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.

S.o.t.D. - Sonar – Trace

Sonar – Trace

A track that could have fit perfectly on Torque – or be mixed in with stuff from it.

When it kicks in properly at 2:16 – holy moly!

S.o.t.D. - Big Jesus Trash Can – The Birthday Party

Big Jesus Trash Can – The Birthday Party

I think the only way to experience a song this shambolic is with a live version. One of those “if I could go back in time 35 years” bands.

S.o.t.D. - Longue Route – Young Gods

Longue Route – Young Gods

How the heck have I missed Young Gods? Love these guys.

S.o.t.D. - Narayan – The Prodigy

Narayan – The Prodigy

This entire album is incredible. To whit.

S.o.t.D. - If We Ever – High Contrast

If We Ever – High Contrast

Reminds me a little bit of Nookie, with those rollicking drums and the tinkly piano bits.

S.o.t.D. - Links – The Chameleon

Links – The Chameleon

One of the many guises of Mark Pritchard and Tom Middleton – aka Global Communication, aka Reload, aka Jedi Knights, aka Secret Ingredients...and many others.

That “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it” from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off has been used in at least three or four other tracks I know of.

Sosoetry: Niece A

I’m likely not very objective, but I think my nieces are pretty fantastic. Smart, funny and I will have to beat the bejeesus out of any boys who dare look at them. I wrote one of these goofy things about the oldest one, Niece J, and I was advised by the other one that I should write one about her for her birthday.

cute as a proverbial button
with a wit that is quite cuttin’
smart as a zinging whip
ready with a funny quip
when she sings it’s mellifluous and on key
when she laughs she brays like a donkey
one subject best left unspoken
is how often her arms have broken
there is sometimes some sisterly rivalry
expressed by a wailing “Joahoaseeeee!”
she sometimes displays too much sass
but always does very well in class
is there anything she doesn’t know?
whether it’s the mass of Pluto
the pH of alkali
or the square root of π
she must have some mystery disease
because she simply doesn’t love cheese
its nutritiousness she disses
thinks a sandwich of peanut butter and banana 
is not a delightful form of heavenly manna
its deliciousness she misses
her mom won’t quite let her be a vegetarian
but she encourages her to be a veterinarian
Annie gets straight A’s in all her courses
but what she really loves are horses
an expert on any and all matters equine
her bedroom is a veritable horse shrine
one thing she adores above all else is riding 
it appears to be a passion all abiding
she’s always ready to wield that scoop
to clean up a barn full of purebred poop
“but mom can’t I have an adorable pony?
I’m sure we could keep it in the shed
I’ll live on Wonder bread and baloney
and give up my dinner to keep it fed”
to her uncle she’s mean and cruel
telling him he’s weird and unusual
rolls her eyes and calls him silly 
when he can’t identify colt or filly

S.o.t.D. - Look At Yourself – Synkro

Look At Yourself – Synkro

Another of those artist like Phaeleh whose body of work is really impressing me at the moment.

S.o.t.D. - Handfasting – Sysyphe

Handfasting – Sysyphe

Don’t know if it’s quite as good as another of their tracks I’ve posted, Sinking, but good nonetheless.

S.o.t.D. - Don’t Wanna Lose You – Seba

Don’t Wanna Lose You – Seba

Bouncy

S.o.t.D. - Wanderlust – Hedflux

Wanderlust – Hedflux

Evan from Bluetech just turned me on to this. Excellent.

Adventure Is Calling

One Shane Black took a 2 month, 13000 mile road trip around the U.S., going through 32 states and 13 parks, recording lots of beautiful imagery along the way. Seeing it in person is always preferable, but if that isn’t possible, hopefully this will whet your appetite to get out into nature yourself.

S.o.t.D. - Elephant – Tame Impala

Elephant – Tame Impala

Lazy comparison: John Lennon singing with Pink Floyd.

Still not entirely sure I get Tumblr

I registered on Tumblr ages ago, but have never done anything with it.

 

I finally did something with it today. Well, sort of.

