CJSF, Vancouver & Farm Life

Eric Jong - www.jellyroll.ca

So I went and played the folk show “Melodies in Mind” on CJSF last week. A big thanks to host Ryan Fletcher for having me and a friendly “what up!” to all the performers who joined me - Ethan, Kaylee, Bowen and Jon. It was a great experience, and definitely one I won’t forget for a long time. I have reproved my Mom’s theory that I should never perform new songs until I’ve gotten them solid. A lesson learned there, methnks.

Vancouver was a trip, having Lindsay back for a visit was awesome. We hit the Railway for Rich Hope’s Honky Tonk Dance Party (the last Tuesday of the month,) and it was a gas. I honestly recommend checking that out, and fully endorse dressing the part. This guy does not mess around.

Wednesday we hit Hipster Karaoke at the Legion on Main and I won a free drink for my rendition of Billie Holiday’s “Ain’t Nobody’s Business”. I pretty much pwnz0r’d that night you might say… Although I offer a serious disclaimer to not sing *too* well as the creepy 70 year old doorguy will not let you alone after. I’ve never been propositioned by a veteran before, and I can say I felt oddly guilty for turning him down. Like I should have taken one for the team or something? *wince*

Today I’m building a teepee on the farm. My mom is back on this native spirituality trip again, so out come the drums and the pipe and the teepee. It’s all good though, atleast I’m never bored around here. ;D

tune in, turn on, tap out

hi everyone ;D
I’ll be playing live on CJSF tonight, on Melodies in Mind between 8 - 10 PM. You can find the station at 90.1 on your FM dial or plug this URL into your media player :

http://www.cjsf.ca/listen-hq.m3u

Happy Listening!

Egg Watch 2008 Finale!!

I dont know what I knew before

So life on the island is in full swing… I’ve been so incredibly busy I’ve not even thought about updating here. It’s a struggle just to get a few minutes to catch up on email, FB and pictures. I’ve been taking a lot of photo’s, having access to a great digital and video camera helps, i suppose ;D

I’m setting up a wireless network at home right now and finding myself so frustrated with PC’s and Vista in particular. *sigh*

My Dad is a dyed in the wool PC freak, totally anti-Mac and rather disdainful of my affections for my Macbook pro. I don’t think we’re seeing eye to eye on anything these days.

Work at the Pioneer House started today, they’ve upgraded to SquirrelOne, which is awesome. They were so out of date before, it makes serving so much easier when you have a good system to work on. So im making money there, and overseeing my German farmstay girl. We’re gonna go check out the local saturday market tomorrow.

I have plans for launching a local, 100% alpaca knitwear line. My mom and I have been crocheting up a storm, and I learned how to use the sock knitting machine. It’s sooooo fast. I can make a pair of legwarmers in about 10 minutes!! I have two outlets so far that want to carry my creations, so I’d better get that on the go. Designs are done. It’s going to consist of earthtone and natural colored fibres- hats, toques, felts, gloves, legwarmers, sock, arm warmers, scarves, ponchos and wraps. I’m pretty effing stoked!!

i go for mine, i gots to shine

Moving Day!  It’s a beautiful morning. Great moving weather, I’m so gonna enjoy the ferry ride back home! This is such a positive move for me, I really feel great about everything today. No more worries about leaving, just feeling relief. Time to wipe the slate clean and start again. Closing one chapter of my life and opening a brand new one! Welcome to the good life ;D 

  

different up here

I once dropped acid on a high rise scaffold traversing the currents 33 floors above your indifferent stare the air is different up here it’s cold. I spy far on dark city streets below off in the distance a spasm of blue light flashes once, twice inciting brain violence poison a predictable string of chemical reactions firing neurotransmitters like a sputtering fuse. can words bring salvation? an electrode to the skin short-circuiting my thoughts pulling the plug on reality  and the countless words for sin reverberate off the concrete curbs and refuse bins my veins are a highway mimicking a tv show a re-run with the color off and the sound low 

muxtape

hi all!so i’d love you to check out this brand new site called muxtape and see what you think! you can check out my muxtape and make your own. they’ve also added a muxtape index to the main page, which was lacking before. you can check out some other people’s tapes, and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and diversity of musical tastes out there. Definitely pleasing to see! good job everyone! ;D

