http://folkpunk.com/news.html T.C. FOLKPUNK: Rants, etc. Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:04:55 -0700 http://folkpunk.com/news.html#48 ]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#48 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc. http://folkpunk.com/news.html#59
T.C. FOLKPUNK (yo!)
at The HARD LUCK BAR, (812 Dundas Street West, Toronto)
at 9:00 PM, SHARP!! (one set only, don't be late)
$5 cover.

This Friday I'll be playing one set at this newish venue here in Toronto. I've decided that all of the money I make will be donated to help pay legal fees for some of the (innocent) people who were illegally detained during the G20 fiasco here is Smogtown last month. I was working on a full rant about it, then somebody I know on Facebook posted this link:

http://toronto.mediacoop.ca/story/story-my-arrest-detainment/3997

Lacy MacAuley is only one of hundreds of people who were subjected to the sort of treatment normally reserved for dissidents in such exotic locales as China or Sudan. I know some unenlightened individuals out there only receive their news from the usual suspects, and the general spin is that all the protesters were smashing up windows and deserved what they got.

Let's see, a total of something like eight windows smashed (that's right, EIGHT), and a thousand people rounded up, so that's one hundred and twenty-five arrests per window...

The day after the windows were smashed...

In a different part of town.

It's hard to say what my favourite chapter of this still unfolding mess would be, although Police Chief Bill Blair's assertions that no unwarranted arrests were made, and that the police had no reason to apologize for any of their members' behaviour would have to rank near the top. Go back to sleep Bill, we'll call you if we need you.

Look, whatever happened was not done by the rule book that we're all supposed to play by. If it was just a big disorganized mistake, then a few good lawsuits might get some incompetent fucks fired. If, on the other hand, it was a testing of the waters to see how far certain figures of authority can push their weight around, then it's our duty to let them know that the answer is NOT AS FAR AS THAT.

Any of us could be next.]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#59 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc. http://folkpunk.com/news.html#58
This week The International Pop Overthrow will be rolling into Toronto, and taking over The Rivoli for four nights. The IPO is basically a travelling pop music festival that first started in Los Angeles in the 1990s, and has continued to grow so it now runs more or less year round, moving through Chicago, New York, Boston, Liverpool, Seattle, and a few other exotic locales.

I'll be bass-ifying for The James Clark Institute this Thursday (the 26th) at the IPO, and from what I've seen of the other acts sharing the bill with us that night, it'll be a supergroovycool way to spend an evening. Admission is $10, which means that your Thursday could be less expensive (and more entertaining) than going to the movies to see John Cusack somehow survive the curse of the Mayans in 2012. If you fancy a "tasty adult beverage", that'll cost extra, but most of the beer at the Riv is less salty than the popcorn at the theatres, and we have to watch our sodium intake now, don't we? And what are the chances that John Cusack will be sitting there selling you his CDs or t-shirts in person and even signing them? Slim, my friend, very very slim.

Still not convinced? Fine, here are links to our fellow IPO'ers (I've even included their set times, because damn it, you people deserve to be informed, and that's what I'm here for):

8:00- DARELLE LONDON
http://www.myspace.com/darrellelondon

8:30- THE FOREIGN FILMS
http://www.myspace.com/theforeignfilms

9:00- CLOCKWISE
http://ca.myspace.com/clockwisecanada

9:30- THE JAMES CLARK INSTITUTE
http://www.myspace.com/thejamesclarkinstitute
Hey, it's us! 'Nuff said.

10:00- THE PRETTY FACES
http://www.myspace.com/theprettyfaces

10:30- THE FANTASY DEFENDER
http://www.myspace.com/thefantasydefender

11:00- BROOMFILLER
http://www.myspace.com/broomfiller

So come on out to the Rivoli on Thursday, and that way we can all start our weekend a day early!]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#58 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc. http://folkpunk.com/news.html#57
http://www.beachcitymusic.ca/

at 3:00 in the afternoon (Eastern) to witness myself and a certain James Clark (he of the increasingly popular James Clark Institute) being interviewed live in the front window of the coolest little CD/vinyl/t-shirt/book shop this side of Yonge Street.