The odd time I have ended up there, it just seems like Pinterest in that it is people endlessly reposting other people’s stuff. Rarely is it anything they’ve done.

 

It just seems like one big circle jerk.

For this blog, I try to post my own stuff. Oh sure, I will post a link to something I find interesting, embed a cool video, etc., but at the very least I try to offer a little enticement, why I found this compelling, etc. And the vast majority of words and images are my own. Good, bad, mediocre - they’re my own. I’m not going around endlessly hitting “re-blog” on other people’s stuff, and pretending that it’s content. When I see that an image has been re-blogged dozens of times, and any area of interest has the same bunch of Tumblr blogs endlessly repeating one another’s stuff, I wonder what the point is. 

S.o.t.D. - Rings Around Saturn (@ 33.3 RPM) – Photek

Rings Around Saturn (@ 33.3 RPM) – Photek

A lot of drum & bass 45s sound incredible played at 33. Case in point: Photek’s brilliant Rings Around Saturn played at 33 is a sublime ambient track. 

My all time favourite mix tape (and I have listened to a LOT of mix tapes in my time) is one my pal Jarkko did called Slow Speed Dubbing where he mixed a set using D&B 45s played at 33. 

Sew For Victory Poster

I wouldn’t mind getting a reproduction of this.

S.o.t.D. - Rings Around Saturn – Photek

Rings Around Saturn – Photek

There is a pretty good Peshay & Decoder remix of this, but I still think the original is the best version. I think what impressed me about this track is the tension in it: there are hauntingly beautiful sounds, at odds with disjointed, off kilter rhythms. And somehow it totally works.

Karma and Paying it Forward

Had an interview yesterday. Rymal and Upper Ottawa. Took the bus. The #22. It turns off into an industrial park, and meanders around before coming back to where I needed to be. Decided to get off where it turns and just walk the rest of the way. A #22 bus went by me. That was really fast for it to do that loop, I thought. A minute later it hit me like a punch in the face. I had put my portfolio case on the seat beside me and walked off the bus without it. “Oh, you prize winning idiot!” Looked back the way the bus had gone. Curse words were uttered. At the intersection I needed to be, I saw a #22 bus pull up. “Oh please let that be it.” Got on and sure enough, there was my book. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!”
 
Besides the potential of permanent loss, or having to go out to their depot way out by their airport to retrieve it, it would have looked pretty stupid to show up and have to say “Yeah I’ve done stuff, but the proof rode away after I didn’t pay attention and forgot it.”

So after that, I decided to walk home. I had the time, it was a nice day, and I needed a good long trek. I found someones insurance and car registration papers later that afternoon. I thought the kind thing to do would be to return them. Karma and all that. The woman wasn’t in the phone book. Called the insurance company to see if maybe they might give me her phone number. No go. So I just went to where she lived, which is not too far away. No one home. No answering machine hooked up to the phone/door system. Went back a few times. Tried the super. No one home. No answering machine hooked up to their phone/door system. Getting a bit frustrated. Andrew tells me not to bother. “The insurance company will just send her some new ones. They send you 7 of the things anyway.” That may be, but the official government permit papers must be a total PITA to re-acquire? This morning I go back. No one home. Tried the super. He is home. Explain it to him. Comes and meets me at the door.
“Thanks. Where did you find them?”
“Herkimer and MacNab. I tried a few times yesterday, but no one is home and I can’t leave a message. I don’t want to come back repeatedly if I can’t arrange a time to meet. I was hoping maybe you could slip it under her door or put it in her mail box.”
“Sure. Yeah she’s in the hospital, that’s why you couldn’t reach her.”

Maybe it was pointless to worry about it, but I figure it was my karmic good deed for the day.

All right back to kicking puppies!

S.o.t.D. - The Outernationalist – Thievery Corporation

The Outernationalist – Thievery Corporation

Rebuke the wind and chastise thunder!

They pack a lot of goodness into 3½ minutes.

