mark tonin

Earlier today, I received some sad and tragic news ... a very good friend of mine, and of the the entire Harvard Mouse family, died suddenly while sleeping last night, apparantly of a heart attack. He was back for a visit to Ontario and staying at his parents when this happened.

Some of you will know and remember Marcel from the music shows and festivals he attended. The Chairmouse was a big, friendly, generous guy who a few years ago moved to Slocan, British Columbia, but who still made it back this way on a regular basis to visit with his family and friends.

The entire Harvard Mouse family is still in a state of shock over this. We jammed together on Saturday night, and two of his best friends spoke with him on the phone just a few hours before it happened.

Forty years old ... far too young to die.

We all love you Marcel, and we will all miss you so much.

Mark

Bobby Lee Rodgers is a fantastic musician. He writes the vast majority of the Codetalkers songs. And he was very approachable and easy to talk with at the last Codetalkers show. He's an intelligent and thoughtful man from what I can tell. This should be an excellent show.

Peace, Mark

I've never seen this band live but am very impressed with the show recordings I've heard. I can't wait to check them out in Vancouver for two nights at the end of the month!

Peace, Mark

I'm waiting for this thread to move to the second page because it just doesn't fit with the Slip theme that's going on.

Oops!

Peace, Mark

Mostly he played rhythm (just chords mostly) and could only be sort of heard when Pete did solo-y bits.Jef

To be honest, I only visually compared what the two of them were playing about 5 times during the show, and it definitely looked like they were playing the same chords/rhythms.

I would LOVE to see Joe Jackson.

I'm not a huge Joe Jackson fan or anything, but I like what I've heard of his and I definitely wish I would have seen him that day. He had a huge backing band there and was ready to give it his all, but nobody seemed to care. Once he left the stage we got to wait for a long time with no band on stage, which really ticked me off.

Peace, Mark

I certainly don't mean to insult Simon Townshend's playing. In fact, I couldn't if I tried, because no matter how hard I tried to listen for him I never did hear a note come out of his guitar.

I do agree, though, Brad that he was probably somewhere in the mix, but I couldn't sense it.

I was sitting on Simon's side, fairly close to the stage, and every time I watched him and Pete it looked like they were playing exactly the same thing, which is my guess why you (and I) didn't hear two guitars in the mix.

The only other time that I saw The Who was ages ago, at the CNE I think, with Joe Jackson opening. Joe Jackson eventually walked off the stage with his band in disgust after being pelted with things by drunk, obnoxious people in the audience.

Peace, Mark

Way to go Tricky! Looks like you got yourself a great night of music for an even better cause.

IN like schwa!

Babsy, does this mean that I'll get to see your smiling face at this show?! With Mud?! It's been too long!

Peace, Mark

I had a good time but it was too bad Roger wasn't in top form. The Sisters Euclid kicked ass afterwards though!

I agree ... Roger's voice was definitely in rough shape because of his cold. In contrast, I thought that Chrissie Hynde's voice sounded great.

Sorry I didn't bump into you Velvet ... that would have been a nice surprise. The Sisters show was out of the question for me given the group I was travelling with. Some day I will see that band!

Peace, Mark

I arrived home from work last night after a busy day to find out that a friend of mine had just received 4 free tickets to go to The Who concert in Toronto. He asked if I wanted to go and I said "yes" so ten minutes later I was in his car on the way to Toronto with him, his brother, and his son (12 years old and a big Who fan).

It was a good show with good sound, and was very enjoyable, but nothing spectacular in my opinion. Certainly not worth anywhere close to the $200+ face value of each ticket. And they were really good seats, but nowhere near the best seats in the house. I couldn't help but think of the face value of my ticket, look around at the packed ACC, and do the math.

Having said the above, it was definitely fun watching and listening to Pete play guitar, and he had lots of positive energy last night. And I really dug the jam out of My Generation.

What else can I say? I feel lucky to have a friend who thought of me when the free tickets landed in his lap, and the concert was definitely worth the money I spent on it! OK, maybe just worth it when the price of beer at the ACC is factored in!

Was anyone else there?

Peace, Mark

Very cool 'ersh! Good luck with this and with all of your musical endeavours.

Peace, Mark

Long live the Fatties ... may those cats have many lives!

Thanks to Mike and Willy for the taping and transfer.

Peace, Mark

One more submission to this thread from Talking Heads, from their Fear of Music album:

Electric Guitar

Electric guitar gets run over by a car on the highway

This is a crime against the state

This is the meaning of life.

To tune this electric guitar

An electric guitar is brought in to a court of law

The judge and the jury (twelve members of the jury)

All listening to records

This is a crime against the state

This is the verdict they reach:

Never listen to electric guitar

Electric guitar is copies, the copy sounds better

Call this the law of justice, call this freedom and liberty

I thought I perjure myself, right infront of the jury!

Is this a crime against the state? no!

This is the verdict they reach:

Someone controls electric guitar.

"Victim Or The Crime"

Words by Gerrit Graham and Bob Weir; music by Bob Weir

Copyright Ice Nine Publishing (1988)

Patience runs out on the junkie

The dark side hires another soul

Did he steal his fate or earn it

Was he force-fed, did he learn it

Whatever happened to his precious self control

Like him I'm tired of trying to heal

This tom-cat heart with which I'm blessed

Is destruction loving's twin

Must I choose to lose or win

Maybe when my turn comes I will have guessed

These are the horns of the dilemma

What truth is proof against all lies

When sacred fails before profane

The wisest man is deemed insane

Even the purest of romantics compromise

What fixation feeds this fever

As the full moon pales and climbs

Am I living truth or rank deceiver

Am I the victim or the crime

Am I the victim or the crime

Am I the victim or the crime

Or the crime

And so I wrestle with the angel

To see who'll reap the seeds I sow

Am I the driver or the driven

Will I be damned to be forgiven

Is there anybody here but me who needs to know

What it is to face this fever

As the full moon pales and climbs

Am I living truth or rank deceiver

Am I the victim or the crime

Am I the victim or the crime

Am I the victim or the crime

Or the crime

Thanks for the kind words Dr. J ... much appreciated. I like supporting musicians, including young ones, even the young ones play music that isn't necessarily my cup of tea. It's a huge bonus when they play music that I really enjoy.

