S.o.t.D. - 4 am – Cherry Ghost

4 am – Cherry Ghost

Never heard of this artist. Beautiful stuff. Saw it described as “chamber pop.” I’ll go with that.

S.o.t.D. - New Gold Dream – Simple Minds

New Gold Dream – Simple Minds

An act that I liked okay (Love Song is brilliant), but never got super into. After about this record my interest feel right off.

S.o.t.D. - Gammaland – Legion Of Green Men

Gammaland – Legion Of Green Men

It’s not even anything to do with these fellas being friends and my name appearing in the credits for this record – this is an awesome record and song. So evocative.

Signage: Rotblotts

Went by the terrific Rotblott’s in Toronto on Saturday. It had been far too long since I last went. Love that store. Like that sign too.

S.o.t.D. - Busy Child – Crystal Method

Busy Child – Crystal Method

This sort of bombastic, mid 90s big name electronica, like Prodigy and Josh Wink, I can only handle in small doses. After about the 2 minute mark, I’ve had enough of this track.

S.o.t.D. - Whales Tails – Cocteau Twins

Whales Tails – Cocteau Twins

Whatever else can be said about them, their sound was totally unique and I don’t think anyone has managed anything like it since.

S.o.t.D. - Caffeine Sunshine – Rithma

Caffeine Sunshine – Rithma

Finding gems like this was partly why I used to get stuff from Om Records, sound unheard, because I knew it was always quality.

S.o.t.D. - Glow – Govinda

Glow – Govinda

Everything else I’ve heard from this artist has been spectacular, and this is no exception.

S.o.t.D. - Ape Man (Feat. Marsden) – Mr. Jones

Ape Man (Feat. Marsden) – Mr. Jones

Nothing so spectacular, but would certainly move a floor.

Let’s See Those Tips

Piece by Old 5 and Dime Sign Company, that Andrew picked up at the Detroit Tattoo Convention.

S.o.t.D. - Last Half of Forever – Doof

Last Half of Forever – Doof

On the less frenetic end of the goa spectrum.

Signage: Shoney’s Used Clothing

Bryce Huffman Mills Hardware Show

Bryce has some of his work up at Mills Hardware, and I went by the opening.

S.o.t.D. - Collateral Damage – ill.Gates

Collateral Damage – ill.Gates

Can’t get enough of this funky, glitchy, bassy stuff.

S.o.t.D. - At A Loss – Vevo

At A Loss – Vevo

Gorgeous piano piece.

S.o.t.D. - Fool to Cry – The Rolling Stones

Fool to Cry – The Rolling Stones

A looong time ago, I was quite fond of their sixties to mid seventies stuff. But I haven’t paid attention or re-visited any of that stuff since. Starting to listen again. Undeniably great.

S.o.t.D. - Demon’s Theme – LTJ Bukem

Demon’s Theme – LTJ Bukem

Classic tune. Featured in the “remake” of Day of the Jackal with Bruce Willis (trust me, the original was about a 1000 times better), in the Russian night club scene.

S.o.t.D. - Hellraiser Theme – Coil

Hellraiser Theme – Coil

The great Coil were friends with Clive Barker and he approached them to record the sound track to Hellraiser. The studio however rejected it. In keeping with my Coil obsession, I have this in a 10" vinyl and CD copy.

Each one proudly proclaims:
“The only group I’ve heard on disc, whose records I’ve taken off because they made my bowels churn.” – Clive Barker

S.o.t.D. - Le Chant Des Sirenes – Jaia

Le Chant Des Sirenes – Jaia 

Has a bit of a Deep Forest feel to it, ethno-techno-ish.

Signage: Trucks Danger Blow Horn

I know it’s silly, but I think I almost like signs more, the more faded they are. Found at the Cotton Factory on Sherman.

S.o.t.D. - White Lights (feat. Kate Schroder) – Override

White Lights (feat. Kate Schroder) – Override

Love the expansive, airy feel of this.

S.o.t.D. - Three Blind Mice – Skinny Puppy

Three Blind Mice – Skinny Puppy

Just those booming drums alone.

S.o.t.D. - Deep Velvet – Chris & Cosey

Deep Velvet – Chris & Cosey

I liked the album this is culled from, Trust. Late 80’s when many of the late 70’s and early 80’s electronic and industrial acts I had been listening to, began reacting to and also helping to shape the newer sounds/styles then emerging. Sadly, my interest in them dropped off after this album. 

S.o.t.D. - Put Yourself In Los Angeles – Chris & Cosey

Put Yourself In Los Angeles – Chris & Cosey

Loads of artists from this genre and era used samples of preachers. This one being Gene Scott.

S.o.t.D. - Seventy Six – Frank Dixon

Seventy Six – Frank Dixon

Juicy. If I had this on vinyl, I’d slow it down a bit. But the essential elements are there.

S.o.t.D. - Bruised Skies – FRBNK

Bruised Skies – FRBNK

I don’t love this. It’s okay though.

S.o.t.D. - Tripped (Synkro remix) – DFRNT

Tripped (Synkro remix) – DFRNT

S.o.t.D. - Mr. Mistake (Boards Of Canada Remix) – Nevermen

Mr. Mistake (Boards Of Canada Remix) – Nevermen

Nevermen is TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe, Anticon experimental rapper Doseone, and Mike Patton of Faith No More, Fantômas, Mr. Bungle, and a few dozen other off-kilter rock acts. And the first single off their album has been remixed by the great Boards of Canada.