Hand Pillar Drill

In a lot of cases I prefer hand tools over power tools. For any number of reasons. Lighter, easier to store and transport, can be used anywhere, quieter, often easier to maintain and clean, no batteries to die, no cords that are too short, they’re often times safer to use, more delicate operations are possible, usually they’re cheaper, etc., etc. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to use tools that are a century old. (I have tools that were my grandfathers.) I know for a certain fact that the power drill you bought recently won’t be cherished by your grandchildren. The aesthetics of forged metal and shaped wood are usually more pleasing than molded plastic.

One tool I have that I like a lot (and use quite a bit for the building of the kayak) is a Schröder 9" eggbeater style hand drill. (Review from Makezine. Review from CoolTools.)

The always great Low Tech Magazine has an informative article on hand drills.
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/12/hand-powered-drilling-tools-and-machines.html

But one hand drill that I love, I don’t even own. My brother does. And it was my dads before that. I think it might be easier to state what my dad didn’t build with it.

It’s known as a hand pillar drill, or a hand drill press.

What’s neat about it is that it can be used as a drill press, (there are recessed drilled holes on the stand that allow it to be mounted to a bench) but flipped around the bottom and the post makes a serviceable handle.

I’ve hinted to my brother Martin, if he might, you know, will it to me. But I want to see if I can hunt something similar down in the mean time. I like it too much to wait a few decades.

But I know very little about its origins. I suspect it’s from Germany, either Theodor Genkinger from Nürtingen or Metabo. It might be a British or American make, but my zwei pfennings is on German manufacture.

The following two links are a chronicle of the effort of a British woodworker to get a very similar model back to working condition.
http://aggravatedwoodbutchery.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/fixing-hand-pillar-drill/
http://aggravatedwoodbutchery.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/fixing-hand-pillar-drill-2/
The following two links offer some more information about this style of drill if you’re interested
http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/hand-operated-pillar-drills-t53554.html
http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/pillar-drill-restoration-t45396.html

S.o.t.D. - Dangerous (Sons Of Mecha Vs. Digital Pimp Remix) – T-Power

Dangerous (Sons Of Mecha Vs. Digital Pimp Remix) – T-Power

Bassy! This sounds absolutely incredible over a club sound system.

The cover letter to end all cover letters.

This letter was dropped off a few years ago at the tattoo shop by a job seeker. Now I realize that clearly English is not this poor girl’s first language, but somehow I wonder if she makes any sense if she were writing this in her own tongue. I know I probably shouldn’t be chuckling about this, but I offer this to all of you as a cautionary example of how not to write a cover letter. Although I have to say, save for one, all the words were spelled properly at least. Just the grammar and the syntax are utterly out of whack. And in case you were wondering, her resume was as disjointed and bizarre as this.

My intent of achievement for individual employment is to find a good work related experience. An opportunity of past and present involvement quality to gain work related experience. Motivation and success by individual ability and participation. To qualify for work complete and complex content based approach with experience related reliable and professional candidate validated by employment. As an employee work effective and responsible. A positive atmosphere of environment that is work related. Work day to day hourly basis. Weekly income is necessary. Secured financial income comparative wages exceeds minimum wage with benefits and availability of extra hours. Location local based only not willing to travel over any necessary circumstance will I travel. I need the necessary and reliable involvement and the creative aspects to improve the growth and the improvement of oneself to gain work related experience threw the knowledge of oneself to develop more knowledge and understanding of the stasis and the structure to recognize the learning ability and the general growth in personable acknowledgement and the intent in morale understanding of perfection or close to it. I hope to prosper in life as an individual and to develop a better sense of security both in life a financial to maintain ability to gain work related structure and content. An opportunity of great prospects for my future career my inspiration is to become sociable eneurpeur and complex personable and very energetic and enthusiastic individual and experienced in many different fields of general personable availability of communication and personable intent of career driven and ambitions and personable achiever.