And in case you miss the show, it'll be available for podcast type viewing later that same day on their site.

And just to give you an advanced warning, we're playing Thursday November 26th at the Rivoli as part of International Pop Overthrow. More about that later, though.]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#57 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc. http://folkpunk.com/news.html#56
THE JAMES CLARK INSTITUTE (me on bass)
at MITZI'S SISTER (1554 Queen St W)
on SATURDAY OCTOBER 17th
9:30 start, Paywhatyoucan.
Also on the bill will be STEREO SPECTACULAR 71, and (direct from Montreal) FRANK MAKAK.

I'm REEEEALLY looking forward to this one, not just because I get to play bass on Jim's uber-cool songs (with a great new drummer, Brad Holy, sitting in), but also because I'll get to watch Stereo Spectacular 71 laying down their usual mix of cool and quirky instrumental twangeriffic gems, and a certain Frank Makak making his live debut here in Hogtown. He's looking forward to the gig too, even if it means having to borrow my guitar because VIA Rail won't let him bring his on board the train.

That's right folks, he can't bring his guitar on board a passenger train. Turns out that guitars are a few inches too long for VIA's liking, and would therefore have to ride in the baggage car. Only problem with sending a guitar to the baggage car is that many guitars are toted around in what's known as a gig bag, which is basically a guitar-shaped knapsack. Gig bags are a lightweight, comfortable alternative to hardshell cases, and are popular enough that many manufacturers include one when you buy one of their guitars at your friendly neighbourhood music store. Gig bags don't, unfortunately, offer much protection from things like heavy suitcases and boxes, and all the other things that tend to fly around inside baggage cars during the five hour trip on the wobbly tracks of eastern Ontario. Frank spoke to a representative at VIA, and translated their part of the conversation from French like so:

"Guitars and other musical instruments are not welcome onboard, as they may cause problems and shock our customers. If your reservation says that you are not allowed to register baggage on your way back to Montreal, we are not responsible if our agent refuses you access to the train, and your ticket is not refundable. We do not guarantee against any loss or damage of your guitar. You would have to have it shipped to Montreal."

Shock our customers?!? Jeezuz.

I used to be a fan of VIA Rail (back when they were cool about guitars being on board), but after the last couple of trips I took on their (sixty year old) trains, it's become increasingly obvious that they're adopting the same mindset as Air Canada and the Toronto Transit Commission, in which they treat their paying customers like retarded cattle, and then wonder why fewer and fewer people are buying their fucking tickets. In the UK, National Rail allows any musical instrument on board, as long as it can be carried by the passenger without needing extra assistance. In Europe, it would seem that there are no restrictions on musical instruments at all on the Eurail network.

Whatever. The show will go on, SS71 will be cool, JCI will be amazing (or we'll try at least) and Frank will still kick it folkpunk style with my Telecaster. As for you, you should try to catch it. Just don't take Via Rail to the gig.]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#56 Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc. http://folkpunk.com/news.html#55
As far back as my late teens, my inspiration to write songs was often triggered by listening to Elvis Costello. After filling my ears with 40 minutes of This Year's Model, or Blood And Chocolate, or Brutal Youth or even (more recently) When I Was Cruel, I'd find myself totally fired up to begin writing something the second the last chord of the last song on the album had faded away. Many other artists have been influential, but Costello's rockier stuff was (and still is) capable of lighting an immediate fire under me. His was the only material that would hit me that way... that is, until the drummer from my old British Invasion cover band The Toggles, a certain Jim Clark, let me hear some of his compositions.

We began sneaking originals into our sets at Toggles gigs, and I found myself anxiously waiting for Jim's songs to come up next on our set list. Since I was the bassist, I was in that McCartney-esque "melodic bass" frame of mind from playing so many Beatles covers, and Jim's contributions were perfectly structured for that approach. And once again, hearing a new James Clark tune was sufficiently inspiring that I'd have the urge to write a new song right there on the spot. Anyway, fast forward to around 2003, and Jim asked me to lay down some bass tracks for what would become his next album, Home Is Where The Heart Attack Is. At that time I wasn't able to fully join his band due to my various adventures in Folkpunkery, but when this past June rolled around and he asked me to take over the lower octaves, I jumped at the chance.

