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Posts Tagged ‘Bob Lefsetz’

Open your ear hole

Posted in music, tagged , , , , , , , on May 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »

The Arcade Fire have posted a couple clips of their new single(s), “The Suburbs” b/w “Month of May.”

They have a fun virtual turntable to listen to a small sample of each cut.

Check it out!

***

A little update on my quest to find a record player turntable DIY kit.  Rega does not do (but you can buy their fine turntables at Atlas on Yates Street).  Scheu does do kits… I have an email in right now with their Canadian distributor to find what it is, and what it costs.

If my DIY turntable never pans out, then I’ll save my pennies to buy a Rega from Atlas for sure.

***

My man Bob Lefsetz was not very kind to my fave band The National.

“3. The National “High Violet”

Sales this week: 50,671
Debut

What kind of crazy fucked up world do we live in where the act with the number three album is unknown to almost everybody in the country?

One in which music has been Balkanized, where we’ve got endless scenes and almost no mainstream.

I’d love to tell you I love this album, but I don’t.  I far prefer Broken Bells.

And while I’m at it, I’ll say that Grizzly Bear doesn’t float my boat either.

And my ultimate point is I’m now ignoring everything from Brooklyn.  It’s not the new Seattle, certainly not the new San Francisco.  The magazines and blogs need something to write about, and when they trumpet substandard stuff it ends up baffling the audience, makes them play video games or watch TV or listen to the same damn classic tunes over and over again.”

Ugh Bob, 50,671 people like love The National.  Its not their fault you’ve never heard of them, its not their fault the rest of popular music sucks or didn’t release a record last week.  Calm down.

You can’t dive into their 5th LP, listen half assed to a couple cuts and then “get it.”

Like any art, some of it speaks to you and some of it doesn’t.  Having been a passionate fan for some time, there is something to the sound that attracts me and keeps me coming back.  I read Bob constantly talking about how bands need to do exactly what The National have done… create real fans.  They did with me.

I don’t really care that people like or dislike the same bands I do (The National have their share of critics)… but I think my frustration stems from the fact I read this guy’s emails everyday when I roll into the Zone, and all he does is spout off about the need for hard working, authentic bands… one has a small glimmer of success and he hacks on them.

Ok, I’ll stop crying.  I generally like Bob’s curmudgeon-y emails even if I disagree with one part of one post.

But fuck Bob, open your ear hole.

Go with yourself.

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You and Your Perfect Life

Posted in life or something like it, music, tagged , , , , , , , on May 6, 2010| 8 Comments »

I am about 80% confident my scooter will sell this weekend.  But I don’t have the cash in bank account yet, so this baby is still up for offer.

If you’re thinking about it, think faster!

BUY: my 2006 Honda Jazz scooter

Thank you, my scooter is now sold.  I appreciate all the interest.

Should it sell tomorrow (fingers crossed) then I’ll be able to get my hands on a bicycle.  I went down to Horus Bicycle Works today to have a look and William is likely going to set me up with a brand called Stevens.  It is new to Canada.  I think the model I’ll be commuting on is the Strada 600.  He’ll set it up with fenders, lights and a rack on the back so I can attach bags if I need.  Future plans call for getting Coral a bike and a trailer to tow Mads. And maybe another trailer like the ones homeless biker people have… cargo trailers.  I could pack my DJ rig about on a bike!

So scooter sells, I’ll be a biker like my friend Dave and I’ll be able to pay down even more debt.  Huzzah.  The scooter doesn’t cost much to operate but I’ll also see a little savings every month on what little it did need (about $35/month… so like half a cell phone bill).

***

I was reading the Bob Lefsetz email the other day and he was talking about the book Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby.  I love music and one of the few things I like more than listening to music, or making out while listening to music, is reading about music (while listening to music).

Nick Hornby wrote High Fidelity.  I never read that but I’m sure its pretty good.  Juliet, Naked is getting some good reviews and positive buzz, I like Bob’s emails… so I bought it.  I don’t read a ton of Fiction… which is odd, because when i read a book that I like, I really like it.  So I thought its time to dive into some make-believe for a change (that and my books about Quadra and Money are interesting; but also kinda boring and are taking me forever, so time for a break).

I’m only on chapter two but so far I like it.  Nick tells the story of Duncan and Annie and Tucker Crowe but he also talks about music.  About listing to music; being a fan; being a casual listeners; what it means; what it does for each of us.  Duncan is a super obsessed music fan.  His nerddom shames me.  His life partner Annie is his suffering side-kick.  In Chapter one they travel to America from their home in the UK to go on a pilgrimage of sites for Duncan’s favourite musician  Tucker Crowe.  Chapter two has them at home in the UK and Annie is starting to feel like Duncan is not the man for him and a little depressed at some of her life choices and how boring it all is.  Duncan thinks Annie is an idiot.  Then a CD arrive sin the mail and…. god dammit MADELYN GO TO BED.

“One thing about great art,” Duncan thinks after his first listen to Juliet, Naked, “it makes you love people more, forgive them their petty transgressions. It worked in the way that religion was supposed to, if you thought about it.”

I’ll have to tuck into more tonight after I  get home from DJing at The Clubhouse.  If you’re going out, maybe I’ll see you there for drinks and music and friendship… if not… go with yourself.

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