The Automatik

The Joel Plaskett Emergency w/Major Grange
The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, Ontario
Tuesday, December 11, 2007

It strikes me as funny to spend all day listening to the Butthole Surfers and then go see the Joel Plaskett Emergency at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. Yet I’m glad I am able to fully embrace all of my different musical obsessions; how boring it would be to listen to only one thing. Read more

If we are to believe the dictum that there is no rest for the wicked, I suppose it’s fitting that JG Thirlwell, a.k.a. Foetus, is one of the most industrious forces in the universe.

In addition to scoring the music for The Venture Bros., his various commissioned performances, audio installations, DJ gigs, and alter egos/side projects, he’s managed to release yet another album as Foetus. Read more

Corey Hart’s “Sunglasses at Night” was a huge hit when I was a teenager, peaking at number seven on Billboard’s Top Ten chart in 1984.

The song is utter crap. Inexplicably, I adore it and have for over twenty years.

It’s got a spooky keyboard groove and dark guitar noodling, both elements that are completely typical of the time period. The lyrics are ridiculous: I wear my sunglasses at night/So I can, so I can/Watch you weave then breathe your story lines. Yeah, I have no idea what that means, either.

The video is equally wretched and baffling. Let’s watch, shall we?
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In a 1997 interview, Sloan’s Chris Murphy jokingly apprised each member of the band:

It kind of becomes like, Andrew is the brooding one, Patrick is the metalhead-slash-sensitive guy, I’m the wall-to-wall bridges guy with no choruses, and Jay’s the cute, heart-wrenching, adorable one.

Although they’ve never succumbed to these stereotypes, Sloan’s last two albums have stumbled in an attempt to evolve and come to terms with the debt owed to their influences, as well as the indie rock crowd that made them unlikely heroes. It’s been easy to see where they were coming from, but figuring out where they were headed was a challenge.

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Any discussion of 80s music will undoubtedly include names like Madonna, Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Prince, U2, Public Enemy, and Guns ‘n’ Roses, as well as one hit wonders and less mainstream bands; the decade was, after all, the genesis of “alternative music.” One band not frequently mentioned, however, is the Cocteau Twins, probably because they don’t sound stereotypically 80s. Although the 80s were the decade of the music video and the Cocteau Twins did make them, they were never a true “video band.” Nor were videos even necessary to appreciate their music; it is impossible not to be inundated with fantastical mental images when listening to them. The incredible album art, designed by 23 Envelope, certainly helped in that capacity. Read more

I remember seeing the world premiere of Bowie and Jagger’s cover of “Dancing in the Street” on Friday Night Videos and being utterly terrified. I was never a big Stones fan, so Mick’s goofy behavior wasn’t that shocking, but Bowie? He was one of the first rock stars I loved as a kid, right up there with John Lennon. What the hell was he doing in this monstrosity?

Stagegay: It’s what’s for breakfast.

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The sequel to Eleven Videos That Shaped My Life. Expect additional instalments if Tarney Spencer’s “No Time To Lose” or The Tubes’ “Primetime” ever show up on YouTube.

1. Pat Benatar: I’m Gonna Follow You/Precious Time (1981)
   Pat Benatar’s makeup and outfits were basically identical to those of my mom’s dancer friends did during the same time period so I thought she was a queen. “I’m Gonna Follow You” is like some sort of Linda Blair evil twin movie in video format. “Precious Time” is essentially the definition of what early MTV felt like: sexy, weird, and addictive. The stylized editing and the scenes in the fake desert with the hourglass timers are completely non sequitur and why the hell is Neil Geraldo dressed like a sheik? The brief shot of Pat leaning against the wall with a tear-streaked face haunted me. This is also a prime example of a song that I knew was adult without exactly knowing why.

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1. The Police: Don’t Stand So Close to Me (1980)
   This is one of the first videos that I can remember seeing, pre-MTV, on a show called Video Jukebox which aired during the wee hours. I was at my dad’s house one weekend, and after this came on I remember feeling a bit odd and panicky. My dad asked me what was wrong and I told him that the video made me nervous. I couldn’t even explain why! I think I understood what the song was about without truly understanding it on a conscious level. The Police look cool yet act goofy in the video; this would set the tone for many of my crushes throughout grade school and junior high.

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Wayne Petti
The Grates
City Field
The Meligrove Band
w/DJ Finish Him

Lee’s Palace
June 22, 2006

I cannot heap enough praise upon The Meligrove Band. Not only have they proven their exceptional talent on all three of their albums, their shows are consistently impressive since, believe it or not, they sound even better in a live setting. They are tremendously supportive of the Toronto-area indie music scene, and frequently participate in all-ages shows with unknown bands. Although they are now signed to a major label, and are in the midst of a whirlwind of a tour around the world, no matter how many people show up to a Meligrove Band gig, they always have time for their fans. Plus, they’re just good people.
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Elizabeth Sheppard Trio
Melissa McClelland
Jason Falkner
Femme Generation
Amy Millan

The Reverb (North By Northeast)
June 9, 2006

For the last five or six years, I think Jason Falkner has managed to make an appearance on every mix CD I’ve made, either via Jellyfish, his solo stuff, or his work with musician pals like Air, Roger Manning, and Brian Reitzell. Live performances have been more elusive – I had to travel to Austin, Texas when I lived in New Orleans to see him play guitar and sing for Air’s 10,000 Hz. Legend tour in 2001. I honestly didn’t think I’d ever get the chance to witness a bona fide Jason Falkner show. So when I found out this past Tuesday that he was participating in North By Northeast this year (thanks Beth!), I was thrilled.
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