vmt: hip hop edition

Packing today. Got to start sometime, right? I opened my windows and I checked out a few old CD's before I put them into boxes. Hip Hop always knows how to make a stressful situation easier. While I was packing, I got that itch to mix some tunes together and make a mixtape. I was inspired. Here's my second Virtual Mixtape or as I will call it for now on, VMT - A Hip Hop version. Full of classic old school tracks, to new underground and obscure stuff. Enjoy this virtual beatdown on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Cheers.



-It Ain't Hard to Tell - Nas
-Whenimonthemic - The Lootpack
-Sparkdala - Madlib feat. Quasimoto
-America's Most Blunted - Madvillain feat. Quasimoto
-Fallin' - Teenage Fanclub feat. De La Soul
-Ain't No Half Steppin' - Big Daddy Kane
-Show and Prove - Big Daddy Kane
-The Choice is Yours - Black Sheep
-I Can't Get with That - Jay-Z
-Who Got The Props? - Blackmoon
-Hey Young World - Slick Rick
-Everything Man - Talib Kweli
-Where It Started At - Hi-Tek Feat. Jadakiss, Papoose, Talib Kweli, Raekwon
-Wonder Years - Mc Lyte feat. DJ Premier
-Love Thirst - Jean Grae
-It's A Shame - Moni Love
-21 Years - Choclair
-On Wit Da Show - Kardinal Official
-On The Road Again - The Jungle Brothers feat. Q-Tip
-Won't Do - J Dilla
-What They Do - The Roots
-The What - Notorious B.I.G feat. Method Man
-Shadowboxin' - GZA feat. Method Man
-Second Round KO - Canibus
-Momma Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J
-Where Are They Now - Nas

day 69

Day 69. At first counting the days helped me get to the next day and then the day after that and then the following days after that but now, it's just a way to be proud of myself. A good way to say look at me, I haven't had a pint or a rum and coke for this long. It's not that I don't need support and the mental cheer section because I do but now, it's so much easier than it was say 60 days ago. Tomorrow will be 10 weeks without any alcohol consumption and it looks like I'll hit 100 days without a problem. The thing is though, I look at others who try to cut down their alcohol intake and realize how addicted they are to the substance. There's nothing wrong with that at all. Hell, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't been able to go this long a year ago. It was just the right time for me. And they have to find a good time for them. For me, It was a time when I felt I was emotionally a drugged out heroine addict bent over in the sewers looking for loose change to buy my next dose and saw my own reflection in the fresh puddles below me and when I did I didn't like what I saw. Addiction creeps up on you until it's too late and you find yourself stealing money or being sick because you can't get that hit - in whichever form it may come in. I also realized how much more freedom I have since I quit drinking. Freedom like how an abused women might feel after she kicks out the guy who hit her everyday or like how an x-con might feel after being outside for the first time in years. Yeah, I do compare my addiction to being hit everyday and being in jail. Anything that has more power over yourself is abuse. Abuse to your mental and emotional self. Now, I feel like there isn't anything - person, thing, or substance that's controlling me or my thoughts. It's good to be free..


I don't want to ramble and sound like an after school special, but all I would like to say is that if you would like to quit, don't wait till you're that bum on the street looking at your reflection in the puddles but know when it's your time to quit. When you know you absolutely don't want to depend on it anymore. When you know that it's taking over your life. When you know it's Time. Only you will know, and it's only you who can keep it going. Day 69 didn't come without any urges or late nights waking up in sweats because I wanted just one shot or glass of some type of liquid sensation, it came with constantly reminding myself that if I were to cave in I would fall right back into that trap and again, become that guy I didn't like.

It's a tough road, but very rewarding when you conquer it.

planet b-boy..

While everyone is taking the journey to the cinema to watch the guy movie of the summer or the girl flick of the year, I much rather go check out Planet B-Boy and I urge you to do the same, too. The brainchild of Toronto born filmmaker Benson Lee, the film "will take you inside the international, underground b-boy scene happening today in Japan, France, Germany, South Korea, and the United States" The film will also "explore the most compelling stories and characters of five of the best b-boy crews from around the globe as they prepare to face off at the Battle of the Year - one of the most prestigious b-boy events in the world, held annually in Germany that serves as the World Cup of b-boying. Along the way", the film plotline continues, the film "will gain a poignant insight into their lives, their friends and families, and their unique cultural and social situations that drive them to devote their entire lives to the dance".

