economics

A/D VOL 1

2011-01-18T21:12:00.001-08:00

A/D VOL 1 is a new e.p. that i've released this week. it is the first in a series of 3 (at least), and most of what you will hear in this series is improvised and recorded in one take. we're still working on the full-length, which i'm very excited about - i can't wait for people to hear, which means i should get moving!

giants

2010-09-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

i haven't posted much in awhile, and i have a number of excuses, but my favourite one is that i've been very slowly working on a new album. this will be the second official album, and i shall bore you with some of it's challenges.

i want to make something that is quite a bit different from the last one, but i still want it to sound like economics, whatever that means. this song is called 'giants' and it is the first one that i recorded with the intention of being a 'new album' song. i was quite happy with it, even though the autoharp is out of tune (tuning an autoharp requires much more patience than i possess). when i listen to this song, though, it's clear that i wasn't sure how i wanted the new record to sound like. this song sounds like it would fit fine on the first album. it's typical economics: simple, minor-keyed chord progression, a few more instruments come in, the drums kick in, the song builds steam, then falls back down again. it's fine but it doesn't sound 'new' to me. it won't be on the album (at least not in this form), so i've decided to post it here for your enjoyment and/or criticism.

recording and listening to this song did, however, help me (sort of) figure out how i wanted the new album to sound. i'm still not sure if that sound is what will come out in the end. we shall see.

giants by economics

dj shadow remix project

2010-07-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

for anyone who has heard anything that i have ever recorded, you may have noticed that i really like dj shadow. a few months ago, dj shadow announced on his website that he was inviting his fans to remix any of his songs and send them in. i found this rather exciting, so, over a weekend, i recorded a version of 'mongrel meets his maker.' i was not very pleased with the result, but was tickled to see that mr. shadow himself commented on the track - he typed 'like it.' so i tried another one - 'what does your soul look like part 2' - which i was quite pleased with.

dj shadow has decided to release a series of these remixes - called the dj shadow remix project - on a cd which will be included for free with any order from his website. in what i assume was some sort of clerical error, my version of 'what does your soul look like part 2' was selected for the album. this is amazing for me. it means many many more people will hear something i have made. it's just great.

and i am in very good company. i have heard a few of these remixes, and they are fantastic - i can't wait to hear the rest.

here is a teaser:

Remix Project Teaser-CD Coming Soon! by djshadow

if you're not familiar with dj shadow, i suggest you head over to djshadow.com, order one or more of his albums (they're all good), and you'll get a copy of the remix project cd. for those who are familiar with dj shadow, there are plenty of other goodies for sale on the website, such as some lovely handmade vinyl, and some nice rare funk and soul records.

sled island

2010-05-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

economics is going to sled island!

we have applied to play at festivals in the past, but like my highschool and college days, have been faced with harsh rejection. i get the feeling, however, that many festivals base their selection criteria on name recognition, without really taking the time to listen to all of the submissions. the fact that the folks at sled island chose economics, who do no touring, get no radio play, and have no charisma, means an awful lot. it means that there will be plenty of artists at the festival that you have not heard of. this is what festivals need: some small, unknown, talented acts playing alongside some big guns like dinosaur jr., built to spill, and les savy fav. it's a great opportunity for the little fish like us.

the festival takes places from june 30 to july 3 in calgary. the schedule will be posted on june 1 - stay tuned to find out when are where we are playing. i am hoping to construct a set that will make people lose their minds, although i am sure it will just be mildly enjoyable.

damon albarn: talented

2010-04-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

my earliest exposure to blur was the video for 'boys & girls.' i hated it, i thought it was annoying, and i was a 12-year old little snot. ever so slowly, blur has become one of my most favourite acts, as their songs picked their way into my brain. if i were somehow forced to make i list of my top 100 pop songs, i think i would have about 5 blur songs on the list: beetlebum, there's no other way, coffee & tv, ambulance, and clover over dover. perhaps more.

i was obviously sad when blur decided to call it quits, and happy when they reformed recently, but i have since become mightily impressed by damon albarn's various side-projects. 'the good, the bad, and the queen' is a wonderful album, and i think people may have been scared off by the 'supergroup' stigma attached to it. take a look at the performance embedded below. i hope they do another album together soon.

as the weather warms, i find myself unable to resist the newest gorillaz album, 'plastic beach.' like many blur albums, it could use some editing, but has some really amazing songs. have a gander at 'stylo' below. it's simple and fun, like previous gorillaz singles, but there's something intangible about it that brings it to near-perfection.

