Thank you for finding my profile on MySpace.  I don't rock this thing to often anymore.

If you have interest then please find me at http://www.jeremybaker.ca

Thank you for keeping the MySpace flame burning.

I just put Madelyn down to sleep and Coral is rocking her Mommy blogs and gossip websites on her computer in the mainroom so I thought... sure... another blog on a Friday night, why not.

Tonight I'll dive into my email bag for a few gems.

First up... a picture from a Zoner named Will of the Pemberton Festival.



Impressive.

Next, a Facebook message from a Zoner named Brandon.

***

I woke up bright and early this morning with Madelyn.  She slept through the night which she does from time-to-time.  That's nice.  I generally deal with her when she wakes up in the middle of night.  She generally gets up at 3:30AMish once for a bottle... today, not so much, but I still wake up every night at three, or four regardless.

Today we're up at 7AM and flipped the TV to Global for the news as I generally do and they had this story of a line up of Chinese people in Richmond and it dawned on my, today is 08/08/08!  Olympics start.  In all honesty, I don't really care about the Olympics.  I changed over to the CBC showing the opening ceremonies and I don't really care to see pretty much all the countries march.  They showed Mexico and talked about how they might win four Olympic golds in fencing.  You can win four golds in fencing?

Some country I have never heard of had won one medal last time.  A silver in table tennis.  Holy fuck, they hand out medals for basement games.  No wonder the summer Olympics are so popular.  Growing up goofing around with swords and parlor games can make you an athlete.

***

I am typing this blog on Coral's laptop.  It is mega uncomfortable.  I look like a tyrannosaurus rex with my hand all bent funny at my chest pecking away at these tiny keys.

***

Yet another point about about M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes."  The song samples the Clash's "Straight to Hell." from Combat Rock.  Neat.

Well sorta... I think one of the dudes will bravely march on.

From their MySpace blog.

***

Thursday, August 07, 2008

..TR> ..TR>

MYLES HESKETT AND CHRIS ROSS TO DEPART WOLFMOTHER

Grammy Award winning rock band Wolfmother has announced the resignation of bass/keyboard player Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett effective immediately.

Singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale now plans to find other musicians over coming months and to then begin making a new Wolfmother album.

Wolfmother toured the world virtually non-stop through 2006 and early 2007 on the back of their acclaimed self titled debut album. Longstanding frictions within the group then lead them to take an extended break during the second half of 2007 to consider their future.

In early 2008 they regrouped and worked on new material. Initially encouraged by those sessions, they committed to a handful of live shows to 'road test' the new songs and to try to find a way forward.

Those dates concluded with a headlining slot last Sunday at the Splendour In The Grass Festival in Australia's Byron Bay where rumours circulated about possible lineup changes.

Following that show Chris Ross decided to announce that he was leaving the band due to irreconcilable personal and musical differences. Myles Heskett has also decided to leave the band rather than continuing as part of a changed lineup. The pair has been working together on songs for some time and they plan to focus their energies on that new project in the future.

Wolfmother's self titled debut album is one of the most successful Australian rock releases this century. It has sold over 1.3 million copies and received multiple ARIA Awards and a Grammy – making them the first Aussie band to receive such an award in 25 years. Other highlights for the group have included appearances at just about every major music festival in the world, sharing stages with Pearl Jam, The Who and The Strokes, and a special performance inducting the legendary Led Zeppelin into the UK's Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame.

Andrew Stockdale, Myles Heskett and Chris Ross will make no public statements at this time except to say that they are each really looking forward to making their new music over the years ahead.

In the meantime they simply ask all Wolfmother fans to please understand that in spite of their best efforts over a long period of time, they just could not find a harmonious way to work together and that has lead to the decisions announced today.

***
So it seems Pemberton was one of their last shows EVAR! Neat.

..TBODY>

I have been jamming out the M.I.A. record "Kala" since it came out.  (I think they sold the record at Starbucks... I'm so street).

Its a good record, it never really connected with me but when I started club DJing I dusted off a coupl tracks for my set.

For most the year, not too much response from the casual music fan when I play it, but lately, "Paper Planes" gets the girls bumping on the floor.

