tag:christiand.ca,2005:/blogs/blog-flashbacks?p=3
Meanderings and stuff:
2021-03-03T23:48:37-05:00
Christian DeArmond
false
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/6611616
2021-04-23T00:48:06-04:00
2021-04-23T00:48:06-04:00
The Coyote
<p>2:30 am. Almost at the front door. The dog pauses, staring to my left. </p>
<p>About 50 feet away a large coyote, at the edge of the sidewalk staring back. </p>
<p>Coyote starts to cross the street, freezes momentarily in the headlights of an approaching car. Driver slows, coyote finishes crossing Broadview takes about 3 steps into the park. </p>
<p>He waits. After the car has passed a fair bit down the street the coyote crosses back, at the corner, as one does. </p>
<p>He’s watching the beagle and I, as we watch back, and he slinks neatly back in to the neighbourhood. </p>
<p>I think the coyotes are taking back the streets. And I think the beagle wants to join them.</p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/6564413
2021-03-03T23:48:37-05:00
2021-03-03T23:58:24-05:00
some pandemic writing- "In the Year of the Virus "
<p>Here's a thing I wrote in a feverish hour or so, last April, at the start of the current mess. There's more, in my head, as yet unfinished as motivation has fallen by the wayside this year, and the writing piles up in the slush pile...</p>
<p>Take a quick read, or download a pdf if you prefer: <a contents="click here for pdf" data-link-label="Prologue: In the Year of the Virus" data-link-type="file" href="/files/1112030/Prologue:%20In%20%20the%20Year%20of%20the%20Virus" target="_blank">click here for pdf</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<hr><p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Prologue: </strong></em><br><strong>In the year of the virus everything changed. </strong></p>
<hr><p style="text-align: justify;"> We had been a world at peace so long, chasing the capitalist dream, and we had no idea what the world could look like, should things actually go bad. Or worse, rather, as things are always bad for a big slice of the population that we try not to think about, and that we rarely see on the news or in our media except to provide some local colour, or a sad human interest story with a surprise happy ending. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> We don’t like to think about how rare those happy endings are for most people, including ourselves. So many people were just one payday away from a looming disaster. Of course, now that all seems so far away, and nearly no one can remember what a payday was. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> I remember the first shut down; the “social distancing” was jarring. Basically the world went from a bunch of people racing around trying to make money, “free” to go wherever they wanted, spending, socializing, even just trying to enjoy the outdoors, to a world of shut-ins, with little human contact. Discouraged from being close enough to breathe on each other, it wasn’t long before paranoia set in, and anyone whose mouth you could see was not to be trusted. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> Of course, we had the internet back then, and cable T.V., and movies on demand, in house delivery and a million other ways to avoid people or ever breathing fresh air. It seemed like we were in a new stage of evolution, with tonnes of people already nearly completely content to be alone most of the time, locked in to their own little worlds. A good chunk of people, like introverted me in those days, were already living in a self-imposed isolation and were less bothered, or even barely noticed the new standard where we were not supposed to touch, to talk, to feel. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> In those times the virus was a deadly little fucker, foisted on the world by someone eating a bat some said, or released by an industrial accident from one of those government sponsored genetics labs according to others. It didn’t matter really, how it came. It came, and it was new, and no one had immunity back then. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> It could cut you down in days. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> So, the governments of the world promoted the lock down, “the emergency” they called it then, and as a society we left our jobs, closed for business and went home and locked ourselves in. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> We bought into it, mostly, except for those that couldn’t, and some that wouldn’t, the ones whose distrust of the government ran too deep. They were wrong, of course, and died in droves. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> After a month or so of devastation, most people got on board. I mean we could all smell the bodies piling up in the hockey rinks, and the occasional brownout would let the smell of death and rot pour over the city. Most people could see the sense in the isolation. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> It only took a few months though for some people to start going crazy. You’d hear about big parties in public like those old flash mob things people used to do? Like five hundred people would just show up on the beach and talk, and pass beers and joints around, and try to remember what it was like to be human. Naturally, they’d all get sick, or most of ‘em anyway, and you’d start hearing about the deaths a few days later. They’d keep the events out of the news, for fear of the idea spreading around. No one wanted that, really. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> Me, and a bunch of people I knew from my club years, when I was trying to be a musician, would have these weekly get-togethers for a while. You know, we’d turn on some chat app on the computer and all sit at home bullshitting each other over beers, playing old records and going over the same old arguments about this band or that. Just trying to recapture the feeling of that community we were all once part of. It was like a secret club being a musician in those days. We all we chasing the same shitty buck, but while playing and having fun, hanging out. It was an easy thing to miss. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> Anyway, after a while people would start talking about how cool it would be just to sneak into one late at night, you know? Like, we could keep it really small and slip in a back door and fire up the sound system, but keep it low and the lights off. Who would know? Who would it hurt? We were all gonna die anyway. They were still working on the vaccine then, that’s what we’d constantly hear. But, as the months rolled on, less and less people actually believed it. It just seemed like the whole thing was gonna crash down around us anytime. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> Now, at first this was just more bullshitting really. No one wanted to risk death just to hang out together. I mean, we were all adults, right? We knew the lock down was a necessary thing. The whole world was at stake, after all. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> But, somehow, an idea like that can just get in your brain and take hold. We’d mention it every now and then at the all on-screen listening parties, and reminisce about the good old days, and what it would be like to actually see each other again. Someone might say “you know that secret club thing? we should do that, I could show you this new song I’m working on”. Or another would go “remember how good beer tastes in the company of friends? As good as this screen thing is being there would be better.” Just little mentions... </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> After a while we started hearing about it for real. Or, as real as rumours get, anyway. You’d hear about an illicit house party, or adults drinking together in the woods like back when we were in high school. It never seemed true, but you kind of wished you were there all the same... </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> And how many times can you play guitar for someone on a chat app? I mean, that’s not what music is, not really. Music is, you get on a stage with some friends, and try to be entertaining for some friends on the floor, and if they like it they feel better, and onstage you feel better, and you all share in that feeling, and then the real old day-to-day world falls away. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> Shared joy, that’s what music is. That is it on a good night, at least. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> People in the listening group would keep dropping these little anecdotes, these rumours of secret to-dos, and more and more they seemed like a good thing to me. I had even heard of one in an old club somewhere; the Double Deuce was the word, where they were having these semi-regular get-togethers. They were calling it the Touch-Easy, for that old-timey feel, and even had a password at the door like in those old roaring twenties movies. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> The twenty twenties sure weren’t roaring at all, and the whole thing seemed totally romantic to me.</p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/5810968
2019-07-02T01:45:03-04:00
2019-07-02T01:45:03-04:00
"taping" rehearsals...