All the best to you and your business well being of self and health

Thank you for your time

(Name redacted)

Hopeful employee

S.o.t.D. - Planetary Deadlock (Richard Dorfmeister’s Belevedere Dub) – Beanfield

Planetary Deadlock (Richard Dorfmeister’s Belevedere Dub) – Beanfield

S.o.t.D. - Hands – Koda

Hands – Koda

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming.

I thought the track I posted yesterday by Koda was incredible. This is off the charts. This has to be one of the creamiest pieces of music I’ve heard in a long time.

My first and only trip to a speakeasy

Friends who worked in the entertainment industry told me that speakeasies were a fairly common thing in Toronto. Or boozecans as they were called in the local vernacular. Either for people who didn’t want to stop drinking when the government told them to stop, or for those who worked in bars and restaurants and wanted to go get a drink when their work night ended.

I’d been going to raves for years by this point, which also operated on the fringes of legality - but the huge difference was that raves had no alcohol at them. One of the many reasons I liked them.

This all took place in 1996.

I went to a night my pals Bill and Alex put on at Lee’s Palace every Sunday evening. We hung out up in the DJ booth all night, which was accessed by a ladder up to a loft.

At some point in the evening Alex’s friend Barb came up. I wasn’t entirely sure if they were an item, hoping to become an item or just friends. She worked as a pro domme, but that wasn’t the freaky thing about her. The fact that she looked like Alex’ evil twin sister was.

She asked us if we wanted to go to a boozecan after. We all shrugged and said sure.

So after we tore down and packed up, we bundled into a cab and off we went.

I was living on Stanley Terrace at the time, by King and Strachan. Turns out this place was on Stanley Terrace right on the other side of King. I could have lobbed a softball and hit it. And I never even knew it was there. I imagine the place was torn down years ago for condos.

Barb knocks on the door, a peep hole opens up, she gives the password and in we go. The doorman was huge. Like I mean really huge. I’m a big guy, but he was mammoth. We pass a room where two big, mean looking guys are sitting on a couch, watching porn. Standing on either side of the couch are two women wearing vertiginous heels and skirts that came about a millimeter below their hooha.

We go into the most charmless room imaginable, with white plastic patio furniture and TVs showing football games. And other than the two charming gents and their girlfriends, we were the only ones in there. The bored, haggard looking waitress comes over. 

“What’ll it be.” 

Alex asks what’s on the menu.

“Vodka or whiskey.”

“Do you have any beer, soft drinks...?”

“Vodka or whiskey.”

“Orange juice maybe...?”

“Vodka or whiskey.”

“Coffee?”

“Vodka or whiskey.”

“Okay.....”

I piped up. “Could we have a moment to decide. So many choices. It’s all a bit overwhelming.”

Now I should say that we were all, very, uhm, how to put this.......thoroughly and completely toasted. I’m not much of a drinker at the best of times, and neither of those two choices were all that appealing. A beer I could have gone for, but hard liquor, definitely not.

“Listen, thanks for the invite into this fascinating cultural experience, but I’ve seen all I need to see. I baked a peach pie earlier today, which should be nicely cooled off. I got some new records last night. Anyone who wants to come over and have a cup of tea, a slice of pie and listen to some tunes is welcome to come over.”

Bill, who lived close by also came over, and Alex stayed to hang out with his girlfriend/evil twin sister.

So that was my one and only time hanging out in a boozecan, an experience which I think took less than three minutes in total.

S.o.t.D. - The Last Stand – Koda

The Last Stand – Koda

This is really slow, and melancholy, and so unbelievably good. Those completely gonzo, yet through treacle, echo-y drums - WOW!

Codex Seraphinianus by Luigi Serafini

About 15 years ago I was at my friend Jean-Marc’s house, when he thrust a most peculiar book into my hands, the Codex Seraphinianus. It was interesting, but it didn’t rock my world. I wondered if I needed to be on a lot of LSD to get it. In the intervening years I’ve had other opportunities to peruse it again and my appreciation for it has grown. Watching the videos below a few nights back gave me an even better sense of what a huge work it is.

