Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Whoops forgot to put a title

This just came back to me. At the benefit I ran into Daniel Monteith. The Monteith Brothers are awesome guys. Brothers that grew up close in age to one-another and are super awesomely talented. I've raved about these guys a few times.
After I moved back I had met these two dudes at a local show (where else?), might have even been an All-Ages show because I think Daniel was still in high school... Anyhow, as I began talking to them and then seeing them play as a band, in other bands and busking it became quite clear how talented these two guys are and they are really just starting out.
I had not seen Daniel or Sean in a long time. I think maybe the last time might have been at Freedom 'Fest or When we played a show with them at the Boisetown arena. The guys in that time have completed another excursion into Ontario and Quebec and from Daniel says it went quite well. Coming back a second time of course they had all the people who enjoyed their first tour into those two provinces.
So at the benefit Daniel and I are standing around talking to some people and he says, "You know, Chris, my brother and I sit around and talk about you, quite frequently"... I don't remember all else what he said, but he was saying that there should be some kind of  'Chris Waddell' music award, that they both really admired my integrity with the music scene. Trying to swell an already swelled head.

I am sad that I can't give to the scene what I was and even then I felt I wasn't doing enough. But I just had too much going. I was spinning a lot of plates all at once and I had to give in. I'm very proud of what I did do in that time. The radio show, the contacts and interviews, new amazing music I got to hear and see, the friends and connections I got to make, the fun of doing a radio show. The music director job at the station and just really being part of CHSR and being able to give back to them, what they had given to me since I was around 13 years old. It was my pleasure but it was a lot of work, the music MD job and the radio show.
And the band. I'm super happy with what we accomplished and though we won't be likely playing live anymore, what we're going to do. As the plan is to record and album, have it released and then wrap it up. I don't want any loose ends at least not for me or for Glen and I think he agrees with me.
Though I did get in trouble with my own mouth and I've asked for forgiveness from those whom it was aimed at and I think they forgive me, we did really well again. I had blast every show we did, I loved every band we shared the bill with, it was great to see old fans again and make new ones/

When I started talkin to the guys about doing Wasteland Zombies reunion shows, it took some convincing. But being out and about more than the guys, when I moved back I was running into people who knew who we were, may not have been around when we were, my never had heard us but knew who we were. Then there were those who had seen us and really remembered who we were.
We we're Dreamkick? No, almost furthest thing from it. Sadly, because I'm such an idiot and hardheaded, I and the guys decided that we wouldn't play what people wanted to hear, but what we liked, what we were listening to, Ray Robinson and I are Heavy Metal music listeners, to old and the newest stuff, probably more so, but whether it was KYUSS or it was early Pantera, we were playing stuff that was ABOUT to become popular, but the bar scene still wanted to hear the 'Classics' and that's fine but we wanted to do something different and to be honest, that did handicap us a bit.
And I think in the first era of the band we accomplished that and I think coming back we did it again in this era.

Anyhow, these last 4/5 years have been a blast and I wouldn't change how I did a thing or how they turned out.

Check out this video by a friend of mine's band from London, Engerland!
The band's called 'Vatican Romp'

Oh and here's a Halloween video for ya's:
You can read up on it's history after! Jimmy Page, Marianne Faithful and even Charles Manson's Tex Watson appear in this 'silent' film.

Monday, October 29, 2018

BUDDY! May be the last 'Buddy' video for 2018

After coming back into town and then heading back out of town with Dad, the last couple of days that I was around, Buddy would appear, but he'd completely avoid me at all cost, even just dashing off in the other direction when I called to him. I thought maybe chipmunks have very short memories and the week or so I'd been gone, I'd been erased from his memory banks.

But then today I was out back cleaning up and putting away Summer stuff and Buddy appeared.
Since this whole chipmunk experiment began I've always put some peanuts or sun flower seeds in my pocket, because who knows when I'd run into one of the critters.
I have not seen ANY other chipmunks around other than Buddy and today, he finally came back to me.
It was a good encounter with Buddy climbing onto my hand and letting me pet his back.

It's been a great visit with Dad. He's heading out of town tomorrow. Tonight we're back out to dinner. LOL it's been a while since I've eaten out this much. Last night I had the first burger I've had in probably, jeez 4/5 months, which isn't a bad thing. I eat, but I don't usually eat as much as a great restaurant serves up, but anyhow... Yeah, it's been great to see Daddyo. He got a photo of us all last night in Saint John with Linda, Bob, Joan and damn it, I always forget Joan's husband's name Gord and Crystal joined us as well... It's not a 'usual' name... So it slips me brain! But they are all old childhood friends of Dad's.
He grew up on the Kingston Peninsula and we've seen or I have at least a lot of the places Dad spent as a kid, which was really cool.

