Stranger Than Paradise

The Chris Walken post today has somehow been deleted. Sorry.

Physical State: a cold
Mental State: leaden
Music: Mellow Indie Noise (one last time, see below)
Fashion sense: blue t-shirt, blue adidas pants
Book: 1000 Records Covers - Michael Ochs

It is with deep regret that I've found out that one of my favourite Live365 stations will be no more. Thesiger is closing down Mellow Indie and Noise (one of the best playlists out there). I hope that that he can return to the 'net and keep doing something because he has such great taste in music. I urge everyone who hasn't checked out his broadcasts to go to the link (above or in favourite links) and check out his last show.

I also wanted to draw your attention to this book of record covers that I bought on sale. It's called 1000 Record Covers published by Taschen (known for their great art books). What a great resource for anyone who is interested in album cover art, lettering or just gets a kick out of seeing how strange records have been in the past. Michael Ochs also relates them to genres and the history of rock so it's not just a fancy picture book. Really great book.

I have such a lovely new cold today and I've never been busier. Why do these things always seem to happen at the same time?

Many things to get to so I'll cut this short.

Physical State: sleepy
Mental State: frazzled
Music: See below
Fashion sense: black t-shirt, blue jeans
Book: no book again today

Ok so that was incredible fun to dj Wavelength tonight. Creeping Nobodies were in exceptional form tonight (one of their best shows yet). Good time had by all. Inquiring minds may want to know: "So whaddya play?" Well here is a list (not necessarily in order).

Wavelength - May 25, 2003 Playlist
artist / track

1. DQE - Cigarette Song
2. Pixies - Tony's Theme
3. Tullycraft - Pop Songs your New Boyfriend's Too Stupid to Know About
4. Belle & Sebastian - Le Pastie De La Bourgeoisie
5. Brigitte Bardot - Ca Pourrait Changer
6. Francoise Hardy - Le Temps de Souvenir
7. Broadcast - Pendulum
8. Can - Spoon
9. Mean Red Spiders - My Soul To Keep
10. Bedhead - Extramundane
11. Sonic Youth - My Friend Goo
12. Mooney Suzuki - It's Showtime Part II
13. Comet Gain - Kids At the Club
14. The Hissyfits - Something Wrong
15. Thee Headcoats - By The Hairs Of My Chinny Chin Chin
16. The Fall - Mr. Pharmacist
17. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Rich
18. The Four Corners - Dinosaurs In Brooklyn
19. The Gossip - Fire Sign
20. Kleenex/Lilliput - Eisiger Wind
21. Bratmobile - Gimme Brains
22. Rondelles - Backstabber
23. The Dishes - Dirty Highway
24. The Frumpies - Frumpies Forever
25. Seconds - Not About Love (It's About Love)
26. Riff Randells - C'Mon
27. Sahara Hotnights - Alright, Alright
28. The Rogers Sisters - Zero Point
29. Bikini Kill - New Radio
30. Wire - Comet
31. McLusky - To Hell With Good Intentions
32. Deerhoof - Punch Buggy Valves
33. Stereo Total - Comme Un Garcon
34. Cato Salsa Experience - Albert Bones Electric Meal
35. Le Tigre - Mediocrity Rules
36. Giddy Motors - Sassy
37. Liars - Mr. Your On Fire Mr.
38. The Delgados - Sucrose
39. Enon - Disposable Parts
40. The Kills - Black Rooster
41. Broken Spindles - Downtown Venues
42. Out Hud - Dad, There's A Little Phrase Called Too Much Information

   

   
Derek, Julia, Matt and James (aka Creeping Nobodies) rock
Wavelength this Sunday

Physical State: drowsy
Mental State: muddled
Music: K-Shite Fm (not of my choosing)
Fashion sense: green striped short sleeve shirt, tan khakis
Book: no book today

Working in Borlington again today. Got called in to do some freelance work on the spot. Not too bad but the music's crap. Who was it that said "life's too short for bad music". Well they were right, brother. If I hear one more Celine Dion song I'm gonna hurl.

