Michael Jackson

Everyone and their dog has their two cents on the death of Michael Jackson, so here are mine. When word got out of his death, people fell into two primary camps in terms of reaction. Most people have mourned his death, lamenting the fact that a true music icon has died. Other people initially reacted by making as many bad jokes as possible. I'll admit that I have mostly fallen into the latter group, mainly because I feel everything is open for humour. Humour, especially of the dark or sarcastic variety, is the easiest tool to cope with the fucked up world we live in. But I digress.

So let's consider the first reaction to Michael Jackson's death. After talking to lots of people, reading peoples' Facebook/Twitter status updates, watching the news, reading articles in music mags/websites etc, the vast majority of people are expressing sadness, grief, and condolences and honouring MJ's undeniable musical legacy. There is no disputing that MJ was talented. The words "genius" and "innovator" get thrown around far too liberally these days, but I believe MJ falls into a very short list of true musical geniuses along the lines of Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan and the like.

The other reaction has been a slew of dark jokes about his death. These jokes obviously stem from a litany of eccentricities in MJ's personal life, from Bubbles the chimp to the Elephant Man's bones to his friendships with Liz Taylor and Diana Ross to his accusations of child molestation. MJ has been a living and breathing punchline for the better part of two decades and most of it has been self-inflicted. It's not a huge stretch to say that MJ was not a normal person.

So here's my dilemma. Me, like 99% of people my age, grew up with the music of MJ. Michael Jackson's Thriller was the first rock/pop album I bought. I went from listening to Raffi to MJ. I remember being in Grade 2 or 3 and thinking the videos for "Thriller," "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" were the coolest thing I had ever seen. A kid in my class even had the red jacket MJ wore in the "Beat It" video.

Of course, over time, I became too cool to admit to liking his music. Part of it was that I went to highschool at a time when alternative rock and grunge music was just starting to break so it suddenly become unfathomable to admit to liking pop music or hair metal etc. My inner music snob was taking over. Thankfully, the older I get the less concerned I am with having "guilty pleasures" when it comes to music. (I like the Pixies and Radiohead, but I'm no longer afraid to admit that I like a good bubblegum pop song from Roxette. Shit, I even like a Metro Station song. So shoot me.) So the older I get, the more I've come to appreciate MJ's catalogue of tunes.

However, the main reason I wrote off his music was for the obvious reason: He was accused on a handful of occasions of molesting young boys. Not exactly something you want to be associated with! It's easy to forgive some weird things that some famous people do. A lot of artist/musicians/actors/writers are eccentric people. It pretty much goes with the territory. If they weren't eccentric they'd be plumbers, engineers or accountants. Or Chad Kroeger.

I've been trying to understand the whole molestation scandal. I've looked at it from both sides. Each side stems from the fact that MJ had a fucked up life. He never had a sense of what a normal life is. He was thrown into show business pretty much straight from the womb. His dad beat the shit out of him and his brothers. So from day one he never had a chance to be normal. He was shot in the foot from birth.

The general consensus is that, despite being acquitted or settling out of court, he was guilty. The sad thing is that when anyone gets accused of child molestation, whether it be a pop star or a teacher or a GM of a professional sports team, they are pretty much seen in that light forever after. Did he do it? I sure as hell don't know. I would like to hope not, but no one will ever know now except for the kids involved. If he did indeed do these acts, then he should not have been allowed within a 20 foot radius of anyone younger than 18 and should have been locked up. No matter how fucked up an individual is, there is no excusing a child molester.

The other side is that maybe he was genuinely innocent. MJ never had a sense of reality, so being the most famous person on the planet removed any lingering remains of human reality for him. So maybe in his mind he thought having sleepovers with kids as being normal. And hopefully he kept his hands to himself. Would I trust my kids spending time with a grown man for a sleepover? Hell no. You'd have better luck getting me to a Celine DIon concert than putting my children in that sort of scenario.

So now that he's dead, the public are re-evaluating his life and his career. And there is a bit of revisionism going on, where his molestation accusations are getting glossed over. True or not, I think MJ's death is tragic because it just shows the down side of fame. Most artists aren't the most well-adjusted people, and fame can intensify the equation. MJ was the most famous person on the planet and could not even walk to the grocery store himself without getting mobbed. In turn, he was forced to live in his own alternate universe, furthering his complete detachment from reality. As famous as Bono is, he can still go to a pub in Ireland and drink his Guinness in relative peace. MJ had no such "luxury."

A lot of people are choosing to only focus on his music but I find it impossible to ignore his life. For me, it has afforded me an opportunity to go back and actually listen to his old songs with fresh ears and I forgot how many truly great songs he had. However, I am still left with a feeling that his life has left a reminder or warning of the dangers that can be attached to fame. It's sad that our culture elevates celebrities to deity status and that paparazzi exist. In a way, I think it's good that the music industry is going down the shitter because artists may not be able to make as many millions as they could have 10 years ago, but maybe this will prevent people from getting too famous for their own good.

