zero

It's a nice scotch really peaty. It's probably about $80 retail, likely aged 15 yrs. - will accrue in value but could be ably drank right away.

You know what people like to think they helped me - some did - saying chip up buddy on an internet message board using an 'avatar' ain't it. I mean really the rocks in my life over the last few years have been Roger Leavens (not on the board), Pete Lane, Mary O'Connell and Lara Purvis oh and definitely Adam Culliford who I've known since I was a teenager and Pete since I was a child. People tend to confuse chatting on the internet with being there for someone. I don't know if you're mom or dad died, if your brother or sister died, if your child is in ill health, if you're in ill health. I'm not there for you because we're not involved in each others lives. I've barely ever met - if at all- any of you outside of the context of a show. And mind you the musicians tend to get me to sit on details they don't want made known by playing the 'friend' card- when it's more like a 'frand' card. As far as coming around it's the motto of this place isn't it. This musical culture that began with the Dead hasn't let out it's death rattle yet but it's coming. And we all agree that a younger generation hasn't come along (and for who? seriously) - my younger brothers and sisters wouldn't be caught dead at a Phish show let alone a Cornmeal show. Just saying.

Hold up now. Does this mean that I'm never gonna get a discount on a Steinway or an overpriced Taylor AND no free tickets to Cornmeal? I was hoping for someone whose door I could knock on in a pinch or call on the telephone in the middle of the night. You know friends. Like Jon and I, or Weirdness and I or a handful of you others.

Burning bridges to what the rapidly dwindling - indeed already dead in the ground - 'jamband' scene. Sorry old 'frand' but I haven't written about your music in for instance a very long time (although you seemed real grateful at the time) because it just isn't very important. The mandate I'm pursuing - and the readership I've rapidly developed is for Canadian artists that have merit on the North American or international level (independent of genre), for American artists displaying their international material on Canadian stages, to draw attention to the most psychedelic music of our age (particularly to my ear many of the artists from Detroit), and ultimately to write about the actual Narco Trade and American Politics (%85 of my readers are American, then Canadian, German and British). In any case you've spent quite alot of time on developing your skills on your instrument and you should be commended for that. I also have spent a great deal of time on developing my skills (god given gifts I should say with the emphasis on God Given). And for the record I'm not sure what journalism school Todd went to but along with half of the CBC I went to the University of King's College (although did not take journalism - like many of the freelance magazine writers I know who now write for the likes of GQ and Esquire and are thankfully a few years older than me). The big difference between me and them - because I could definitely make a tidy label at some podunk Canadian label or media outlet (up until something off the cuff I did got my ass fired)- is I didn't sell out. I want the house, the car, the wife, the kids but like The Mohawk Lodge's Ryder Havdale: "You got married had two little girls and a white picket fence. Me I'm married to the music I can't afford the rent."

I have a copy of Destroyer of the Void but was given likely a single use promo code for the album from SubPop's label. If you want it PM me here.

Sorry Todd I don't work for the fucking Ottawa Citizen - great gig if you can get it -AND you get to write about shit music, arts an culture in a parochial self-serving CanCon universe. Sorry in 550 words are less. I told my readers whatever info I could find on the net which was sparse and to judge by the tape. Something is very off. IF he was dosed I'd expect a 'prescription drug reaction' story. Then again if the story was true then CNN would have picked up on it and a few other outlets so it's likely bogus (or well suppressed) - I'm on the fence. Basically I don't have any obligation to fact check (but do or try to). I don't have an editor, Reuters and AP feeds- don't really need those I get those from the dailies and CNN I watch. What was your point again. Just being an old fart of a bitch, right?

For once Shain and I agree about something!!!

But 'isn't prescription drug reaction on an empty stomach' sort of the party line for any entertainment industry public gaffe. Seriously how many 'prescription drug reactions on an empty stomach' has Lindsay Lohan said. I still think he was fucking around with something recreational, or boozing on meds, or someone spiked something. Just a hunch.