Yes this Sunday at Wavelength you can get down to the wonder that is The Creeping Nobodies. This is rumoured to be their last show for a bit as they're taking a break over the summer, so not to be missed. I will be there spinning the tunes in between bands. Lotsa rock up front for y'all with a little electronic on the back nine. Come by and say hi...I mean what else are you doing on Sunday? Alias and Law & Order CI are in reruns so you have no excuse.

Today's props go to the Rogers Sisters (also written up today in Eye, click here for the article) who have the coolest concert ticket around for their show at the 360 tonight. You get a bronze-coloured ribbon to get in (like the ones you used to get in grade school track and field, in this case 3rd place). 4 bands, 8 bucks...gonna be good. Oh yeah.

Special Agent Dale Cooper cried about this one:

Now no one has an excuse not to take some of Mom's apple pie with them (all portable-like). Check out this link for (and I'm not joking) Pie in a Jar. Ok maybe Mom would tell you that the world is going to hell but somewhere Homer Simpson is getting patent royalties for just such an invention. Dontcha just love the U.S.?

Well hope all is well with you.

Bearsuit will rock you

Physical State: achey
Mental State: fuzzy
Music: Black Eyed Snakes - It's The Black Eyed Snakes!
Fashion sense: green t-shirt, blue jeans
Book: Honeymoon and Other Stories - Kevin Canty

Band of the week alert! While listening to the wonderful Everett True and his internet radio show at Totally Radio Careless Talk Costs Lives (named after the British Music magazine NOT FOUND IN CANADA) I heard a great song by the Norwich, England band Bearsuit and I've fallen for them. How come I haven't heard of this band before? A wonderful indie rock mess that pits Deerhoof against Belle and Sebastian (or something like that). I think that Kill Rock Stars should sign them here in North America (or its 5 Rue Christine imprint). So far they only have a handful of 7" singles (wish they'd release them all on one cd). Check them out.

Les Sequelles practice on their way to the Take Out The Trash Festival
May 22-24 in Toronto


The Rogers Sisters freakout this Thursday at the 360

Physical State: lumbering
Mental State: soggy
Music: The Gossip - Movement
Fashion sense: white t-shirt, grey sweats
Book: Honeymoon and Other Stories - Kevin Canty

Hey all. Back from the cottage on a nice long weekend and ready for more action! The Rogers Sisters coming to the rockin' 360 with Controller.Controller and The Sick Lipstick. $8?!? jeez that's amazing. See you there.

Toronto also becomes Garage rock central next weekend with the Take Out the Trash Festival including such notables as the Leather Uppers, Les Sequelles, Tijuana Bibles and The Deadly Snakes.

Also listening to the new album "Movement" by The Gossip (or simply just "Gossip" this time around). More great "drivin'-the-gigantic-rusted-out-low-ridin'-Cadillac-convertible-'round the town" punk blues from this great Olympia, WA trio. Beth winds it up as Kathy and Brace whip it around. Yes!

Physical State: wiry
Mental State: freaky
Music: Komeda - The Genius of Komeda
Fashion sense: blue t-shirt, blue jeans
Book: Dark City Dames - Eddie Mueller

After listening to the new Broadcast ep a week or so ago I decided to take out Rosemary's Baby from the library to hear some of the great music done by Krzysztof Komeda. I had forgotten how great this film was. Mia Farrow plays Rosemary, a shy and vulnerable woman who is either going crazy or is the pawn in a witches game (you watch and tell me). One of Polanski's all-time greatest films and an oscar winner for Ruth Gordon (equally as great in Hal Ashby's Harold and Maude).This is one you have to watch again. So incredibly scary without any special effects or makeup (the Exorcist and the Omen being the next logical steps but also taking cues indirectly from Hitchcock). I kept thinking of how they would do a bad remake of this. I kept thinking that Mia Farrow would be played by Gwyneth Paltrow (although she's nowhere near the acting talent of Mia in this one, she certainly has a similar look). This is another of these late 60's early 70's films that just works even now (and frankly wouldn't be made now in the same way). Maybe it should never be remade. Did you know that Frank Oz is remaking a version of The Stepford Wives? A novel also written by Rosemary's Baby author Ira Levin incidentally. Some of the quotes in Rosemary's Baby and the dialogue are truly darkly hilarious to think about after seeing it again. Like this one:

Guy Woodhouse (John Cassavetes) talking about what he did to Rosemary while she was sleeping: It was kind of fun, in a necrophile sorta way.

