Cameron Carpenter: Rock’n’Roll Rewind – The Thin White Duke Looks Sharp!

Before we rewind to a couple of record reviews in the New Music Magazine circa 1978/9, something a little more modern. By this time next week many of us will be knee-deep in the 33^rd annual Canadian Music Week. From its start as the David Farrell run “Record Conference” the Neill Dixon show is a massive multi-format event which touches all aspects of the industry, but, more importantly, is a huge social gathering of old friends from around the world.

JAIMIE VERNON – MEMORIES FADE

This week marked two important memorial milestones in Rock and Roll History. It was 51 years ago on February 9^th that the Beatles walked into the homes of America –and the world – via ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’. The other was the 56^th anniversary of the Day the Music Died – with Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper perishing in a plane crash on February 3, 1959 [in a sad coincidence, Holly’s bassist in The Crickets, Joe B. Mauldin passed away on February 7^th this year]. I’m of the generation that neither event was contemporaneous to me. I can only measure their importance by the impact crater they left on pop culture…and music specifically.

Cameron Carpenter: Listing The ABC’s Of Rock’n’Roll – A is For Album Covers

Kids today will never know the joy of endlessly browsing in a record store with no set agenda. The hours that were happily wasted on Saturday afternoons at Sam The Record Man, Records On Wheels, A&A’s or The Record Peddler are immeasurable. It was time well spent.  CD shopping is just not the same and digital shopping/hunting is an aural and not visual experience. The album cover was a great size, 12” X 12” (versus the miniscule 5” X 5” of a CD).  An album cover could capture your attention, demand you to pick it up and read the back for the vital information which would or would not persuade you to shell out your six or seven dollars.

Cameron Carpenter: The ABC’s Of Rock – J

This week’s episode goes out to my boy Jay Sparrow. He is currently working on new material on the west coast and will have a couple of great things coming out shortly. You can check out some great music and videos here http://www.myspace.com/jaysparrowpage.