Here are some of my favorites so far:

• Digdoug
• Boris
  
• Phineas
• Stumblepeach
  
• Muxtape Wiki

the lost food group

This past long weekend I journeyed to Vancouver Island to visit my family for Easter.  I’m beginning to see what my life might be like when I move back in less than a week. I felt like a balloon being slowly deflated. So maybe I made the wrong decision. Maybe I am running away. I gave myself a year to live and work over here after school and I guess things didnt really end up how I’d hoped. I wouldnt say I’ve failed, but I definitely havent lived up to my expectations. And I guess that is why I’m leaving.  I have so many things left to do in my life and I want to make an impact. The best way I can see to change the world is to continue my education, get the credentials so people will take me seriously (because no one takes me seriously enough,) and bring down the system from the inside. I guess the anarchist in me in kicking and screaming at the thought of being locked into yet another institution for 4+ years. I dont like rules. I like setting my own alarm. I don’t follow the crowd. I leave them shocked and confused as I wonder off solo in search of greener pastures.   In a way I can see my mind has gotten lazy, my self-discipline has gone soft and I’m looking forward to a little corporeal punishment.  I like whipping myself into a frenzy over exams, pulling all-nighters and discussing idiotic professors over coffee with my classmates. Life as a Student is one that I know well, and frankly- i like it. Maybe it’s perverse, but atleast it’s safe. I dont have to worry about paying rent on some stack of decaying bricks I dont even like, I can surround myself with wonderfully intelligent and often annoyingly contrary friends, just like me! I’m hoping I won’t feel like such a freak if I’m a freak with a law degree?   

video killed the radio star

oi!oi!
so last night was a ton ‘o fun at CJSF, student radio Simon Fraser. I tagged along to witness a session of Melodies in Mind, a folk/alternative show that happens every tuesday at 8pm. You can scoot over to their myspace to hear clips from last night’s “Myspace Round”.  It was rather good! I totally wanted to sit in and play with everyone but there was a lack of room in the sound booth. hehe. it was cozy in there, for sure! Anyways good news- the host Ryan has booked me for the show next month, April 29th, so I’m stoked to have that coming up. A good excuse to make adventures in the city and visit all my lovelies over here. Before I forget, I wanna send some love out to the performers from last night: Laura Artus (and her bassist, name escapes me,) Shera Kelly, Samantha Leigh Kelley and of course, Ryan. Everyone did a fantastic job and I would highly recommend checking them out. Go look at their pages, see when they’re playing and go see some live music.

Which leads me onto my next little rant, it’s about Vancouverites and live music. There are so many great musicians that are struggling in this town, just trying to get their names out there and make enough to eat and pay rent. Why dont people go see live music more? There’s no excuse for it. We have some of the best artists and venues in the world here. Places like the railway club, the biltmore, anza, rime, cafe deux soleils, media club, and more coffee shops that you can shake a stick at. Why does hardly anyone come out for these? And yet when a big name act comes to town people will shell out $100+ dollars for shitty seats, shitty sound and bands that are totally played out. it makes me really effin’ angry.

So that’s your mission. Go check out some of our great independent musicians in vancouver this week. You wont regret it!

Here’s some resources to find out what’s going down in your hood:

From Blown Speakers

Live Music Vancouver

Clubzone Vancouver

Ciao!

Flash Update!!

I will be accompanying my friend R.S. McLennan on CJSF 90.1 fm tomorrow night. The program is Melodies in Mind, starting at 8:00 pm. Be sure to tune in!  You can check out Ryan’s stuff here: http://www.myspace.com/northgatesounds