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Archive for the ‘neat-O gang’ Category

all I can do is what I do

Posted in being cheap, life or something like it, music, neat-O gang, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on July 22, 2010| 7 Comments »

My man Ryan from The Paper Cranes left a comment on my blog from the other day about which computer program might help me master the beat production.  he recommended the Mac program Logic.

Ryan Awram from The Q! also rocks Logic so what I would like about that is that we can share knowledge at work.  I think Logic also has some similar attributes to Garageband which comes standard on the Mac.  That might allow me to learn the Garageband as I already have it, then graduate to Logic if/when I get the hang of it.

I went down to Simply Computers on Quadra, where I normally go to stare at Apple stuff, to look at Logic.

I asked the sales rep about Logic and he steered me toward Ableton… again.  Always with the Ableton.

Ableton is expensive, BUT the sales rep said I don’t need the super duper version… the basic $500 package would be good for me.  And he said that Ableton is working with Rane (they make Serato mixers) to be compatible with Serato DJ software (and I hope my Numark???).

yeesh.  brain hurts.

Its all pretty amateur for me right now and will one day require me to make a decision and jump in.  The issue I mainly have is money.  Coral is hoping to go to University or college in the fall and will need tuition/computer/earn less money for the family.  I’ll need close to $1,000 to rock the wedding fair in the fall and that has to be the priority as success there will guarantee me the opportunity to earn the money I need for fun toys (and to pay the mortgage).  Fun toys now… wasted chance at future business.

man, being an adult sucks.  Garageband for now.

***

In other news, my set for the party Friday Night is taking shape and I like the direction.  I am stressing about it as I don’t really know what people will want to hear.  But I think if I play what I like, I’m opening… no harm no foul and like any performer… all I can do is what I do.

I’ll practice it tonight before bed and if its a good hour, its gold for Friday at Sugar. It’ll be some Brooklyn meets Ibiza chillwave and blisscore beats with some classic soul/funk/R&B.  Might be a trainwreck, but last night at 2AM… it sounded good.  I’ll try it again on the decks tonight, if I can mix it together and the story makes sense in my brain, it’ll be what you hear as you file into Sugar. if this mix that is my head doesn’t come together I was also feeling a modern rocky/remix/local beats set.  Maybe I can do both… a side A and a side B kinda dealio?

Details >> – Well Served – @ Suagr Nightclub

Lastly… I still love Four Tet.

Go with yourself.

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Don’t you want to know what’s out there?

Posted in neat-O gang, tagged , , , , , , , , , on June 22, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Thanks Bud for the graphic! http://www.happydesigns.com/

When I got home late from my first wedding DJ gig on Saturday night I texted David Eleanor to see if the Dodgeball party was still raging.  It was not (the team crushed TWO kegs by 11:30/midnight!).

I was up and still buzzing from the party and felt like watching something that was not internet porn.  I punched up Tool’s AEnima record.  I don’t know what it is about the song “Eulogy” but I started thinking about the 1985 sci-fi classic, Explorers.  The movie stars a young Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix in their first feature film roles!  Plus a young Amanda Peterson (SWA?  we’ll get to her later).

The story is basically about a group of teens who build a spaceship and take off into space to explore.  They meet some aliens and presto-bango-bongo, you got a movie.

When i saw it as a kid, I loved the movie.  iTunes sells films, but it was $10!  Luckily, youtube has a much nicer price-point, free.

Watch>> Explorers part 1/14 (just follow the links after each segment to complete the film)

The movie is pretty great as far as old 80’s films of my youth go.  The film is worth your time strictly on its historical merits of featuring River Phoenix in his debut film role.

The female lead (who isn’t in the film much… girls ewwww!) is an actress named Amanda Peterson.

Amanda is an interesting story of the life and career of likely so many Hollywood actors.  She was on the up during this film.  landed a few good roles, nominated for the odd award then gets the lead in 1987’s Can’t Buy Me Love.  This movie was one of Patrick Dempsey‘s first starring roles and at the time… Amanda and Patrick were a big teen idol deal.

Yet oddly, Amanda would go on to do no other films of note.  Weird?  I wonder why that is?  Wikipedia doesn’t have those answers and doesn’t do speculation.

