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Please Kill Me

Some months back, the Blogger Brunchers were having a Yankee Swap, and with much cunning and skill, I was able to secure myself the copy of Legs McNeil’s Please Kill Me, which is subtitled “the uncensored oral history of punk.” A better subtitle, I cannot fathom. This book tells the story of New York’s punk rock scene with no holds barred. From the early days of the Velvet Underground, Nico, and Andy Warhol’s Factory, as told by those who were there, including the band members themselves. The stories are of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Crude, hilarious, disgusting, and entertaining. I think as this is far from my life, or… Read More »Please Kill Me

Dancing Guy Needs To Dance

Peter Elkas is having a good series of Tuesdays. Last week he released his third record Repeat Offender on Joel Plaskett’s New Scotland Records. Last night, Elkas played his first night of his five week residency at The Dakota Tavern in Toronto west-side. For the next five weeks, Elkas will be performing  every Tuesday, along with many guests, including Wayne Petti, The Pinecones, Christine Bougie, Alanna Stuart, Al Tuck, Ben Gunning, Rebekah Higgs, and a special guest. There’s rumours this special guest is Bruce Springstein, but I somehow don’t believe that. The Dakota Tavern is one of the best bars in the city, always a great place to hear music1, and the… Read More »Dancing Guy Needs To Dance

Jackie Lomax on Apple

Jackie Lomax was playing in the Merseyside area while the Beatles were up and coming. He knew the band while Stuart Sutcliffe was playing bass. He signed with Brian Epstein’s management company NEMS, and was convinced by John Lennon to go solo. After signing with Apple Publishing, George Harrison heard Lomax’s demos, and promised to record Lomax’s debut record when he returned from India. Jackie Lomax writes good songs dripping in the tradition of American R&B with a smooth voice that could be pulled right out of the late ’50s South or is it Motor City? Harrison’s production is a heavy-handed wall of sound layered and muddy. Eleven of the… Read More »Jackie Lomax on Apple

Shimmering Lights

The Meligrove Band’s latest record, Shimmering Lights, is inoffensive. While I went into this record hoping that I’d fall in love, I didn’t. Perhaps that’s my problem. I go into Meligrove Band records with high expectations, as their live shows, are such great parties, but the albums never live up to the fun experience of their concerts. The record consists of 10 good pop songs, but of those ten songs, there’s nothing extraordinary, there’s nothing fabulous. It’s good background music. It seems to be a consistent theme.

There But For Fortune

Playing now in Toronto is the new documentary on Phil Ochs’ life, There But For Fortune. The film tells the tale of the subtle rise and drastic fall of “the singing journalist.” There But For Fortune is a portrait of a man who always wanted to change the world, a man who stopped looking to change the world, and spiralled into mental illness. Watching the story of a man struggling with mental illness is not an easy thing to watch1, but with music so beautiful as Ochs’ it’s hard not to enjoy this film. Watching this film made me think of my love of Phil Ochs’ music, and the places… Read More »There But For Fortune

Julie Doiron *swoon*

On the third (wow, that’s a week ago), I went to see Julie Doiron at the Horseshoe Tavern. There’s something about a Julie Doiron show that is not quite like anyone else’s show. Doiron is so laid back and nervous at the same time; Doiron is comfortable and uncomfortable on the stage. During her shows, she’s joking, and lively, but awkward, and endearing. As an audience member, one just wants to give her a big hug, and tell her everything will be okay, even if she makes a mistake during her set. Thursday’s show was like that. She played a lot of songs from I Can Wonder What You Did… Read More »Julie Doiron *swoon*

The Jayhawks

Went to see The Jayhawks on Tuesday night, I had wanted to go with my best friend, but he has a bit of a curse when it comes to The Jayhawks. The first time he went to see them, the band was there, but their equipment was held up at the border, they didn’t start until well past midnight, and his concert going companion wanted to leave halfway through their set. The second time he was supposed to see The Jayhawks, I was to be his rock companion, but he was sick. So I ended up at the show alone, but enjoying every minute of it. On Tuesday, he didn’t… Read More »The Jayhawks

Get Down Tonight

I got home, and I found this in my mailbox. I was thoroughly confused. I hadn’t ordered any tickets from Ticketmaster, recently, but this was obviously from Ticketmaster. Well, it was obviously for me, it had my address on it. I guess it’s time to open it up. I tore open the envelope, I opened up the tickets, and what did I find in there? Yes, I found two tickets to see KC & The Sunshine Band. Was this some practical joke? Did someone I know really buy me tickets to see KC, and not tell me? I decided to rip open the front area and see the name on the address label. It wasn’t anyone… Read More »Get Down Tonight

Bonne année!

I rung in 2011 with Oldies 990, a band consisting of 3/4 of the ever wonderful Local Rabbits. Their set consisted of song from the ’50s and ’60s. The band who played the songs…

J’ai besoin d’un titre.

Rivers performing “God Only Knows.” Sheezer perform “El Scorcho” Sheezer’s bass player Laura Barrett’s first single. Sheezer drummer and boxing coach (?!?!) Dana Snell in Gentleman Reg’s “How We Exit”