about a month ago, damon albarn turned 47. there are few artists who can keep turning out interesting material for decades - many seem to drift into folk-pop or 'classic rock' territory and camp out there for awhile - but albarn keeps throwing himself into unfamiliar genres, and succeeding. after listening to 'plastic beach' over the last couple of months, i'm hoping for an electro-pop solo album, or perhaps a movie score, but i'm sure he'll surprise me with something completely different.

i am no fun

2010-03-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

i've been told several times that i am no fun. here are some people who are less fun than i:

people on diets
exhibit a: they have coined the phrase "nothing tastes as good as thin feels"

if you ever go to a restaurant with someone on a diet, prepare to have no fun. you will be criticized no matter what you order ("there's alot of carbs in that pasta there") and you will have to hear about all the nutritional benefits of the spinach salad they just ordered. i'm quite sure mozza burgers taste much better than thin feels. i used to be thin, and i was miserable. almost as miserable as people on diets.

people who exercise
exhibit a: your facebook friend's bench press update

the gym is one of the least fun places in the whole wide world. go to an underdeveloped country and try to explain to people the concept of recreational exercise. it will blow their minds as to how boring and unnecessary that is. for those of you who do exercise, just know that we are not impressed by how much you exercise, even though i am sure that you will let me know anyways.

food snobs
exhibit a: the popularity if 'asian fusion'

food snobs will make you feel guilty for enjoying food. that is my new definition of no fun. i feel guilty enough for eating fast food, chips, and slurpees from the people on diets, so i don't need to feel guilty because the food i eat "isn't real food." you know what the three best restaurants in the whole world are? taco bell, IHOP, and chili's. food snobs will pretend to despise such places, and secretly (or perhaps openly) despise you for enjoying them.

workaholics
exhibit a: your co-workers

i am convinced that most workaholics have become such because they do not like their families, so they would rather spend their time at work. it's great if you love, or even like, your job. but if you love your job so much that you spend extra time on it - that your job is better than free time to do whatever you want - you are no fun. for the workaholic, they would rather work than do anything else! this is remarkable. me:"say, what are you doing this weekend?" you:"putting in some extra work for a company that doesn't really care about me. you?" me:"i'm going to eat some nachos and watch some march madness. then i'm going to have a nap. then i'll listen to some records before heading out to chili's to have dinner with friends" who is more fun, me or you? me.

i stand corrected...

2010-03-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

the golden age of the music video

2010-03-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

the music video as an artform is either dying or is in a golden age, depending on how you look at.

most music videos made right now do not appear on television, and they are made by young independent film-makers. the quality is usually pretty good, considering the budget. artists do not need to pay someone to make a video. they simply start up a contest, and people make videos for them, for free. in this way, the music video is in a golden age - anyone can make one, and almost anything is possible.

i can't remember the most recently-made music video that i have actually watched. you have to go to your computer to find them, and i am more of a tv man. as a young lad, my primary source of new music was the video, on tv - usually on muchmusic's 'the wedge' (see my post below) or on mtv2 (back when my parents had a satellite dish). back then, record labels had money to pay creative directors to make videos. they would be shown on television, where kids like me would watch, see something they liked, and go out and buy the cd. for me, this was the golden age of the music video - from about 1994 to 2000 (which, without coincidence, i'm sure, was the golden age of music for my lifetime).

here are some of my favourites:

i also wanted to post a bunch of blur videos (the universal, beetlebum, charmless man) but they won't let me. check them out nonetheless.

plainclothes press

2010-03-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

my diary entries are typically attempts at humour, but this time, i'm all business. in a few months time, sheena (the wife) and i will be officially starting up our own short-run cd/dvd printing business called Plainclothes Press. we hope to serve the many bedroom musicians, garage bands, and other independant artists out there looking to get an album made, but who maybe don't need 500-plus copies. we may also come in handy for those looking to print-on-demand, like before a tour, a show, or to send out to radio stations.

in addition to cd printing, we shall also provide a number of packaging options, from the standard jewel case to cardboard sleeves, as well as other creative designs that artists may have in mind. we want to work with artists to come up with some new ideas, and also potentially work with local visual artists if anyone needs a hand with cover designs.

i think there are many different options out there for short-run printing - all which are quite expensive. we will hopefully be able to provide printing and packaging at a reasonable cost while still maintaining professional quality. but most of all, we want to provide personal service - working directly with artists to find out exactly what they need and what they can afford.

so stay tuned for more information - we will have a website up soon, as well as all the obligatory facebook/myspace/twitter pages. also, if you are an artist who is interested in this kind of service, please send me a message and we can discuss any ideas you may have.