Spinnerette

Today I picked up the debut album from Brody Dalle's latest project/band, Spinnerette. So far I'm midway through my third listen and I am uber impressed so far. I really dug her work with The Distillers and was lucky enough to see them live a few years ago. With Spinnerette, Dalle lays to rest any lingering comparisons to Courtney Love. Well, at least musically. I mean, she DID marry Tim Armstrong and now Josh Homme. But I digress. Apparently Dalle wrote most of the album on bass and it certainly shows. Fuzzed out bass dominates the album, along with some electronic flourishes and crunching guitars. Her trademark raspy vocal delivery is replaced for the most part with a slightly softer and more melodic approach. And it works. Spinnerette is basically a sexier, more fun version of The Distillers. Key tracks are first single "Ghetto Love," "Geeking," and "All Babes Are Wolves." And no... "Sex Bomb" is not a Tom Jones cover.

4 out of 5

I'm officially a male cougar...

Recently I went to a nightclub for the first time in a long time. Now, before I continue, I just want to verify what I consider a nightclub to be. My usual night at a "bar" usually consists of going to a pub where I can converse with friends, sing some tunes on a karaoke night or see a live band play. It's been forever and a day since I've gone to a full fledged night club with bass heavy dance/r n'b/hip hop tunes pounding out of the speakers. Now, back to the narrative...

I wound up at this nightclub towards the end of a night of bumping into random people and going on an impromptu pub crawl. Well, moments after arriving at this said night club, my two friends and I headed out to the patio to get some fresh air. Within minutes, this really cute Asian girl with cool black glasses approached me and we started chatting it up. She asked me to dance so we headed to the dance floor. We soon start grinding and making out like the plane was going down. This girl wasn't too shy, grabbing my ass and my crotch like Oprah Winfrey grabbing a hoagie. So me, being the perfect gentleman, groped back in return. After a few tunes, we headed back to the patio to chat it up some more. It is at this point where my night (with her, at least) ended. It was the TSN Turning Point. The conversation went something like this...

Asian Girl: So, how old are you?
Me: 33.
Asian Girl: Oh... [a few seconds of silence]...
Me: Well how old are you?
Asian Girl: 22.
Me: Well, it could be a lot worse.
Asian Girl: [silence]
Me: So I guess that's the deal breaker, eh?
Asian Girl: Um, yeah.
Me: Well, it's been a slice! Cheers!

JJ Ramone: Exit, Stage Left.

Too funny.

Bif Naked

I am really excited to see Bif Naked in action at The Distrikt on Thursday. I have seen her perform 4 or 5 times before and she easily puts on one of the best live shows I've had the privilege of seeing. She has typically been one of those performers who translates way better to the stage than on record, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, with the release of her latest album, The Promise, Bif has easily delivered her best album ever. There are 14 songs and they are all great. After her hit-and-miss previous album, I honestly wasn't expecting much Ms. Naked. I more or less bought the album for completist purposes. However, Bif hooked up with a perfect collaborator (Jason Dar of Out Of Your Mouth and Neurosonic fame) and has unleashed an absolutely fantastic album from start to finish.

The truly impressive thing about this album is that Bif recorded the album while going through chemotherapy treatments. Despite this, or perhaps even because of this, she has never sounded so fierce, determined, pissed off, and passionate. She really does sound like she's fighting for her life on some tracks. In particular, she absolutely snarls on on the appropriately titled "Sick." Other highlights include "Honeybee" (which wouldn't sound out of place on a HorrorPops album), "Crash and Burn," and "Amazon Hotel." Every artist is going to have their highs and lows, so it's nice to know that one of your faves has still got it. Rock on Bif.

TV On The Radio

I was lucky enough to see TV On The Radio at the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg last weekend. Even though our seats weren't in the audibly ideal spot and the vocals sounded a bit muffled as a result, I was still really impressed with their performance. The Dirty Projectors were the opening act and even though they sounded nice and pretty, their live show definitely was definitely lacking. I don't expect every band to do cartwheels and scissor kicks onstage, but at least fucking move! And perhaps even throw a smile in every once in a while. I would seriously rather watch a mute having a conversation with someone in a coma than watch this band again. It was painful. Yikes.

Luckily, TV On The Radio were able to wake me up. TVOTR are a band that defies all categorization. Whenever people ask me to describe them I end up being at a loss for words. Because I honestly can't think of a band that is comparable. There are elements of punk, folk, soul, jazz, bossa nova, new wave, pop, funk, etc etc etc. They sound pretty polished in the studio, but they bring lots of energy to their songs in a live setting. So I had a great time. Except for that asshole/bitch who thought it was funny to pour beer on me from the balcony above me. I hope you get the swine flu, get roofied and raped, or get free tickets to a Nickleback concert.

Testing. One Two. Testing. One Two.

