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Hold on, I’m counting

Posted in music, radio, tagged , , , , on June 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Getting ready to roll into another weekend and that means another Modern Rock Countdown.

The Modern Rock Countdown (MRC) is a show that has been on The Zone… I think since the beginning of the radio station back in June 0f 2001.

I inherited the show from Layne Mitchel (or maybe Rick Lee; I don’t even remember) when those guys took off to Edmonton in 2006 and I’ve been doing it since.

Basically, its a countdown show.  I base it loosely on the Sirius Hits 1 Weekend Countdown.  The first summer Coral and I got our Jeep, it came with a year of Sirius satellite.   It was also a time before Madelyn was born, so that summer Coral and I did a ton of road trips.

The next summer was Pemberton and Coral and I did a ton of driving that summer with our new baby.  The soundtrack through most of the hinterlands of BC and Alberta was Sirius Hits 1 (and Howard Stern).

At the time, I wasn’t too happy with the style of the countdown and I loved the Hits 1 countdown (even though it was top 40, had a great style and flow).

So I took a few ideas from that show (playing last week’s number one song at the beginning of the countdown the following week before song 20), tighter breaks between songs, playing the number one song from last year just before the current number 1.

The show has also evolved a few music interludes.

I have always begun the show with Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower.”  I don’t remember I time when that song hasn’t opened up the show.

The music before I play the #1 Song, One Year Ago is Sam and Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Coming.”

The show’s closing theme is Ennio Morricone’s “Ecstasy of Gold.”

Go with yourself.

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Good name, but now what?

Posted in music, tagged , , , on June 22, 2010| 4 Comments »

Numark NSFX for the NS7.

made a little/big capital investment for my DJ rig today.

The Numark NSFX.  It is an effects controller for my NS7 Serato Itch DJ rig.  They discontinued this thing because they now integrate the effects in all new NS7s (as they always should have!).  Since I’m a loser and bought mine last year before the change, I’d need this add on if I want to try and do some interesting mixes and blends and noises.

Watch>> some dude a 1000 times better than me rock the NSFX

Watch>> some guy give a more boring but practical demo of the NSFX

I am excited to try it.  I won’t have it till next week as it had to be brought in from Calgary.  I’ve had some very positive feedback from people interested in my DJing and I’d like to slowly start working toward being a performing DJ instead of just a classic hits pub/lounge guy. Actually my lounge set hopefully will get pretty groovy too with this set up.

I got a very nice email from a DJ in Singapore last night.  he was trolling Mixcloud and found one of my earlier mixes, “One is Not Enough” and liked it!

He is going to feature it on his radio show.  No word of a lie, I blushed a little.

Last weekend Lars Taylor stopped by The Veneto Lounge and asked if I’d ever consider opening a show (like opening opening… like while the bar staff is still counting their floats) for a touring DJ.  Considered it?

well yes… but like, no.

But now its a yes!  I got to get practicing.

The new set I am working on is called “Don’t You Want To Know What’s Out There” (based on the Explorers… right).

Good name… but now I need some good music.  I better get on that tonight.

Go with yourself.

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Interview: Vince Vaccaro

Posted in music, tagged , , , , , on June 21, 2010| 1 Comment »

On Friday, Victoria singer/songwriter Vince Vaccaro came by my radio show to co-host for the day. We shared some mighty times including a performance of his hit, “Costa Rica.” Kim from the Traffic Department made the journey down the hall from her office to sing with Vince. They used to be in choir together back in the day! Small world. Enjoy.

Mixcloud>> Interview and live performance: Vince Vaccaro
Facebook
Tall Tree Festival

Go with yourself.

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rented

Posted in life or something like it, music, tagged , , on June 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I went down to Long & McQuade and in the end decided to rent gear for my wedding events this summer.

It was just too much to dive into another payment scheme right now for the few events I have planned.

But the good news is, L&M are way cheaper (less than half the price) of the other company I had originally intended to rent from.  And I will get a better sound set up.

More sound and lights; less dollars spent.

It became a no brainer.  Plus the sales guy Matt told me that in October, you can finance Yorkville products interest free.

I hope to hit the wedding expo in September, and if I can generate a decent wedding season of bookings for 2011, then I can think about buying a mobile sound system in October.