So, last night just as Dad and I get on the highway to head back home. I get a text from Gordie. It says he got a text from Scott and something is very very wrong and we must contact him urgently...

'Oh no!' I'm thinking, 'What could have happened?' Dad's partner Riet is currently on a cruise over seas, hopefully it's not that.. Then my cell rings and it's Gordie. He's saying that Scott has seen on Twitter that there's a house fire on Regent st. in Fredericton and it appears to be THE house or close to the 'Air B'n'B' That Dad's been renting for his stay..... I'm like, 'Oh shit!' So, after we get a hold of Scott and he's checking out some of the houses on Regent and of course the house number, we find out that it is NOT the place Dad is staying at. 'PHEW'!
It turned out that the place that burned is one of the 3 'crack houses' that have sprung up at the bottom of Regent st. Good riddance! And FUCK the landlord of those places for leaving them so derelict that the only people who'd rent them are scumbag meth-heads.

Anyhow, gotta get ready, Daddyo will be here soon.

Enjoy the vid!

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Dad's Visit & New Art

Dad and I went out for supper last night at Rusti.Co with my older Brother Scott and Andrea. This is a newer restaurant in Fredericton and has wood fired ovens and make pretty decent pizza.

This morning Dad and I had breakfast at the market. On our way out two kinda rough lookin dudes were setting up some 'artwork', paintings off the sidewalk and one of the paintings caught my eye... So I as I was about to ask the guy, 'how much', I noticed this painting had some holes in the canvas. And I said, 'That one's cool, but it's got some rips in the canvas'.. The guy said, "yeah I found that canvas like that and decided to use it anyhow"... I like the skulls, oh the guy asked me if I wanted him to autograph it, so I said 'sure'.... To be honest, and especially the other paintings... This guy didn't look like the type who'd paint landscapes and then do some offshoot skull themed painting... Maybe i'm wrong, but it almost felt like these paintings might be 'hot'....


This evening Dad and I went over to Scott & Andrea's for supper. Scott made homemade beans, with fresh baked brown bread (Not by Scott) and pie for dessert.

Tomorrow we're off to Saint John to see Gord et all.

Tonight it's started freezing rain, then hail, then snow, then freezing rain.. Winds are supposed to pick up and be quite a nite. Roads should be good by tomorrow morning for our trip to SJ.

Tonight, I'm watching a 'Chris Waddell Halloween' staple horror movie.

1989's 'The Church' is not a completely a Dario Argento film, it's directed by Michele Soavi. It's one of my favorite horror movies of all time. A little side fact is that Asia Argento appears in the movie. She's maybe 14/15, if that. She's actually a year younger than I.

If you've never seen 'The Church'... find it and watch it! A little dated now, but it's still a fav...

Be careful out there local friends, it's gonna get a little crazy weather-wise this eve!


Friday, October 26, 2018

FINALLY!

[Updated]
Got my Behemoth 'I Loved You At Your Darkest' vinyl... I had not expected Dad to get into town until like 3ish, so I got up early (earlier than usual) and had just got out of the shower when Dad called and said he was in town.
He couldn't check in until 3, so we had some time to kill. So we drove over to the post office and got my vinyl, went for lunch then did some grocery shopping...

And once Dad stepped out the door, I pounced on the package from Poland!

ILYAD cover signed by Nergal (weird 'Black Metal' name). Inferno & Orion

Double vinyl album, so a strong gatefold with an absolutely stunning artwork of the band recreating the 'crucifixion'

I call a 'booklet' the kinda extra thick packaging that would come with a CD, this is a large art & lyric book

More amazing artwork with the band depicting biblical stories. Here Abraham about to kill Isaac and Saint Peter's inverted crucifixion so as to not offend christ , with lyrics to the tracks adjacent to the art.

The decapitation of John the baptist, These guys have people that pull off the wickedest of ideas dreamed up by the band. It's one thing to pull it off, but the way it's done is just brilliant and eye popping.

And then 4 of these bad boys. 'Shellac' colored. I had to take the photo where light could hit it. When I laid it out on the table it was just near black.

The album is amazing. It's still growing on me and I only really am getting into it over this last week and now with the lyric sheet I'll really dive in. Maybe it was fortuitous that it got to me this late.... Just in time for Halloween.