new order: talented

2010-03-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

i am certain that it is not fashionable to enjoy new-period new order, but if you have ever seen me, you know that i am not very fashionable.

i have been listening to this album, 'get ready', as well as 'waiting for the siren's call' a lot lately, and i have to admit, i enjoy it much more than most of their early material (except for some of the obvious early singles). peter hook is great, obviously, but bernard sumner is a very underrated guitar player, and stephen morris is one of my most favourite drummers - perhaps why i have been liking newer new order these days.

the 2010 slam dunk contest: the worst

2010-02-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

i am a bit late in writing about this, but the 2010 slam dunk contest on february 13th was the worst i have ever seen. apparently we are supposed to be impressed by people jumping from the bottom of the circle. nate robinson is indeed a teenwolf, but i need more than just a 'short guy that can also dunk.'

this dunk by demar derozan, however, was very impressive:

favourite things: 2009 edition

2010-01-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

like everyone typing words on the internet right now, i am a narcissist. my opinion matters, and if it doesn't matter to you, it should. so, here are some lists of some of my favourite things in 2009.

albums:
it was not one of my favourite years for music - probably another sign that i'm getting old - but here are a few that i loved.

1. bat for lashes - two suns. put this one on while you are reading a sci-fi/fantasy novel, or just close your eyes and let the images of crystal towers, snowy battles, and huntresses fill your head.

2. junior boys - begone dull care. they did it again. they've slowly become one of my favourite artists of the last decade. i feel like they make music designed specifically for my tastes: dark, perfect melodies, plenty of nuance for repeated listens.

3. the xx - xx. lately, any young band coming out of england has been too abrasive, too upbeat, relentlessly blasting high-frequencies at your ears. how refreshing it is to hear a band so subdued, without being boring. i am certainly a sucker for minor-keyed pop songs.

4. tor vs. sufjan stevens - illinoize. mashups, at best, are amusing at first, but i never have the desire to listen to them again. when i read about this album (available for free at illinoize.biz) i thought it was a stupid idea. but these songs are more than mere mashups. it quickly became the only hip-hop album i really enjoyed in 2009.

5. wild beasts - two dancers. this album is wonderfully produced. sit in your living room, place two speakers on opposite sides of the room, sit in between them, and listen to two dancers.

songs
each year for the last 5 years, i create a playlist of my favourite songs of the year, and i attempt to put them in order, with my favourite being last on the playlist. the number of songs on the playlist indicates how good of a year it was. this year, i have 53 songs. last year i had 89, and in 2005 i had 98. 2005 was an amazing year, apparently.

i was going to list all 53, but that would be boring, and i would feel like i would be revealing a bit too much of myself. most of the songs were from the above 5 albums anyways.

tv.
i love music, but my true passion is watching television. here are my favourite shows to watch in 2009:

10. house

9. it's always sunny is philadelphia - i can only handle this show in smaller doses, though. a show consisting only of horrible people is very funny, but gives me a tummy ache after about three straight episodes.

8. 30 rock

7. the price is right - being on parental leave for 6 months left me addicted to the price is right. want to know the actual retail price in US dollars of a chevy malibu? gold bond medicated powder? a dune buggy? come see me.

6. the IT crowd - i discovered this show this year - i only wish there were more episodes. british tv always goes for quality over quantity.

5. sportscentre when hosted by jay onrait and dan o'toole - they should have their own talk show.

4. man vs. wild - my wife and i both have a crush on bear grylls. he's everything that i'm not. i think the episode with will farrell was my favourite hour of television this year.

3. how i met your mother - certainly the most underrated show on television. it's like the 'lost' of sit-coms. except 'lost' is quite overrated.

2. the tonight show with conan o'brien - i was so excited to watch conan an hour earlier, but was worried the quality of his show would diminish in the new time slot. but conan's 'tonight show' is even better than his 'late night' show (at least the last few years of his 'late night' show). i love that andy is back. although it appears this show may not exist much longer, i'm sure conan will be on tv somewhere.

1. dexter - each season comes closer and closer to giving me a heart attack. we watched the last season in 4 days, then i couldn't sleep.

websites
5. aintitcool.com - my favourite movie news website, although the readers comments infuriate me. i'm not sure why i read them.

4. thesuperest.com - this site won't make any sense unless you go to the archives and start from the very beginning.

3. rogerebert.com - you haven't seen much of roger ebert lately. apparently he can't eat or drink any more. but he can write, and he's been writing more than ever. regardless of whether or not i agree with his opinions, i can read a review and know whether or not i want to see the movie.

2. latfh.com - a constant source of hilarity for me. i am very tempted to take pictures of people and send them to this site.