It's been forever and a day and a couple hours since I last posted anything on here. I've definitely been on a hiatus in terms of blogging on the web. I've thought about deleting this blog altogether but I figured I may as well keep it up for memory's sake, if nothing else. I definitely documented some pretty fun(ny) stuff over the years. I do have the itch to maintain a a blog project again, even if it's solely for my own amusement. However, I am undecided right now if I will fully resurrect this particular blog or start up something new from scratch. I am leaning towards the latter right now but we'll see. In the age of Facebook and Twitter, it's hard to devote time to a blog but I definitely feel the need to start writing more seriously now and the blog format seems to be the most logical route. So stay tuned.

Letterman vs. Leno

Life usually comes down to dichotomies... David Lee Roth vs. Sammy Haggar (DLR....duh!), U2 vs. Queen (Sorry Kent, but picking Queen is like picking a sea donkey at JD's over any girl at any other bar in town), Beatles vs. Stones, Feldman vs. Haim, Sonny vs. Cher, Tom Lukiwski vs. the Saskatchewan gay community, cowboys vs. Indians, Nazis vs. Jews, Michael Jackson vs. women (except Liz Taylor), Michael Jackson vs. males older than 11 years old, Axl vs. Slash etc...

Anyways, in the whole quasi-late-night debate, David Letterman kicks the living sh!t out of Jay Leno. Yes.. Leno gets better ratings, but George W. Bush also gpt enough votes to become president in the U.S. twice... and the first time was actually warranted by the legitimate tabulation of votes.

Leno does have a charm about him in his monologues, but his lips are firmly implanted to the brown stars of his guests. Letterman tends to have a half-assed leisurely quality to his monologues, but he thrives when interviewing guests. Normally when an actor/actress/comedian/singer/musician/political pundit/etc goes on a late night talk show,they expect the host to lob them standard "lob ball" questions" which Leno is great at. But Letterman has an innate sense of sarcasm that probably doesn't translate to the bible belt of America. He made Paris Hilton cry. He called Bill O'Reilly on his bullshit. Tom Waits and R.E.M. have only been on Letterman... not Leno...

How I Spent My Summer Vacation Pt.1

So I see it's been over 2 months since my last post. So what's new, you ask? Well, let me tell you. I'm loving my new job at Great-West Life. It's not too exciting, but it's relaxed, stress-free and my coworkers are pretty cool. It's so nice being able to walk 10 minutes to work through Victoria Park and walk down Scarth Street Mall during my lunch breaks to the sounds of street buskers. So almost 3 months into my job, I'm a pretty happy cat.

I recently got back from Vancouver with Tina and Gianni to see R.E.M. as a birthday present to myself. It was the fourth time I've seen them in action and this definitely has to be their best show. They played most of their amazing new album Accelerate, and dusted off some songs they have either never played before ("Ignoreland") and some songs they haven't played in almost 20 years ("Time After TIme" and "West of the Fields"). R.E.M. have gotten some slack from critics for their last 3 albums (particularly Around The Sun)and they haven't sold nearly as well, but I still like their last 3 albums. But as much as I like these mellow albums, it's really nice to hear them get back to basics, crank up the guitars, regain a sense of melody and sound hungry and urgent again. 11 songs in 35 minutes and they sounded phenomenal live. R.E.M. are definitely back. It seems like most of my favourite bands lately have been making big "comebacks" because they are returning to roots or getting back to basics. Pearl Jam, U2 and Bruce Springsteen come to mind. I don't blame artists for wanting to try new things because the alternative is to go the AC/DC route and make the same album over and over again, with diminishing results.

As for R.E.M.'s opening bands, The National and Modest Mouse both put on stellar shows. The National are definitely not a flashy band, but they captivated the crowd with their intensity. Modest Mouse played a fun, bouncy set. It was also pretty cool to see Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths, on the same stage as Peter Buck. It's as close to seeing R.E.M. and The Smiths play on the same bill as we're ever going to see.

And now I have to prep myself for my next big adventure. On July 2, I'll be making a huge trek with my cousins Sarah and Dave to see Tom Waits in Mobile, Alabama. Yes... Mobile Alabama. It's like Waits spun a globe and randomly chose what cities he will play. In true Waits fashion, he said he plotted his tour dates to form the shape of a constellation. Dave is probably the biggest Tom Waits fan on the planet and I'm gaining some momentum in that department so this is going to be a helluva trip. It'll be a Kerouac-ian trip to be sure. I can't wait.

Speaking of Tom Waits, I just picked up the debut album from Scarlett Johannson, which consists of 10 covers of Tom Waits songs and one original. I bought it for curiosity sake, but I am definitely pleasantly surprised. David Andrew Sitek from TV On The Radio produced it, Nick Zinner from The Yeah Yeah Yeahs plays guitar and David Bowie(!) sings background vocals. Scarlett is no great singer by any stretch of the imagination, but her voice really works for the sonic soundscapes of these songs. This is an album that could have been a comically bad actor-turns-singer album ala William Shatner, but instead it is pretty damn good.

Well, that's all for now. Bed awaits. Keep on rocking in the free world and all that jazz. Cheers.

no more call centre hell...

Well, it's official. My last day at Quill was yesterday. On Monday I start my new job at Canada Life. On Monday I will be able to say that I have a job that at least quasi-relates to my English degree. Plus I will get paid substantially more. I can't wait to start fresh there. It will be so nice to be able to walk 4 blocks to and from work. I will be able to save $50 a month on gas alone with this new job. I will definitely miss the people at Quill and I will especially miss my supervisor Pat, but I am elated I will not have to put my headset on for 8 hours a day and deal with ignorant Americans all day. The year of JJ is definitely progressing nicely.

Random thoughts...

I went to The Plains last weekend to check out Sonic Orchid. It was the first time I've been there in a while and some things never change. I was reassured of the fact that the femullet is alive and well. Also, if you want to be assured of seeing old drunks playing air guitar, just go to The Plains.

Facebook has officially taken over the world. I loved MySpace, but no one is on there anymore. I use MySpace strictly as a means to check out new bands. I've gotten used to Facebook and I use it, but I don't know if I'll ever actually like it. I have something like 350 "friends" on Facebook. But I wouldn't consider that guy who sat across the room in my Grade 10 Geo-Trig class a friend. But that being said, I have re-established contact with some genuinely true old friends who I have lost contact with. But I just wish I could have reestablished that contact on MySpace instead.

There are lots of really fat people at call centres.

Why did Hitler kill himself? Because he got the gas bill.

Since when did Muchmusic become the O.C. Network?

Best of 2007

Wow, that last post was a bit more intense than I had planned, but it's something I had to do. So I will now lighten things up a bit. Every year I've had this blog I have done a Best Of list of my favourite albums of the year. So this may be a month or so late, but without further ado here are my fave albums of 2007. (Insert drum roll here)

2007 was a great year for music. It's really hard to pick one album as the best. But I'll give it a try.

1. Feist - The Reminder. I may be a bit biased since she is my future wife (she just doesn't know it yet), but this album is aninstant classic. Her iPod commercial got her the commercial attention and now even Z99 plays her songs, but this a flawless collection of 13 diverse songs. Her voice comes out of the speakers like she's whipsering in your ear. Okay, maybe that was just a dream I had. But you get the point. Standout tracks: "I Feel It All," "My Moon, My Man," "Sealion," and yes... that iPod song. You know what it is.

2. Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War. Stars are a band I just cannot get sick of. I always go to bed listening to music, so I generally don't listen to punk rock music to soothe me to sleep. This is music to put you to sleep...but in a good sense. The voices of Torq Campbell and Amy Millan mesh perfectly, bringing their songs of failed romances and ghosts of dead Iraq soldiers both the male and female perspectives. Standout tracks: "The Night Starts Here," "Take Me to the Riot," "Bitches in Tokyo," and "Today Will Be Better, I Swear!"

3. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible. Yes, my three fave albums of the year are from bands that are more or less based out Montreal. This is album is a force. Listening to this album is like a religious experience, and I mean that in a positive way. "Intervention" is hands down my fave song from last year. I first heard the song on CJTR in my car and the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end. And the rest of the album is nearly as good. I can only imagine how good these guys and girls are live. Standout tracks: "Intervention," "Keep the Car Running," "Antichrist Television Blues"

4. Against Me! - New Wave. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but my three fave albums are all fairly mellow. But I honestly haven't been that impressed with many ROCK bands lately. Against Me! however absolutley blew me away. 10 songs, 30-some minutes...a perfect album. These guys make smart, literate, socially conscious punk rock with brilliant hooks. Listen to "Stop!" just once and it will be in your head for a year. I can't wait to see these guys in March. Standout tracks: "Stop!", "Thrash Unreal," "White People For Peace"

5. Bruce Springsteen - Magic. Bruce is BACK. This album is stellar all the way through. I became a huge Bruce fan with The Rising, and this album stands up to Born in the USA and Born To Run. There is nothing fancy about this album, just great well written back-to-basics rock songs. Standout tracks: "Radio Nowhere," "Living ing the Future," "I'll Work For Your Love," "You'll Be Coming Down"

6. Tegan and Sara - The Con. The great thing about these two lesbian sisters...Did I just say lesbian? Yep, I did....lesbian lesbian lesbian... I just love that word. But I digress. The great thing about these Quin siblings is that every album is different from the one before. Their first album was a mashup of folk, punk and hip-hop. Their second disc was more straight ahead rock while their last album was more poppy. And now they've brought out some Moogs and have decided to go in a New Wave direction. And in a coincidence, Tegan appears on Against Me!'s album called New Wave. I now give you permission to use that tidbit of useless information in a conversation. Go ahead, impress your friends. You're welcome. Standout tracks: "Back in Your Head," "Burn Your Life Down," "I Was Married"

7. Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild Soundtrack. Eddie Vedder's first solo effort is short, but definitely sweet. This mostly acoustic effort is almost meditative in nature, showcasing the softer edges of his deep baritone voice. Standout Tracks: "Setting Forth," :Hard Sun," "Society," "Guaranteed"

8. Steve Earle - Washington Square Serenade. Steve Earle is one of the finest songwriters ever and he can still crank out brilliant albums. This album is mostly about his move from Nashville to New York. Being a tad leftwing in his politics, he ruffled a few feathers in the Conservative world of Nashville. This is his "goodbye to Guitar Town." He also gains some browny points for covering a Tom Waits tune. Standout tracks: "Jericho Road," "Sparkle and Shine," "Tennessee Blues"

9. Velvet Revolver - Libertad. Scott Weiland, Slash and co. put together a no-frills, straight ahead rock album with lots of great tunes. I was lucky enough to see these guys at the Brandt Centre amongst an underwhelming crowd of not even one third capacity. No wonder Regina has trouble attracting big name bands. Standout out tracks: "Just Sixteen," "She Builds Quick Machines," "Let it Roll"

10. The New Pornographers - Challengers. On their fourth album, Carl Newman, Neko Case and co. have created a more moody and subdued album than their previous offerings. Nothing quite leaps out you like "Use It" or "Mass Romantic" but it is perhaps their most cohesive album. Great nighttime music. Standout tracks: My Rights Versus Yours," "Myriad Harbour," "Challengers"

11. Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight. Two words. Jenny Lewis. I'm sold. Oh yeah, and the songs are great too. Standout tracks: "Close Call," "Under the Blacklight," "Silver Lining"

12. The Killers - Sawdust. AConsidering this is a collection of b-sides, rarities and a couple of new tunes, these songs hold together surprisingly well. It is pretty cool that they were able to release a single that features Lou Reed and a childrens' choir. Standout Tracks: "Tranquilizer," "Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf," and a cover of Dire Straits' (yes, Dire Straits) "Romeo and Juliet"

13. Metric - Grow Up and Blow Away. Not technically released in 2007, this was Metric's first album when they were just a duo. It was available on their website for a long time until they finally decided to officially release it. And now the world is a better place for it. It's a nice teaser until they release their long overdue follow-up to Live it Out. Standout Tracks: "Raw Sugar," "Grow Up and Blow Away," "Soft Rock Star"

14. Serena Ryder - If Your Memory Serves You Well. Released in 2006, this album didn't pick up steam until 2007. I finally buckled down and bought this album after George Stroumbolopolus (sp???) kept raving about her on The Hour. If Strombo gives something the green light, he's usually right on the money. Serena has a rich, bluesy voice that brings this album of (mostly) covers to life. However, I'm most impressed with her handful of originals. And in a cool side note, my good friend Mr. Dan Silljer is currently playing guitar in her band. So I am one degree of separation from Ms. Ryder. Yeah, I know... I'm kind of a big deal. Standout Tracks: "Sisters of Mercy," "Weak in the Knees," "My Heart Cries For You"

Well, that includes my list. I believe my most random/diverse music purchase of the year was when I bought The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years and Van Halen: The Best of Both Worlds. And for the record, Van Halen is ten times better than Van Haggar. Diamond Dave was the man.

On the local level, my good friend Chad Kichula has been getting some radio play south of the border for his song "Never Seen the Ocean." The song is reminiscent of Lou Reed. The success of that song couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

And 2007 saw the end of BILF. I got to be good friends with the guys over the years and they have been nice enough to let me onstage with them countless times in front of packed houses, making me feel like a quasi-rockstar for 3 minutes a night. They defintely weren't the most technically sound band, but they were definitely the most entertaining.

Back from the dead

I'm not sure if anyone bothers to check my blog anymore since I haven't posted anything since September, but I finally decided to get off my ass and post something for my devoted following. So this post goes out to all three of you. Your prayers have finally been answered. You now have a reason to surf the net once again. So what have I been doing for the last 5 months since my last post? Hmmmm. The main reason I haven't posted anything is that I really haven't felt like myself for most of that time. I was in a major funk for most of that and I finally now feel like I've gotten back to normal. As normal as I get anyways. Over the past year, pretty much since I finished school, I gradually got more and more down. I gave myself a month to find a "real" job, as they say. But I found out quickly that having a degree, or two for that matter, does not guarantee one a good job. I shot out lots of resumes for various positions but I wound up working at a call centre. Not exactly my dream job. So I gradually got stuck in a deep rut. I was really unhappy with my job and I was unhappy in my relationship. I took care of the relationship part and that provided some relief, but the job part really got me down in the dumps. Gradually I started losing interest in running and working out and writing and I was becoming lazy and lethargic. My days consisted of sleeping in as long as possible because I dreaded the fact of walking through the doors of the call centre. I would sludge my way through work, come home and crash on the couch, and be asleep by 10. Or else I would go to the other end of the spectrum and party like crazy because that was an easy way to not think about the day job. I would be out in public, but I wasn't really there. My body was there, but it was really just a shell. I was existing, I was breathing and I had a pulse, but I wasn't really LIVING. And in the process, I was shutting out a lot of my good friends. I am one of the luckiest people on the planet to have such an amazing group of good close friends, but I got to the point where I would almost cringe whenever I heard the phone ring. I tried to avoid human contact as much as I could. But for some reason I looked forward to Jan. 1 as a start of something new. It's hard to explain, but I just somehow sensed that things would be different somehow. Normally I've viewed New Years as just another day, as just another excuse to go out with a bunch of friends. But this year I saw that one day as a significant day. I'm not sure where it came from, but I decided to put my foot down and try to rise from the depths of my funk. And from that day I really have felt like I am turning over a new leaf. It's been gradual, but I have gotten most of the hop back in my step. I'm not quite there, but I'm close. And it feels great. I've started to strip things down to the basics and focus on the people who really mean a lot to me. So if anyone does actually read this... Mark, Zubazz, Chris, Kent, Shades, Ruda, Kash, Craig, Billy, Carina, etc, I just want to thank you guys for sticking around while I've gone through my ordeal. The one thing that got me through this funk is that I have the best friends in the world. I really do have a more positive outlook on life again. And I think it's starting to reflect now. I think that what you put into life is what you get back and I am now getting more opportunities. I had a job interview last week for a position as a Researcher and the job is now mine if I want it. It's contract work and it would mean I would have to toil away at my day job still, but at least it's a foot in the door to an industry I would love to be a part of. I also have another interview next week for another telephone job, but at least the money would be a lot more. I've also gone a couple old fashioned dates, so I have opportunities in the ladies department. And I've also started running and working out a lot more. Running is something I've always loved. It is my chance to listen to some tunes, get my heart racing, and just zone out. Running is so cleansing. It's not only great exercise, but I've gotten so many great ideas for song ideas and story ideas. So many times I have come up with some great lyric and melody ideas while running. So the JJ we all know and love is now back. Last year was definitely a year I would like to forget for the most part, but this will definitely be the year of the JJ. Look out. And mothers, lock up your daughters because JJ is on the loose. Wowza.

Summer is almost over

With the Labour Day long weekend pretty much over, summer is for all intents and purposes over as well. This summer really flew by but this weekend seemed to be the official sendoff. But what a sendoff it was. It was one of the nicest and funnest weekends I've had in a while. Tina came down from Calgary on Friday so she and her friends met up with me at McNally's to check out Wonderland. Saturday consisted of going for a run, walking around the park and checking out the Dragon Boat races and hosting karaoke at The Pump. Tina came out towards the end of the night so we belted out a stirring rendition of "I Touch Myself."

Saturday was insanely busy at The Pump with all the people in from Winnipeg. I've never had so many women throw themselves at me as I did on Saturday. I felt like Mick Jagger for a few hours. It boggles my mind how so many women flock themselves at any guy with any perceived level of power or celebrity. Whether it be a DJ or singer in a cover band or a karaoke host or a hockey player, the whole groupie mentality is definitely still alive and well.

Last night was a really great night. After watching the Riders beat the Bombers at my parents, I headed out to Mcnally's to check out some of Cherrybomb's set. Stacey and Kevy were nice enough to get me up sing a couple tunes before I headed over to meet up with Tina, Chris, Kent, Kash, Billy, Carina, etc at the Drink. The Drink had the parking lot open with an outside stage. They had a good lineup which included JJ Voss, the Poverty Plainsmen and Method to Madness. Afterwards a few of us head over to Billy's house and chatted up a storm and had a couple beers. Overall, a fantastic weekend with some of my best friends in the world. All good things must come to an end, but this has been a pretty great summer and I have my friends to largely thank for that.

And on a side note, I have to give a big congrats to Mark and Tessa who are now officially engaged. Even though we don't hang out as often as we once did, I still consider Mark my best friend and I am really happy he has found a great girl in Tessa.

Aug 21, 2007

So I've had time to let the dust settle from the big break up and I must say that I have definitely made a good decision. The more I think about it, April and I just weren't meant for a long term relationship. April is an awesome girl...but for someone else, not me. And for the most part we have done a good job at being civil around each other and I think we can even be friends.

I really feel like I have a new lease on life. I have such an incredible support system with all my friends and parents. I've even had a quasi-date with an old school friend I used to have a big crush on so life has definitely been good. But the one thing I have definitely realized is that I would rather be 45 years old and single doing what I want to do than being someone because I feel I have to. I think I got in the comfort zone where I knew it wasn't really working but I still had that hope that it might change some day. But the fact is, if something isn't working, it is just not working. Having a three or so weeks to step back and think about things, it really makes me realize how upset and down I became. When your home life is miserable it really affects your outlook on the rest of your life. While Quill is definitely not my dream job, I have noticed that my attitude at work has increased exponentially. And now I have this extra hop in my step that has been lacking for a few months. The JJ we all know and love is definitely back. :)

I am not sure what to think about Facebook. There are lots of positive things about it, but it seems like everyone has jumped ship from Myspace onto Facebook, which is very sad because I am a huge fan of the concept of Myspace. I have discovered tons of great bands through Myspace. Instead of getting friend requests from cool bands who found me through my musical tastes, I get virtual food thown at me on Facebook. But that being said, I have regained contact with quite a few other people on Facebook that I probably would not have otherwise.