I had to watch Can’t Buy Me Love… and wouldn’t you know it, youtube has this move too, broken down into a 10 part series.

Watch>> Can’t Buy Me Love 1/10

I might like Can’t Buy Me Love better than Explorers, if only because it is an even greater 80’s film in the traditional sense.

The film hits all my basic 80’s film foundations except one [gratuitous topless shot(s)].

01) Jock vs Nerd Conflict
02) Quest to date the hottest girl in school (cheerleader)
03) Slow clap to end the movie

Patrick Dempsey plays Ronald, a nerd that has a super duper crush on Cindy… the hottest girl in school.  Cindy fucks up and needs $1,000 bad!  Ronald has a grand so they work out a deal where Cindy will “date” Ronald for one month and help him achieve popularity in exchange for the money.  Along the way, they discover a little something about each other and there is some miss-communication, some conflict, some growth and then… yes a slow clap.  Sounds like a pretty epic 80’s comedy to me.

Ask Coral, I actually joined the slow clap myself!  I had too… it was no Lucas slow clap, but it was grand.

If you have the technology, plug your laptop into your TV and invite the kids around this portal into a distant past… one where Jock and Nerds waged a war for Cheerleader supremacy.

Go with yourself.

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Build it out of wood

Posted in music, neat-O gang, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 19, 2010| 7 Comments »

Yesterday I was hard at work (or uhhh hard at watching Zone Sound tech Russ) fixing my Kenwood amplifier and Hitachi Turntable.

I am happy to report that the Kenwood sounds much better after cleaning the contacts and we eliminated a ton of the scratchy sounds it was having.  The record player needs a more substantial make-over.  I am thinking a new motor.

For now I have an old Numark of Boitano’s.  Same one as Jess!  It spins the platter at 33 1/3 so it’ll do.

Got me thinking it might be time to find a more substantial piece for the home.

Coral has a lot of reno ideas for our house, so stealing away the cash at a big expensive player right now might not work.  But I have been researching tons and I might be able to MAKE a good machine for a decent cost.  I could be a do-it-yourself kit and with my brother CJ’s help, make it look very pretty like this maybe?

The company that makes these beasts is called Audiowood.  I think they are woodworkers (like my bro) that buy kits, and then assemble.

I think they look bad ass indeed.

As for the guts of a record player.  A couple that look promising are Rega out of the UK and Scheu Analog out of Germany.

I’ll need to do some more research to find the best cost vs. quality and have at it.

***

I went to Ditch Records today to buy the new Band of Horses.  I know it has gotten terrible reviews, but I don’t care.  I still want to have a listen myself.

Sadly they were all sold out of Infinite Arms.

Talking to the guys I asked them what record players they sell and the owner Jeremy (yup same name as me!) said basically used and cheap.  That is what people ask for. Zoinks… got me thinking about an article I read yesterday on Analog Apartment.  They are interviewing the owner of a record store in some hipster neighbourhood of NYC:

To someone just getting started with vinyl, any words of wisdom?

Get a good turntable. So many of my customers say to me, “Where can I get a cheap record player?” I don’t get that. The whole point of vinyl is superior sound quality, so it defeats the purpose if you buy a crap record player. I know times are tough now, but save your pennies, search online, and get a good turntable and needle. (…)  Building a record collection is a wonderful, exciting thing. Have fun.

From what I’ve learned… doing it right and to the best of your ability the first time, always pays off.

If its the home reno’s from Young House Love blog, or building a turntable, I’ll want to do better than I’ve done thus far in my life.

***

In other news…

The Veneto Lounge is celebrating one year of not going out of business!  Huzzah!  On Wednesday, May 26th there will be a party starting at 6PM.

Their award winning tapas will be circulating the room for free, cocktails will be featured and after my show on the Zone, I’ll be selecting and presenting the music.

Birthday cake?  You know it!

Go with yourself.

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Bobby first of all is an actor, Clint first of all is a star. Bobby suffers, Clint yawns.