1. kijiji.ca - i have bought and sold so many things that i can't keep track. it's also a good place to find a good deal on music equipment, and a great place to find horrible deals on music equipment.

food
5. sheena's homemade soup - she was a soup-making machine this summer

4. the chicken quesadilla i had at la bamba del norte in saskatoon

3. the classic nachos at chili's

2. any kind of donair from shawarma donair on primrose drive in saskatoon

1. a&w's mozza burger - fast food is great. it's fast, it's delicious, it makes me happy

a series of tubes

2009-12-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

this is how my wife and i spend our time: we sit and watch tv, then one of us says "who was the guy from that thing? i wonder where he is now?" since the tv and computer are in the same room, the least lazy of us (usually my wife) goes over to the computer and searches the man's name. so now we know what peter from the cosby show has been doing for the last 20 years. then i inevitably say "you know, not too long ago, there would have been no way to find that out - it would have remained a mystery until a 'where are they now' show appeared on tv. i sure hope young people out there appreciate how easy it is to access any information they choose." then my wife leaves the room, invariably wondering what has become of her life. we now know what EVERYONE from the cosby has done since the cosby show, we know what the all-time lowest scoring NBA game was, we know who actually sang on the milli vanilli albums, and we know that the guy who wrote 'teen wolf' and teen wolf too' now writes episodes of 'heroes'.

one night, though, there came a moment where we were left breathless by the abominable power the information super-highway. we saw a music video for the song 'day by day' by Doug and the Slugs - canada's answer to Huey Lewis and the News. i said something like "i wonder if Doug is still making music - i bet he still has a following in southern manitoba or something." so we looked it up. turns out Doug is dead. he died in 2004. we were both sad. then my wife marveled at the length and detail of the wikipedia entry for Doug and the Slugs. it's not really long (not like the saskatoon wikipedia entry) but i expected maybe one or two sentences, if anything. (this supports my theory that every band in history has at least one die-hard fan willing to maintain their presence on the web - although there is no myspace page for the Slugs. there is, unbelievably, another band called Doug and the Slugs, who do have a myspace page. they have 6 fans.) then we scrolled down and noticed this:

someone took the time to make a chart outlining the various members of Doug and the Slugs from 1977 to 2004. this is astonishing. first we laughed and laughed. and then we thought about it some more and felt sad again. it's also interesting to note that from 1996 to around 1998, there was only one Slug - Jay Wittur - and he played the bass. just Doug and a Slug - bass and vocals. if i had a time machine, i would go back and find a bar in etobicoke ontario and watch these two perform.

scrolling down further, there is a list of 8 more former Slugs who were not included in the chart. this means that there were 19 former Slugs in total, which leads me to believe that Doug was perhaps quite difficult to work with - he was like Canada'a James Brown. and also Canada's Huey Lewis.

most importantly, directly below the chart, we have the following: Dennis Henderson is now a high school electronics teacher at Hugh McRoberts Secondary School in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.

because of the internet, we know the occupation and city of residence of the person who played bass for Doug and the Slugs in 1977. oh , what an age in which we live!

experts

2009-11-17T20:24:00.000-08:00

an expert is someone who claims to know more about a certain subject than you. an expert thinks you are idiot.

since the beginning of civilization, there have been experts. someone was happily busy making his clay pots, until an expert came along who said "whoa whoa - that's how you make clay pots? you've got it all wrong. you're using the wrong kind of clay, you're technique is rudimentary, it's all wrong. let me show you how to really make a clay pot." and so, the expert earned a living telling people how to make clay pots properly, while also selling his special kind of clay.

today, experts are still busy telling all of the beginners what to do and how to do it. pick any hobby and there will be someone waiting to sell you the necessary equipment to fully experience this hobby. take something as simple as walking - you cannot just go out and walk. you need walking shoes, walking pants, even walking poles when necessary. you also need to master certain walking techniques - you can't move your arms that way! better ask an expert.

i have decided that most things - hobbies, crafts, talents - are generally quite easy. i'm not saying that playing one of bach's organ fugues is easy, but with enough practice, i'm sure you could do it. experts, however, will tell you otherwise. if you want to get into photography, you can't just grab a camera and start taking pictures. you need a $4,000 slr, the right lenses, filters, photohsop, etc. if you want to record an album, you can't just borrow a microphone and a tape machine and get to it. you need better equipment, the right technique, and lots of money. talent has little to do with it.

experts have convinced me to buy certain things, do things a certain way, but deep down, those recordings i made back when i did not know what i was doing still sound the best to me. most experts are not experts when it comes to experimentation, however.

