So I had a birthday the other day and I’m a walking “Touch of Grey” commercial… some grey to let you know I know what I’m talking about. But not enough that you don’t think I can have erection… ya dig.
My Mom and Dad sent me some money which was clutch because on my birthday I once and for all killed my headphones.
When I started at the Zone, I bought a pair of headphones… that was back in 2003. And I still had them in something resembling working order till Monday. Sure, they were down to one ear-muff. And they used to electrocute me occasionally (nothing dangerous, just a little love buzz to let me know they cared). I got that fixed. I did love these headphones.
But on Monday, I caught the cable on the chair when I turned my head to answer the Zone phone, and I really ripped the cable out. Real good.
I am sure Russ the Engineer could fix them, he can fix anything. But maybe it was their time. In headphone years… they were like 100.
Sad, I cheered up when came home to a birthday card with some money stuffed in it . I bought new headphones.
A brand called “Skull Candy.” Click <– that link… pretty bad ass right? OK, not really, I bought them at London Drugs. They had really expensive home/audio headphones, real cheapo Maxwell and then Skull Candy splitting the middle. So I bought Skull Candy. Bad idea for the Zone. Maybe its because they’re new and different, which… with women is exciting, but for headphones, not so much. Luckily Coral has the same brand as my old ones… so I brought the Skull candy home and traded.
This is working out great, because for home use, these Skull Candy muffs sound awesome on my laptop.
And the longer tougher cable of the Sony Headphones of Coral’s works better at the Zone. It like soccer where all the games end in 1-1 ties. Satisfying. I now understand why that sport is popular.
Got back around 11PM last night after a wicked and savage 28-ish hours in Seattle. Bearing witness to an historic Seattle Seahawks football game. The unlikely 7-9 Seahawks bounced the defending Super-Bowl champion New Orleans Saints out of the NFL playoff during Wild Card week. If it isn’t the GREATEST playoff upset in NFL history… it is damn near the top. And I was there with Pol Plastino and a couple of Zoners.
We took the “borrowed” Chevy Cruze on a crazy roadtrip that began Friday night with a bee-line straight to the Coast Tsawwassen Inn.
Wake up time was 6AM. Wake up Pol!
God bless the complimentary continental breakfast. Last square meal I’d have all day. It is now 6:30ish AM.
Seattle!
First order of business… find a party! (and some red plastic cups). Zoners Erin and David brought the high heat with good canadian beer to drink during the pre-game. Hmm what time is it? 10:30AM maybe? Sure, beer is a good idea.
Our mission was clear… seek out and destroy street meat hotdogs! And there were many.
Holy moly that looks good! I wish I wasn’t the designated driver, because the only thing that goes with a hotdog this exact…. is beer. Pol, Erin and David are in on them. Funny, red cups repel cops. Seattle knows how to throw a street party. The city of Victoria needs to send our leaders to figure out good times.
We head into the stadium around 12:30 for the 1PM start.
The action of the football game was intense. But the Hawks NEEDED me, I was the 12th man. Most football teams only field 11 guys, so as you can imagine, the fact the Hawks have 12 is a big advantage. (please don’t make fun of my double chin)
Sitting up in the “Hawks Nest” was rad. The rowdies up there knew how to party and sitting in front was a woman I used to work with at Starbucks in Saanich. Weird… she came with her family and took this picture of David, Pol and myself. This is right near the end, when we could all feel the win!
Pol and I took lots of video clips and we’ll ask Bud to edit them up into something resembling entertainment. Hope to be able to share that video with you soon. Lots of of clips of the street party and tailgaters.
Driving the Chevy Cruze to Seattle was the best time. And these outrageous adventures get put together at the Zone very fast… we don’t know when the next one will be, or to where yet… just that it will happen, and you could be coming with us! Follow the Zone on Facebook, twitter and LISTEN to 91-3 FM.
This game is a historic event AND the Seahawks will be jamming out their playoff game against the defending Super Bowl champions… the New Orleans Saints.
Today on the show… Pol and I will qualify one more Zoner then we’ll do a draw live on the radio at 6PM. One couple leaves from the studio with us to the ferry… Two couples go home.
Molly is the one-month old baby girl that was diagnosed with leukemia on December 24th. It is exceptionally rare for a child as young as one-month to be stricken with this form of cancer. The doctors estimate it happens in British Columbia once every two or three years.
Yesterday she began her chemotherapy. Basically the treatment involves using chemicals to destroy cancer cells in the body. They also kill healthy cells and make life not as delightful as maybe we’re all used to. It sucks in an adult who can at least logically understand what’s going on and the cost/benefit of the process. In a five-week old tiny baby? Yeesh. It is so heart breaking.
