A Little Rattle and Hum...A Letter, Inspired by U2

Gloria,

Tomorrow, I Will Follow you Into The Heart of The City of Blinding Light, where the Streets Have No Name, but All I Want is U2.

However, if you feel Bad about being Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of, then Get On Your Boots and just Walk On while I Stay (Faraway, So Close!) and enjoy the Beautiful Day, because  this is One show I’m bound to remember Until The End of The World; With or Without You. 

Then, Sunday, Bloody Sunday, we can hit the Discotheque, if you so Desire, But please Don’t Take Your Guns to Town, ‘cause if you Bullet The Blue Sky, you won’t get out til after Christmas. Then, When Love Comes to Town on New Year’s Day, I’ll have to swallow my Pride (in The Name of Love) and tell the Angel of Harlem to come again Another Day. Before you know it we’ll be 40, with No Line On The Horizon; All Because of You...and your Mysterious Ways.

By then, if I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, maybe God Will Send His Angels and next October we’ll experience Vertigo from the highest Elevation and you can Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me by The Unforgettable Fire.

Wouldn’t that be The Sweetest Thing?

-Crash-



Have fun at Magnetic Hill!

Forever 27

The 27 Club is the one place you don’t want to be a V.I.P.

A lot of attention has been paid to this mysterious club recently as Amy Winehouse became the latest celebrity to join the ranks which include Joplin, Hendrix, Morrison, Cobain, and more; all artists who prematurely left the world at the age of 27.

It’s an eerie phenomenon, to say the least.

There’s a lot of talent in the so-called club, and a common link is drugs (whether directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths). The rock n’ roll lifestyle can only last so long before you either get help, or it completely consumes you.

When Amy Winehouse was found dead, no one questioned whether or not it was another in a long line of internet hoaxes which have “claimed the lives” of everyone from Gordon Lightfoot to Adam Sandler.  Her battles with addiction were certainly well publicized, and in most cases, she was known more for her troubles than her vocal talents. Jokes were easy to come by: “Well, she did say no to rehab...”, and it was easy to dismiss her death as just another celebrity junkie who overdosed - final results of her autopsy won’t be revealed til he fall – but that doesn’t make it any less tragic. She was only 27.

I’m 25.

A friend of mine said “She had all the money and help at hand and didn't get clean. Whose fault was it? hers!”

Well, yeah, sure…that’s easy for someone who’s not a slave to addiction to say. She had a problem, but because she’s famous and has money it’s supposed to be easier for her, psychologically and physically, to get clean? I doubt it. The only thing that really separates celebrities from you and me is that they constantly live in a glass house. We put these people on a pedestal, so, when they do something that falls short of our ideals, they get ripped apart for it.

Famous or not; we’re all just human beings.

-Crash-



**I can appreciate the irony behind Amy Winehouse’s situation, and I think the best comedy is without boundary, but sometimes I tire of the cynicism of the world and need a more refreshing point of view; Russell Brand (yes, him) provided me with one, and Todd Park Mohr provided me with another:




My thanks to Ross Neilsen for posting this yesterday and bringing it to my attention....it’s a haunting, emotional song; personal opinions of Winehouse aside.

The Easter Monday Office-Chair Race

Well, the long weekend is over...for me.

Wifey (Erin) & I ended up going to my parents place for Easter dinner on Saturday. My grandfather attempted to deep-fry a turkey. He got the fryer for Christmas and had yet to successfully fry a bird. Apparently partly frozen turkeys won’t work...and neither do chickens, as we found out...


I said it looked like he was running some sort of moon-shine operation in his car-port – he assured me there hadn’t been any moon-shine in the carport since at least last Thursday.

Anyway, that was a bust, because due to some kind of voodoo science, chickens cannot be deep fried as a Turkey can; the outside was a nice golden brown, while the inside had more of a salmonella tone...thankfully my mom had also prepared a ham. We didn’t go without food.

Here’s hoping 3^rd time’s a charm when it comes to deep-fried turkey...I’m still waiting to taste it.

Anyway, as mentioned, it’s back to work for us here at the Fox...or at least me...the hallways seemed strangely devoid of people; it’s like today was a holiday, but no one told me. Everyone’s still in a sugar coma from intense chocolate consumption, no doubt...or just completely shocked by the Vancouver Canucks...

Anyway, when it comes to days like this, productivity tends to take a hit and general tomfoolery abounds - Meaning:

OFFICE CHAIR RACES!


Me and Granter square off


I gain the upper hand... through no dirty tactic of my own *wink*



"Ever since I been the Champ!"

Anyway, hope you continue to enjoy your day off if you have...and if not, try office chair races; they really break up the day.