It is sorta bizarre being up in the DJ booth and looking down on a sea of college kids throwing their arms in the air with their hands shaped liked guns during the chorus... "I'll I wanna do" *bang bang bang* "and take your money!"

M.I.A.'s recent surge into the collective conscience comes at a time when her song is being used in a TV commercial.  oh society...

"Paper Planes" is used during the trailer for the Pineapple Express.




haha, that movie looks good... I'm gunna go see that. right, the point.



M.I.A. is a terrorist.














no shit... I got that all wrong.

M.I.A.'s dad is a terrorist, she is a refugee, escaping terror violence in Sri Lanka.

I don't really know what I'm talking about, so here are a couple great links to set M.I.A's Tamil Tiger roots into focus.

First, the controversy. M.I.A. Responds to Pro-Terrorism Accusations

What are Tamil Tigers?

and now, a superb article explaining why M.I.A. is not a terrorist and is such a great artist. Let's think for just a moment about how much M.I.A. actually supports the Tamil Tigers

Rad, that second article is so good, Robert Christgau dives into the tunes and politics and now I jazzed to re-explore M.I.A's "Kala."

***

Go with yourself.

oh... I'll giggle for awhile now.

U-S-A! U-S-A!

I love politics in the U-S-A!  So much more fun than boring old Canada.



Yikes.  The old yoda one launched a missle at Obama.

and who rallies to his defence.

Amercia's favourite sweetheart, Paris Hilton.

Oh my this is funny.

Paris Hilton for President

***

Coral wrote a lullaby for Madelyn.  Everyone together now... awwww

"Madelyn, Madelyn
Your Mommy and Daddy are living in Sin.

"They had sex and then had you
and now there is something they must do

"They'll need to get married in the future one day
everyone is doing it, even the gays."

awwwww

***

The end.

Go with yourself.

Some Metallica news...

Metallica shot a video for their first featured track off their new reocrd, Death Magnetic.  I love how they use the word "featured" to describe a "single."  Little kid's bands and top 40 groups have singles, Metallica has a "featured"  track, how elder statesmenly of them.

Here are some pictures of the shoot.

Metallica Shoots Video For First Single

***

Yesterday was my first day back from almost two weeks off.  I am a wee bit of a workaholic so it actually felt good to have to work again.  I had a brazillion emails and facebook messages to hack through.  Many nice emails from Zoners including this gem forwarded to me from James.

***

I've been meaning to write this for awhile, but I've never had the time, but I feel it's a story worth telling.

Last May, not the one that's recently passed, but the May before I was driving back from Kelowna from business.  I put on The Zone as I was going across the Second Narrows bridge, and it was the "Three Degree's of Separation" (or whatever it was called) show, and Jeremy was giving away free Kaiser Chiefs CD's.  I surprisingly got through and knew that The Bravery and The Killers had some sort of weird background fight going on between them, but couldn't put the third clue in there.  Apparently they both played in ska bands before, and that was the third clue.  However, Jeremy gave me the CD, mailed it to me in Vancouver and life was grand.

A few weeks later I was at a party and met this girl.  I had no idea who she was, but apparently she was one of the high exec's for a satellite radio company.  Very attractive, but I had no idea what she did for a living, and we just talked about music.  I mentioned that the Kaiser Cheifs album was really good, and I knew they were coming to Van and was thinking of going.  She just gave me tickets to the show right there.  I was amazed and we exchanged numbers.

Nothing really happened, and I didn't think much of it, other than the fact that I had free tickets to The Kaiser Cheifs, and anytime I really wanted to call her, I could see any show at the Commodore Ballroom for free, but I was moving to Kelowna, so I really didn't think much of it.

Saw the Kaiser Cheifs with a buddy of mine, kind of a going away party for me, and things were good.  I was looking after a condo in Van with a huge balcony, people came over, and it was a good going away party.  He actually emailed a thankyou from Belgium this last May thanking me for taking him to that show it was such a good time.  Anyway, kept in touch with the girl off and on, kind of a thank you for the show, and just a good contact to have.