The doctors have told Dave and Rebekah (the parents) to expect 24 hour crying as Molly will experience nausea and nerve pain throughout her entire little body.
24 hour crying.
Coral can barely handle Madelyn if she asks for a treat in a whiny voice…. all day, everyday, without rest? Yikes.
I wonder if I can volunteer to hold the baby? But I guess it would be weird to have a stranger hold your baby during such an emotional and exceptional time.
The friends of the Campbell family have made a website with news, updates and ways you can help should you feel so inclined.
Ash Poon is a guy I went to college with. Ash Poon is also the man that taught me not to judge a book by its cover.
The first time I took a crack at the wonderful world of radio broadcasting I was at BCIT in Burnaby and I jammed out a weekly indie rocker radio show on the Vancouver community radio station CiTR.
The class was full of media wannabe hopefuls. Some I knew better than others. Some just kids I went to school with. Ash was for sure, one of the latter. I knew him, good guy. I don’t think we were in too many of the same classes, just same program. The radio class is split into two… A and B. I think Ash was an A and I was a B… But its all kinda fuzzy.
I worked part-time at CFUN as a board op/slash/infomercial-kinda-producer type. Ash applied there as well and got hired on. So we worked together.
I also had a shitty band and was into rock and roll so Ash invited me to check out his band, In Medias Res, sometime.
Ash was this geeky, Asian kid and to be honest… I thought, “hmmm? I guess.” Most the Vancouver rockers I knew at the time had nipple piercings, a jam studio in New West, bitchin’ T-shirt logos, and smoked a ton of pot. Ash showed up to work everyday and I think he is a Christian. He gave me a burned CD of their first ep and I brought it to my radio show.
In Media Res – “Best Kept Secret”
That song changed my world and remains an all-time favourite of mine. If I ever made a Morning After Show best of record, that song would need to be on it.
I saw In Medias Res play a show at the Purple Onion in Gastown and the man blew me away. His band was fantastic and Ash was a rock and roll demon on stage. Not at all how I had stereotyped him. Lesson learned… stop being a snobby minger.
I quit working at CFUN in… 2001? to go work at Telus and would eventually move to Victoria in 2003. I stayed in contact with Ash and In Medias Res through the power of the internets and loved their first full-length LP Of What Was (2004).
In Medias Res – “Shakeher”
In Medias Res played a ton of shows in the mid-2000s and then… you know, people get older, they get married, life, work. Didn’t really hear too much from them until just the other day I got a Facebook message from Ash.
New record.
On January 4th, 2011 you can point your mouse over to http://imr.ca and download It Was Warm and Sunny When We First Set Out. Also being pressed on vinyl? OK Ash… I guess I’ll owe that much and buy that too.
The cover is great. Nice vintage family shot that speaks to the themes and title of the record. I like how the title also appears to be a nod to the band, and their journey. Nothing like getting older and reflecting on what it was like back in the late 90s/early 00s when you first starting thinking about future and how rosey it would/should/might be. What is that saying, “A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step?” awwww. Maybe their journey begins now? And it is filled with optimism? As they’ll say later on the record, “tonight I am new.”
First listen and immediately I like it. The record feels warm and recognizable as soon as it pops in. Their first album in almost 7 years and if you know and love Of What Was, you can grab on to this collection of music.
In Medias Res creates an atmospheric, sweeping brand of rock music. Great slow dirges that build into cascading guitars, fuzz and howling vocals before settling back down into lullabies and echo.
The record is broken up with some spazzy rockers and begins with the ferocious “The Final Flight of the Bees.” The distortion and reverb are also turned on and up on the aptly named “Fight Song.” Noises…. “Bears” is another savage jam that I hope really is about BEARS!
I like In Medias Res best when the slow it down and then build it up. “Come Back Down” or the most excellent “Tonight I am New.” “Tonight” is an older song as I know I’ve heard it before. I think they recorded it as a one off or it was finished sooner in the album recording process so they shared it. I asked my friend Alix what her favourite song on the record is so far, and she said “Tonight I Am New.” It must have been released before.
What a great song and a stand out on the album so far during my first listen.
In Medias Res – “Tonight I am New”
I don’t really know what Andrew Lee is singing about with this song… but it sounds romantic. If Coral and I get married again, and we had a first dance song, this one would need to be short-listed. So Pretty.
Ash Poon is a great guy, we don’t send each other Christmas cards or anything (but damn, we should!) but blessed be the internet and I am thankful he took 4 seconds to write me a message.
I am really looking forward to crushing this night tonight and starting 2011. I will be busy, DJing at the Veneto Lounge till 1AM then traveling up the road to do an hour and half at the Zone NYE party at Sugar.
