Author: James McNally

CD Buying Binge

CD buying binge (all prices in Canadian dollars):

  • Magazine-Real Life ($18.99)
  • Teenage Head-Some Kinda Fun ($10.99)
  • Sloan-Peppermint EP ($6.99)
  • Luxuria-Beast Box ($6.99)
  • Luxuria-Unanswerable Lust ($5.99)
  • Retro 80’s, Vol.6: Pure Canadian (EMI Music Canada compilation) ($10.99)

Teenage Head were a Canadian punk/rockabilly band from the late 70’s early 80’s. I was a big fan in my teens. Luxuria were a Howard DeVoto’s band in the late 80’s (DeVoto of early Buzzcocks/Magazine “fame”). Never heard them, but taking a chance. The Magazine stuff I’ve been after for a while, even though it’s way too expensive. I picked up “Secondhand Daylight” (Magazine‘s second album–“Real Life” was their first) a few years ago for less than $10 in a delete bin.

The Canadian 80’s thing I just couldn’t resist. Check out the list of artists (at least the ones I think are or should be well known), and let me know if you know who they were (Americans especially welcome to respond…I’m curious about this):

  • Martha and the Muffins (later became M+M)
  • Rational Youth
  • Strange Advance
  • Men Without Hats
  • Sherry Kean
  • Dalbello
  • Luba
  • Glass Tiger
  • Grapes of Wrath
  • The Northern Pikes
  • Rock and Hyde (formerly The Payola$)
  • The Pursuit of Happiness
  • National Velvet

Now, all fine choices for a compilation, but there are WAY more Canadian bands that were/are worthy of inclusion. Again, let me know if you’re familiar with any or all of the following:

  • The Spoons
  • Jane Siberry
  • Pukka Orchestra
  • The Diodes
  • The Box
  • Blue Peter
  • Teenage Head (they’re not on the compilation)
  • Platinum Blonde
  • The Kings
  • The Parachute Club
  • Nash the Slash
  • Max Webster
  • Chalk Circle

Canadians, have I missed your favourite?

Succaland

Just found Nick’s blog. Nice to see another Canadian. His rant about small change is funny (see his September 30 entry). For your information, Nick, my girlfriend and I have been dumping our Toonies into a jar since the beginnning of this year, and we recently rolled $800 and used it towards our new iBook. So, don’t sniff…

Hotel Research for SxSW

I’m doing hotel research for SxSW. Since I don’t drive, I need somewhere close to the action. I’m considering The Wellesley Inn. Did anyone stay there last year and have any info. on it? I’m not coming on corporate money, so I need somewhere reasonable. I’ll probably be sharing for the conference (but there’s room for at least one more!) but I’m staying until the 17th, so if anyone has any advice, please help!