Planet B-Boy was named the second highest rated film at this years Hot Docs Festival determined by the audience who filled out ballots at the show.

It's been a while since there's been a good Hip Hop documentary that the culture can use as a teaching tool for the upcoming B-Boys and Girls. Be sure to check it out if you respect the culture and the movement of break.

Planet B-Boy opens at Royal Theater tonight. Below is a list of screening times.

SCREENING TIMES:
Tonight @ 7pm and 9:15pm
Tomorrow @ 7pm and 9:15pm
Sunday June 1st @ 4:30pm, 7pm and 9pm
Monday June 2nd @ 7pm
Tuesday June 3rd @ 9:20pm
Wednesday June 4th @ 9:20pm
Thursday June 5th @ 7pm

happy birthday, chum.

May 27th, 1957 marked the birth of not only a radio station, but a lifestyle that spun Toronto teens into a whole new culture that was surrounded by DJ's that were known as celebrities, wacky contests and trying to sneak into the studios to meet such artists as Elvis, The Beatles and the Osmonds. It wasn't only the artists that made 1050 CHUM - The CHUM it was also the announcers. The guys behind the microphone who brought charisma, personality and creativity to the radio Show.

On May 27th 1957, Owner Alan Waters flipped CHUM's format to TOP 50 - a format that was working in the States. They used Elvis' All Shook Up as the song to introduce the format flip. The station began its rule on top of the radio dial until the mid-80's when FM stations and main AM rival CFTR took over with higher numbers. The station quickly made another format flip and re-branded themsleves as Favorites of Yesterday and Today. By '89 they made another flip and became an oldies station targeting the ears that made them the Toronto landmark they are today.


Happy 51st CHUM!

dreamin' about the crush..

Another weird dream that got me thinking. I wake up in a bed. I turn around and there's a girl beside me but not just any girl. It's her. My Hollywood crush. Kirsten is sleeping with her back to me. I assume that she knows I'm there so I try to hug her, but I can't. Something is keeping me back. I don't feel like It's the right time. Don't know why. I get up and walk around. I'm in a house. Seems like it's early morning. Everyone is there. I see a couple of my buddies and my cousins and a couple of friends. Everyone is just waking up. Everyone looks hung over or really really tired. One or the other. I walk back to the room and Kirsten is still sleeping. I get back into the bed and try to sleep. I roll over and just stare at Kirsten. I'm half awake at this time, thinking to myself that this is such a great dream and that I better stay asleep. Doesn't work. I wake up.

Then the strangest thing happened.

I fall back asleep a few moments later and I'm right back at that moment where I'm lying down on the bed looking at my cute soap starlet. Still can't seem to hold her. Still don't know why. I'm just looking at her. She rolls over and looks at me. She mumbles something. Not sure what and gets up. I wake up again.


Odd dream. Don't know what to make of it. It's not everyday where I can wake up and fall back asleep and get right back at that same moment where I left it off and it's not everyday that I dream about her. All in all it was a great dream, but got me thinking.

old school: run dmc..

Old School is a new feature on the site where I'll post some vintage videos of anything that I feel like. To kick it off, here's a live performance from the legendary RUN DMC on some kind of variety show.

axl foley lives!

It's official. Eddie Murphy has signed on to be Axl Foley one more time in Beverly Hills IV. On the heels of successful retro movies coming back for one more run, the thought of another Cop flick came after the success the Indiana Jones series is seeing at the box office with the movie's opening numbers coming in at a blockbustering $152 million in its first five days in domestic release. The previous three Bev Hill movies grossed $735 million in theaters worldwide. The movie is set to go into production next year with a 2010 release date.

summertime songs..

Today while making lunch, I blasted the radio and listened to a few great summertime songs. Songs that might not be about summer, but they just put you into that mood for shinny sunny days sitting outside by the old barbi and drinking a cold beverage. Here are some of my favorite summertime tunes about summer.


-Pieces of my Heart - Janis Joplin
-Get Back - The Beatles
-Steal My Sunshine - Len
-Summertime - DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince
-Sitting on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
-Hotel California - The Eagles
-Summer Nights - Olivia Newton John and John Travolta
-Summer in the City - Lovin' Spoonful
-Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks
-Spill the Wine - Eric Burdon and War
-Under The Boardwalk - The Drifters

love thirst - jean grae

Here's a track from Jean Grae that was to appear on her Jeanius album which was never officially finished but was leaked around the net. At a recent record release party, Jean did reveal that the record was going to be finished and that her follow up album called Phoenix was set to go into production with no set street date.