This solution already makes me feel much better and less stressed.  I am pretty excited for Saturday and rocking one hell of a party for Paul and Jen.

***

Adam wrote a nice blog about Victoria artist Steph Macpherson and he quoted me.

Have a Read >> The Soap Box

I’ll do my best to record a live Mix from the Veneto Tonight, but I promise nothing.

Go with yourself.

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Playing 33s: his name was always Joe to me

Posted in music, tagged , , , on June 15, 2010| 3 Comments »

Friday was payday for me, so it was off to Ditch to pick up a couple long players they had set aside.

I am slowly but surely collecting The Replacements discography as best I can, so I grabbed Hootenanny. As I have blogged before, I love the Meat Puppets so their important record II was on the shopping list.

My wife Coral, she had a mad lust to hear the ‘An Innocent Man’ album cut “Christie Lee” so we also got our hands on that record as well. I hope you enjoy listening to some selections off this week’s stack of wax.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to music.

Click to stream>> Playing 33s: his name was always Joe to me

***

DJ Notes

01) Billy Joel – “Uptown Girl”
02) Billy Joel – “Christie Lee”
03) The Replacements – “Color Me Impressed”
04) The Replacements – “Within Your Reach”
05) Meat Puppets – “Plateau”
06) Meat Puppets – “Aurora Borealis”

All the records I played on this mix are from 1983!  Whoa… the year Coral was born.

An Innocent Man is Billy Joel’s tribute to the music of his youth.  You’ll hear elements of doo-wop, motown, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

The set begins with “Uptown Girl,” Joel’s first UK #1 hit and a song he wrote about about his soon-to-be wife, Christie Brinkley.

Growing up, Coral had the cassette for this record and she is very familiar with all the songs.  She had a desire to hear the album cut “Christie Lee” (also a song named after his wife).

oddly, on iTunes you can buy greatest hits compilations of Billy Joel’s music, but not any albums?  weird, he’s like the opposite of Pink Floyd.

I am slowly collecting all the Replacements LPs I can get my hands on. Hootenanny is the Replacements 2nd full long player (on the podcast I incorrectly called it their first… but their first was Sorry Ma, forgot to take out the trash).

I kept it pretty safe with my selections off this record playing two of the generally more recognized songs.

“Within Your Reach” was include don the soundtrack for the most excellent film, Say Anything…

“I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.” – Lloyd Dobbler you know what’s up.

I finish this little set with a record I just had to own, Meat Puppets II.

I’ve blogged about my obsession with these guys before.  Not not going to pretend that playing vinyl records is “better” than my iTunes or laptop… but I do find a certain satisfaction to listening to the original format when I am trying to transport myself back to this distant times and places.  This is how the kids in 1983 experienced these songs…. errr II came out in 1984…

Go with yourself.

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Interviews: Mother Mother // The Zolas

Posted in music, tagged , , on June 10, 2010| Leave a Comment »

thank you Tyson for the picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tysonelder/

Vancouver’s Mother Mother came to the Capital City for a pair of Zone shows yesterday and Tuesday.  Like any quality rockers, they were sure to visit The Zone Afternoon Show… our time together was recorded and now it is time for sharing.

Interview >> Mother Mother

Ryan Guldemond and I briefly chatted about their work on some new music and a follow up to 2008’s O My Heart.  Then, they played a couple songs, both their radio hits, “O My Heart” and “Body of Years.”

***

Next up, it was time for Tom and Zach of Terminal City progressive rockers, The Zolas!  I like the Zolas because Zach listens to my radio show and I’m easy like that.

Interview >> The Zolas
Read >> The Zolas in Monday Magazine

Go with yourself.

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Interview: Tokyo Police Club

Posted in music, radio, tagged , , , , , on June 8, 2010| Leave a Comment »

The pride of Newmarket, Ontario… Tokyo Police Club have a brand spanking new album out today called Champ.

Yesterday on the ZAS I had the chance to talk with Graham Wright, TPC’s keyboardist about their radio song “Wait Up (Boots of Danger)”

SWA?  Boots of Danger what does that even mean?  lets find out.

