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Posts Tagged ‘Olympics’

Playlist: A Place Called Canada

Posted in playlist, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »

This is scary, a Sasquatch monster bearing down on you with Miga strapped to his back packing heat.

Yesterday I posted about Portland, Oregon’s The Thermals and their new song “Canada.”  Using that cut as a spring board, I jammed out a quick little 34 minute set to get you jazzed on some Olympic Hockey (or luge or biathlon or ice dancing or whatever).  Best part, no Gary Glitter!  Worst part, Rascal Flatts! I can’t wait, lets go….

01) The Thermals – “Canada”

The 2  minute fist pumper leads off the playlist and sets the tone.

02) Japandroids – “Sovereignty”

The Japandroids’ song has a line that rattles through my brain all the time.  And after watching my new favourite sport this morning, Biathlon, and all the rain it makes even more sense.

“Its raining in Vancouver, but I don’t give a fuck… because I’m far form home tonight.”

Is biathlon not the best sport? It combines two of the greatest things, insanely disciplined accurate killing technique and skiing!

03) Constantines – “Trans-Canada”

I searched “Canada” into my iTunes… now i have a lot of songs but I was surprised how few have the word Canada in them.  This is one of two.  The other being track one of our playlist.

Driving beat… it reminds me of driving the trans-Canada highway when I was younger lad.

“There is no short cut, there is no straight line.”

Whoa, they drove through Saskatchewan too!

04) Sloan – “The Rest of My Life”

When I first heard The Thermals “Canada” I immediately thought of Sloan, and this song in particular.

“One thing I know about the rest of my life, I know that I will be living in Canada.”

05) The Replacements – “I’ll Be You”

The Minnesota 80s alt-rockers must have spent some time in Winnipeg.  Must have…

“Lonely, I guess that’s where I’m from.  If was from Canada, then I’d best be called lonesome.”

Maybe that is some old 80s Canadiana?  Do we say lonesome?  sure, I do now.

06) The Tragically Hip – “Lonely End of the Rink”

Hockey metaphors explode in this song about Gord Downy’s days of playing minor hockey and being a goalie wishing he was joining the rush… and about his old man who’d come and hang out behind the net at the “lonely” end of the rink to cheer his boy on.

07) Tom Cochrane – “Big League”

Talking about kids and hockey, then we should be talking about one of Tom Cochrane’s most enduring hockey anthems.  This one is lot more somber.

08) Rascal Flatts – “Life is a Highway”

A throw back to my days working at Starbucks with Ashley, Michelle, Jayne and Rachel (well actually I shouldn’t lump Rachel in there, she always fired up good music! ha).  Rascal Flatts was on heavy rotation during those early morning hours slinging lattes in the suburbs.  I heard it so often it grew on me… and this song has maximum use of “Vancouver’s Lights” in the song.  Originally down by the man, Mr. Tom Cochrane… I decided to change gears and include the Rascal Flatts cover to spice up the end of the playlist a bit.

09) Moneyshot – “Blades of Steel”

The Canadian male hockey experience would not be complete without Moneyshots greatest creation about the game.  A song about working hard and having fun in Midget Triple A when the scout form Kamloops catches a game, and gives you shot at Junior.

10) Stompin’ Tom Conners – “The Hockey Song”

Its a bit of a cliche, so kill me.  Last song, time this playlist out to have this song playing just as the puck drops and their is no reason why Team Canada’s Olympic Women’s team can’t put 19 goals in the net!

Go with yourself.

Check out Quatchi's tattoo. Bad ass.

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Just you and me and we’ll have everything we need up in Canada

Posted in music, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 12, 2010| 2 Comments »

Its a power pop explosion from Portland indie darlings The Thermals.

Have a listen: The Thermals – “Canada”

Ok, its is a very basic, balls to the floor power pop anthem.  Some hipsters were barking all over the internet because they expect more from The Thermals, but its better than anything Weezer has put out since Pinkerton and at least as good as most Sloan songs.

