Chewing Bubblegum and Kicking Ass: An Interview With The Bicycles

Interviewed by Less Lee Moore

I saw The Bicycles play on my first trip to Toronto, in 2002. Impressed, I waited for news of a CD release. And waited and waited, along with the rest of their fans.

2006’s The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly was truly worth waiting for. It’s full of sweet—yet cheeky—infectious pop. After all, when a band wears matching t-shirts sporting the letter B, one could expect nothing less.
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Jonathan Coulton Feels Fantastic

Lula Loungue, Toronto ON
July 9, 2008

By Megashaun

The Lula Lounge in Toronto isn’t your typical rock show venue, but then again, Jonathan Coulton isn’t your typical rock star. The man has made a name for himself via Internet superstardom. He’s just a dude, really. No fat record company executive pushing him around, telling him what to play or what to look like. No. He’s just a former database programmer and Yale graduate who turned to making a living by making music. In what used to be part of his kitchen.
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They Are All, So Don’t Even Try: NXNE 2008 with Redd Kross

By Less Lee Moore

You have to understand. . .

There are things that I look forward to, things that I get excited about, and things that I Live For. Redd Kross is one of the latter.
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Summer in the City: Clothing Optional

By Katrina Armstrong

Some of us live in downtown Toronto and work hard. We work in industries where we don’t really have a chance to get away during the summer For example, at my company summer is the busiest time of year and no one is allowed to take vacation time between May and September. As a result, we feel trapped and stuck in a busy urban center. Well, not anymore. Just a seven-minute ferry ride away from downtown is the Toronto Island. Best known for Centreville, a children’s amusement park; Ward’s Island, a contentious area where people live; and the ever (un)popular Toronto Island Airport, Toronto Island harbors something spectacular, relaxing, and even a little sexy: Hanlan’s Point Clothing Optional Beach.
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54-40 Has Northern Soul: Q & A with Neil Osborne

By Megashaun

There are few Canadian bands who have been around as long as 54-40, and few who remain as consistently active. And as with many bands who’ve been around for any significant amount of time, they’ve gone through a few minor line-up (and wardrobe) changes. Their style, however, remains the same. While each 54-40 record has its own vibe, the songs are at their core heartfelt and sincere if not a little tongue-in-cheek from time to time.
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Top Five Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) Programs

By Nicole V.

One of Canada’s national treasures is the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, or the CBC. Since an early age, I’ve understood its reach across the country as a public broadcaster and have even referred to it as the lifeblood of the nation, a proclamation that is perhaps a bit dramatic (not to mention very nerdy), but for as long as I can remember the CBC has been both a television and radio staple in my life. Why so beloved?
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The Kids In The Hall: Live As They’ll Ever Be

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland OR
May 11, 2008

By Jemiah Jefferson

“What? Are they still around?”
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When You’re Not Excited, You’re Not a Fan: An Interview with Nardwuar the Human Serviette

Interviewed by Less Lee Moore

Because the United States tends to dominate the entertainment industry, frequently one will hear entertainers referred to as another “version” of a well-known American pop culture icon. That’s what makes Vancouver’s Nardwuar the Human Serviette so special. There is no American equivalent. He is unabashedly Canadian.
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Top Five Reasons I Love The Junos

By Nicole V.

We all know music award shows are boring. They’re too long and too formal, and even though the awards most people don’t care about are presented in the non-televised portion, it still feels like a lot of filler. Still, I always watch portions of both the Grammys and the Canadian version, the Junos, every year.
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From Assault Rifles to Guns ‘N’ Roses: A Conversation with Mike Small of The Meligrove Band

By Megashaun

My introduction to The Meligrove Band came on September 28, 2000. Some friends and I decided to catch a Sloan show and they were the opening act. Unfortunately I arrived late and only caught the last two songs of their set: a rousing rendition of Elvis Costello’s “Pump it Up” and their own mini-epic rock anthem show closer (which they still play), “The Victory.”
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