Fly Kicks and Hot Tunes

So here’s a little riddle to get us started.


What is sometimes great and sometimes not.
What is full of junk and also full of treasure?
What has everything from new CDs to old underwear?

A thrift store, that’s what!

Thrift stores have always been one of my favorite things for a few different reasons. So I thought I would dedicate a little bit of blog space to them every once in a while.

My home town, Guelph, has quite a few. Some are hit and others are miss. Last night I got together with Carson Connolly – you may know him as The Crook, or Andru the Crook from Trapper’s on Saturdays – and we got hungry for some fresh vinyl. So we wrote a letter to Boney M (more on that later) and we headed to Goodwill on Woodlawn Rd.

I like Goodwill because they are an actual charitable organization, unlike other thrift stores who accept free donations and then jack their prices and keep most of the profit *ehem*.

When we arrived we found we perused the crates of vinyl and found a few interesting pieces, but nothing that really made me want to take it home. Among the records were crates of LaserDiscs which were a total mindblower! If you have never seen LaserDiscs, Google an image of it! They’re like giant DVDs!

Anyways! We left Goodwill empty handed and proceeded to Value Village over on Silvercreek. Now, I don’t particularly feel good about going to Value Village because personally I feel like their prices are a bit up there. It seems like years ago they sold things real cheap and didn’t really worry about name brands which got people donating lots. Now they have more donations than a lot of other thrift stores which gives them a bigger selection which draws a bigger customer base which allows for higher prices. It’s a frustrating circle, people!

Regardless, we walked through the falsely advertised “automatic doors” (they did close automatically) and headed for the music. They had a few records, I found a John Lennon record that they wanted $10 for even though the sleeve was gross and faded and the vinyl was in okay condition. Frustration.

The records didn’t yield a fantastic selection so I started perusing the CDs to see what I could see. After the CDs we basically checked out the rest of the store and left with a few things. 

It's all about the books and music for me and I almost always find something to leave with from those two categories. So this time I left with some stuff I knew and some I didn't. 
From back to front in the above image - Those shoes are definitely made of gimp (plastic bracelet rope from summer camp days) and they're white. They are my new Get The Funk Out shoes for the Albion even though though kill my feet. 
That first album is something called Omni by a group called Minus the Bear. I gave it a listen and I was kind of into it. It didn't make me say 'Whoa!' or anything but it was not a waste of $3. 
I also got Wayne Williams Presents Strictly House Classics Volume II. Now, I was with Carson who is a DJ and who definitely appreciates some good house and we were both surprised to find that this album, though filled with songs produced between 1986 and 1994, could still get our heads bobbing on the ride home.  Memorable tracks include Circle Children by Indonesia, Yo Yo Get Funky by Fast Eddie, and L.F.O by LFO. 
My last and favourite purchase from the Village was a little 'best of' album by a funky little brother called Jamiroquai! You may recognize Canned Heat, a song prominently featured in the movie Napoleon Dynamite. Jamiroquai is an awesome artist. He's funky and he creates tunes that get me moving anytime of day. 


So we'll see, hopefully the rest of my thrift store purchases will yield decent fodder for a little bloggy-blog. At least that's how I'll justify a little more thrift store shopping...


xoxo


Zach C.

John Mayer's Born and Raised

The thing I love about John Mayer is that he knows how to make an actual concept album.
On Tuesday Mayer released Born and Raised. It his fifth album and it is already one of my favorites.
I really like the meekness of this album. I saw Jay-May perform in Toronto a couple years ago, and I know first-hand that the guitar is truly an extension of his body. He can make a guitar do anything he wants with ease. That being said, John seems to pull back a lot with his guitar playing on this album. It’s not as “heavy” as Battle Studies. Where there is space left that could be filled with a guitar solo, it’s often filled with harmonica (played by Mayer) and this gives the album a blues-ier feel. Everything on this album just seems softer. It reminds me of someone realizing they have done wrong and they come back to apologize; they’re quieter, less abrupt, softer. I appreciated the guitar picking and the all-around easy listening feel of this album.
Even lyrically, John is not his *ehem*, proud self. Mayer shows his reflective side and brings a more mature vibe to this album. John has been the object of criticism and has embarrassed himself in recent years with some off comments and this album seems to say “I’m sorry and I’ve changed” while still asking for respect.
Bottom line – I love this album. I’ve listened to it end to end 8 times in two days. It is relaxing and it speaks to where I am and where I want to be. This album further establishes John as a musician among pop-stars. I would highly recommend it for lovers of folk, soft rock, blues, and maybe even country.

