i feel like tiki tonight ...

to the tune of...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ9M7bsx10I&feature=related

*see you at the waldorf. i'll be setting up around 8:00 pm...

another day again

just caught wind of this incredible new sadies video!@#$%?!!! brings me right back to weekend morning TV as a kid in richmond hill, ontario. any billy van fans in the house??? so stoked to catch these psychedelic country-rock wizards perform LIVE in vancouver again. if we're lucky, maybe igor and the wolfman will make a special appearance...

THE SADIES
Friday, February 18, 2011
The Vogue (918 granville street)
*tix at the usual suspects...

sipreano mix - the strombo show (CBC radio 2)

hello friends,
just wanted to let you know that i've got a 15-minute music mix airing this week on CBC radio 2's, the strombo show, an all-canadian content set that showcases artists from the past and present!

featuring...
the painted ship (1960's punk from psych pioneers), the world premier of soul legend the mighty pope's new 7" single (sureshot symphony solution featuring the mighty pope), top rockers ladyhawk "you are my hellfire" (sipreano remix), and talented 1970's singer-songwriter glenn neale (from the forthcoming share the land: canada compilation of on light in the attic records)...

sunday, january 30, 2011
8 pm to 11 pm
CBC radio 2
or on-line at
http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/

look around

mutual understanding

huy fong

http://www.huyfong.com/frames/index.htm

(i'll) be there!

http://theeyeofladyhawk.blogspot.com/

fight the power

once again, i'm wondering where the lions are? today, pop culture is sponsored by an endless stream of products. in 1989, you sponsored things yourself, w/ a trip to the local record store and a blast from your boombox or walkman. has our cultural landscape really changed that much? well, the music business certainly has... but the soulful feeling you get when listening to an engaging song? never... combined w/ a powerful film (spike lee's "do the right thing"), the results can be devastating, even life-changing. here's one that moved me... "fight the power"
*note: think the only product placement in this video are the two def jam records spinning on terminator X's decks...

halfbreed (1973)

another lynch mob dub...

"mr. fortune & fame"

wow!@#$%/!!! super honoured to be posting this and the following entry, the front and back covers of the forthcoming sureshot symphony solution! featuring the mighty pope "mr. fortune & fame" 7". when i think back to my early days of digging for old records in the mid-1990's, it's safe to say that i never imaged to be working w/ either of these fine folks. the mighty pope, canada's first black solo artist on a major label (*think about it!), was an early vinyl discovery for me. his tough-as-nails R&B/funk work w/ the hitch-hikers and his own namesake soul/disco groovers from the 1970's always put a smile on my face (and people on the dance floor)… deejay sureshot (aka shane hunt, the sharpshooters) was another key inspiration who taught me to listen with open ears, dig deeper, and perhaps most importantly, keep a strong sense of humour. needless to say, both of these men changed my life in a BIG way. after meeting at the second jamaica to toronto concert in 2007, shot and pope became fast friends and reunited last year in san francisco to record a banging psychedelic funk record, "mr. fortune & fame"… the results are nothing short of staggering. the sureshot symphony solution! featuring the mighty pope is generations, cultures, countries, and experience coming together in unison... cop it!!!

b/w "instrumental"

uncle willy's

arthur lee

2002: a tight crew of friends headed off to yet another concert at richard's on richards... but this was no ordinary show... the headliners??? arthur lee and love. by then, we were all fully-fledged devotees and hella stoked to be able to catch them in the flesh. well, their leader arthur lee anyways, the rest of the group's original members had long since dispersed to parts unknown. upon arrival, we were greeted by a "SHOW CANCELED" sign on the door. arthur had been in trouble w/ the law recently and couldn't get across the border. "OMG!!! NO!!! what are we gonna do???" rang our cries. "let's go to seattle!!!" and off we went... the following day, arthur lee and love played to an ecstatic crowd at the EMP's sky church venue. under its tall ceilings and electric feel, a supportive audience were treated to a rip roaring set of power and grace. i imagined arthur's old seattle buddy jimi hendrix gracing him w/ positive vibes for the show... even old love bandmate "snoopy" pfisterer showed up for an impromptu percussion jam... i'll never forget this night. arthur was in amazing voice and if i closed my eyes, it was easy to imagine myself traveling strange and distant lands. but fantasy aside, it was live and we were there. the power of music... blessed (again)... thank you arthur lee!!! RIP