I recieved a few free tickets to shows here and there, all because of that free CD I received from The Zone that started up conversation.  I moved back to Vancouver because things are just better here, and started to see her.  Sadly, things really didn't last between the girl and I, but I saw some amazing bands along the way, for example: PB&J, The National, Klaxons, Tegan and Sara, Built to Spill, Perry Ferrell, Polyphonic Spree, Chevelle and more, but, I just can't remember them.  Anyway, it has opened up a huge interest in music in me that I never knew existed.  I really have you to thank for the start of it all (with the free CD) and it spawned a whole world of music. 

Seriously, thank you. 

Paul

***

No Paul, Thank you for the good story.


***

Madelyn is teething now.  I didn't know there was another level of hell until now.  Other parents told me teething sucks... I just thought that they were complainers.  No, it sucks.  I get it.

***
Gunna be moving my blog to Wordpress.  I'll be copy/pasting here too (I think).  I like the Wordpress blogs.  They look good.

***

Coral and I are still living the budget.  No real update other than its hard and we're not very good at it yet.  But August is forecasted to be a good month.  If we stick to it, we should be able to save a few bucks.

Part of the process involves controlling food spending.  The best solution I have found for that personally is, eat breakfast.

I always skip breakfast.  I have since... well, since I can remember.  As a younger man, the idea of keeping anything perishable in the fridge was daunting.  Factor in, that breakfast eating takes time, time that could be sleeping or trying to talk my young lovely into a morning once around... and breakfast is out.

But now, breakfast is back and I feel great.

Before, I'd skip breakfast and then get crushing hungry around lunchish.  Heaven forbid I had  mroning meeting or actual work that needed to be done and my mind was on food.  Then I'd need to bee-line straight to some fast food.  Unhealthy and expensive.

Eat breakfast, be happy, pack a lunch.

My old man says, "Son (he doesn't actually ever call me son, I added that for effect),"  "Son, I have always packed my lunch to work.  I make a baziliion more dollars than you do, I have an office with a view of the burrard Inlet, many expensive ties and RRSPs... I still pack my lunch to work."

Well done sir.

***

Hugo's on Tuesday night is getting really fun these days.  I am even getting half decent and spinning.  I use CDJs (CD players that pretend to be record players) and I htink I successfully blended like two or three tracks last night.  I still don't have the skills to craft unique remixes and I can barely mash-up Madelyn's morning banana, let alone a song... but its sounded good.

I play a lot of top 40.  Fun.  Girls lose their minds to Rhianna or Timbaland.  That's kinda neat.  It forces me to explore some new music.  What is really fun is still trying to find that alternative-ish cut to through in there and try to keep the younger party people playing along.

I downloaded a guy that goes by The Bug.

http://www.myspace.com/thebuguk

Reggaesque music.  Sean Kingston, Sean Paul, Bob Marley all play well with college kids so I tried a song called "Angry" and I think I saw one guy tapping his feet.

MGMT's "Electric Feel" is starting to get some play on the Zone.  Groovy song.  Better when remixed by Justice.  Seek and download that find track.

  http://www.myspace.com/mgmt
http://www.myspace.com/etjusticepourtous

MIA is an anomoly.  Alt. Dance that the college kids seem to love.  Santogold is sorta like an MIA rip-off.  I like her track "L.E.S. Artisites"

http://www.myspace.com/mia
http://www.myspace.com/santogold

***

That's all I got.

Go with yourself.

huzzah!  back from holidays.  i'll blog more about the family's adventures later.  right now, madelyn is teething or righteously ornery and won't sleep so i am typing while we listen to some colbie caillat ( what, we like her)... one handed typing... no cap lock.

***

driving around BC listening to genesis while madelyn slept and coral was burried in a silly british rom/com story... i had lots of time to think.  that wads nice.  maybe the best part of the holuiday as silly as that sounds.

coral wanted to sell everything we own and live like gypsies.  i remindered we own less than we owe so like... i hope she can pick pockets like gypsie.

***

i think i might put my name *baker* to the test and learn to bake bread.  my uncle (last name, postle... oddly, mom"s side) works for a bakery in esquimalt and maybe he'll let me tag along.  all part of the plan... no seriously.

