Montreal

My first trip all by myself away from home was a visit to my aunt in Montreal when I was 13. I got my period on that trip, much to my aunt's dismay. 

Perhaps that is why I haven't spent as much time there as I'd like, residual trauma?  I visited briefly when I was at home, and have been several times on tour or to visit friends. Every time I go I tell myself to spend more time there.

Montreal is also special for a few reasons, aside from feminine rites of passage. When my mother first moved to Canada from London, this is where she lived. Mom put herself through school and worked at the Jewish General Hospital. I think this might be why I grew up familiar with as as much yiddish as silly English phrases like "knee-high to a grasshopper" or "silly buggers." This could also explain my soft spot for Jewish men and why I deeply envied my best friend in middle school while she prepared for her bat-mitzvah. 

My Dad is an Anglophone (speaker of English--when he's not trying to act like Deniro or Pacino) from Montreal. He met my mother in a health club and they danced and made spaghetti; and then me. And then my little brother. 

My favourite band from Montreal at the moment is a band called Parlovr. Their drummer used to be in another band called Shamus, whom I would visit as spontaneously as our first meeting in Toronto during Canadian Music Week. 

One time in particular, I had finagled my way onto a Cross-Canada tour to promote my magazine called FreezePeach with some bands. I bought a 30-day greyhound bus ticket, couch-surfed and backpacked my way West and back. After a particularly arduous experience, I had one day left and decided to visit Shamus in Montreal before it expired. 

One of the guys invited me over to their jam space where they were rehearsing. Immediately when I arrived, their reception was a breath of fresh air I desperately needed. They decided for me that I would stay for their show the following evening.  

Without hesitation, they put me up for the night, and paid for my ticket home; one of them even came back with me. I'll never forget that, unless I lose my mind, which, judging by the women in my family, is entirely possible. I will warn you never to play Monopoly with them though. They're bloody bastards when it comes to that game.

More recently, I rediscovered Jeremy playing for this band called Parlovr back at Canadian Music Week in  Toronto. Just as Shamus won my heart in about 5 seconds flat, Parlovr scooped me up immediately as though they'd fitted me with those magic dance shoes you've seen in the movies. 

They have a style that I feel stands out as being distinctly Montreal; gritty jangly guitar and synthesizer power-pop with loud yelps, gang vocals and very hard, loud, exciting drums.  Check them out at www.myspace.com/parlourmontreal

Photos: Ming Wu

Dancing to Parlovr 's set with Jacquie at Cafe Dekcuf, Ottawa 

I don't have any photos of Parlovr or Montreal; This is the closest we'll get for now.

For the Mathematics

You'll likely see a number of references to a band called For the Mathematics. This is a band I became friends with from around Ottawa and started volunteering my time with on the road. I got to share thousands of hours of monotony, adventure, tedium and excitement with who turned out to be some of my closest friends. 

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Ottawa, July 2005

Charlottetown, PEI, July 2005

Halifax, Nova Scotia, July 2005

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Ben Harper and Moko

If you have grown up, as I have, seeing bogan after meat-head after douchebag walk into a Tattoo shop and pick out some wanky drawing similar to Pam Anderson's barb-wire arm band, you may pull a sour face when you hear someone talking about their latest tribal tattoo.

If this sounds familiar, I urge you to check out what is called Moko, the traditional tribal tattooing of New Zealand's indigineous people, the Maori.

When visiting a very lovely friend of mine who works for the guy, I went to see Ben Harper perform with Pearl Jam in Christchurch. I noticed during his performance that he seemed to have some Moko. Curious, I looked into it, and found this, from NZ television:

Hearing another foreigner like me express so eloquently, such a deep connection to this country, resonates sharply with me. I can identify very well with the pull to start a life here, and his appreciation for the history and beauty of their artwork. 

Similarly, since having left home, Wellington is the first place that I could see having a future, if I had the opportunity.

Rock music

What I've been listening to (not restricted to Rock music):

Australia: 

Wolfmother (Sydney/Brisbane)

Ash Grunwald (Melbourne)

Alba Varden (Melbourne)

The Presets (Sydney)

The Grates (Melbourne)

USA: 

TV on the Radio (New York)

The Roots (Philadelphia)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs (New York)

The Strokes (New York)

The Gossip (Olympia, WA)

Ben Harper (Los Angeles)

Queens of the Stoneage (Southern California)

Them Crooked Vultures (Los Angeles)

Foo Fighters (Seattle)

The Rapture (New York)

The Mars Volta (El Paso, Texas)

Rage Against the Machine (Los Angeles)

Michael Franti & Spearhead (Northern California)

Modest Mouse (Seattle)

New Zealand: 

Minuit (Nelson)

Fly My Pretties (Wellington)

Ladyhawke (Wellington)

Gin

Canada:

Sleeping Pilot (Ottawa)

Metric (Toronto)

Parlovr (Montreal)

Higher Rites (Toronto)

The Balconies (Toronto)

Shout Out Out Out Out (Edmonton)

Woodhands (Toronto)

Hi Lo Trons (Ottawa)

UK

La Roux (Brixton)

Kate Nash (London)

Pink Floyd (London)

Joy Division (Manchester)

Led Zeppelin (London)

Mogwai (Glasgow)

Franz Ferdinand (Glasgow)

Paloma Faith 

Also:

Max  Romeo & The Upsetters (Jamaica)

Sigur Ros (Reykjavik, Iceland)

Favourite Festivals:

Osheaga (Montreal)

Bluesfest (Ottawa)

Radio: CBC (especially cbcradio3.com)

ABD (especially abc.net.au/triplej)

Touring and Travel 2007

For the Mathematics
Sydney