The Hour's Blog

Last year Seattle's Light in the Attic records and Vancouverite/Record Maniac Sipreano put out an awesome compilation called "Jamaica To Toronto".

This is a compilation of songs of soul and reggae artists who were involved in a vibrant music scene in the 70's in Toronto.

I am not sure how many people have talked to me about the Toronto via West Indies musicians who called Canada home. A few late night cab drivers have mentioned it to me, including one incredibly informed driver (man I wish I would have gotten his name)!

I was in Scarbourough one day last year and hit one of those industrial buildings that house all kinds of businesses to Henry's Records. Henry helped unearth a lot of these old forgotten records.

I found myself being very jealous of Henry, and the fact that he gets to listen to great records all day. I also saw the Jamaica To Toronto guys play in Vancouver this summer at the Yale Club, it was a dance off and the band is tight and watching these guys like Jay Douglas, Everton Paul and The Mighty Pope made me wonder how these guys were not recognized in Canada.

If you are into Motown, or Reggae or both check this show out (if you live in Toronto), it will make Winter seem much sunnier!

Here is a great article about the scene - from CBC's Matthew McKinnon.

Posted by Darby Wheeler at 03:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Being CBC's final year of CFL coverage (till we win it back!) Jenn and Jess thought they'd remind the crowds at home and at the game what channel they were watching...
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Yes, that's yours truly, Jenn and Jess. From concerts to CBC guerilla marketing, to our 'real jobs', we get around.

Lenny entertained the at capacity crowd during halftime, when the game was still undecided.

Congrats goes out the the Grey Cup champs, the Roughriders, from the flat land of Sask and to their extremely dedicated fans, watermelons and all.

Posted by Jess Watt at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

In 1977, NASA launched what might just be the most ambitious mixtape in human history. Golden records were placed on the two Voyager spacecraft and launched into space in 1977. The hope is that the discs will someday be found by intelligent alien life forms who might use them to learn about earth. If these extraterrestrial beings can figure it all out, they will hear greetings in 55 languages and 90 minutes of music from Chuck Berry to Bach. The Voyagers 1 & 2 left our solar system last year, but they're not expected to approach another star for 40,000 years.

Meanwhile in our little corner of the universe, about 80 people have dropped discs for other intelligent life forms to find and enjoy. Three people have written in to tell us that they found a disc - including James in Ottawa. James found a disc that a guy named Jay dropped at the Bayshore Transit station a few days earlier. James says he discovered a new local band he likes thanks to Jay's mix. They're called Riot Service, and they are playing an all ages show in Ottawa on November 30th at the End Hits record store at 407 Dalhousie St., one block East of the Rideau Centre between Rideau and Besserer.

Posted by Chris Trowbridge at 02:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... definitely check out: BookCrossing. BookCrossing encourages the random redistribution of books - or the "liberation of literature", as they call it. The website has everything you need to know - whether you want release your book into the wild or hunt one down. At the time of this writing, there were over two thousand released books registered in Canada alone.

Also worth a look is The Art of The Mix, a site devoted to mixed tapes/discs and the people who love them. You can browse playlists, homemade cover art, and even upload a mix of your own. I'm a big fan of their lists of familiar mix genres from Break-up Mix to Road Trip - and many more.

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Mana e-mailed us a this cool story about how punk rock tapes used to pass from hand to hand in Sault Ste. Marie:

"I just had a comment about the Operation Disc Drop idea. I found it amusing that it's now progressed to CDs since i've been doing that very same idea but with mixed tapes. I started back when I was 14 or so in the punk scene trying to get more kids in the area interested/aware of other music than what was broadcasted on our radio stations here. It's a small community and I figured eventually it would get into the right hands - and it did - several times I'd hear about someone finding a tape and passing it on. eventually other kids started doing it too. I remember I found a sweet mix of black flag, dead kennedys, the blitz, cock sparrer and old danzig misfits stuff, once. It definitely made my month. At any rate - it's nice to see people are still interested in mixed anything (although I'm a purist who still loves the mix-tape. nothing beats a classic) & hopefully others will listen and start partaking in the action. I'll let you know if I find any in my local bus shelters. - mana."

Thanks, Mana!

Got a great story about mixed tapes or discs? Post it in the comments here.

Posted by Chris Trowbridge at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The boys from Burnaby, BC are back...
GOB wrapped up their East Coast tour in support of their latest release, Muertos Vivos in Toronto on Friday night.
Check out the chaos they created here and the many faces of vocalist/guitarist, Theo Goutzinakis.

As GOB made their way to the stage, the rowdy boys club of an audience made their way to the front.
With their fists in the air the show got under way....

Doesn't he remind you of your younger brother?

If you have the chance go check out GOB when they hit up your town, cause it bound to happen soon.
For the time being check them out on www.gobnet.com/

On a more somber and personal note, let's hope Jenn (my partner in crime and the better writer of us both) gets better soon. Till then enjoy the pics!

Posted by Jess Watt at 12:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Share the music that moves you with total strangers by taking part in a little experiment we're calling Operation Disc Drop. What we want you to do is simple: make a mix cd and drop it off in a public spot for some lucky stranger to find. Spread a little good musical karma around and see if it comes back to you. Follow the progress right here: Operation Disc Drop.

Posted by Chris Trowbridge at 04:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This week's good idea is all about saving the world, one t-shirt at a time. I'd explain it here, but that would wreck the surprise. Warm up a thumb, friends. Is It A Good Idea?

Posted by Hilary Doyle at 06:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Back in September of this year Jenn and Jess attended the Austin City Limits music festival in Texas.
While there we caught a rare set by Steve Earle.

