daughters

a new home

2008-09-26T16:36:00.001-05:00

Calling Jorge Socarras ...

2008-08-05T10:23:00.005-05:00

I talked about your Indoor Life record a while back and you left a comment ...

Can you get in touch please? And if anyone reading this is in contact with Mr. Socarras, I'd love it if you could pass on the message ... it would be much appreciated!

Thank you ....

night flight

2008-07-18T16:58:00.003-05:00

Hey Everyone

I was gonna post this to advertise the party, but due to unexpected circumstances, Tim Sweeney won't be making it to Toronto tonight. We've arranged a makeup date for Friday September 5th at Wrongbar. I'm bummed that Tim can't make it, but it will still be a great night - Nav and I will still be playing, and we've got Andy Capp (of Bang the Party) on board as well. So if you were planning on coming, you totally still should - no cover before midnight!!!!!

Diana Est - Tenax 1983

2008-06-30T15:50:00.002-05:00

awesome italian pop song. love the vocals. nice haircut and dress too!

heard this one recently via morgan geist's 'personal' series of radio shows. check em out

this weekend

2008-06-30T01:50:00.006-05:00

ERIC D (Still Going/ Rub n Tug)!!!!!

MONTREAL
Loose Joints welcomes Eric Duncan
with Why Alex Why, David Shaw and Davey Lahteenmaa
Friday, July 4, 2008
10:00pm - 3:00am
Zoobizarre
6388 St Hubert (metro beaubien)
$8

TORONTO
7th Heaven welcomes Eric Duncan
with Nacho Lovers (Fool's Gold)
Saturday, July 5, 2008
11:00pm - 2:00am
(as part of the Breaks, Beats & Culture Festival)
The Brigantine Room, Harbourfront Center
235 Queens Quay W
no cover

athene

2008-06-24T22:52:00.003-05:00

she's the woman of war
she gives us the reasons
reasons worth fighting for

athene
she offers protection
she taught me how to make

make my life's reflection

how i yearn for her wisdom
i look in every face
the grey eyes the gentle kiss
i look for the safe place

athene
not perfect but so strong
warring with her own heart
singing a woman's song

athene
with her hands she could give
through the battles of her life
she showed me how to live

how i yearn for her wisdom
i look in every face
the grey eyes the gentle kiss
i look for the safe place

[under her watchful eye
we reside in comfort
knowing she will bring
an end to the fighting

athene steps in
with one shot she takes down
that bloodlust, that greed
on the side of sense of
co-operation]

almost a year and a half after hearing this song for the first time and immediately falling in love with it, i'm happy to say that andy butler's hercules & love affair record is finally in my hands! it looks and sounds amazing and i can't wait to see the band play live.

Awesome!

2008-06-19T12:51:00.002-05:00

"Dance music's basement", DJ History, now has a blog! Check it out:

http://djhistoryuk.blogspot.com/

Yoko Ono - Cut Piece 1965

2008-06-16T11:54:00.002-05:00

An edited video turned up on Youtube recently, and here it is. Just mute the dance track they've added.

new Lindstrom

2008-06-10T20:25:00.005-05:00

the long way home (prins thomas edit) - lindstrom (2008)

from the forthcoming album 'where you go i go too'

sounds frickin BEAUTIFUL

women of the world

2008-06-10T01:57:00.002-05:00

italian tv is obviously a very exotic affair (witness the celetano vid that made the net rounds a few months back) ... it's nice that they figured if people were gonna lipsync the show itself better be pretty "WOW".

here's some tripped out vids of a couple of ladies who i never thought i'd see in performance ... yay youtube!

gal costa thrashing and writhing with some costumed weirdos dancing around her in a lot of dry ice ...

asha puthli working it out in a see through top and making the most of the wind machine. can you say "making love to the camera"???

dunno who patty pravo is ... but i'm glad i clicked on this video! draaaamaaaaa

remember this one?

2008-06-06T17:09:00.001-05:00

sooooo good right?

maybe i'll go see Mr. Lonely

QUIET VILLAGE @ Mutek, Montreal

2008-06-03T11:06:00.003-05:00

COSMIC METAL MOTHER

2008-05-28T14:11:00.001-05:00

who are you?

new STICKYDISC traxx ....

2008-05-20T23:06:00.001-05:00

sounding really good

really feeling those WATUSSI songs, especially "if all we had was love" ....

snap!

2008-05-19T16:34:00.002-05:00

i really wanted to fly down for this show ...

hercules & love affair live @ studio b, may 17 2008

BLIND

HERCULES THEME

CLASSIQUE #2

Arthur Russell WILD COMBINATION screening @ ROM this Sunday + afterparty @ the Beav

2008-05-14T16:11:00.003-05:00

i just bought my ticket to the screening over the phone!

WILD COMBINATION

+
Arthur Russell After Party
following the Inside Out Film Premiere
Sunday May 18th
Joel Gibb from the Hidden Cameras
Glissandro 70
Projections
more tba

@ the Beaver

http://youtube.com/watch?v=U5tM1coZr4k

i had no idea

2008-05-11T21:29:00.006-05:00

via discogs

"Alain Patrick, Aug 18, 2007

Every treasure hides its own secrets. Sometimes, these secrets may be astonishing as the treasure itself. Reputed among the most amazing tunes released by Lil' Louis ever, "Video Clash" has quite a story - and few, very few know its true extension.

The first time I heard about "Video Clash" story was on an interview I made with Tyree where he said that he did his "Video Crash" classic because he had heard that Lil' Louis released the original version of "Video Clash" which was produced by Marshall Jefferson, so he, Tyree Cooper, wanted to do one that was better than Lil'Louis one, so he did "Video Crash". Mike Dunn did something similar based on the same concept of "Video Clash" and made "Magic Feet".

The natural reaction was hearing Marshall Jefferson's statement about the original of "Video Clash" in order to elucidate the matter. "Video clash I did in my living room while Lil' Louis was there. Kym Mazelle, Sterling Void, and four others were there. Kym Mazelle started singing "Fuck it, I don't even wanna sing!" over the track, and we were basically just having a jam session. Lil Louis lived really close to me; Fast Eddie was my next door neighbour - and he always complained that Ron Hardy got all my tracks first."

Marshall continued: "Well, he (Lil' Louis) was right there when I recorded "Video Clash" and he insisted that I give him a copy. At that time Lil Louis had the biggest parties in Chicago, where more than five thousand kids would regularly show up, so I gave him a copy to play. He took it home, took off Kym's vocals and edited it. Somehow, that piece of shit became his biggest record."

The other music that spread from "Video Clash" concept was explained by Marshall Jefferson as well: "Soon after, Mike Dunn did a ripoff of it called "Magic Feet", and Tyree Cooper did another ripoff ("Video Crash", and Tyree's testimonial about its history was almost the same of Marshall's), and at least five other ripoffs were circulating and I (Marshall) didn't want to put my version out because I didn't want people to think I ripped off somebody else, so I was ready to push it to the side and forget it."

What made him change his mind is his explanation about Lil Louis' arguments: "He (Lil' Louis) seemed extremely upset that the other versions came out, and asked me to put out the "original version" because he said people needed to hear it. I said no at first, then he said he would put it out for me and after lots of urging I just said - "Go ahead".

The producer of "Video Clash", Marshall Jefferson - the same man behind several other quintessential House tunes, reasoned about when the "Video Clash" was released: "When the record finally came out, my name was nowhere on it. Never received any money for it either. Recently, I asked for the rights to the song back and Lil' Louis gave me back the rights without a fight, so that was cool. There's very little money if any for it now, but at least I have the rights for justice's sake" - said the one who claims to be "Video Clash"'s true creator.

What amazed me the most was the opportunity I had recently to get into a Skype chat with Adonis and Marshall Jefferson and speak about many of these House classics. When we spoke about "Video Clash", Marshall phoned Kym Mazelle and put her telephone call on our Skype chat. Then, he started asking "Hey, Kym, remember the day when we were in my studio and I began producing "Video Clash", the one that you started singing? You know, the one that Lil' Louis took out our vocals and edited it, and released? I'm telling Alain the story..."

"Magic Feet" is such a well known house track. I remember hearing it alot when i first starting liking house music as a suburban preteen in the late 80's / early 90's, and it still gets played regularly now. I didn't clue into its lineage until recently, although i had most certainly heard "Video Crash" (guess i thought it was a remix?). Here are the 3 tracks for your perusal....

Magic Feet - Mike Dunn (1988)

Video Crash - Tyree (1988)

The Original Video Clash - Lil Louis/ Marshall Jefferson (1988)

and a few more track genealogies

sunday you need love

2008-05-05T14:17:00.000-05:00

monday be alone

cuz sometimes you wanna, sometimes you don't

baby you're so repulsive

2008-05-05T14:07:00.002-05:00

this weekend i was reminded how much i love the odd shitty rock band.

here is a video of san francisco's finest, CRIME, playing a show in a maximum security prison. this song is called "piss on yr dog" and it's one of my favorites.

if you were to ask me

2008-04-29T22:00:00.003-05:00

who my two favourite artists are whose material can consistently be found in the "inexpensive" bins of your local used record store, i'd say august darnell and gino soccio. they both put out a wealth of diverse, unique music, i pretty much always find something to like on their records, and there is always something that surprises and delights me.

the recently revived strut label has released a comp of darnell's work between the years of 1974 and 83 in april (don't ask me what 'female first' is, seriously just the link that yielded the most information), covering his work with dr buzzard, don armando, cristina, gichy dan, machine, aural exciters and of course, as kid creole and the coconuts. there is such a playfulness and intelligence in what he did ... "brilliant polyglot music and theatrical flair" is probably the best summation that i wouldn't ever have come up with.

i don't think i've ever heard anyone talk about the coconuts' "solo" record, but there are some fantastic cuts on it. the record was presented as a live stage show. not sure if this stage show was actually mounted and performed, but if it was, going over the liner notes is pretty impressive - about 50 people on horns and strings.

alot of darnell's lyrics are humorous takes on the interplay between men and women, and the final track on the record is an adam and eve story...

the glory that was eden - the coconuts (1983)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-04-02T18:20:00.002-05:00

disco ephemera

2008-03-28T02:09:00.003-05:00

i only show you the best shit right?

check it out:

NOSTALGIA MOLD

ANTON PERICH YOUTUBE CHANNEL

ANTON PERICH WEBSITE

new love

2008-03-25T13:25:00.002-05:00

adore this new roland appel track! these smooove deep house vocals aren't totally me, but the bassline, strong 4/4, and acid bits all make me think i'd be really happy to hear this on a dancefloor.

