Category Archives: On the bus

I haven’t taken the time to read the accompanying essay, but I’m intrigued by these bus ads that read: “Why love one but eat the other?” Are they advocating that we should eat dogs and cats, or that we should domesticate cows, little lambs and delicious, delicious pigs? I’m really not down with either option, frankly.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of Wednesday’s Doobie Brothers show. I did so by staying home and listening to good tunes. I intend to use the same strategy for Björk — or, as I call her, Bjork. (Hmm… that’s probably funnier when stated verbally. Though, I’ll admit, it’s not that funny even then.) Mind you, with the combination of Bjork’s voice and Bluesfest’s PA, that may require leaving town for the evening.

Isn’t eReading just reading?

I’m hoping to get money from the city to support what I call Snorrifest, a new year-long community festival that consists of walking Snorri through our community each morning and afternoon, plus the occasional evening. This event is licenced.

Michael Dubue, where are you?

And finally, this:

Rode into town this morning with Razor’s immortal Forced Annihilation running through my head.

Not sure why that would be. It has been years since the band’s Custom Killing EP last graced my turntable. I am not in favour of forced annihilation or those who engage in it. If there is to be annihilation, I believe it should be voluntary — or at least put to a vote beforehand. Even the ongoing annihilation of our Canadian democracy was put to a vote. Sort of.

Anyway, just checking in with today’s OC Transpo soundtrack. All together now: “Force! Ooh!”

Now back to work.

Why do they not promote new products as employing “space-age technology” anymore? We’re still in the space age. More so than ever, in fact.

My only memory of Sunday School is of being told that the following week we would be seeing a film about the first Easter. I hurried to class the following Sunday, keen to see the animated bunnies frolicking on screen. The greatest disappointment of my life, to that point.

My favourite stock observation from a hockey commentator is definitely the enthusiastic reference to “end-to-end action.” ‘Cause let’s face it, few fans prefer side-to-side action. Continue reading →

The Waterboys have been added to this year’s Bluesfest lineup. And while these days The Waterboys also answer to the name Mike, it’s still an interesting addition to the schedule. Also interesting was a preview in Saturday’s newspaper that trumpeted how The Waterboys “have influenced bands such as Simple Minds, Big Country and The Hothouse Flowers.” Sadly, limited space in the arts section meant the accompanying sidebar that explained to readers under 40 who Simple Minds, Big Country and The Hothouse Flowers were, had to be shelved. Continue reading →

Transcribed from thoughts scribbled in a notepad this morning during a bus trip from Bank and Sparks to Preston and Somerset…

Fun facts about popular music:

1. Heavy metal is the only musical genre that requires bandnames to be printed in a specific font.

2. If you play an antiquated instrument and encourage the audience to sing along, you might be a folk singer.

3. Hiphop has been dismissed as radical, inaccessible and “not music” by citizens over the age of 18… for 34 years.

4. It is nearly impossible to pick out the weak link in a free-jazz combo.

5. Classical music is the true alternative music. Certainly, no genre has spent more time outside the mainstream.

That is all for now. It was a relatively short bus trip, after all.