Track listing:
Queen of California
The Age of Worry
Shadow Days
Speak for Me
Something Like Olivia
Born and Raised
If I Ever Get Around to Living
Love is a Verb
Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967
Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey
A Face to Call Home
Born and Raised (Reprise)

Favorites: The Age of Worry, Shadow Days, Born and Raised, Love is a Verb, Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967

Where to listen: Next to a beach fire, in a room with lots of wood/antiques, driving through the Canadian prairies

What to drink: Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey

8 Questions With Shred Kelly

So previously I posted a little posty-post regarding a favorite band of mine; Shred Kelly. I had the chance to email these friends and ask a few questions. I know I was itching to read the responses and they are here for all to enjoy.
Big shout out to Sage McBride for taking the time to answer all these questions! Can't wait to see you guys.

Here you go. The bold is from Sage.

Hey Zach,
So sorry we didn't get back to you sooner. Recording ended up being a really long time consuming process, and only now do we have some time to reply to emails.
This may be too late in which case I'm super duper sorry, but here's the questions answered for you!

1         Shred Kelly, How did you come up with the name?

We came up with the name Shred Kelly because of the Aussie Steve in our band. He had an air band called Shred Kelly based on historical Australian figure Ned Kelly. Another time he dressed up for halloween as SHred Kelly which was Ned Kelly in snowboard gear going to "shred".

How did the band come to be? Where and when did you meet?

Tim, Steve and Shiner were all roommates and they started hosting a jam night in our town Fernie BC at a place called the Underground. Through their jam night they met me (Sage) and Jordan because we came out to jam with friends, and realized there may be a spot for bass, keys and some harmonies in the band.

      The banjo is not really a common instrument in music these days. Tim, what or who inspired you to pick up the banjo

Tim's not here right now, and I'm not sure exactly his inspiration to learn the banjo, but once he aquired one he became a banjo ninja, practiced for 5-10 hours a day and mastered his craft over a summer. A lot of the songs from our first album Goodbye July were developed around the banjo riffs he taught himself that summer. He even learned to clawhammer a ukulele.

1        Ian, you have some phenomenal ability on the drums. When you started playing, did you start with bluegrass style drumming or has that developed over time?

Shit. Ian's not here either. I think he began with a punk/hard rock style of drumming which seemed to go really well with the clawhammer style of banjo...  but I could be making that up.

1        Can you give us any hints for the future of Shred Kelly? Anything coming down the pipeline?

We have a new album coming out this summer. It's called In The Hills, and we just finished recording it a few days ago. Can't wait to get it mixed and mastered and out into the world.

We'll also be playing some really great music festivals this summer including NXNE, Ottawa Blues Fest, River and Sky Camping and Music Festival and The Peak to Shore Festival in Southern Ontario, and a variety of other festivals in Manitoba, Alberta and BC which we're really pumped about. We also won the Tracks on Tracks competition so we'll be doing an epic train ride across the country with a group of other amazing BC artists, which we think we'll be an experience like no other!

1        You’re going to be hopping on the Tracks on Tracks train really soon with a bunch of other talented musicians. Who would you say are you most excited to be on the train with?

All of the artists on the train look phenomenal. We're pretty excited to play some shows with The Matinee cause we played the same music festival last summer, but had to miss their show because of another event we were playing. But we heard so many amazing things about them from the people at the festival, so we're excited to finally catch their show a year later.

1        Finally, any more foreseeable Ontario shows?

Aside from the festivals I mentioned we'll be playing a show in Peterborough on July 12th at The Moho, July 18th at the Phog Lounge in Windsor, and hopefully we'll be adding another Guelph show while we're in the area too!

One little bonus question. It's pretty clear you guys hate work. What have been your worst jobs?

I'm not with the rest of the guys, so I'm not sure their worst jobs ever. Mine was working at a hotel daycare where the bathrooms were on the outside of the center, so when I took kids to the bathroom they'd run ahead of me and lock me out of the daycare. Tim has had a lot of bad jobs, but I think picking fruit in Australia was his worst. The other guys... well I'll have to get back to you. Maybe there will be a song sequel.

Hope to see you this summer Zach, and we can get together for a photoshoot this time!

Hope you're doing awesome!

Talk to you soon,

Sage

KEENs, I Love You. But you Stink.

This is a little email story I sent to KEEN to let them know of my broken heart. No response yet. But I guess we'll see how they handle this stinky situation. I mean, their shoes do promise and odourless experience.

Enjoy!

It all started about a year ago when I walked into a Shoeper Store looking for something to walk the Bruce Trail in. The leather brown and black caught my eye from across and picked up my first KEEN. The label read ‘Newport’. I slipped my foot into the shandal and walked around the store and I smiled. I smiled because the fit was excellent. It held my foot in a way that made me think of a mother holding a child.

I knew these would be my Bruce Trail companions for the long day hikes my wife and I would embark on during the fast approaching summer.

We got to the trail head in Niagara, we found the blazes, and we hiked. We hiked through trails of grass and trails of cement and trails of mulch and trails of all sorts. When we returned to our vehicle after 14km of hiketasticness my feet had a comical tiger-stripe-like pattern tanned into them.

