Posted in ...this is your father speaking, music, neat-O gang, tagged EDM, electro, panzerevil on May 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »
It was many moons ago now…when Sara P used to work at the Zone…we talked about forming an electro group called panzerevil that rocked kid toy instruments.
Fast forward a whole whack of years to last Sunday night and Madelyn is playing with her Alphie robot…I heard the creature yapping and thought, “hmmm, with an iPhone app, I could a lay a beat down underneath this and…”
Soundcloud >> panzerevil feat. Alphie – “Ox Rhymes with Sox”
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, music, tagged Battleme, Download, Hey Hey My My, MP3, Neil Young, Sons of Anarchy on April 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Man, my kid looks like a savage warrior. And some nights before bed, or some mornings getting ready for preschool, she acts like one too!
On our way to some swimming last night, I spied this vintage looking Harley. I wanted to take a pic, Mads wanted to be in it… so here we are. Then off to the diving board. She loves to swim in the deep end, which is wonderful and scary, considering she doesn’t know how to swim. The good is that she is actually getting kinda competent and I can now see the day when I won’t have to keep her alive in the deep end. AND I tread a lot of water, so our swimming trips are starting to be a bit of a cardio for fat dad too. Nice.
Back at the Baker homestead we are almost through season 4 of Sons of Anarchy. Well Coral is… I have only watched sporadic episodes, but I think I have the story down pretty good.
The other day i wrapped season 3 and I heard a great song by an artist called Battleme. Battleme is Matt Drenik, lead singer of a band called Lions. But when he is solo, its Battleme. He does a cover of Neil Young‘s Hey Hey, My My… and its pretty awesome.
Battleme – “Hey Hey, My My”
Download MP3 >> [tindeck.com] – Battleme – Hey Hey, My My
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, food, life or something like it, tagged Bourbon, bourbon sour, East Sooke, harbour, Hiking, Red Fish Blue Fish, Roche Cove, Victoria, what to do on March 19, 2012| 5 Comments »
The weekend was a gem. And I watched a ton of Jem.
Got up to all sorts of adventures and like many of you, it probably had a bit to do with St. Patrick’s Day. However, I did not get up to the green beer festivities.
Pol Plastino‘s lady Elea celebrated her birthday on Saturday night. I was feeling like making cocktails because I see Simon, Josh and Katie make them all the time at Veneto and it seems fun.
Pol said Elea’s favourite cocktail from the bar was the Jenkins. That one is too hard for me to make, but her next fave is the Bourbon Sour. You’ll see the instructions above.
I brought a bottle of Baker’s bourbon… a giant bag of lemons, simple syrup (just dissolve equal parts sugar and water), bitters, egg whites (bought the carton from the grocery store, $3-ish)… a shaker, strainer, and juicer thing… and away we went.
I love the ice globes they serve at the fancy cocktail lounges and really REALLY wanted them to drop in the red solo cups (you know, to class it up). Shawn from Clives Classic Lounge gave me a bag full of ice globes!
I will say, after jamming out cocktails for folk’s at the party… its a lot of work. And I was only making Bourbon sours, or Bourbon Old Fashions… if I had to know anymore than two, my brain would have exploded. AND I had Jess helping me. Good times and great people at Elea’s birthday!
Sunday was sunny… Coral was in a Sunday movie mode, so Mads and I hit the town. And I’ve got her into fish and chips. Its turning into a weekend thing to head downtown, and lately our place to go is Red Fish, Blue Fish right on the water.
With the weather cooperating, the line for a fish taco stretched along the wood planks of the wharf. But it was pleasant and Mads was in a good mood, so we waited and chowed down on Cod Fish and chips (with three dips! That is important for Madelyn, so we had ketchup, their tartar sauce and then the Malt vinegar syrup) . And I had the scallop taco and the Pacific Fish taco. Mmmmm. I’ll NEED to try the chowder sometime and the poutine.
After fish, and dropping some deep-fried pickles off to Mom… Mads and I hit the trails.
