: jumpy
Mental State: clear
Music: Atomic 7 - Gowns By Edith Head, Bis - Return To Central
Fashion sense: sweatshirt, jeans

Hi how are you today? Ok so I thought of sending my resume to a million different places today (and I applied for several design jobs as well). When I look at my resume it seems ludricrous that someone would want to hire me part-time when I'll so obviously jump ship if a design career job comes along. Hey I'm not getting richer trying to decide what to do though. I think that my long-term plan is to get into a studio. Flash and Dreamweaver are standing between me and that (that and getting my work to be seen by art directors).

So I was listening to a little 2 song e-rom (or whatever those biz card sized cdrs are called) by The Barcelona Pavillion (members of the soon to be world famous Hidden Cameras) and while the songs are super short, they're very catchy. Check this link for more about them and to hear 2 songs ("Raymond Monelle" an example of pure id with instruments):The Barcelona Pavillion

Now I'm experiencing Toronto guitar god Brian Connelly and his Atomic 7 seen above (used to be the guitarist for Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet who did all the music for the tv show "Kids In The Hall"). Wicked surf instrumentals, tasty twangin' and go-go freakouts! Yeah this guy deserves The Order of Canada (or some other appropriate surf-god of Canada musician award). When you want to see a guy who thinks he knows how to play guitar cry it's probably at an Atomic 7 concert after seeing Brian play. A great soundtrack for the road tripper, give this dude a movie to score (or an album with Calexico...oh think of the possibilities)!

Physical State: creaky
Mental State: taffy
Music: DJ Shadow - The Private Press
Fashion sense: black fleece shirt, jeans

So I was roaming around the 'net early and came across this link to a great little online cartoon called Cat and Girl by Illinois artist Dorothy Gambrell. Its probably been around for awhile but I like the dark humour of it. New cartoons go up every Monday. You should check it out: Cat and Girl

Also DJ Loveless has added a new stream to her Live365 show! More great tunes for the soundtrack of your life! Nice selections. You can check out Loveless and her show by clicking this link: Radio Loveless

Keep your eyes and ears open for the new album by French avant garde pianist Sylvain Chauveau called Un Autre Decembre out on Fat Cat in March. Remember when you used to listen to Satie and Part and thought they were brilliant. Meet the new kid on the block. Inspired by the films of Robert Bresson and very interesting sounding, I'm looking forward to hearing this.

Audrey, where are you now?

UPDATE Wednesday pm.

Physical State: slouchy
Mental State: murky
Music: GYBE - Yanqui U.X.O.
Fashion sense: t-shirt, sweats (ya this day is over)

Ya so I'm back here and everything's cool. I was just writing to J about Sherilyn Fenn so I added a photo of her to my blog from back in the Twin Peaks days. Everybody loved to hate Audrey (straight out of a noir, this chick was trouble). Sherilyn also is an Aquarius and has the same birthday as me (says a lot). Just imagined if we got married she'd be Sherilyn Fenn-Venn (pretty damn cool). In the immortal words of Mellonville's famous Mayor Tommy Shanks "well, good night".

# posted by Steven @ 2/05/2003 06:59:00 PM 0 comments

Physical State: jumpy (too much caffeine)
Mental State: twitchy
Music: K-Shite FM (that's right I'm back in Borlington today to fill in)
Fashion sense: Green sweater, black pants, cool shoes

Bon Voyage Loveless! Wish I was going to Mexico for a few days, especially when I look outside. I am once again working at AIC in Borlington for the day. They called me just before 9 and as they pay a lot I was there in a flash. I can't check my email from this machine so if you sent me an email I haven't read it yet. I keep thinking about Ghost World today for some reason, I should rent that again.

Physical State: creaky
Mental State: foggy
Music: Francoise Hardy - La Meilleur de... (actually "The Vogue Years" is better, don't have that so)
Fashion sense: nonsense

ou bien si peu de chose
c'est mon amie la rose
qui l'a dit hier matin.

Tuesdays are pretty boring, no wonder they make movie prices lower on Tuesdays. This one, so far, is no exception. I included a photo of Francoise Hardy today that I have on my fridge, I really like her songs, it's just too bad my French isn't better so I could understand what the songs are about (but that doesn't stop me from liking Sigur Ros either I guess). I need a coffee. Cat Power list is growing like crazy, it's about time. I hate the way it always takes an album release for the list to grow, oh well. Can I just talk a moment how touchy the blogger system is when you want to add certain html things. What can I say I'm like a kindergarten kid when it comes to html.

