When I saw that July the 1st was approaching, I felt the urge to put something Canadian together. Canada Day could probably hold a more special place in my heart, but no matter what country you are born or raised in, you keep getting mixed signals about how much nationalism one is supposed to have. … Continue reading The Production Pride of Canada
Category: Pop Music
Alternate Album Cover Art VII
No need for a grandiose introduction on this post. Given that I’ve gone down this road six times before (see volumes I, II, III, IV, V, and VI of this series), I’ll get right to the heart of the matter and go over five additional albums and their covers, continuing to explore various ways musicians … Continue reading Alternate Album Cover Art VII
Keys To Enjoying A Concert (and Proper Etiquette)
If you’re at all like me, a new year leads to new concert experiences. As of today, I’ve got Depeche Mode, Enslaved / Insomnium, and Herbie Hancock shows marked on the calendar, and I highly anticipate seeing what other events sprout up in Toronto and the surrounding area in the coming months. While I maintain … Continue reading Keys To Enjoying A Concert (and Proper Etiquette)
Alternate Album Cover Art VI: The Undiscovered Variant
They stopped numbering Star Trek movies after the sixth one, so if I’m to continue this series I’ll need a new franchise to pay homage to in my titles. What goes beyond six movies, though? The Fast and the Furious series? I love action movies, but I’ve never been won over by Vin Diesel. I’ll … Continue reading Alternate Album Cover Art VI: The Undiscovered Variant
The Future of Music: The People’s Almanac Presents The Book Of Predictions
FUTURE… FUTURE….FUTURE... It’s not just the subject of one of my favourite SpongeBob SquarePants moments, but it’s a topic I think about quite a lot. Sure, my mind wanders into thinking of the consequences of various decisions by political leaders or even how my own choices will shape my future, but an old stand-by of … Continue reading The Future of Music: The People’s Almanac Presents The Book Of Predictions
One-Album Wonders: The La’s
It should go without saying, but no music career lasts forever. It was once the industry standard for a band or artist to release a new studio album every year, sometimes as many as two a year with a live album or compilation every few years as well. While it is standard to release more … Continue reading One-Album Wonders: The La’s
Deep In The Discography: Elemental by Tears For Fears
What’s the general consensus regarding the two Tears For Fears albums that followed The Seeds of Love? I never see them getting discussed too much. Does a perceived lack of quality have them treated like Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter stories where you can’t even mention their names? Or are they just quietly appreciated … Continue reading Deep In The Discography: Elemental by Tears For Fears
When Two Become One: The Beatles (aka The White Album)
We all have albums in our collection that run a bit on the long side. There are several reasons why this might be, and hopefully for the artist’s sake, it’s not because they aren’t as good at writing songs as they think they are. In many cases, the artist or band may have written and … Continue reading When Two Become One: The Beatles (aka The White Album)
Music Press Photos
You know those glossy, black and white photos that celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld would sign for fans while on the road, and write quips on them as regrettable as “Nothing’s finer than being in your diner” or worse? I collect those. I’ve seen plenty of bars and dining establishments display signed pictures of musicians or … Continue reading Music Press Photos
Collect-A-Books (Music Edition)
What childhood was complete without having a few pocketbooks scattered throughout your room? They made for a great quick gift idea since they were a fraction of the cost of a full-sized book, and allowed you to keep a reduced book collection in as little as a shoe box versus the necessity of shelving (yes, … Continue reading Collect-A-Books (Music Edition)
Childhood Car Tunes – Christmas Cassettes
Of all the things that change in life, I can always look at music as one thing I can keep consistent. As much as I try during the holidays, we can’t always keep annual traditions consistent, instead putting a new twist on how we celebrate as a family. My father passed away in July, and … Continue reading Childhood Car Tunes – Christmas Cassettes
A Hockey-Music Medley
I’m only weeks removed from having participated in my first fantasy hockey draft, and even as a decades-long fan of the sport I felt I was in way over my head. If we got to draft from the rosters in NHL 95, I’d have had the league locked up before the first puck dropped. Regardless, … Continue reading A Hockey-Music Medley
Armchair Maestro 