The lore behind the song is neato gang:

Don’t get us wrong – Buffalo, NY is a swell American town. But it’s not the easiest city to play, ask any band! So when The Thermals, on a recent tour, found themselves staring down the barrel of a less-than-spectacular night in Buffalo, The Thermals comforted themselves with the thought that the next day they were headed for CANADA. Toronto, to be exact, where they would headline an amazing sold out show at The Horseshoe Tavern. Sitting in the van in Buffalo, Thermals guitarist and singer Hutch Harris picked up a guitar and strummed a few chords, and sang a few lines about going to CANADA. Kathy Foster walked up and sang “Whoa Whoa-Oh Whoa!” as if on cue. Drummer Westin Glass set a fat beat to it at soundcheck et voila, “Canada”. Seriously, I’m not making this up. I mean, listen to the song. It doesn’t sound like it took The Thermals longer than half an hour to write “Canada”. But therein lies its brilliance! Totally off the cuff, yet totally sincere, “Canada” is an instant classic, a raucous, joyous ode to our brothers and sisters to the north. CANADA! Where everyone is funny, friendly and ready to have a beer or seven with you. CANADA! Where we’ll have everything we need! CANADA! The country we aspire to be.

and about the lyrics:

The lyrics to “Canada” contain the line “Sittin’ all alone / Pick up the phone and call Ramona / Go to Canada”. Ramona refers to Thermals sound woman Anna Lockwood, who sometimes goes by the name Ramona Flowers, a character in the Canadian comic book Scott Pilgrim, by Canadian author Bryan Lee O’Malley. Scott Pilgrim is published by Oni Press, who share a hometown of Portland, Oregon with The Thermals. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, a live-action film adaptation of the comic starring Canadian actor Michael Cera, is due in August of this year. Scott Pilgrim is named after a song by the Canadian band Plumtree.

Go with yourself.

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How old is Kim Cattrall anyway?

Posted in neat-O gang, tagged , , , , on January 22, 2010| 1 Comment »

Whatever, she is still pretty hot.

aside from the fact the commercial is a bit of rip from the ” California – Find Yourself Here” ad, its pretty slick.

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South Georgia—that snowy island looked like paradise

Posted in Dave Babych, life or something like it, neat-O gang, tagged , , , on December 26, 2009| 3 Comments »

This picture makes me laugh.  My brother Matt stepped into the year 2009 days before with ring in the big 10 with a smart-phone.  He snapped this last night after Christmas dinner while we were all huddled around the TV watching “The Hangover” for the third time.

My old man got us all Team Canada Hockey shirts for Christmas.  Like everyone.  Coral got a jersey, Caitlin, my sister.  He kept one for himself.

I don’t care what your personal views on the Olympic are, Olympic hockey to me is the best tournament and I’ll be watching.  I still hope to some how finagle tickets to a game, but at the very least, I might burn some holiday time I have saved up and be in the city if Team Canada makes the final.

The laws of positive attraction right?  If I am in the right place at the right time, who knows? Maybe I’ll get in the building?

Christmas was fun as usual.  Madelyn was rightly spoiled and getting to an age where she loves toys.  She might not get “Christmas” but she sure gets Upsy Daisy dolls and play Kitchens.  She has been going a little overboard with the chocolates.

I am back in Victoria today because I had to work a radio show, but then I’ll be off to Kelowna for a couple days before coming back to DJ on New Years Eve.  If you’re looking for something fun still, maybe consider NYE at the Hotel Rialto.

Coming back to Victoria was fun. I got to ride the ferry by myself!  Riding the ferry by myself is a rare treat since having Madelyn.  I forgot how easy and pleasant the boat is when I walk on just before sailing, read a National Geographic and walk off the other side.  Gave me a great opportunity to decompress and daydream about escaping to the South Georgia Island.

If you ask me what I want to be when I grow up, on the list between Medieval Knight and Ensign Baker on the USS Enterprise; would be explorer.

