S.o.t.D. - Rose Rouge – St. Germain

Rose Rouge – St. Germain

Still fantastic after all these years. Samples Woman of the Ghetto by Marlena Shaw and Take Five by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

S.o.t.D. - Good Feelings – Tommy Vercetti

Good Feelings – Tommy Vercetti

Completely fun, hands in the air house. If I could find a place with little to no booze, filled with a few hundred groovy people who just want to smile and dance, playing this kind of stuff, I would love to spend an evening there. Not sure places like that can be found any more.

S.o.t.D. - My Mind Was a Fog... My Heart Became a Bomb – Hammock

My Mind Was a Fog... My Heart Became a Bomb – Hammock

Don’t know too much about these guys. Two American guitartists, Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson, who used many other instruments in creating stuff like this gorgeously melancholy ambience.

I read a quote of Marc Byrd’s recently that I can totally relate to. “There are times when the need to create a thing begins to interrupt your life. And if you don’t give in to it, everything else starts to suffer.”

S.o.t.D. - Bluesette (AMyn Remix) – Toots Thielemans

Bluesette (AMyn Remix) – Toots Thielemans

Somewhat embarrassed to admit that I have never heard of Mr. Thielemans, or this song. Remix takes the original in a whole new direction, but I like that.

S.o.t.D. - Run Away (Vortex Involute remix) – Yana Kay

Run Away (Vortex Involute remix) – Yana Kay

This is almost too much of a good thing. Certain things you can only eat so much of, before you get sick of it. Completely gonzo D&B. After about a minute, minute and a bit, I end it, but this is intense. Like I said, good, but only in limited doses.

S.o.t.D. - Something In the Air – Maya Jane Coles

Something In the Air – Maya Jane Coles

I discovered this on a phenomenal Bonobo DJ set. Sweetness.

Sidewalk Art on Prince William Street

S.o.t.D. - To Let Myself Go (Kaiben Remix) – Ane Brun

To Let Myself Go (Kaiben Remix) – Ane Brun

Sweet, chilled out track. Great beat, nice vocals. Yum.

S.o.t.D. - Piano Funk (Live Acoustic Version) – Total Science & S.P.Y. (feat. Riya & DaM FunK)

Piano Funk (Live Acoustic Version) – Total Science & S.P.Y. (feat. Riya & DaM FunK)

Okay, after yesterdays totally kickass track, here is an acoustic version of it - just a piano and Riya and Collette Warren signing. Uhhhhh...WOW!

S.o.t.D. - Piano Funk – Total Science & S.P.Y. (feat. Riya & DaM FunK)

Piano Funk – Total Science & S.P.Y. (feat. Riya & DaM FunK)

Pardon my language, but holy fuckballs is this ever great! I said a while back that anything Riya sings on is worth checking out. Her vocals, over top of Total Science and S.P.Y., and look out! That muted bassy horn sound, that “wahh-wahh” that punctuates the track periodically....so good!

S.o.t.D. - Perilous – Phaeleh (feat. I-Mitri)

Perilous – Phaeleh (feat. I-Mitri)

Some dubby, bassy goodness. I know gals who unashamedly tell me that the bass at parties makes them orgasm. This track will do that.

S.o.t.D. - Deflexion – Klartraum

Deflexion – Klartraum

Some funky tech-house. And I just have to say Nadja Lind....yum.

S.o.t.D. - Sad and Lonely – DJ Shadow

Sad and Lonely – DJ Shadow

The vocals on this are sampled from a 1957 song by Susan Reed.

S.o.t.D. - The Life Machine – Tubeway Army

The Life Machine – Tubeway Army

I was really into the first three Gary Numan albums, and my interest waned after that. But it was one of the things that got me really turned on to electronic music. It wasn’t quite as pronounced yet on this, his first album, bu there were enough hints of what was to come.

Hitchcraft – Microcord

When I first got into making sinnets and the like, I used 550 paracord. It’s what I had. But it is kind of bulky. The resulting fobs, zipper pulls and the like ended up a burly item. Which can be fine in certain instances, but I started playing around with thinner cord, and liked the results better. One in particular was Type 1 cord, but when I ordered it, the colour choices were very limited, and I only got OD and foliage green. I intended to order some more colour (now that the palette has increased) when next I put in an order.