Anyhow, here's Love Thirst - yet another good track from the tag team of Grae and beatmaker 9th-Wonder.

gawker...

I was introduced to Gawker last week. The site is said to be an online recourse for media gossip and pop culture around the clock. I've become a loyal subscriber to the site ever since. The writing is witty, smart and intelligent - which is hard to do when you're dealing with stuff like news from the Hills set or reporting about traumatized employees who sue Fox News for bedbug attacks. However trivial or dumb-witted their news seem to be, they report it in a clever manner which makes it sound intelligent to know the daily dishes from Hollywood and between the rag sheet covers. They even tackle harder issues like how to make Sharon Stone shut up . If you want good reading or just a quick update on what's going on in pop culture, check out the site. You'll become an addict very fast. I promise.

hiero, yo!

It's been announced that Hieroglyphics will be here in Auguest as part of the groups Ten Year anniversary tour.

million dollar bash

I don't read that much. I'm a pretty picky reader however what makes me want to read are biographies. Usually of the music and wrestling kind. Million Dollar Bash should be the next book I pick up, even though I already have a huge Bob Dylan scrapbook, it's promised that the Dylan story hasn't ever been told like this. Author Sid Griffin "tells the story of the basement tapes, a strange series of recordings made by Bob Dylan when he went on the lam in the summer of 1967" Griffin also asks "the question that has intrigued Dylan fans for nearly 40 years: why were the tapes so different from the music Dylan had made up to that point?"

Should be an interessting read. By the way, my birthday is coming up in July.

go to rehab and come out gay..

Did rehab change Lindsay Lohan's sexuality? The rumors have been confirmed that the starlet is seeing her gal-pal DJ Samantha Ronson. Former publicist Jonathan Jaxson wrote in his blog "Lindsay actually has always been quite open. Maybe she was tired of the boys and that is why she decided to spice it up with BFF (best friend forever) Samantha Ronson" He continues by saying "Now I would have no bad things to say about either if Samantha wasn't deeply involved in alcohol and drugs. Not the best influence for a rehabbed Lindsay Lohan."

20 year old Lohan is set to start filming The Best Times of Our Lives - a biopic about poet Dylan Thomas where she and co-star Keira Knightly protray lovers. The movie will start shooting in England next month.

lilly goes topless

Lilly Allen , the english singer/songwriter/TV star was found topless during her trip to South France. The cute blondie started off her sunbathing date in a skimpy black bikini until she lost the top all together. Photos soon hit many blogs and gossip pages while quoting the singers recent attack on stars who post nude to gain easy fame. Meanwhile gossipers were also humming about a male companion that was seen with the 23 year old. Allen soon came out to say that he was just a friend. To check out all the topless pics of Lilly you can go here.

virtual mixtape

I think this will be a new feature. Maybe not. Let me know know if you want it to be and I'll do it more often. I know my friends always look at me as the music guy and they come to me for some good tunes - old, new, underground, popular, obscure, rare golden digs. Any type of genre. Just good music, I guess. Enter this new feature of me creating a virtual mixtape where I'll post some of my favorite tunes at the moment for you to check out. Post some of your recommendations. Let me know if I got you hooked on a new sound or band or singer or type of genre. As long as I was able to inspire, I know I've done my job. So here's my first virtual mixtape. Enjoy.


1)Laundry Room - D-Sisive
2)Man's World - Guilty Simpson
3) It's a man's World - James Brown
4) Supersition - Stevie Wonder
5)I got a Women - Ray Charles
6) Protection - Massive Attack
7) Overcome - Tricky
8) Being Boring - Pet Shop Boys
9) One Evening - Feist
10) It's All Over - Ohio Players
11) The Red - Jaylib
12) 1980 - Estelle
13) Frontin - Jamie Cullum
14) Blue Monday - New Order
15)Elevate My Mind - Stereo MC's

happy birthday, mr. rogers

Ted Rogers turned 75 today. The man considered as the most powerful media guru in Canada, started his empire when he bought all the shares in local FM station CHFI at a time when only a minuscule five percent of households had FM transmitters. That was in 1960. Five years later, he got into the cable business and Rogers Communications has since grown as Canada's largest media conglomerate.