my god #8

jam session

H.O.D. #1

ok, here you go...
this is the jam! i can safely say that there's nothing like it in vancouver right now. for me, it's simply a celebration of music and love of the dance. i'm riding the rock and pop tunes right out, the way they were intended to be listened to (*note: fleetwood mac, the rolling stones, etc... do not need any extra "beats" thrown on top of it... they're perfect as is!)... i like my 1960's-1970's music raw and my disco hard (and soft too)... but yes, we will boogie... to OGs on wax! w/ friends, family, and lovers. boss sounds from london to tokyo, new york to brazil, jamaica to toronto (and back again). if you wanna know the roots, peep this... if you trust your local DJ, peep this... if you like to get lifted, peep this...
we'll see you on the 4th!!!
sip
*i'll let jason lev drop jewels regarding his truth is light room, but rest assured it will bring each and every drop of musical madness he is known for world-wide... we're both ecstatic to be throwing this party with/at the waldorf hotel...

City Limits Discotheque PR:

Do the words Graceland, Luv-a-Fair, Red Lounge, Twilight Zone, Chameleon Urban Lounge, Sugar Refinery, Starfish Room, Ms T's and Town Pump mean anything to you? Hearkening back to the once vibrant spirit of independent Vancouver nightlife that has long since vanished, City Limits Discotheque in the Waldorf Cabaret is a return to form. Featuring an eclectic and timeless array of dance music—from classic UK indie rock to American R&B, funk, Jamaican reggae, world-beat, 1960's garage, 1970's AM gold, black disco, and European electronic—decades and genres will hang together in union. Songs, some well loved, others, long forgotten, will open your mind to new dimensions, but don't forget to bring your dancing shoes. These grooves are set to move. Featuring resident selector Sipreano (Light In The Attic Records), each monthly edition will bring fresh faces into the mix along with special guest DJs from around the world...

This month we are proud to showcase Kamandi (Soulcial) and The Stunt Man (Titan Sound). Kamandi cut his teeth at the Chameleon Urban Lounge and various sheebens on Hastings Street during the mid-1990's. Currently running the Zunga sound system in Powell River, B.C., he shares the stage with The Stunt Man, Vancouver's #1 funk, 1980's, and Hip-Hop DJ.

a dream about you

MAPL syrup ©

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info_sht/r1.htm

malcolm mooney???

 
kicking it at the tiki bar???
in the flesh...
hell yes!!!

i got...

a toaster, OG phantom of the opera mask, full set of fish plates, and "license to thrill" ski poles!@#$%? from my brother!!! bon voyage TJH!!! knock 'em dead!!!

method of modern lounge

*props to kamandi for the title... m-e-t-h-o-d...