letters

2009-11-12T19:26:00.000-08:00

here are some letters i've been writing:

dear new york yankees,
many congratulations on capturing your latest world series. it's really neat how the team with the highest payroll won the world series this year. keep signing those free agents and victory shall continue to be yours.

sincerely,
dean.

dear ipod,
every morning at work, i put you on shuffle, and every morning you play the same songs. you have over 2000 songs to choose from, yet you always choose the same songs. please broaden your tastes, or be truly random. perhaps this is my punishment for not listening to complete albums anymore. if this is the case, i have learned my lesson.

thanks,
dean.

dear driver that just had to get in front of me this morning,
congratulations on getting to where you need to be 5 seconds earlier than me. i am sure your time is indeed more important than the safety of others.

dean.

dear person on kijiji attempting to sell a 3-inch patch cable for $5,
i admire your patience and tenacity. you must be getting frustrated though. it has been many months that you have been trying to sell your item, and i suspect you have not received many offers. perhaps because it is much safer for a buyer to go to the local music store and purchase a brand new patch cable that is guaranteed to function properly, as opposed to contacting a complete stranger, going to that stranger's house, and exchanging $5 for a patch cable with no guarantee of functionality.

keep catching that butterfly,
dean.

dear everyone younger than me,
your spelling, grammar, and customer service skills are atrocious. please inform you teachers, parents, and employers.

dean.

getting all nostalgic part 3: the cosby show

2009-11-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

i've been watching old episodes of the cosby show, and it's just as good - if not better - than i remember. i'm obsessed now. i think the pilot episode is the best pilot episode of any show i've seen. theo huxtable is as cool as ever. grandpa huxtable has the best sounding voice - if i made a movie, i would want him to narrate. i still have a crush on denise. i want to live in the huxtable house. peter and kenny and elvin and cockroach. i could go on and on.

this is my favourite television moment, i think:

Cosby Show sing Night Time Is The Right Time by Ray Charles

nba predictions

2009-10-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

yesterday on tv i saw three sports analysts boldly give their predictions for the nba finals. the season started last night. one said the lakers vs orlando (same as last year), another said the lakers vs cleveland (same as what everyone predicted last year), and the other said san antonio vs cleveland (same as two years ago). they were really going out on a limb this time.

my prediction is the portland trailblazers vs the philadelphia 76ers. the blazers will have the best record in the nba this year. you heard it here first, folks.

don't live every day like it's your birthday

2009-10-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

it was my birthday on tuesday, and as per tradition (a tradition that i started last year) i took the day off and just did whatever the heck i wanted on by birthday. i eat what i want, i watch what i want, i drink alcohol in the morning, and it's great. it's how birthdays should be. at the time, i came up with a lovely motto: 'live every day like it's your birthday.' this motto probably exists somewhere, but i soon realized that it is horrible horrible advice. if i lived everyday like it was my birthday, i would be dead within a year. and my lifestyle on my birthday isn't even that bad.

here's what i did:

woke up early, opened presents. my wife bought be some chocolates and skittles
my wife made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. i also had two large mugs of coffee, one of which had a healthy dose of kamora
watched the price is right
showered
went to chili's for lunch. we shared classic nachos (which are the most perfect nachos i've ever had) and some fajitas. but i ate about 80% of the food on the table, while my wife had 20%
came home, watched tv all afternoon whilst eating chocolates and skittles
we were too ill from lunch to eat supper, so we ate birthday cake instead
put the baby to bed, then i lied on the couch, watched more tv, ate more chocolates and skittles, and made my delicious drink invention - amaretto, orange juice, and raspberry syrup.

while this is pretty tame (ie no binge drinking) note the amount of sugar i ate and how little i moved. if this continued, i would gain 100 pounds and die of a diabetic coma. don't live every day like it's your birthday.

the easiest job in the world award

2009-10-17T20:58:00.000-07:00

2nd runner up for easiest job in the world: pinch runner for a major league baseball team. you sit on the bench most of the time. in rare situations, you enter in the game for the purpose of running.