Having at least one police officer at school events such as dances and battle of the bands is now standard practice and board policy, at least in Waterloo Region. A sign of the times. We've had a few scary incidents at our school over the last few months, so our school Administration was extra-cautious for this event and we had 2 officers, lots of teacher-supervisors, and a strict sign-in policy. Plus the screamo-metal does cause some stress, as kids want to mosh when they hear it, and that makes many older people very uncomfortable. Having said that, this year's event was pretty-well incident free, and the music was better than I've heard in a while at one of these.

The kid can play. It was fun listening to some of the audience members after the performance. Some of them were inspired and had a huge urge to "go home and crank the amp," while others wanted to "put all of their guitars by the curb side." The same sort of reaction that I hear from musicians anywhere after they see an incredible performance by another musician.

On top of his guitar playing, he actually sounded pretty good singing Whole Lotta Love ... although I must admit I didn't know what to think when he sang the lyrics "I want to be your back door man." I think his voice must be changing as he goes from being a boy to a young man ... some of his vocals on the web site tracks make me smile because they just don't fit with the blistering guitar that he is playing.

Peace, Mark

Last night at my high school was our annual battle of the bands, which this year was called FHCI Rock City. For the past number of years many of the acts have been of the "screamo metal" variety. Once again this year there was some of that, but a Grade 9 student stole the show for many with his impressive guitar playing. His name is Alex Tintinalli, and I imagine that he has a serious future in music if he keeps at it. Check out his web site, and keep in mind that this kid is in Grade 9 and that some of what is on his site is a bit dated. His band last night was not his regular band, but they tore through impressive versions of Scuttle Buttin', Voodoo Chile, and Whole Lotta Love. At one point I watched the on-duty police officer move from the main foyer into the cafeteria so he could see who was playing, and after the band was done some of the older students who play guitar were walking around shaking their heads in disbelief. His performance certainly put a smile on the faces of the teachers and parents in the audience.

I look forward to hearing some blazing blues rock guitar solos at my school over the next few years.

http://www.alextintinalli.com/

Peace, Mark

actually, all kidding aside, I think it was a revealing interview and I respect The Slip for pursuing their vision even if it alienates their core base. The writer may be at times petty but most of his criticisms are spot on.

I agree with most of this MarcO, especially the part about respecting the Slip for pursuing their vision. The writer's comments annoy me because they remind me of comments I used to hear from some people 15 years ago when they found out that I was into the Dead ... hippie love-in's, music for stoned people, aimless noodling, etc. Here we are, 15 years later, and the song remains the same in so many ways. And for the most part it's not the song/criticisms that bug me, but the tone of the song - what you mean by being petty I think.

I managed never to use the 'j' word in the interview. I didn't want to get hung up on this constant referencing to the jamband thing. It's relevant but not really the point.

We talked more about the album, the songs on the album the composition of the songs, their recording etc.

A good call I think Luke. I imagine that the band would rather talk more about the album, the songs on the album, etc. than about the whole "we are or aren't or used to be or didn't used to be one of those bands."

Peace, Mark

Yes, I've heard these kind of comments before:

"This style of music is better than that style music."

"I used to be into that but I've moved on to something better."

"I'm better than you because I listen to this and you listen to that."

"Only certain kinds of people listen to that style of music, and they are inferior to me and just don't know as much as I do."

Whatever. [color:purple]I also know that jam is dead, because I keep reading that on jamband websites. I guess there's nothing left to do but smile smile smile.

Peace, Mark

I think I'll noodle on my guitar now to help me get over the terrible news ...

Wow Ricky, this came together nicely ... it looks like a really fun night for a good cause.

Peace, Mark

Long Point Provincial Park. I've had so many wonderful experiences while camping there over the last 20 years.

Willy and Leanne's home when they host a party.

Peace, Mark

I've never seen it happen with a guitarist, and to be honest, I've only seen MMW once. But I'm itchin' for another experience. My only MMW experience was in Toronto at the Guvernment on Oct. 30, 1999 and I was mesmerized by Billy Martin ... I don't think I've ever seen a drummer hit so many drums in so many ways.

A guitarist added to the MMW mix live would be superlicious I am sure.

Peace, Mark

I hope this goes well for you Jay ... I'm a huge fan of multi-room events with wander space ... it creates a festival experience indoors ... I'll be there in spirit.

Peace, Mark

I bought it a few weeks ago and like it, but don't love it. Nothing spectacular in my humble opinion. Having said that, I'd still love to see this band live.

Peace, Mark

Good luck with this show Dave. And the band name still puts a smile on my face!

Peace, Mark

Thanks for the kind words Willy ... much appreciated. Have I ever told you how much I cherish you as a friend? I hope so.

To anybody going to this show ... spin around a few times on the dance floor for me, and open a few imaginary windows with your arms while doing so. Life is precious, savour the moments ...

Peace, Mark

We received a phone call shortly after I posted my last message ... Liana's grandmother just died ... she lived a long, full life but it's still sad news, and definitely means it will be a family weekend.

I look forward to the next time I get to spend time with the Fat Cats' family ...

Peace, Mark