Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Halifax Is Burning :: S02E43 :: The Best of 2010



Well, as another year comes to an end, I sat down in the studio this week with my decade-long partner in crime, Nicole d'Entremont, to talk about some of the best local tunes of 2010. Unfortunately, since there was only an hour to get through all this stuff I had to leave a few choice numbers off the playlist including selections by Glory Glory Man United, Kuato, Quaker Parents, Bike Rodeo & Long Long Long - to name a few.

Anyways, I hope you had as much fun listening to the show this year as I did hosting it. 2011 will bring some great surprises including new segments, live performances, and great guests.

Enjoy the final 2010 of Halifax Is Burning!

December 28, 2010
(right click, "save as," upload to YouTube with your favorite cat videos)

TRACK LISTING
Jon McKiel - Motion Pictures
Writer's Strike - Bad Time
Gloryhound - TKO Tokyo
Radio Radio - Dekshoo
Boxer The Horse - Mary Meets The Pilot
Wintersleep - Encyclopedia
Thrush Hermit - In The Morning
Plumtree - Scott Pilgrim
Cousins - Nans
Bloodhouse - Digital Village
Cold Warps - Hang Up On You
Coco Et Co - State of Radio
Dance Movie - Carjack My Heart
Myles Deck & The Fuzz - Billy The Kid
The Superfantastics - Young Pups
Rich Aucoin - Undead

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Halifax Is Burning :: S02E42



If you ask Santa for a Red Rider air rifle, you're almost sure to shoot your eye out. However, if you ask him for the best in local Christmas tunes, well then you're in luck. Not only did I play some of my favorite local Christmas songs on the show this week, members of The O' By Gollies stopped by the studio to play some carols and talk about their new album, "Oi! Holy Night," which you can download for free HERE.

Make sure you download that album, and this episode, and have a safe and happy holiday season!

December 21, 2010
(right click, "save as," burn on as a CD for a stocking stuffer)

TRACK LISTING
Wintersleep - We Three Kings
The Superfantastics - Do They Know It's Christmas?
The O' By Gollies - The Little Drummer Boy
The O' By Gollies - Oh Holy Night (live in studio)
The O' By Gollies - Silent Night
In-Flight Safety - Fairytale of New York
The O' By Gollies - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (live in studio)
The O' By Gollies - Carol of The Bells
Boxer The Horse - Material Xmas
Ruth Minnikin - Fur Elise
Carmen Townsend - O Come All Ye Faithful
Rich Aucoin - Oh My God

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

'Twas The Night Before Christmas



Halifax is Burning correspondent Jean-Paul Joseph Marc-André à Billy à Michel sur Armand sent in a very special Christmas gift for all the show's loyal fans.

Here, for the first time ever, is an mp3 version of his re-interpretation of the holiday classic 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.

I've also posted the written version, so you can follow along.

DOWNLOAD HERE!

Merry Christmas!

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Jean-Paul Joseph Marc-André à Billy à Michel

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the boat
The only sounds stirring, were inside Jean-Michel’s throat
The boots were all placed on the heater with care
In hopes that friggen Santa Clause soon would be there

The boys were asleep in their bunks in the back
They saw visions of lobsters all caught in their traps
The wife was at home, probably drinking some booze
And I had just settled in on the boat for a bit of a snooze

When out on the ocean, there came a huge SLAM!!
I sat up in my bed, and I thought, “Oh ma Goddamn”
Away to the bow, well I went kind of slow
Took around on the deck, for something to throw

Well, the water was calm, there wasn’t a whale or a shark
Pretty well the whole damn ocean was pitch friggen dark
But out in the distance I saw, a little light and some snow
So I put the boat in gear, and away I did go

As I got close to the light, the boys they awoke
“Someone’s haulin our traps,” I said, and Francois lit up a smoke
“I’ll get the shotgun,” he cursed between puffs
“You don’t mess with my fishin’, I’m pretty damn tough”

As we got closer, the light started to glow
Down deep in the ocean, jeez, c’était ouellement beau
I lowered the trawl, to capture this thing
The ropes started to snap, like a tiny piece of string

The water got rough, gave us all quite a fright
And out of the ocean came a big beam of light
Like the stories in the Bible, the sea tore apart
The sky turned crazy colours, like some expensive piece of art

Behind the beam of light came sparkles and snow
Followed by a big giant sled, and a cheerful “Ho Ho Ho”
I saw reindeer, and presents – and, well, I had to hold on to my drawes
Cuz out of the ocean came goddamn Santa Clause

His hair was all white, and his belly was quite large
Bigger than Arnaud à Christien who’s got a stomach big as a barge
He had a big smile, grinned from ear to ear
And then he said something to me, I want you to hear

“Jean-Paul Joseph à Billy à Michel sur Armand”, he said with delight
“Thanks for finding me and my sleigh out in the water tonight
I crash landed you see, I caused quite a commotion
I think my brake pads were shot, and I slammed into the ocean”