1st runner up: third-base coach for a major league baseball team. you stand by third base and tell the runner to either stop at third, or go home.

and the easiest job in the world award goes to: first-base coach for a major league baseball team. you stand by first base and tell the runner to stop at first or go to second. the first-base coach has a slight advantage over the third-base coach in terms of ease, because the third-base coach has slightly more responsibility.

i am unsure why any of these positions exist, and i'm sure they pay more than my current job.

i could write more about the baffling sport of baseball, like why they play 162 regular season games, and only 13 to 21 games in the playoffs, or why the abbreviation for a strikeout is 'k' and the abbreviation for a walk is 'bb' - i'll save that for a future entry.

bobby brown: ahead of his time

2009-10-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

if this track was released today, it would be a HIT! commercial radio would love it, pitchfork would love it, your mother would love it.

i wonder what LA and Babyface are doing right now?

some things i won't miss about summer

2009-10-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

i love fall. i love wearing warm sweaters and light jackets, walking through leaves, etc. here in saskatchewan though, the fall season lasted 3 days. at the end of september, it was 33 degrees, then things were normal, then 3 days later, snow, wind, and cold. so to help soften the blow of winter, i like to think about the things i will not miss about the summer:
allergies - i seem to be allergic to pollen. all summer i have a runny nose, a runny eye, and i sneeze on everything.

no shirts - i'm not just talking about old shirtless men. what is much much worse are young muscular men playing shirtless frisbee in the park, even when it's not really that warm out. is a shirt really that constricting while throwing a frisbee or football? they're just doing it to impress the ladies - unfortunately, it probably works. they also make me feel bad about myself, because my shirt never ever comes off.
people showing off their skills - related to above. my wife and i often each lunch in the park. we often get a hackey-sack in the back of the head. we also get to listen to the soothing sounds of inexperienced djembe players.
business casual summer clothes - i work in an office. the dress code is business casual, which is fine in the winter months because i get to wear sweaters. unfortunately a sweater doesn't work on a hot summer day, which means that i'm forced to dress like my dad: dockers and a golf shirt tucked in.
teenagers - i remember being a teenager in the summer. there was nothing to do but wander around. now, teenagers wander outside my house, and i don't like it. these teenagers like to throw eggs at my car and break its windows.
getting into a hot car - i suppose it's better than getting into a cold car in the winter, but in the summer sun, you could cook a stew in my car.

i sound like a cranky old man. there are, however, many more things i love about summer, but also many more things i hate about winter.

getting all nostalgic part 2: 1991

2009-09-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

the klf were the biggest-selling singles act in the world for 1991.

i'm not sure who the best-selling singles act is currently, but i'm sure their songs do not being with machine-gun shots or mc5 samples.

getting all nostalgic part 1: muchmusic

2009-09-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

muchmusic celebrated its 25th anniversary lately, which lead me to lament on how great the station used to be. i haven't watched muchmusic in awhile - i occasionally flip there to see what music videos look like nowadays, but i rarely see any videos. it seems to be a whole lot of celebrity shows - is there a specific name for that genre? - i could right many many words about what the station is doing wrong now, but i'd rather be nostalgic and remember the things i loved about it.

the VJs seemed like people who really loved music - and they all looked like normal, ugly people
mucheast and muchwest every sunday. these shows were amazing - they gave 2 whole hours per week showcasing canadian artists from provinces other than ontario. then they changed it to thirty minutes and called it 'going coastal.' then they cancelled 'going coastal'
the wedge was on every day after school for 30 minutes. this was before i had the internet, which meant that this show was my primary window for new music. as a 14-year old discovering his tastes, this was perfect.
everything seemed kind of ramshackle - VJs would present videos in the midst of desks and monitors and people grabbing coffee, they would do things like the annual post-christmas tree toss - i wanted to work there.
they played videos about 90% of the time. i remember getting upset when they would show the partridge family or the monkees.
weird al would take over the station for an entire day. that may not sound too exciting, but it was great.
i wasn't allowed to watch muchmusic when i was a kid, which made it all the better, i think.

if you can think of any other good muchmusic memories, please feel free to comment.

how i spent my saturday afternoon

2008-12-20T09:35:00.000-08:00

it's winter, i shoveled snow this morning, it's cold and windy, so i'm not going outside for the rest of the day. on tv right now is a list of the 100 greatest hip-hop songs. 5 hours of the 100 greatest hip-hop songs. i can't seem to stop watching it, so i won't. i'm betting "the message" is #1. or maybe "rapper's delight" - i just hope it isn't "i'll be missing you" by puff daddy.

i get a little obsessed with lists, especially this time of year. i read every year-end best-of list i can, i make my own lists, i get friends to make lists for me. it gives me a chance to reflect, i guess, which is probably one of those things white people love to do.

anyways, i decided to make a little top ten of my favourite hip-hop songs. i am not a hip-hop expert, so for any hip-hop experts out there, please don't laugh at my lame list. many of these are not classics - they're just my favourites at this very moment:

10. get by - talib kweli
9. witness - roots manuva
8. beyonder - blackalicious
7. only the strong survive - dj krush
6. excursions - a tribe called quest
5. brothers gonna work it out -public enemy
4. passin be by - pharcyde
3. they reminisce over you - pete rock and cl smooth
2. 93 til infinity - souls of mischief
1. b.o.b. - outkast