new love - roland appel (2008)

detroit

2008-03-22T02:28:00.002-05:00

so detroit came up in a little chat colin and i were having the other night, and i remembered these youtubes scott z (aka R E L A X E R) sent me last year around the time he came up to play discofantasy. they aired on a local program called the new dance show. these ones were my faves - everything about them is awesome, the music, the fashion, the dancing, it's all great.

man, i want one of those cut-out catsuits.

new ozon

2008-03-18T16:37:00.002-05:00

wtf is going on here? saw this preview before "funny games" (which blew, by the way. i left before it ended and i've never done that before).... and i was a bit taken aback. i've enjoyed a few of ozon's films in the past, but this looks ... different. for real, what's up with that font? i'm half expecting mariah carey to pop up in this movie with that pink "angel" titling.

high and low

2008-03-17T01:29:00.004-05:00

there's a demo of a new lindstrom and solale track at solale's myspace page and wowee! it is so pretty. sounds like perfect relaxed summer music. now it just needs to get warm. check it out:

high and low demo - lindstrom and solale (2008)

thanks to christoffer berg for djing with me last night, and to everyone who came by! so much great music and such a fun time :)

playing in the drake lounge tonite with guest christoffer berg/ pammy and lipstick cherry downstairs

2008-03-15T03:12:00.001-05:00

you may not know his name but you've probably heard his work on records by the knife, robyn and studio. christoffer is in town touring as part of jose gonzalez's band and he'll be my guest at the drake lounge tonite. he's a talented dj and producer in his own right, having thrown parties in his hometown of gothenburg, sweden for years. this is a totally impromptu, last minute spot ... so friends, pls come by and say hi! and pammy and wes allen are in the basement for lipstick, cherry ... so go say hi to them too!

christoffer's music ... http://www.myspace.com/hirdofsweden (most recent work being the melancholic "rotating perspective" and the more acidy "from dark to light")

hope to see some of you there!

4:15 am

2008-03-11T04:14:00.000-05:00

here are 2 dedicated to all the other late nighters out there, whatever your reasons may be...

old beat

2008-03-07T23:37:00.000-05:00

mr dougie boom recently posted that sick new zongamin video on my facebook with the caption "everything is coming up new beat".

new beat was something that absolutely wasn't on my radar until about a year ago, when i came across this compilation lp in one of my local haunts:

obviously i picked it up and took a look at the tracklist cuz it looked weird and interesting, and well ... that chick is blue. i found a bunch of names i didn't know and ... max berlin's "she and me" (yes, listed in english)?? i had a listen and found it was vaguely industrial, vaguely new wave, vaguely acid house, and definitely slow. anyway, once i got it home i started doing the requisite internet research on the genre known as new beat (as i am one of those obsessives that NEEDS to know where everything came from and why and how it happened) and came across a history documented over at jahsonic and wikipedia. i'm leaving it up to you to read those, but in light of the recent cosmic phenomenon, i found it interesting that one of new beat's major signifiers is that one of the era's djs played a 45rpm 12 inch at 33rpm +8 - and BAM! there was new beat.

anyway, here is the track that i liked the best off of that compilation.

we are all egyptians - explorers of the nile (1988)

the people who produced this track produced a zillion different songs under a zillion different aliases.

that new beat comp also boasted a really terrible take on jamie principle's "baby wants to ride" by an act called b-art. b-art included one renaat vandepapeliere, who went on to found r & s records (another piece of dance music history unto itself i guess). which brings me to another little artifact that i've been enjoying quite a bit lately ....

just for the sake of making a february 29th post

2008-02-29T14:25:00.000-05:00

(found at ffffound!)

a series of interviews

2008-02-28T01:57:00.003-05:00

apparently the february issue of spin has a feature called "the return of disco"?

here are the long form interviews, via beta blog:

morgan geist

mike simonetti

dj harvey

james murphy

thomas rub n' tug

johnny jewel

these rumblings of " the return of disco" are kind of seriously starting to weird me out.

i would tend to side with harvey in thinking it never went away ... just manifested itself in different forms. but of course, people need stuff to write about and i do understand the need to generate trends. reading these histories made me wax nostalgic. i was born in 77, my earliest memory of music is blondie, and i had the good fortune of living in a city that exposed me to house music at the age of 13. thank god for late nite radio and girls' brothers' 3rd gen house mixtapes. i spent my teens liking hip hop, rnb, house, and all kinds of raves (and a ton of other non dance related stuff. HELLO 90's indie rock!) .... learned about samples and eventually tracked it all back to funk, soul, rare groove, and disco. and then the power of the internet was unleashed upon me and i found out about all the european stuff. i wish i could say that i had spent time working in a record store, but i was always too nervous to apply. too bad for me.

you know, while "the return of disco" taglines are gimmicky, i have to say that it's kind of nice that there is an obvious continuum here and that it is NOT only dependent on youth culture. it's really quite cool that 50 something year olds like baldelli or loda can play alongside dudes half their age, and that people who are new to it are able to discover and recontextualize stuff in their own way.

anyway. i don't know if that's ALL the interviews (maybe not. he said he did heaps of them), but what i want to know is:

a. why didn't you interview any gay dudes?

b. why didn't you interview anyone under the age of 30?

c. is this the strictly white guy history of "the return of disco"?

d. why's it so american?

this whole series of dj interviews actually makes me want to start my own series of dj interviews called "do you dance?"

in other news, i bought my first set of turntables today. better late than never, right?

speaking of juan ....

2008-02-27T23:00:00.003-05:00

this is a pretty fun vid. good work guys.

quote: "Working on The Juan Maclean LP#2. Juan, Eric B/Baby Talk, Holy Ghost!. At dfa we take our claps VERY seriously. Please note that we do infact have rhythm but the audio and video is poorly sinced."

compare and contrast

2008-02-24T14:57:00.003-05:00

dubtribe sound system - do it now (2001)

to juan maclean's forthcoming single 'happy house'. found this on a message board so i thought i'd share the link with you guys. there's already been some discussion here and there about the similarities between the two, and they were even played side by side on bis. not sure if this is used as a sample or an interpolation or what ... but yeah, check it out! gorgeous track.

also, thanks to everyone who came out to the 7th heaven/ bad passion party with morgan geist and jeremy greenspan on friday - it was way fun! special thanks to gary for making it happen and for playing a great opening set and establishing once again why his record collection is internationally coveted. as for me, i got to wear my miura/ z-factor colored (see below) vintage dior dress continuing on in my recent tradition of sartorially overdoing it whenever i can. i have yet to find a pair of heels i can really throw down in though. beyonce i am not.

i love you boy don't be a meanie we'll do it in my lamborghini

2008-02-19T00:35:00.010-05:00

i can't believe they used THAT font on THAT car.

fast cars! - z factor (1984)

after finding those pictures of that miura, i came across an article where stefano pilati (yves saint laurent designer and personal fave) talks about what's sexy. at the end he states that buying yellow lamborghinis at 40 would just not be tasteful. and then, because it's stefano pilati, i started wondering about my taste. and then i listened to "fast cars!" again and remembered that song is totally not tasteful!

anyway, in the context of other jesse saunders related artifacts of proto house that i've heard (though it's not actually by him), this is a pretty bizarre track, like some weird version of new wave that doesn't exist outside this song. morgan geist played this on his last appearance on beats in space, which brings me to:

our next party ...

Seventh Heaven & Bad Passion welcome

MORGAN GEIST (Environ, NYC)

JEREMY GREENSPAN (Junior Boys)

+ Gary Abugan (Luna Park)

hosted by Will M & Jaime S

Friday February 22, 2008

@ WRONGBAR 1279 Queen W

$10 before 12

Adults Only

i dunno. do i really need to sell you on this one? the music will be exceptional, obviously. also, i am telling everyone right now that you should get to wrongbar early. don't say i didn't tell you so.

and if you live in ny, nj or any of the surrounding areas, please go to the environ bar mitzvah on march 1st at studio b and tell me how great it was and make me jealous. even if i had never heard of any of these guys before, the amazingness of this flyer would be enough to make me go.

oh. also! ... go to junior boys myspace to check out the new track, "no kinda man", that is included on their body language mix for get physical!

addendum***** http://acuterecords.com/BAR_MITZVAH.mp3

jesus christ.

2008-02-16T22:25:00.003-05:00

i totally forgot to wish you guys a happy valentine's day. can i make it up to you somehow?

it looks like love (dim's compiled edit) - vincent montana jr & goody goody (1978/ 2004)

there are a zillion different mixes and edits of this song (idjuts, club 89, etc etc), but i think this version is my favorite because of how dimitri used the vocals and strings. i played this on thursday and it was perfect!

let's get down ....

oh, also ... i'd like to point you in the direction of the prettiest box of chocolates i have ever seen. they taste yummy and are royalty approved too!

trembled blossoms

2008-02-12T14:09:00.001-05:00

this is a prada video to promote their spring/ summer 2008 line. when i heard it was gonna be creepy, i thought it was gonna be, you know ... creepy. instead we have cute animated sylph woman being given a prada handbag by cute animated satan. isn't there already a hollywood movie and book about the same thing? and it's all set to a soundtrack by cocorosie. geez.

new york story

2008-02-10T15:17:00.000-05:00

so i got back from america the other night. i was down for jeremy laing's fall/ winter 2008 show, where i was asked to do the music.

friday february 1st

somehow i managed to book 2 flights (coming and going) that both got cancelled due to snowstorms in toronto.

the view out my window ....

i've never experienced a de - icing before. i didn't even think a plane could take off in those conditions. they sprayed this stuff that looks like melted slushies all over the wings.

the flight there sucked. it only takes an hour or so to get to new york, and i'm pretty sure we spent about an hour de-icing on the runway, and another extra hour trying to land, because, as the captain said - another plane almost collided with ours as we were trying to land the first time. the cabin drop was nerve wracking and i was super nauseous.

anyway, it was only rainy when i got into the city. i arrived to the apartment to a scene of relative calm ...

the collection was looking good, and everyone was hanging out and getting together some last minute details. there were some late model fittings, and a quick trip out for unwinding drinks.

saturday february 2nd

show day! everyone else piles out for a 7am call time. i sleep a couple more hours.

the show is at the bumble and bumble building. it's a beautiful day out and there is a lovely view.

goodie bags ...

the view from my booth ...

chillin with alex, irene and erin after the show ...

the show was great, so many desirable pieces and beautiful prints and colors. i used glass candy's 'digital versicolor', lee douglas' 'new york story', and hercules and love affair's 'blind'. those of you who know me know that is pretty standard jaime fare, but the songs worked perfectly with the collection. unfortunately there isn't a video that is synced with the music ... but it was pretty incredible that this un-choreographed and premixed show worked out so that when ida sang "this is red red red red red" ... a red dress would come out ... and when she sang "this is violet, this is violet", a purple dress would come out. and the last model came out to the final strains of 'blind' .... it was perfect. i also did last season ... so if you wanna see that, click this!