Since his early days Rogers has become the kingpin of hundreds of Canadian radio and TV stations including most recently the CITY-TV chain of stations and the Jack format line in the northern land. He also became the proud owner of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2000.

Ted Rogers is truly a Canadian treasure. Here's to many more birthdays, Ted.

cheer up, kirsten

The lovely Kirsten Dunst has revealed that she was in that rehab center last year due to depression and not for drugs or alcohol.


“It was a good six months before I decided to go away,” Dunst told E Online during a lunch break on the set of her current film All Good Things. “I was struggling, and I had the opportunity to go somewhere and take care of myself. I was fortunate to have the resources to do it. My friends and family thought it was a good idea, too. But I didn't know where to go. My doctor recommended Cirque Lodge.” Dunst added, “There’s been a lot of misrepresentation about what is going on in my life, and it’s been very painful for my friends and family,” she says. “Everyone feels like they have to defend me. They hear the rumors, and it puts them in a defensive position. Now that I’m feeling stronger, I was prepared to say something.”


Cheer up, Kirsten. We miss that smile of yours.

roseanne quotes...

Roseanne is most likely one of my top all time favorite TV shows. It's one of those sitcoms where I can quote almost every episode I watch but still find it as funny as I did the first time I watched it. Some parts still touch my heart, and some parts still make me crack up - like when they smoked pot. Thought I'd dig up some of the best quotes from the series for your laughing pleasure.


Darlene: Trust me, he goes in that room cause it's the only one with a lock on it, and he's in there for like an hour at a time. Which means he's either really, really good at it, or really, really bad at it!
Roseanne: Well I don't want you to give him any grief about this, ya know, cause you could traumatize him and turn him into a serial killer!
Darlene: Well don't worry, how much damage could he do with only one free hand?



Dan: What a beautiful day - the kind of day that starts with a hearty breakfast and ends with a newsreader saying, "... before turning the gun on himself."



Roseanne: This is why some animals eat their young.



D.J.: Was I an accident?
Roseanne: No, D.J., you were a surprise.
D.J.: Oh. What's the difference?
Roseanne: Well, an accident is something that you wouldn't do over again if you had the chance. A surprise is something you didn't even know you wanted until you got it.
D.J.: Oh. Was Darlene an accident?
Dan: No, Darlene was a disaster.



Darlene: To whom it concerns, Darlene's work will be late/ It fell on her pancakes and stuck to her plate./ To whom it concerns, my ma made me write this/ And I'm just her kid, so how could I fight this./ To whom it concerns, I lost my assignment/ Maybe I'll get lucky, solitary confinement./ To whom it concerns, Darlene's great with the ball/ But guys don't watch tomboys when they're cruising the hall./ To whom it concerns, I just turned thirteen/ Too short to be quarterback, too plain to be queen./ To whom it concerns, I'm not made of steel/ When I get blindsided my pain is quite real./ I don't mean to squawk, but it really burns./ I just thought I'd mention it, to whom it concerns...



Roseanne: [their father has just died] Okay, that's it. I can't do it anymore, you call the rest of the family list.
Jackie: I can't call people, Roseanne!
Roseanne: Jackie... dial!
Jackie: I'm supposed to be in mourning.
Roseanne: Well then wear a veil over your face while you do it!
Jackie: [dials the phone] Hello, Auntie Barbara? It's Jackie... Jack-key! Yes. I'm fine... Fine!... I'm fine!... I got some bad news... Dad isn't with us anymore. I said Dad has passed away... He's passed away!... Dad is gone... Dad's dead!... He's dead!... No... DEAD!... DEAD! DEAD!... No, he's fine, he sends his love!
[hangs up]
Jackie: I am not doing that again, you can't make me!





Roseanne: [When Roseanne and Dan are contacting their insurance at the hospital while Darlene was having her appendex removed] Roseanne: Conner. C as in cat. O as in oof! N as in numb skull! N as in nit wit! E as in empty headed! R as in *target*.





Roseanne: I realized that my dreams of being a writer wouldn’t just come true; I had to do the work. And as I wrote about my life, I relived it, and whatever I didn’t like, I rearranged. I made a commitment to finish my story even if I had to write in the basement in the middle of the night while everyone else was asleep. But the more I wrote, the more I understood myself and why I had made the choices I made, and that was the real jackpot. I learned that dreams don’t work without action; I learned that no one could stop me but me. I learned that love is stronger than hate. And most important, I learned that God does exist. He and/or She is right inside you, underneath the pain, the sorrow, and the shame. I think I’ll be a lot better now that this book is done.

rip sydney pollack

Hollywood has lost one of its legends. Sydney Pollack was 74. Here's a clip from one of his most well known of pieces of work - Tootsie.

amy to front bond track..

