I dreamed I was dying, as I so often do... but when I awoke I was sure it was true

As usual, I spent far too much money on music this year. After all, I am a real fan who actually pays money for someone's work, unlike all you fuckers who take tunes from the net. Granted, I do that too, but if I like a band after hearing a couple songs, I generally buy their CD's. Regardless...

The Top 5 Albums of the Year:


5. The Arcade Fire - Funeral
It took me forever to buy this one because the price was always so damn high, but I'm glad I did. Full of solid and unique tunes, but there is reason to believe that a follow-up album won't live up to this one. The title of the album comes from the deaths that many of the band members had to deal with as this album was being made. That lead to alot of intensity and dedication to music, but we're left to wonder if that passion will be around for the next record. My guess is not likely, but who knows what will come of things.



4. Joel Plaskett - La De Da
The highly anticipated and acclaimed solo effort from Plaskett didn't disappoint me at all. There's only a couple tunes I don't particularly like, but the majority are dynamite. An album that was recorded for free and written on the road to the studio (in the States) could've bombed, but that just wasn't the case. The first little track sets to tone for some clever songwriting and catchy hooks. This east-coaster is a leader the Canadian-Indy scene, and I suggest you check him out.




3. Green Day - American Idiot
The triumphant return of Green Day couldn't have come at a better time. Oh wait... yes it could've. Maybe before that fucking election in the U.S. At any rate, this is by far the best showing these vet's have put out since the Dookie days. At that was when they were in their prime, 10 bloody years ago! Creativity was high on this politically charged album, and if you haven't heard it yet, you gotta get out and buy it. Personally, I have the special edition with some cool extras. I'll probably scan up some of the photos in the little book I got with the CD, since some of them are pretty cool. You can't help but sing along with this one, and that's exactly what we did at the live show. AMEN!


2. Steve Earle - The Revoultion Starts Now
With the exception of one weird song that's essentially spoken-word with a light musical backing, this record is easy-as-pie to get into. Especially if you have a political streak to you. And if not, there's a few tracks that lack any message in that sense. This has a good mix between serious and funny looks into the state of the U.S. system and players in the new "post-911 world". (what a fucking cliche, shoot me now). My one favourite songs has to be Rich Man's War. Amazing songwriting with a message that's clear as crystal. And if you want to see Earle at Camp Casey, click here. This dude is way underrated in today's music scene, and deserves a world of respect.


1. Stars - Set Yourself on Fire
The standout album of the year for me. I've listened to it dozens of times in the short while that I've had this CD. I remember debating between this one and an old BSS cd, and it's safe to say I made the right choice. It's best to listen to this one from start to finish I find, as the whole album has a good flow to it. The mix of a male and a female sharing the lead-singer role really helps the band create some fresh sounds and also allows for alot of diversity in the music. One of my fav's is the last song, but it's tough to pick a standout track on such an all-around good album.





Honourable Mentions:
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
Matthew Good - White Light Rock & Roll Review
Stereophonics - Word Gets Around
The Mars Volta - De-loused in the Comatorium
The Trews - House of Ill Fame
Sum 41 - Chuck

Meet me in Montauk

Find-a-lay musta rubbed off on me, because I went out of my way to see alot of good movies this past year. The five best were hard to pick, but here they are.

Top 5 Movies of the Past Year:

5. The Boondock Saints
Mather bugged me forever to see this one, and I assumed it wasn't anything special. But it turned out to be a really cool movie that posed some interesting questions about true morality and justice. What if you eliminate bad people for the plain and simple fact that they are bad people? Watch the movie and find out. And seeing Willem Dafoe as a gay guy is something... different.





4. Garden State
Zach Braff is best known for his role in Scrubs, but this movie bit seems to be his forte. A simple story about returning home and finding out who he really is, and what really matters in life. Can't wait to see what he comes out with next.







3. The Incredibles
The apex of computer animation with a really cool plotline and characters. The shots featuring fire and water show just how far this shit has come in the past decade. Perfect for a few sequels, and I bet I'll watch them dozens of times too.







2. Crash
I had a whole post about this movie already, but to put it simply: I think everyone should see this movie. It really makes you question your own biases and mindsets. You'll be surprised at the things you realize about yourself.







