Wednesday, December 29th, 2004

Breadcrumb Trail

There will be no Slint reunion dates in Toronto. David Pajo hates us, or more accurately, hates our border security. In a comment on this message board, he says:

“There are no canadian dates because of uptight border officials. I swore off going to canada until they lighten up (I’ve been all over the world and never been denied access to a country before – and yet, last year Papa M was turned away because our drummer had a DUI on his record… we had to cancel dates in montreal, vancouver, toronto, etc. this is just one of many stories I’ve experienced or fellow musicians have experienced). it’s a pity that border abuse should affect the Slint schedule. but bands who are legitimately wanted by the canadian people shouldn’t have to be treated like criminals. I think it’s a real problem and something should be done about it. until then, canadians will have to make that long scary journey into the land of barbarians if they want to see Slint.”

Now I get as annoyed by hassles at the border as the next guy, but I can’t help but bristle a little when people from other countries presume to tell us who we should and should not let into the country. I don’t think it should necessarily be an inflexible policy, but you know what? If the dude has a criminal record, I think I want the border security to take a cloesr look at him. Call me crazy.

Presumably our border guards will have no problem with Japan’s Guitar Wolf, however – they’re scheduled to be at Lee’s Palace on March 3. Hide the children.

Wilco has their November 15 show at the Fillmore in San Francisco streaming on their website now. Hit the roadcase to listen.

..And yesterday I did essentially nothing. It’s true that lethargy begats lethargy – I barely left the house yesterday, and yet I was utterly pooped by 11. Sad sad sad. However, it wasn’t completely wasted – I did get a number of things on my ‘to-do’ list done. Namely, cleaned the bathroom and replaced the electronics on my guitars (which involved huffing solder for a couple hours. Whoo!). I also went out for dinner for Five Seventeen’s birthday, as he’s back in town for the holidays. But besides that… total write-off. Today looks more promising – I have no more food, so if I don’t go out for groceries, I die. Simple.

np – Matt Pond PA / Emblems

By : Frank Yang at 9:29 am
Category: Uncategorized
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  1. Ryan Waddell says:

    Oh, jesus… Americans, complaining about OUR border security? *Our* border guards are the uptight ones? HA HA HA! I laugh at the hilarious irony!

  2. Junkman says:

    The pot calling the kettle black is more like it……we Canadians do not decorate our border crossings with Statue of Liberty ‘idols’ the size of Toyotas, we do not post pictures that remind me of old movies showing Nazi Germany at ‘it’s finest’, our border crossing guards do not try to look like Marines (male and female).

    You can’t ‘be bothered’, hell, I can’t ‘be bothered assholes.

  3. Paul says:

    I got grief from a guard crossing into Canada at Windsor the first time I visited because I wasn’t speaking loud enough for him to hear. He actually said that if I didn’t speak louder, he was going to make me turn around and I’d have to come back another day. So I ended up yelling my responses to his questions and he let me through.

    It’s not like I mumble or anything, and that pissed me off.

    Still, I think individual guards on both sides of the line have their own quirks that shouldn’t be attributed to the nations themselves. Every guard I’ve encountered since, American or Canadian, has been really nice.

    But a DUI? That could have been years ago. The guy could be completely sober now and really regret having done that. It’s not like he robbed a bank or anything.

  4. Rachel says:

    lighten up. it’s a new millenium.

  5. arne says:

    speaking from a european viewpoint (i’m belgian and have toured the US + canada three times so far) the pajo story is quite hilarious. you really wouldn’t believe what we have to go through to enter the us, from first applying for working permits to getting the actual visas at the US embassy. this year i had to bring my marriage certificate, my day job contract, bank print-outs proving that i’m being paid monthly wages in my own country, my house renting contract. before being able to receive any information whatsoever or make an appointment at the US consulate through their hotline, you have to provide them with a valid credit card number, so they can charge you 15 euroes (about 20 usd) for the call. upon entering the US you get interrogated again, get your picture taken and have to provide fingerprints. compared to all that entering canada is peanuts…