Armed with my “media” credentials, my guidebook and my Metropass, I took on Canadian Music Week. (Note that all of the bands/artists that I mention in this column have Facebook pages, and are well worth further study, should you feel so inclined. It was a very busy week!)
One of the things that most impressed me about Frank Gutch Jr’s “nose for noise” is that he started finding this great music before the Internet, almost before electricity, in fact 😉. The Internet has made such a difference in our lives, connecting us mostly for good, but sometimes for bad, sadly. In any case, it has certainly eased our access to music of all kinds, genres and eras.
Let me start by stating I am not a “political” person. I follow what’s going on the world to keep myself current but I don’t read nor do I decipher every minutiae that is written about “he who shall not be shamed” or anyone else for that matter. However, the latest in a very long string of accusations of sexual misconduct/harassment, particularly here in Ontario, well…..I’ve about had enough. I posted this in Facebook a few days ago and, generally, the respondents agree with me. What follows in a slightly edited version.
“For the first time in years, eons even, I sat down to read something other a computer screen (except for Tom Wilson’s book Beautiful Scars). This time it was the newspaper. The National Post actually. For some mysterious reason it keeps appearing on my front porch at least six out of seven days a week. But I digress…… Continue reading
Okay, we’ll kick this off with the weather…..freezing cold, snowing, raining, freezing rain, sunny, cloudy, pluses and minuses all over the map, exploding pipes, sinkholes, warming trends, arctic air masses, blankets on, blankets off…..we’re screwed! Somebody make up their mind!!!! This keeps up I’m whipping out the 3″ summer sandals…..winter be damned!
In a recent interview with Classic Rock Magazine, Robert Plant was very frank about a number of things, including the possibility of writing his memoirs (nope) and the possibility of a Led Zeppelin reunion tour (not happening). When it was asked, he used the latter question to segue into something which I believe very strongly. “It shows you that people have nothing else to write about, obviously. And that’s kind of sad. All these magazines and internet platforms should be supporting new music and helping new musicians to find an audience, instead of dwelling on the old crap all the time. It’s like there is nothing new and exciting out there any more, when in fact there is. So stop living in the past. Open your ears and your eyes. It’s not that difficult, is it?” (The full interview can be read here.)
…and the countdown has begun. Three weeks to Christmas day. Three weeks to wrapping paper, boxes and debris strewn from one end of the house to the other, stuffed turkeys and stuffed tummies, early morning stocking discoveries, late morning coffees and mid-afternoon naps (for young and old), for family gatherings, carol singing and clinking glasses of cheer. A time of year celebrated all over the world. The entire season from Christmas Day to New Year’s Eve is probably the most electric time of year.
I had decided to go and see “Jim Dan Dee” , who were playing last Saturday night at the Phoenix as part of the “Generation Next” concert series sponsored by radio station 94.9. To my delight, I found that “Crown Lands” would also be on the bill. ( Jim from “Jim Dan Dee” put me on the guest list and Kevin from “Crown Lands” offered to do so as well.) Now, “Return For Refund” would be playing at the Horseshoe, and Drew, ( their front man), invited me to be on that guest list as well. I declined the offer at first, as I was going to the Phoenix. Meanwhile, I learned that “Fat Mob” would be playing at Cherry Cola’s. Hmm, I thought, “Even I can’t be in three places at once!” However, when I found out that “Return For Refund” was playing at 8:30 P.M.,”Jim Dan Dee” would be hitting the stage at 11:00 P.M. and “Fat Mob” would be on at 1:00 A.M., it now looked possible to see all 3 shows. (As an aside, I was not the only person to do that Saturday night.) Shades of George Thorogood’s “50 states in 50 days” tour 😉!
Bullseye Records of Canada