1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
It is better to have loved and lost than to completely forget that love. An amazing look at the possibilities of the future, and how those possibilities can fuck up everything you believe in if you don't handle things responsibly. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslett put on awesome lead performances, and this movie really throws your mind some curveballs. I gotta get out and buy the collector's edition, cuz this one is a legend.

And you'll never read that book again, because the ending's just too fucking hard to take

I went to alot of concerts and saw alot of bands at festivals in the past year. Thus, I gotta comment on the best of the best.

My Top 5 Live Songs of the Past Year:

5. Weakerthans - Plea From a Cat Named Virtue
I saw these boys at the Hillside Music Fest down in Guelph, and they were a standout act. Gotta love a song that's written from the view-point of a cat too. Really clean sound when they did this one live, pretty flawless.

4. Modest Mouse - The View
One of my fav's from Good News, this was one of the very best songs they played down on Olympic Island this summer. The intensity of Isaac Brock during this song was something to behold, especially during the pow-pow-pow-pow part. We got the land, but those pricks have the view.

3. Matthew Good - Suburbia
A total surprise to hear this song, considering it was never even close to being a single, and was from a record that's over five years old. This show was my first at the Kee to Bala, and Matt put this one out there with alot of emotion and skill. Well done sir.

2. Joel Plaskett - Happen Now
This song is a new one off Plaskett's solo album La De Da. My bro, dad, and I were fortunate enough to see Joel in a solo set down in Toronto at the end of the school year. This one was so memorable because of the little red and black 4-string guitar he busted out to perform it. Pete Elkas added in some electric guitar, and it was performed early in the show. Really got the crowd into it, and showed off some serious talent.

1. Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind
I'm willing to bet that 90% of the people who went to Live 8 had absolutely no appreciation for this song, or made much note of Lightfoot at all. But let me tell you, this was the very best song performed that day, the best I saw all year, and possibly the best I've ever seen. Ever.
I heard it again on the radio, and the crowd sounds in the background only added to it. I certainly hope this one gets onto the DVD when it finally comes out. One man with a guitar in hand. Brilliant.

Gotta gotta be down, because I want it all

So here comes the first of the "Top 5's" for the past year.
I'll start out with a simple one that doesn't take much effort, then get to more stuff this week.

Without further adieu...

My Top 5 Songs of the Past Year:

5. Pilate - Into Your Hideout
A toe-tapping song that goes perfectly with a 12 pack of beer. Comes from a solid album, and the live show I caught down in Toronto last summer was pretty good too.

4. Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy
An old tune, but I only thought to buy the CD last year. I listened to this one alot this year, for some reason.

3. Matthew Good - Weapon
If there was one song I listened to the most in the past year, it had to be Weapon. Hands down. Probably my favourite MG song, and even though it's been kickin around for a few years, I never seem to get tired of it.

2.The Killers - Mr. Brightside
As the Brock boys know all too well... it was only Mintvis, it was only Mintvis! Can't even guess at how many times I sang along to this one.

1. Stereophonics - Not Up To You
This one is quite old, but I only heard it for the first time last fall. I originally discovered the acoustic version, and listened to it alot. Then I bought the record and found the original version, which is far more rockin'. I wanna learn how to play it on the guitar, since it sounds pretty simple, and I suck at the guitar. Mint tune though.



Honourable Mentions:
Simon and Garfunkel - Cecilia
Stereophonics - Rewind
Hayden - Girl of my Dreams
Modest Mouse - Float On
Green Day - Holiday

Waiting for the lights to change

I'm growing tired of myself and my lazy ways. Especially on this blog.

Though it's alright to do sometimes, simply recalling my drunken weekends all the time is pretty pointless. I've got alot to say about alot of things, but everytime I sit down to write, I go blank. Maybe I just need to get out of this basement that is my room, and into a new setting. In a few weeks that'll be the case anyway.



That said, I urge you to read this article.

And if you don't know who Cindy Sheehan is, I suggest you remove your head from your asshole.



Soon I'll be doing a bunch of "Top 5's" from my 20th year on this god-forsaken planet. Keep an eye out for that.

One for the ages

Well this past weekend was one for the ages. Probably the best weekend of the summer I'd say.