<p>One of my new favourite things is this little Zoom recorder I grabbed for taping stuff in the rehearsal room. Sometimes the iPhone just doesn't cut it.</p>
<p>I wanna be able to edit and screw around with songs kind of like in my 4 track days... </p>
<p>I'm hoping we get something good enough for a live off the floor punk rock release! </p>
<p>Thanks to <a contents="Long and Mcquade" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.long-mcquade.com" target="_blank">Long and Mcquade</a> for hooking me up. </p>
<p>If you're on the mailing list, you may have already heard the first attempts at a new one here : <a contents="Feel so Cold&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://christiand.ca/home/blog/here-s-a-bit-of-a-new-song-from-the-sinners" target="_blank">Feel so Cold </a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/be73e36c02fcc570552c370fc36dcf6d7663cbb2/original/zoom-recorder-for-website.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/5508512
2018-11-11T04:52:36-05:00
2019-12-29T20:23:36-05:00
A bit of writing
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/04e8a8f8083e4313c082fbde6a77b0a52b2fee86/original/the-song.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/5493411
2018-10-31T01:18:01-04:00
2018-10-31T01:18:44-04:00
Release party recap.
<p>It was nearly two weeks ago now, I was planning to write sooner, but life has a way of getting in the way. I think there may be a song about that...</p>
<p>I had a tremendous night, thanks to the wonderful staff at the legendary <a contents="Cherry Cola's" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://cherrycolascabaret.com" target="_blank">Cherry Cola's</a> who hosted the thing, <a contents="George Westerholm " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.georgewesterholm.com" target="_blank">George Westerholm </a>and his Wild Wildcats, and of course the fantastic players who make up both the Hangovers and the Sinners. </p>
<p>The <a contents="CD was released" data-link-label=" The Perversion of Something Good - Live at CIUT Pre- sale " data-link-type="page" href="/the-perversion-of-something-good-live-at-ciut-pre-sale" target="_blank">CD was released</a>, birthday was celebrated and many drinks were had. A great night of rock and roll.</p>
<p>At least I know I had a great time. </p>
<p>Here's a few pictures from <a contents="Dawn Hammond" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dawnone/" target="_blank">Dawn Hammond</a>. If anyone else happened to snap a few - send 'em on over. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/30b182f9e7ee49883955f2a822bc79ddf100f884/original/christian-acousitc.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/95eba147e2a92b2d93656ff414fe0eda7333bfa4/original/christian-brendan-hangovers.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/aad89b884b0608c215b717b5ba82ae8442de5140/original/christian-and-the-sinners.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>images: © Linda Dawn Hammond / IndyFoto https://www.flickr.com/photos/dawnone/</p>
<p> </p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/5448918
2018-09-29T16:33:13-04:00
2018-09-29T16:33:13-04:00
The man from the band of the future…
<p>I’m a traditional kind of guy when it comes to rock bands. A guitar, bass, drums and keyboards kind of guy. You can make a lot of noise with that line up, a lot of different glorious noises. </p>
<p>Now, it has to be understood, that while I’m often playing a guitar, I’m not a guitar player. Meaning, I can beat the hell out of most of the chords I need, and I can make some disgusting strange noises, but no one with a sane mind is going to call me a guitar player. </p>
<p>In my hands, the guitar is a songwriting tool, a conductor’s baton, a rhythm machine that let’s me thrash myself into a frenzy. Or, if you want to hear the sound of say, a fuzz box and three delay pedals running into feedback and self-oscillation, I might be your guy. </p>
<p>So, I need a guitar player, preferably a damn good one, who also writes. And they should sing backups, and be the kind of guy you want to hang out with. And be able to improvise solos on a whim and nod from me. This is a rare thing, I’ve found. </p>
<p>Taste, of course is key. I want a player who can blow Stooges style solos that make your hair blow back, but can also get slow and quiet and creepy. It’s a hard role to fill. </p>
<p>I found the guy, finally. In fact I found him years ago. He was from the self-proclaimed band of the future, Blue Mercury Coupe, who were coming to an end. No future there, I guess. My idea at the time was to have him join the Hangovers, but he had recently started a new band, The Howling Bullets, and so was unavailable to play trashy rockabilly punk rock with me. Unfortunately.</p>
<p>But, sometimes if you just hold on, just wait a while, things will turn around. In this case, you hold on for 5 years, and for a chance meeting at a PJ Harvey show (or was it the liquor store?) and boom - guitar player acquired!</p>
<p>You gotta hear him, if you haven’t already. </p>
<p>Ladies and gentlemen, I present Mr. Sean Sewell.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label=" The Perversion of Something Good - Live at CIUT Pre- sale " data-link-type="page" href="/the-perversion-of-something-good-live-at-ciut-pre-sale" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/a1774414a32e6f054359cd7bd08025e1cb1466f6/original/sean-blog.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/5434585
2018-09-19T01:11:14-04:00
2018-09-19T01:39:22-04:00
That one guy...
<p>When you start a new band, it’s really important to find that one guy.</p>
<p>You know, the one who believes in it, and is driven to make it happen. It’s invaluable, because when you have doubt, or get discouraged you need at least one guy to make you want to keep going. And, perhaps, to occasionally give you a kick in the ass. </p>
<p>What you’re looking for is a shared vision and inspiration, otherwise, when things get tough (and they will) or you feel lost (you definitely will) you need someone to make you think it’s worthwhile to continue. </p>
<p>So you need a guy, the first guy, and here’s some things you're hoping for, at least if you are me: </p>
<p>1. A better musician that you are- you always want to be learning, and that means working with people better than you. </p>
<p>2. Good taste is music- they should at least be into some of the same music as you and hopefully totally dig some stuff that you’re really unfamiliar with. </p>
<p>3. Someone good with people. Because when you always live in your own head as I do, you are probably not. </p>
<p>So the guy in question:</p>
<p>the first guy to join my dream to form a goth influenced band, the guy who named the band Christian and the Sinners, the bass wizard himself, Mr. Craig Reid.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/e58f87f53695df811f494d6e47078337c58bc27a/original/craig-blog.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/5377250
2018-08-06T23:57:02-04:00
2018-08-06T23:58:38-04:00
Perversion Live! And the man in the engine room...