So anyway, to make a long story...um...slightly longer, I'm playing bass with The James Clark Institute, and having a blast doing so.]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#55 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc. http://folkpunk.com/news.html#53
First off, I've determined that Winnie the Pooh himself is an alcoholic. He talks about "honey" the same way other alcoholics refer to their "medicine". I don't think he drinks just anything though, I'm pretty sure he's hooked on mead. Those "pots of honey" he has stashed in his closet haven't been sitting there because he forgot about them as he claims (although memory loss is certainly a side effect of his condition). No sir, that honey is fermenting. And the "rumbly" in his "tumbly" is actually his liver acting up.

Next we have Eeyore. Research has led me to conclude that the manic depressive donkey was at one time destined to take the spotlight in his own star vehicle, but on the eve of his leap into the Very Big Time, he was involved in some sort of Fatty Arbuckle type sex scandal. To their credit, the D*sney Corporation kept him on, but under the condition that he remain a support player, thereby dashing any hopes Eeyore had of taking his career to the next level. His resentment is turned inward, resulting in his pathological self-loathing.

And then there's Piglet. Skittish, nervous, afraid of his own shadow. I'm guessing that he may have been on the receiving end of whatever Eeyore got up to.

Owl is nowhere to be found in our collection of videos and books. He's not even mentioned by the other characters in his absence, as if he never existed. However, after placing a few phone calls, I have reason to believe he left D*sney, signed with Warners, and is currently reading some scripts in the hopes of having a new product on the screens by next summer.

Rabbit is a Scientologist.

Tigger's persona is characterized by an overabundance of energy, and the inability to stop talking. Since he sounds like he has a stuffy nose and the timbre of his voice also has a ring of deviated septum, the obvious conclusion is that Tigger is a coke head. Rumours abound that he prefers to snort the stuff off of Kanga's derriere.

The D*sney corporation carries a lot of political clout, and as a result they're able to convince certain law enforcement authorities to look the other way under certain circumstances. How else can one explain the obvious flouting of child labour laws in their employment of Roo.

Gopher is a jerk. No big scandals, but he's forever taking the other characters' parking spots in the D*sney lot, and according to rumour he leaves the toilet seat up on purpose.

And finally, Christopher Robin is actually Dan Quayle. He was found late one night wandering aimlessly around D*sneyland after the park had closed, muttering something about "you say potato, I say potatoe, let's call the whole thing off", and the corporation decided to put him to work.

I can't wait for Oliver Stone to get his mitts on this one...]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#53 Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc. http://folkpunk.com/news.html#52 The grass is riz,
I got a new name,
'Cause that's showbiz.

Welcome to my first pseudonymous rant thingy. And what's a performer with a pseudonym if he doesn't have somewhere to perform? Nothing I say, nothing! So for the first time in two years and five months, I'll be performing in public in Toronto.

T.C. FOLKPUNK (that's now me)
FRIDAY APRIL 24th
at RENAISSSANCE CAFE
1938 DANFORTH AVE (block and a half west of Woodbine)
$5 COVER,
SHOW STARTS at 9pm,
I'M ON FIRST, DON'T BE LATE!

You should try to come to this one, because at my present rate the next time I play in Hogtown will be September of 2011. I'll be appearing at the last instalment of Flammable Fridays at the Renaissance Cafe. I say "last instalment" because the Renny will be closing its doors permanently in May. Its owner, Randy, tried to make a go of it, but operating a live music venue in Toronto is not unlike operating an outdoor skating rink in the jungles of the Amazon, in that it's something in which the natives have little or no interest. Anyway, they have great micro brewery type ales and lagers (and possibly even Pilsners!) on tap, and Randy will probably be anxious to empty the kegs before locking up for the last time, so bring your thirst for micro brews, and your thirst for live music.