While browsing around at the generally craptastic surplus store near me, I stumbled across a bunch of cord in different colours.

Atwood Micro Cord. Thinner than the type 1. For the price, what the heck, try out a few.

A not so great photo showing the difference in size between 550 cord, type 1 cord and micro cord.

I grabbed spools of black (which I think may actually be a very dark navy blue), dark grey, orange, purple and red.

One odd thing is that the purple and grey are fairly stiff, where as the other three are quite a bit more flexible.

A red and grey fob for my Victorinox Huntsman.

Purple zipper pulls on a purple fleece jacket. Nice and grippy.

Zipper pull on a pouch that holds all my cables.

Purple solomon bar over a light grey Spectra line core. With two lanyard knots at either end - the first time I’ve managed that one. The tutorials I had tried weren’t that clear, but finally found one that I could understand. That and a bit of perseverance.

That’s what I’ve done so far with this cord. I’m sure more will follow.

S.o.t.D. - The Box – Orbital

The Box – Orbital

I decided to put the half hour version of this up. Epic.

S.o.t.D. - Rondo Capriccioso Op. 14 (Felix Mendelssohn) – Jorge Bolet

Rondo Capriccioso Op. 14 (Felix Mendelssohn) – Jorge Bolet

It’s a toss-up whether I prefer Anton Kuerti’s interpretation or this one. Lovely piece.

S.o.t.D. - Presence – Bandulu

Presence – Bandulu

I have some pleasant memories of being in dark warehouse spaces lit by little more than a strobe light and this playing.

Coming soon from Google: Google Pothead

S.o.t.D. - Steps To The Stars – Miranda

Steps To The Stars – Miranda

Epic goa track. Takes a while to build, but when it really kicks into full gear - look out.

Greg Curnoe

21 years ago today.

My girlfriend and I went out for breakfast, and spent the rest of the morning sauntering around town, doing some shopping at the market. At one point she suddenly started to cry. Her having a cry wasn’t so unusual. But she also had some eerie psychic powers.
“I’m not sure....I just feel incredibly sad all of a sudden.”
It seemed to pass, and we went about our day.
Later that evening, the phone rang, and she answered it. She began balling her eyes out.

A friend called us to inquire if we had heard the bad news.

Greg had been killed. He was riding with his cycling club, the London Centennial Wheelers, and an inattentive driver had smashed into the entire peloton, grievously injuring many, killing Greg.

Later we ascertained when it had happened, and her crying spell had happened around the same time. Like I said; eerie.

I went to school with Greg’s 3 kids, and we became good friends. I spent a lot of time at their house. Over time, Greg became more than someone who was my friends dad, and a Canadian artist of quite some renown. I loved hanging out in his studio where we would talk about music, with him pulling records out of his extensive collection to introduce me to stuff, and thrusting books into my hands on a variety of subjects from his vast library.

This connection with books extended to his having his book Deeds/Abstracts printed at the company I worked for in the months leading up to his untimely demise. It was an honour and a privilege to shepherd it through the whole process.

He called Kathryn and I up to ask if we wanted to come over to drink a bottle of wine he was about to open. We declined the offer, since we had to catch an early flight to Montreal the next morning, to visit coincidentally enough, his daughter. We got back on the Friday. He was killed the next day. Do I ever wish we had stayed up late to have that last bottle of wine with him and Sheila.

Still, I am blessed that I got to know him, and his family.

Greg loved bicycles and they were often featured in his prodigious output. This one is called Mariposa T.T. and it’s a serigraph on plexiglas and hails from 1979.

S.o.t.D. - Twist – Tones on Tail

Twist – Tones on Tail

Bit of a minor key surf track.

S.o.t.D. - Harsh Stone White – Skinny Puppy

Harsh Stone White – Skinny Puppy

The puppy may be skinny, but the music is heavy.