(-*UPDATE!* - there is a synced video for this season's show!! YAY! watch it here! -)

that night i went to passerby to check out relaxer, tropical jeremy, lovefingers and nitedog ... and i am PIIISSED that i forgot my camera at home! what a great night of music and boozing and dancing. i guess that it's one of those things best left undocumented, only to live as a fond memory. passerby is this teensy place with a discofloor that runs the length of the bar, and those guys were playing what i can only describe as luscious, beautiful music. the sound is terrible, and there is static every time the cash register opens, which is alot, cuz they make some yummy drinks there. everybody was having a great time. and then we made it even better by going for pierogies at 5 am :)

sunday february 3rd

i went to greg's place on sunday. poor thing was very ill from food poisoning, had been up all night ... but for some reason was still impeccably dressed?

tamara and helene and i killed a few bottles of wine while greg winced the evening away on the couch. tamara, who is italian, showed me a video for a song that my ex used to play quite frequently. apparently this is one of the most famous performances on italian tv in the 70's ...

isn't that incredible?

monday february 4th

on monday i walked around the lower east side and soho, checking out shops and new collections. and eating at katz's. ... because i haven't been able to find a decent smoked meat sandwich in toronto yet. i still think schwartz's in mtl tops everything though. i talked myself out of buying ALOT of stuff ... which i sort of now regret. not that there will ever be a lack of stuff to buy.

that night we went to the chloe sevigny/ opening ceremony thing, where the slits played. i guess it was everything you'd expect it to be multiplied by 1400 capacity webster hall plus mobs of people all up and down the block plus every party "personality" who you've ever seen a picture of on the internet plus various actors, band members, fashion designers and art stars of negligible celebrity. i hear that 30 thousand people rsvped?

i accidentally wandered into the vip, which is sort of bewildering considering how difficult it was to get to anything at all in that place, it was so packed. i guess everybody knew each other in that area so i took quick advantage of the free vodka and booked back out to hang with jeremy, frank, erin, nina and pari. the music was refreshingly a mix of dancehall and punk (NOT trendy electro - phew!). i thought the slits did a pretty good job, i mean obvs they will never be the 1979 slits ... but i was happy to see that ari up will never fail us in the poom poom shorts and crazy hair department.

i wasn't gonna last in that place for more than a couple hours, so scott and miriam rescued me and we retired to some vacant, quiet bars to drink and laugh at life for a few more hours.

tuesday february 5th

why can't i remember what i did during the day on tuesday? i guess this trip was a bit more of a bender than i was expecting. oh well.

had a highly entertaining dinner with greg, michelle and eric b. it was lovely, and thanks to the waiter's ipod (and eric's keen spotting ability), i was re-aquainted with this one:

damn, what a gorgeous song. be sure to check out the lyrics too (if you're as into that sort of thing as i am).

we also went out to 205 chrystie for lovefingers and nitedog's record release. prince language and prince justin miller were playing their opening sets when we got there ...

... i caught greg and michelle gossiping ...

... nitedog werkin it out, doug lee feelin it, andrew luvfinga having a conversation ...

mans, the heavy metal disco viking, was there too ...

of course, i drank and danced my face off ... and it felt great!!!!!!!!! the next day ... not so much :(

wednesday february 6th

i was supposed to leave on wednesday, but my flight got canceled due to a massive snowstorm in toronto - a foot of snow or something? luckily, it was 20 degrees celcius in new york that day!! HOORAAYYY!!!!

i gotta say, you americans have really great trash television and round the clock take out food over there. i will be spending alot of guilty time on my treadmill working off everything i consumed in those 6 days.

so, my extra evening was spent eating super kosher vegetarian foods with greg ...

"hey, uh ... didn't you used to do door at the social?"

i was also happy to spend some extra time with susan ... we met up for drinks at home sweet home... where they were having a weird folk goth night? the performer was awful in a hilarious sort of way (we were entertained), but i liked what the dj was playing. i'm thinking it was the genre known as cold wave, which i know nothing about.

disco lights under the bar, lion's head on the bar ...

susan and those stunning green cat eyes ...

i got back to the apartment that night and freaked out when i couldn't find my passport. i woke greg up and convinced him to back to home sweet home with me ... luckily i found it in the stairwell of his building. i was flipping out a bit ... but kind of secretly happy that i might be stuck in nyc for a few more days ;)

thursday february 7th

tamara got really sick the last day i was in new york. what's with the food poisoning guys??? something telling you to cook more meals at home maybe??

so i spent some of the day running up and down the block getting stuff to try to make her feel better, and managed to squeeze in a bit more shopping (i HAD to get these - i know i know, tacky but awesome), and more sandwiches.

i flew home to find that toronto is blanketed in over a foot of snow.

anyway, i had an amazing week over there - so happy to have some simple good times with everyone.

the song that defines the week ... it got played a couple times while i was out and each time elicited closed eye sing alongs from anyone who recognized it ... something about it that's so willfully innocent and big hearted and perhaps a touch bittersweet (from an outside perspective at least, and def more sweet than bitter)...

brenda russell - way back when (1979)

it's THAT SONG

2008-01-31T14:17:00.000-05:00

you know the one.

isn't it amazing when a song can transcend whatever its origin is and just keep getting recast for different people in different places? ... to marvel, to dance, to celebrate ...

on and on

2008-01-29T03:05:00.000-05:00

remember how i talked about jesse saunders' "on and on" a while ago? ... because i'm a total nerd, i love stories like this (via discogs):

"This record is the one that Jesse Saunders used for years in the early 80's for his Dj sets. As fate would have it, Jesse's copy was stolen one night and he decided he would recreate the track himself and press it up. It was "On and On" by Jesse Saunders on his label Jes Say records. The 1st ever house track to be pressed!!"

amazing how this hypnotic little pastiche of disco tracks helped to usher in a new style of music.

so,

munich machine "get on the funk train"

+ playback "space invaders"

+ lipps inc "funkytown"

+ donna summer "bad girls"

=

mach - on and on (1980)

and here's a video of rahaan djing and a bunch of dancers absolutely losing their shit over it.

i love the sing along.

killer

2008-01-28T18:12:00.000-05:00

you know how when you forget something and then by some act of god you are reminded of it, and you go back to find it and it's as good as you remembered it was, and then you find out there was a video for it that you never saw and then you find THAT and it's even BETTER than you could have ever imagined? this is like that. MEGA.

my age old favorite track, snuten's 'wild and free' mixed quite nicely out of that!

also kind of along the same lines ... i miss alot of the slower, more atmospherically heated tracks that made it into the mainstream in the 90's.

i played HOTNUTS this weekend, and we all probably would have been better off if i had just ended the night with "justify my love" ... as usual, there is just SO MUCH LOVE to be justified at hotnuts and nobody ever wants it to end (thank you again, produzentin <3).

incriminating evidence over here ....

blind

2008-01-25T13:57:00.000-05:00

not that tiny little screen off the sun. hercules & love affair video directed by saam.

thanks to kevin ritchie for the tip!

nu groove records (early 90's)

2008-01-25T02:49:00.000-05:00

unfortunately, not embeddable

totally worth a watch though.

"I know! It's like Desertshore, only with tits!"

2008-01-23T12:36:00.000-05:00

out on record makers in february.

thanks for the quotable, mr. telephone thing.

i'll be your friend

2008-01-22T14:49:00.000-05:00

i'll be your
i'll be your
i'll be your
i'll be your
i'll be your
i'll be your
i'll be your
i'll be your

i'll be your friend

until the end

of time

standing by your side

ha! what an awesome segway into letting you know that i'm gonna be playing tunes with some good friends this weekend.

FRIDAY JANUARY 25th @ SHIT LA MERDE w/ Pink Skull, Mikey Apples & Dave La Merde/ $5 @ Sneaky Dee's

SATURDAY JANUARY 26th @ HOTNUTS w/ Produzentin / $5 or free in drag/ dressed up @ the Beaver

also, every other Thursday (from Jan 24th) check out Mikey and Parallels new night HOT BLOOD @ Baby Huey. i played a bit at the last one (and had some serious zombie nightmares afterwards) and may drop in to play every now and then ... if Mikey lets me. check out this awesome poster!

ps.

adding robert owens to my ipod has increased my treadmill time from 7 minutes to almost half an hour.

richard kern - money love (1990)

2008-01-21T03:56:00.000-05:00

this video is so cute.

short, sweet, and sexy.

bamalama

2008-01-16T18:16:00.000-05:00

by belle epoque, the same people who brought you "miss broadway". everything about this is incredible.

it's going to be an amazing year

2008-01-13T16:00:00.000-05:00

if the quality of new releases coming out on dfa records in the first few months of 2008 are any indication.

the juan maclean - happy house (+ forthcoming LP?)

syclops - where's jason's k/ monkeypuss + forthcoming LP

hercules & love affair - blind + forthcoming LP

not sure what it is ... but i feel overwhelmingly POSITIVE about 2008.

i went to see

2008-01-05T14:50:00.000-05:00

a place to bury strangers last week (my advice - stick with og jamc) and this film was playing behind one of the opening bands. forgot all about it till today.

DAISIES

haven't seen the whole thing yet, so i can't give you any testimonials other than it's obviously very visually arresting ....

more info

studio, live

2008-01-03T01:34:00.000-05:00

happy new year everybody! i MUST see these guys play in 2008 ...

out there...

also see:

west side

no comply

self service

things of note upcoming in toronto:

midnight static (w/ gabe and diana) @ baby huey TONIGHT

kid sister @ wrongbar fri jan 11

you should already know

2007-12-28T23:09:00.000-05:00

but like, i dunno ... maybe you need some more influencing

SHIT LA MERDE NYE PARTY feat IN FLAGRANTI

+ dj's Dave, Dougie and Pammm

$20 at Sneaky Dee's

www.codek.com

how are you?