“Then you came along, with your trawls and your gear
Well I tell you mister, you saved Christmas this year
So to thank you for your work, and I’ll grant you one thing
Whatever you like, Santa Clause will bring”
“Well gee,” I said to Santa, “that’s pretty damn kind
Things have been kinda tough for the boys on the grind
The prices of lobster have been too low to make cash
We’re driving to Halifax just to unload our stash”

“Don’t worry said Santa,” as he cranked up his sleigh
“From here on out, we’ll make those buyers pay
And lobsters will be on tables throughout the world
For Christmas supper for good boys and girls”

And with that he was gone, took off as fast as could be
Like a Ford F150, drivin’ in the grand prix
But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Halifax Is Burning :: S02E41



Still looking for that unique gift to give to that special someone for Christmas? Might I suggest Grant Lawrence's new book "Adventures In Solitude." I had the opportunity to read the book, which is full of great stories and memories from a remote BC paradise called Desolation sound, and then catch up with Grant to talk about his recent success as an acclaimed author. Check out the interview on this week's episode.

In the meantime, here are some words of praise for Grant's book:

“By turns hilarious, terrifying, profound and strange, Adventures in Solitude is the great lost Canadian adventure story; Swiss Family Robinson as if rendered by Ken Kesey in his youth, a kind of Lord of the Flies through a fog of BC chronic.”
- Dave Bidini, author of On A Cold Road, and Tropic of Hockey.

“Grant Lawrence is a raconteur extraordinaire. With Adventures in Solitude, he reinvents his rock’n’roll persona to become part Bruno Gerussi, part Stuart McLean, part David Cross… A harrowing and hilarious tale of how a zit-ridden nerd survived hippie orgies, family feuds, and a rugged Canadian coastline that defeated one of history’s greatest explorers.”
- Michael Barclay, writer, Macleans Magazine

“Wow! The details are different but the story is very similar to my own: Being dragged kicking and screaming to a remote location with the family as a child, later rejecting it and refusing to go for 15 years or so and then going back and trying to figure out what my problem was. Of course, I was on the east coast of Canada, I never allowed my parents’ house to be destroyed by teenage hooligans and my band was actually pretty good, but the themes are universal.”
- Chris Murphy, bassist, Sloan

December 14, 2010
(right click, "save as," send to your favorite book club member)

TRACK LISTING
Bird World - Swamp
Make No Gains - Write-Off Report
Bloodhouse - Endless Vacation
The Caravan - Alchemy
Buck 65 feat. Jenn Grant - Cold Steel Drum
The O' By Gollies - The Little Drummer Boy
Coco et. Co - Young Nation
Feature interview with Grant Lawrence
The Smugglers - Canadian Ambassadors
Spincycle Squared - My Love
Scribbler - My Old Lady
Grand Theft Bus - Do I Have To Dance?

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Halifax Is Burning :: S02E40



Wow. So much new stuff on the program this week. Bloodhouse! Olympic Symphonium! Laura Peek! Gloryhound! Coco et Co! and More!

Check it out.

December 7, 2010
(right click, "save as," upload as a sweet torrent)

TRACK LIST
Bloodhouse - Endless Vacation
The Olympic Symphonium - Settle Down
Coco et Co. - Young Nation
The Grass - Lucky
Static In Action - A Subtle Reminder
Tupperware Remix Party - Technobama
Gloryhound - TKO Tokyo
Gloryhound - Electric Dusk
Laura Peek - Stay Sharp
Al Tuck - Buddah
Superfriendz - Green Hand
Three Sheet - Far From Fiction
Dance Movie - Fail
Jon McKiel - Monster Of The Miramichi

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Halifax Is Burning :: S02E39



If you're out an about in Halifax this weekend, chances are you might be going out and supporting a series of great shows happening in support of the IWK. Crafts For Kids is a yearly event that raises money to buy craft and art supplies for kids at the IWK. All these shows are only $5, and a $15 donation will get you into every single show. Organizer of the events, Lindsay Allain, stopped by the studio this week to talk about the event. Seriously, go out and support this. If you can't make it out for one reason or another, then please make a donation to this awesome cause.

Check out this week's show:

November 30, 2010
(right click, "save as," send to your favorite crafter)

TRACK LIST
Carmen Townsend - Without My Love
In-Flight Safety - Crash/Land (Daniel Ledwell Remix)
Jon McKiel - Motion Pictures
Richard Lann - Skinny Love (Bon Iver Cover)
Dance Movie - Fail
Plumtree - Regret
Bloodhouse - You Was Wrong It Were Rad
Dog Day - Happiness
Bad Vibrations - We're Dead
Duzheknew - Moe
No Flyers Please - Moe
Quaker Parents - Layer Me Down
Glory Glory Man United - Pop Song Atomaton
Bikini Kill - I Hate Danger
Writers' Strike - Bad Time
Cursed Arrows - Chop You Up