This is the fourth in a series of new posts that explain how you can apply the lessons of jazz to collaborate successfully. * Never Say No “It’s impossible for me to feel like there’s only one way to do a thing. There’s nothing wrong with having one way of doing it, but I think... Continue Reading →
The Walrus Talk at the Canadian Museum of Nature on Thursday night took The Arctic as its theme, and the evening was as inspiring and illuminating as previous events in this ambitious national series. It also demonstrated with stunning clarity the conflict between communications cultures that is my main topic on this blog. As usual,... Continue Reading →
This is the third of a series of new posts that explain how you can apply the lessons of jazz to collaborate successfully. * Make Room "Only play what you hear. If you don't hear anything, don't play anything." Chick Corea A collaboration is a set of relationships and as in any relationship both parties... Continue Reading →
This is the first of a series of new posts that explain how you can apply the lessons of jazz to collaborate successfully. Respect “Music is my mistress and she plays second fiddle to no one.” Duke Ellington Jazz - like any collaborative process - is rooted in respect. Respect for oneself. Respect for others.... Continue Reading →
Thanks Max. Thanks Phil. Max is Max Middle, poetic curator, and Phil is Phil Minton, veteran vocal confabulator from the land beyond the sea and maestro of Ottawa's briefly resplendent Feral Choir, which I was part of, one of 25 growling, howling vocalists in sensible shoes. (Nikes in my case. Phil wore Chinese slippers.) We... Continue Reading →
Hi. This post lists and links to my first 50 posts on this blog, indexing 50 brief critical essays on contemporary media culture. Topics include The Leveson Inquiry, Occupy Wall Street, Privacy, Music, Food, Economics and more. Try one. 1. Happy Birth Day! my blog is born 2. Gifts and Books, Books and Gifts books as... Continue Reading →
Been gigging steadily lately. April gigs included a wedding with my awesome soul band The Funktion, a punk show at Babylon with my rowdy noise-trio Caymans and another gig with The Funktion last Friday at The Rainbow. All were excellent, if exhausting. March gigs included Montreal's Coolfest and Treehouse Talks in Toronto. Next up is... Continue Reading →
I have been irregularly blogging about the extraordinary Leveson Inquiry into media ethics in the UK, that has to date resulted in the arrest of dozens of journalists and editors, the overnight shuttering of the UK's largest newspaper, the resignations and possible prosecution of the number 1 and 2 policemen in the nation, the resignation... Continue Reading →
EDIT to this post: as you'll see if you check the comments to this post, someone has informed me that in fact the Girl Scouts/Guides had nothing to do with the suing of Men at Work and in fact it was an Australian publishing company called Larrikin Music that pursued the suit. I apologize to... Continue Reading →
One night in the early '80s I found myself at a club in Montreal called Cafe Campus, dancing furiously to the live scratching of a hiphop DJ from New York, Grandmixer DST, and his MC crew, The Infinity Rappers. It was en event I will never forget, my first exposure to live hiphop, and blindingly... Continue Reading →
YOU ARE YOUR MEDIA 