GO HABS GO

The playoffs are here in Montreal, and there’s tons of energy in the streets. I’ve abandoned (for now) my beloved Canucks and hopped on the Habs bandwagon. All that’s just an excuse to post one of my favourite clips from Slapshot...

Remixes

Thomas Dolby remixing Radiohead - how cool is that?

Saturday is YouTube Day

...Special ‘Vancouver or associated-with-Vancouver artists only’ day. Alright! Here’s the New Pornographers...



And Black Mountain...



And Devin Townsend!



p.s. Today is Record Store Day. I think I'll wander over to Zulu Records.

Danny Federici, RIP

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

The view from the entrance of the new apartment:

Apparently Diploidy Is The Way To Go

I’d wondered a few times over the last few years what had happened to the research project I worked on back as an undergrad. It being a very small world, I ended up meeting the person who took over the project and found out that it eventually got published in PLoS Genetics - and I’m even in the acknowledgments. Cool!

Where to Buy Whore Presents?

Great list of domain-names-gone-wrong.

D.R.Adams Films Inc.

Ryan Adams is now blogging from the perspective of his computer over at D.R. Adams Films Inc. The blog itself is kinda interesting if you’re into his work, but it’s mostly just pictures of him hanging around in his apartment, half-done songs, puppet theatre, etc.

Sunday is Not YouTube Day

...but I was away yesterday, so I thought I’d write this today instead.

I’ve been working a fair bit recently getting a bit better at fingerstyle guitar. I’ve always loved the sound of it - at first it sounds so complex, notes coming from all over the place. But after a bit of listening, the patterns emerge.

One of the most predominant styles is called ‘Travis Picking’, after the late Merle Travis. The defining characteristics of the style are the alternating bass (played with the thumb), and the melody and accompaniment played on the upper strings with the other fingers.

Here’s a compilation of Merle Travis songs:



And here’s an absolutely stunning tribute to Townes Van Zandt, called “Ft. Worth Blues”, written and performed by Steve Earle:



And finally, Josh Ritter’s “The Temptation of Adam”:

His Name Is Jonas!?!?!

Welcome to the world Jonas Hendrix Smith, born to my good friends Clarke and Leanne on March 31st! He joins his big brother Julian Bowie in having a great, rock-inspired name. Here’s Weezer’s “My Name Is Jonas”: