I started to write this post yesterday as part of my ongoing attempt to deal with and understand my grief over Bowie's death. Then I woke up this morning to the news of Alan Rickman's death. Another hero gone. Also just 69 years old. Cancer, again. Fuck cancer. Fuck it straight to hell. First Lemmy,... Continue Reading →
Remembering David Bowie
David Bowie is dead. Those words don't seem real yet. I can't make myself believe them. My husband sat on the edge of the bed this morning and told me to stay in bed as long as I could. I asked why. He said today was a day I would want to put off as... Continue Reading →
Riot Fest 2015, aka The Return of Mudfest!
It's been interesting watching Riot Fest evolve over the three years I've been attending. The first year, it was still at Fort York. The past two years, it's been held at Downsview. Last year, we got four stages instead of two and a corresponding larger number of bands. Toronto still lacked a lot of the... Continue Reading →
My Custom Schedule for Riot Fest Toronto 2015
Source: Rock 'n Roll Animal - Custom Schedule for Riot Fest Toronto 2015 Yessiree, Riot Fest 2015 is almost here. I've got all my "must see" bands planned out, with lots of spare time built in to relax in the shade, check out new bands and take in the circus sideshow. The weather looks to... Continue Reading →
Riot Fest Toronto 2014, or The Weekend of MUD
Riot Fest 2013 was my first Riot Fest. I bought a single day ticket and rocked out under the sun at Iggy and The Stooges, Dinosaur Jr., Rocket From The Crypt and The Replacements. Riot Fest moved to Downsview Park for 2014, which meant 4 stages instead of one. Which meant a LOT more bands.... Continue Reading →
My own private Coachella
If I designed a music festival, it would look like this. I could have done several more of these and I may yet. It's one hell of a fun way to kill an evening with a glass of wine. Want to create your own? Go to Create Your Lineup.
Review – Upside Down: The Creation Records Story
After a week of subzero temperatures, I've ended up with a cold. Not having a ton of energy yesterday, I spent the afternoon curled up on the couch with one of my cats while I treated myself to a viewing of Upside Down: The Creation Records Story. It's available on the US version of Netflix... Continue Reading →
Review: The Last Pogo Jumps Again
The Last Pogo was a documentary, made and released in 1978, about the supposed "last ever punk show" at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. It's easy to laugh about it 25 years later. I've been to many a punk gig at the 'Shoe and hope to attend many more. Back in 1978, punk gigs were... Continue Reading →
RIP Lou Reed – You’re just a shooting star
RIP Lou Reed. I'm trying to remember when I first heard your name. It must have been sometime in the 80s, when I was getting into music, into new wave, punk, postpunk, and every new artist I fell in love with seemed to mention your name. Maybe it was that biography of Bowie, with the... Continue Reading →
Link round-up: JAMC, Vince Clarke covers DM, Noise Baptism podcast
I love this interview. Interviewer: "Have you stopped using drugs?" Jim Reid: "Is Jack Daniels a drug?" Also, possible new JAMC album. If William and Jim don't kill each other first. http://whopperjaw.net/jesus-and-mary-chain/ Check out this sample from a chilling sample of Depeche Mode's "Fly On The Windscreen" by former DM member Vince Clarke and Ane... Continue Reading →
Rock 'n' Roll Animal 