Thursday was my 21st birthday, but we kept that night low-key with a family dinner downtown. I hung out with my bro, Dale, and Thompson for awhile afterwards, but we didn't do much.

Friday I got off early from work and got into the beers at a good hour. Then it was off to the Green Day show at Molson's Park. The group of us that went were Ryan, Calder, Dale, Thompson, Missy, Jay and I. And despite the fact that I knew alot of people going to the show, the only one I ran into was Joaner in the beer garden.

While Jimmy Eat World was on we moved deep into the crowd to get a good spot, and we ended up getting really close to the stage. Jimmy was really good live, and proved to be a solid lead-up to the main event.

And when I say event, I mean just that. This show wasn't just a concert, it was a fricken spectacle. A guy in a giant pink rabbit suit came out and chugged a few beers to keep the crowd interested, and then Green Day themselves appeared and the mosh pit went fuckin nuts. We had planned to keep an eye on Missy, but within 30 seconds I had lost everyone in our crew. As soon as the body-surfers came in and the crowd started surging, it was hopeless to keep track of anyone. We were all soaked in sweat in about 5 minutes too.

The set-up for the stage was awesome, with two huge banners flanking the sides, and a long catwalk style stage coming out for Billy Joe to walk down. They had a huge light-up sign with the band's name on it, and anotherbackground light board thing with some cool effects on it. Then there was the pyro shit that blew huge flames up it all the important moments. (Note the irony of wasting oil ten foot flames when they're preaching against Bush.) The show ended off with a wicked fireworks show that was probably better than the city of Barrie puts on for the Canada Day show.


But as for the music, it was dynamite. They led off with alot of new stuff, and threw in alot of classics too. Funny saying that, since they all seemed to be classic. But busting out with the old "Shout" just reminded me of how awesome Otis Day was in Animal House. And playing "We Are The Champions" by Queen was also a nice surprise.

Overall it was probably one of the best shows I've ever been to. And it was kinda liberating for me, since I don't usually get too excited over anything (as Claire could tell you). Jumping and shoving and grabbing ass as the girls floated overhead was a nice change from the ordinary.

After the show the crowd ripped down a fence, as most people were tired of waiting to get through the one small exit from the concert bowl. I bet there were at least 20, 000 people at the show, so it's hardly any wonder. We all met up to the side of that scene, then piled into the car to get some drinks into us, since we were hot as hell. Jay and I rode in the trunk under blankets, and when we popped out at the convenience store the hot little number standing by her car beside us looked a little surprised, to say the least. So we all downed our drinks and popsicles and headed home for a shower.

The next day we gathered up our shit, and Calder, Ryan, Dale, Thompson, Cerswell and I all roared down to London for the big birthday bash. Since 5 of my friends down there all have bdays withing 2 weeks, we do a big party all in one shot.

Our little group was the first one to arrive on the scene for the day, and we started boozing as soon as we could. And the drink of choice for the evening was.... OLDE ENGLISH! And in the end, it chewed us up and spit us out. This shit is 8% beer, and it cost us $5.50 for a 40 of it. All the other boys got two 40's, but I just got one cuz I had a 12 pack of Sleeman too. I didn't end up making it through the Sleeman, but I was ridiculous anyway.

We were pretty well the life of the party (from what I can remember) for most of the night. We were singing and yelling and talking hockey and all that BS. I wore my "Vote For Mintvis" shirt that my bro made me for my bday, and when we busted out The Killers' Mr. Brightside, all that could be heard down the block was "It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this? It was only Mintvis! It was only MINTVIS!!!!"

A great deal of beer and a few hours later, we went to Barney's for some more brews. Sadly Cersdawg was too hammered to get into the bar. He actually got rejected twice, and fell a number of times downtown. He scraped himself up pretty good, but Dale took him back to Ali's place to sleep. Unfortunately they had no keys, so they got their sleeping stuff out of my truck and went to crash in the back yard. Then it started to rain so they climbed into the truck with all of their shit and tried to crash there too. Later in the night we would stumble upon them, but we'll get to that.

