Stranger Than Paradise

The New Music celebrates 25 years!
Man, I'm getting old.


JD and Jeannie back in the day

Physical State: stiff
Mental State: sleepy
Music: Saddle Creek 50 Compilation
Fashion sense: black shirt, grey sweats

Yes its true. The greatest music journalism show of all time, started right here in Toronto at CITY-TV in 1978, is celebrating a milestone! The New Music (originally hosted by John "JD" Roberts, now a CBS correspondent and Jeannie Beker, now the host of FashionTV) is celebrating its 25th anniversary. This show was a major component in my unique music education at a very early age. Kudos to my parents for letting me watch it (some of my friends were not allowed). Where else could you see bands the likes of electric tape-wearing Wendy O Williams, Johnny Rotten, Iggy Pop or The Clash in interview and have reporters that seemed like they could have partied (and no doubt did) with the band? Whenever I heard "Papa's Got a Brand New Pig Bag" by Pig Bag, I would instantly think of The New Music (their theme song). Presently George Strombolopoulos and Hannah Sung are the hosts of this show (which can still be found on CITY-TV and MuchMusic).

My attraction to this show has waned a bit over the years and it has gone through some changes (and many hosts). But the basic formula is still pretty much the same: one host, a camerman and the band in interview (either quietly sitting in Grange Park or trashing a hotel room, take your pick). I recall fondly an interview that the New Music did with The Jesus and Mary Chain where member Jim Reid solved the riddle of why they were so popular by simply replying "It's just because we're so damned good". They then proceeded to show a Glasgow music hall where the Chains had played a show that they had decided to cut short...a total shambles. Often at times I think that the show was so good because the interviewers would really stick their neck out there and get a great story (and they seemed to be as rock 'n' roll as the subjects). When I now look at much of Much Music, MTV and most music journalism today it pales in comparison to the freshness and edginess of this show. Jokingly dubbed the $1.98 show by JD (because of the budget they had no doubt), it was real guerilla videojournalism at its best. The scope was pretty wide too including punk, new wave, blues, pop culture, hip-hop...even Librace. A great deal of pop culture television today has a debt to pay to the New Music. This was a show that existed before music video television, before Much Music, before MTV. They were your only source of getting to find out more about a band on tv at that time (with the occasional variety show having a someone on). Click here for the Toronto Star's Ben Rayner article about the show. You can also read about this show in Laurie Brown's excellent autobiography Success without college: days and nights in rock & roll TV (unfortunately out of print I think).

Viewings of the two part anniversary special (that can still be seen) are on:

Part 1
CityTV Thursday, September 04, 2003 at 11:35pm ET/8:35pm PT

Part 2
MuchMusic: Monday, September 08, 2003 at 9:30pm ET/ 6:30pm PT
Citytv: Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 2:30pm ET/11:30am PT
Thursday, September 18, 2003 at 11:35pm ET/8:35pm PT

Happy Birthday New Music.

Good Morning, Beirut

Physical State: creaky
Mental State: 10 watts
Music: Mojave 3 - Excuses For Travellers
Fashion sense: white shirt, tan shorts

Airshows. Don't you just love them? Well not really if you live near Lake Ontario and The Canadian National Exhibition grounds like I do. Every year around this time (Labour day weekend) I get to hear the sounds of jets flying overhead and often rattling my apartment. Like a freak meteorite hitting your house you can't prepare for the sound either as it just instantly appears like a thunderclap and it freaks you out a bit, honestly. I know, I know. If you don't like it then maybe you should move. I don't want to deny the kids the chance to see jets in action I guess but hell do they have to fly so low? Oh well. I can hear all you jet enthusiasts saying "Put up or shut up, loser". Fair enough.

Thom & Tilda, Flick Picks and
Careless Talk Saves Lives


Thom and Tilda, separated at birth?

Physical State: achey
Mental State: spinning
Music: Careless Talk Costs Lives on TotallyRadio
Fashion sense: white shirt, tan shorts

Just when you thought you could get a moment to chill a bunch of stuff comes in and everyone wants you to do work for the long weekend. Things are getting pretty hectic for not having that much going on. I am really looking forward to having a day or two where I'm not running around.

I made my choices for the Toronto International Film last night and it looks like its going to be an interesting year for films. The way it works is that if you have a book of ten tickets you get first and second choices (if something is sold out when you try to secure a ticket for the first choice then they go to your second choice). I always love this time of year, the fest starts out my fall every year and I just dig the whole season from then on. I watch the daily press conferences on Rogers and delight at some of the commentary from the filmmakers (last year's Tilda Swinton press conference/conversation was very impressive). Is it just me or should Tilda and Radiohead's Thom Yorke do a film about brother/sister twins who are in a band or something? Hmm I might be on to something there. Getting back to why I like Fall I guess its the better weather, nice to walk in the park as the air is more crisp, etc. I always feel more hopeful and postive when this season starts (maybe its a holdover from my school days when you'd have to gear up for back to school, I dunno).

Anyway here are some of my choices for the fest and some info links about each of them.