2007-12-09T14:25:00.000-05:00

long time no see.

hercules theme - hercules and love affair (2007)

(if yousendit expires, you can also find 'hercules theme' via dfa's myspace page. click the pretty banner)

after stalking andy since february, some lucky canadians will get a preview of what's to come this weekend ...

TORONTO ...

presented by Seventh Heaven

SATURDAY DECEMBER 15th at WRONGBAR (1279 Queen St W)

$5/ $7 after 12:30/ adults only

rsvp to the facebook event

we also have a facebook group you can join

MONTREAL ...

hosted by Loose Joints

Friday, December 14, 2007 at Zoobizarre (6388 St Hubert)

$8

rsvp to the facebook event

BIO: This new avant disco outfit known as Hercules & Love Affair is the brainchild of NY resident and DJ Andrew Butler. It is one of the most inventive and original studio collaboration projects in some time, and the latest addition to the ever-growing and eclectic DFA family. Butler employs the talent of several notable guest contributors, such as vocalists (and sometimes DJ partner) Kim Ann Foxman as well as Antony (of Antony & The Johnsons), making Hercules & Love Affair, and co-Producer Tim Goldsworthy of the DFA.

After many years of waiting on the sidelines and taking in the energy and shifting tides of the NY dance and club world, Hercules & Love Affair's debut release, "Classique #2," is a kinetic explosion of soulful, anthemic electro disco. Butler draws inspiration from the music he heard growing up going to parties with Chicago House DJ’s like Derrick Carter and British expats the Wicked Crew both of whom played Disco and Protohouse jams in their always inspired DJ sets.

Together the two tracks bring forth what could be a new era of euphoric disco, at once truly original yet with subtle nods to its glittering past - where beautiful, bruising harmonies and loose-limbed mechanic rhythms collided to create a utopian and hedonistic dance floor paradise.

links to click:

hercules & love affair myspace

check out andy's mix on beats in space

stream an album track via popjustice

read the interview at toronto's xtra mag

see you there!!!

2007-05-31T23:02:00.000-05:00

danny

detroit saturday june 2nd

nyc tuesday june 5th

san frandisco thursday june 7th

torontoooohhhhh!!!!! saturday june 9th

(7th heaven part v - dream disco pre pride party!)

(hehe!)

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Daniel+Wang

http://hypem.com/search/daniel%20wang/1/

some good old fashioned bump and grind

2007-04-03T23:18:00.000-05:00

this saturday april 7th will and i are having mike simonetti (troubleman unltd, italians do it better, resident at nyc's motherfucker, etc) dj at our seventh heaven party. he asked me what toronto is into, we kidded about ed banger and hard house ... but for the most part the only descriptives i could muster for seventh heaven were "sexy-weirdo". most of the shit i'm hearing out these days just sounds like a bunch of totally boring retardo beats strung together in a way that just does not make me move. it just does not give me "the lower body emotions". i like that the dudes at cosmos records have my buying style pinned down to "gay black man in the late 70's/ early 80's, really late at night/ early in the morning, in a really dark club, feelin on a slow bump and grind". ;)

environ popped this new one into my email today, and it's definitely got that vibe, something dirty about it. sounds like beads of sweat running down your back.

primetime (uptown express) - baby oliver (2007)

that whispering is tickling my ear.

oh! here's some pics of the new silkscreened posters!

everyone who's coming out PLEASE REMEMBER - the party is DOWNSTAIRS this time!!!

dark and lovely

2007-03-09T22:01:00.000-05:00

one of my favorite "leisure activities" occurs on those days when i wander into a music shop that has loads of cheap used vinyl and a listening station, and i can just pick up a random record based on what i can glean from the cover and come across something new to my ears that i really enjoy.

i was 10 when i first heard siouxsie and the banshees "peek a boo" and i totally loved it. i heard more, earlier siouxsie, bit by bit, in the following teenage years. never heard anything by siouxsie and budgie's side project, the creatures, until very recently ....

picked up 'feast' (from 1983), which features a shirtless budgie and siouxsie in exotic costume on the cover, partially obscured by some hanging vines. reading the liner notes i find that this album was recorded in hawaii ... and the only way i can describe it is ... tropical goth? siouxsie's vocals are unmistakable, but the music is more primitive, ranging from ocean sounds and chanting to a vaguely industrial song that sounds like it was created by a tribe of many drummers rather than a drum machine ... this is not holidays in the sun tropical, but the sound of beaches at night and fires by the ocean, not the feeling of warmth on your face but of damp air and the darkness in the trees.

i've set up a stream of two songs from the record so you can have a listen ...

ice house - the creatures (1983)

dancing on glass - the creatures (1983)

"forget tomorrow's mess/ because right now is the best ..."

there are moments that this record reminds me of something gang gang dance would put together. speaking of ... i kept receiving messages of a dvd premiere for 'retina riddim'. anyone go?

* in another spooky act of synchronicity, i got an email from the good people at rvng re: their latest mix cd - just as i was looking at their website to see what was new. i dunno, i think that's pretty weird but anyway .... mx5 features justine d of the motherfucker party in new york. i feel like at this point, i've heard alot of mixes and checked out alot of dj's. and although i was familiar with almost all the artists on this mix, there was something refreshing about this one. what i liked about it is that it seems to function as a document or a snapshot of someone's life ... it's not a mix made for the 'spotters, and it isn't necessarily a 'dance mix' of tracks strung together for their effectiveness on the floor. it came off as more personal than that, like it was made to tell a story, or to share the good times and the things that inspired along the way. there's a section that i really like that goes from hot chip's 'no fit state' to arthur russell's 'make 1,2' to chic's 'i want your love' that isn't mixed in any fancy manner, but it's wholly effective as the attention to detail and the sensitivity to subtleties of mood and feeling make all the difference for me.

* will and i are throwing another SEVENTH HEAVEN party on saturday april 7th, in the white orchid BASEMENT this time around. our special guest is mike simonetti, of troubleman unlimited and italians do it better. (click poster for full size)

* speaking of tmu, chromatics have put up a new, downloadable demo version of 'hands in the dark' on their myspace page. it's less oppressive than its predecessors ... still melancholy, but i think i see a glimmer of light in the darkness.

people get ready

2007-02-23T02:47:00.000-05:00

IT HAPPENS TONITE!!!!!!

(posters silkscreened by will munro, there will be some at the door ... xo!)

oh wow

2007-02-14T21:03:00.000-05:00

hearing great stuff from new artists is so thrilling. i know that's a bit obvious, but there are times when it feels like the stream of interesting new music is trickling ever so slightly. so i was extra happy to come across these two in one day (via myspace!).

athene - hercules and love affair (2007)

i am SO into this. the initial attraction was just in the whole mythology slant - two of my favorite songs are 'achilles' by antena and 'isis' by bob dylan. it's a bit hard to explain but i enjoy these loose interpretations and interpolations of age old stories that have been told time and time again. there is a feeling about them that conveys something abstract and universal...

errrrrr, beyond my half articulated musings there are a couple other things that may actually be of interest to you all - mainly, the producer behind hercules and love affair is andy butler, and he tells me his record is tentatively scheduled to be out sometime in the fall, so keep an ear out for it!

treig loerdagsboogie - blackbelt andersen (2007)

i haven't a clue what 'treig loerdagsboogie' means so you are fortunately saved from any half baked speculations as to "what it all means". i do know that i like this track for all its mellow, mild, partial dream state synths.

speaking of antena, i recently noticed this etching in my vinyl (click to enlarge):

can you read that? it says "SEX IS HARD ROMANCE IS HARDER". how's that for a valentine's day sentiment?!?

dancing in outer space

2007-02-13T16:48:00.000-05:00

soooo, it's been a while ... and i can't deny that i've mostly vacated this space in favor of other things that are keeping me busy these days .... like working on the SEVENTH HEAVEN party will and i are presenting on friday february 23!

toronto area people should definitely come check this out ... our dj's are extra special out of town guests:

TAKO and LOUD E (rotterdam, www.cbs.nu)

LOVEFINGERS (los angeles, www.lovefingers.org)

SCOTT ZACHARAIS (detroit, www.soft-curls.com)

and GARY ABUGAN (toronto, luna park soon!)

at the WHITE ORCHID, 812 dundas

$5! 19+!

(and hear em on beats in space on tuesday feb 20)

* also just got back from seeing lindstrom live in brooklyn ... great live (laptop) set, and i have to say it was the most fun weekend i've had in a looooong time !!!!!

mystery dub - lindstrom and solale (2007)

very reminiscent of 'music in my mind', which i love. arriving on feedelity in '07?

* and i need to direct you to this:

miss broadway - glass candy (2007)

i think this was just put up today! glass candy's cover of oddball disco classic and guaranteed floor filler 'miss broadway' is kinda blowing my mind cuz i played the belle epoque original just as glass candy hit the stage last time they were here. keen listeners or strange coincidence???

;)

rest in peace, alice coltrane

2007-01-14T19:37:00.000-05:00

you made some of the most beautiful and transcendent music i've ever heard. i know it will stay with me for the rest of my life. thank you.

hey everyone

2007-01-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

happy new year!!

here's a little bit of "awesome" to get it started right ....

sike

2006-12-11T22:29:00.000-05:00

i been away for a little while. i went a thru a super hectic move, then escaped to nyc for a few days (which was kinda stupid to do one day after i moved, but also totally nice to escape the jungle of boxes i created in the living room - "C YA!"). anyway, since being back, i've been mostly doing humdrum stuff like unpacking and dealing with cable guys. last weekend's highlight was playing produzentin's party on saturday - THANK YOU markus for having me, i had such a great time!! this weekend coming up is my disco birthday party, scroll down to my november 29th entry to see the poster. once again, our special guest is mstrkrft's AL P and it all goes down at the white orchid on saturday december 16th ...

but for now, some mellowness..

the winter is cold - wendy & bonnie (1969)

thankfully it's been a bit warmer these days ... wendy & bonnie are 2 san francisco based sisters who were 13 and 17 at the time of this recording. these vocals are so hypnotic, more so when played LOUD. there is sort of a mama's & the papa's thing going on here, but with a pretty heavy funk vibe too. sounds odd when described, but this shit really took me over.

sowed a seed - these trails (1973)

hawaiian psych folk, if you can believe it. really interesting instrumentation and delicate vocals. sounds like the edge of sleep, which is usually a good thing to me.

i am a hermit - jonathan halper (1967?)

those of you who know me know that i'm a kenneth anger freak ... posted the bobby beausoleil/ 'lucifer rising' back in july with a brief mention of this piece. 'puce moment' is my fave anger, and this song is presented as accompaniment to the 1949 short. google 'jonathan halper' and you'll probably come up with next to nothing .... so i hope you guys enjoy this!!

think i mentioned i was in nyc again recently ... got to check out a couple of interesting things, 1. being a pretty hilarious french horror/ black comedy type flick called 'sheitan'. i believe it's rentable so if you need a laugh and a scare look into it ... 2. got handed the 'time to noodle' mix by a fella called jason who i think dj's as part of a team called hey convict out of australia. it's a really nice mix of 'balearock' (that word! yech!) type stuff that i've been enjoying a lot since i got home ... i think it's available thru piccadilly and jetset japan but they have another downloadable mix here so check it out!!