Posted in history 101, neat-O gang, playlist, tagged , on April 20, 2010| 3 Comments »

If you look at the top of my wordpress blog, you’ll see on the header a picture of Clint Eastwood from the movie, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

The movie is considered a (the best) spaghetti western (of all time).   A spaghetti western is a weird hic-up in history where during the 1960s, Italian and Spanish producers would make low budget movies based on themes that revolved around the American frontier west and Mexico

As of late I have been enjoying a fascination with all things desert, and this film played right into my obsession.  The last few nights, after DJing at the club or lounge, I’d come home at some weird hour and punch up The Good for a bit before falling asleep on the couch. (thank you Randy!)

A couple nights ago I finished my visual adventure and I was a little sad it was over.  I haven’t smoked pot in a few years now, but man, these past few nights had me hankering for a joint while I watched this crazy adventure for stolen Confederate gold.  The vistas and geography had me lusting for an adventure to New Mexico territory (but then I read the film was shot in Spain, so maybe I really want to go to Spain?).

The movie is amazing, if you have the chance to see it or download it or something, I say do it!  then we’ll get some horses and ride south and find a grave to dig up for gold.  Oh the times we’ll share!

The scene from the picture above happens at about 4:25 of the clip.  It is the final “Mexican standoff” in the film so yeah… SPOILER ALERT if you haven’t seen the film.

***

I remember I made a desert playlist way back in 2008 for Vancityrockgirl’s wedding that I brought on my iPod.  I am going to post this best of… for now, but I am so going to update tonight when I get home now that I found it (there are some better songs and some that i would cut given my 20/20 hindsight)!

somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert

01) QOTSA – “Better Living Through Chemistry”
02) QOTSA – “First It Giveth”
03) Constantines – “Trans Canada”
04) Fu Manchu – “Thinking Out Loud”
05) The Killers – “Sam’s Town”
06) The Hold Steady – “Chips Ahoy!”
07) Alkaline Trio – “Help Me”
08) Hermano – “My Boy”
09) Spoon – “Rhythm and Soul”
10) Teenage Head w/ Marky Ramone – “Let’s Shake”
11) Mondo Generator – “So High, So Low”
12) Corrosion of Conformity – “Redemption City”
13) Solace – “King Alcohol”
14) Eagles of Death Metal – “Miss Alissa”
15) Desert Sessions 9&10 – “I Wanna Make It Wit Chu”
16) Kyuss – “Thong Song”
17) The Sword – “Barael’s Sword”
18) Why? – “The Hollows”
19) Rehab – “Sitting at the Bar”
20) Hot Water Music – “Remedy”
21) QOTSA – “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret”
22) The Section Quartet – “Such Great Heights”

That’s all I got for right now.  Go with yourself.

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iWant

Posted in music, neat-O gang, tagged , , , on April 5, 2010| 2 Comments »

Madelyn dressing herself last night.

On the weekend I finally headed over to the Ableton website to download their free version of Live.  It is a 30 day trial or something.

I do have some music projects I am working on right now, but I am hoping to steal a little time to learn it.  Talking to Tyson last night, and the man said he had an old MIDI keyboard I could have/borrow.  Fun.  Its no Akai somethingorother shiny toy, but beggars can’t be choosers and it’ll let me get started.

I don’t know how to do any of this stuff… I just know what I want stuff to sound like.  But I don’t know how to make the sounds.  You dig?  ugh, should have stayed in band as a youth.

Then a Eureka moment!  learning to play instruments is for communists.  Check out this video, a man has unleashed the power of Capitalism to give me instant results!

***

In other news of awesome, Polbot 4000 found me this website: iPodMeister.

Let me get this straight, I find somewhere in the neighbourhood of 600-1,200 CDs.  Ship them to some guy and he sends me an iPad?

At first I thought… no way… but then you do the numbers.  What does an iPad sell for?  $500?  really this guy is bulk buying my CDs for about .50 cents each.

Is that fair?  They do sit in a combination of storage, Dave’s basement and in my closet doing me nothing.  Maybe I can scrape together 1,200 and see if this dude is legit?  Not gunna lie, I kinda want an iPad.  It looks like fun.  Or at the very least, I could get an iPhone…

Go with yourself.

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Loscil and Toys

Posted in music, neat-O gang, tagged , , , , , , , on April 1, 2010| 2 Comments »

I love this album cover.  It is for Vancouver ambient artist Loscil… aka Scott Morgan.  I could look at this picture and just… look.