rab ikit eht ni onaerpis

swan lake

waiting for the sun

the cabinet

i had the most amazing dream last night that really got cooking around 4:30 am after being woken by a loud CRASH outside my window. i couldn't exactly tell where the noise came from, but it was unquestionably the sound of screeching tires and metal on metal, followed by an uncomfortable silence... as my car was parked not too far away, i dreaded that my trusty chariot was on the loosing side of a cowardly hit-and-run. still, half awake and not wanting to get into a potentially nasty scene, i slowly drifted back to sleep... from there on i was treated to a surreal series of fantastical imagery and oddball interaction. my visions took me back to my first family home in richmond hill, ontario, a subsequent one in unionville, an unknown park, and finally a fictional beach on the pacific ocean that i believe to be near white rock. though they were familiar settings, they all contained some sort of twisted twist. at the richmond hill house location, we had long since moved out, but for some strange reason the folks who currently owned it were out of town and were letting me stay there for the weekend. to make matters crazier, they had a variety of pictures of us in various rooms around the house. as i raced about trying to remember the house's old rooms and such, my mind materialized vintage snaps on polaroid film and "motion picture" paper (*moving pictures on a normal piece of scrap paper) to peruse. i saw a series of made-up scenarios that clicked in theory, and though not too far from reality, never actually happened. as least as much as i can recall. there was good-times beach imagery, sporting fun with cousins, and delicious meals in rich and vivid colours... when i was lifted out of this dream state a deep calm came over me. i thought to myself how incredible it was to be granted such positive vibrations, which immediately shifted to how did this happen and why don't we get to experience such things on command? well, maybe in the future... thinking a little more about the reasoning behind these dreams, i believe i discovered the catalyst—the cabinet. see, my brother is about to move to toronto. it's a big move for him and i'm very happy that's he's taking this step. i know that he'll thrive there. in preparation, he's bringing over our old living room cabinet for me to house, the keeper of truly magic things, including some of the treasures who made me who i am. growing up, my parents kept their record collections inside the lower left-hand drawers, my first musical education. we also kept our family photos there, a place i often went to reflect and celebrate life's special happenings. there was also a glass-lined bar, where i snuck my first sip of booze. actually, no, that was at the family dinner table, but it's easy to imagine that it could have happened that way. any which way, i can definitely say that my dad did keep his GIANT headphones there, the same set that i use today when DJ'ing. having this wall unit at my current living space not only brings back many warm memories, but also excites me as to what i'll put inside... here's to hoping that the cabinet's new contents can provide the same inspiration that i took from it, to whoever peeks within...

duffy and the doubters tmrrw night!!!

see below...

http://voluntaryinnature.blogspot.com/2011/01/vancouver-heads-wont-wanna-miss-this.html

where were you??? #3

here's a vid from a 2005 broadcast concert at richard's on richards in vancouver. perhaps because the show fell on halloween, there were about 15 people in the club, 30 tops... i remember roaming around the ghost town-like venue in a trance, totally seduced by the band and the haunting richard's atmosphere. was it a dream? apparently not... cbc radio 3 were there to record the show and subsequently posted selected songs on their website—was also surprised to see this video footage. over the years, i've recalled this gig as one of my top concert experiences. combined with a psychedelic-style light show and full band set-up (*broadcast often toured north america in smaller configurations), i felt like i was seeing the jefferson airplane in 1967. not that broadcast were conceived as a purely 1960's-70's revivalist entity, their alliance with warp records and use of modern technology, merged with forward-thinking ideas and thought, truly separated them from the pack and helped to forge a unique identity for the group...

RIP trish keenan

 

broadcast are one of my favourite bands ever so it's very sad to report of trish keenan's passing. thank you so much for the incredible music, it will live on forever. RIP...
here's a press release from her label, warp records.

Broadcast:
A Statement
January 14/11

It is with great sadness we announce that Trish Keenan from Broadcast passed away at 9am this morning in hospital. She died from complications with pneumonia after battling the illness for two weeks in intensive care.

Our thoughts go out to James, Martin, her friends and her family and we request that the public respect their wishes for privacy at this time.

This is an untimely tragic loss and we will miss Trish dearly - a unique voice, an extraordinary talent and a beautiful human being. Rest in Peace.

sup toronto???

wayne on studio one

did you know that jamaican-canadian singer songwriter wayne mcghie cut a side for coxsone dodd's infamous studio one label? "how does it feel" is a touching personal number w/ plenty of grit and soul... def one of wayne's best...

february 4, 2011...

if you live in van, keep it open...
more details to follow...

my god(s) #7

breakfast time

looking forward to another epic tiki bar session tonight: the good hommie jay gundzik will be spinning an early set of blue note and bossa nova for the heads, i'll be bringing the usual motley crew of odds n sods, and if we're lucky, there may even be a series of midnight marauder selections by mr. hard drugs himself, j. lee...

boss

vancouver heads won't wanna miss this triple-threat show on saturday... yet to hear sex church, but stoked to peep some new local music. can def vouch for duffy and the doubters and to bad catholics though. sweet sounds... and the makings of a boss night no doubt!!!