2006-11-29T19:35:00.000-05:00

... u like my crappy italian? ;)

silkscreen version appearing on the streets sooon ...

i need the sunlight ... to keep on doin what i'm doin

2006-11-27T16:30:00.000-05:00

i'm currently in a very dark place. it's called "moving out of an apartment that i've lived in for close to 4 years". needless to say, i'm wading knee high in shit right now.

luckily, my computer's still plugged in and i can make playlists called things like "jaime, chill the fuck out".

beat down - mark e (2006)
this feels to me like a lighter counterpart to quiet village's "can't be beat" from last year. whereas that song is dark and hypnotic and slow like the deepest night, this is like the first glimmer of daylight emerging from that night. i need that light desperately right now!! visit running back on myspace.

jungle hurt - mathematiques modernes (1981)
ok, i won't lie, i found this elsewhere, but it goes so nicely with the previous track AND it is probably one of my most listened to tracks of the past year. french vox, some dramatic broken english right at the end, vertigo inducing strings and horns, a nice slow build - it's perfect!! i sorta couldn't help but talk about it.

i likely won't be back for a little while, but i'd like to mention that the second installment of SEVENTH HEAVEN is coming up SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16th at the WHITE ORCHID (on dundas). it'll be the jaime sin birthday edition so mark your calendars off. this time will and i are having a guest disco dj in the form of al-p'easy lover (di mstrkrft). i know he's DYING to spin out some sugar and shake that rave off so come out and show some love. put on yr fancy dresses and nice shoes and show off those moves!

yes, oh yes!

2006-11-12T21:41:00.000-05:00

baroque - chateau flight (2006)

damn the new chateau flight is good, sort of a happy sparkly, get up and dance vibe, with pangs of melancholy and desire to keep things interesting.

that voodoo you do

2006-11-06T19:44:00.000-05:00

the story is this: i think i mentioned before that i kinda avoided listening to patrick cowley cuz i just wasn't down for the hi nrg/ ott stuff. after falling in love with both "sea hunt" and sylvester's "i need somebody to love tonight" (produced by cowley) i figured there must be some other interesting sides to his work that i hadn't heard. enter indoor life, a band cowley formed with vocalist jorge socarras and a couple members of sylvester's band. this is not hi nrg/ ott and actually comes off a bit like james white and the blacks if he sexily crooned in hell's burning velvet lounges rather than shrieked in em. it's a slow writhe over a spastic contortion.

today i got an email from the nice people at RVNG, informing me of their next 12" edit release, which is by betty botox. whaddaya know, indoor life is 'voodoo 1'. i have put up 'voodoo 2' in the player, you can hear more sound samples and get more info at their site.

"i aint following you

i just don't wanna talk

i like to walk behind you

cuz i dig the way you walk"

*****

voodoo - indoor life (1980)

gilmore of the fillmore - indoor life (1980)

voodoo 2 - betty botox (2006)

all of this is making me want to go listen to "i put a spell on you" ...

another nite

2006-11-02T20:39:00.000-05:00

another reason to go out and get totally smashed and hear some great music and dance all nite long ....

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3RD

RETURN TO TORONTO

with special guest BRENNAN GREEN

and residents MIKEY APPLES, NAV and WILL MUNRO

drake ho-tel underground, free before 12, 5 bux after

essentially

2006-10-30T18:36:00.000-05:00

i am sitting in the middle of hallowe'en coming (tomorrow) and going (the weekend), and i have done nothing to "celebrate". i've never been good at coming up with fun costume ideas, but this year island kevin suggested that we go as the early 90's (after someone suggesting i go as bai ling, which was absolutely not going to happen).

so today, i walked into that toronto clothing mecca of the 80's and 90's, f/x, to find out what was up on the lavender plastic catsuit and cotton lycra psychedelic tights front. i prepared myself by listening to black box and deee lite all week (oh okay, all month). i found that not a heck of a lot had changed in there. i was in a floral babydoll timewarp, soul II soul was playing over the speakers, and the walls still glittered with holographic wallpaper and fake flowers. a wave of nostalgia washed over me as i picked up an orange crushed velvet and lace anna sui minidress. i recalled wanting it soooo badly when i was 14, but it was $600 - surprise! it's still $600!! just in time for the revival, it's come full circle from just being plain old to being ... "vintage designer" now, i guess? hehe. the racks are still stuffed with jumbo black elasticband patricia field bras, and i tried on a pair of rose patterned short shorts that i swear to god had a waistline that came up to my tits. jesus. i walked out with nothing ... (but might go back for that 50% off betsey johnson velvet sweetheart neckine minidress!!! .... ;)

did i mention i've been listening to deee lite all month?

build the bridge - deee lite (1990)
don't be mad at me for posting this ... it's a pretty nice instro, all spacey and dubbed out, complete with jungle sounds and what sounds like a sample of the barking dog from cat stevens "was dog a doughnut?". although i suppose it could really be just any old barking dog and i'm just reaching for cool qualifiers. maybe it ain't even a barking dog. i have recollections of listening to this on my walkman in elementary school.

is it up to me - shazork! (1986)
while looking for some pulsallama on the internet i came across this site, which yielded this little gem. shazork! featured lady bunny on vox, and dmitry brill on keys and guitar. dmitry brill went on to become super dj dmitry in deee lite. the production value on this one is totally raw and primitive, and in a mid 80's r n' b vein that would fit nicely with my previous post on imagination. it's a bit cheesy, but i really like the androgynous vocals and melancholy synths on this one. check out lady bunny's debut in a video here - skinny and with much smaller hair!

announceable

2006-10-27T11:09:00.000-05:00

tonite - friday october 27th!!

rapture afterparty - me, mikey apples, nav and special guest dj's k.i.m. (presets) aaannddd .... (???)

$5 gets you into the drake (both levels)

euros in space

2006-10-24T21:44:00.000-05:00

getting tons o' airtime over here lately ...

makossa & megablast - galaxy 82 (2006)

and

lsb - original highway delight (mungolian jet set's miami camp mix) (2006)

also, a nice mp3 blog for the slow and synthy set, brought to you by the people at flexx.

why you gotta be so weird?

2006-10-20T23:15:00.000-05:00

ugh. so i already know this will be a terribly disjointed post, but pls bear with ... a few things:

1. some show/ party type thangs you should check out, toronto!!

dec 7th - psychic ills/ indian jewelry/ creeping nobodies/ wyrd visions - sneaky dee's

dec 9th - les georges leningrad/ kids on tv/ duchess says/ dmonstrations - sneaky dee's

these lovely shows are brought to you by mikey apples (futur primitiv).

2. as i mentioned i went to go see kenneth anger at the bloor cinema last week. i kinda expected a scary, senile, beligerant old queen (just as i imagined herzog to be really intimidating), but alas i was wrong (again). he was super funny and appeared on stage in black leather pants and a rangers jersey customized to say 'ANGER' (i'm under the impression he's really into outrageous tops). totally willing to give out autographs and tell madcap stories. i was happy enough to just lay eyes on the real, live kenneth anger and watch his films (which i have only on second gen vhs tapes) on the silver screen.

3. glissandro 70 played on oct 10th edition of beats in space! coooooool!!!!

4. new favorite blog alert!!! - PRODUZENTIN!!!

5. a couple songs and thangs ....

the model - snakefinger (1979)
totally bizarro and amazing cover of kraftwerk's classic tune done by an associate of the residents (forever indebted to mr apples for playin this for me many moons ago ....)

soul gypsy - thomas leer (1982)
weirdo synth pop with shades of funk, and uh ... lord knows what else. awesome.

neither here nor there

2006-10-16T14:30:00.000-05:00

the karl lagerfeld of indie/ dance

2006-10-10T16:10:00.000-05:00

oh errrr, wait ... uhhhh ....

anyway, it was probably compiled by the guy who did all the colette comps .... so no surprises there.

perfidia - xavier cugat (1940)
this is in there, but i know it from its appearances in wong kar wai's '2046' and 'days of being wild'. really gorgeous and sad. also worth looking into is phyllis dillon's version. her vocal is amazing.

and since we're talking soundtracks ...

lolita ya ya - nelson riddle (1962)
for a while this was the most listened to track in my itunes. gets stuck in my head for days.

dream lover - the paris sisters (1964)
did i mention that KENNETH ANGER IS GONNA BE IN TORONTO????

you may or may not know that i've reconsidered posting songs for free download thru this blog, so i'm gonna give something a try here ... i'm gonna put in a streamable player and you tell me if you like it ok? click the tracks inside the player to listen (may take a little while to load) ....

the best thing

2006-10-09T00:02:00.000-05:00

is when you're totally smashed and playing all your favorite songs and you're surrounded by friends and they start tossing about all these descriptives that you never thought about before but are DEAD ON. witness:

dance dance dance - marta acuna (1977)
pammm called this "e.s.l. disco" - e.s.l. is "english as a second language" in case you dunno. this was produced by patrick adams and issued in the u.s., but the mysterious marta acuna starts off with some spanish and sings in a very charming broken english. apparently i play a lot of this kind of accented e.s.l. disco. if you like the sound of this, personal touch's "it ain't no big thing" has the same vibe with bittersweet lyrics (no accent tho). kudos to al for getting me on this one.

sea hunt - patrick cowley (1981)
will was screaming in my face "OH MY GOD THIS SOUNDS LIKE PORPOISES FUCKING IN OUTER SPACE" which IT DOES. i think this is the sort of thing that people will either really like or just totally won't get into, cuz it's so dramatic. i'm pretty sure i read that this is a cover of something that was originally recorded in 1958. it goes to some amazing places towards the end ... you know those sounds that feel like they're the best, most unbelieveable thing you've ever heard? i am THAT into this. this track goes DEEEP ...