S.o.t.D. - Music Is Music – Technimatic

Music Is Music – Technimatic

Some music tends to be better than others. Like this.

New pet

Bryce was down in the basement of the shop, and saw a little pile of dust. He thought something looked weird about it, and got closer. It scurried away.

Andrew caught it and took it home. Turns out it’s a Chilean Rose Haired Tarantula. The people at the exotic pet store said it likely hadn’t eaten anything in a long time due to the small size of the thorax. It’s been devouring crickets at a voracious pace. No idea how the thing got there.

S.o.t.D. - Under The Influence – Elle King

Under The Influence – Elle King

Gritty and soulful.

The rise of mending: how Britain learned to repair clothes again

Interesting article in The Guardian about the return of mending garments. Explores the multitude of reasons why people are returning to what was once a common practice: repairing your clothing.

The rise of mending: how Britain learned to repair clothes again

S.o.t.D. - For A Time I Was You – Etherwood

For A Time I Was You – Etherwood

Track is great, and the video is beautiful.

S.o.t.D. - Dance With Me – Sound Stream

Dance With Me – Sound Stream

4 on the floor booty shaker.

Owl Bead Sinnet

After recently taking apart my Spyderco Tenacious to clean it and sharpen it, I needed to put a new fob on it. Over time they become a bit ratty looking. (The old one.) And, I also had a new bead I wanted to use. Went past Tundra Leather and found an owl bead.

S.o.t.D. - Dead River – Fingers In The Noise

Dead River – Fingers In The Noise

S.o.t.D. - Response – Tip D’Oris & Spacebeat

Response – Tip D’Oris & Spacebeat

S.o.t.D. - Micro Radiation – Oblomov

Micro Radiation – Oblomov

Woho! That point between 2:20 and 2:40....mwahhhhhh

S.o.t.D. - All or Nothing (Wrm Remix) – Blu Mar Ten

All or Nothing (Wrm Remix) – Blu Mar Ten

Deepness.

DeviantArt is a cage of shit-flinging monkeys.

The best thing about DeviantArt is that anyone can upload their art. 
The worst thing about DeviantArt is that anyone can upload their art.

For some reason I decided to put a portfolio on DeviantArt. I have one on Behance and Coroflot. Figured what the hey - it’s free, spread the net a little further, can’t hurt.

But then I started to really look around.

Good grief, does that place ever suck.

I thought the delusional dilettante I had to endure at the dildo factory was an exception. An overgrown pre-pubescent, monomaniacally obsessed with japanime and cosplay, who spent 8 years in post secondary art education to produce art that was so utterly shitty, it was cringe inducing. No, the place is full of these dorks.

James Jean or Android Jones or JungGi Kim could post something on there, and one person might like it. Do some heinous, amateurish imitation of some Japanese video game character aimed at children, and hundreds of these idiots will chime in to blow pixie dust up one another’s furry butt plug distended assholes about how great it is.
“LIKE OMG I LUVVV IT!! ITS THE BEST THING I EVR SAW!!”
“U R LYK TH3 3l337 h4x0r D3vi4nt 4r7ist.”

It’s a ginormous goddamn cirlejerking cesspool of shitty fanart, lame furries, prattling weeaboos, immature fangirls, japanime dweebs, cosplaying dorks, and let’s not forget emo poets. Rule 34 abounds on that site.

Oh I know....Vree...why do you have to be such an asshole? They’re just having fun and just let them draw what they like.

Because it’s trite and pathetic, and does absolutely nothing to advance art. I have sketchbooks filled with crappy thumbnail sketches and doodles. Some of them might get scanned and posted somewhere to demonstrate a progression of an idea. The evolution of a logo from a concept to finished, polished product. But most of these hacks - that’s all they’ll ever post. Work of a completely mediocre calibre that will never be polished or evolve. And worst of all, it’s a bunch of self referential and self reverential masturbation. While you might argue these are the nascent efforts of children, (which belongs on the fridge of their parents - nowhere else), most of these examples are seemingly from adults. Amateurish drivel from Wapanese fursona creators doesn’t need to be spread like the flung shit of caged monkeys.

This is what was so clearly evident (well, save for the idiot who hired her) about little miss make believe I had to work with. At the age of 8 or so, she discovered My Little Pony and Sailor Moon. She somehow got the idea that since she loved it so much that she should do it. Do art of it. Except...she hasn’t got a shred of artistic ability. Oh sure, mommy and daddy encouraged their little princess by telling her how talented she is. And the shysters at the colleges she attended were more than delighted to take her tuition money, even though she sucked hairy (Sonic the) hedgehog balls. And she surrounds herself with other socially inept dorks who love this shit too, who blow more smoke up her ass. And other dweebs on things like Deviant Art will tell her:
“OMG I ♥ ur wurk”
“Gaaaaaaaaahhh!! OMG! I loooove it!!! Miyavi-desu ... aishiteru!!!!”
“OMFG! I'm die, LOVE IT!!”

Oh and some halfwit will hire her, which will just go further to not disabusing her of her pretensions. Fuuuuuuccckkkkk......