#1 on tv was "fight the power" - i think it was a good choice.

making babies

2008-11-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

we are having a baby. we made a real live human being and it is growing in sheena's tummy as i type this. i've been wanting to write about this for awhile, but i've been struggling to figure out the right words, so i'm just going to type some thoughts.

i am constantly gripped with crippling fear, unabashed excitement, or both simultaneously. that can't be good for the heart. but the excitement and joy far outweigh the fear and anxiety. that ratio may change as we grow closer to the may 4th due date.

our toilet was plugged for about 10 months, and i just recently unclogged it. this has lead me to believe that i am not capable of fatherhood.

i read bill cosby's best-selling book 'fatherhood'. i now feel more capable of fatherhood.

i will soon have an excuse to be incredibly immature. i look forward to building forts, playing with legos, having water fights in the summer, snowball fights in the winter, trying to find the coolest playground in the city, watching saturday-morning cartoons, and eating at chuck e. cheese's.

most people have babies, and many many people in history have had babies. yet, i feel like this is still some sort of miracle. and i have never felt more masculine in my entire life (which isn't saying much). i guess i'm just relieved that my sperm is healthy and strong.

here's is what tv has taught me about pregancy: the mom throws up every morning for the first little while. then all of a sudden, she has a big tummy. she craves funny things like corn chips dipped in chocolate milk and it's very hilarious. you go to get an ultrasound and the doctor tells you everything looks good. then, when you're stuck in an elevator, or a cab, or a utility closet, mom goes into labour, and dad, or friend, or cab driver, or janitor, must deliver the baby. labour lasts about 7 minutes, and the baby is good and healthy and doesn't have any slime on it. so far, none of these things are true.

what having a pregnant wife has taught me about pregnancy: 'morning sickness' actually means you throw up after every time you eat for 3 months. you're not supposed to tell anyone you're having a baby until the 2nd trimester or so - which means you have to tell people that your wife has the flu for 3 months. i don't think anyone believed me. there are many many odd pregnancy symptoms other than growing a belly and 'morning sickness'. some of these include: a metallic taste in your mouth, severe heart burn, hair growth, boob growth, sleepyness, grumpyness, dopeyness, headaches, hipaches, backaches, excessive urination, etc. there are also many things that a pregnant lady isn't supposed to eat - all of which are things that my pregnant lady loves to eat normally, like tuna, red meat, runny-yolk eggs, sandwich meat, soft cheeses, etc.

my grandma died a week before we found out we were pregnant. if our child has just 1% of her spark, we'll have an awesome baby.

my grandpa died last week. if our child has just 1% of his gentle heart, we'll have a really awesome baby. i just can't wait to meet him or her.

i tell sheena that i wish i was the one going through all the pain and discomfort she is going through. i think she knows i'm lying to her. i am much too weak and pathetic to go through what she is going through. she is much much stronger than i am, so it's probably a good thing that it is impossible for me to carry a child.

i sound like a cheesy dad already. hopefully i don't start recording any cheesy-dad songs.

hinterland who's who

2008-10-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

yikes. i guess i was lying when i said this diary was was going to be updated "regularly" - oh well - i have a good excuse, which i shall write about later. and i don't think anyone is reading anyways. for those of you who are, i promise that "regularly" will mean "more than twice a month."

when you start getting nostalgic about stupid things, it means you must be getting old.

those of you who grew up in canada from the 60s to the 80s should remember hinterland who's who. for those who don't remember, it was a series of vignettes during commercial breaks that taught us about the various wild animals across the canadian landscape, many of which were endangered. there were 3 fantastic elements to these vignettes. first, it taught you about animals and got you interested in so-called common creatures like the woodchuck or the ruffed grouse. second, the narrator's voice was soothing and bassy, and it had that quality that you only hear in recordings from big tape reel from the 60s and 70s. third, and definitely most important, was the theme music. that flute line is so beautiful, and to hear it would instantly take me back to eating cinnimon toast in my jammies while watching inspector gadget. i wonder if they would sue me for using the flute in a song...