*****

i had mentioned dylan martorell in this blog a while ago and i recently received an invite to an upcoming show. alas i don't live in melbourne, BUT there is a blog where you can check out some of his work:

HIDDEN ARCHIVE

*****

and of course, i have to thank everyone who came out to the glass candy/ chromatics show on saturday - it was so awesome!! totally a trip to see ida dancing to my set from behind the merch booth ... and into the crowd ... onto the stage ....

xoxo!!

2006-10-04T21:58:00.000-05:00

regular readers may recall i went to nyc this past weekend. i had a pretty chilled out time seeing friends and doin weird stuff like eating vegan korean food. my host, mr. b. mean and green, took me rollerskating in the ghetto. i was promised disco and i got r kelly. good times.

bored of the future (brennan green mix) - the dead seal (2006)
so in the process of hanging out i got played loads of good stuff i never heard before - electronic bits and pieces from someone in kuwait, jam sessions in norway, a little eddie rabbit here and there, and this little prince-d out number. so simple but it works so well - that bassline! so catchy. it kinda makes me think of 'erotic city' gone awry. this link will provide you with more snips from the 12" and directions to order or buy from itunes.

when he isn't busy arguing with cabbies brennan's making some of the most unexpected and idiosyncratic "dance music" i've heard lately, which is really, really nice. also check out the 'bunko'/ 'divisadero' 12" if you get the chance (do a search at piccadilly. they got sound and a funny review). it's been brightening the corners over here since the summer.

speaking of prince ...

17 days - prince (1984)
one of my fave prince tracks. heard jay from sloan dj this several years ago and immediately ran out and found a $1 copy of 'when doves cry' - cuz it's the b side and that's where you can find it too!!

midnight love

2006-10-03T00:32:00.000-05:00

so good so right (night dub) - imagination (1983)
there is something about these guys and this whole record that makes me think that certain types of incense should be burning while listening. not really sure what it is. can't put my finger on it.

on & on - jesse saunders (1983)
this is apparantly some of the earliest recorded house music. weird, queasy synths and pseudo rap.

PS!!!!

BIG PS!!!! KENNETH ANGER IS GONNA BE IN TORONTO!!!!

the main thing

2006-09-23T01:54:00.000-05:00

this roxy music remix thing was announced kind of a while ago now, and different producers keep trickling out different versions via myspace. here's a few versions ...

the main thing (12" mix) - roxy music (1982)
i'm gonna go ahead and assume it's the original anyway, compiled in a roxy music box set ...

the main thing (asparagus the main wang edit) - roxy music (2006)
... their myspace

and the only edit that makes much of an alteration at all ...

the main thing (rub n tug edit) - roxy music (2006)
... stream via myspace

special delivery

2006-09-20T22:47:00.000-05:00

at last i am low - low motion disco (2006)
it's always nice to get non spammy personalized msgs from people, privately working away in their corner of the world. i don't really know anything about low motion disco, except that they are swiss, and that they are interested in keeping it pretty anonymous. i do know that we share similar tastes, as when this edit of robert wyatt's sublime cover of chic's "at last i am free" hit my inbox i flipped out in a similar fashion as to when i found their edit of chromatics' "in the city" on myspace. the vox have been excised and the instro is drawn out and brought to a slow build for maximum atmospherics. it ain't a "dance" edit so turn out the lites and breathe it in (oh, also found it's nice to listen to when walking around the city during these suddenly chill fall days).

three fingers of love - art of noise (1983)
city tv always did use the best tunes for their titles - from animotion for ft to pigbag for the new music, to art of noise for ziggy's soft focus slow jam show (can't remember what it was called?). anyway, this is 'moments in love' made even slower with frickin pianos and what sounds like a computer breathing thrown in for good measure.

crystal waters - moolah (1974)
recently reissued weirdo synth psyche stuff with clattering heartbeat drum sounds. deceptively chill beginnings. i fell asleep and that freaky clattering woke me the fuck up.

and just cuz i can't resist a crystal waters reference ...

why you wanna (instro) - t.i. (2006)
one of my fave pop songs this summer. the instro is like a huge gust of fresh air.

i really liked the last bubbletease podcast (aug 30), particularly the song that hits around the 12 min mark, and the super cute final song. also included is maurice fulton's remix of hot chip's 'over and over' (comes in around 17 min). i'm not nuts about it. something about the bassline reminds me of 'never be alone'?

and some other stuff to check out (via myspace players, cuz i guilted myself out of posting new dance music):

MICHOACAN ..... who has stuff coming out on tiny sticks and bear entertainment

and

ILYA SANTANA ..... who has a release forthcoming on permanent vacation

also

pls let it be said that my favorite thing to come out in the past few months is the MUNGOLIAN JETSET remix of lindstrom's 'blast of loser'. don't think i saw many bloggers talk about this so i just wanna say that, headspace-wise, this shit took me outta the clubs and put me down in rolling green valleys - it's THAT VAST. love it.

ps. pammm and i are playing together at the beaver tonite (thursday). mikey's takin the nite off. come by and show us some love, will ya?

first things first

2006-09-17T19:14:00.000-05:00

i know that all i ever talk about is chromatics and glass candy but whatevers ... i love them and we are doing another show with them on saturday october 7th. this is the poster i made, it's all cut n paste colored paper and gold foil ruby tears and neon 1975 toronto skyline and glowing orange moon. there should be tickets available at rotate now. last party we did with them was on a wednesday and it killed, this one will be even better ...

(click the poster to enlarge)

*****

i'm gonna be in new york in a couple weeks, at the end of this month (29th - 2nd). i'm fielding suggestions for fun things to do, as i have not been in like 5 years. four days is a short time, but i think i once heard a saying that went something like ... "sleep is for the weak". feel free to leave any suggests in the comments section or my email. so far my plans include: running around, eating pizza, seeing gc/ krmtx on friday, hopefully hearing some friends dj, dancing, and unless i can get out of it, being involved in a "jam session" where i play "spoons" (not even a metaphor, god help me).

*****

the original is kind of untouchable (thanx will!!) but here's a couple variations ...

eddy grant - time warp (at 33) (1980)

daniel wang - warped (1991)

argh!!

2006-09-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

i can't believe i'm sick again!!! and SO busy!! it's like toronto gets back into it as soon as september hits.

thanks to everyone who came out to the events we put together last week ... there are more on the horizon - look out for more details soon.

for now i've only got this oldie for you, but it's so good.

chantal curtis - get another love (1979)

french harmonica disco. no, really. with a killer bassline to boot.

i get lifted

2006-09-05T00:26:00.000-05:00

take me with you - lyn christopher (1973)
first heard this used as a sample in the late 90's. still kinda really love it. i was googlin around and found a better description than i could deliver (crap. i would credit but i can't find the link anymore!):

"Sinister and spacy, slightly discordant, gospel-inflected soul groove, with a murderous, high-powered bassline. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of Kiss apparently sing background vocals on this artist self-titled album, and strangely enough it's their backing that makes this sound sort of reminiscent of a gospel session, but in space maybe. Begging lyrics and tripped out reverb enhance the strange, infectious hold of this song. This is a very heavy, mournful, and unique sound experience. Recommended."

anyone who knows what love is (will understand) - irma thomas (1964)
one good thing that came out of my guy bourdin viewing session was the discovery of this tune. very similar to the flamingos "i only have eyes for you" which has been a fave since, like, childhood. irma thomas' voice sounds like it's calling out thru a tunnel from beyond the fog, and just listening to this while walking around with my ipod on makes me feel like i'm levitating. my feet barely touch the ground.

* first pic is a still from the last second of a kanye video. two pics above from the korner union, whose work i love.

high come down

2006-09-01T20:13:00.000-05:00

ripe apples - glass candy (2006)

"girls push out their hips ..."

"ripe apples for picking ..."

"isn't it hot?"

"girls push to pass the time away..."

i'd like to remind everybody

2006-08-31T18:21:00.000-05:00

to come to SHACK UP tonite (thursday). we're at the beaver now. got it?!?!

oh yeah, on september 7th NAMOSH will be "dancing sexy" at the beav and it'll be free for you and me

and after that

THE PRESETS will be joining us at the drake underground from 2 - 4am for retarded late party action and it'll be $5

*****

Q. so what happens to disco when it leaves north america and takes a trip around the world?

1. india: parvati khan - jimmy jimmy jimmy aaja

A. the best disco stage ever gets built. i want to live here. starting tomorrow i am replicating this set in my bedroom. if you're looking for me i'll be busy screwing in light bulbs for the next 30 years. if you don't recognize my apartment it'll be the place where men stand around in trances looking like they're about to break down in tears. or suffer a seizure.

*****

2. germany: supermax - love machine

A. it goes all deadpan, monotone and hungry eyes. never seen a guy need hot black chicks in catsuits and gold makeup dancing around him so badly in my life.

ps. it's also worth it to check out cerrone's videos for 'paradise' and 'supernature' if yr up for more amusement

heart murmurs

2006-08-29T21:46:00.000-05:00

come closer - indian jewelry (2006)

"riyl: music based in cowboy motorik, hyperliterary chants and magical realism, concrete sound, endless drones, pre-cognitive dissonance, mesmerism, and atavistic junk"

look. i just don't have the words right now. so i'll leave you with some pictures of these amazing old magazine/ zine covers for visual accompaniment.

(erm, i should mention: indian jewelry's new record 'invasive exotics' out in sept on monitor records)

(AND : indian jewelry play toronto with psychic ills december 7th)

.... aaaaand of course blogger is not letting me put up anymore so that'll be it for now.

square eyes

2006-08-28T14:46:00.000-05:00

i guess it's obvs by now that i'm fully addicted to youtube. there's alot of stuff that i thought i'd only ever enjoy as these sort of faceless oddities. here's another:

la bionda - i wanna be your lover (animated video!)

there's also a totally ridiculous "live" performance of the track on there, as well as one for "one for you one for me".

on repeat

2006-08-26T20:55:00.000-05:00

terrible videos for amazing songs i just keep talking about:

antena - the boy from ipanema

and

clive stevens and brainchild - mystery man

my mind = being blown

2006-08-23T19:40:00.000-05:00

in the city - chromatics (low motion disco edit) (2006)
so chromatics released "in the city" to myspace last week or something. adam also sent me a version called 'zombie vocal', which is their own sorta "all the nite" screwed version of the track, and a minimal beat + acapella. whilst trawling myspace today i came across this little gem, which i'm guessing is someone else's screwed version? how many similar brainwaves working at once? everyone is screwing! woah.