Rosemary Woodhouse: I dreamed someone was raping me. I think it was someone inhuman.

Guy Woodhouse: Thanks a lot.

'Ta Broadcast! Nice show.

Physical State: soggy (rainy here)
Mental State: leaden
Music: Brave New Waves (taped Wednesday broadcast)
Fashion sense: black t-shirt, blue jeans
Book: Trouser Press Guide to 90's Rock - Ira Robbins

As they were so good last night (and because I'm lazy and just want to listen to music). Here again is info and links to the 3 Broadcast radio shows that you can listen to in Real Audio. If you still have a chance to catch these guys make it a priority. They did a really amazing show last night here in Toronto. I also saw a girl I had a huge crush on at the show (haven't seen her in 12 years). Johanna used to work at the HMV and is English (loved her accent). She didn't recognize me. Her boyrfiend might not have understood if I said something to her.

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!

Misty Dixon want you to listen to them

Physical State: crumbly
Mental State: wound
Music: Misty Dixon - Iced To Mode
Fashion sense: grey t-shirt, grey sweats
Book: Bodies in Motion and at Rest - Thomas Lynch

Stumbled across this streaming full version of the new Misty Dixon album that you can listen to in Real Audio.

I think that they fall somewhere between lighter Broadcast, Stereolab or an indie-rock Goldfrapp. The songs are mostly the product of one woman, Jane Weaver. Check it out. Click here to listen to Iced to Mode. Track listings are found here.

I also found this site for photographs and cool links by Jasper Coolidge. Very nice live rock photos (many in freaky infrared) and also some great inspirations and links to them. Check out Jasper's site here.

Lady CK back to make them sweathogs groove on a new tune (now with slightly Gabe
Kaplanesque shoulders)

Physical State: sleepy
Mental State: lumpy
Music: Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk
Fashion sense: black t-shirt, grey sweats
Book: Fireboat - Maira Kalman

Paraphrased for a friend with my apologies to John Sebastian.

***

Welcome back,
Your songs were our ticket out.

Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about.

Well the playlists have all changed since you've been around,
But those songs have remained and you've turned around.

Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Here where we need ya (Here where we need ya)

Yeah we tease her a lot cause we've got her on the spot, welcome back,
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

***

Yes everyone the rumours are true, Claire Kember is back on Totally Radio after a long battle with hepatitis. Glad to hear you back on the air again, sweetheart!

Gruen family, 1970 by Alice Neel

Physical State: weary
Mental State: sunny
Music: Broadcast - Pendulum ep
Fashion sense: white t-shirt, blue jeans
***added feature**** Book: Alice Neel - Patricia Hills

Ok so I hate being poor (who doesn't right?). I went to my mailbox yet again in the hopes that Saint Comedy payroll had been there. Just a lump of coal for me (in the form of yet another pizza flyer). Yes I am skint once again (I've spent so much time like that I'm beginning to think that I never had any money). I hate internet spams (no I don't care about viagra, I don't need my mortgage or other things extended thank you and you can take your stupid buddy bargains and stick them where the sun doesn't shine). When there is an apocalypse there will be cockroaches, republicans and email spam still existing.

Anyways...

I took out the Alice Neel paintings book that I love from the library again to maybe inspire me to get back to thinking about painting. Very interesting work that she did, portraits mostly. Very interesting portraits.

So not much to talk about today but maybe something will still come up.

