drewz's blog

If you've been following the bill Prentice has been trying to cram through the government, read it closely and evaluate how it actually meets your needs versus those of the entertainment industry. If you haven't heard of the american DMCA laws, it's essentially the US derivative of what is trying to be passed.

We're all taking turns running 4K laps for the Easter Seals 24 Hour relay for a team at work. Should be a blast, and it's for a great cause so if you got a sec, drop by our fundraising site and help us out. We very much appreciate it! And if you're participating, we'll probably be up all night at the campsite with a guitar annoying neighbouring groups.

We start this blog with a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. RADIOHEAD IS COMING TO TOWN! That is all.

Steps to electrocuting yourself, and any animals that happen to be around you:
1. Buy an awesome but notoriously super-heated guitar amp. Check
2. Break the fan inside of it. Check
3. Disconnect the power. Check
4. Buy 3 separate fans that aren't the right size. Check.
5. Go to Main electronics, solve the physics problems as directed by the old-school owner. Try to remember formula for wattage, and how to drop 24v to 12v. Check. kind-of.
6. Remember why you didn't take physics in university. Check. And double check.
7. Splice the red and black wires. Connect to resisters. Connect to fan. Connect to power source. Check.
8. Turn power on. Check
9. Forget to insulate wires. Check.
10. Turn off smoke alarm. Check.

Fini. As an aside, i have a working guitar amp that is for sale.

That was one crazy weekend. Started off late thursday night with the midnight gig at the Royal Unicorn for the Festival of Guns. It was a truly unusual show, but we met a lot of nice people. Turnout left a bit of a downer, but it was still rockin despite of that.

Friday was a chance to relax a bit and check out the other FOG shows. We took in Marble Rye and The Painted Birds at the Media Club. You can describe those bands as pure frantic activity. The way they move on stage and move the crowd was impressive.

Saturday involved a late night writing session for the Rev Squad. We came out of it with a new song, with a bit of a groovier edge to it. I'd post a snippet, but I don't think we even remember all the parts yet. Check for it at the next show.

Finally, today was the grand finale. Stars held a secret (and free!) myspace show at the Media Club (again!). It was amazing fun, with only about 100-150 fans and just the band. They had fun, allowing the crowd to randomly select songs for them to play via the "bag o tunes". What an amazingly talented band, but yet down to earth and just plain fun. Sure, some M-rated content to move the all-ages crowd, but it was spectacular to see. Well worth the lining up for.

Here's a quick snipped from my phone. Sound quality sucks. Picture quality sucks. Song kicks ass.

I think the floodgates have opened. A death toll for all the traditional labels? Radiohead released their newest album In Rainbows without a label, and in non-drm mp3 format from their website without a set price. That's right, just enter what you want to pay the Brit lads and you get a digital copy of their album. Enter $0? No problems. $10?

Let me preface this by saying that I'm totally unable to sleep with the big wedding day just 2 days away. I haven't slept in what feels like a week. But that's ok, it's a nervous twitchy kinda half sleep. It'll explain my unfocused blabbering forthcoming.

The boys in the band headed out to see Mute Math on monday. I was expecting a bit of energy. Biggest surprise of the night were the openers Pilot Speed, whom i last saw back in the university days in Edmonton when they were better known as Pilate. heck, i have to Pilate CD's that I deeply love. They were pretty good at the Starlite Room way back then, but they've definitely gotten better since then. Not sure why they went with a name change, but it was a pleasant surprise to see them again. I had trouble hunting down who the openers were. Pilot Speed set a good level of energy. They had some tasty extended jam sessions with energy and charisma. And can the guy ever sing.

Hmmm.. let's try out this new iMix widget thingie...

Anyways, this is what I have spinning lately:
- Cold War Kids - Robber and Cowards.... best album i've bought in awhile
- Shout out out out out - Not Saying Just Saying - Edmonton based electronica indie... so hip
- Rilo Kiley - Under the Black Light - What can i say.. i love Jenny Lewis

I'm waiting for the new Stars to drop. I'm kinda upset that they put it out on iTunes 3 months before the actual physical disk release. I'm certainly not buying the thing twice, nor downloading it off the torrent sites... If it's out, it's out.. what's with the staggered releases in different media formats? I hear it's good so i'll wait.. but it's like a bad itch. Plus i'm in Hawaii when it drops.

Hmm... i didn't get to down my red bull today before hitting the Nightmarket gig... I got hit with a huge wave of "darn i'm real tired" in the middle of our mellow set. Without my red bull I get grumpy and kinda static on stage. Even when people are waving meat on a stick at me. Especially when people are waving meat on a stick at me.

And we've been unofficially declared winners of the VAFF youtube competition for our insanely dramatic and unusual New Revelation music video. The proof is in the website (http://www.strippedseries.com/2007/volume13-artists.cfm). Anyways, I wanted to offer my thanks to everyone for rating the vids, leaving dorky comments and pushing it over 10,000 views...

So that means, end of August we're playing a charity fashion show/concert for Make Poverty History.... music and models? Oh the lifestyle. hahaha...

Props to John at RadioZoom for including Under My Feet as one of latest set of Six Song Donut Spectacular podcast. And of course, UncleWeed gets a mention for hooking that up for us. Give it a listen, and start enjoying the new indie music out there.

Oh and the new Spoon album is incredible. The critics weren't wrong for once.