My brother had taken me to Roche Cove before… and I remember us thinking it would be a good place for a little one. So I went back on Sunday with Madelyn.
I like Roche Cove because you get a lot going on with a fairly easy walk. Ocean, rivers, lakes, rain forest, easy trails/or/muddy trails. I also like the drive out to East Sooke.
Drinking with friends, eating fish tacos and hiking with Maddy was the best weekend EVAR.
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, life or something like it, music, tagged Arts and Crafts, Gold and Youth, Kinsol Trestle, Shawnigan Lake, Tofino on February 27, 2012| 2 Comments »
Victoria band The Racoons… moved to Vancouver and changed their name to Jakarta. But did you know? There is a place already called Jakarta? huh.
So change again they did… and got signed to Arts & Crafts… now they are called Gold and Youth.
If you click the link, you can download this song for free!
I’d put money on G&Y playing Rifflandia this year. The boys are currently on tour of the Eastern US showcasing right now. Lead singer Matt Lyall posted the top picture of their view from the Brooklyn Bridge. Gorgeous.
From one bridge to another bridge a bit more local.
***
My little girl Madelyn turned 4 on Friday. Coral and I took Friday off work for a family day. It began with breakfast at Spoons with Coral’s family. Then we bundled up into all our rain coats, gumboots, hats and toques and traveled north to Shawnigan Lake. Our destination was the Kinsol Trestle.
The Kinsol Trestle is a beautifully restored rail crossing and part of the Trans-Canada trail. You could ride your bike or hike along this path from Shawnigan Lake to Lake Cowichan if you were into it.
It was an easy and fun hike to take a 4-year-old on and we’ll for sure be heading back in the summer with our bikes and a picnic.
Then back to the city for burgers, hotdogs and ice cream sandwiches from Big Wheel Burger. The best.
Saturday saw my family taking the ferry to Victoria and a big birthday party at PlayZone in Langford with Mads’ friends from pre-school. Then dinner at home.
Sunday I hung out with my folks while Coral, Nana and Madelyn left for a holiday to Tofino! What a busy girl and a busy weekend to turn 4! I am actually excited to be back at work as this three day holiday was a lot of work! What a great treat to have so much family in town to celebrate Madelyn being on Planet Earth for four whole years.
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, music, tagged Shonen Knife on February 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, Dave Babych, life or something like it, music, neat-O gang, tagged Gowlland Tod Park, Intro, M83, Madelyn, Midnight City, Victoria Royals, Zola Jesus on October 17, 2011| Leave a Comment »
New M83 record is out tomorrow… I hope the iTunes download goes hot tonight, I am going to buy it for sure. Actually… if Ditch has the vinyl tomorrow… I’d really like that. I wonder?
Initial reviews have been promising. I adore the first single “Midnight City.”
Today I have been jamming out track one/side one, “Intro” Easy right… first song should be called intro.
Pitchfork loves this cut… I’m a little more meh on it… I am sure, in the context of the whole double album, this song serves well. As a stand alone single or song, it doesn’t have the payoff that I enjoy in a 5 minute ditty.
This is an epic, building, bright cut that you can imagine really crushes down for the next song… have a listen. It features vocals from Nika Roza Danilova of Zola Jesus.
M83 – “Intro 9feat. Zola Jesus)”
Download MP3 >> M83 – Intro
Its alright, but not changing my world. What I did enjoy… M83 remixes!
If I ever get my shit sorted and learn to make beats and samples… I’ll glitch out all night.
***
Finally made it to a Victoria Royals hockey game.
I brought Mads so I couldn’t stay the whole time… but I will say that Madelyn is finally getting to an age where she can enjoy the process. She sits in her chair. Loves to clap. Pays attention enough to know that Victoria is the “Purple” team (the jersey is more blue-ish but shhhh). Yells “Go ‘Toria!” And loves her treats.
The Royals played the Kelowna Rockets (Grandpa Rob’s team) and gutted out an overtime win!
We also got to see super-stud #9 Kevin Sundher assist a Soudek goal. He is tied for the top scorer in the WHL right now. Nice.
