On Easter Sunday I sat down with Bob Wiseman for breakfast and an interview. Bob has for years been one of my favorite musicians to watch perform. His over 20 years worth of experience in the Canadian music scene also makes for an interesting interview. Bob and I talked about touring with Feist, his days in Blue Rodeo, the Blocks Recording Club and being a member of the Hidden Cameras. You can download the interview in three parts here:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Bob's new live record The Legend is now available at his shows, or through the Blocks mail order. As I said last week, The Legend is a great example of how enjoyable a Bob Wiseman show is. The artwork is courtesy of the Toronto Punch Clock Collective.
On the show today I also talked about a new poll being conducted by CBC Radio 3 asking "What is the best independent record store in Canada?" A round of public submissions has been compiled into a list of eligible stores across Canada. On April 19th (which is apparently International Record Store Day) the poll results and "winner" will be announced.
Now, I've been to several of the stores on the list in various cities and it leaves me wondering how could the votes not just come down to city population? In general, most of the record stores on this list are great shops with strikingly similar selections. I guess what it really comes down to is sentimental value of a shop - that and its staff. From what I can gather, it looks like it is a battle between Rotate This, Soundscapes, both in Toronto, and Zulu Records in Vancouver. These would sort of be the obvious choices for the winner of this poll. After scanning through the nearly 250 comments on the CBC Radio 3 site, I only came across two mentions of Victoria's Ditch Records, with the overwhelming majority favoring the mentioned shops in Toronto and Vancouver.
Obviously the poll is just for fun, and the "winner" really represents how many people have been to a shop rather than how good it is. Still, it is cool to look at the list of independent record shops operating across Canada and I am interested to see how the poll pans out. I'm hoping for an underdog victory. I voted for Ditch. Maybe you will too.
You can see the list and vote here.
EDIT:
The list has been narrowed down to a top 20. You can see that list and vote here.
Playlist:
Artist - Album - Song
Bob Wiseman - It's True - What's Wrong With This Picture?
Bob Wiseman - Theme and Variations - Who Am I?
Bob Wiseman - It's True - Fluke Fluke Fluke
Bob Wiseman - The Legend - Luisa
Woodhands - Heart Attack - Dancer
Vincat - I Like Their Older Stuff Better - Aberdeen
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter if it is your thing. Enjoy it; it won't be this early again for another 220 years.
I apologize again to anyone tuning in hoping to hear a Bob Wiseman interview. The station was all locked up for the holiday so I couldn't get the interview edited in time for the show. I'll definitely have it on the air next week. I picked up Bob's new live record The Legend at his show last night and played a few tracks off that to fill the void. The Legend is a live recording of a show Bob did in Halifax in 2004ish. I would highly reccomend it to any Bob Wiseman fan. There is just something about it...the banter...the crowd interaction...something that makes it a really enjoyable thing to listen to, though it only begins to capture how entertaining Bob's live show is.
High Places!
Playlist:
Artist - Album - Song
Bob Wiseman - The Legend - Buster
Bob Wiseman - It's True - Born to Love You
Bob Wiseman - The Legend - Henry Moore Room
The Phonemes - There's Something We've Been Meaning to Do - Easter Suit
The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs - Let's Pretend We're Bunny Rabbits
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity - Choco Fight
High Places - ???? - Shared Islands
Joy Division - The Complete BBC Recordings - Insight
Beach House - Devotion - Wedding Bell
The Macadamia Brothers - L'Effort - Aaargh Annual III
Laura Barrett - Earth Sciences EP - Smells Like Nirvana
Japandroids - Lullaby Death Jams - No Allegiance to the Queen
Henri Faberge & the Adorables - S/T - Dance Dance Revelation
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Baltimore!
In an effort to keep things interesting today was a theme show all about Maryland's most populous center. A city I really knew nothing about, nor had any interest in, after digging into it a bit it quickly became clear that Baltimore has a really active art scene. I ran out of time and probably could do another hour playing bands out of the city, but on the whole I really enjoyed the bands I came across while putting this show together.
I cheated a bit at the end with Animal Collective and BARR. They USED to live in Baltimore, so it still counts. They all used to play in a band called Automine, but unfortunately it seems quite difficult to come across those recordings.
Tune in next week as I will have an interview with Bob Wiseman.
Playlist:
Artist - Album - Song
Beach House - S/T - Saltwater
Ecstatic Sunshine - Freckle Wars - Ramontana
Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings - Wham City
Video Hippos - Unbeast the Leash - Narwbals
Double Dagger - Ragged Rubble - The Psychic
Madagascar - Forced March - A Brief Stroll - The Velvet Parasol
Thank You - Terrible Two - Namen
Animal Collective - Sung Tongs - Kids on Holiday
BARR - Summary - Context Ender
Animal Collective - Here Comes the Indian - Panic ****
****Request for Sves!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
FUNDRIVE!
Carload of Whatever successfully raised $280, $125 over my show goal! A huge thanks to Eric, Troy, Anne, Blake and my folks for dialing and donating during the hour.
In all the fundrive excitement I forgot to record my playlist. It really wasn't anything out of the ordinary, so it's no big loss. Instead lets talk about Victoria show rumors....
The Blankket in April!
Laura Barret in May!
Katie Stelmanis in June!
You know, these are just things I've heard, but I'm hoping they all happen.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Eric joined me in the studio again for a pretty entertaining show (then he took a picture). Andrea got in on the banter action and we found some space in the hour for the Strokes and Weezer. Eric and I unveiled the Carload of Whatever theme song which was played for the first and last time ever.
Some shows this week:
Friday, March 7th
Dylan Thomas & Your Vancouver Vipers, Balacade, Young Lions at Solstice Cafe. 7 bucks, show at 8.
Saturday, March 8th
Vincat Innerspace Release Party with Vincat, Run Chico Run, Candles and Hank Pine at Open Space. 10 bucks (though apparently less if dressed in a space suit), doors at 7. There will also be an art installation and film screening.
Both shows are all ages so let's all go!
Also, Old Life Records has put out a call for songs to fill the new compilation. Get on itt.
Playlist:
Artist - Album - Song
Using Projection Technology for Good Not Evil - Top 40 Hits - Secret Bonus Track
Hank! - Venning '91 - Lakeshore Report Diluted: Sources
Times New Viking - Rip It Off - Drop Out
The Blankket - Be Your Own Boss - I'm On Fire
Atlas Sound - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel - River Card
Liars - S/T - What Would They Know
Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? - Tuff Ghost
The Strokes - Is This It? - Soma
Weezer - Pinkerton - Tired of Sex
Xiu Xiu - Women as Lovers - F.T.W.
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted - Summer Babe
Saturday Looks Good to Me - Fill Up the Room - Hands in the Snow
Anagram - Split 12" - Manic Indulgence
Born Ruffians - Hummingbird - Hummingbird ****
**** Marks your requests (For Steve P.)