It's been a whirlwind here. The bout with the flu really knocked me on my ass big time. I usually recover quickly from these things, but this time I got smacked down like Danny in the foyer of the Swiss Consulate. Anyhow, I think I am back in shape, and I will now try and get you up to speed.
I took it easy for most of the week knowing that #1 nephew was due for an Easter cameo this past weekend. However, I did check out GRINDHOUSE, which is an interesting concept, one super movie (the Rodriguez one) and one OK movie (the Tarantino one), but a great experience all around. Trailers were the best part (featuring the greatest Nic Cage moment in 20 years), especially Edgar Wright, whose HOT FUZZ I am dying to see and missed a screening of last week. Rrrr. Well, America didn't come out to see GRINDHOUSE, but I sure liked it, and thanks to Lurch for taking my sick ass.
I made my first studio visit in weeks when both Ash and Charles swung into B's to lay down some bass. Ash was in full producer mode, armed with great ideas, and of course Charles delivered as always. I also enjoyed wandering the streets with Ash in search of true low budget ghetto chinese food, which he happily got and consumed (and promptly died, no I'm kidding). It was a slow, but productive night.
Musically, I have been listening to some interesting stuff. The NIN album leaked and of course I had to check it out. Some of it clicks with me, some doesn't, but I do like when he actually sings melodies and not trying to get his poopies out. His programming is sick, Moulder's mixing is amazing, but the songwriting is for shit. I think it's intentional that this is less a song driven album than it being about the larger story. The concept is cool and I'm still interested in the bigger YEAR ZERO picture. The whole thing could have rocked a bit more, as many of the songs seem to be similar in BPM, but it's all much better than the last album (which was only good when Interpol remixed them). Again some great moments, but I don't see this reaching the top of my best of this year.
Meanwhile, two enjoyable re-releases come from the late 80's/early 90's post break up/pre-reunion period of Echo and The Bunnymen: Ian McCulloch's first two solo albums in one package (with tons of extras) and the definitive collection of tracks from Electrafixion, Mac and Will's pre Bunnymen reunion project. I have wonderful memories of Mac's solo stuff. I remember wearing the CANDLELAND cassette out. But the CANDLELAND tour, which was one of the first gigs I ever went to (encoring with New Order's CEREMONY, which the Bunnymen recently performed with Hooky), was amazing. And later, his secret show at CB's for the second album MYSTERIO (which was an insane gig) was truly special (topped only by the reunited Bunnymen at Mercury fucking Lounge. A classic). There's some amazing stuff on those first two albums, especially the singles. While I felt you could have easily done a two CD set for each solo album (and included the awesome Japan only EP called 9 tracks), the re-master is great, the sleeves are cool and Mac writes a nice, humble introduction.
For some reason, I have very little memory of Electrafixion. Why? I don't know. I never saw them, I vaguely remember the album, though I do recall Johnny Marr being initially involved with Mac before the tapes "disappeared". It's always been a shady project. It also rocks. Very hard. Especially for these guys. I need to spend some more time with it as I am not as familair with it as I was with Mac's solo stuff. But that's the fun part of all this yes?
Then, small nephew arrived and kept it real. We had fun. He caught up on wrestling and with the guys, and his mother and her boyfriend joined us for a nice Easter dinner at 141 Fernwood. Of course, the videogame gods shined on this lad as the recently closed Chinatown Arcade was suddenly re-opened ("maybe just cause they knew I was here, Uncle"), and man you never saw a kid mark out like this! Anyhow, he is the best kid and here he is with his pal R2D2:
It's always tough when this little man leave us to go back to Montreal. This time was no exception. However, someday, he will go to College here, work at Nintendoworld, and eat his Aunt's homemade cooking every night. One of the things I look forward to in my older years. Sorta like the Hypefactor album.
Hope you are all well. Fuck you.
F
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