The first record store I ever frequented was in Eugene, Oregon— Thompson’s. I wanted to put “Record Mart” behind it but I am not sure how they labeled themselves. A building on the north end of the city, not too far from Skinner’s Butte, it was small, square and as I remember it, white, with large storefront windows behind which racks of records were displayed, mostly 45s, a small wall of listening booths, and stereo equipment— lots of it. I have no idea how I found out about it, being a small town boy who hardly ever visited the big city (and to me Eugene was big and a city), but I found myself one day, after much begging and emotional pyrotechnics, entering this Taj Mahal of vinyl. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Let’s kick this weeks column off with a brand new video by guitarist Jon Gomm. This dude has worked his ass off to get where he is and deserves all the publicity he gets, which is a damn lot. Brand new and hot off the presses. If nothing else, Gomm is famous for spitting in Simon Cowell’s eye.
I am a lost Son of Canada. I must be. I love Canadian bacon, though bacon it not really be (except maybe technically). I love Jennifer Dale, an actor who deserved much more than she has been afforded, respect-wise (I reveled in her work on Canadian TV and film during Comcast’s all-too-short span of including CTV and CBC on their cable lineups in the ’80s). I love Due South, one of the most creative and funny-on-so-many-levels series TV has ever created (the transition of Ray to Ray— David Marciano to Callum Keith Rennie— a work of pure writing craftmanship).
You can’t blame me for being a little pissed. I just found Stone Darling last week and was looking forward to following them from that point on when what do I surmise? They’re not really the band that they used to be! Yeah! I scour their Facebook page and figure, hey, I’m going to move to the front of the line only to find that there is no line! They’re playing every Monday in August at The Satellite in L.A., it says. Yeah, in 2011! They’re rocking The Echoplex, same city, on April 7th. Again, 2011!
A number of months ago I wrote about Canadian music here on DBAWIS. That column included mentions of The Dementians, Laurie Biagini, Lisa O’Neill, Eric Corne, Shade, White Light Machine, Lester Quitzau, and Redgy Blackout. There has been a lot of water under the bridge since then and Canada, like every other country in the musical world, is cranking more music out by the hour, it seems, and good music it is. It is funny, but when I write about music in the States, it seems like (and I know it is only in my head) I am writing about the obvious. Canada, though, is another world and an adventure I so enjoy experiencing that I am going to take a little mental break and update you on a few of those listed the first go-round and break a little ground with a handful of artists from the Far Northlands about which/whom I have not yet written. Much.
Bullseye Records of Canada
Segarini: Don't Believe a Word I Say 