I read the review of his record, Endless Falls on Pitchfork the other day and downloaded a couple cuts right after.

I put the tracks on and let them space me out for a bit.  When they finished, I emailed Scott.  I went on the internet, and sent him a good old fashioned, “hey man, I like your style… how do you do it?”  And just like that, he messaged me back.

I was interested in HOW.  How does an electronic artist even make crazy ambient beats?  I’ve been listening and DJ other people’s music for so long that I am starting to get the itch to try and make my own.

Scott rocks the Ableton Live with something called Max. It looks sorta fun for a geek like me who stays up way too late at night thinking about stuff.  While trolling the net I also saw something from Akai that lets you “play” your Ableton.  The Akai APC 40.  Bad ass right?

of course, $$$ is a major road block.  Ableton with Max will run me somewhere north of $800 and then the Akai APC might be another $450.  Zoinks.  Not a poor man’s hobby, that is for sure.  This set up would run me something like $1,250 plus taxes and whatever other fees will end up in there.  Not an insurmountable cost, but one I don’t want to tackle right now as Coral and I aggressively continue our battle against consumer debt.

One idea I have is to try and get another DJ night or part-time job to generate the additional money I’ll need to buy toys without damaging our family finances.  I’d like to think, I’d buy the stuff… learn it quick like wizard… jam out some songs, sell them on iTunes and start shopping for sports cars… but seeing as I am the last person on the planet that still buys music… well I can only buy my own single so many times before Madelyn is wearing hand me down diapers, and that’s an ugly thought.

***

Toys aside, I did manage to jam out a very calming mix tonight, but Mixcloud and me are not getting along and it just won’t upload my set tonight, so that’ll be coming at you maybe tomorrow. Oh here it is, mix is uploaded: I love you, but you’re terrible at…

And in other podcasting news, Capital Rock City might be getting a bit of an overhaul as well.  Thinking about the idea of a “podcast” got me thinking… do I even need to make a long form “radio” show for the internet?  What if I just posted a weekly blog or maybe a “capital rock city” blog of its own.  I’d write about local Vic music and just post up the MP3s as I get them for download.   You could listen to songs individually, then if you like you’d download them and if not, you’d move on to the next cut?  Better or worse?

***

Go with yourself.

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Another Interview: Glee’s Cory Monteith

Posted in neat-O gang, radio, tagged , , , , , , on March 25, 2010| 1 Comment »

Cory Monteith is my homeboy.

Victoria’s favourite son, Cory Monteith took 5 on the set of Fox Broadcasting’s Glee to chit chat with me again on the radio.

Download: Cory Monteith on the Zone Afternoon Show, again

The first time Cory came on my show, we talked about growing up in Victoria and his rise to Hollywood to land on the popular TV show Glee.

We talked about his early indie rocker band Porchlife.

Then Cory honoured The ZAS with an epic shout out on The Hour.

This time, we pick up in Hollywood where Cory is hard at work on the set of season two of Glee.  He didn’t really want to talk about too many spoilers… they sing a Madonna song?

So I ask him, are you gunna be a movie star yet or what?  And he explains that process.  My phone connection with Mr. Monteith is kinda weak so most the interview is just me riffing off what I barely hear from him… I think I watch too many late night talk shows on TV.

That’s all I got, thank you for reading my blog.

Go with yourself.

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come on everybody, grab your skate let’s go!

Posted in neat-O gang, tagged , , on March 23, 2010| 2 Comments »

Fire up some S.T.R.E.E.T.S. on your music player.

The other night I had a dream where I took up skateboarding.  It was one of those dreams that seems so real, that when you wake up in the morning, it feels weird that you don’t know how to skateboard.

Talking to Lincoln over at 5:AM Skateboards, the dude dropped off a little present to get me on my way.

The Steve Buscemi, "Big Lebowski" board

A montage of characters board

I guess I need some wheels… you know, something round to make it go.  And Lincoln said something about grip tape?  And I guess I’ll need a helmet.  If toddler helmets are a good price, I might as well get one for Mads too.  She has really taken to the boards and “rides” them in the living room.  My man Scott McCord over in Edmonton said he tried getting into skateboarding as an old man too… lots of falling.  Maybe I’ll need a full kit of body armour?

