Welcome!

"There's a stack of shellac and vinyl/Which is yours and which is mine?" - Elvis Costello, "45"

After some prodding from some well meaning friends, I've decided to start a music blog. I've always written about music, but I've kept it spread over a number of different spots, like my LiveJournal and my zines, and several websites. The intent of this blog is to keep all my writing about music in one place and hopefully get a larger audience for my writing.

I've had a long interest in writing and in music. My first published article was in my high school monthly newspaper back in 1985, when I wrote a record review of The Cars Heartbeat City. I started writing regularly for the high school paper in 1986, as a student in the journalism program, doing columns on music, comics and some humour writing. By 1988, I was writing a regular music column and record reviews for Insights, the paper at East Kootenay Community College (now the College of the Rockies), then for the Meliorist at the the University of Lethbridge, covering music and theatre. After years of changing majors and returning to school after several years out, I completed a degree in English at the University of Lethbridge in 2002, then a degree in journalism in 2002 from Thompson Rivers University. I have had my work published in local papers like The Daily Townsman in Cranbrook, Kamloops This Week in Kamloops, The Omega in Kamloops, plus poetry in Whetstone at the U of L. I am currently writing for Earshot Online, BC Musician and North of 50.

I've also been involved in radio for more than 15 years, first at CKUL (now CKXU) in Lethbridge, hosting an industrial show, some eclectic programming and, for a while, a hip-hop show. I am currently the programming coordinator at CFBX in Kamloops, and host an experimental music show called Do Not Touch This Amp, Friday nights 8-9 PM Pacific. I stress that this blog has no affiliation with the station and that my opinions do not reflect the programming stance and mandate of CFBX or any of the other publications I contribute to.

What this blog will be about: Music, in all forms. I have a deep appreciation and respect for most forms of music and admire the power of good music. I'm also an avid record collector. I dislike the current movement of music online, and I will be talking about this. I love the feel of a record sleeve or CD case in my hand. If you're looking for more social, political and other commentary and writing, check out my Livejournal. Yes, I have a Livejournal. Yes, I am a middle aged man, not a teenaged girl. Deal with it.

What I like: New wave, minimalist electronics, industrial, noise, experimental rock, retro electronics, free and avant-garde jazz, psychedelic rock, British pub-rock, kraut-rock, bizarre and obscure covers, album art, record collecting, independent music. I like blues, jazz, country, roots and worldbeat music in general. I have a special interest in anything Canadian, especially the early days of the Canadian music scene.

What I dislike: Music that's derivative or uninspired, modern country (pop country), modern hip-hop and rap, death metal (though I like tech-metal and 80s metal), progressive rock, mainstream radio (but not necessarily mainstream music).

Bands and artists I like and respect: Elvis Costello, DEVO, Kraftwerk, Talking Heads, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, David S. Ware, John Zorn, Skinny Puppy, Foetus, Warren Zevon, The Go-Go's, Sleater-Kinney, The Hidden Cameras, The Ramones, Cub, The Black Angels, Black Mountain, !!!, The B-52s, The Fall, Depeche Mode, Ministry, Front 242, MC 900 Ft. Jesus, Polysics, Pere Ubu, Sonic Youth, Zeni Geva, Gastr Del Sol, Tortoise, Liars, Stereolab, The Pixies, The Beatles, Nirvana, Blondie, Dead Kennedys, DOA, Frank Zappa, Weird Al Yankovic.

I read: !exclaim, Under the Radar, Magnet, Signal to Noise, Canadian Musician,  BC Musician, Paste (RIP), No Depression (RIP). I occasionally will pick up Spin, Rolling Stone and Alternative Press, but not often.

Links to my other writing:

My Livejournal

Record reviews on Earshot-Online

My review page on RateYourMusic

Do Not Touch This Amp, my radio show

My first plans are to start with original content, but also to link to some classic content from my other sites, report news and gather a nice set of links for the sidebar. I'm actively looking for discussion on this blog, so if you agree or disagree, please post!

Have fun!