Song of the Day: Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy

Music channels are just not what they used to be. Canadians were once blessed with Muchmusic for a while until CHUM bastardized their programming to stay relevant to their count parts South of the border. So when did good programming die? To me, I think it happened around the time Muchmusic started shuffling their specialty shows to obscure time slots like 11:00 am (French Kiss) or the Wedge, which flip-flopped between Friday and Saturday nights at 11:00 pm. It wasn't like the content was explicit or anything. They just had t make way for more top 40 material. I remember back in high school where I would rush home so I could catch Sook-Yin Lee or the British accent of Simon Evens (who was your favourite Muchmusic VJ?). I guess it was the intention of CHUM all along to make way for their laugh of specialty channels and premium offerings. Okay, enough of this diatribe...

So has anyone ever told you that they were into everything eighties or eighties music? Being an eighties-born child, I was eased into a decade of plumed hair, pastels, synthesizers, nylons, spandex, see through stockings for the hands (armings?), fanny packs. Anyways, you get the picture. I would say musicians in those times were definitely over-the-top to the point where some bands made a name for themselves on their style rather than their music. I wont give examples, but I'm sure there were tonnes of them and I don't want to upset you if I named a band or group you liked. To get to my point, everyone loved the eighties in general, but for me, I declare that 1984 was the only year i liked out of the eighties. So I claim that I loved 1984!!! Screw the other years, 1984 is it for me. I think this was the time my family relocated to Ontario and this brought a new fondness of music in general. I remember shakin' ass to some Michael Jackson and choreographing my own dance moves. My adoration for 1984 stemmed from a VH1 special on my favourite year. I've seen other episodes of the other ten years, but they pale in comparison. Musically & socially, 1984 was superior to the rest.

1984 was the year not to be forgotten because of the follow reasons:

• The Cosbys made the NBC lineup. Everyone loved the Cosbys, EVERYONE!
  
• This was the year Madge came out with one of her best albums, nah her best album ever The "Boss" was at his prime showing us guys that dudes can dance too.
• Tina Turner showed her legs and shares her pain from that Ike character
• Prince comes out with one of the most famous movie/soundtrack combinations ever
  
• and many many more
  

Song of the Day: Built to Spill - Goin' Against Your Mind

I guess I haven't really blogged about the holidays, so I guess this is no better time to do so. I love hearing what everyone else did, so I'll present my synopsis of events.

Firstly, the holidays started off with a brief visit from Sir Glenn from the Left coast. It was like Tourism BC personally came to my door and recruited me to leave my situation/inhabitance. I'm still thinking about it... Anyways, it was great to be able to catch up. Partying definitely ensued (obviously) and drinks were spilled, which equates to awesome times (Glenn + party = awesome). Mike also contributed by prancing around the dance floor like a ballerina for our entertainment. He gave us some samples of the latest rendition of the 'Shoulder Shrug' (It's like magnum, but more refined). It would have been epic if we could have squeezed in a session at Boston Pizza for some BCS action and a few schooners of Fosters to boot. Next time, schedule a better vacation man!

Next, it was off to the homeland. Time was mostly spent in the Forest City wrestling my little cousins and asking them if they had boyfriends and whether so and so likes them. I think I even attempted to fold the perfect origami Fortune Teller (thanks to Eric). Mom was stoked I was back straight chillin' with her. Of course, it was a fest of feasts. I miss mom's cooking, but she churns out enough food for like an army. It's getting a bit out of hand. As a surprise to me, my little cousins bought me a really sentimental Christmas present. I was really impressed that they remembered.

Some time was spent in Saint Terrible - about 12 hours or so. I Christened the newly opened Boston Pizza with a team pitcher and played some poker with the boys. Most of the time is spent smack-talking and catching up with each other. That town has changed so much that it really scares me. I hardly see the remnants of my town from eight years ago. All of the guys from home have done really well for themselves, so I visited their homes and checked out their new toys. I think Johny gets the nod for craziest toy though. It's unfortunate that not everyone was around due to family obligations. I can't wait to hear the rest of the stories from Montreal NYE 2006!

Any lastly, New Years... Henry was kind enough to include me in his plans. Pad Thai was really good and the beverages were more than filling. We ended up going to Club Absinthe in the slums of Hamilton for a night of dancing, consuming liquids, and head-banging. The setup was pretty cool. Dance music filled the basement along with flailing dresses and arms, while sweaty fist pumping and guitar shredding filled the air in the main room of the upstairs lounge. So if you were bored of tired of either situation, a different environment was a mere stairwell away.
Special guest performing upstairs was local favourite, Party Tank. As for the dancefloor, I know I've mentioned this on numerous ocassions, but the DJs for Club Absinthe (especially on Saturday nights and NYE) were amazing (If you ever get a chance, go check out I say Disco, You Say Punk every Saturday night at Club Absinthe). I'm pretty picky as to what gets me moving and I must say that these two dudes pump out some of the grooviest tunes that are akin to my earbuds. However, there was a lull in the music where I think someone else was DJing for a while where 8 out of 12 tracks were of Jay-Z and the Black album. Granted, that album is great, but if I wanted to listen to Jay-Z most of the night, I could have stayed at home and popped it into my Cd and jammed at home. Horrible set by whoever it was. We basically left soon after.

Even though my holidays were over and I had already returned to work, some of my friends were still in town visiting. Over the past weekend, I got to party with the ever so fun Timmy Tim (Duvall) and hand a lovely dinner with Ms. Nguyen.

Anyways, how was every else's holidays and NYE?

Edit: this just in... My good friend Tim (St. Titties) gave me his holiday update. His band was on tour over the holidays spanning across the Eastern US and this photo summarizes the whole trip. I still can't believe Tim met him! The story that goes with this is just as amazing! Unreal

And no, he's not Jack Black's co-worker from the movie High Fidelity.

Labels: vacation

Song of the Day: Mew - The Zookeeper's Boy

This one goes out the Google personalized trends. So far there has been 8 days that have passed in 2007 and yet I can sense trends already formulating, some at an alarming rate. Firstly, I've already accumulated two infractions with the law. Coincidently, both have been a mire footsteps from my old and new places of inhabitance. Up to this point, I don't think I've really had multiple offenses pile up like this before, so it's kinda strange. I used to sit in front of my reality television starting out through the huge window panes. I would giggle at the fools who would speed by as the police clock them for speeding. I guess what comes around comes around eh Mike and Glenn?!?!

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Labels: miscellaneous, vacation

Song of the Day: The Futureheads - Decent Days and Nights

Much has been made of Saddam Hussein's death penalty over the past weekend. Whether it was the right or wrong decision and with all information aside, the result is another person is now dead.

The recent news of regarding this dictator's death was the amateur video made by someone with a fancy cell phone in the chamber where Saddam was killed. Footage of this execution has been circulating like wildfire. I'm sure many have seen the video. Yesterday, I had the chance to check it out for myself, but I had a hard time time to convincing myself to watch such video.

Even with the recent news regarding the ineffectiveness or inhumanity of the lethal injection, I would still prefer that over hanging someone. Lethal injection is much less of a spectacle and hopefully less 'Youtube' worthy.

I don't think I'll ever willingly watch it. For some reason, I feel bad to view someone's death, whether he or she was the mastermind behind any heinous crime. Is there something wrong with me? I should ask Ann Landers

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