Go with yourself.

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For 3 days // I’ve bathed in nothing but sweat

Posted in ...this is your father speaking, life or something like it, music, neat-O gang, tagged , , , , , , , on March 22, 2010| 4 Comments »

Walked into the Zone today.  Seeing as it was so nice and Coral and I didn’t have a chance to do our weekend hike.  On ym way in, i rocked my one armed backpack which is quickly becoming my second fave purchase (the hiking shoes being number 1!).

I using this backpack for all sorts of stuff, lunch kit seems to be the best use.  But it is also my handy dandy diaper bag when out with Madelyn.  Diaper bags are the most emasculating invention ever.  Its bad enough its a purse type bag.  If it were filled with gun powder and musket balls, then I could at least handle it… but then its filled with baby powder and diapers.  No fun central.

This handy little bag, way smaller, out of the way, frees my hands.  Plus I think it’ll be a godsend at the Sasquatch Festival this year (If I can get there!).

If there is one thing I hate, its being encumbered with stuff.  I want to be free.  The flip is, free equals cold, or hungry or thirsty.

This year, I’ll have a little pack, outta the way.  Next, I’ll need some hipster pants that let me zip off the legs during the day to make shorts, then at night, zip them back on.  Plus some sort of sweater that can be tucked into this pack and pulled out when I when Coral gets cold at night.

This year I applied for a proper media pass.  I hope to get a chance to record the shenanigans for a kickass podcast.  My little pack might be big enough for an audio recorder too.  I’ll let the photog haul around the visual apparatus.

With the laptop and the motor home, I can produce up a show every night for broadcast. Go technology!

***

Stone Temple Pilots s/t album cover

The Stone Temple Pilots record cover looks pretty groovy… man.

The new record is supposed to have a 60s vibe.  really?  I’d believe that.

We all go through a classic rock phase at some point, I am glad that Scott and the rest of the boys are going through theirs.

STP released their first new single since… 2003? on Friday night.  Pretty weird, but the stunt worked.  According Alan Cross over at Explore Music, the single was spun over 500 times in a 60 hour period across North America.  Not bad.

Now if you really want to dive into some syrupy, 60’s acid rock from California, get involved with this band, Best Coast.  The song “When I’m With You” is rad (scroll down to the bottom of the player).  “When I’m with you I have fun.”  Oh very lo-fi a dirty.  Looks like the jumping off point for this week’s mix.  Plus I’ll tuck into some “Best New” tracks and music from Pitchfork and a couple other faves.  We’ll see what plays out.  Its hard to say before I am in pajamas standing in front of the blinking lights of my rig.  I kinda want to play “Show My Ass” (MP3) but uh, yeah that might not be my style.   Coming at you tonight or tomorrow.

Go with yourself.

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Na Koa Ikaika Maui

Posted in music, neat-O gang, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 9, 2010| 2 Comments »

I am going to begins today’s blog with a call for help.  Dylan Willow‘s GF Jacquelyn is trying to help an organization raise $10,000 to build a school in Africa.  She asked me to find 10 people that want to give $10 for the cause.

Please take a quick sec and pledge $10 right here: Help Build a School

***

I thought this was pretty cool.  Trolling the doubleUdoubleUdots today, I saw an interesting fact.  Only four independent bands in the history of Billboard’s modern rock chart have ever reached number 1.

The Offspring – “Self Esteem” (1994)
Everlast – “What Its Like” (1998)
Silversun Pickups – “Panic Switch” (2009)
Phoenix – “1901” (2010)

I don’t know if Billboard has updated their chart or what, but they are still showing them at number 2 despite this news article to the contrary.  Maybe I got the wrong chart?

***

I know we should be thinking winter Olympics in this part of the world… but with the weather so nice, I can’t help but look ahead to baseball season.

Our local pro team is the Victoria Seals and in their second season they will begin by playing the new expansion team from Maui.

The Victoria Baseball Blog had a look at their new jerseys.  I am not so much a fan, but David Eleanor seemed to like.

ahhh, I don’t know… But I do know I’d love if we could organize a Zone road trip to Maui…

Go with yourself.

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