Cheers,
-Crash-

*By the way, one bonus to hangin' at my parents place is the wildlife that drops by...this fox came right up onto the deck:

My Easter Gift To You

Well, it‘s Easter weekend, that means chocolate for breakfast is socially acceptable, and the Easter Bunny's gonna make a mess all over my living room. (He always leaves some eggs near a heater that I fail to find until it's too late.)

I’m not sure what your traditions include, but at my house there was always an extra gift waiting for me to go along with whatever the Easter bunny dropped off. It was usually something like a new T-shirt or a maybe a movie or a CD I’d had my eye on.

Today, I’m going to pass that tradition on to you...with a musical gift!



Andrew Sisk is a New Brunswicker (his dad taught me in High School) who has been making music with various different names over the years. There’s his folk-rock project Share and minimalist pop duo Coco et Co. As well as his contributions to east coast indie acts Sleepless Nights and Jenn Grant. He’s now shedding the band names and other monikers to deliver the Broadcaster EP as a solo artist.

Andrew has recorded four songs and he’s made them available for download (with the option to “name your price”...so whatever you wanna pay – no minimum....though I’d encourage you to give something to help out an artist.)

My gift is to tell you about it and offer you the stream of the album as a preview:



Andrew is going to be stopping by Wilser’s Room on May 21^st, if you want to check out the music live. Have a great weekend!



-Crash-


BONUS:

Because it’s Easter, I want to share one of my favourite holiday themed comedy bits from the great Jim Gaffigan (this is just the part about Easter, but he does a bunch of 'em in the longer segment):

Let's Make Cancer History

Last Night one of the many events associated with the Fredericton Relay For Life took place at City hall; Luminary Lane.



Luminaries are sold each year to honour someone close to you who lost the fight to cancer, or to honour a survivor. All of the proceeds go toward putting an end to the disease. At dusk on the night of the Relay (June 10^th, by the way) the luminaries are placed along the walking track (Fredericton Raceway on the Exhibition grounds) and lit. It’s really a sight to see, and it’s generally an emotional moment.

Luminary Lane sees the luminaries which have been purchased so far lined along Queen St., starting in front of City Hall.


There were about 400 or so last night; there will be plenty more added as the main event gets closer.

I had the honour of being an MC for last night’s event, which gives a bit of insight into the Relay For Life and why we relay. Plus it’s a chance to introduce the Chair &Co-Chairs of The Relay, as well as others involved in eh event to those who may not be familiar; kind of a pre-relay gathering.


It was nice to see a good crowd.



Me & Mayor Woodside


There was a short flag raising ceremony and then a brief ceremony to give information on the luminaries and what they represent.

As the sun went down, the luminaries were lit and there was a moment of silence to respect what the luminaries mean for each person in attendance.



This year will mark 10 years for Fredericton’s Relay For Life. It’s fun event, despite the negative connotations associated with cancer. Throughout the night, teams get together to walk the track, all night, to represent the ongoing fight to come through the darkness of cancer and emerge on the bright side of hopefully one day finding a cure. It brings about the hope and determination that so many face, and it’s a touching, but fun & light-hearted event filled with games and entertainment. If you’ve never been, I’d encourage to you be a part of it this year. You’ll meet new people, interact with teams doing different challenges and do your part in finding a cure.

There’s still time to get a team in place and do some fundraising. Get in touch with The Canadian Cancer Society to find out how you can be a part of it.

346 Queen Street
Suite 102
Fredericton NB
E3B 1B2

Phone: (506) 453-1551
Fax: (506) 450-1569
email: info@frederictonrelayforlife.org

I hope to see you there.

-Crash-

Anvi;: The Story of Anvil (a Film Review)

Motivational speakers make a living by telling you how to better yourself. As long as you’re happy, nothing can stop you, etc. There are posters and self-help books all offering the same insight.

I prefer to watch a rock doc like Anvil: The Story of Anvil.

The flick came out a couple years back, but for whatever reason I never got around to watching it. I certainly heard plenty about it. I was told it was insightful, hilarious, heart-warming; and would “rock (my) face off.”

Oh yes...it’s all of those things.

The film sets itself up in 1984, at the Super Rock festival in Japan, featuring the likes of Scorpions, Whitesnake and Bon Jovi; who would all go on to sell million s of records and be huge names throughout the decade. Then there was Anvil. A Canadian band (from Waterloo, Ontario) who should’ve had the same story, but instead found obscurity.