<p>And by Perversion Live, of course I mean the upcoming live e.p. <a contents="The Perversion of Something Good.&nbsp;" data-link-label=" The Perversion of Something Good - Live at CIUT Pre- sale " data-link-type="page" href="/the-perversion-of-something-good-live-at-ciut-pre-sale" target="_blank">The Perversion of Something Good. </a> </p>
<p>Once again, I get to do a project in my favourite way, old school, live off the floor. As a sort of rock traditionalist and old school music fan, this is kinda the way I think it should be done. Throw a band in a room, lock 'em in, turn everything on and play some rock and roll. You know, the way it was done when men were men and rock ruled the world. Like Elvis did it, or the Stones.</p>
<p> I mean I'm not a total luddite, I know you can make a record track by track, and never have the musicians in the same room at the same time. In fact, not only do I know that, but I've done that, out of necessity at first, then in pursuit of doing it better. </p>
<p><em>BUT</em>- but, getting a band in a room is always better to me. You're reacting to each other, going for a vibe, the feel. What the hell is music about, if not feel? </p>
<p>And if you're going for feel you wanna be playing with guys who can hold it down. </p>
<p>And holding it down, the man in the engine room, Mr. Julian Vardy. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/191f80d21b06ceced16e4fba8e1d870bbce3d23f/original/julian-stairs.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/5002366
2018-01-01T23:46:26-05:00
2018-06-01T03:05:40-04:00
Happy New Year?
<p>It is 4 a.m. New Year’s Day. </p>
<p>A new year? Well, that’s what they tell us. Somehow even in my advancing age, I feel more tied to the school year. Those last weeks of summer actually feel more like the end of the year to me, and September somehow seems like the start of the new year’s problems. </p>
<p>But- a new year begins, even if it doesn’t quite feel like it. I’m not one for resolutions really. That just feels like desperate wish making to me. And while I may be desperate, I certainly don’t believe in wishes. </p>
<p>What I do believe in is the work. Try to write more, try to play more. This is what I would wish for… if I was the type to make wishes. </p>
<p>It’s cold, and I feel old. I try to be bold. </p>
<p>Best wishes for 2018, </p>
<p>Christian.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now I'm finally gonna get round to fixing this old mic...</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/24996d9c5ec13e29507985a30bd9f5997177c021/large/26394001-307722099748518-6968387135552356352-n.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4768692
2017-07-06T00:28:47-04:00
2020-09-19T02:48:52-04:00
whipping these into shape!
<p>working the setlist for Cherry Cola's</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/d9841eca8f6fa92d08da2463ad37e98e6c2fc033/original/19624881-1876257515957651-6081307377670291456-n.jpg?1499315269" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4752116
2017-06-21T01:50:01-04:00
2017-06-21T01:57:28-04:00
Minor Obsessions
<p>My latest obsession is open E minor guitar tuning. How did this happen? </p>
<p>I just went on a recent excursion through some <a contents="Gallon Drunk" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.gallondrunk.com" target="_blank">Gallon Drunk</a> listening. I discovered some reissue albums that they had out a few years ago on a British label and had to buy them. </p>
<p> Actually that’s not quite right: first it was a youtube video of a live DVD I hadn’t seen before. That sent me on a Sunday spiralling through the internet seeking out anything I may have missed from Gallon Drunk. Two live concerts, 3 album purchases and endless seeking through interviews led me to a mention of a new rule (from years ago I’m sure) from James Johnston: no more open tunings, he says. </p>
<p> OK-so now we search for guitar tab hoping to find what tunings he might use and tabs and sheet music to learn from him, naturally. That seems to come up oddly blank. Though a god to me, it seems no one has really dissected the Johnston guitar catalog. </p>
<p>BUT, somewhere I read a mention of his E minor tuning and I’m off! </p>
<p>I have a new obsession-or a new minor obsession anyway. </p>
<p> One day in, and it seems promising, probably half our new songs are in minor keys, so it could prove useful, with lots of possibilities for drone notes. But, I’m starting to remember the last time I went on an open tuning jag in the 90’s pursuing the Keith Richards tones and how that led to me bringing 4 guitars to every little bar gig. That being rather ridiculous, maybe I should reconsider… </p>
<p> As I get older I’m recognizing this as a thing I do, becoming completely obsessed by some small thing and just working through it as much as I can until I realize its leading me to become detached from real life and maybe miss meals and sleep and that type of stuff. </p>
<p> I am also realizing these obsessions are minor in that they generally seem rather short lived, say a week or so at the most. They lasted much longer when I was young. When I was a young man, it was mostly pre-internet and certainly pre-Youtube and social media. Discovering something, a new guitar thing or a new band say, would take months, you’d have to find people that knew about it, or order things rom the library and mail order catalogs. It was much slower and drawn out, and probably more enjoyable, really. Now thanks to the internet you can work through months of “research” (read: obsession) in six hours with a decent internet connection. </p>
<p> Is this a reduced attention span due to information overload, and is that a bad thing, or is it using the speed of the information age to ground out the obsessions before they become serious? </p>
<p> I’m not really sure, though I am certain the slower pace, and more personal connections to these things was a lot more fun. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/a1c907f28da118b73865da1bf6f853705c09dde4/medium/19228737-120081455256185-8464597288705064960-n.jpg?1498024365" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Christian and the Sinners Rehearsal" /></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4736236
2017-06-07T01:14:56-04:00
2017-06-07T01:50:25-04:00
The First Time
<p>I remember the first time I saw someone write a song. I’d written stories and poems and just, stuff, since I was a kid. Writing words was something that I just did. </p>
<p>I already knew that sometimes the words come easily, sometimes they do not, and sometimes trying to squeeze words out of your head is just not worth the effort. At those times its better to just let the mind wander until has something it needs to get out and throw onto the page. </p>
<p>Marrying words to music though, was not something I had ever done, and I first got to watch it happen at a time when I was still struggling to form chords on my first guitar. </p>
<p>It was university for me, first year. I decided to buy a cheap electric guitar with part of my student loan money. It was a Series A Strat copy with a hideous Van Halen paint job. I think that was good for another fifty bucks off the price. I figured it would be good enough to learn on. Of course, I knew nothing back then.</p>
<p> A few of us were hanging out, drinking beer and smoking hash, which seemed to be the thing to do in Halifax universities at the time. I wasn’t really hanging out with other university kids though. It was a school for jocks mostly, so we hung out with locals we’d meet at Backstreets Arcade or the Club Flamingo at punk rock shows. This was a definite step up from the 10 people in my hometown that had what I would deem “acceptable musical taste.” </p>
<p>I had the guitar in my room, and a small Gorilla practice amp, that I still may own, I suppose, but I have no idea where it may be. It was not the kind of amp you’d sell anyone after you grew out of it. It was basically a piece of shit. But it did make a noise. </p>
<p>While we were sitting around getting a buzz on, the guys that could actually play would pass the guitar around and noodle as I watched. Intently watched, trying to remember anything they were doing. </p>
<p>One of the local punk rock legends (a legend to me at least) named Dominic, looks at the guy playing the guitar and shouts “Let’s write a song. It’ll be called Brewski, and it should sound like the Ramones.” </p>
<p><em>And then, they did it.</em> </p>
<p>Right there in front of me. Danny hammered out the chords for a verse and chorus with Dominic’s encouragement as Dom frantically scribbled lyrics and the rest of us shouted approval or suggestions. They played through it once or twice to nail the arrangement and then we recorded it on a boombox with everyone doing gang vocals on the chorus. It seemed incredible to me at the time. </p>
<p>I think I actually still remember the chorus over 30 year later. </p>
<p>I believe this is it: </p>
<p>“Brewski we want you, brewski we need you, brewski we love you - OK!” </p>
<p>And the brilliant bit, the tag line after the second to last chorus: </p>
<p> “If there were more than 24 hours in the day, Man I could drink a hundred, but how we gonna pay!” </p>
<p>It was pretty good punk rock really, kind of like Blitzkrieg Bop, T.V. Party and Six Pack all jammed together. It was tremendous fun, and mainly, it taught me something important. </p>
<p>It taught me that if you had just a few barre chords down, and even a small idea, you could do it. </p>
<p>You could write a song. </p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4575832
2017-02-03T20:07:24-05:00
2017-02-03T20:14:34-05:00
searching for something...