I hope that I am fortunate enough to get another pair of tickets to take Madelyn again this season.
In other hockey news… Coral and I will be heading to Van for a game verse CBJ in November. Fun attack!
***
It was an eventful weekend. I kinda like not working my weekends away. I get that whole mantra that to be successful you gotta be working and creating all.the.time… but I’ll save that Radio Stars of the world. I’ll take some pleasure in a glorious Fall hike.
My brother CJ is turning into a true weekend warrior on the trail. I had to miss out so much on the hikes because of work, but this weekend was about living Island Time and having fun. CJ and Caitlin and I hit Gowlland Tod Park for an “easy” assent up to a lookout that offered an amazing picnic spot. We spied the Saanich Inlet and Malahat Mountain.
I kinda want to do it again next weekend… but I think CJ already has designs on East Sooke. Though, my bro will need a rain coat as we won’t always be so lucky to hike in the glorious sun in our temperate rain forest.
Do you have any favourite hiking spots that are an easy drive from the city?
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, tagged Jon Lake, Madelyn, Rifflandia on September 27, 2011| 2 Comments »
Jon Lake was one of the Rifflandia Official photographers. He captured these three beauties on Sunday afternoon during Daniel Wesley‘s set.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, tagged Bee stings, Maddy on August 31, 2011| 1 Comment »
Poor little girl… Mads got her first, TWO bee stings yesterday. Playing outside, the wasp or bee got her face. When she reached up in pain… ZAP! between the fingers.
I guess she is not allergic (thank God), but it sure smarted her.
Can you think of any good bee sting songs? hmmmm
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking on August 4, 2011| 2 Comments »
Poor little mouse. Bike riding last night on her Runners Bike and off she tumbled during a particularly death-defying stunt down a gravelly hill-path.
It was her first real big fall and cut her up pretty good.
She howled fiercely when she came off. I rushed over to sweep her up and said, “we better go home and clean this up!”
“No!” she wailed. She wanted to get back and keep riding. But then I saw the blood puddling on the dirt and thought… nope, you need a princess band-aid stat.
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, life or something like it, music, tagged Grand Archives, Maurice, Robin, Swan matches, Swan Vesta, Topless Gay Love Tekno Party on June 23, 2011| 5 Comments »
Dear blog,
Whoa… its been a few days and that’s my bad. Summertime and the living has been, well, maybe not easy. Busy?
I got more than one email and bunch of calls on the Zone looking to hear Maurice‘s acoustic take on “Robin.”
JP Maurice had just got off the boat from Vancouver where he had been on the outskirts of the Game 7 riot. He rolled straight into the Zone and laid this song down.
Maurice – “Robin” (live at Zone)
Download MP3>> 20110616 Maurice
Fun fact: “Robin” is a cover of the Vancouver band Topless Gay Love Tekno Party. Neat.
***
I don’t have any tattoos. I know right? I’m that guy. The no tattoo guy. Which is funny, because I went through a punk rock phase and everything.
Today I am broadcasting my radio show from Incendiary Tattoo on Esquimalt Road. I am waiting on a cheque, but if I get some money I might try and get one during my show. But what?
I am thinking some song lyrics from this song.
Grand Archives – “Swan Matches”
I always loved this song. Their s/t album Grand Archives was new back in 2008 when Madelyn was born and became the soundtrack to that part of my life.
The song reminds me of staying awake at weird hours for her birth and later staying up on the couch watching late night TV and maybe a bottle feeding during the witching hours.
Swan Matches are pretty neat. Its an old British brand founded in the late 1800s. They were known as “the smoker’s match.” Obviously, they’ve changed their tag line today… but still… for the classic smoker still jamming out the match stick to light up, Swan’s is apparently the brand. The brand was Britain’s best selling match by the 1930s.
The company is now Swedish but they still operate as Swan.
Sort of a random thing for Grand Archives to find for a song and title.
Beautiful song.
Go with yourself.
The Morning After 