Creeps, Dames and Kings


Dame Fate dropping in to T.O. for Wavelength May 25

Physical State: sluggish
Mental State: cardboard
Music: Lali Puna - Tridecoder
Fashion sense: grey t-shirt, blue jeans

So yeah ok I'm going to be djing at Wavelength afterall on May 25 spinning in between some great company: Toronto's Creeping Nobodies, Dame Fate (Washington D.C.) and New Radiant Storm Kings (N.Y.C.). Come one come all. Great tunes lined up. Also a great chance to see Derek demonstrating the "shouting into the pickup" Nobodies trademark. Go to the Wavelength link at left to read this month's new zine and find out who else is playing for the next two months.

Birmingham retrofuturists Broadcast
coming to the T. Dot

Physical State: worn
Mental State: beige
Music: Mellow Indie and Noise
Fashion sense: green t-shirt, blue jeans

Broadcast were to be releasing their new ep called Pendulum today but it appears that it might be a week late. Here's a review from Heather Phares from allmusic which sounds really encouraging. They are also touring (appearing here next week with Montag). Can't wait.

Broadcast - Pendulum

Their first new work in three years, Broadcast's Pendulum EP opts for a looser, noisier and more abstract sound than anything they issued during The Noise Made By People era. Much like the Extended Play EPs that preceded that album, Pendulum finds the band pushing their music to extremes, but this time the results are much more polarized. With its rock drums, harsh synth tones, pulsing bass and angular melody, "Pendulum" almost sounds like it could be a collaboration with Clinic; the song shares the same eerie magnetism and grotto-like ambience of that band's best work. While Trish Keenan's vocals sound better when she has room to swoon, enough unearthly prettiness remains to keep the track within the realm of Broadcast's universe (though, admittedly, near its outer limits). Similarly, "One Hour Empire," "Violent Playground" and "Minus Two" feature some of the noisiest beats and most arrhythmic, atonal keyboards the group have ever used. On the flip side, this less-structured approach also applies to soft, pretty moments like "Small Song IV," which sends clouds of fuzzy synths drifting across Keenan's languid singing; "Still Feels Like Tears" is both direct and ethereal, with a surprisingly straightforward rhythm section and a lovely, weightless melody. On this EP — and, presumably, the album it precedes — Broadcast ruffle and muss the pristine gorgeousness of their music; even though these songs are no less meticulously crafted than their previous work, Pendulum's built-in asymmetry and imperfections make it that much more intriguing. — Heather Phares

Not much going down today. Still recovering from the many hours of driving and my weekend spent in Ottawa. I'd like to thank brother Vegas for putting me up (or is it putting up with me). Here's some of the fun things that we managed to get up to over the weekend: drinking, watching Bottle Rocket, going to the National Gallery, talking about art, playing some songs, getting $40 parking tickets for being 6 inches over the no parking line, celebrating Johnny's birthday.

Today I talked to Joanne about how it would be cool to live in Brooklyn. Maybe if I was 24 instead of 34 it might be more possible. I've had a bit of a 10 year renaissance going on in a small amount. I've been doing design for 10 years now and I'm thinking about whether I want to do it for the rest of my life. Sometimes I think I should have stayed painting and lived the starving artist life (I'm doing that but not creating any really creative fine art though). somedays it's yeah I could live in London or New York, live the artist life...come on 649 ticket...then a bill comes in that's overdue...whatever. I guess you make your own destiny huh? I would like to start painting again. All these impromptu art lessons I was giving to John made me think about how much I don't even think about painting let alone do any anymore. This seems like a mistake.

Physical State: tired
Mental State: cloudy
Music: Radio:Loveless
Fashion sense: black polo shirt, blue jeans

Now in a remote location, blogging from Ottawa, I thought I'd say hi. As you can see I don't know how to type with John's keyboard. He doesn't know I'm using his pc so don't tell (I'm sure he'd be ok with it, he's not here at the moment so I can't ask). More details about being in the nation's capital as things develop. Joanne (aka dj Loveless) has added a brand new wack of tunes for you guys to groove on over at Radio:Loveless (see the link at left). Soon she'll be implementing various playlists throughout the week so you can hear different music on different days (even more Loveless to love during the week). Yes!