***

i also dreamed up an odd little program for the internets that would make the zone's website dominate.  just got to find that computer skilled music lover out there to code it.

***

i am reading about 4 books at the same time.  they are all good and it is challenging starting all theses books.  silly me.

***

madelyn is being sweet right now.  i guess she just wanted attention.  she keeps rubbing her eyes, playing with my hair and unleeshing some glorious yawns so i think it is time to put her to bed (again).

go with youself...

Well I must start by saying that I am excited to get cracking on a new blog.  I am still tryig to figure out exactly what I want the blog to do... but I do know that it will have an audio component so that the playlists that I create can be tangible things for you to explore and listen to.  Listing songs is less fun than hearing music.  I get to hear the tracks, but unless you take the time to go out and download everything, it is just words on a computer screen.

***

Coral and I are gearing up to launch into our Jar Budget.  I bought some jars, Coral labelled them.  The budget is written out on an excel spreadsheet and last night we dreamed up some financial goals.  Now the fun part... actually doing it.  Wish us luck!

***

Thinking about hard work and reading lots of other blogs, listening to music and then using a couple songs as spring boards, I put together a set that I rather like.  I few new faves, an old favourite or two plus some music that is new to my collection.

01) The Hold Steady - "Contructive Summer"

The Hold Steady are one of my all-time fave bands.  On my facebook desert island, their previous album, "Boys and Girls in America" is a record that I'd be packing along.  The new disc is called "Stay Positive" and it is quickly stealing all my music listening time.

I was jamming out this album today on my drive to the grocery store.

We're gonna build something, this summer
We're gonna build something, this summer
We'll put it back together- raise up a giant ladder
With love, and trust, and friends, and hammers (This summer!)
We're gonna lean this ladder up against the water tower
Climb up to the top, and drink and talk (This summer!)

Me and my friends are like "Double-whiskey-coke-no-ice."
We drink along in double time; might drink too much, but we feel fine
We're gonna build something, this summer.
Gonna build something, this summer.

This summer, grant us all the power to drink on top of water towers,
With love, and trust, and shows, all summer (Get hammered!)
Let this be my annual reminder that we can all be something bigger

Whoa... I like.  Got me thinking about summer time and going to work and having fun.  I thought... jeeze, we could all use this song right about now... better go home and make a playlist.

I read a couple articles on The Hold Steady.

Pitchfork: Review of "Stay Positive"
OhNoTheyDidn't: I Have Seen the Future of Rock and Roll, and It Is Not the Hold Steady

I am not too sure if the ONTD article is a positive of negative, but its a pretty good look at the band non the less.  Plus the lead singer's name is Finn which is quickly becoming a name-du-jour for Miss Coral Jean.

To talk about Hold Steady means that you'll be tlaking Husker Du and the Replacements.  Two bands that constantly get parallels drawn to them.

02) Husker Du - "Don't Want to Know If You are Lonely"

Husker Du is one of those bands that never really did much while an active rock band, but they "influenced" later rockers... and so now they become important.  Husker Du was one of the first "alternative" bands form the underground to sign to the major labels... thus paving the way for the ixies and their ilk... which would lead the way to Nirvana, then Pearl Jam and then eventually Creed then Nickelback... thanks a lot Husker Du!  that was a line I should never have drawn... yeesh.

03) The Replacements - "Alex Chilton"

Now things are gunna get neat.  Like Husker Du, The Replacements are from Minnesota, are an 80s alt rocker band and influenced The Hold Steady.

Why this song makes the list is because today I read about the Rock Band Two playlist and noticed some interesting inclusions... namely, The Replacements "Alex Chilton."

Rad.

But who is Alex Chilton?

04) Alex Chilton - "Bangkok"

Again we tlak about a guy that had more influence than latter day hits (he did chop some charts in the 60s with the Box Tops).

Everyone lives Alex Chilton... but uhhh, yeah, I never knew that he was anyhting more than a Replacements song.

According to the bio, lots of modern rockers consider him the cats pajama's... like REM, The Replacements, Counting Crows, Garbage and ....

