Foxymoron

Ch-ch-check it out: Stars Toronto Date, Wired Beasties

+ Yes, Mr. Shot reports a date. Iron your shirt, get your blazers and sneakers ready, The Stars @ The Mod Club, Saturday, December 18th. It'll probably be an early show. BYOM (bring your own matches). Said band is the cover story of the latest Exclaim! It is a very nice read and I especially like the side bar, "Constellations of the Soft Revolution Sideshow."

+ The November issue of Wired includes a free CD and a special features bundle about digital music, especially file sharing. "The Remix Masters," the Beastie Boys grace the cover and can be read in a Q&A about sampling, digital music and Adam Yauch's favourite bong. Ch-ch-check it out.

Trick or Treat Weekend

+ Since I'm already going to hell (reasons are too long to list), I thought I'd pass on a link of the latest trends in this year's Halloween costumes. The message? Use small children to promote your political beliefs. Every little child labourer counts! These are almost as bad as the time a former managing editor was a tall building with plane flying into the side of it.

Side bar: I think Jenna Bush and I have similiar livers (but I don't drink Bud).

+ I don't have a Halloween costume for this year's celebrations. There are a number of reasons for this: a) I forgot b) No place to wear a costume yet c) I never think of my costumes 'til the day of. It's the rule. This set of rules has lead to some interesting results:

--- Birthday Present (circa 1995): We decided that at 15-years-old, we could still go trick-or-treating as long as we had costumes. So I cut some holes out of a big box. Wrapped it in paper, climbed in and stuck a bow on my head. Happy Brithday! It got lots of compliments but this get up is not recommended for people who plan on moving, there were numerous run-ins with trees.

--- Cruella D'evil (circa 1997): Last minute costume that involved wearing a big bulky black coat (mom's), a black wig with white down the middle and smoking a paint brush turned cigarette holder. This costume worked well because without the cumbersome "cigarette," I simply became a skunk. 2-in-1 costumes rule!

--- Bubble Wrap Girl (circa 1999): The memories are blurry. First year university at Western. LB1's birthday. Found bubble wrap. Wrapped it around me. Put on some kind of hat. Called myself "Bubble Wrap Girl." Went to the Ridout, aka "The Slideout." LB1 encountered number prairie fire shots. Went home. Don't think the bubble wrap made it back. LB2 was Saran Wrap girl if I remember correctly — I probably don't.

Happy Halloween!

Hello World

+ I'm sorry I have neglected this blog for the past week. My goal is to post something at least twice a week, preferably three times, but I've obviously failed. My excuse is that I'm currently working on three feature articles and a new pitch. I am up to my ears in research, interviews and trying to stay sane. Despite the chaos, I am loving journalism. I'm not sure if I'm just saying that today because people are actually responding to my e-mails and the big scary feature for the Review looks like it might actually develop into something worth reading.

+ Saturday's Globe and Mail arrived at my door with the bang of Chinese firecrackers. "China Rising" it said, just like the top banner of the Globe read all week. Part of me is really happy the Globe had such an excessive coverage of my "homeland" (I've never been there), but I wonder if people without any relationship to China or its culture really care? I'm most fascinated with Chinese culture so my favourite pieces were by Jan Wong (eg. "From cells to bells, 10 things the Chinese do better than we do") and Ian Brown (eg. "Chasing chances in the Wild, Wild East"). It was another reminder that I MUST look into those Mandarin lessons.

+ Brown came to last week's writing class and told us stories about getting shaved in China (and then mistakenly entering a massage parlor). That story didn't make the cut to the special issue, but he is by far the most entertaining journalist/speaker a teacher has brought in. Too bad we didn't get the chance to ask him what happened to his nose.

+ This is probably the most boring post I've written. Sorry.

The Stars Set Yourself On Fire, HMV, Toronto Life's Music City

+ The Stars's Set Yourself on Fire...Three words: get it now. [Update: see Top CDs of 2004 for more details]

+ By now, many of you have also fallen victim to the evil/lovely monster sale at HMV. Normally "2 for..." sales (in this case 2/$25) aren't very good because they have the same boring titles (usually old Tragically Hip, Alanis' Jagged Little Pill, The Clash's London Calling, etc.) but this one is different. This one is tempting: Broken Social Scene, New Pornographers, The Stars (Heart), Ivana Santilli and other Canadian indie artists are on sale in addition to bigger and international names. The staff I spoke to today told me the terrible/amazing news that the sale would continue until at least Christmas with changing titles. Oh mon dieux. There goes the budget...

+ I also picked up Toronto Life's latest issue with cover story: Music City and it's a huge dissapointment. It's a photographic portfolio (a la Vanity Fair) that cheers on the blossoming Toronto music scene: "Today, we couldn't be more flush with songsmiths and scenes...there's even talk of a Toronto sound. No one is quite sure what that sound is...whatever it is, it has us listening."

It seems that the music collections of the editors and writers at TL are about five to 10 years behind. The issue photographs up-and-comers like Sloan, Barenaked Ladies, Rheostatics and wait for it...the young men of...Rush. Oh yeah, music revolution here we come!

There is of course, the expected presence of Broken Social Scene, K-OS and the Hidden Cameras. Still, if TL's goal was to inform its readers of the city's next big musical stars, then they failed. I can't really imagine the alternative purpose(s) might be...

My suggestions for other names photograph: Sarah Slean, Ivana Santilli, Billy Talent, Metric, Feist...

Ideas for other artists?

Journalists are fun, too fun...