Musicwise, I highly recommend the new White Stripes album. Jack White is a musical genious pure and simple and I am kicking myself in the ass for not going to their show in Saskatoon. The new Tegan and Sara is also very cool. It is a lot more 80s New Wave-ish than their earlier albums and features some Moog work from Matt Sharp of The Rentals and Weezer fame.

I couldn't go to the Regina Folk Festival for the entire weekend this year because I ahd to work at the Pump, but I was able to go on Sunday to check out Blue Rodeo and Amy Millan. Amy Millan was great, but I was blown away by Blue Rodeo. For some reason I have never seen this band before but I figured I had to see these guys at least once in my life. I was ultra-excited that they played my favourite song of theirs, "Side of the Road." A great night to celebrate the waning days of summer.

Lots has been said of the whole Michael Vick/dog fighting story. I won't add a whole lot to it, but as a dog lover, this guy should be locked away for ten years and gang raped for every day of his sentence. I cannot even fathom being cruel to a dog. When my dog Teddy died, it was like losing a member of the family. Vick is sick bastard who deserves to rot in hell.

After a brief stint DJing at the Drink, I am now back at the Pump. I thought I might enjoy the Drink but I really missed the staff at the Pump. The whole crew at the Pump are almost like a family so it is definitely nice to be back.

WTF???????

A couple days ago my friend Troy sent me a link for this "Chocolate Rain" video that apparently is tearing up the internet. The singer is Tay Zonday who reminds me of a cross between Michael Jackson (circa Jackson 5 era), Tracy Chapman and James Earl Jones. I had the (mis)fortune of watching this video from start to finish. My buddy Kent lasted maybe two minutes. I can only liken watching this video to watching the grisly aftermatch of a 3 car pileup. You shouldn't watch, but for some sick reason you feel compelled to. Anyways, here it is for your viewing...umm...pleasure? I dunno.

Hit Me Baby 3 Less Times

This is why Britney Spears still sells millions of albums. Okay, maybe not millions of albums. But she at least keeps wig makers in business... and therapists... and drug dealers... and tabloid writers and papparazzi. It is pretty sad when Kevin Federline can make a convincing case that he is more talented than his ex wife.

Today has been one of the hardest days of my life. I made one of the toughest deciscions I've ever had to make. This morning I decided to break up with April. Right now I am supposed to be on holidays with her and her family in Waskesiu, but I decided to end our relationship of over two years. Out of love and respect to April, I will not go into any details, but it's no secret to any of our friends that we have had our ups and downs the last few months. I have been really unhappy lately and I finally had to do something about it. I still love April to death and think she is a wonderful and amazing person, but we just have not been clicking for the last few months. Sometimes no matter how much you love someone it just doesn't work. I want all my friends to know that I don't hate April or have any ill will towards her at all. And I want all my friends to still treat her with the same respect as before.

So now I have a week's paid holidays to sit at home and reflect on things and decide what I will do next. The standard thing for most guys to do when getting out of a relationship is to get rip-roaring drunk and hop back on that proverbial horse but I want to try and avoid that if possible. I plan on going for runs and walks around Wascana Park, doing some writing and practicing guitar. Maybe by the end of this week I may know a whopping 8 chords or something.

I've talked to a few of my friends so far and they have all been really great. My parents took me out for sushi for supper and some ice cream afterwards and made me feel as good as I possibly can in this situation. They have really noticed how unhappy I have been in recent months and were starting to get really worried. But today we had a few really great conversations and they made me feel truly loved and have been really supportive. I honestly don't know what I would have done without them. The next little while will be different to say the least but I know I am extremely lucky to have the greatest friends in the world as a support system. Mark, Chris, Zubazz, Kent, Tina, Jai Mo, Stacy, Kevy, Dan, Loco, Kash, Billy, the whole Pump crew etc etc etc are the best friends a guy could ever ask for.

So now I have to begin a new stage in my life and start from scratch. I have no idea what the future will hold for me or where I'll wind up but I'm gonna try to clear my head, decompress and hopefully become a better person out of the whole situation.

All I know is that I feel so conflicted right now. Part of is so incredibly sad and I just want to ball my eyes out, (which I've done a few times) and another part of me is relieved. This was a hard decision but I think it is something I had to do and I think it is for the best in the long term. All I know is that I have been unhappy and I have to get myself back to a happy place again.

June 26, 2006

I really am getting bad at this whole blogging thing. It's been about a month since my last post, so I suppose I should do some updating. So what's new with me you ask. Well, let me tell you.