S.o.t.D. - God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters – Moby

God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters – Moby

As heard in the soundtrack of the great, great Heat.

Lest We Forget

S.o.t.D. - Sleepy Maggie – Ashley MacIsaac

Sleepy Maggie – Ashley MacIsaac

Left Forearm Tattoo

I’ve shown two pieces I’ve created in the last few days for my right forearm. The front and the back which will then be filled in from there.

Now, I also have a drawing in a similar vein for the left forearm, also based around the idea of spirals and foliage. Sadly, I did this drawing a bunch of years ago, and I am still waiting for that goddamn Jarkko up in Kincardine, Ontario to do it. Damn him!

I took these photos back when I completed this drawing and taped the paper printout to my arm, again to ascertain if everything went where I wanted it to.

S.o.t.D. - Dark River – Coil

Dark River – Coil

Off of Love’s Secret Domain from 1991.

I love Coil.

Mini Cooper S - the Canadian Special Edition

Back of Right Forearm Tattoo

In conjunction with the one I created for the front of my right forearm, here is one for the back. Just seeing if everything goes where it’s supposed to. The spiral on the bump on the outside of the wrist (I believe it’s the ulnar styloid process) needs to be modified a bit. Made tighter and smaller. I’ll likely work out the stuff that goes between the two sections afterwards.

S.o.t.D. - Chinese Black – Neon Judgement

Chinese Black – Neon Judgement

I think this was the only one of their records I ever got, but a pretty decent track.

S.o.t.D. - Love War Riot (Dogon-Nogon Vocoder Message Mix) – Psychic TV

Love War Riot (Dogon-Nogon Vocoder Message Mix) – Psychic TV

I got a 10" vinyl copy of this, because while it was a whole lot different than what they had been doing before, it was also a whole lot better than what they had been doing. It was dare I say.....fun! One of those tracks in 88, 89, 90 that turned me on to this whole “acid house” thing that was coming out of England at the time.

Front of Right Forearm Tattoo

Piece I’ve drawn for the front of my right forearm. Just seeing if everything goes where it’s supposed to. Working on the piece for the back of my right forearm. And from there I’ll figure out the rest.

S.o.t.D. - The Power of Lard – Lard

The Power of Lard – Lard

I’ve mentioned before that there was a time when I was a fan of most of the stuff Al Jourgenson put out. I have vinyl by Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pailhead, Acid Horse, Lard, and probably a few I’m forgetting. And then I lost all interest in his junk fueled antics. 

And while I never cared about the Dead Kennedies, I do have some of Jello Biafra’s early spoken word albums, and went to a spoken word set he did. His Felix the Cat voice is one I can only take in moderation, this slice of punk rock absurdity is fun.

S.o.t.D. - Gigantor – Thrillabeats

Gigantor – Thrillabeats

A very appropriately named act. Absolutely mind boggling production on this. I dare you not to listen to this really loud. 

WOW!

S.o.t.D. - Nothing Natural – Lush

Nothing Natural – Lush

Incandescent song from a fantastic band. Glad I got to see them live, but bummed they are no longer a going concern.

Pioneer Axe

Peter Vogt made this terrific 10 minute film in 1965 of the Emerson Stevens axe shop in Oakland Maine. Makers of the Pioneer brand of axes, they were the last remaining shop in a town that had once housed a dozen axe making shops. They closed a few months after this film was made. Amazing to see the process involved in making axes. It’s easy to imagine that the way they did things in 1965 was the way they did things in 1865.

S.o.t.D. - Rock It – Herbie Hancock

Rock It – Herbie Hancock

I think a lot of people just saw this as a weird novelty track at the time, but it just deepened my love of anything electronic, and opened my ears to hip hop and the potential of turntables.

S.o.t.D. - Leprechauns Arise – Bassnectar

Leprechauns Arise – Bassnectar

What I’ve heard of his lately hasn’t done much for me, but this album I liked quite a bit.

S.o.t.D. - Distraction – Phaeleh

Distraction – Phaeleh

Instantly on repeat for a while.

Phaeleh = awesome.