Stinkies! Knuckledusters! Shuttlecocks!

I recently got my scanner hooked up and running, so I hope to be posting a fair amount of new content in the new year.

To start with, here's three polaroids from a hometown show The Starkweather Fix played Nov.25/95 at The Crow's Nest in Oshawa, with no less than three of our favourite Toronto bands at the time: The Shuttlecocks, The Knuckledusters, and The Stinkies. The family tree you could spin off these three bands alone is dizzying to contemplate. Basically, everybody here was a veteran with a fat CV.

The Knuckledusters and The Stinkies had recently put out a split 7" on Classy Craig's Trophy label, and I believe this was the same weekend The Stinkies recorded their one and only full-length "It's Fun & Easy To Put Together The Stinkies" with Brian Ruryk (a release which came out on Sympathy).

I took these, so I guess that's why there's no pictures of The Starkweather Fix playing.

Rough Stuff #1 Album of 2008!

Says who? Well, CJAM 91.5 FM out of Windsor-Detroit does.

"I Am Collecting Beautiful Things" says the rest:

"A few weeks ago I was trashing the idea of very standardized Best Of 2008 lists. It wouldn't be right to criticize without putting out my own list of favourite albums released this year, so here you have it. No No Zero released a mindlessly fun album about sex, which is still highly listenable 8+ months after hearing it for the first time, which makes it a no brainer at #1".

Thank you CJAM. What a nice way to end the year.

Catl Record Release!

No No Zero alumni Catl release their debut juke blues boogie record "¿Adónde vas? A ningún lado" (translates as "where are you going? Nowhere") next month, and this very blog played a (very) small part in it all.

You see, the fantastic poster just above these words - designed by the reliably awesome Fort Polio, who we have featured here before - is based on a certain photograph that appeared here back in June, after I caught a Catl show at The Boat in Toronto.

Mr. Catl and Mr. Johnny LaRue will be playing three shows next month: their residency at the Dakota Tavern continues January 3rd, and then the duo play a couple of release shows, first at the Silver Dollar in Toronto (Jan. 23), and then at Isabella's in Oshawa the following night.

The new record is being issued as a limited edition vinyl LP with a CD version of the record (avec extra tracks) included. It's about half scalding originals and half toasty classics, including faves by such luminaries as Leadbelly, Memphis Minnie, Fred McDowell, and Buh-Buh-Bob Dylan. You can listen to three tracks from Catl on the band's MySpace page.

The cover art is by Jeff Lemire, who you may recall also did the cover art for No No Zero's Rough Stuff album. Keep watching this space for more on Mr. Lemire and his great Catl sleevework.

Toilets!

Toilets, toilets. Rah rah rah.








Toilets, toilets. Sis boom bah.








Yeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh --







TOILETS!!!!!

"The best place to meditate is on the pot. If you have a comfortable toilet seat and a stout lock on the door, there's no telling what great thoughts might emerge. Martin Luther dreamed up Protestantism whilst sitting on the toilet at Wittenburg monastery, and we know what a big movement that became."

- Anton LaVey, Toilet Seat Meditation, The Devil's Notebook

Pruane2Forever!

Love him or hate him, Pruane2Forever makes a strong impression indeed.

This B.C. teen (aka Sexman aka Jawsus) has become something of an internet sensation due to Youtube videos in which he pontificates on his life, hiphop, porn, politics, recent films he's watched, and other aspects of pop culture (as well as original programming and the occasional trip outdoors).

He has inspired a backlash of venomous response videos such as has rarely been seen online. On the other hand, he's also inspired a cartoon, a fanclub, and even a t-shirt (or two).


I was introduced to Sexman via a reworking of some footage of his dad, Father John. I was watching it in mute shock, thinking how amazing it all was, when the camera turned around to reveal the photographer, Pruane2Forever himself. Seeing that face, and hearing that voice, I was instantly hooked.

What is the attraction? As is pointed out in this rare interview:

Pruane2Forever got famous because he talks earnestly about things he actually cares about, but at the end of the day that’s all he’s interested in — to him, having his catchphrases bootlegged onto t-shirts and appearing on international television are merely unwanted side effects.

Comic Books Links!

I've been pretty bushed lately and just haven't been up to my usual hundred and one links-style posts, sorry everybody.

When I have been online, I've been mainly looking at other people's blogs and sites, of which the good stuff seems ever-increasing. So, in lieu of new material here, I'll probably post some ganders in the coming days at the better stuff I've been checking out recently --

Mainly I've been getting back into comicbooks - as opposed to graphic novels - something I got out of almost twenty years ago. For all your comic needs, I highly recommend Comics World - you can grab everything here from Mad magazine to Yummy Fur to Sgt. Rock. My jaw fairly hit the floor when I found CW. Words will not suffice in describing its abundant treasures.

If horror comics are your thing, you're probably a fan of Warren Publishing, them what put out Creepy and Eerie and all those amazing magazines of my childhood. Peruse A Very Creepy Blog for some target titles, and then back to Comics World to get the goods.

Like your horror even more vintage? It doesn't get any better than the pre-code goodies at The Horror Of It All. I featured two of their 'shrunken head' tales in my last post.

In my digging, I also found some nice tributes to Jeffrey Jones, as well as the incredibly chill-inducing work of Berni Wrightson.

Hope you enjoy.