A musical identity....

Over the years and through the ages, music has been a constant. From the caveman's drums to the Beatles singing I wanna hold your hand to Jimi at Woodstock to Bob Dylan going electric in 1965 at the New Port Folk fest, music has helped define a generation, a people and has stood as a bench mark for memories and experience for many people, this thought isn't new by any means and has been talked about before here.

But with all of the Olympic coverage lately I have been thinking about the national identity of this great country of ours, and more specifically...Our identiy through music. I know what you thinking I always find some way to bring music back into the conversation but bear with me here, and besides this is my corner of cyber space so fuck ya...


See here's the thing. If you look at the US they have a guy by the name of Bruce Springsteen. Now admittedly I am not the biggest fan of the "Boss", but Americans love him, He exemplifies the blue collar hero to the US. He comes across as this average Joe, who gone and done right. He stands up for the little man and stands up to "The Man". He is as American as Apple pie(how did our neighbor's to the south corner the market on apple pie anyway...Oh well). If you look at the past Britain had two of the most important bands EVER The beadles and The Stones. To this day England still loves their Sir Paul and Sir Mick and they have latched onto more modern bands like goldfield and Radiohead. Very pretentious bands(in my humble opinion) to match the prentiousness of England it's self. So what am I getting at?

We as a nation..Who is our musical identity?..(The first person to put in the comments any of the following I will hunt you down and smack you I swear: Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Nickelback, Brian adams Avril Lavigne or the Bare Naked Ladies) or better yet what makes the quintessential Canadian Artist.


I think a Canadian artist, a true Canadian artist, has a different feel to their lyrics, a vivid imagery in the stories or thoughts that they are trying to get across in their music. With this in mind I submit my top Five:

1. Neil young- This guy is a musical genius. That's it...I know some of you out there are going to have something to say about this choice...Right Mr. Sidekick?

2.The Tragically Hip- Just as Canadian as beer maple Syrup and Hockey on a Sat night. I heard that groan from here by the way...Yeah you know who I am talking to...

3.Sam Roberts- Ok he's a newer guy with only one real album but he to me has that great nack for great lyrics. Almost like a Neil with the Hip rock edge...

4. Stompin Tom Connors- A list of Canadian artists is not complete with out this guy..

5. Gordon Lightfoot- Ahh surprised you with this one didn't I?..Gordon lightfoot is like the softer more friendly ying to the yang of Neil Young. He has the same fanatsic talent for imagery, and Canadian imagery at that, that Neil conveys through his lyrics..

It's hard to express excatly what I mean by Canadian artist..I think it is easier to tell you what isn't(see list above)..I think it is important to keep things like this close and defiantly Canadian. It might not seem like a big deal, but it is part of our National identity. Do you really wanna become the 51st state...

But then again amybe I just think too much about this stuff...gotta get me into that 12 step program...

Like a good friend....

You are there with me where ever I go...Be it here at home, in Victoria where you are just around the corner, or even when out visiting the home office..You are there. Like a constant companion and good friend that you know will always be there for you no matter what. You can take many different forms, always seeming to know what I am looking for, then doing your best to full fill that emptiness, filling the gap is what you and your friends do best. Working together to make things perfect....awww yes...Breakfast is there nothing you can't do...

You are the best meal to go out for in my mind, and you are found everywhere. I don't have to look far for that beaconing call of "All Day breakfast"..Whether it be Ricki's, Denny's or when at the home office..Wimpy's...I thank you breakfast for being there through thick and thin..hangover's, out of town guests, or even just a weekly breakfast with friends..You are always there inviting and delectable as always. Eggs, Coffee, bacon,hashbrowns, French toast and even the misunderstood Mr.Toast..the corner stone to any good meal. So I tip my hat to you Breakfast and the diners and all day grills in which I know I can always find you..I thank you for being there where ever I may go and where ever I may roam....

Has it been Four years already??

So here we are...The Winter Olympics opened today in Torino,Italy. Canada is hopeful that we can have the best ever Olympics this year...Of course they said that in 2002 too...But whatever...

As a Sports fan I can say that I do enjoy the Winter Olympics in comparison to the Summer games...The summer sports just seem so boring..Jumping. Running, throwing sticks , swimming and some diving. I mean all the same people win...You know a Kenyian is going to win the marathon , they have to do something to the Summer games that could make them more exciting...100 meter sprint?...Chased by tigers...Hurdles?..Have to make the jump with a midget on your back as he wacks you with a branch telling you to "Go Faster little doggie", diving?...one word.."Sharks"

I mean the Winter Olympics have an element of danger in almost every event...It is very possible that someone could die at any given time. This right there has my vote as the better of the two. Winter events are so much better.."Here lie down on this glorified sled face down and go down this ice covered track at 120 Km an hour...Yeah we'll call it Skeleton but if you do it on your back we'll call it lugs..." Yup great idea! I watch merely to see who wipes out, who falls and I am still waiting for that Biatholon shooting miss hap to happen. One of these days damn it someone involved with biathalon will be shot by accident.

Then of course there is the cornerstone to the Olympics, the men's Hockey Tournament. With the NHL shit down for the next two weeks this is the only hockey we get..Canada should do well...(Hey Wayne can your wife place a bet for me too?). Yes sir...Guns, people getting hurt..Illegal betting sounds like an episode of the sopranos..Kind fitting that they are in Italy.