There are not too many places left on the map to explore anymore.  Its has a future job prospect level that is low, right around steam engine operator and radio broadcaster.  Still the idea is romantic.

National Geographic  was talking about these remote islands in the South Oceans near Antarctica that teem with arctic critters like penguins and seals and whales and any number of birds.  There are old rusted out whaling stations, some old cannons from World War Two, a restored church, a museum and not much else.  Some scientists a reckon.

I think it would be pretty neat to go there.  I could just hire on to some sort of Adventure Tourist outfit I suppose, but their rates start at $11,000 US!

Maybe after I win the lotto but before I launch my AM radio station?  maybe…

rusted out sealing boats in Grytviken, South Georgia Island.

Go with yourself.

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head down, thumbs UP!

Posted in Dave Babych, neat-O gang, politics, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 22, 2009| 3 Comments »

Huzzah!

first this.

That is an end of the year high-light reel hit by the Pride of Port McNeil. Just an amazing freight train right through the Blackhawk captain Jonathan Toews.  The only sad points about the hit…

I like Toews, he’s a great hockey player, why couldn’t it have been Kane?
AND the devastating hit then created a mint scoring chance for the ‘Nucks that was whistled because the Hawks threw a tantrum after the text-book hit.  boo.

Still, Nucks win, the hit is amazing and it’ll live on Youtube for all time… or until Youtube gets bought out and the servers go dark.

***

Huzzah!

I did make it to the gym today and for once in my life, I ran into a business that was interested in catering to my needs for a cost that works.

Indeed Odyssey Fitness is 24 Hours.  That in of itself was a victory, but the icing for me is that the fee is just $50 a month, no long term contract, no extra fees, a month free and I can come at 2 AM when no one is there and not have to worry about some fitness instructor “selling” any “programs.”

The lady Joanne was sweet, I told her what I wanted, the fees were simple to understand and I signed up!  Heck, I might go after my DJ performance at The Clubhouse tonight.  We’ll see, I have an early wake up call Friday morning.

***

IMG00105

Next, and keep in mind, I like the Olympics (I am wearing my Olympic sweater right now AAMOF)… but what the fuck is going on?

Maybe I need to send a resume to the Provincial Liberals because how they thought this story would go over well with Johnny Q. Taxpayer is beyond me.

B.C. Spends $1 Million on Olympic Tickets for MLAs

This is how the meeting would have played out if I were in the room when this idea was hatched.

Government Cabinet Minister: “I think we should write a cheque for $1 million dollars of tax payer money to buy premium tickets to Olympic events.”

Jeremy: “no, don’t be retarded.”

then I would send them an invoice for $500,000 and Bob’s your uncle.

That no one stopped to say, hey wait a minute,” is what’s scary.

AND, why would any government official even have to buy tickets anyways?  Shouldn’t they just flash a badge and walk in?  We already paid for the games?  If Premier Gordon Campbell actually has to “buy” an Olympic ticket, then truly, the IOC is fisting us.

Outrageous… I mean not as outrageous as the BILLION with a ‘B’ price tag for secrutity for two weeks… but still, pretty scary.

***

and because no-one can do anything right in this world except for me.

This is embarrassing.

Victoria Mayor reneges on snow-shovelling bet

A week or so ago, Victoria and Regina entered into some sort of civic pride bet to see which Provincial capital could raise more food donations for the local food bank.  Regina spanked us (already embarrassed).  The bet called for the loser (Victoria’s Dean Fortin) to fly out to Regina to shovel some snow.

Now the guy isn’t going to go?  because of the cost of the flight and uhhh… carbon emissions?

Bike there dude.  You don’t make a bet, publicly, on behalf of our city, LOSE, then renege on the deal.  C’est dommage.

see, now I am in a bad mood, I better scroll back to the top of this blog post and watch the Willie Mitchell hit again.

oh, I totally got blogged about by Mixcloud! fun. Go with yourself.

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