Anvil’s music was the same hair metal that made others popular at the time; their live show stood up with the best of them, and they were well liked and admired amongst their rock brethren (Slash, Lars Ulrich, Lemmy and members of Slayer & Anthrax all make an appearance in the film). For whatever reason, though, they just never made it.

The film then picks up with the band, 20-some years later. They’re living and working in Ontario, still together as a band 30 years and 12 albums on. Steve “Lips” Kudlow & Robb Reiner, best friends since they were 14, are the core of the band and the film, which follows them in their bid to be rock stars as they book tours of Europe and attempt to record their 13^th album. They’ve never given up the dream; which is a true testament to human spirit and perseverance.

Lips is a nice guy. He’s polite and happy, despite the years of continued unsuccess as a rocker. He drives a delivery truck, delivering food to schools and other institutions. Robb does construction work. On the side, they live the dream on stage at local bars, playing for friends and family. Their families are supportive, yet also feel the guys have wasted enough time and should move on.

It’s equally heartbreaking and inspiring watching this band try to make it. For 30 years they’ve stuck it out, doing it their way. They truly embody what rock ‘n roll is all about. They’ve never sold out and never want to. It’s all about the music for them. They just love playing and want to share their music with anyone who will listen. They show up at small clubs and large venues alike. A 10, 000 capacity room brings in 174 people. It’s frustrating. They don’t make any money doing what they love, but they soldier on. They fight; then reconcile.

The film is unscripted, and at times feels like an episode of the Trailer Park Boys crossed with Spinal Tap. Sometimes you want to laugh at their seemingly pathetic attempts (and you will), yet you also route for them. You feel sorry for them when they miss their trains and lose money because they show up late to gigs because they get lost in Prague. The one thing that holds true is that on stage, they’re alive, electric and in heaven. There could be 10 people or 10000; it doesn’t matter. They’re doing what they love and won’t let anything stand in their way. It’s inspiring.

4.5 Dented bumpers**





The film brought new found attention to the band and they’ve been touring and promoting their 13^th album – the recording of which is depicted in the film. This May, they’ll release their 14^th effort, Juggernaut of Justice, and will be playing Fredericton the day after its release. Check them out at Nicky Zee’s May 11.

**Crash’s Film Rating Legend:

5 DB’s -- Freaking Fantastic! (a rating that’s not easily attained.)
4–4.5 DB’s -- Great: It’s worth seeing again/owning.
3–3.5 DB’s -- Decent – Good (I’d watch it again on cable)
2–2.5 DB’s -- Meh; (possibly had potential, but I won’t watch it again)
1DB -- Awful; I want my money back.

Anything less is not even worth downloading illegally

-Crash-

The Trews Rock Zee's

Simply put: The Trews Rock.



Last night, I had the pleasure of acting as MC – the guy that comes up and forces to you cheer loudly at least twice because after the first one he knows “you can do better than that”...it’s the MC equivalent to a band’s encore. It’s inevitable. – for the Trews fan appreciation gig at Nicky Zee’s.


I’ve never seen that bar so full.

When the band took the stage, they ripped into two of the more up-tempo rockers on their latest album, Hope & Ruin. World I Know has a bit of an AC/DC undertone musically, and People of the Deer is vintage Trews; a high energy, melodic rock sing-along with an infectious guitar groove. The band gave the perfect mixture of new material (they were celebrating the album’s release after all) and concert staples/fan favourites.


The set-list as photographed from my spot side-stage

I spent the whole night side-stage watching the show with my wife; she was appreciative of no-one being “all up in (her) business”. She’s not one for those sardine-can like crowds at shows. Fine with me; I had a great vantage point for the show. Although, I wasn’t able to get many straight-on photos.


Except for this one of Jack...


...and this one (John-Angus' pedal set-up)

Everything positive I could say about the band’s performance last night has already been said in spades with previous show reviews. Each time this band comes to town, they seem to be thoroughly enjoying their time on stage; last night was no different. One of the best live bands in the country played a small club gig for us – one of only six across the country – and the crowd showed them why it was the right choice. The Trews love coming here and we love having them.



This is a tweet this morning from the band’s twitter page:Thanks Fredricton! We had a wicked time with you last night. We hope to see you all again real soon. Cheers, JA



What a night! The band was great; the crowd loved it and my hearing is still fuzzy. That’s the key sign to a good rock show.





-Crash-

**Oh, before the show there was a band meet & great for contest winners and those who forked over the $100 to get the VIP package. Everyone got their photo with the band and got to hang out and have a drink before they took the stage. One guy got his picture with the Trews, then asked for a picture with me...apparently he’s a fan. Cool.

Meet Jason “Grooms” Groom:


I gave him a good deal: I only charged $5 for the photo with me ;)