Click here to see more photos of that set, then watch Dr. George's interview on Thursday night with Steve Earle

And for more on Austin City Llimits, click here to read our complete review of the festival that included the likes of Bjork, M.I.A., Crowded House, and Stephen Marley to name a few. Oh, and dare I not mention, The Killers.

* This outing was NOT subsidized by tax-payers dollars.

"Fear No Evil" as inked on Steve's arm.

It is every photographer's dream to shoot their favourite artist. This had to be captured.
(If only someone would have taken a picture of me shooting Bjork, they would have seen my whole body excitably shaking. All I was missing was the t-shirt)

All photos by Jess Watt

Posted by Jess Watt at 11:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Check it out: Sootoday.com has a story on Op Drop! Keep spreading the word, party people.

Posted by Chris Trowbridge at 04:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Conan O'Brien has a cartoon series he runs on his show. I don't know if you've seen it... It's called "Pale Force."
It's him and another comic, Jim Gaffigan, who does most of the voices. They play a crime fighting duo with the superpower of "paleness." Basically, they're both "pale" men. Anyway last night they went to a little know ethnic neighbourhood in Manhattan called "Canadatown..." Watch the video here. Keep an eye on the top left corner.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I guess you could call it a Strombo Convo. The University of Calgary gave George an honourary doctorate of law yesterday. In his acceptance speech he said his mother always prayed that he do two things. One, get a university degree, and two, go to heaven. At least now he'll have one covered. Congrats George.

ps. Go to the After The Hour site to watch a video of the day's events.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

....when it comes to Juliette and The Licks.

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A WOMAN OF ALL POSES

Posted by Jess Watt at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Can anyone imagine the love-in that occurred last night? I can.
The one and only Stevie Wonder, 57 was performing for the first time in over a decade at Toronto's Air Canada Centre.
Unlike any other artist I've seen before, Stevie, with his two backup singers, appeared on stage to an adoring, standing audience. Instead of breaking into song, Stevie spoke for about 5 minutes constantly referring to the passing of his mother (last year) and how with her strength and continuous support, he continued to sing and tour.

With favourites such as "Superstition," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours," and "My Cherie Amour" the two hour plus show was anything but lackluster.

Stevie Wonder's music spans generations past and guarantee, will span many future generations."

Posted by Jess Watt at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

At least, he could be. Check out this week's good idea, toss back a percoset pudding, and give us a thumb to say what you think.

Is It A Good Idea?

Posted by Hilary Doyle at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

As you all know, I'm sure, George is back on the radio. This sunday, from 5pm-8pm, he's got a special guest, Raine Maida. Maida, as I hear, might bring his guitar and do a little something from his new album. You should probably tune in.

George is on the following stations, every Sunday, 5pm-8pm: 99.3 The FOX (Vancouver), Power 97 (Winnipeg), 102.1 The Edge (Toronto), FM96 (London) and Y108 (Hamilton).

Posted by Andrew Phillips at 02:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

When Ben Harper recently touched down in Toronto, not only did he come by and chat with George.
He played 2 solid nights at Toronto's Massey Hall
Take look here at a few shots of the show.
And watch tonight on THE HOUR for George's interview with the 'other' Mr. Harper

Posted by Jess Watt at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

See the review of both bands here

Everyone wants a piece of Brit-pop these days: the synthesizers, the style, the intonation, some even so much as to call their band Manchester Orchestra when they’re from Atlanta Georgia. At the Embassy of Brit-pop in Toronto – The Mod Club, hosted Manchester Orchestra and the Annuals for some of us Song 2 lovers this weekend. (For those of you who don’t know the tradition: every Saturday after the Mod Club bands play, the night doesn’t begin until Blur’s Song 2 plays.)

My 2 cents on Manchester – really like them – melancholic trance, wistful – they sound more like the West Coast of America than the UK.
(Jess notes that MO nailed the last 3 songs by bringing the house down to a dead silience, while throughout the set there was constant chatter. How you ask? "Where Have You Been?" is all I need to stay. Poignant and beautiful, even more so than on the recording)

The Annuals are a childhood band from the quiet capitol of North Carolina. As the pot lights went up and they began to play, I was noticing their standard indie band uniform: monotone vest & shirt, T-shirt, facial hair, front woman in a classic dress.

Their sound was a layered and sprawling mix of classic folk and modern electronic garage. They had a bit of Paul Simon flavour in there with The Bravery, a few Beatles and a hint of Honkey Tonk at times. Their young leading lad ranged from high note melodies to impassioned wails, his voice whole and pure with no modulation or inflection. The Annuals were a rolling pattern of random sounds that whirled into guitar explosions, which started to level them out. What stood out the most for them were their slower songs and more powerful mantra of a four-drum interlude. They are appropriately titled Annuals, over Perennials.

Witnessed once again by Jenn & Jess
Up Next...Juliette and The Licks!

Posted by Jess Watt at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

You may have heard but your boyfriend George has a new radio show on a new network. Corus Radio picked up the Strombo show.

“I'm excited to be back on the radio,” said Strombo. “My formative years in the business were in radio and I will always be a radio guy. I’m looking forward to getting on the air, taking phone calls and playing awesome music.”

The show airs every every Sunday at 2pm - 5pm. Check out more info here.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 06:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

There was quite a bit of interest in this cold opening the other day. We got emails, and facebook messages, and myspace posts. Everyone wanted to know who owned the abs. So we decided to do another bit on it, check out The Hour Men piece, it's funny.

Maybe we really should do a men of The Hour calender?

Posted by Paul McGrath at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The Velomobile
The Fab Tree Hab
Cremains in Space.
This is how you've ranked The HOUR's good ideas. This week, Recyclebank battles for top seed. Go, give them a thumb!

Posted by Hilary Doyle at 06:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)