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Rumours and Speculation
I’m back, slightly better organized than I was last week. This is a proper newsletter. It was a long weekend, and I was buried in snow for most of it, so while I couldn’t really leave the house I managed to get ahead of the game with music and books. Got a busy week ahead and I’m excited to share some neat stuff.
Late last year in a bit of whimsy I threw my name in to be a Polaris Music Prize judge. They said they’d announce by the end of January, but zero. I’m sure it’s coming…soon…maybe.
I do think I’ve seen them creeping my website recently though, so hope is not lost. Hey Polaris team, if that’s you: Let’s do this.
Anyway, there’s enough here, onto the links:
Journalism!
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“We should start planning”
This NYT profile of the Murdoch family’s legal drama, If you haven’t seen it floating around out there, you will. It’s life imitating art imitating life.
I bet you say chai tea, too
This article about El Mocambo, a top 5 Toronto music venue, is a bummer (and not only because it keeps reffering to ‘the’ El Mocambo). It’s headed into receivership, and the dipshit that bought it ruined it. He admits it was a midlife crisis purchase: “I don’t have that background in the music business, other than going to shows.” Investment bankers, man.
Let’s get bored
This is an interesting piece about the value of boredom. I thought it would bring up the idea that kids are never bored anymore and what that might mean, but I guess someone else will write that one.
Pat Finnerty is back
Don’t let the delivery fool you, Finnerty knows a ton about music, even if you’re laughing too hard to hear him mock Machine Gun Kelly covering Country Roads. I didn’t know that song existed, but Finnerty makes it fun:
Judith Butler says a lot of smart stuff
Here’s an interview with Judith Butler (“Who’s Afraid of Gender?”) that’s worth your time. They cover gender issues, Trump 2.0, Palestine and other minor, conflict- issues.
lucky break seeks lucky break
indie-alt-folkster lucky break has been a blog fave for a long time, and she’s aiming for a Tiny Desk concert. The audition is a great version of “Red Balloon”.
Youtube sucks for creative people too:
I (rightly) harp on music streamers, but this piece on the economics of a YouTube channel is just as depressing.
Coming up this week
There are a bunch of new records in the queue, so look for Truman Sinclair or the Velveteers. I also spent the weekend listening to the new Heartworms album. It’s also gonna be genre fiction week, with some sci fi, a murder mystery and a quirky book I just loved.