I suspect many will dismiss it as too weird to be taken seriously, but the amount of thought and effort that went into it is astonishing. It really can’t be dismissed so easily. Not at 400 pages it can’t. This is not the disjointed rambling of a mere kook, but the cohesive vision of a capable artist.

It’s a world that seems plausible, yet...isn’t; machines that seem viable, yet....aren’t; flora and fauna that might exist, yet....can’t.

Is it a comprehensive encyclopedia of an alien world? The visual recordings of nightmares? The travelogue of a psychedelic experience? The scribbled notes of a lunatic? The production drawings for the most surreal movie of all time? Who knows. With its own unique alphabet and language that no one has ever deciphered, it’s impossible to tell.

It’s one of those books that likely baffles book stores and libraries. Is it art, science fiction, fantasy, surrealism?

Several editions have been published since its original appearance in 1981. First editions have gone for as much as $5000. Now a new edition from Rizzoli is about to hit the market, with all new material. Link to Amazon.
Just a few pictures.

And video flip throughs of the book.

S.o.t.D. - So High – Ghost Loft

So High – Ghost Loft

This song is likely not a huge hit on commercial radio all over the world. Proof positive the world is messed up.

S.o.t.D. - Walk – Ludovico Einaudi

Walk – Ludovico Einaudi

I learned of this through a Phaeleh remix of it. Now I love Phaeleh a lot, but I had to wonder what the original was like. And to be honest, it wasn’t so different, and frankly liked the original a bit more.

What happens when you pour molten aluminum into an anthill?

While I’m sure some will weep for the poor immolated ants, the resulting reveal of what an ant colony looks like is amazing.

S.o.t.D. - See Your Face – Total Science (feat. Riya)

See Your Face – Total Science (feat. Riya)

I’ve gotten to the point of checking out anything Riya sings on. Almost guaranteed to be quality.

S.o.t.D. - More Jah Songs (RSD Remix) – Dubkasm

More Jah Songs (RSD Remix) – Dubkasm

Helicopter Canada

It seems appropriate to put this up, what with me posting a track yesterday by the great Boards of Canada, who have stated that their name was inspired by fond childhood memories of watching National Film Board of Canada productions.

I also recall watching this as a child in school, shortly after moving to Canada, and it shaping my view of Canada. It was already about a decade old by the time I saw it, but that was a view of the place that was planted in my head. Like Paddle To The Sea, another NFB production that did a lot to shape my view, albeit perhaps a slightly romantic one, of this amazing country I now live in.
                       

Helicopter Canada by Eugene Boyko, National Film Board of Canada

S.o.t.D. - White Cyclosa – Boards of Canada

White Cyclosa – Boards of Canada

Finally grabbed Tomorrow’s Harvest, and it’s pretty vast sounding. They’re not necessarily mining any new veins - it is unmistakeably B.o.C. - but I’m a huge fan of their sound, so I’ve been digging it.

S.o.t.D. - Substance – Soular Order

Substance – Soular Order

Boston Dynamics Wildcat

This is the sort of military technology that I can’t wait to filter down to civilians.

(You might want to turn the sound down on this, because it’s an annoyingly loud 2 stroke engine.)

It doesn’t have to be that big, it doesn’t have to be that fast, but it does have to be quiet. But if I could get a quadrapedal robot that could carry hundreds of pounds and run on an electric motor powered by solar panels; that would be the most fantastic hiking companion ever. (Okay, okay, besides a foxy babe who thinks I’m charming and handsome.) If I could walk with just a day pack and let it carry my gear, or carry a pack myself and let it carry more stuff to allow me to extend my range; that would be amazing.

Boston Dynamics has several videos up of the robotic prototypes they’ve been working on. They’re alternately fascinating and creepy.

Earth: Seen From ISS Expeditions 28 & 29

Any sort of imagery taken by the Hubble Telescope, any space probe, lunar missions, the International Space Station – can’t get enough of them. Completely epic.

Case in point.

Tuneage is good too.