I'm trying to work up an edit of the copious stills I have from Ween @ Koolhaus using a live track of BradM's recording. Partly because of sound quality and largely because the song works really well on a number of levels (including the number of stills to length of song) I've synced up the studio version of Your Party. You may recognize a friend, Vulture, or 3. http://northernheads.blogspot.com/2010/08/ween-your-party-live-koolhaus-toronto.html

I can't begin to describe how much the music of The Mohawk Lodge has come to mean for me. I suppose everyone has their bands that define their summer - although I know I will be listening to the Lodge for a great while longer- there's no doubt in my mind that however long I roam the album Crimes (and Eamon McGrath's Peacemaker) will define the Summer of '10. Here's some really nice shots of the band (in youtube footgae) at a recent White Whale Wednesday at the Dakota (unfortunately they've wrapped those up): http://northernheads.blogspot.com/2010/08/mohawk-lodge-done-fighting-live-at.html Here's some earlier footage from the second show I saw of theirs at The Black Sheep stage at Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest: http://northernheads.blogspot.com/2010/08/mohawk-lodge-wicked-nights-canadian.html

I'm getting alot of emails from people wondering if there's any more info about the whole Bobby dosing info. All I can really say is what I've read that seems reliable and seen, ie. the El Paso video, Phil's onstage remark the next night. I'd think they flushed him with activated charcoal (if that works for acid), put him on saline or fluids, likely valium or thorazine depending on how rough shape he was in, pushed alot of fluids. That's my sense of how it would have been handled medically, I'd imagine they also quickly ascertained or have strong suspicions who in the backstage did it (and likely tapes were reviewed). I don't have time to troll around the PT boards and whatnot but is there any other info coming in?

Does anyone have the original link or a news article on this I would like to nail these ponzi fuggers to the proverbial wall.

In a week that included brilliant concerts by The Felice Brothers, Ween and Blitzen Trapper (in a summer full of too many concerts and sets to mention) I was deeply moved by the innate skills and youth of The Felice Brothers and their half brothers the Turbeville's. I made a 'movie' of 340 stills of their show at the Horseshoe, their second Canadian appearance. http://northernheads.blogspot.com/2010/08/felice-brothers-white-limo-live-at.html

http://northernheads.blogspot.com/2010/08/blitzen-trapper-setlist-opera-house-aug.html

This isn't a dig at all - I think I got Trapper'd last night. If Young Jeezy is a Trapper not a Rapper I'm not sure what that makes the Actual Trapper. In any case I read that inverted b as Happy Birthday Douche. And wondered for half a google eyed second if there was a third brother. Happy Birthday Douche!

I am trying to turn up an extra or 2 for tonights Black Keys show at the KoolHaus. He is a totally solid dude the best barber in Toronto hands down. Just trying to turn up a last minute extra at a reasonable price. email me at lukecbowden@gmail.com or PM me here

As if Wild Mountain Nation wasn't good enough the new one Destroyer of the Void really builds (was released June 10). Also big news in the next day about a fall tour with Blitzen Trapper AND Fruit Bats (mainly outwest and stateside though).

Big shows in Toronto seem to be coming every couple of days and are starting to feel like bugs on the windshield nonetheless this chance to see one of the best alt.country bands in the country perform in our summer town. http://northernheads.blogspot.com/2010/08/blitzen-trapper-play-torontos-opera.html

I never even noticed that Steamboat was playing (hands down the BEST LIVE BAND IN CANADA - those guys led by the songwriting chops of MattMcClaren and the keyboard wizardry of Chris Sandes (Andre Ethier). I've seen them play 3 and at NXNE up to 5 sets of original music barring say one muppets cover and one disco cover. Just ridiculously large complex, joyous arrangements inspired seemingly by Dr. John, Allain Toussaint but I know specifically the band members acknoledge a debt to the obscure High Town Records set.