I was reading Seth Godin the other day… I loved his blog post about “What are you working on?”
Great question. If you got asked that question would you be excited to answer?
Gooooo 2011!
No resolutions here…. except Coral said this weekend we’re tearing apart our apartment and pulling a Rozie. Getting rid of stuff. Clean lines, clean apartment, happy wife… more sex? gooooooooooooo 2011! ha.
It was a slow day at the radio factory today so I took a long lunch to head downtown and get p to one of my favourite pastimes, record shopping.
Victoria has a few great record stores and my faves are Talk’s Cheap (556 Pandora) and Ditch Records (635 Johnson… but moving to Fort).
Today I was on a quest to continue my 45s collection and bought a combination of both classic and contemporary singles. A great reflection of how i listen to music at home, new and old.
The first song is a cover from the Gaslight Anthem. In November they released this limited edition rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Tumbling Dice” from Exile on Main Street. Great package and the vinyl is a brown marble-y look. Comes with a download card for the MP3 and the b-side, “She loves You,” is also not from the album American Slang, unless you downloaded it from iTunes… then it was one of the bonus cuts.
The National‘s second single is track one, side one from High Violet. A song called “Terrible Love.” Great song, but not the one I played for you, instead I went with the b-side, “She Was a Kindness.” “She Was a Kindness” was later included on the November re-issue of the album. Being a fan and buying the record when it came out means I get punished so I need to acquire it later. The cover continues the Mark Fox art theme… this single has a picture of Untitled (The Ark). The internet says my National single should be violet vinyl which would be so bad ass, but sadly, it is just plain jane black. Sad face.
Next we travel back to 1964. UK band The Shadows are known for popularizing the four piece rock band. Lead and rhythm guitar with bass and drums. This song is an instrumental.
Also in 1964 (I think), The Blues Magoos recorded their first single for Verve Records, “So I’m Wrong and You’re Right.” I first heard about the Blues Magoos on a 60s on 6 XM show. The DJ Cousin Brucie talked about how they were a favourite of his during the 60s. I thought, “alright, if this old DJ was from the 60s and this is what he listened to, they must be good!”
Moving forward almost 10 years and I found Al Green’s “Let’s Get Married.” I thought this jam from 1973 might be a good wedding type song and Al Green is always popular during my sets at the Veneto Lounge.
The final song is from late 70s Canadian punkers Teenage Head. Formed in Hamilton, Ontario… Teenage Head had a minor hit with 1980 single “Let’s Shake.” Sounds a whole heck of a lot like The Ramones. Its a fun catchy one for sure.
Wow, just like that and Christmas is over. The adventures, good times, family, presents, dinners, treats. All done. Back to the grind.
And what does the DJ who has everything get for Christmas? Music silly.
My lovely sister-in-law Alyx found me a couple vinyl records to add to the collection. The first up is the Japandroids’ second record which is actually a collection of their first two EPs.
No Singles ain’t blowing my mind in awesomesauce. But even a casual reader of my blog should know they are one of my favourites and this record helps in my collection (though oddly I don’t have Post Nothing on vinyl? weird.)
Where maybe the musical immaturity falls a little short, the vinyl packaging is great. Beautiful white vinyl, nice cover and the record comes with a picture book of the Japandroids life circa 2006-2008. Lots of concert shots from little bars mostly in Vancouver and poster art.
It was funny… for Christmas I didn’t really ask for anything… but come to think of it… and it took my brother reminding me, I needed a new amp for my record player. Actually, my brother thought that was what I was gunna for him. Derrrrrr…. hmmm, his 30th Birthday is when? November? Maybe then?
If you see or have an old amp for sale, let me know! I want two of them. One for me, and one for CJ.
Alyx was a doll and got me TWO records… and I guess she reads the blog as she knew that one of my great misses of 2010 was being slow to the resurgence of the Deftones. She said she was going to try and track Around the Fur down for me, but no dice. So Diamond Eyes it is!
My man Jon Williams talked far more eloquently on his Top 10 of 2010 than I will here as I am still new to the record and learning the songs. I only had a chance to drop the needle on this record once and it was Christmas morning, uhhh, yeah, didn’t mesh then. But maybe a different time it will.
Coral and my folks both got me iTunes gift cards! Huzzah… so tonight I took some chances on some albums that got great hype over the year on Pitchfork but I was unsure on.
Sleigh Bells, LCD Soundsystem, James Blake, and Flying Lotus.
Getting a bunch of new music can be blessing (well it is) but also a curse in that of these 6 new records… some will rise to the surface with repeat plays and some sadly will drift away. Maybe I’ll blog in a month on what is still getting plays and what is not.
