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Did no one in this scene get off on Apollo Sunshine. It seemed like pretty mealy mouthed praise. BradM gave me the Main Hall show and it is fucking ridiculous. The Egg had me in tears within seconds. Talk about a New Years song 'on and on it goes the less and less and less you know'. People should really listen to the new one Apollo Sunshine self titled and Katonah. I'd be surprised if more people wouldn't be seriously moved by them.

How's that for an apology Shane? Apparently you promoted the second best show in Guelph - your only show in Guelph.

This is my best shows in Guelph column for the year end. Live and Memorable '06

My own voice. And Brad Barr's. Surprised? Seriously I'm transcribing an old interview from that last Southern Ontario run. It's actually from this rainy night at Pepper Jack's can't think of the date. We're sitting in their van with rain audibly pelting the windows and it's funny... it's more like a friendship transcribed on tape or something. I was going to release it to you all but I'm hesitant. There's this personal quality to it that's a bit much but you wouldn't be able to 'hear' that in the transcript. I'll figure out when I'm finished with it whether it sheds much light on their growth to release the transcript.

Cadence and I were rolling like Batman and Robin at Hillside this year (I'd like to say I was batman but it was likely vice versa). Incredibly gifted and talented young man. You know he used to write for Pitchfork then they canned him for lacking clarity in his reviews... then when he put out a killer album they tried to claim him as their own! He had been planning his next album to be titled North Texas or something like that (an homage to Edmonton- yes that's where he's from Nik Kozub from Shout Out Out Out Out produced him and many others). Now I believe he's working on a brand new album that he hopes will revolutionize hip hop called Serenity.

A lot of those sound great- hood cooked meat, deep fried everything, the uke/banjo but I've gotta say Barksdale represent to:

What do we really know about Deborah Koons? Was she the villain she's painted as, I don't doubt it I just don't know. She doesn't strike one as being involved in the music of the Grateful Dead as much as the persona of Garcia- which is all fine and good. I don't even really know what sort of person she was although she somehow comes off as cold.

I was actually mapping it out and figured that the Shepherd, Spades and QR5 gigs are all in close proximity to one another (College/Spadina/Bathurstish) so I may catch 2 or 3.

People were talking about the Spades show at the Cameron house tonight. But I'd say that Elizabeth Shepherd (w. DJ John Kong) at the Supermarket (268 Augusta in Kensington I believe) for FREE looks the best. Not sure why people haven't supported her much she seems like a real phenom and the group is good and the connection to Movement DJ's and producers better. Then you've got QR5 at College Street Bar, 574 College too. That's all I found so far. Any takers?

Those are two different points. The general point of MuchMusic interviewers asking Beyonce 'So how do you like Toronto!'. Then the artistic point of the fact that one of the key threads of the Band mythology is that it was a Canadian group that defined Americana. Not only that but from a sheer bipartisan perspective on a purely artistic basis I think it highly likely that Canadians would have done a better job or at least on par (like the dollar). MK's point seems the most persuasive - network of contacts mixed with marketability.

There doesn't have to be but it would be a reasonable let alone classy thing to have at least one Canadian artists. Hell maybe, just maybe, the best group to interpret a Canadian group that defined American music would also be- A CANADIAN GROUP.

That's an interesting point. Did nationality matter much to the Band? It tends to be a sort of Canadian insecurity that we always want people to mention our country and say 'Canada's great!. Certainly the irony of their career is that a Canadian group defined the seminal American roots sound. They did choose to live in the States, so did Neil Young though. You would think that Joni, The Band and Neil would justify the inclusion of at least one Canadian artist. Still those artists are a bit of a copout of weary choices.

That Cash/Dylan clip cacks out at 20s. for me. What gives with that?

Cadence Weapon - Breaking Kayfabe

That's a bit of a lame duck assessment. Garth knows both the Sadies and Neko Case who he's worked with. Travis Good told me that Garth came to visit them when they played Woodstock. Also of course you've got the fact that Blackie and the Rodeo Kings (Colin Linden, Tom Wilson, Stephen Fearing) just recorded in Bearsville and will do it again. So there's 3 different profile Canadian artists with obvious connections to Garth and likely Levon.

Lame is right.

I've never recommended Network either but if you haven't seen that you definitely should.

No slag against Shelby. I'd recommend Tiiu Milistver. Deeps from What The Thunder Said and Brooks are working with her on her solo stuff lately. Prolific songwriter. Seems like with the right push she could do something on an almost Jenny Whitely scale. www.tiiumillistver.com www.myspace.com/tiiumillistver

Just read the review of this and it looks dark and interesting. I'm dying to see Children of Men though.

I'm a pretty massive film buff and have seen a ridiculous number of in particular old films. Pirate films of the 30's, War films from the 30's-50's (I think I've seen them all), the classics, cowboy and spaghetti westerns. I recently rewatched Citizen Kane and oddly saw Akiro Kurosawa's Seven Samurai for the very first time. While Kane is by and large regarded as the greatest film of all time (you can tell why- as Peter Bogdanovich explains in the 'Battle Over Citizen Kane'- the film was fourty years ahead of it's time.) Seven Samurai is a serious contender. The humour and comraderie between the Samurai is undeniable. Toshire Mofine (Kukichiyo) the wannabe Samurai of the madman cover image is an iconic and lasting film presence. But the complexity of the farmer's deception and feigned innocence, the lush landscape, the fighting and well honed characters add to make a gripping 3 and half hours of film. Don't think it's like some boring art house movie either. You're just right there with them and you almost don't want the movie to stop. If anyone has some time off as I imagine you do and want to get into an epic Samurai movie this is the greatest.

M sent me the link to her myspace and her 'Yule Tube' top five video pics with links and the rationale. I thought they were great choices and well expressed. Merry Christmas all. Yule Tube

My sister's fifteen and she's like a fucking ninja at DDR (that's what the cool kids say 'round here). The best is how the computer pumps you up with like 'Smooth Moves!' and shit.

The season does make you a little misty for sure. I had the 'god bless us everyone' moment watching Christmas Carol last night. I read an interesting review that said for a movie that was about a beat down man finding redemption whenever the homeless were portrayed in the film it was very disdainful. It was an interesting take I'd have to see the movie to tell. Merry Christmas Culliford.