Physical State: woozy
Mental State: happy
Music: The Bats - Silverbeet
Fashion sense: grey fleece Comedy Network sweatshirt, sweat pants

Just got back from Canoe and man what a place! All drinks at the least are $10! Out of control and there were a lot of people there too. It's one of the those places I would take someone to propose to but it's a little out of my range for the average night on the town. Thanks to my friends Blair and Michael, I had some nice beers and a good time. Good guys. I think I ate too many brazil nuts though (they had this truly addictive mixed nuts recipe in all the bowls on the bar). Wally could not make it but that's ok it sounds like he's messed up his shoulder and I'm sure it wouldn't be fun to sit there and have a good time when your shoulder's throbbing.

Blue Monday (aka "Signed, Compulsively Yours")

Physical State: sleepy
Mental State: blue, dreamy Veronique-like adult fairy tale state, a slight tinge of regret
Music: The Smiths - s/t, Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis, Sparklehorse - It's a Wonderful Life
Fashion sense: grey sweats, white shirt

"I am sorry that I cannot say anything more comforting, for active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with love in dreams" - Father Zosima, Brothers Karamozov

"does the body rule the mind or does the mind rule the body" - Still Ill

I dreamt about you last night and I fell out of bed twice
You can pin and mount me like a butterfly
But take me to the haven of your bed
Was something that you never said
Two lumps, please
You're the bee's knees
But so am I
                  - The Smiths "Reel Around The Fountain"

Such a great album that Smiths one. Man these Manc dudes really age well. It's weird the way things you felt at 16 can come back in a flash when you listen to an old album. Amazing. I dreamt about you last night and I fell out of bed twice. Truer words never said. I dreamt about Catharine last night and I couldn't go back to sleep. It got me all weary again. Catharine was a girl that I worked with more than a year ago, a sweet girl from Winnipeg who I had the biggest crush on for a long long time when I worked at CTV. Every once in awhile I have dreams about her and I still think about her from time to time. She always reminded me of Bjork for some reason (one of my all-time biggest influences and pictured above). She had a very shy but charming quality to her that I've never found in anyone. I reread the letter I wrote her that still sits on top of my fridge a year and a half later and it's really still true what I said in it (of course I never gave it to her when I left CTV). Sad really. So it's a blue monday, it's early and I know I won't be going back to sleep after 6:30. In the same dream I was playing a ukele and Babak was performing with two of his students at some pagent (he was playing glockenspiel). They were playing this Smiths song (above). Catharine sat with some other girls to my right with two or three chairs between us. Every once in awhile we would look over at each other and smile without saying anything, then go back to our conversations (sorry Babak everyone in the back was talking during your performance). What a strange start to the day.

Groundhog Day evening

Physical State: slouchy
Mental State: clear
Music: The Go-Betweens - 16 Lover's Lane
Fashion sense: Brave New Waves shirt and jeans

Went to Soundscapes to pick up my gift certificate and ran into Michael Graydon who used to go to high school with me as well as being a personal friend of Neil Halstead (yeah that one) and the photographer for the first Mojave 3 album "Ask Me Tomorrow" when he went by the name Mike Folliot. Nice guy and really talented. He gave me his new website address and you can look at his photos here at Michael Graydon Pictures. Hire him, he's nice.

Wendy was so nice today and took me out to the Niagara Street Cafe for brunch on my birthday (belated) and we had a nice time catching up on stuff then walking Bobbi, her Westie, all over High Park. While I'm at it you can check out the talented Wendy at her website as well at Wendy Tancock Design. Very funky housewares and good quality stuff too. Ok so there's my two commercials for the day. These people rock!

Groundhog Day (Rodents predict the future, why not they'll be the only ones in it)

Physical State: sleepy
Mental State: crunchy
Music: Refridgerator (not the band, the appliance)
Fashion sense: white shirt and blue sweats

Ok so its groundhog day and the story goes if the groundhog sees his shadow that means there's 6 more weeks of winter. If he doesn't see it then that means there's an early spring. Seems that the news is in that he saw it so that means we have another month and half of coldness (lovely). But that's in Pennsylvania so Puxatawny Phil don't know Canada anyway. Wiarton Willie did not see his shadow so that means an Early Spring for Canada. See what I mean, doesn't matter. I think this thing started as way for people to have another excuse to drink and make fun of hibernating rodents at the same time (hey celebrations of any kind no matter how bizarre were better than watching tv which didn't exist then so you had to make something up). People should know by now that rodents can't predict the future but they sure can make it hell. How would you like someone to wake you up on a Sunday morning because their meteorologists were too lame to do their job.