The Flying Lotus and James Blake will be good electronic music in the lounge for the nights when I feel more modern and less classics. Maybe LCD Soundsystem has a party rocker or two that can go in a progressive dance set and Sleigh Bells will live in the indie/eclectic playlist for now… but we’ll see with repeat listens where they end up.
Lastly a couple singles.
Cage the Elephant‘s new record Thank You, Happy Birthday is out in January… the single is “Shake Me Down” and both Coral and I love it on the Zone… so it can live on my computer for home listening for sure. In fact… this is a 45 I want to find too.
The other single is kinda silly, but I got the song stuck in my head and this is the best I could on iTunes.
Coral has had a fairly hilarious and ultimately fulfilling fascination with the straight to video British tween drama Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging… based on the popular book series Confessions of Georgia Nicolson. I suppose in Coral’s defence, she might have been 16 when the first one came out? So nostalgia compelled her to watch the film adaptation what 3 times? In the last 3 days? Go on-demand video!
The story centres on 15 year old Georgia and you know… boys. errr, they’re so infuriating sometimes you know.
She falls for a one Mr. Sex God and wouldn’t you know it, he’s in a band! The Stiff Dylans… great band name, and they play a song a bunch in the film called “Ultra Violet.”
I searched for the song on iTunes, but no dice… some more searching and I found it by a singer named Joanna. That’s it, that’s her stage name… back to branding school for her… or American idol? or whatever, but the song sure enough is on there. So I downloaded it. And its terrible, not in a good way. Doh, that .99 gone to the Itunes monster.
Now I’m thinking? Do I download a couple Bruce Springsteen records? Some 50s jams? Or call it a night and leave my iTunes windfall for another night?
Instead of jamming out a Modern Rock Countdown this weekend (it being Christmas and all) I thought it would be fun to play some selections from the Zone DJs “Best of 2010” lists. I hope it sounds like a pretty good couple hours of music to be enjoying your Christmas brunch too.
Selections from the Zone DJ Top 10 of 2010 Lists
01) Dead Weather – Die By The Drop
02) Middle Class Rut – New Low
03) Gorillaz – Stylo
04) Deftones – Diamond Eyes
05) Eminiem – Not Afraid
06) Slash – Going Back to Cali
07) Maurice – Robin
08) Tokyo Police Club – Bambi
09) Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
10) The National – Bloodbuzz ohio
11) Sweet Thing – Dance Mother
12) Frightened Rabbit – Swim Until You Can’t See Land
13) Vampire Weekend – Cousins
14) Bedouin Soundclash – Mountain Top
15) Hot Hot Heat – 21@12
16) Infant Sorrow – The Clap
17) Daft Punk – Derezzed
18) Kings of Leon – The End
19) Arcade Fire – We Used to Wait
20) Mumford and Sons – Little Lions Man
21) Kanye West – Power
22) Broken Bells – The Ghost Inside
23) Hollerado – Juliet
24) Black Keys – Tighten Up
I remember watching reruns all the time time as a kid, but I’d be hard pressed to give you an example of what of the shows were about. I am sure if I watched the Monkees now… it would be an unsettling adventure in Deja Vu.
The Monkees were a “rock band” styled after the Beatles to be a TV series that ran for a couple years in the late 60s. They also concurrently released albums which, during the height of the Pre-Fab Four… all topped the pops.
I recall The Monkees being derided as being a joke band or not real. Considering we live the era of bullshit artists… I guess I have softened on what The Monkees are all about.
They did stage a revolution with their corporate overlords for greater artistic control and direction of the Monkees brand. This led the musical mastermind to be fired (or quit). The guy’s name was Don Kirshner and he hated that The Monkee’s were actors and not real musicians (fun fact, the guys actually were decent musicians and song writers). He didn’t treat the Monkee’s well and the boys had no love for him. It came to a head during a meeting were Monkee Michael Nesmith punched a hole in the wall and said, “next time its your face.” Now that is pretty rock and roll.
At some point Kirshner finally fucked up and violated his contract so the Monkees could get rid of him. So what did Don do? Formed a new pre-fab band… ala The Gorillaz. An animated cartoon group called The Archies who could not revolt and wrestle away creative control.
The Monkees music is pretty pop-tastical (well the ones that are famous that I can remember). Walking to the Zone today, “Last Train to Clarksville” popped on the iPod.
The song is very fun, but the story is actually kinda dark. Its about a man asking his wife or girl to get on the last train to Clarksville so they can spend a final night together before he ships off on a dangerous mission where he might die (Vietnam). Heavy.
So I had a birthday the other day and I’m a walking “Touch of Grey” commercial… some grey to let you know I know what I’m talking about. But not enough that you don’t think I can have erection… ya dig.
