The Morning After

I like to consider myself a Grand Archives fan.  On more than one occasion of exalted the virtues of the song “Swan Matches.”  That song has taken an almost mystical or religious place in my heart.

But scratching surface, the paint will  fleck off and reveal, I’ve been a poor fan.

I’ll tell ya, it can be hard staying up on everything in music.  I enjoy indie rock, classic alternative, chillwave and 60s music mostly on my own time.  I work at a modern rock radio station, so I need to be up on whatever Dave Grohl is up to.  I DJ weddings, lounges, clubs… and well, where ever someone feels they need a DJ.  So I then need to have at least a passing grade of top 40, electro, dubstep, and new country knowledge… sometimes my brain gets full.

People call me on the radio or email wanted to talk bands.  That makes sense.  You’re sick; call the doctor.  Need meat; call the butcher. Like music; call the DJ.

That is groovy and I appreciate being the friendly neighbourhood DJ.  Occasionally someone says, “hey man, you should play the Bingo Bongo Band on your show.”  I make the mistake and say, “never heard of them.”  And then someone gets mad and says, “SWA? Never heard of the Bingo Bongo Band!  They’re the greatest EVAR! What kind of DJ are you?”

Zoinks, I was the DJ born with a human brain that has to live on a planet that has a measly 24 hour day.

My homeboy Two sent me an MP3 today from the Grand Archives.  Said the song was performed live for the Sub Pop 20th Anniversary Party a few years ago when it was new.  BEFORE it was included on 2009’s Keep In Mind Frankenstein.

WTF mate… they had a new record?  Heck they’ve had two since their most excellent self titled debut.

This is beyond DJ failure; this is a total fan breakdown.

I guess fortunately? the good news is the buzz on the subsequent records was poor, so maybe I didn’t miss much… the track that Two sent me is pretty pleasant like GA tend to be.  Have a listen.

Grand Archives – “Dig That Crazy Grave”

Download MP3 >> 13 Dig That Crazy Grave

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Voolmezeele Enclosure 3

I’ve been thinking about Henry George Bellinger again.  Long time readers of this here blog may recall tat I occasionally like to talk about World War One.  Mr. Bellinger is often cited as one of the, if not THEE first Canadian killed in action on the Western Front.

For some morbid or bizarre reason, the story of being the first guy killed in a war intrigues me.  Months ago I told Simon about  Bellinger.

Basically, it would be the anti-war epic.  The story would center on 35 year old, married father tailor man Henry living in Eastern Ontario.  The call comes that there is war and he enlists.

He trains, gets shipped over.  Sits around for awhile.  Cracks a few japes with the boys, smokes some cigarettes… then gets blown up in the first few moments of the first battle. Roll credits.

No heroic bayonet charge, no dragging his injured bro to safety… just sitting around, attack begins and a shell catches him.  The end.  And that is Bellinger’s War.

Obviously, I am having hard time  envisioning the commercial appeal of this endeavour… but perhaps it could be a powerful short film.  The ultra real war film.

There is not much information about this tragic footnote in Canadian history.  He was born in 1876.  He was married to who I can only imagine was super babe, Mary Ann.  He was a tailor.  He enlisted in the army in Levis, Quebec.  He is buried in Belgium.  He may have had a daughter named Mildred.  Killed by enemy shell fire along with Norman Fry on January 8th, 1915.  He was 36 or 39 when he died.  The end.
Go with yourself.

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