Peter Trump-ets Toronto’s Live Music and the Folks Who Make it Happen

Well Trumpelthinskin sure went off his script at last weekend’s well publicized 1% group grope. He went well off his message, well off on a tangent,; (well off his rocker?) His word salad of an address would probably have sounded better if his “speech writers” had taken an Oxford Dictionary, put it through a shredder, stuffed the resultant paper “scrap” into a muzzle loading cannon and promptly fired it at a wall covered with paper glue and begged him to read the result! America, I weep for you. You have “elected” a grifter, a cheat, a conman, a nepotistic thief who would gladly sell off everything that makes America great for 5 cents on the dollar, if it would fill his pockets and those of his dreadful family.

Das Firstish Fambly

His bizarre meandering everywhere during that speech, sort of like a semi drunk uncle babbling on at a barbeque, would have be almost funny, except that we were witnessing the “most powerful person in the Free World”, or at least the position which used to have that title, coming apart at the seams in public view. There was a time when that person was the “de facto” leader of the Free World. No longer, though. Glad you drained that swamp? “What about Killary’s emails??”

What’s funny is that you can join in on a “conversation” about this on Facebook and someone will post something like”God bless our president Trump!” Click on THEIR Facebook page and it’s almost always an interesting view. I saw one today, no new posts on her page since 2015. Other times there are more recent posts, but they are a series of repetitive posts of the person’s profile picture.

A Staunch Republican Trump Supporter and Rocket Scientist

And, during his “performance”, the president of the United States grabbed and hugged an American flag. As it is a flag, it doesn’t have a “pussy”. However, it does have a “fly” a). Sickening, just so sickening.”Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel”,  as Samuel Johnson said in 1775.

A few weeks ago, someone whose opinion I highly regard confided to me that when the news mentions Trump or Doug Ford, they either mute their TV or change the channel. Please don’t. Let’s keep the spotlight on these reptiles, let’s hold their feet to the fire. These “populist” politicians don’t give a fuck about you, once they have your vote. They want to grind down our civilization, using fear and misinformation and outright lies. WE have the power to resist, if we want to.

While I’m on a roll, here’s an idea I have to help deal with gun violence. In this era of instant communication, when a mass murder occurs, notify a central authority, like the Centre for Disease Control. The CDC gives the murder a consecutive number b). The murder is referred to on the media by its “occurrence” and instead of posting a picture of the shooter, they put up a captioned picture of, for example, Wayne Lapierre of the NRA. (After all, he encouraged it, overtly or covertly.) And mass media, people who are hit by a bullet and don’t die aren’t “injured”, they are “wounded”. “Omaha beach” was never supposed to be in Omaha, Nebraska.

Advantages? Well, the killer doesn’t get his/her 15 minutes of fame, which may dissuade “copycats”. Also, when, in October, the news talks about “mass shooting number 289”, that should drive home the point to probably even the most obtuse “gunhumper”..

Just a thought.

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“Peter, all this negativity this week!” Well, I feel very strongly about these issues and enjoy using this opportunity to stress my points. However, I’ll finish off this week with some of my personal thoughts about the indie music scene.

-I have often said that the indie music scene in Toronto, Ontario is the equal of any other music scene, anywhere, and that the only differences between what you hear at an indie show and a big box venue are 1) the price of admission and 2) the size of the sound system.

-I remember watching “James Blonde” at the Drake Underground, turning to Dan Taylor, the drummer’s father, and asking him “When Phil was 5 years old and banging on pots and pans, did you ever think that it would come to this?” A proud look in his eyes, he said “Never in a million years!”

-That was the same show where Care Failure, front person for “Die Mannequin”, was working the merch table.

-Out in front of the Silver Dollar Room, talking to a band, I joked “Well you folks like me because as soon as I come into a venue, the average age of the audience becomes legal (for drinking).” Someone instantly replied “We’re rock and rollers. We don’t want to be legal!”

-How about “Rebelle”, touring the U.S. right now? “The Wild” and “The Crooked” are touring Europe soon. “Jim Dan Dee” are getting airplay just about everywhere! “Matt Groopie” is releasing his first solo music very shortly.

So this is my personal shoutout to the Jeannie Reids and the Phil Heels and the Phillip Dodds and the Cherish Stevensons and the Dylan Wellers and the Cameron Carpenters and the Pat Blythes and the Andre Pettipas’ and the Annamaria Pinnas and the Suzi Korys and the “Twin Flames” and I’m proud to be the guy who turned Drewe Manton onto “Tokyo Taboo” and to all of you bands who play just as enthusiastically in front of 6 people at a venue as you do in front of 600 people, and to all the other people who help make the magic happen. We are in your debt.

1. a) Yes, flags do have one. Google is your friend.
2. b) So murder number one is #1, number two is #2 and so on.

See you soon

=PJM=

A confirmed Cat person, Peter dabbled with being a water boy, a paper boy and an altar boy before finally settling on a career with the Canadian federal government.  Once, in his youth, he ate a Dutch  oven full of mashed potatoes to win a 5 cent bet with his beloved sister Mary’s boyfriend. (Of course he was much younger and a nickel went a lot farther!) He has retired to palatial “Chez Montreuil”, which he shares with his diabetic little buddy Reg the Cat. He is blessed to have his dear Lois in his life. He is not only a plastic aircraft modeller, but a proud “rivet counter”. Military aviation and live music are among other interests of his, and he tries to get out to as many shows as he can. He will be here for your enlightenment whenever the stars align. Profile photo courtesy of Pat Blythe, caricature courtesy of Peter Mossman.