I connected to the KEENs right away. I loved them.

But alas, they have betrayed me. You see, the romance did not last long the KEEN and me. After our third hike on the Bruce, about 45km in, we headed home. But we were not alone. There was an intruder in the back seat. An unwelcomed guest. A villain of the worst kind. It assaulted our nostrils to the point of terror.

She screamed!

I cried!

What was it!?

We looked back!

AHHHH!!

It was them!

The ones I had loved, the ones I had walked with through meadows and rivers and treacherous terrain! They had betrayed me. They had attacked my olfactory senses beyond belief.

I was broken. I felt lied to. I remembered taking them off the lonely shelf next to all the other orphan footwear and running my fingers over the indented soles that read ‘ANTI-ODOUR’ and I felt one with the KEEN. That feeling was stolen away the day they broke my heart.

It’s been 8 months since the smell came and 8 months it has overstayed it’s welcome.

I still try to make things right with my KEENs. I wear them regularly but they are jealous lovers. They have forced me to choose between them and my beloved bride. They won’t let her in the room. They incessantly shoot fiery darts of stank her way and push her away.

I long to love two; perhaps three if you include both the left and right shoe. I long to connect from head to toe and I am hindered.

Why KEENs, why have you betrayed me?

I loved you. I freed you from the shelf of loneliness. I took you to exotic places and showered you with affection.

Why?

Embrace me like you did that unforgettable day at Shoeper. Embrace me once more. But leave the stink behind!

No more broken promises!

I Wanna Be Like Shred Kelly

Ever heard of Shred Kelly?

Finalists in the Top 10 for the Tracks on Tracks train concert across Canada?

Winners of the Kootenay Music Award for Best Country/Folk?

Fernie, BC rockers and haters of all things work?

If you haven’t heard them or heard of them then you are missing out. The big bad Drew Shannon and I had an opportunity to catch them live here in Guelph at Van Gogh’s Ear a couple months back and I figure since I didn’t do it then, I should give them a big shout out right about now.

Now, I know what you’re thinking; “Shred Kelly? Kinda sounds like a surfer punk deal, hey bra?”

Well, no “bra” that’s not what they are.

Shred Kelly is a group out of little ol’ Fernie, British Columbia and they bring a unique sound, coined as Stoke Folk, to the table.

The five piece group puts on an impressive live show. With front man Tim Newton absolutely rocking the claw hammer style banjo and fast precise drumming by Ian Page-Shiner, not to mention the hypnotic harmonies between Tim and the beautiful Sage McBride; the show is unbelievable.

If you get a chance to see these guys live, you have to take it. The show is one that will get your feet stomping…hard.

With songs like Tornado Alley, I Hate Work, and Goodbye July I can guarantee you will have a blast.

So you go get their album while I get back to picture taking.

http://www.shredkelly.com/music.html

 

The Joel Plaskett Emergency

             Back in April I was privileged to see Canadian rocker Joel Plaskett live in concert at the uh...rustic Theatre Corona in Montreal. His show was opened by a guy called Frank Turner.

           Now I’ll be honest, I had never heard of this Frank Turner character before that fateful night, but he was opening for Joel and I will say I am so glad I got to see him perform. He’s a ‘bloke’ from across the pond and he plays songs that Dewey Finn would drool over. He’s got a “down with the man” vibe that is totally infectious and creates some great sing-along moments that would be right at home in an old pub.

I had a chance to connect with a few other concert goers including a guy that came all the way from Germany to see Frank Turner(!) and I found it really surprising that many of them weren’t actually sure of who Joel Plaskett was. Needless to say, there were more than a few converts after the performance Joel gave.

He opened with ‘Tough Love’ off his newly released, Scrappy Happiness (if you don’t know the story behind Scrappy Happiness, then check this out…http://joelplaskett.com/?page_id=1854)

I will say that I was literally in awe when I heard the lyrics “Cut me to pieces//Apples and oranges//slap me in the face//and tell me that I’m gorgeous”.

            The show lasted about 3 hours and was honestly never lacking in anything. Joel's got this dude called Matthew who is the lighting guy; dude knows how to put on a light show! I can't not mention the crazy strobe action during Lightning Bolt!

All in all Joel put out an amazing performance and showed off his versatility and that of The Emergency. There were 3 distinct "sets" but it almost seemed like 3 separate shows as they went from all three members on stage to a Joel-only acoustic set (which included an awesome version of Nowhere With You from the Make A Little Noise EP) and then back to The Emergency on stage which included an incredible jam-session-like experience with what seemed like a 15 minute version of Work Out Fine.

Joel’s Presley like stage presence combined with his knack for storytelling and insane musical ability made for an unforgettable evening. I would highly recommend checking out Joel's website and getting some tickets to a show near you!