+ I read Pierre Berton's The Joy of Writing at the beginning of the summer. I could never figure out if he meant for the title to be sarcastic, ironic or literal since he spends 300 pages discussing how difficult it is to write. Really, I said, it should be called The Pain of Writing. But Berton's secret to loving life and writing is revealed in tomorrow's episode of Monday Report in which the 84-year-old journalist will demonstrate how to roll a joint.

+ From drugs to sex...I believe in innocence til proven guilty, but the fact that I already think Bill O'Reilly is an asshole, make me more likely to believe his guilt in this sexual harassment suit from a former producer of the O'Reily Factor. The Smoking Gun has all the details.

Arts, Crafts and Instructions

+ Good news! Not only is today the release of The Stars' new album, Set Yourself On Fire, but we got word from record label, Arts and Crafts that the band is going on a Canadian tour with Mr. Gentleman Reg. No Toronto dates yet, but be patient urbanites. In the meantime, download the first single "Ageless Beauty." So far, so good. This record is probably the best contender to rival Feist for my favourite album of 2004, judging from my love of its predecessor, Heart, winner of Chiu's favourite album of 2003. <3

+ Speaking of the labelmate, Feist is returning to Toronto, and this time I WILL see her. She will be at the Phoenix for a performance on December 2nd. Perfect way to start the winter.

+ I read the sad news that CHUM City's television program, MediaTelevision has been cancelled. Tragic really, since there isn't really anything to replace it and it was a damn good show. First Shift's death, which I never recovered from and now MediaTelevision. Is nothing sacred?

+ From the MediaTelevision website, I found Instructoart, the website for artist, Michael Vescovo. Part comic artist, part animator, Vescovo created short films of instructions for life. My favourites are "Three Second Rule" and "Musical Instruments" from the archive.

Lover/Fighter

Here I am in my new apartment. I feel inappropriate in my flannel pyjamas. I'm surrounded by foreign adult Ikea furniture and plants not murdered by my lack of watering. It feels like a hotel. Stranger still is TR's clothes in what's now my closet. It's like she never left the country. But everytime I pry open the front door (stuck lock), it smells less and less like her place and more and more like mine. Which I guess is comforting. In a way.

I'm almost completely moved, except for my desk chair which I miss dearly and other odds and ends. Typing from this dining room chair just doesn't feel right. I am already shorter than I want to be and this just makes my shoulders more tense. There are too many mirrors here. I also have to adjust to seeing myself so often. I'm not so sure if I like my own reflection.

I cook my own food (something TR never did) and constantly play my own music to help me claim my space. This weekend I acquired more Ryan Adams, Damien Rice and The New Pornographers but with the crisp fall air and first sighting of a scarf last night, I decided today was perfect for Hawksley's "Autumn's Here" and so Lover/Fighter was the the featured CD of the day.

So that's what's up with me: aside from the ridiculous amout of work I have continuously piling up on my desk, I am cleaning, unpacking and trying to make a new home. Next weekend, in between work and sleep, I will be attempting to decorate. This can make or break and apartment and part of me is procrastinating because of the pressure. Then again, I remember a time when TR lived here and simply covered holes with Post-It Notes. I guess it can't be much worse than that.

Music Smorgasbord: Caribou, McLachlan, Santilli...

+ The band we all know (and love) as Manitoba is now known as Caribou. Why? Because some American by the "name" of Handsome Dick Manitoba, lead singer of the punk band, The Dictators, decided to sue the band for copyright infringement. It should be noted that Mr. Handsom Dick Manitoba never released music under the name "Manitoba" or "Handsome Dick Manitoba." Dan Snaith, the guy who is Manitoba (the Canadian electronic-rock band), explains everything on the new official site for the band re-borned as Caribou.

What we have learned from this: maybe not ALL Americans are bullies, but Dictators suck.

Tab, thanks for the tip.

+ I just watched Sarah McLachlan's video for "World On Fire" for the first time, even though it was released almost a month ago. I encourage everyone to watch it, even though it's pretty much shows like a World Vision or War Child advertisement, there is still valuable information in there, whether or not you agree with McLachlan's underlying message or music.

+ Ivana Santilli is going on a cross-country tour, Montreal to Vancouver and you should go see her if you haven't already. The lady is hot.

+ Apparently the staff at Sam the Record Man lied and the new Sarah Slean album was not postponed to November but Day One came out last week. I'll get it tomorrow but not without hesitation since Tab says it "sounds like a classic case of too many fingers on the dials" in the latest Eye.

Smorgasbord: "Gay," Tegan and Sara, Pop Montreal

Sorry for the recent point-form entries. My life is consumed by the intense magazine program, commuting and preparing to move out of suburbian and into downtown living. Friends in the city, please feel free to volunteer your moving services. It will be greatly appreciated and worth your while.

+ "This op-ed is so gay" by me in the latest issue of the Ryersonian is about the negative use of "gay." Now, let's discuss the use of "retarded." Should we all take the lead of the Black Eyed Peas and change all negative use of "retarded" to "get it started"? Think about it.

+ I lied about writing a longer review of the Tegan and Sara show because a) I've been busy and b) it was almost a week ago and c) I've already written too much about them.

But I will say this: Tegan's voice was superb and my jaw was on the floor after "This is Everything," the first song. New song performances weren't as good as the "classics" and I'm rethinking the thing I said about So Jealous being my favourite album of theirs. The light dude missed pretty much all of his cues but still, one of the twins' best performances I've ever seen.

+ Wherry is in Montreal with all the cool kids (Franz, Weakerthans, T&S, Doucet) at the Pop Montreal fest.