I'll also treat the night as the Unofficial Release Party for the debut CD by That Satisfying Crunch! (my instrumental project), of which there are only 40 or so copies remaining. I won't be playing with a band, and I won't be playing instrumental songs from that CD, hence the "Unofficial" part of "Unofficial Release Party". I will however play a bunch of new tunes from the upcoming new Folkpunk album, which has already begun production, and I'll have some Crunch! CDs on hand of course.

And finally, one last quick observation. Housing sales are down, auto sales are down, but the malls and retail stores (from what I've seen anyway) are packed with shoppers. Maybe this isn't a recession, maybe this is the general public subconsciously declaring that the prices of houses and cars have been artificially inflated for too long, and we're not interested in being gouged anymore.

Just a theory.]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#52 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc. http://folkpunk.com/news.html#49
For years I've been meaning to get a tshirt made with Oliver Cromwell's portrait and the words, "Beer shouldn't be green, Putz!" emblazoned upon it, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Anyway, instead of drinking in a licensed establishment where I'd risk being accosted by someone wearing a "Kiss Me I'm Irish" logo somewhere about their person, I decided to celebrate my birthday a few days early by adopting a new name for this here solo act of mine. Henceforth, I'm going under the moniker T.C. Folkpunk. Since my nickname has been "TC" since high school, and my website is "folkpunk.com", it seems like a good idea. There's also another Timothy Cameron who's in an R&B group called Silk, and a Google search turns up both of us, so this move should eradicate a bit of confusion.

I hope...]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#49 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc. http://folkpunk.com/news.html#54
Of the original one hundred copies of That Satisfying Crunch!'s first disc, only fifty remain up for adoption, either at CD Baby or here at Crunchquarters. To those who've treated themselves to a copy of my latest opus, a million thanks. Or fifty thanks at least.

Anyhoo, after these remaining fifty are gone, this little project will substantially reduce its carbon footprint to almost zero by being available in MP3 form only. Speaking of which, the album in question, entitled (cleverly enough) "Album #1", is now available at iTunes. It'll be interesting to see where iTunes sells the first downloads, although my money's already on Spain. I say that because a powerpop themed radio show in Madrid has played both "The Age Of Nefarious" AND "Someone Once Said" over the past couple of weeks. The show is called Plastico Elastico and it airs on FM station Onda Madrid, which is sort of like their version of Q107... I think... Anyway, the show's host, Pacopepe Gil, has become a fan of "the Crunch". On the off chance that I ever end up touring over there (hey, ya never know), I already picked up an English-Spanish dictionary for 99 cents at Canadian Tire, although since it claims the word "prostituta" is Spanish for "nurse", I think I may donate it to Goodwill.

Even setting aside such little victories as the airplay in Spain, I have to say I'm really digging this instro powerpop band thing more and more. In hindsight, I think I needed a break from stuffing myself under the already over-crowded umbrella of singer-songwriters. The term "singer-songwriter" itself is kinda getting on my nerves anyway. It's beginning to feel like there's some big cookie cutter in the sky that cranks out white males armed with beat up acoustics, dressed in battered jeans and gingham shirts, all of whom end up on CBC's Sunday Report, earnestly strumming away while the end credits roll. Some of them are good, but it seems there's an unquestioning, narrow minded market developing for the majority of second rate Neil Youngs (or fourth rate Dylans) among their ranks, a market which I've noticed is largely comprised of urban dwellers who are infatuated with the notion of the rural "salt of the Earth" stereotype, the God-fearing, hard working farmers, truck drivers and Marlboro Men, out on the lonesome prairie with only their moustaches for company.

Yeah, well I've lived in small towns, and for the most part they're like Scarberia without the LRT, and I got the hell out as fast as my Converse high tops would carry me, because one thing that I realized about the salt of the Earth is that it can leave a bad after taste.

Hmm, it would seem that just because I'm not writing lyrics doesn't mean I'll stop ranting. Funny that.]]> http://folkpunk.com/news.html#54 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800 Folkpunk! - T.C. FOLKPUNK - Rants, etc.