*****

oh also, i was super curious about the antena remixes cuz i looooove antena and was a bit um, nervous about the results? like, why fuck wid antena? i dunno.

anyway, todd terje and joakim remixes of "camino del sol" are streamable at permanent vacation's myspace for anyone else who hasn't heard yet.

will it work will it work???

2006-08-15T17:34:00.000-05:00

YESSSSS!!!!!!

***

*also, just noticed there is a mix available for download here by this thursday's SHACK UP guest julian. it's pretty great. the weekend is looking hot.

***

* and, y'all need need need to go to chromatics' myspace and download the demo for the new song 'in the city' cuz it is so frickin good.

'in the city' made my mind immediately jump to the song posted below, which i think was the first tune i played when they were here in june ... slow, hot and gorgeous for summer nites in the city...

this city never sleeps - eurythmics (1983)

"walls so thin i can almost hear them breathing ...

and if i listen in i hear my own heart beating ...

i guess it's just a feeling ...

in the city"

toronto, this week

2006-08-13T23:36:00.002-05:00

i swear to god i'm going to murder blogger's upload image thing!! half the time it works, half the time it doesn't. grrr. here is the poster will and i screened last week. maybe i'll be able to upload it here tomorrow. who knows? just a reminder - SEVENTH HEAVEN first party this saturday august 19th. in the immortal words of marta acuna ... "get up and dance with me/ don't sit down ..."

here's a couple things i am guaranteed to play. a few favorites of the genres ...

take a chance - queen samantha (1979)
this song is amazing, so many percussive instruments all over the place and a great vocal. this also has a wicked album cover ... so strange and mysterious ...

it's you - e.s.p. (1986)
fuck do i ever love this song. such a classic. the vocal is my favorite, so intimate, like a lover speaking low into yr ear.... "it's you...." ... irresistible.

*****

SHACK UP (the weekly mikey and i do) is also releaunching this thursday, august 17th. we've moved it over to the beaver cuz we had such a great time in june with juan maclean and greggy ... for our relaunch we've got special guest dj julian of pink skull from philly. c'est free as usual so if you like fun ... um, join us?

and courtesy of mikey we now got a beautiful, black myspace profile ... look!

girls just wanna have fu-uhn

2006-08-07T17:28:00.000-05:00

omg stfu!!! no waaayyy - vivien vee on youtube!! okay so it isn't one of my fave trax but worth a watch cuz for a second you'll probably think your eyeballs are gonna fall out of your head. and then the dancers come in. aw jeeeeaaahhhhh

and, scissor girls on public access tv in 96. just cuz it's great. give the drummer some.

mystery men

2006-08-06T18:43:00.000-05:00

a couple thangs to check out ....

1. new disco 12" (i think?) label called italians do it better being distributed by troubleman unlimited ... first release to be by an act called MIRAGE. this one is cloaked in shadows, but i suspect that its producer is someone not quite unfamiliar to most of us.

check it out: MIRAGE myspace

and

they have a blog

2. someone out there is releasing 12"s of old original cosmic tracks. you can hear em at the discoteca cosmic myspace. i'm particularly fond of 'mystery man' (which i guess i should mention is by clive stevens & brainchild) (i keep adding stuff to this post but i just found that song is downloadable here).

man, i should just retitle this blog 'what's up myspace?"

also just realized this is my hundredth post. woah!

goddamn

2006-08-02T19:55:00.000-05:00

toes (relaxed beat) - perfect wieners and butts (2006)
you know those moments when you're like "wtf? a song called 'toes' by an act called 'perfect wieners and butts'? there's no way that that's good. gon' be some kitschy silly whatever" ... and then you listen to it and you're like "GODDAMN. why are the myspace players being such bitches today? why have there only been 20 listens to this song, 10 of them from me? WHY CAN'T I DOWNLOAD THIS AT THIS VERY MOMENT??? i NEED IT."

anyway, i have no idea who these people are, but being from detroit and this song being subtitled "relaxed beat" i'm guessing this is somehow associated with softcurls/ relaxer (who i can't profess to "know" much about other than a couple mixes here and there). this sorta has a new school esg/ pulsallama vibe with sexily vocalized sesame street lyrics about ... yah ... toes. omg i cannot wait to play this dance song about toes. totally silly and great. instant good mood smile maker. so hot.

check out their myspace, with 'toes' video performance piece. o hahaha ....

what's going on

2006-07-26T00:21:00.000-05:00

announcements, parties:

~SEVENTH HEAVEN~

with dj's

WILL MUNRO and JAIME SIN

disco/ italo/ post disco/ proto house/ early house/ edits/ neu disco

SATURDAY AUGUST 19th @ EL AMIGO

... more info/ fancy poster soon ...

(spent most of tonite makin a logo, cuz, uuuhhhh, i'm useless on the photoshop?)

aaaaand ...

(*via mikey)

we're done vacationing

August 17th SHACK UP! Thursdays are back at our new spot, The Beaver.

our friends PINK SKULL from The Temple of Pink Skull in Pennsylvania will be joining Jaime and myself
for booze drinks and ass shake.

here's a PINK SKULL link:
http://www.myspace.com/pinkskulltheband
http://www.pinkskull.com

as always,....free

p.s. check out The Beaver any night of the week for what are probs the most eclectic and far-out little parties in the Toronto-verse.

(pps i have to agree. the beav is fun no matter what. no meatheads, rad staff, good music)

aaaaaaaaand ......

SHACK UP! OUTDOORS

Mikey Apples and Jaime Sin welcome THe CHinese Stars

(Providence, RI/ex Arab on Radar/Six Finger Satellite)
at Toronto's Harbourfront Lakeside Terrace
August 25th
free as the wind
as part of The Indie Unlimited festival Aug 24-26th

aaaaaand musique ...

traderoute - force of nature (2006)
alas, a mere 2 minute snippet, but very lovely. twinkly spaced out slow dancing music via japan. more info, full songs, here.

who knew?

2006-07-17T17:14:00.000-05:00

so i'm a pretty big fan of 70's/ 80's fashion photographer guy bourdin's work. i was pretty excited to find a series of short "films" that he had made that were posted on youtube. anyway, i watched em all, and i guess that in comparison to what i'm used to getting out of things called "films" they're not especially impressive. they look good and all, but no matter how odd the imagery is or how strangely sexual they get, they still come off too much like perfume commercials or something. i guess you just gotta judge fashion by its own standards. his still pictures totally rock that world though.

i mean, if you like bourdin's work it'll probably just be a neat thing to see his images in motion ... those interested can check em all out here.

i think this is the best one.

take me aboard your shimmering ship

2006-07-11T18:46:00.000-05:00

free rider - quiet village project (2006)
got sent a little package from joel martin which consisted of a 12" and a cdr of unreleased material (inc. their gorillaz remix with a very serious 'NEVER TO BE RELEASED!!!' note beside it, and their african queen dub mix). this track was on it too, but it's also available for download thru their myspace, so i guess it's okay to post it. i like that they call themselves "tropical" alongside "psychedelic" and "downtempo".

also in constant play these days is this track:

space talk - asha puthli (1976)
nice for those hot summer days and languid nights. so mellow, and what a gorgeous voice (here sounding like minnie ripperton). pretty awesome she's lent her voice to acts as diverse as ornette coleman and goblin, and has been sampled all over the place. check out her website - some of the best album covers i've seen in my life! what a stunning lady.

aaaand ...

places of light - brainticket (1971)
speaking of covers - WOAH. heard this one on a lexx mix, and i think it's also been on a chicken lips mix too. mo' mellow psychedelic funk, but with some pretty heavy lyrics courtesy of some tranced out female. love that shit.

neat sites with things:

www.lovefingers.org

also, this completely anonymous blog spot which is reputed to be maurice fulton's label? showcasing mixes of 'new and unreleased dance music':

http://bubbleteasem.blogspot.com/

speaking of maurice fulton, how much do i love that t.i. 'gypsy woman' sample? like, sooooo much.

dear quebec

2006-07-10T16:06:00.000-05:00

thanks for living up to all the cliches.

totally flaked out of work in a huge fit of irresponsibility to catch a ride in the mstr-bmw to go see the juan maclean (i'm 2 for 4 now! they're so good live) and mstrkrft in mtl.

basically as soon as we entered the city, these crazy french canadian chicks dangling out of a limo started throwing cubes of cheese at us. le party was fun, and l'afterparty seemed to consist of walking up every hill in mtl trying to guess which anglo was gonna score with which frenchie.

"montre moi ta plotte???"

al and i didn't end up finding out, as by the time we reached the actual house we just wanted to go back to the hotel. by all accounts of those who stayed tho, the party "raged". greg, eric: elaborate, plz.

left mtl sunday afternoon in a schwartz's induced meat coma. i had been a little hangry (you know, that cranky feeling when you haven't eaten?) but left so thoroughly satisfied i swear my face went numb for about 6 minutes.

i am determined to find that quality of sandwich in toronto.

*****

so, daft punk made a movie? i had no idea. what's it about, like ... robots making music n stuff?

seemingly

2006-07-03T11:07:00.000-05:00

no one cared about 'lucifer rising' when i posted it back on 06/06/06. that's what i'm guessing by the empty comments section anyway. whatever, i'm just gonna keep shoving this shit down your throats cuz i love me some kenneth anger.

movement the first - bobby beausoleil and the freedom orchestra (1980)

movement the second - bobby beausoleil and the freedom orchestra (1980)

this is the music that goes with the portion of 'lucifer rising' that i posted. there is a great article here that gives some details about beausoleil's life and his relationship with kenneth anger. it coincided with the rerelease of the 'lucifer rising' ost in 2004 (available here). basically, he stabbed a guy to impress manson, and has been in jail ever since for the murder, where he recorded the ost with the permission of the prison. most impressive is this:

"... "I was struggling," BeauSoleil continues. "I needed to demonstrate to myself that I was not dead or destroyed."

BeauSoleil began to compose an ambitious electronic symphony in his head that would carry the listener through painful dark places and loneliness, then end on a hopeful note. With $3,000 Anger sent to a teacher at the prison, BeauSoleil bought microphones, a four-track recorder, an open-reel tape deck, a six-channel mixer, a drum set, and a PA system. He found a battered trumpet under the prison gym bleachers. Then he built the rest of the instruments and electronics himself.

He constructed Grogan's guitar, a bass, and then, because each inmate was allowed to have only one instrument, a double-necked guitar for himself, one neck for the bass strings. After taking an electronics course through a local community college, he built synthesizers, a reverb unit, and amplifiers, some from kits, some from scratch.