05) Elliot Smith - "Thirteen"

an outrageously gorgeous (but aren't they all) song from Elliot Smith's posthumous record "New Moon"... here he is covering a Big Star (One of Alex Chilton's bands) song.

06) Coldplay - "Lost"

Getting back to the thread of songs that are inspiring during trying times... I drop Coldplay's "Lost."  Coral and I have been jamming out Viva La Vida a bunch since we got our paws on a copy.  Stellar record as Coldplay records go.

I know lots of people hate on Coldplay.  Hating Coldplay is easy, loving them is fun. 

Driving around in the summer, day dreaming, thinking about problem and challenges and life... this record will wash over you.  Romantic, sweet and uplifting.

07) Beck - "Youthless"

 Another new disc that I am enjoying right now is Beck's Modern Guilt.   I think this track has such an interesting and unique style.  The beat sorta pushes you off balance like a chicken fight.  Groovy.

There's a bottomless pit that we've been climbing from
Just to get on level ground
Shake your seasick legs around
Dead of winter in a logo town
Signs of life are soft and flickering

Need a bed to lay my body down
Deadweight to carry down
Some static is lulling me to sleep

Listen to this song when its deadly hot in your apartment.

08) Wolf Parade - "Soldier's Grin"

I am sure there are tons of great songs on Wolf Parade's At Mount Zoomer, but I'll never know because the first song, "Soldier's Grin" is so good I have troubl;e getting past it to explore the rest.  I need more excuses to go for walks to steal some more music listening time.

This track is quircky and jerky like "Youthless" and I thought would sound good on the list after Beck.  Some of the music reminds me of Seaseme Street kid songs from the 80s.

PLUS!!!! The band has sorta Vancouver Island roots.  Right-O gang.

09) Windsor for the Derby - "Fallen Off The Earth"

I don't know too much about this band.  I downloaded their record How We Lost, and when this song comes up on my rotations, it stands out.  Another airy indie rocker.  Most of the set is airy indie rockers, so it fits and might be a new surprise for you if you take the time to track the song down.

10) Chatham County Line - "Chip of a Star"

Yet another band I downloaded after reading a wee bit of interdork buzz.  Every so often, downloading random music pays dividends.  "Chip of a Star" is sweet, country-ish jam.  Don't be scared, I said, "country-ISH."  big ISH.

11) Plants and Animals - "Good Friend"

This was a late addition to the set list and I added it for two reasons.

One:  I oredered my Dad a Plants and Animals t-shirt sometime back.  I got an email today saying... "sorry for the delay, it shipped today."

So that put Plants and Animals back in my mind... then when I was listening to Chatham County Line, the chorus of "Chip of a Star" goes on about a beautiful friend.

What a nice thought... that thought led to Plants and Animals song about Friendship.

Cute.  Lana on the CBC 3 always talks about Nachos, Beer and Friendship.

This is a nachos, ber and friendship song.

12) M83 - "Kim and Jessie"

Earlier in the set, I was tlaking about 80s alt rock that inspired The hold Steady... then I tlaked about Alex Chilton and how he inspired the 80s alt rock... well from there, I got reading about My Bloody Valentine.

Another bands with lots of promise, they influenced a ton of bands... and self destructed before mainstream commercial success.

I looked at my colleciton of tunes and noticed I had NO MBV.  SWA???  I went on iTunes and had a listen.  Neat... sounds like Gish era Pumpkins, and Silversun Pick-ups and... France's M83.  Zoinks, they sound a LOT like M83.

I played "Kim and Jessie" at Hugo's one night and no one gave a shit... what else is new right? well ecept Coral's little sister Alyx.  She dug it, and that was my little victory.  M83 is a little more elcctronic than shoe-gaze, but the similarity is uncanny as they ids say.

I thought, it best be fitting to include a My Bloody Valentine track.

13) My Bloody Valentine - "Only Shallow" 

My Bloody Valentine have an interesting story that might be worth your time to read.

Everything you need ot know about My Bloody Valentine.

I included their most popular North American song as a good jumpiing point for further exploration.

***

Go with yourself.