Now that she is clean, Amy Winehouse has officially stated that she'll be doing the theme for the next James Bond film. Winehouse has made an acoustic demo of the track and has given it to Mark Ronson to beautify it. However, it's the Bond people who'll have the final say on who belts out the theme. Rumors say that Beyonce is also up for the gig.

In other Winehouse news, she's up to play Glastonbury and is slated to go on right before headliner Jay-Z.

i get around - dragonette

ongoing tales of the hogan clan..

It's been a while since the Hogan clan saw good days. It seems like that every week something happens to them. Just a few days back, Hulk and Brooke were part of a car accident which caused a seven car pile up. Meanwhile, son Nick is trying to pull a Paris and get out of his jail home and be put under house arrest. Hulk is also taking some heat about revealing that his Hit TV reality series wasn't so much reality but scripted.

The sad thing about this whole thing is that the more that goes down, the more we find out about the truth about the family and how much they're not like what we saw on TV. I feel sorry for everyone who grew up watching Hulk and thinking he was a stand-up guy. from the tapes that have been going around the net, he seems more like a ruthless heel rather than a gentle babyface.


We still do wish the family brighter days, though. Keep your heads up, guys. Soon enough things will look better, Brother.

another new not so new dream

I had another weird dream the other night. But this time it isn't too new. It's a recurring dream I've been having for as long as I can remember. Since I was a kid. It surprised me that I had it because it's been a long while since I had one of these odd ones.

I would dream that I'm trapped in a room and need to get out. Then I would wake up thinking I'm still in this room and try to escape. I would put on my clothes, my glasses, turn on the lights, and then open the door. It would take me a few minutes to realize that I'm in my room safe and sound and that I was just dreaming.

Well, the other night, I had the same type of dream but this time I thought that I was in a nightclub and that the party was happening downstairs. I woke up thinking that I was late for the party. I got up from bed and got dressed, put on my glasses, then I put on the lights and opened the door. I walk to the stairs when I realize that it was just one of those dreams and needed to head back to bed.

I often think that these dreams symbolize that I'm about to head into a new direction in life or that I'm trapped somewhere in my life. These kinda make sense but don't. We'll have to see what happens.

rip camu tao

Rapper/Producer Camu Tao has died from Cancer . Part of the Def Jux label, Tao was part of S.A Smash and the Weatherman and was one half of a production team with former Company Flow member, El-P.

sunday is movie night..

Sunday's are good because they show the best retro flicks on the tele. Right now I'm watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Thought I'd check out some trivia about the classic flick. Here are some that I came up with..


* Cameron's father's Ferrari wasn't a real Ferrari. Because it was too expensive to rent one, they made three fake ones with a fiberglass body.

* Grace the Secretary pretending to be Ed on the phone call was improvised.

* When the Ferrari crashed, the fiberglass hood ripped, but branches were put over the rip to make sure the camera didn't record it.

* A number of key moments in the movie were created in the editing room: Jeannie kicking Rooney three times in the face (when there was in fact only one kick filmed); Ferris and Sloane's kiss in front of Roonie was originally just a brief kiss, but was later edited into the long "incestuous" kiss seen on film.

* To produce the desired drugged-out effect for his role as the drug addict in the police station, Charlie Sheen stayed awake for more than 48 hours before the scene was shot.

* Ferris wears a different outfit in each scene before he and Cameron go to pick up Sloane.

* Cindy Pickett and Lyman Ward, who played Ferris's parents, married in real life after filming this movie.

* Mia Sara says that Matthew Broderick actually tickled her feet and knees to get her to laugh naturally in the taxicab scene.

* Alan Ruck was 29 years-old when he played the role of Cameron.

* The line Ferris says in the bathroom at the French restaurant about Cameron's house being very pretty and very cold was originally supposed to be said by Allison in The Breakfast Club (1985) regarding her home life.

* Ferris's sampler/synthesizer is an E-MU Emulator II.

* During the parade several of the people seen dancing (including the construction worker and the window washer) originally had nothing to do with the film. They were simply dancing to the music being played and John Hughes found it so humorous that he told the camera operators to record it.