The repair that wasn’t to be

A few years ago I had Sports Sewing Shop out on Gerrard in Toronto fix a Chlorophylle GoreTex jacket for me. It needed a new zipper, and there were a few very small holes. They did an excellent job and it ended up running me about $50 for everything. That’s reasonable. Certainly compared to having to buy a brand new jacket. I picked it up on Thursday night, didn’t need it on the Friday, and on Saturday I went up north with two friends to put a canoe in storage. I walked out of my building, which had a handle that you turn down to open the front door. I pushed it open, walked through, the handle caught the sleeve of my jacket and “rrrriiiiiiippppppp!!!!” Whole sleeve, about 350° around, ripped right through. No repair was going to fix it. I think people three blocks over must have heard my scream of anguish. I don’t even think I got 5 minutes use out of my repaired jacket.

For a brief moment I had the idea to remove the sleeves and use it as a vest, and then realized that was a silly idea. 

So, I ended up wasting $50 and having to fork over the money for a new jacket in the end anyway.

Ratballs

Artspiration: David Palumbo

Spent a fun evening with a friend browsing through a bunch of new art books. One of them was the second book by David Palumbo, Quickie 2, a follow up to his earlier, Quickie.

Compared to his more elaborate commercial work, these are much simpler, done, as the titles would suggest, quickly. They’re all of women, in a variety of poses, undressed and partially undressed. They’re all very tasteful, and despite the restrained detail, they sparkle with life. They are clearly the work of someone who really knows how to paint with oil.

His work (usually book and game covers) appears regularly in Spectrum, and it is always excellent. And there is a lot of great work in each annual. 

His website can be found here:
http://www.dvpalumbo.com/

He also has a blog, and two things impressed me about it.
Some of his posts have a GIF that shows the whole process of his working method.
Fed
Terrible Weakness

And some of his posts are excellent tutorials.
My process for photographing artwork and how to do it for under $300
So you plan to commission a book cover?

The other thing that surprised me is that he packs a lot of detail into small pieces: 12"x18", 16"x24", 11"x14"

One painting in particular, Through The Blood Red Veil, really impressed me. The colour, the structure, just everything about it. Another post where he shows the entire process.

S.o.t.D. - Control – Disclosure (feat. Ria Ritchie)

Control – Disclosure (feat. Ria Ritchie)

Super funky garage.

The Limits of Plastic Hardware

The weak point on sewn goods is always the plastic hardware. The breaking strength of Cordura, webbing, even the stitching itself is many times stronger than any buckle, loop, etc. made out of plastic, even if it is a higher quality example like acetal.

I’ve personally tried to destroy buckles, hung some up in my workshop with weights hung from them, etc. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the fact that the two 2" buckles on the Messenge’mups that suspend the bag from the shoulder strap have held up fine. They often have a good chunk of weight hanging from them, and my worry that they would break have not been borne out.

One type of buckle I’ve been curious how much it could withstand is the Siamese SlikClip. It was proven on Friday night. Trying to fold my freakishly long frame into a Mazda 3, the back edge of the NyfFyrLyt on my belt caught on the door frame. I wasn’t even so aware of it until I heard the sound of plastic snapping. I couldn’t tell you exactly how much force was applied. I’m sure it’s a complicated formula. 250 pound guy, metal car, the strength of the belt I had on, the strength of the webbing the buckles were attached to. But in practical terms, it wasn’t that much force.

Now in some ways it’s good that plastic buckles break fairly easily. My general outlook is that when there are instances where the plastic does break, something really kooky is happening, and I want it to break, because I am hung up on something, being dragged, etc. And yet there is also the aspect that I would like it to withstand day to day battering in non-critical situations. It’s always a bit of a trade-off. And part of it is just the design of the item it’s being used on. Was my use of it in that instance optimal? Could I have used something better? Redesigned the item? Whenever I make something I have to wear it for a few weeks/months and use it in its intended role to deduce what works and what doesn’t.

Another instance of one breaking, this time without any known incident that caused it.