We stuck around at my place (where the party was held) until my old man showed up. He was none-too-pleased with the whole situation, since my joint was a wreck of broken glass and wood. But we hit the bar with him anyway. I remember Hurley buying me a shot, but that's about it. Ali was kind enough to let us stay at her place for the night, though she didn't even go home; she stayed at another friend's place.

Somehow we all got back to Ali's, where we found Dale and Cerswell in the back of my truck, sitting like scared raccoons in a dumpster. My dad got Ali's keys from her at the bar, so we went in to crash. Thompson and I cooked up a sausage that he had stolen from a cooler, and I ran around in my boxers with a glow-in-the-dark skeleton, wearing a girl's cowboy hat that I'd found in the house. We ate our sausage with some salsa found in a cupboard, and sang some Green Day tunes.

My dad didn't like that. He got all pissed and told us all to shut up and sleep. I hear that Cerswell was singing offensive songs as he fell asleep on the loveseat. Luckily I stole Ali's bed, which is an unbelievably comfy pillow-top mattress. I had a great sleep there.

In the morning we had to collect our memories to figure out what had happened. Calder had spent part of the night in the truck too, and it turned out that Cerswell had left all of his clothes, shoes, and Ryan's pillow out in the rain all night in the back yard. Idiot. I think the three worst drunks were Cerswell, myself, and Thompson. The others were just honorable mentions.

So 291 was trashed, and my dad ended up cleaning alot of the glass and shit off the lawn. We all went out for breakfast, got our shit together, said our goodbyes and were on our way home.


I'm sure I've forgotten to mention alot of things in this post, but what can ya do? I need sleep now.

Maybe tomorrow I'll find my way

The other night my old man and I were left event-less since the beer festival was sold out in Toronto. There was no music in town that looked any good and we didn't want to go to that Taste of the Danforth thing cuz it was too busy. And after several attempts, I finally found a movie that my dad didn't belittle or veto.

That movie was Crash.

The movie involves the stories of a group of very different people whose lives interweave without them really knowing it. This type of movie could've had a plot that lead in any direction, but the connections between the characters lead to a very tight plotline that takes place over two short days in Los Angeles.


The most prevalent theme in the story was the undercurrent of racism infiltrating every character's life in one way or another. This point was made brutally clear with the writing and directing of the film. Couple that with great acting performances (including Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser, Ryan Phillipe, and Ludacris) and you get a movie that really makes you think outside of your shiny little bubble of ignorance.

I'd go into detail with all of the races and skin colours examined, but think of every general classification in the global community, and that pretty much covers it. Asian, Black, White, Middle Eastern, South/Central American. Really cut and dried right? Well not really...

And I think that's the point the movie really tries to make. It puts a new spin on the old "fear what you don't understand" cliche, and does a damn god job of it. It also looks at the way we generalize people into one class or another, and how it always seems to be someone else's fault when things go wrong.

For me personally it wasn't so much a new thing to consider, but it did serve as a reminder of how much easier life can be if people took the time to understand one another. I come from a town where there's probably 100 "white" people to every "coloured person" in a crowd (and mullets are an unpleasantly common sight). We don't have to deal with the problems that most people do in places where many different people are interacting. And, I can say with pride, I do come from a country that is not merely tolerant of diversity, but incorporates it into every aspect of our society.

However, I know there are times that everyone thinks racist or prejudice thoughts. I caught myself doing that very thing as I drove aimlessly in Scarborough searching for a little shop today. "These fucking immigrants can't drive!"

Granted, they were terrible drivers, but who was I to say why? Maybe they were having a shitty day and couldn't focus. Maybe they just broke up with their boy/girlfriend. Or maybe they just ate a bad burrito and they were racing to the nearest shitter. Who knows?

At least Canada is a place where most people don't act upon such stupid thoughts. We don't pull guns on people based on their colour of skin, vandalize their homes because they support a certain religion, or assume that the guy with the shabby clothes isn't worth the air he's breathing.

And sooner or later, good people will take over the roles once held by the racist and ignorant. In time I'm convinced that our society will overcome alot of the bullshit that plagues us today. It's just a shame that you and I won't be alive to see that day.

I urge you to go and see this movie if you can; it'll wake you up to alot of things you wish weren't true in the world.

Oh, and finishing off the flick with Maybe Tomorrow by Stereophonics = Mint.