There's this thing that happens to me periodically- I remember something that I wrote years ago- like, 25 or even more years ago.<br>I decide I NEED to read it because I have a sense that it was good, or special, or even that it was a just thought that I keep coming back to.<br><br>I can picture exactly where I last saw it. Sometimes, the last 3 places that I saw it, but that's of no use really.<br><br>No use to me at all, because its actually been 5 or 10 or even 15 years since I last saw it, and the cabinet it was in has long been thrown out, or the folder that it was in is long lost, or I don't even live in that house anymore...<br><br>But occasionally- I find it. Like tonight.<br><br>And then finally the thought- was it actually good enough to warrant the 5 or six hours of wracking my brain and wrecking the house to dig it up? <br><br>At least, there's the small satisfaction that I actually found the damn thing...<br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/43624a679a07cfd5a1706d3c7a3880aa5be7c658/original/cb10k2ugb-4-dayne-topkin.jpg?1485361498" class="size_l justify_center border_" />
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4558295
2017-01-20T20:25:40-05:00
2017-01-20T20:25:40-05:00
Christmas in January?
January 20th and my Christmas present to myself finally arrives...<br>looking forward to trying out this mic from <a contents="Advanced Audio Microphones" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://advancedaudio.ca" target="_blank">Advanced Audio Microphones</a>- the only Canadian mic company I ever heard of.<br>Hope this sounds as good as it looks!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/46f8c6458b660f2fb2bd948fd7556de078ad186b/original/advanced-audio-dm20.jpg?1484961866" class="size_l justify_center border_" />
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4498080
2016-12-06T00:53:56-05:00
2016-12-06T00:53:56-05:00
Sunday Sessions
working out a new song on Sunday- as you do...<br><br>a sort of slow loping number called Born to Misery <br><br><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/c15e1d75d36db6fe8623d1e23da6c1e32cd83059/original/sunday-sessions.jpg?1481003572" class="size_l justify_center border_" />
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4363795
2016-09-08T23:24:54-04:00
2016-09-09T00:01:49-04:00
One More Time with Feeling- gripping and full of sorrow
Just got back from the Nick Cave movie - It was gripping, full of sorrow, and beautiful.<br><br> If you're a fan you need to see it. I'll be thinking about it for days.<br><br>They've added extra showings through the weekend if you missed your chance today. <br> <p>check the schedule in your area here: <a contents="http://www.onemoretimewithfeeling.film" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.onemoretimewithfeeling.film" target="_blank">http://www.onemoretimewithfeeling.film</a><br><br>If you saw it- what did you think of it? </p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4326657
2016-08-15T23:32:44-04:00
2017-01-15T19:36:38-05:00
What's summer for, anyway?
Summer, as an adult anyway, is about grabbing what fun you can. Ideally we'd all have that June to August period off with nothing to do like when I was a kid.<br>I kind of wish I could sign myself back into high school and have the summer to dick around. Dicking around with nothing to do may be my true calling in this life.<br><br>But I grab what I can. Finding empty time to just read and write and think is the main thing I'm looking for. Currently working on a bunch of new songs, a few of which may actually see the light of day. Also we're working on the next Christian DeArmond & Helene Berlin e.p.- we're hoping for a fall release.<br><br>My first big read of the summer was Trouble Boys, the Replacements bio- if you enjoy rock bios at all you should read it. If you loved the 'Mats you NEED to read it. It's both wonderful and sad. <p> </p><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Trouble-Boys-True-Story-Replacements-ebook/dp/B00B3M3VMI/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471316739&sr=1-1&keywords=trouble+boys&linkCode=li2&tag=chrd-20&linkId=33e68ddfad854940778d36fe99572f17" target="_blank"><img src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00B3M3VMI&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=CA&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=chrd-20" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a><img src="https://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=chrd-20&l=li2&o=15&a=B00B3M3VMI" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" width="1" /><br><br><br><br>The other was David Byrne's How Music Works- a little more cerebral, but really interesting as well.<br> <p><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/How-Music-Works-David-Byrne/dp/1936365537/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471317048&sr=1-1&keywords=how+music+works&linkCode=li2&tag=chrd-20&linkId=5de2e7ea96092bfd29b480c46e9ed67a" target="_blank"><img src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1936365537&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=CA&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=chrd-20" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a><img src="https://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=chrd-20&l=li2&o=15&a=1936365537" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" width="1" /><br><br><br>Took a trip to Wolfe Island for the first time to visit family- I do love a ferry ride. Especially a short one.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/04e62fec23751c5c23c511a141a2effb4a8d94fb/original/wolfe-island-ferry.jpg?1471316372" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>The view from the ferry is pretty majestic- everything looks better from the water-<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/29c96c358f15cc5b5c79758c3ddeceed6cf746e5/original/sunset-kingston.jpg?1471316357" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>Another of my favourite things- driving. Driving on empty roads with the stereo up high. There was a lot of Replacements in the van this trip. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/626a7f27153c0501a3cdcdb4a2308e5ac6949051/original/driving.jpg?1471316328" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>And, of course I spent some time staring at the water and sky on the east coast. Though I'm never sad I left for the city, the beach really feels like home.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/68d3293f698b17b0bbcc3b7bfcaaa27bf5b71b1c/original/night-sky-2.jpg?1471316348" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/42158798f6ab5082c94d511511b87bcfc2726c94/original/lighthouse.jpg?1471316337" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>I hope your summer is going well, and you find the time for something you love. <br>Stay cool, keep in touch,<br>Christian</p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4262214
2016-07-04T00:47:55-04:00
2016-07-04T00:53:35-04:00
Freezing Sheep...