First choices

1. I Love Your Work (Adam Goldberg)
2. Time of the Wolf (Michael Haneke)
3. Noi Albino (Dagur Kari)
4. Stormy Weather (Solveig Anspach)
5. Bright Future (Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
6. Nicotina (Hugo Rodriguez)
7. L'Histoire de Marie et Julien (Jacques Rivette)
8. End of the Century - The Story of the Ramones (Jim Fields / Michael Gramaglia)
9. Wilbur Wants To Kill Himself (Lone Sherfig)
10. Zatoichi (Takeshi "Beat" Kitano)

Alternate choices

1. Tesseract (Oxide Pang Chun)
2. Forest (Benedek Fliegauf)
3. Young Adam (David MacKenzie)
4. Kitchen Stories (Bent Hamer)
5. Ramblers (Nobuhiro Yamashita)
6. Prey For Rock n Roll (Alex Steyermark)
7. Who Killed Bambi (Gilles Marchand)
8. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (Mike Hodges)
9. PTU (Johnnie To)
10. Last Life In The Universe (Pen-ek Ratanaruang)

The Fisher Family Coming to Canuck tv Sunday
on Showcase @ 10pm


SFU: The Fishers and friends

Physical State: springy
Mental State: bright
Music: CIUT's No Beat Radio (Mon 10-12pm with Derek, Minesh and Michelle) - tape cassette recording
Fashion sense: grey shirt, tan shorts

Yes you've seen the barrage of advertising lately and if you're a cultural hipster you would have already seen the first season of Six Feet Under on video or DVD. But there's yet another chance to discover why this is one of the best damn shows on tv starting this Sunday on Showcase here in Canada. I haven't been this impressed by a show since Twin Peaks (and maybe the first season of Northern Exposure, Maggie O'Connell oh man...uh huh huh huh). Created by Alan Ball (of American Beauty fame) Six Feet under is more than just a tv series. Its like a collection of little 1 hour films with an incredible cast (all of them with the exception of Rachel Griffiths being relatively unknown by most people). The story follows the drama of the Fisher family, a family of undertakers. I have mentioned this before on this blog but I think it needs repeating. This ain't your everyday tv show. Not to be missed.

Cleveland Rocks!

I am looking forward to giving you my take on the new Harvey Pekar docudrama (that seems like an understatement based on what I've read about the movie) American Splendor. Maybe this weekend I will get out to see it. Sounds great.

Ich liebe dich, Komëit

While we're on the topic of all things cool and happening. I've discovered this band from Germany called Komëit and man is their cd "Falling Into Place" ever good in a quiet and sad way. Much more so after a few listens. They come across to me as some sort of indie-electronic Ida meets Lali Puna. Bit of indie guitar, solemn keyboards and a bit of low-fi drum machine but it all just works beautifully. Why aren't these guys famous? One of the most beautiful little albums I've heard in a long time.

Have a nice weekend, surfers!

Neutral


Physical State: achey
Mental State: neutral
Music: RadioIndieRock.com
Fashion sense: white shirt, tan shorts

You ever have those days where you're just sitting there and you can see where you've been in the recent past and where you're going eventually later on but you're not going anywhere at this particular moment? It's hard to describe but its like a feeling of being in neutral. I have some work that has to be done but I'm waiting for feedback so nothing's going on at this moment. It's a nice day outside yet I sit here and don't go out. I'm tired but I can't sleep in the middle of the afternoon. It's hot but I can't run the air conditioner out of trying to conserve hydro. Weird. I'm sure this will change quickly.

Today is just one of those lazy summer netherdays where you don't know where you're going. Not so much a blackout as a kind of mental brownout. You feel like you should dust or paint a wall to just do something. I dunno what it is. Do you know what I mean?

Probably should go to bed earlier tonight or something.

Update Sunday, Aug.17 pm.

The show that was cancelled because of the power outage with Tangiers/controller.controller/Hawaii (with my bud Pam djing) has been rescheduled for Tuesday night now at the Silver Dollar! It's all good! See you there.

Loveless


Physical State: lumbering
Mental State: twitchy
Music: Komeit - Falling Into Place
Fashion sense: black shirt, blue jeans, Lagavulin (not so much a fashion as a state of mind)

Met DJ Loveless aka Joanne Chirco tonight. She was in Toronto on business (see Radio:Loveless link at left). JC: As you're laptop won't be working until you get home you won't be able to read this. Well you came to Toronto for a few days and you rocked my world, lady. How can someone so cute be such a music geek too? Incredible! A smile that reminds me of sunshine and many great stories to tell, this girl is the shiznit, boy. I showed her the absolute lamest nights at all my usual haunts and she was kind enough to thank me for it, what a dear. Damned sweetheart that Loveless. To quote Casablanca, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship". Thanks kid!

Komeit just rocks like the floating plastic bag in American Beauty. This much I know.

Man what am I saying?

Hey so Vegas is coming back to Radio Indie Rock...man life is good. Lagavulin all 'round, barkeep.

Nite!

Bikeless


Physical State: heavy
Mental State: paranoid
Music: Broadcast - Pendulum ep
Fashion sense: grey shirt, khaki shorts

In the night some f**ker broke into my apartment building and stole my bike. This was one of the first times I felt confident enough to leave the bike unlocked in the hallway ON THE THIRD FLOOR! The door at the back of the apartment is notoriously never shut properly and often you can walk up to the door and pull it open without a key. It was a bike that I had since I was 18 (so not worth a lot but still in pretty good shape). This is scary when Parkdale gets so desperate that some jerk comes into the building during the night (which makes me believe that they had been here before and knew that it was always there).

In better news my sister has been made a new York Regional Police Dispatch officer. So now she has plenty to brag about (but she deserves it after all the stuff she's been through to get to this point including 8 years of reapplying and multiple interviews). Way to go, Lori! Those Venn's always on the mic and yakking like there's no tomorrow. In related news I have an inaugural show up at RadioIndieRock.com (a new internet radio station launched this week and also linked at the left). Those of you who were past fans of Invisible Radio will not be disappointed. Those of you new to internet radio will also be in for a treat. Check us out! 4 new shows already for the week with more great music to come.