* The poster behind Ferris Bueller's bed is of Bryan Ferry.

* John Hughes wrote the script in six days.

* Even though they played siblings, stars Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Grey would later become engaged after this movie.

* The short scene with the coughing keyboard was actually improvised by Matthew Broderick. This is explained in the commentary on the DVD.

* Matthew Broderick improvised the scene and the line with the clarinet: "Never had ONE lesson!"

* The scene in which Sloane and Ed Rooney are standing outside, waiting for Mr. Peterson, the school in the background was John Hughes's old high school.

sittin' down with circle research..

We virtually sat down with Circle Research last week to chat about hip hop, the new record Who? and other stuff.
Here is what down. If you'd like to find out more about CR you can check out the EPK below. Here's what went down..



F - How are you today?

CR- Astro: Alert, feeling good!
Nik : Tired, but happy that the weather is nice


Fame - What were you listening to today?

CR - Astro: Galt MacDermot At Home , Little Barrie At The Gym
Nik: J Dilla Pay Jay unreleased album


F - Any new digs?

CR - Astro: Raspberry croissants from Clafouti
Nik: The new Circle research studio


F - I guess everyone knows already that you're from Circle Research based out of Toronto and I'll have everyone check out the EPK to find out the background behind how you guys got together so I'll just ask you this - if you weren't doing what you're doing now, what would you be doing?

CR - Astro: writing and directing film or starting a family
Nik: Breakdancing, in the eye glasses biz, Or run my own Vintage Clothing Boutique


F - Do you think being a hip hop artist or producer in the states would've been easier than being one in Toronto?

CR - Astro: Way more competition in the states, at least in Toronto it's easier to get press and there are more opportunities for grants, etc..
Nik: Yes it would be easier, because Hip Hop is not canadian culture


F - Speaking of the scene, how do you think it's grown over the past decade or so? and I'm talking about the culture sense of it. All four elements.

CR - Astro: I was at the Bboy Unit 2008 battle and bboying is definitely the most exciting aspect of Toronto hip hop right now.
Nik:More awareness, and more people involved



F - We already know you did some breaking in the past from your EPK, However, have you done any other parts of the hip hop elements and if not, why not?

CR - Astro: It's always been DJ'ing and making beats. I wish I could rap or do graf, but let's face it - I suck at that shit.
Nik: I guess we have done everything except Graff. – Dj , breakin, MC’in and producing.


F - What do you think of the statement Hip Hop Is Dead?


CR - Astro: it's a cliche
Nik: Hip Hop IS Dead. Of course people still make hip hop music and rap music. But its not the same Hip Hop we were passionate about. Diggin for records and trying to NOT sound like the next man. Now it seems like people take pride in bitting the popular top 40 sound and everyone is OK with it. As far as I’m concerned in terms of the music the BEATS are the only pure form left.


F - I guess you can say you guys are underground. Don't know if you except that line or not or that you're backpacker kinda music. What type of label wouldn't you except?

CR - Astro: Yeah, I guess we're underground, but why does mainstream have to have a bad connotation to it? I don't listen to backpacker music, so i don't know why we'd be labelled as such. I don't even listen to hip hop much.
Nik: Wouldn’t expect to be labeled TOP 40, or Adult contemporary


F - What wouldn't Circle Research ever be?

CR - WACK!


F - How how did you come up with the name Who?. Thinking it's because maybe you think no one knows you in Toronto but that would be odd since I think you guys are pretty popular..

CR - Astro: We're not just thinking Toronto anymore. We think on a global scale. That's why we signed to a German label.
Nik: Exactly. We came up with WHO? because after so many releases people still don’t know WHO we are.


F - You also have a radio show online or podcasted. What made you leave community radio to go online? Have you gotten feedback on how many more people have tuned in? What has the response been like?

CR - The response is good, but it's still in it's infancy. Now we're getting an international listenership. People love our sense of humor!


F - Speaking of your radio show, at the beginning of it there's a little bumper where you have a bunch of people saying Circle Research. The first time I heard it I thought it was pretty fresh. Can you name all of the people who did that drop for you?

CR - Astro: We got everyone from Tash, Saukrates, Rahzel, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Flomaster, too many to name.
Nik: we actually recorded most of those in like '96 '97 '98, we have Lord Finnesse, Dj Serious, Dj Grouch, Diamond D, Smiff n Wesson.


F - Anything else to plug? if so plug away.