<p>So here’s a new one. I’m working on a new song, a slow atmospheric dirge. </p>
<p>I’ve got the headphones on and fall asleep with the thing on a loop. </p>
<p>Vivid dreams occur… </p>
<p>I’m in a 50s Land Rover in a snowstorm, at the bottom of the steepest tobogganing hill beside my small town elementary school. </p>
<p>The air has that weird muffled quiet you get in heavy wet snow. It's coming down hard.</p>
<p>Three freezing sheep are tied to the side. I’m riding the gas trying desperately to will the Land Rover up the hill through waist deep snow to save my sheep. </p>
<p>Here’s the thing- </p>
<p>do I try to fit that in the lyrics somehow?</p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4228689
2016-06-14T00:16:52-04:00
2017-01-15T19:36:38-05:00
Frustration
There's that mind churning frustration when you can't get the sound out of your head and out through the amp and onto "tape". <br>You know how that makes you feel...<br><br><br>You wanna smash your guitar, but you don't and work and wait for the sound to come...<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/0f66ed238ceafdcb06ba19d61b7fa0d219d63565/original/equip-12.jpg?1399641749" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br><br>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4207566
2016-06-01T20:36:17-04:00
2017-01-15T19:36:38-05:00
Podcasts...
<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/c42c48e59639a420e0ca0b702987115c27406e7f/original/equip-18.jpg?1399641760" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>Podcasts are pretty much my radio these days. I listen to them as educational or entertaining background noise, or sometimes with complete focus in the dark, with the headphones on, the same way I spent so many nights listening to the 80s CBC classic Brave New Waves. I got so much great music from that that totally shaped my musical taste.<br><br>I've got some favourite music podcast like <a contents="Everything and the Kitchen Sink" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://eatks.net" target="_blank">Everything and the Kitchen Sink</a>, a bunch of technical stuff on recording, and more news and cultural stuff.<br><br>BUT- I am missing out on something from the radio days though- drama. Radio plays are something I always found fascinating, sonic storytelling is such a cool thing to me.<br><br>Anyone know of any great dramatic podcasts you can hook me up with? <br><br>~C<br><br>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4158626
2016-04-29T00:02:35-04:00
2017-01-15T19:36:38-05:00
Isolation...
Isolation is something I crave. There's a certain kind of isolation you can achieve in the city- an anonymity. There's 3 million people rushing around, and so few of them care about anyone else. There's a comfort in that. You can feel a tremendous energy, an electric charge, that you can walk away from at any time.<br><br>But sometimes, for real isolation, only the country will do. I wanna tear up empty two lane frost heaved highway with the radio on full. <br>I wanna be able to count the stars in the sky, just stare upwards and feel infinitesimally small, while hearing creatures lurking in the dark woods...<br><br><br><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/45353ccd9bfcb74a37a1d74ff401a57db03a436f/original/photo-2016-04-23-8-46-55-pm.jpg?1461902214" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/11c0e2cf1c0ced83783981d1335bf0c18b8f0928/original/photo-2016-04-23-11-51-55-am.jpg?1461902211" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/4017112
2016-01-31T03:55:27-05:00
2017-01-15T19:36:38-05:00
Best thing I've read in awhile- The Second Coming
<p>You know that feeling when you’re reading a book and you just don’t want to put it down until you’re finished. Then you’re done and there’s the bittersweet feeling of being done and wishing there was more. And you’re already looking forward to reading it again? <br> <br>John Niven’s <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00BFVCK2Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=B00BFVCK2Y&linkCode=as2&tag=chrd-20" rel="nofollow">The Second Coming</a><img src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=chrd-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00BFVCK2Y" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" width="1" />- a great read. It reminds me of that old line about Vonnegut “putting bitter coatings on sugar pills.” <br> <br>Christ as a foul-mouthed, dope smoking musician? Yeah, sign me up for that…<br><br> </p>
<p><br><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00BFVCK2Y/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=B00BFVCK2Y&linkCode=as2&tag=chrd-20" rel="nofollow"><img src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00BFVCK2Y&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=CA&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=chrd-20" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a><img src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=chrd-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B00BFVCK2Y" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" width="1" /></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3968838
2015-12-31T03:52:25-05:00
2017-01-15T19:36:38-05:00
2015 -what did I listen to?
A playlist then- what did I listen to in 2015? I told <a contents="@EatKS&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://twitter.com/EatKS" target="_blank">@EatKS </a> and <a contents="@UnScholars" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://twitter.com/UnScholars" target="_blank">@UnScholars</a> (both of whom you should follow) on twitter it would be nothing new- and it seems like I was right.<br>I really don't listen to just songs- it's usually the full album for me, unless I'm trying to learn something. <br><br>So here's a link to my Spotify playlist. Most of these albums I've been listening to for years, some are old, but I just rebought them digitally, and one I made. <br>When you make music, invariably you hear it endlessly, grow completely sick of it, and then after a few months maybe you can hear it as something you might listen to. Hopefully, anyway.<br><br>So here you go, one song from each of the albums I spent the most time with this year <a contents="2015 -what I listened to..." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://play.spotify.com/user/12133818334/playlist/3VXXT5y63t5111LJpsfF0L" target="_blank">2015 -what I listened to...</a><br>you might find something in there you like.<br><br>Here are the records it's pulled from <br> <p>Grinderman 2 Grinderman <br>Bad as Me Tom Waits <br>Your Funeral My Trial Nick Cave <br>Sticky Fingers Rolling Stones <br>Stay Sick Cramps <br>Tender Prey Nick Cave <br>Here Comes that Weird Chill Mark Lanegan <br>A Date With Elvis Cramps <br>Bone Machine Tom Waits <br>New York Lou Reed <br>Guitars Cadillacs etc. Dwight Yoakam <br>From the Heart of Town Gallon Drunk <br>Fun House the Stooges <br>The Spotlight Kid Captain Beefheart <br>To Bring You My Love PJ Harvey <br>Grinderman Grinderman <br>Whisky for the Holy Ghost Mark Lanegan <br>Furnace Room Lullaby Neko Case <br>Tin Machine Tin Machine <br>Rogues & Blushing Virgins Christian DeArmond & Helena Berlin<br><br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://play.spotify.com/user/12133818334/playlist/3VXXT5y63t5111LJpsfF0L" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/6a405653430ffdda78f914650284180677e50936/original/2015-playlist.jpg?1451551902" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3925969
2015-11-19T03:47:41-05:00
2017-01-15T19:36:37-05:00
Bandcamp Sale on the Christian DeArmond catalog!