I went to see Willie Nelson at the Brandt Centre last week with April and my parents and his show was very hit and miss. He was obviously bored to tears singing his clssic tunes like "Always on My Mind," "Crazy" and "Mamas Don't Let You Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." I am sure the crowd would have lynched him if he never played these songs, but he just sleep-walked through these tunes. It wasn't until the end of the show when he played a handful of new and unrecorded songs with his sons that he sounded energized and looked like he was actually having fun. It must be painful at isi stage of his career where he is forced to play the same songs he has been singing for 40 years and still sound interested. But if he only played the new songs from his new album which was produced by Ryan Adams, he would probably be playing to crowds 1/10th the size.

By now everyone is talking about the Chris Benoit double homicide/suicide incident. When I first heard about his death I was really saddened because I grew up a huge wrestling fan. I especially loved the whole Stamped wrestling group with the Hart family and the British Bulldogs. But after finding out the details of Benoit's death, I became sick to my stomach. I cannot fathom ever hitting a woman, let alone tying up her arms and legs and strangling a woman. This is another case of a wonderful professional being an amateur human being.

I recently bought the John Lennon tribute album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. The money goes to a great cause and there are some great covers of Lennon tunes. In particular, Green Day do an unbelievable job of "Working Class Hero," while R.E.M., U2, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Postal Service, and The Flaming Lips also contribute some killer versions. The biggest surprise was Christina Aguilera's version of "Mother." SHe has always had a great voice, but for the first time in her career she actually shows restraint. She simply sings the song with a stripped down arrangement and doesn't try to shatter glass or make dogs go apeshit.

At work I just finished training for a new Customer Service position which is a nice change of pace. I at least get a variety of different calls as oopesed to sounding like a broken record for 8 hours. And a raise is always nice. That being said, I am continually looking around for a job that relates more to my education. My job at Quill is pretty relaxed and stress free, but if I am still there in a year's time please shoot me.

The past two weekends have been two of the best I've had in recent memory and they've been tow of the more low-key ones I've had. Two weekends ago revolved mostly around sitting at Chris and Kent's place with April, Jai Mo and Bazooka Jay having a few beers and singing and playing some tunes on the guitar. It was very cool to just relax and talk about music like the geeks that we are. This past weekend April and I went to Weyburn for a wedding. We hooked up with Chris and Kent on Friday, went to the wedding at a farm outside of Weyburn in scorching heat on Saturday and hung around Weyburn on Sunday with Troy and Autumn on Sunday. It's not even an hour away, but it was so nice just to get out of Regina for a weekend.

And that's all I have to say about that.

random stuff

I've really been slacking lately in updating my blog, so here are a few random things and thoughts in JJ's world.

Irons will always win when pitted against plastic cups. I turned the iron on yesterday, not realizing it was sitting right next to a plastic cup. It turns out that plastic melts pretty easy. And it makes a very distinct smell that probably isn't all that healthy when ingested in one's lungs. April and I are now short one cup.

May 22 was my birthday. I am now 31. April and I saw Feist on my birthday and she put on an incredible show. She played most of her new album and omitted her biggest song, "Inside and Out," but no one seemed to care because she put on a brilliant show. After the show we went to McNallys for karaoke. Someone bought me a Prairie Fire shooter and I just about dies. I had the worst heartburn ever known to man for an hour and my tongue would not stop sweating. Good times.

Last night, my good friends Rude Dude and Shades got officially engaged as Rude Dude proposed to Shades onstage. They are great, wonderful people and I wish nothing but the best for them.

On my way home from work today I was the first person to pull up to the Wolf studio and walk up to Amanda Sonic to win the new Linkin Park CD. I can now say I've been in movies, television, radio, and have sung with a band, DJ'd and hosted karaoke. Yes, I am truly the king of all media.

Backtracking a bit, Feist's new album is amazing. Buy it now. Or at least download it. "I Feel it All" and "Sealion" are my current two faves.

The Arcade Fire's Neon Bible gets better with every listen. I don't think there's been a better song this year than "Intervention." Pure brilliance.

Facebook is quite the site. About a week ago, a guy I went to highschool with many moons ago, Eric, added me as a friend, and I bumped into him at the Cathedral Village Arts Festival and had a great conversation with him. Now my best friend from highschool, Cory, contacted me, is now in town for a few days so I am about to meet him at O'Hanlons and play 6 or 7 years of catch up.

On July 10, I snagged 7 11th row floor tickets for INXS. It should be a helluva show. With INXS, the Folk Festival, Taste of Regina, a few weddings, etc it's already shaping up to be a hectic and fun-filled summer.

Cheers until next time.

May 18

Today is May 18. I am sure that numerous historical events of great significance has occurred on this day. However, none compares to the following two events. Today is the 2 year anniversary of April and I dating. Also, today is Tina's birthday. So everyone should celebrate dammit! Two years. Wow. Where does the time go? Happy anniversary sweetie. And Tina, make sure to have a drink or ten on my behalf since we can't share a combo birthday extravaganza.