CR - Check out the remix we did for the Insideamind 12". It's called A Matter of Time. We're also working on new beats!

west bev gets degrassi high star

Canada is loosing yet another young talent. Degrassi's goody two shoes Shenae Grimes is set to head up the new cast of version two of 90210. Check out the trailer for the new version of the West Bev Snobs.

cassette from my ex..

Remember cassettes? I recently found one with a bunch of my old radio appearances on it. Must've been from the early 1990's. When I found it, I had to look all around the house and dig through old boxes in the basement to find a tape player. It was even hard to find a ghetto player that came with tape decks in the house. Have we digitally progressed so fast? I guess. Anyway, I finally found one and put in the tape. It was full of my old bits from CFTR and MIX and even one from CFNY. Along with the radio bits were little snipbits of old radio shows I used to tape and me trying to pre-tape the little radio show I used to host from my bedroom. The memories came flashing back so fast from the times that seemed so much easier.

This is why I found Cassette from my Ex to be such a cool site. The blog style page is full of stories sent in my heartbroken ex loves talking about their old relationships while they share an old tape that they received from their ex. Neat, huh? Yeah. I thought so, too. The mixtapes are pretty good and so are the stories.

If you have time check out the site and let me know what you think.

apartment story - the national

things that make you go hmmmm...

Chocolate Anus? Bisous have made a chocolate that looks very much like your butt. The site raves that the chocolates are created with one thing on our mind: to produce a combination of taste and touch that takes you to chocolate anus heaven.

Reviews for the new sugar delectable include Thanks for the Incredible Silver Anus, it was a wedding gift and self-confessed anal-choco-holic, excellent fix! speedy delivery, supa service.

No word on the site of how much an ass would go for as the store is closed till later on this month. Office closed due to gas fumes I suppose?

simpsons cast looking for more doh!!

While Fox has added the staple show to their schedule for next season, we still don't know how many episodes we'll be seeing. Talks between the cast of The Simpsons and the studio are still going on. The main voices of the epic cartoon series are demanding a hefty raise from $350,000 per episode to $500,000 plus bonuses. If we don't see a resolution we might have to settle with just 20 new shows next year rather than the usual 22.

If a show can still deliver in ratings and laughs and bring up two generations on quick witted comedy and smart humor, I say give them as much dough they want. What they're asking for is just peanuts compared to what the likes of past classic TV show cast members asked for and I think The Simpsons have done much more for modern pop culture than any of those shows and not to mention that the Simpson vehicle has already made more than $7 Billion

Oh yeah, did ya hear about the new Simpsons ride?



I think the cast that has brought to life some of the most loved cartoon drawings in history deserve more. Some might call it selfish, others might call it good business.

port's hills..

I don’t know why celebrities have to go to The Ivy to eat. It’s already been documented how the LA eatery is the breading ground for gossip gawking photo-hounds. Or is that the reason why they go? One of the more `with it’ stars from MTV’s The Hills, Whitney Port got her moment of fame while dinning at the Hollywood hotspot last week. Seems like her nipple wanted to come out and have some lunch, too. To check out the pics go here - until the next lunch special comes along.

blame it on the rain..

not drinking..

I've gotten to the 8 week mark of not drinking. I think it's not about not trying to think to pick up a pint anymore but to just live. I've beaten that step where it's hard not wanting a drink. I just don't want one anymore. The smell bothers me, actually. Shots that used to make me feel good now make me want to vomit by its fume.

I've just reached another stage which I'm going to conquer.

one of them dreams again

I've been sleeping well lately. Not many more sleepless nights which also means that I've been dreaming. Here's one that I remember.

I'm sitting in a mall food court. The mall doesn't look too familiar. I sit down and there's a group of people at the table beside me. I know one of them. It's a girl I don't talk to anymore. I walk over to my table and put down my food. As I sit down, the girl runs over and sits down. She says hello. I say Hello. I can feel the tension in the air as it was the first time we're talking in a long while. We start to talk about old time. We start to walk around the mall. Suddenly we're joined by a friend of hers. I don't think I know him. He doesn't look familiar. She starts to run away from us. I think she's running away from me but it's him. She's running away from her friend. She goes through a set of doors and disappears. I run through the doors, too looking for her. She was hiding beside the doorway. Just playing a trick. She disappears again. This time for good. I wake up.

radio oh radio..

A few radio notes on your rainy long weekend.