the other day i was laying on the couch and being lazy when i heard that familiar theme. i sat up quickly and was excited for about half a second. it didn't take me long to notice that something was wrong. the sound quality just wasn't the same. the flute sound was an obvious fake flute synth sound. then, before i knew it, a funky bassline and drumbeat kicked in, and my nostalgic moment was ruined in an instant. it only got worse from there. the narrator sounded not like a dignified older gentleman with a neat moustache, but a 15 year-old girl with a voice so shrill. but at least i was able to learn about my old friends, the peregrine falcon, the harlequin duck, and the piping plover, right? wrong. this clip, about the wonderfully enigmatic burrowing owl, hardly taught me anything at all about the burrowing owl! instead, there were a few shots of the owl, a brief description, then some lady telling me that in order to save animals like the burrowing owl, i had to recycle my plastics and ride by bike instead of drive my car. now, i don't have a problem with these messages. in fact, i think they're great. but the man with the syrupy voice never preached at me. why did you have to steal my hinterland who's who away from me? i am officially an old man. new things scare me.

i have good news, however. the hinterland who's who website (hww.ca) has the classic clips for us to enjoy. now i can hear that sweet tune and that smooth syrupy voice as i learn about the ptarmigan, the great blue heron, and the greater snow goose, once more.

axl rose

2008-08-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

there's a small part of me - no, a big part of me - that wants chinese democracy to be the greatest album ever created. chinese democracy is, for those who don't know, the upcoming guns 'n roses album. axl rose, the only remaining original member of the band, has been working on the album for the last 14 years.

i'm quite sure that chinese democracy won't be the greatest album ever created. i'm quite sure that chinese democracy won't even be a very good album. i'm quite sure that chinese democracy won't even be liked very much by anyone at all. but i still really really really want it to be the greatest album ever created - not just my favourite album of all time, and not just the best album ever created according to, oh, i don't know, guitar world magazine or something. i want it to be universally accepted as the greatest album ever created. i want it to be the michael jordan of albums. i want critics to write about why it is the greatest album ever created. i want it to sell more copies than thriller. i want it to be loved by both my mom and by 14-year-old kids who wear sideways hats.

you see, i feel sorry for axl rose. he's become a bit of a joke these past 14 years. and it's not just because of the cornrows. music writers often make deliciously witty comments about the 14-year gap, the revolving door of band members, the temper tantrums, the bicycle shorts, the cornrows. people want him to fail - which may be why he's been working at it for so long. about a month ago, a bunch of songs from chinese democracy were leaked. of course, certain online music publications, who would never cover a band like guns 'n roses in the first place, were quick to comment on the new material. of course, the comments were not very nice at all. my dream of chinese democracy being the greatest album ever created seems even less likely now. my theory, though, is that the leaked songs are actually fake. axl rose had plenty of time to record some intentionally sub-par material. it would be a genius move - giving critics a false sense of self-satisfaction, only to rip it away by dishing out the greatest album ever created. axl rose is, in fact, a genius, making my theory at least somewhat believable.

i hate to compare myself to a genius like axl rose, but i feel like i can kind of relate to what he's going through. you write something, you record it, you listen to it, you like it but aren't really happy with it, so you go back and re-work it, re-record it, and you keep going through the cycle until you are either happy with it, or you throw it away. you keep second guessing yourself and you start listening to everything else out there. you realize that what you are making is much different from whatever is popular at the moment, and you consider changing what you do to suit the trends. then you realize that you wouldn't be very honest with yourself, and you go back to your own voice. next thing you know, 14 years have gone by.

it hasn't taken me 14 years, but it feels like i've been working on this record for at least that long. fortunately i don't have a whole bunch of people (only 2 or 3) making fun of me for taking so long. and i don't have cornrows. but i'm still always second guessing myself - i want everything to be perfect. i've realized that it can't be perfect - i just have to be reasonably happy with it, i guess, and then start working on the next one. axl has been second guessing for 14 years. except with the title - he's stuck with chinese democracy for around 10 years, i think. so i'm making a deal: if i finish my next album before chinese democracy is released, my next album will be called chinese democracy. it surely will not be the greatest album ever created.

the first diary entry

2008-08-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

this is the first diary entry. thanks for reading. the purpose of this entry will be to tell you about this website, which is kind of silly considering you are currently visiting this website, but alas, i shall continue. like most band websites, this is the place to find out the latest news regarding shows, releases, new projects, and other related band activities. my hope, though, is that this won't be just like every other band website. this diary section will be updated regularly with, i anticipate, many entries consisting of me complaining about things, and it will hopefully be a bit more interesting than this particular entry. the music section will also be updated regularly with new and old recording, projects, etc. i also hope to interact with you, share ideas, recordings, remixes, and collaborate with anyone who is willing. above all, this website frees me from the countless annoyances of myspace and facebook, although i still encourage you to visit those pages so i can slowly watch my play counts increase, further feeding my already bloated ego. wait a minute - this website is exactly like every other band website. oh well.