Thursday, October 21st, 2004

Strange News From Another Star

I didn’t pay much heed yesterday when the rumours started going around that Graham Coxon had rejoined Blur – it sounded like the UK press making far too much out of nothing… However, it looks like it may have been something after all. Intersting news indeed – though I don’t know if either Blur or I are still in a place where we matter to one another. Well, I’m pretty certain I don’t matter to Blur, either way. But while I refused to even give Think Tank a chance, I may have to give their next effort a spin to see if there’s still anything there. Of course, this is all contingent on the news actually being true – all we’ve got so far is an unnamed “record industry insider” saying, “The meeting went well – probably better than any of them expected. It’s very positive for everyone and Graham will still be able to do his solo work as well as working with the band again.” Curiouser and curiouser.

So bad news for Camper Van Beethoven – all their gear was stolen after their show in Montreal Tuesday night. There’s a full list of the missing equipment here. They’re scheduled to play Lee’s Palace in Toronto tonight and hopefully they’ll be able to either find or replace their instruments in time for the show, but it’s a shitty situation either way.

Chuck Klosterman considers Wilco’s A Ghost Is Born and recollects a conversation he had with Jeff Tweedy this past Spring wherein Jeff mused that the biggest obstacle to an Uncle Tupelo reunion isn’t the fact that he and Jay Farrar haven’t spoken in many years, but that he doesn’t know if he’s dexterous enough to play the bass parts anymore. Link from More Cowbell. Meanwhile, another Minnesota paper talks to John Stirratt and Wilco will grace the cover of the next issue of The Big Takeover, which should be out within the next few weeks. BTO interviews are always pretty extensive and have a different angle from other publications, so this should be a good read.

I’m a little surprised none of the local weeklies have opted to do a piece on the Mission Of Burma show at Lee’s tomorrow night (for whom local post-rock outfit From Fiction will be opening) – I thought it was a pretty big deal. The Toronto Star doesn’t drop the ball, however, except that they’re now a registration-required site. Blah. Oh well, Tiny Mix Tapes reports that the band is releasing a new iTunes-only live EP on November 2 called Snapshot and Metromix talks to Clint Conley about the reunion that no one thought would ever happen. From LHB.

Sort of a last-minute show announcement worth noting – Rachael Yamagata will be playing a free show at the El Mocambo this Monday – it’s an early one, doors at 6, show at 7. I’ve only heard a little of her stuff but for free? I will be there.

Now that Superman has been cast, the question is who will play his leading lady? Cinescape claims to have the short list of candidates (thus giving me a legitimate excuse to link to pictures of pretty girls):

  • Mischa Barton (Skinny girl from The OC and the vomiting dead girl in The Sixth Sense – thumbs down)
  • Charisma Carpenter (Annoying girl from Buffy and Angel – thumbs down)
  • Mia Kirshner (Mandy the traitorous lesbian assassin from 24, and Canadian no less – thumbs up)
  • Evangeline Lilly (No idea who this is – apparently she’s on Lost, but she’s Canadian and hot so why not)
  • Natalie Portman (My secret girlfriend – thumbs up, though I don’t know if I can really see her as Lois Lane)
  • Keri Russell (girl from Felicity – does this girl even work anymore? Not a fan – thumbs down)

NOW interviews Art Spiegelman about his latest work, In The Shadow Of No Towers. Spiegelman is in town for the International Festival Of Authors where he will be interviewed by fellow cartoonist Seth tomorrow night at Harbourfront.

Holy shit to the Red Sox. I always like seeing the Yankees self-immolate, but this collapse was just spectacular. Some damn fine baseball, too – reminded me of the Jays’ back-to-back World Series titles over a decade ago. Hell, you wanna talk about your ex-Jay content, they almost had Timlin facing Olerud for the final out, and then pinch-hit Ruben Sierra, who was a Jay for a while. Yeah, I’m reaching… Anyway, the World Series is going to seem anticlimactic after all this – unless the Curse is waiting until the really big show to make things extra entertaining…

np – Gemma Hayes / Night On My Side

By : Frank Yang at 9:19 am
Category: Uncategorized
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  1. Gary Campbell says:

    Man, you gotta work on your Blur snobbery. "Think Tank" was one of the best records of 2003 and by far the most sincere and interesting thing Blur has released in 10 years. I’ll loan you my copy. Your opinion will change. I command it! :P

  2. Frank says:

    I dunno Gary – y’see, I HATE Damon Albarn. I find him insufferable. The only thing that made him bearable in Blur was Graham’s guitar work and wonky edge. The idea of an album that was all Damon without Graham as a foil is anathema to me. Especially after the crap that was Gorrilazz or whatever the hell that was. But in regards to Think Tank, after I heard "no Graham" and "world music", I just ran screaming.

  3. bryan says:

    Have to side with Gary on this one. Think Tank was a great record. I am not sure why everyone craps on it so much

  4. satellite says:

    I can understand the hate for Damon, but I have to agree that Think Tank is a very good album. It deinitely deserves a chance.

  5. tankboy says:

    Y’know, in regards to the Coxon thing, we predicted that last month…ha!

    donewaiting.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5648&highlight=blur

  6. Frank says:

    I’m feeling the peer pressure here…

    The Coxon news doesn’t surprise me that much, actually – when he left, it wasn’t sold as a real split, more like a hiatus for the one album and then they’d re-evaluate after that. He needed to get his head together away from Blur and from the press around "Happiness In Magazines", it seems like he’s done that – if he can maintain a happy balance between his solo work and Blur, and think it’ll work out well for everyone.

  7. tankboy says:

    rachael is waaay worth checking out live. i’ve known her for years and she is truly a mesmerizing performer…

  8. D. says:

    Do you need another pro-Think Tank comment? Aside from the appalling ‘Crazy Beat’ it was one of the albums of last year.

    While I’m at it, does anyone know what’s happened to http://www.mp3blogs.org? Has it died forever?

  9. mishie says:

    "think tank" is the best blur record. period.

    you silly fool !