The soundtrack took three years to finish. The Freedom Orchestra's members kept getting paroled or transferred to other prisons. There were other problems, too. The prison convulsed in a series of riots, during which the inmates were locked in their cells and denied access to the music room. Finally BeauSoleil was granted permission to move some of the equipment into his cell. He edited the tapes using a razor blade.
In 1980 he sent the finished soundtrack to Anger.

It starts in a broiling, roiling, cosmic fugue, windlike blasts from a synthesizer, an anxious chorus of strings, then a Middle Eastern-sounding bass riff in a minor key. The listener feels as if he's suddenly been cast alone into a vast inhospitable landscape that's about to be obliterated by a natural disaster. Then suddenly the noise cuts out, and a lone trumpet begins to play the Lucifer Rising theme -- a melancholy reverie with echoes of Ennio Morricone's spaghetti-western scores.

The soundtrack winds its way through desolate atonal reverberations on synthesizers and organs that collect into beautiful, sad, music box-like melodies. It erupts in a Pink Floyd-esque guitar jam with clashing cymbals. This becomes a repetitive dirge of cascading notes from an organ and trumpet. The last part of the composition sounds like supernatural circus music that starts out deranged and wicked and ends triumphantly amid the crash of waves. The Lucifer Rising soundtrack is troubled, passionate, and grieving. Its power is greater knowing that BeauSoleil created it on such crude equipment, in prison.

When the Lucifer Rising film debuted, BeauSoleil's musical odyssey seemed to come to an anticlimactic end. During a modest run of mostly art museums and film schools, the movie and soundtrack received little attention. A Canadian label, Lethal Records ("I didn't much like the name," gripes BeauSoleil), pressed 1,000 records that quickly fell out of circulation. There was a single review in an obscure newspaper in Canada.

BeauSoleil had one last contact with Anger after the film's release. The director came to visit him, looking dapper in a gray corduroy three-piece suit.

"There was never any other Lucifer, you know," he told BeauSoleil."

also see this interesting article:

Magick in Theory and Practice: Ritual Use of Colour in Kenneth Anger's Invocation of My Demon Brother (by Deborah Allison)

*****

so hey, is there a new gang gang dance record coming out anytime soon?

*****

also ...

just as we put our party to sleep and i start complaining about missing the nitelife ... this bit of sweetness falls into my lap ...

THURSDAY JULY 6th

Small venue DJ party withThe Juan MacLean (DFA Records)
NNY (Unfamiliar Records/NO FORMAT)
Mikey Apples (Lipp Service/Shack Up)
Jaime Sin (Shack Up)

@ the Beaver 1192 Queen St W

there is a PATIO

i've been told there will be SPEAKERS out there

and it's FREE!!!

good lord.

heyyy ...

2006-07-02T12:42:00.000-05:00

that new rapture song, "gotta get myself into it", is now streaming at their myspace page. "new rapture" is something i've been skeptical about ... but upon the first few listens ... i gotta say i think this is really nice! pretty solid production, mid tempo, has that 'must dance now' vibe to it. i'm curious to hear it in a club ...

it's like this ...

2006-06-26T23:30:00.000-05:00

so the past couple weeks have been filled with all sorts of weird little ups and downs ...

1. see those shiny posters in the last post? i spent some time and money putting those together for shack up, which is something we never do. not that we're cheap or anything like that ... we just kept our advertising at a minimum cos we were doing something casual. and it always seemed to work better when we didn't advertise ... but i liked em, i thought they looked good ...

2. as i'm walking down the street, doing some postering, feeling a bit queasy about the time and money ... i find a $100 bill wrapped in a $5!! i instantly feel better about things.

3. the glass candy/ chromatics show is awesome! people are really kind to me. some nice kids tell me they are "big fans of my work"! woah thanks!! re: the show, in mikey's words:

"last night's show was pretty much my fav show of all time. period. they killed it. it was like Giorgio Moroder and The Screamers played all their no. 1's at a dance party in heaven for a crowd of pogoing mutants. holy shit. Ida's voice is incredible. for those who missed it,............late September. I can't wait. thanks to everyone who came out and freaked the fuck out."

actually they are coming back in early october, like the 6th or some weekend date like that. scribble it down in your planners NOW. and check out 20jazzfunkgreats for a song off the latest glass candy cdr. the last one i posted, 'high b' also makes an appearance but i think it's longer. luvv it!

4. the turnout for thursday doesn't really turn out. the bar business is bad for us in the summer, period. toronto doesn't drink at weeklies in bars in the summer unless you got a patio. we don't have one of those. in the winter, people like to leave their houses and socialize indoors. we can barely stuff 200+ people into a 70 person venue when it's cold out. summers can be dismal, to say the least.

regardless, we have a wicked fun time. johnny says i'm "the official dream dj" of their camp and i get asked to tour with them!

.... of course, it is 5:30 am and a bottle of wild turkey is being drained... but a thousand times YES???

5. we decide, after almost 2 years steady, to put shack up on hold for the rest of the summer and relaunch in the fall. i'm sad about this, but right now i think it's probably for the best. thanks to everyone who has come and danced with us over the past 2 years! we'll dance again i promise.

6. during the gc/ krmtx show, will munro asks me to dj with him some time ... so while shack up takes a vacation, i get to plan for another party! yay! it'll probably be a one off, or a few off ... we'll see how it goes. i'm pretty excited about it and i'll let you know what's up soon. mikey's also got some fun gigs lined up in the next month so check in on him too.

7. my new roommate has turntables and a mixer. that equals practice for me. maybe i won't have to feel weird when people call me a dj, and i have to say "well actually ... 'selector' may be a better word but okay ..."

8. the jewelry i've been working on at school should be delivered to delphic (706 queen west) soon, like next week so go visit them and check it out. i keep selling pieces to friends, so there's not a ton of it but please take a look if you live in toronto. i'll be making more over the course of the summer. i also want to drop out of work and go back to school full time. yikes!

9. after some of the concerns regarding mp3 blogging hit my comments section, and the comments sections of a few other blogs ... i started to feel not so good about it. here is some of what was said:

from DFA records (to headphone sex):
"It's OK, you just have to understand there is no way giving away my music 30 days ahead of a release will help me. If you wanted to write about it like you did, that is amazing. You are a good writer. If you wanted to stream 1-2 minutes of the remix in a non-downloadable way, that would be OK too. No one would complain. But giving it away is not your right or the whole mp3 blogospheres right to do.I truly believe in sights like yours and the value they add. I frequent them and learn a lot. I also believe there is a way you could do what you do and truly lead people to buy music after experiencing it with you first. It is just the giving away part. Its killing our business. Truly."

from dan selzer (acute records):
"RIAA stats about record sales are not an indication how small record labels are actually doing, and many small record labels are hurting. And fact is, if mp3 blogs are "just like radio", they can always stream the music instead of offering for download (just like radio) and they can report to ascap (just like radio). This is how legitimate online radio services like Pandora/last.fm work. mp3 blogs could offer lower bit-rate sample or half the song to give people a good idea and spread the love and create the desire to purchase actual product...but they don't."

from environ (morgan geist, metro area, kelley polar):
"Hey, this was forwarded to us (Environ) and wanna say THANKS for just posting a minute of the track. Why is that "fucking cheesy?" No way. Posting the whole track usually just fucks the label/artist...doing that and being high and mighty about it, THAT is cheesy. This is great, it lets people hear the stuff and like or hate it and go on from there. Thanks for respecting both the music makers and your audience. Rare. Peace."

i understand those views.
there are alot of advantages and disadvantages to mp3 blogging, p2p and that whole gray area. it's very vague and ungoverned at this point, and i'm sort of grateful for that. i've found out about so much amazing shit from blogs, and continue to do so. but some acts are big enough now that i don't really think they need the "exposure" that blogs give them. and there are a zillion blogs out there putting stuff up. there are many smaller acts out there who do want the exposure, and who don't have a problem with downloading. i also don't think this issue applies as seriously to older music. so i'm going to try to stick to those from now on. to tell the truth though, i've not been on the hunt recently. pam and i want to stream some mixes in the future, so we'll still be around, although perhaps in a different capacity.

10. lastly, the san serac show was a casualty of our hiatus. i was really looking forward to it, but it is likely we'll have him back in the fall. in the meantime, check out his site (downloadable mix there!). 'tyrant' is an amazing song (cheap download here). any lucky people in new york this summer who get to see him at ps1 (with a guy called gerald and derek plaslaiko), please report back!

gaaah, i was gonna post a bit of my current visual inspiration for the party will and i are doing .... but blogger seems to be rejecting my attempts so more details soooooon ....

sorry sorry sorry

2006-06-12T12:59:00.000-05:00

but very very very excited.

i've been retardo busy lately, so apologies to those arriving here via recent linkers only to find it a bit of a ghost town these days. it's "summer" in toronto and there's loads and loads of stuff happening all the time now. the weather is no longer an excuse to stay at home and spend all my time with the internet.

if you live in the toronto area there's lots of goings on to attend in the next couple of weeks. at the top of the list is:

and

just so there's no confusion about what's going on this week here is the info:

wednesday june 14th, LIVE @ the boat

GLASS CANDY
CHROMATICS
CRYSTAL CASTLES

thursday june 15th, guest dj sets @ shack up! 751 queen w

johnny/ glass candy
adam/ chromatics

i've had people messaging me from the states who are driving up for this show, so people pls come early.

one of glass candy's fansites has a great article which comes really close to articulating what my attraction is to their music, by way of comparison to yyy's and ada. the writing can get a bit convoluted when bringing those two (and others) into the picture, but overall the writer comes the closest i've seen to expressing what is so wonderful about they do. it's hard to verbalize ... and part of me doesn't even want or need to verbalize what it is ... but for those who like it to be spelt out ...

"... (they) take signifiers of feelings and abstract them into pure textures ... Glass Candy give the impression of not believing in love, but they still //bleed// it." (from 'life after maps' by david mcnamee)

high b (demo) - glass candy (2006)

.... we luvv the nitelife ....

just please, no afi. thanks

2006-06-06T22:38:00.000-05:00

pillow talk

2006-05-31T01:10:00.000-05:00

black wall - six organs of admittance (2006)
i spent many a hot, toronto night in my darkened room last summer listening to 'school of the flower'. guess what? toronto's hot summer nights are coming around again. this comes out soon. perfect.

it's a wallpaper sample.