If you don't understand how your station is never the number one station in town, check out Fred Patterson's latest blog about how the BBM works. Freddie P and myself share the same opinon on how ancient this way of trying to find out Toronto's best is and how it should be updated. However, I won't vent on here as I think Freddie did it for me, already. Check out Fred's page and while you're at it, you can also swing by his new page, too.

Could there be any tweaks or full out format flips coming to your top station? Stay tunned. One station has revealed in an industry magazine that they're looking for a Programmer who has a past in Top40 radio. Another station recently did a phone survey asking you about your radio habits and if you'd tune in if a talk station were on FM and if it were all traffic all the time. Sounds like the guys upstairs are around the table and getting ready for the big change. This is when radio gets exciting.


Been listening to a lot of John Moore recently. I think CFRB has the strongest lineup in the city right now be it music or talk format. A great balance of something for the old, young and wacky. From the morning run to the late night shenanigans, 'RB delivers a great variety of talkers. Too bad that the other stations have to talk about sports all the time, because one station at least has the potential to build a talent time clock that could compete with the Astral AM'er. Heck they already have a couple local talk legends. As I said before, it's time for the tweaks to come in to play, hopefully they'll be taking notes.

53 days

the new kids on the rich block

When I got word last last year that bigwigs were thinking of making a spin-off of 90's hit Beverly Hills 90210, I thought it was just a bad Hollywood rumor that would soon be squashed by one of the old rich kids. NOT. Looks like the studios are going full steam ahead on this one. According to Perez pictured above is the new cast.

We'll also see Jennie Garth and Torrie Spelling. Both blond bombshells need the money and have signed on to the new CW lovecom.

Wonder who will be one addicted to coke this time around. Or the one who will have a crazy raving stalker girlfriend and the guy who is rich but isn't happy because of his dead dad.


So bad, but still so good.

information society..

Every once and a while, I try to dig in the crates and dust off some rare old classic that didn't get enough airplay or did get more than enough airplay but it was so bad it was so good. I found one of those bad ones today. Information Society was a band from the 1980's who were known to fuse together hip hop, electro and dub with cheesy futuristic 80's type videos. Their breakout hit was 1988's What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) which hit number 3 on the US pop charts.

Here's Information Society with Walking Away which is one of their better tunes.

Enjoy.

so long chuck.

Last January I won a trip to go with the Toronto Raptors to check out a game in Philly. One of the perks of the contest was to have breakfast with Chuck. Yeah. The Chuck. I knew Chuck from his radio show on The Fan and as not much of a sports nut, I still thought his mid-day show was entertaining and worth checking out once in a while when I had that annoying sports-talk scratch. The morning of the breakfast, My dad, our tour guide and head of MLSE Promotions, the two other winners and myself sat down with Swirsky to talk ball. The humble broadcaster had a bunch of stories to share while his passion and love for what he does was very easy to read. In some ways, the breakfast with Chuck was the best part of the whole experience.

I'm glad I had a chance to meet him before he decided to head to Chicago.

Not since the days of Tom Cheek, I remember a sports play-by-play guy that's so loved and appreciated more than Chuck. He'll be missed in Toronto and we wish him the best at his new digs.

So Long Chuck..You did good.

turn the page..

Well you walk into a restaurant, strung out from the road,
You can feel the eyes upon you as your shaking off the cold
You pretend it doesnt bother you, but you just want to explode.
Most times you cant hear em talk, other times you can.
Oh the same old cliche, as that woman on her a man
You always see my number, you dont dare make a stand.
Here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.
Here I go, playing star again.
There I go, turn the page.

the love for chai

When I quit drinking I needed a new place to relax besides the bar. I chose Starbucks. I chose it because I know some people who frequent there and well, it was a pretty cool place to get creative. I never thought I would've been part of the Starbuck generation of nerdy desktop nerds and artists sitting there for hours over a couple cups of coffee s and a half a pack of smoke.

But I have. I've become one of Them.

During my early visits there, I started to get familiar with all the drinks. Hot, cold, sweet, or just plain old black dark roast. Nothing really stood out of the ordinary that made me want to crave the brand. Then I tried the Chai Latte. I got hooked. I went three days without it and I started to crave it. They got me obsessed.

However, I think it's more about the Chai itself rather than the branding of it even though I haven't tried any other coffee places versions of the tea, But I do know that I'm drinking much more of it at home.

Drop one addiction and pick up another, right?

At least this one won't make me into a madman.

Or will it?