I just checked out the venue. The Dogs tend to put up like 50 posters and not advertise their shows at all and still get crazy turnouts (like their nutbar pre-release show at the ElMo with the Zeus surprise set during NXNE). In any case the cover's 10 bucks, Danielle Duval and maybe someone else are opening. Danielle's band is fucking awesome as is she, her as yet untitled full length is bound to drop soon and is the third or fouth feather in Zeus' cap if you like after Rat A Tat, their own Say Us, Coat of Arms and her 'untitled'. Zeus Family Tree.

Seriously GO AND SEE THIS - the Felice Brothers are phenomenal live and I would imagine they are going to be with us for many many years. At their young age they show more promise and talent than most any other band I can think of even Zeus who are about their age and no slouches on their instrumenbts (admittedly Zeus has better engineering and production chops).

Here's the big difference. I was really emboldened by something that our own John 'J.D.' Roberts said very forcefully on CNN'S American Morning the other day. He said 'the internet is like on Giant Bathroom Wall' then his tone shifted, suggesting it had come up in a production meeting that perhaps Roberts or a family member likely has been the victim of internet bullying - he stated unequivocally if you are going to post something on the internet 'have the courage to put your own name behind it'. As far as I know I'm the only person that's every really put their name behind their avatar (truly I gave up trying to seperate you all from your handles ages ago mainly because it's incredibly gay). So yes it may be or seem to be that I have been an internet bully, I think there's challenging peoples tastes, perceptions, delusions then there's just outright bullying I'd like to say I know that line but have likely crossed it. Then again it's always the nation vs. me in a big fucking pileon. Same deal with Stillepost where they literally renamed their entire national forum 'Hive of Bitches' after a passing remark I made in the throes of delusion. In that case (stillepost) it was clearly when I was most sick and in jeopardy and there were some helpful people but alot of people that were frankly edging me towards suicide. So basically at this point in my life, especially with the successes I've had in overcoming the stigma of mental illness, the trauma of almost being beaten to death in the Don Jail means not letting people antagonize me or stigmatize me for one second further. I am not a violent man. I am not a wingnut. I am very much a practical, supportive person in my life and in my writing I try to be thorough, novel and come at things obliquely. Essentially if you want to talk shit about me. I mean literally from this moment on have the courage to do it in your own name. For instance: zero/kung is Luke C. Bowden

That's the benefit of live text. And also the downside of unpaid music journalism, I knew I'd missed a tune or two in there but knew mine would be the best stab at it. And no Sloth I don't have tonnes of mental and emotional problems, far from it, I'm on a board of directors of a non-profit housing corporation that manages $20M in subsidized real estate for people like myself who've encountered mental illness, homelessness and the criminal justice. I'm a sous chef at a successful restaurant. I am not without feminine company. In short my real friends and they AIN'T on this board, I barely have Barfly 'frands' around here- probably because anybody with any sense or drive in their life got the hell out of this Dead End Scene along time ago. The 30 some odd, aging 30 some odders that make up the remnants of the Canadian Deadhead, Phishead, or 'jamband' scene seem, like always to only have drugs, and increasingly bad music in common. bDdBG2nUlWU

Sorry I left out the part about how on top of keeping a bang on tally of the setlist, AND, puffing, drinking like literally 3 beers I managed to take I think 350 still photos from various vantage points in the venue. But I'm always so drunk and high and shit I get so confused. I guess the last part of that is while The Vultures were horning whatever the fuck they horn up their noses (are animal tranqs still popular?) I was home in bed and up at dawn piecing together the setlist, formatting and editing a 350 photoarray and posting the setlist online. Then again I'm always high and drunk and shit, not to mention batshit crazy - I hardly know what's going on half the time. sinc. Luke C. Bowden

You're fucking kidding me right? Seriously I save my breath for douchebag's like you. And while we're on the topic why don't you get The Vultures and their ringleader The Sloth to tell us what songs they played. a) if you saw how fast and furious the hits came from across the globe for that completely accurate setlist.... well you wouldn't bother to finish this... if you thought NorthernHeads was satirical a fucking decade ago get fucking ready to take one on the fucking chin