Physical State: tired
Mental State: loopy
Music: Sigur Ros - Aegetis Byjurnin whatever.
Fashion sense: white shirt and jeans

Ok so I was listening to a track from the new Sigur Ros album in my car when I was out and I thought of a little game. Take the following words, write them down on little pieces of paper put them in a hat and then pick them out at random to make your own Sigur Ros lyrics. Ok it's not that easy but it might be fun. I know this sounds sarcastic and mean but I'm being serious so go with it. Now you're on your own for the music part, bowed Les Paul and Icelandic weirdness is not as easy as it sounds.

Write down these words on individual scraps of paper. When you have a full phrase or line then put them back in the hat until you have written about 8 lines and then repeat for another song.

Words: eel, sigh, yellow, fallow, sallow, eye, low, oh, yo, stay, saw, I, soul, uh, yeah, fire, shadow, light.

Sad to hear that Columbia has blown up. What a tragedy and so close to home. Man that sucks.

Kung hei fat choy! Happy Year of the Sheep everybody and Happy Birthday to me!

Physical State: older
Mental State: clear
Music: Boards of Canada - Twoism
Fashion sense: black shirt (I wear black on the outside...)

Monkey boy here. I'm celebrating today for a few reasons. Today is my birthday but its also Chinese New Year (even though I'm not Chinese, I love the horoscopes stuff). I was born in the year of the monkey and here is a description of what Monkeys are all about that I found (particularly apt is the last sentence of the first paragraph):

The spunky Monkey is the original party animal! Charming and energetic, Monkeys crave fun, activity and stimulation. They truly know how to have a good time and can often be seen swinging from one group of friends to another, attracting a motley crew in the process. Always upbeat, they are considered minor celebrities in their circle thanks to their sparkling wit and that rapier-sharp mind. Perhaps surprisingly, Monkeys are also good listeners and tackle complicated situations with ease. This Sign's natural curiosity lends it the desire to become knowledgeable on a broad range of topics. Monkeys have a show-off side that loves nothing more than to dazzle their pals with all they know.

The Monkey tends to be rather accident-prone due to a certain lack of very high morals. This Sign's first interest is pursuing its own pleasure; this is not a malicious interest, it's just the way the Monkey is. However, this kind of carefree self-involvement can lead to all kinds of scrapes. In love, the Monkey makes a fun, exciting lover -- but one that may have the potential to stray romantically. The good news is, the Monkey’s glib manner and witty repartee can often get this Sign out of a scrape. Perhaps not everyone will be won over by the Monkey -- but do you think the Monkey really cares? The Monkey's world, full of devil-may-care energy and revelry, isn't for everyone. Remember, though, it's not that this Sign is mean; it might just be a bit too curious for its own good. Monkeys often feel the need to try everything at least once, which can make for a merry-go-round of relationships.

The Monkey's love of self-indulgence can also lead to other types of trouble. This Sign may have limited self-control concerning food, alcohol and other pleasurable activities. It's party time all the time for the Monkey, yet when it leads to a monster hangover or a shattered heart (generally someone else's, not theirs), this Sign might actually show a touch of remorse. They won't flat-out admit the error of their ways, but at least they'll pull back and try to tone things down -- for a while.

Monkeys must try to learn to think of others ahead of themselves, at least some of the time. This Sign's world will be more complete once it realizes the world doesn't revolve around it.

As well here is my Aquarian horoscope for today and for my sign:

AQUARIUS February 1:

A new moon on your birthday is a wonderful omen of success and almost anything you do this year is guaranteed to turn out well. With that pleasing news in mind ask yourself what you want most out of life and what you would attempt to do if you knew you could not fail. Then do it to the best of your abilities and be amazed by your success.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 - Feb. 19):

A new moon in your birth sign means a new beginning is possible but to make the most of it you have got to believe it is possible. You know deep down what it is you want to be doing so make that your number one aim and put everything else on hold. What others say you should be doing is irrelevant - it's your desires that count.