And I know that the Olypmics are a big deal but man have you seen the opening ceromonies to these things..Amazing..They cost a shit load of money though. I seriously think that Vancouver should try and down scale the ones for 2010. How you ask?..I think it should start with a potluck dinner..Everybody bring something..Then there should be that standard of Canadian pop-culture The MuchMusic Video dance party and then just hang a big "Open for business" sign on stadium..We could probably get by with only spending a couple grand..

Well now, That didn't take long did it?

Now I had said to myself after the election that I wouldn't talk about Steven Harper for awhile, I figured I would see what would happen first, see if he could deliver anything of that which he promised......2 days people...2 days and he(in my humble opinion)has already started the back tracking on his campaign stance of a "more responsible government". He wanted to bring back "responsible government" and he believed that members of the senate must be elected and he would stop appointing people to the senate...2 days...And those ideas all went to hell.

Prime Minister Bush...I mean Harper...Was sworn in on Monday and then proceeded to unveil his new cabinet of ministers, and this is where the first rub..Of many to follow I'm sure...Took place. The guy appointed a guy Public Works Minister...Who get this...Didn't even get elected..Didn't even run for parliament, he's just merely a political ally of Mr. Harper...But he got appointed to the senate first so until he can run in a by-election to get elected "for real". How does he defend this?...As a way to bring Ministers in from Montreal a city that didn't elect a Conservative MP(in fact the Conservative government doesn't have and MPs from any of our countries three major cities.)...Then what happens...He somehow..Money or something I'm sure...Gets a Liberal to cross the floor to become the international trade minister...There is back lash going on in his riding now...People in Vancouver feel betrayed(don't blame them) and are demanding that he pay back the funds ($93,000) that were raised for his campaign as a Liberal....

Yes sir..Mr. Steven Harper cleaning up parliament Hill one back door deal at a time.......

A time, A place , A person or A face...

I have been thinking a lot about music lately. Why is this significant you ask? From the common thread through this blog it seems like you think about it a lot(maybe too much) you say? Both those comments are true I have no beef with that at all with that line of thinking....Doesn't change that I have been thinking about it...

Music in my life is kind of like the "Force"....No it doesn't help me fight evil galactic armies with just my Lightsaber and my wits...That would be silly...No it just merely is involved in everything I do. I drive to work and the CD player is on...I drive to Victoria a lot and I always have to pick cds that I want in the car I can't just listen to the wallet full of burnt and mix cd's already in there, no I have pick cds for that particular road trip, I get up and get ready for work and the media player goes on, even as I sit here and write this little spewing of thoughts I have music playing(The Velvet Underground"Loaded" if your curious) in the back ground.

But this is one of the great thing about music. Of the major forms of pop-culture music can affect your life more than anything. You can take it anywhere and memories or events are more tied to music than anything else. Now don't get me wrong I love movies and books but music it so very tied to memories. I can watch "The Usual Suspects" a thousand times but not remember the first time I saw it or who I was with. However ask me the first time I heard "Record Body Count" by the Rheostatics and I can tell you that it was on a mix tape made for me by my friend Dalton and it came right after "Maggie's Farm" by Bob Dylan and right before"In between the two of us" by the Skydiggers. Or that the first Phish Song I heard was "Bouncin around the room" from the album "A live One".

Music has that great quality to take to back to a time or place. To this day when ever I hear the "Road apples" cd by The Tragically hip it makes me think of the house I used to live in with the Emperor of Port Alberni and Dawn, great parties good times. Music is an indelible link to our past. Past parties, friends and relationships forever linked to the songs, cds, albums and mixtapes of our individual pasts.

Music also needs to be shared, we all like to share memories with those around us and things like music should be no different. One of the best things a person can say to me is "Can you make me a cd?"..This is something that is fun to me, to share new music with someone that has never heard of the bands or styles of music that I listen to. It's like a challenge(especially with the music I listen to) to try and expose others to what you find cool.

And this is where things get interactive in a way. We all have music that we adore and will promote and that we think people should be listening to. A couple of years ago, when the only cool guy on MuchMusic was still there, George Strombulopolis, he had this segment on the New Music where he said we should all make mix cds and pass them to strangers in the street, leave them on the bus for others to pick up and find. I liked this idea but never really did it. In this day and age of ipods, playlists and mP3 players i don't think we make as many cds as we used to. So I challenge you make a cd for someone...expose people to something new...if you wanna make one for a friend make it songs that you identify with..if its for your boyfriend or girlfriend make something just for them.. I don't really care who you make it for, make it for your crush and put a little "secret admirer" on it i don't give a shit the point here is to share music people.So go forth and download, rip, burn do what ever you need to do just share..Even leave a playlist here that you think I should listen to.... in the spirit of my own blog entry I will share my current playlist playing as I write this:

1.Oh Sweet Nuthin- The Velvet Underground
2.What'd I say(parts 1 & 2)- Ray Charles
3. One - Metallica
4. no Sleep -Sam Roberts
5.For all the cows- The Foo Fighters
6.Hopeless- The Trews
7.Heroes and Villans- Brian Wilson
8.Milk- Kings Of Leon
9.Don't let it bring you down-Neil Young
10.Escape is at hand for the travelling man- The Tragically Hip
11.Warm Love- Van Morrison
12.Friend of the Devil- The Grateful dead
13.Weekapaug groove- Phish
14.46 days- Phish
15.M.I.A.- The Foo Fighters
16.One more cup of Coffee- Bob Dylan
17.Stage Fright - The Band
18.Round the wheel- The String Cheese incident
19.Happy- The Rolling Stones
20.For No One- The Beatles.