I’ve had the worst music stuck in my head for days, so I thought I’d share it:

 
Yup, “Rock and Roll Crazy Nights” by Japanese hair-metal band Loudness. I watched the PowerHour on MuchMusic way too much in the 80s - chalk it up to the mountain-sized crush I used to have on VJ Teresa Roncon - and as a result I have all this cheese in my subconscious. Grrr.
 
Oh well, I can’t purge the chorus from my head, so I’m using the internet to spread it like a virus. Watch if you dare (suckers).
 

So, where are they all now?

 
Read the rest of this entry »

I was lucky enough to be in the pit for R.E.M.’s show at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto last night (#remtoronto). Nice job if you can get it; you get to stand in a narrow trough in front of the stage for the first three songs, legendary musicians sweating on you. I’m digging it.

Anyway, right before the lights go down, I noticed that Peter Buck’s guitar rig had this incredible display of dinosaur figures on it. [See photo above]

Read the rest of this entry »

Trial & Tribulations of Freelance Writing: Vol. 1

Sometimes, the story going on behind the story is almost as interesting, even though it has nothing to do with the story itself.

I started writing late last year after I’d been home looking after my son for a year or so. I’d come to the conclusion that my prior career, maintaining websites for other people, was not going to bring me any lasting happiness, so I started writing to see if it would go anywhere. It’s definitely more interesting than managing code for others, but I think the most interesting aspect of my current position is the constant juggling act between writing and stay-at-home fatherhood, especially since my youngest is still too young to go to school.

Right now, I’ve got two big things going on in my life; I’m getting ready for music festival season (I write a lot about music) and I’m trying to potty train the little guy. While I’m trying to line up as many interviews as possible with musicians playing the big Toronto-area events this summer (North By North East, Toronto Jazz Festival), I’m trying to get my mini me to clue in that his time in diapers is rapidly coming to an end. Fortunately for me, he’s starting to clue in, and this week we’re have our first measurable success.

Read the rest of this entry »

Nationwide Protest to Raise a Ruckus for Radio Two

Recently, CBC Radio Two has proposed some changes to its schedule. What used to be the go-to resource for classic and contemporary art music is slated to become a more diverse source of everything from “jazz, folk, world, R & B, singer-songwriter and roots” music, with the classical content being relegated to a five hour slot from 10am to 3pm. While the CBC says this is a celebration of our cultural diversity, a large number of the station’s loyal fans are furious, and they’ve organizing a national day of protest to make sure the state-sponsored radio network hears what they have to say.

While one might expect such a group to be spearheaded by residents of a retirement home, it’s actually being led by Peter McGillivray, a Toronto man in his early thirties, who set up a Facebook group called “Save Classical Music at the CBC.” In a few short weeks, the group has attracted over 13,000 members online, and fueled by this success they’ve decided to take their protest to the next level: the real world

Read the rest of this entry at blogTO.com »

Photo by BlogTO flickr pooler funinthegym

Holy crap, I’m having a hard time trying to find time. I’ve neglected this blog for four weeks. Oh my. The nature of working freelance just isn’t working out for me, especially when you consider that what I’d really like to do is work on my writing with blogTO and gitpop and anyone else who’ll publish me. That and make some music. I haven’t done anything about that in months, and I’ve got one dilly of a plan I’d like to launch someday soon.

Read the rest of this entry »

So, I basically look like I haven’t done much if you use this blog to keep score of my personal life. Fortunately for me, that’s not the case. I’ve actually been quite busy trying to sell our house and setting up a new site.

Read the rest of this entry »

First up - happy birthday, Meg!

Next, I’ll make a half-hearted apology for keeping a relatively low profile lately. I’ve been too busy to blog. Oh well, I’m sure you’ve been getting by.

Read the rest of this entry »

I had a great chat today with Ron Hawkins, perhaps best known for his work with the band Lowest of the Low. We got to talk about lots of things like his new solo LP Chemical Sounds, the recent amicable split of LOTL, his upcoming tour of Australia, and how becoming a father totally changes your perception of cheesiness.

Look for a complete article next week as part of my column at blogTO: http://www.blogto.com/author/steve

Word of caution: I got so much good stuff, it just might take two articles to fit it all in.

Thank you very for your time, Ron. I really appreciate it.

I just did a profile of Hamilton-based electronic musician cisc over at blogTO: http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/01/cisc_set_to_play_enpeg_showcase/

Definitely worth checking out if you’re into the blips & bleeps & clicks & clacks.

www.myspace.com/timhalperin

Well, I got a nice surprise on MySpace the other day. I thought I recognized the name Tim Halperin in my friend requests, so I clicked through only to realize 1) I must’ve been thinking of somebody else, and 2) this kid makes some pretty decent tunes!

He’s a piano playing songwriter dude, sort of like Ben Folds, who’s a personal god to me, so I’m curious to see where this guy’s going to go from here. He’s presently unsigned, but I think it’s just a matter of time.

I only wish I could work in a Toronto angle to the story so I could feature him on blogTO & spread the word further, but alas, he is a Texan, so that’d be a bit of a stretch. Someone give this boy some money and send him on tour.