Interview>> Graham Wright on The Zone Afternoon Show
MP3>> Tokyo Police Club “Wait Up (Boots of Danger)”
MP3>> Tokyo Police Club “Wait Up (Boots of Danger) [Dom Remix]”

Go with yourself.

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Read about your band in some local page

Posted in music, tagged , , on June 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Yeah its getting a little out of hand.  I bought another record yesterday.  The Replacement’s Tim.

I have been on such a retro rock kick lately and part of it has to do with two things.

01) Coral renovated our living room which makes it so much more fun to just sit in.

02) I have a record player that works.  Since Russ cleaned my amp and Boitano hooked me up with one of his old Numark turntables… I’ve been enjoying rocking my music collection again.  I find that, like MP3, convenience wins.  If it is easy to listen, I will.

Coral and I will be sharing our collection in public on June 14th at Smiths.  On Monday nights Fatso and Yeti host an all vinyl night and I asked to have a go… they said yes!  So mark that date on your calendar.

This Replacements record is so great.  The Replacements are an old alternative rock band from Minneapolis.  I love listening to their music.  It is like a time machine that takes you back to the gritty side of town in the 80s.  To be young and a skid.  It makes me feel like old Meat Puppets.

I’ve read as much as I can find right now on the Replacements but wonder if there is a biography?  I sit and dream when I listen to Tim and think about their lives and what was going and who all the characters were to inspire these songs.  I want to know who Paul Westerberg (lead singer/songwriter) was kissing on the bus?  I want to know which bar he was a regular at and which friend got sent away by the police?

Their previous album, Let it Be, has even more heart breaking songs.  Who did he miss so much while on tour?  What did she do to make him so unsatisfied? was it even a she?  or life in general?

Lots of questions. I need to win the lotto max so I can finance the movie.

Go with yourself.

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Playing 45s: Here’s your money back

Posted in music, tagged , , , , , , , on May 31, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I am so happy about a couple points.

01) Chris from Regalia in the Fan Tan Alley set me up with a 45s record box.

02) Ditch Records on Johnson Street in downtown Victoria sells contemporary 45 singles!

I had to buy some. In the end I settled on three. They’re cheap, but not free and I didn’t want to spend much more than $20.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the As and the Bs of some of my new music.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to music.

Click to stream from Mixcloud: Playing 45s – Here’s Your Money Back

01) The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
02) The National – “Sin-Eaters”
03) The Dead Weather – “Die by the Drop”
04 The Dead Weather – “Old Mary”
05) Japandroids – “Art Czars”
06) Japandroids – “Racer-X”

Almost can’t wait till my next payday to buy some more.  I talked to Fatso at Smiths Pub and he said he’ll have me on June 14th to play some music from Coral and my vinyl record collection.  Maybe I’ll see if Nana will watch Mads and drag Coral out too (a bunch of the records are hers after all) for some beers and olden tyme music.

oh… and the final cut, “Racer-X” is a cover song from a 1984 ep by a band called Big Black.

Go with yourself.

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Playing 45s // Tommy James and Teresa Brewer

Posted in music, tagged , , , , , , on May 27, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Messing around with 45s I tracked down today, I wanted to share with you.

I am sure if I keep jamming out 45s and records as my collection grows, I’ll come up with a craftier name, but for now I present, PLAYING 45s! nice.

I just finished reading Tommy James‘ biography ‘Me, The Mob, and The Music‘ and became inspired to try and collect some of these 45s that Tommy talks about in his book.

In Victoria, there is a little used record store called Turntable in Fan Tan Alley. I didn’t think he’d actually have any original Roulette 45s… but sure enough he had a few (and said he might have more in storage) so I snapped what i could afford and brought them back to the radio station to record and share with you.

The dude also threw in a record from a label called Coral… b/c my wife’s name is Coral and I liked the label, turns out, this is a pretty romantic early 50s song too.

I hope you enjoy and thank you for taking the time to listen.

CLICK TO LISTEN: Playing 45s // Tommy James and Teresa Brewer

***

Now I’ll need like a collector album or 45 box for my budding collection of 45s!  The guy has some at Turntable but doesn’t sell.  eBay has some for alright prices… but I hate ordering stuff off eBay, I’d rather track something down in Victoria if I can and pay cash for product.  So if you have one or know of one for sale, let me know.

Go with yourself.

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