<strong>the good folks at</strong> <strong> <a contents="Bandcamp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://christiand.bandcamp.com/music" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> have a new feature allowing us to offer a discount on the whole discography- get all the tunes for 25% off! <br><br>check it out here-<a contents="https://christiand.bandcamp.com/music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://christiand.bandcamp.com/music" target="_blank">https://christiand.bandcamp.com/music</a></strong><br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://christiand.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/52fbefe4f37c01647a04a09c8d5285ac6117a7a8/original/bandcamp-releases.jpg?1447922234" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><br><br><br>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3910753
2015-11-03T00:45:00-05:00
2016-08-03T08:23:01-04:00
That time I tried to learn piano- Harsh Lessons- Guest Blog from Helena Berlin
<span style="font-family: 'PT Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; ">A couple of years ago, Christian asked me to give him piano lessons. I was wary of this undertaking, mainly because we are polar opposites in our approach to anything creative or instructive, and we’re prone to epic spats. I told him that I was willing to oblige, provided he followed my rules of instruction. He agreed.<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> <br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Having once been a teacher in another life, I’m skilled at handling the occasional unruly student, but Christian surpassed my most daunting classroom experiences. Let’s set aside the borderline sexual harassment.<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">He refused to go with the flow of the lesson, instead banging out frictional “chords”, and asking “hey, what key am I in?”<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">None key, man.<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> <br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I moved on to a few basic visuals on standard notation. He balked at the visuals. I told him that he might try to conceptualize the notes as “little bugs suspended on a wires”. The “bugs”, and their positions on the wires, I explained, represent different notes. He banged out more discordant shit on my piano and belted a song he called “Bugs on a Wire!!”<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> <br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Fuck it. Expelled. I kicked him out of our music room.<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> <br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">In retrospect, the failed piano lesson actually clarified how and why our song writing collaborations work. Discipline and structure from my end. Bugs neatly aligned on the wires.<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> <br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Messy, amorphous, reckless cacophony from Christian’s end. Bugs stomped to oblivion.<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> <br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">For now, the epic spats are worth it, but there will be no more lessons.</span>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3707984
2015-05-14T00:58:35-04:00
2017-01-15T19:36:37-05:00
Someone asked what's my favourite part of a show?
<p class="p1">One of my favourite parts of a show is the time after sound check, before the doors open.</p>
<p class="p2">It's quiet, private. It's you and the bands, the bar staff, the sound guy. Everyone is just hanging out, relaxing, enjoying the calm before the storm.This is where friends are made, stories told. A good time for that first cold drink. </p>
<p class="p1">Really, it's the only time you can talk and actually hear the people you are spending the night with. </p>
<p class="p2">There's a kind of behind the scenes intimacy before the doors open. I'm not yet prowling the floor, focused on hitting the boards, avoiding talking to people. </p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">The pressure is not yet on. Aside from the stage time, this could well be the best part of the night. <br> </p>
<div class="captioned justify_center"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/95ab45332e4f680ba893679381144e2ffeb683bf/medium/cherrys-couch.jpg?1431579415" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><p class="caption">Cherry Cola's couch</p></div>
<p class="p1"><br> </p>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3558912
2015-02-26T00:35:28-05:00
2017-01-15T19:36:37-05:00
New toy!
<p class="caption">In my hunt for new noise I found this at my favourite music store and had them ship me one-</p>The Boss Feedbacker /Booster<br><br>Can't wait to play around with this and see what kind of madness I can conjure up...<br><br> <div class="captioned justify_center"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/4167d579197f4d302e9c5ccdf61fa3ed97144993/original/feedbacker-booster.jpg?1424928758" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><p class="caption">Boss FB-2 Feedbacker/Booster</p></div><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3558897
2015-02-26T00:23:16-05:00
2017-01-15T19:36:37-05:00
Somedays you find yourself in a coffee table book....
Or at least I do...<br><br>I finally got a copy of <a contents="Musical Ink&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://Musical%20Ink&nbsp;" target="_blank">Musical Ink </a> which came out in June 2013, I think.<br><br>Lots of pictures of musicians (even Lemmy) and their tattoos available on<a contents=" Amazon " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0764344439?ie=UTF8&camp=213741&creative=393237&creativeASIN=0764344439&linkCode=shr&tag=chrd-20&=books&qid=1424927886&sr=1-1" target="_blank"> Amazon </a> if you're into that sort of thing.<br><br>Get it at this <a contents="Amazon " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0764344439?ie=UTF8&camp=213741&creative=393237&creativeASIN=0764344439&linkCode=shr&tag=chrd-20&=books&qid=1424927886&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon </a>link, and I even make a little on the back end...<br><br><br><br>here's me:<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/57a0fa67f03873aeae8a6a86fb7936f68da107c1/original/10990583-344453715758040-1751126636-n.jpg?1424927646" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br><br><br><br>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3531754
2015-02-15T01:31:55-05:00
2017-01-15T19:36:37-05:00
Small town Western Wear and the Mom and Pop shop
Here's a thing- I really dig old school small town mom and pop type stores, and if you know me, you know I have a thing about cowboy boots and western shirts.<br><br>While digging around the web looking for some boots I came across this cool little place in Mississauga- an old family business called TRDak's - open since 1946!<br><br>Super friendly people with a pretty cool selection of stuff- I know I'll be chucking some of my hard earned cash their way again- it's way easier than the endless digging though the vintage store bins...<br><br>If you're ever in the area, go check them out, I'm sure they'd appreciate your business - <a contents="TRDAK's" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.trdaks.com/#!our_story/c161y" target="_blank">TRDAK's <br><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/a55d22c612b0b5476ab855c5e4d296352686e497/original/shirts.jpg?1423981768" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><br><br>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3512486
2015-02-07T03:15:02-05:00
2020-01-23T08:47:51-05:00
the Church of the Golden Arches?