SEX CHURCH
DUFFY AND THE DOUBTERS
TO BAD CATHOLICS

Saturday January 15
Interurban Gallery/Scratch Records
1 East Hastings Street (at Carrall)

Advance tickets at Red Cat, Scratch, and Zulu
Doors at 9:00 Show at 9:30


*did anyone hear that scriptural supplies, duffy and the doubters debut LP, was bootlegged by some shady dude in powell river??? def one for the record collectors out there...

slogan #1

FOR THOSE W/ ATTENTION SPANS, WE SALUTE YOU!!!

somebody reissue this already...

goin' down the road

sipreano diss track

"do you have any david bowie?"

will loose ends do? had a real boss time at the tiki bar last week. the one-and-only scotty hard literally rolled through w/ some pals and it was great to catch up w/ an old friend... around 1 am a small group of good looking kids stopped by for a nightcap. though it's more of a cocktail lounge vibe, i was stoked to see 2 of the girls in the party dancing away to the sounds. after a few minutes, one of them sauntered up to the decks and asked where i was from? "toronto..." i said. "toronto? well you better step it up!" she wasn't joking and started demanding requests. i pointed over to my flight case and small box of 7"s thinking that there's no way i brought what she wants to hear—unfortunately for her, i have yet to master my iTunes impersonation. "do you have any david bowie?" "damn, sorry no, but i hope you've been enjoying what i've been playing. i'll do my best to make it nice..." after another separate request from the same girl i took a different approach, "i'd love to hear that too, but don't be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone and listen to something new..."

this mini-episode made me think of a larger issue in today's western society, something i've thought about quite a bit over the last 10 years or so... sense of entitlement. w/ the open availability of technology and free-flowing streams of culture, there's a disturbing underside that seems to be brushed aside. since everything is free and instantly accessible today via the net, downloading, etc... we (almost) always get what we want. great for the most part, but i believe that it breeds a spoiled and quickly dissatisfied nature. of course, this is a total first-world "problem," but i sense that a lot of people feel it's their birthright to have every cultural whim and fancy catered to at every moment and f@ck anyone or thing that doesn't comply. while accessible technology and social networking devices make us feel that we're all DJs, all artists, all curators, it's easy to forget that there's still hard work involved behind the scenes, and yes, something usually more involved than clicking away at a keyboard and paying your internet bill each month. though some folks would rather us be, we are not computers (yet)...

so here's a BIG cheer for mystery, to those who take the time to dig deeper, and those who don't give it all away (for free)... to loving longer, paying dues with a little old-fashioned elbow grease, and most importantly... world peace!!!

back in black...

rap city

wow, the stunt man just sent this over to me and it got me thinking...

hmm, remember (hopefully you do!!!) when much music's mandate seemed to have education in the mix? here's a sample of the first episode of rap city (hosted by the incredible michael williams). peep the boss intro and red alert interview. damn, he's breaking it down! gotta say though, watching this clip makes me a little angry and sad—looking back to a time when canadian music television really broke it down for the young viewers instead of finding progressively disturbing ways of selling more and more manufactured pop product.  i know we have other valuable resources for information today (if you can sort through the e-quagmire) and perhaps the youth of 2011 will wax poetic about what's happening right now just as i am, but rap city was the type of intelligent and soulful content/programming that literally changed lives... RIP

january 22, 2011

scumbuzz presents
needles//pins 7" release party
w/ slow learners and yung mums
plus wild zero DJs and jesse taylor
the astoria - 10 pm

PS - needles//pins have a blog now (dope!!!)
http://www.needlesxpins.tumblr.com/

tonite...

1777 frances

2011 (freestyle #2)...

oktwodaysintimeforaginbutmyresolutiontoldmeiwasn'tsupposedtodrinkit'sfeltlikeafullmoont
husfarmessagesfromthestarswhenispitapostlikethis...listeningtonewbetawavextheyleadthew
aywithsoundsslayliketheyshouldsosickofpeopletracingandretracingtheblueprintwhichiswhati
'dprobablydoanywaysodon'tletanyoneknowbutbacktothepeoplethelovelypeoplewhydoifeelt
hatthebalanceisoffneedtolistentomoredepechemodeandgetthebalancerightnofighttakeitbackt
akeitbacktonighti'mbakingscallopedtatersforahamdinneryesthehamdinnerdayslikedaysofoldw
henfolkshadyouoverforhamdinnersoigottathankdarandbigchanandallthebesttoy'allin2011...