<br> So- here’s a thing.<br> I was talking with to a friend and mentioned that I liked her dress that was covered in crosses.<br> During a brief chat she drops this on me: “statistically the McDonald’s M is a more recognized symbol than the cross.”<br> This is exactly the kind of statement that will set my brain off with white light flashes of inspiration.<br> <br>Here’s my gift to you-<br> I immediately imagine a post-apocalyptic world in 4040 A.D., say, where a small group of people are roaming around wearing Golden Arches preaching about how in the distant past there was a holy cow named McDonald who sacrificed it’s life to save the people from starvation. They occasionally find grand ruined temples marked with the symbol of the M.<br> There is a schism, even in a cult in it’s early stages - some interpret the cows sacrifice as meaning that animals are willing, and more, to give up their lives to be food for the people. That we should continually raise, cherish and eat them.<br> <br>A smaller group believes that the cow, in showing true selflessness, points us in the direction that the ultimate act of love is to give oneself up to be eaten. And so cannibalism is gaining popularity at a furious rate.<br> <br> Feel free to take this and run with it. Comedy or drama- you decide.<br><br><br>~C
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3481724
2015-01-23T00:00:50-05:00
2017-01-15T19:36:36-05:00
Throwback Thursday
Here's a blast from the past- the earliest piece on of my bands in print- from the St Mary's student newspaper in 1994<br><br>The band was Why Mary and we had some great song titles...<br><br><br>Lizard Female, Healing Waters, Walking Heavy.... the list goes on.<br><br> I remember a few of those being quite good, actually. I still remember the line "Mary got six tits...Mary got green skin..." drugs may have been involved.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/0cf0ae88e2439a47ef161a3873dc674889a3bf83/original/why-mary-review-1994-big.jpg?1421988539" class="size_l justify_center border_" />
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3471754
2015-01-17T04:03:29-05:00
2017-01-15T19:36:36-05:00
my favourite things...
<div class="captioned justify_center"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/95211cfb2f04493ab982a2f268898b1e0f16e60b/original/knives-jpg.jpg?1421484634" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><p class="caption">Spyderco Delica with Lansky Blade Medic<br> </p></div>Occasionally I like to write about my favourite things- which is usually music or book related, but...<br><br>Some of my favourite things are knives- pocket or kitchen typically. I remember my grandad teaching me how to whittle when I was young, that seemed pretty cool.<br>At least it seemed cool until my uncle taught us to throw knives - that was way more fun. Kind of dangerous, naturally, but kids got to run a bit wilder when I was young. <br><br>Later on I started working in kitchens and got to know the love of a good knife there. <br><br>As a holdover from that I have a basic feeling that everyone should have a good pocketknife on hand. There's usually some cutting required somewhere, or some time to pass with whittling or knife throwing.<br>Recently I got a new Spyderco from Amazon- pretty solid little pocket knife that shipped razor sharp. I heartily recommend them. <br><br><br>You wanna pick one up you can grab 'em at Amazon here, and I pick up a little on the back end... <a contents="Spyderco Delica&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000BT1G9E?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creativeASIN=B000BT1G9E&linkCode=xm2&tag=chrd-20" target="_blank">Spyderco Delica </a>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/3004941
2014-06-10T04:14:37-04:00
2014-06-10T04:22:20-04:00
Wild One!
Here's a clip from 2009 at the Bovine of the Hangovers doing Wild One.<br><br>Check out the sheer professionalism of the intro... let's just say we had a lot of fun ;)<br><br>Hangovers Line up here is Mack Black, Michael Craib and Brendan Bauer ( he of the Sounds like Joe Strummer and Nick Cave in a knife fight at Johnny Cash's house" tagline.)<br><br>And damn- I haven't played this song in ages...<br><br><br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="D1aqiufZEr4" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/D1aqiufZEr4/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D1aqiufZEr4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="200" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br> <div> </div>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/2960753
2014-05-21T00:33:57-04:00
2014-05-21T00:40:44-04:00
Here's another old one... from 2010
Here's an old thing that I wrote after seeing Grinderman at the Phoenix. Man, I really love those two records! It's a little thing tracing my obsession with Nick Cave over the years. <br>It's kind of fun, maybe? I'm still an insane Cave fan, though the last album was not really one of my favourites...<br><br>Also the subtlety of the original title should be noted- <br><br><strong>Nick Cave blows minds/ changes lives -again!</strong><br><br><span mce_style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;">I’d guess I’ve been listening to Nick Cave for about 25 years- first thing I heard was Release the Bats, which as a young boy, whose friends all seemed to be listening to Iron Maiden at the time, blew my little mind.</span><br><span mce_style="font-size:19px;">It must have been about 1985, on the old CBC late night show, Brave New Waves, which was awesome if you spent lots of time in a small cottage/ fishing community – as I did. It was THE way for people like me to hear new, challenging music unless you had really cool friends- of which I had but one.</span><br><br><span mce_style="font-size:19px;">That’s where I got introduced to the Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on the same night- it was the Brave New Waves on air birthday party, if I remember correctly, so naturally they started with the Birthday Party and continued with Nick Cave stuff for a solid hour. Played songs, read quotes – host at the time was CBC mainstay Brent Bambury- I’ve got the show somewhere on an old cassette that I used to tape over and over and over capturing whatever was cool the show played in those days. One Nick quote I think I remember is “women are the rock stars of the world, and I can only worship at their feet.”</span><br><br><span mce_style="font-size:19px;">ANYWAY- Nick Cave changed my life back then- it was so outside and noisy, intelligent and bloozy and punk rock - and hey, I hadn’t really listened to Beefheart or the Stooges yet. It was mesmerizing, he didn’t really sing, he howled. It was messy and lyrically challenging improv rock and roll. I loved it, I bought it, I bought his first book, I bought all the albums for years. And I still do.</span><br><br><span mce_style="font-size:19px;">Move forward to tonight. I just got back from Grinderman. It’s years and years down the road. Nick still howls like a man possessed. His lyrics still come on like a bible student who has taken to the bottle and illicit sex for kicks. The music is still based in the blues with a white noise smear of distortion and feedback over the top.</span><br><br><span mce_style="font-size:19px;">I’m still in love with it. It does something to me I can’t quite explain, but imagine that someone might feel in a drunken backwoods religious communion. I don’t just want to hear/ see it. I want to be it.</span><br><span mce_style="font-size:19px;">My own musical path has been towards simplicity, trying to find the most basic structures, acoustic guitars, three chords, no changes, simple melodies, heartfelt lyrics. Tonight I want to break out the electric guitars, distorted amps and grind!</span><br><br><span mce_style="font-size:19px;">Thank you Mr. Nick Cave for 30 plus years of rock and roll.<br><br><br>wanna talk about it? Try me on twitter <a contents="@ThatChristianD" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://twitter.com/ThatChristianD" target="_blank">@ThatChristianD</a></span>
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Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/2831048
2014-03-31T01:28:58-04:00
2017-01-15T19:36:35-05:00
Fun times at Cherry Cola's
Fun times at <a contents="Cherry Cola's&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/cherrycolasrocknrolla" target="_blank">Cherry Cola's </a> for our first gig of 2014! <br><br><a contents="Evil Elvis&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Evil-Elvis/230817426966080" target="_blank">Evil Elvis </a> shot a new video and gave away a tonne of free merch, <a contents="Fionna Flauntit&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/fionna.flauntit" target="_blank">Fionna Flauntit </a> danced her ass off, and we tried to play our guts out for you to start the night out right!<br><br>Thanks to the bar, the band and mostly to everyone who came out to watch! Hope to see you again real soon! <br><br>Here's a photo from Ralph Blacklock - thanks for that!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/131765/4a2d3c20ca95917f7a5350a472e23995efe4d203/original/cherry-colas.jpg?1396243636" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/2794689
2014-03-23T02:58:15-04:00
2014-03-26T02:03:41-04:00
A bit of spoken word weirdness...
Here's a bit of spoken word weirdness from the latest round of songwriting. When I get stuck on something, I just move on to something else. Messing around with some noise seemed fun at the time. I'm not sure what you'd call this- or what it even is, really. But a fun way to stave off frustration...<br> <iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/140968416&color=120c03&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/2647664
2014-02-26T00:59:37-05:00
2017-01-15T19:36:35-05:00
Here's another old one- More Favourite things- The Cramps!
<span class="font_regular"><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&field-artist=The%20Cramps&linkCode=ur2&search-alias=music-ca&tag=chrd-20" target="_blank">The Cramp</a>s are absolutely one of my favourite goddamned bands of all time. My favourite album? I can't pick just one.<br><br>Honestly, I can't do it and here's why. Technology. When I was much younger, I used to get all my music on vinyl or cassette. Those were the 2 main options. Vinyl sounded better, and LOOKED a thousand times better (I really miss the 12 inch album cover) but portability sucked. So cassettes would be in the walkman, in the greasy boomboox at work (I was a cook for a lotta years, see) and in the car.<br><br>So I'd buy whichever format was cheaper, usually, but the vinyl for stuff I loved. And I fuckin' loved the Cramps. Still do. If a psycho blend of punk rock and rockabilly sounds like your kinda thing then the Cramps are simply essential. Buy their stuff. All of it. IMMEDIATELY.<br><br>Anyway- back to my favourite Cramps offering. There's two albums I'd call my favourite, only I basically think of them as one record.<a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000025IIH/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=B000025IIH&linkCode=as2&tag=chrd-20" target="_blank">Date with Elvis</a><img src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=chrd-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B000025IIH" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" width="1" /> from 1986 and the 1990 record <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000007Y5C/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=B000007Y5C&linkCode=as2&tag=chrd-20" target="_blank">Stay Sick!</a><img src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=chrd-20&l=as2&o=15&a=B000007Y5C" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" width="1" /> I had these copied on a 90 minute cassette, and would jam the tape in and just let it play on repeat basically forever. So after the cover of Charlie Feathers' It's Just That Song, I expect to hear Bop Pills. And when Muleskinner Blues ends, I want to hear How Far Can Too Far Go?<br><br>That's just the way it is for me. Even now that I'm listening to stuff either on a computer, or my phone just as likely, I always play these albums back to back as one complete, fantastic, listening experience. Go give it a try- it makes perfect sense to me.</span><br><br>
Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/2619990
2014-02-21T04:31:33-05:00
2017-02-03T14:29:11-05:00
Old post- still applies- What I've been listening to this week? Nick Cave & Tom Waits
<p>If I was to do a "what's in my earbuds" post every week, you can bet Nick Cave and Tom Waits would always be there...<br><br>This is from early 2013-<br><br><br>Yeah, yeah, I know - Nick Cave and Tom Waits again.... nothing new from me exactly.</p>
<p>Spending lots of time with the new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds record, research, you understand, to prepare for when he hits T.O.<a contents=" Push the Sky Away -" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="<a%20href=%22https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/push-sky-away-deluxe-edition/id730477752?uo=4&at=10ld4m%22%20target=%22itunes_store%22>Push%20the%20Sky%20Away%20(Deluxe%20Edition)%20-%20Nick%20Cave%20&%20The%20Bad%20Seeds</a>" target="_blank"> </a><a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/push-sky-away-deluxe-edition/id730477752?uo=4&at=10ld4m" target="_blank">Push the Sky Away - </a> is kind of on the quiet side for my taste - I was kinda hoping for way more loud. Check it out, see what ya think. BUT - watching the live from L.A. show on youtube was awesome, once they put the new album to bed and started doing the classics I was losing my mind with anticipation for when I get to see the show. Check out the finale below...</p>
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<p>As for Tom Waits - I finally bought the live album <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/glitter-doom-live-bonus-track/id337903250?uo=4&at=10ld4m" target="_blank">Glitter and Doom - Live (Bonus Track Version) </a><a contents="Glitter and Doom - Live (Bonus Track Version)&nbsp;&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="<a%20href=%22https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/glitter-doom-live-bonus-track/id337903250?uo=4&at=10ld4m%22%20target=%22itunes_store%22>Glitter%20and%20Doom%20-%20Live%20(Bonus%20Track%20Version)%20-%20Tom%20Waits</a>" target="_blank"> </a>Fantastic performances and the 35 minutes of Tom Tales are hilarious and worth the price of the record. Definitely recommended! </p>
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<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e6ONvmePDDc" width="560"></iframe></p>
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Christian DeArmond
tag:christiand.ca,2005:Post/2598429
2014-02-18T02:24:44-05:00
2014-02-18T02:24:44-05:00
The Replacements at Riot Fest Toronto
<strong>Here's a thing I wrote last year:</strong><br> <p>O.K. - Iggy and the Stooges and the Replacements at the same fucking show? Yeah- that was incredible!</p>
<p>I was reading all the reviews in my twitter feed and half-assedly mentioned I'd kinda like to write my own. Then the blog <a href="http://www.nowthissound.com/ntsib/2013/09/02/replacements-riot-fest-toronto/" target="_blank">Now This Sound Is Brave</a> replied that if I actually did it, they would post it.</p>
<p>So, I felt like I pretty much had to commit to it, hunker down and do it. You can read the thing here:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nowthissound.com/ntsib/2013/09/02/replacements-riot-fest-toronto/" target="_self">The Replacements at Riot Fest- Everything you wanted, they were.</a></p>
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<p>If you get a chance to see the two remaining shows- DO IT!!! </p>
Christian DeArmond