A company known as 'Grupa13' does a lot of Behemoth's visuals and their website can be found here: http://grupa13.pl/

I'd like to add that one must understand that the band hails from Poland and due to it's extreme visuals and lyrical content the band is under constant attack from the catholic church in Poland, which is HUGE.
Since the late 1980's there's been a wave of youth in the 'Norse' countries that are understanding of the hostile takeover by the catholic church, so they are rejecting christianity and returning to their routes and some, turning to a darker more chaotic belief system. Or in some cases, just rebelling against religion.
So this is why you see from Behemoth what some might consider passe or even juvenile artwork and vision. These guys or at least Nergal's (Adam Darski) vision is at an all out war with the catholics.
Given that the man was on his death bed at one point, a time where many in such a position might turn to 'god', Darski went the opposite way and perhaps made a 'pact with the devil' (as if 'he' exists) and since his recovery from cancer has taken up new and bolder arms against his antagonist.

It's cold as fuck outside and the Regent St. Mall has fucking snowbanks in the parking lot... They are not HUGE snowbanks, but they are snowbanks.. It's October 26th!! Not impressed... Not at all... Good thing I got music to keep me warm.



Thursday, October 25, 2018

Some pre Halloween music

I'm not a big fan of TV these days. Be that Netflix or whatever... I watch movies, the oldest movies, old movies, movies I grew up on to movies recently released...

But a few years ago, one series caught my eyes, American Horror Story - Season 4 - Freak Show....

Rewind... I was maybe 12/13 when I UNB student who rented a room at our large house off Waterloo Row took me to see the 1932 film, '|Freaks'..... This movie, that used 100% special fx make up free 'freaks' at first, because i was a child, I laughed at the geeks and pinheads.. But as the film went on, I grew to understand, THESE were not made up people, these were REAL people who had lived...

The movie is a lesson on not looking down on those who may be 'different' from you, a lesson I'd learned a lot through life and carry through to this day. I treat each and every person the same, rich, poor, lame or physically fit... In the end, we're all 'freaks'..... 'Huemahns' I call us, because I think our entire planet doesn't deserve to be called 'human'...

So, American Horror Story 'Freak Show' hails back to the days of circus sideshows and the 'freaks' they employed... Each episode is so well done, with SOME real life folk who are unfortunate... Even more unfortunate is that the character 'Meep', who is killed in the show, was actually killed in real life while crossing the street and was hit in the head by a car mirror (so it's said).
'Meep' also appeared in the fan made Mr. Bungle video for 'Retrovertigo'...
At the station I couldn't talk about the episodes because Bondo (the station manager) is terrified of clowns and American Horror Story had one of the best evil looking clowns in decades.

Jessica Lange does an amazing job as the 'leader' of this 'Freak Show'... and sings a couple of songs, David Bowie's 'Life on Mars' and Lana Del Ray's 'Gods & Monsters' (Don't worry the video isn't scary, the music isn't 'crazy METAL'.... But there's a 'Halloween-ish' atmosphere to it,.,,



AHS' 'Meep' in Mr. Bungle's 'Retrovertigo'

Until 'Hallows Eve', each night some more frightening music videos!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jig

Ahh so nice to be home. A week or more away of course you miss your own bed, your own stuff and of course your crazy cat!
Elsa's so happy to see me and each time I come home from away she's always a bit more vocal... I think she vocalizes to see if I'll answer. She had just come up from her litter box and let out a big Meowwww... and I said to her, 'Ya don't have to yell, I'm back, it's all good'.... And then I get the 'look'... I'm sure we'll be back to the 'fight hour' before bed tonight.

Dad's on his way, will be great to see him for a few days.

Can't believe it... When I left here it was all green, there were green vines all over the back fence and in just a week or so, it's all gone (at least there's no snow here, was some along the way home and up the hill).... All the vines are stripped of their leaves, the trees are bare.... Winter is coming.... FAST..


Monday, October 22, 2018

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On...

Wow! Last night before midnight at good sized quake struck off of Vancouver Island. Not too far from the 'endeavor ridge' area of the Juan de Fuca plate.
What was interesting to me is that about an hour later, another quake struck, then an hour after that, another quake..  3 '6.+ quakes' in 3 hours and some after-shocks.

Of course the entire West Coast is part of the 'Ring of Fire', tectonic plates that are constantly on the move as massive parts of the Earth's crust are killed and renewed. The West coast (and a lot of the Pacific) are of course used to quakes.. But 'the Big One' which is said to be almost a decade overdue is bound to happen some day.
I'm not saying that these quakes that just happened are a precursor to the 'Big One', but certain an eye opener for the residents of the West Coast of BC (or should be)... Albeit, after decades of science crying out, 'The Big One is coming, the Big One is coming'! Residents are no doubt been lulled into a false sense of security...
Families SHOULD be prepared for the inevitable... Search online for 'Emergency Disaster Kits' and get your family one. Have one for yourself and learn what you can do to protect yourself and family and neighbors during a massive quake.

I've not 'studied' per say, but have been aware of the potential for a massive quake on the West coast since I was a teen and we spent a lot of our Summer's in Victoria.
When I lived in Vancouver, I was sure I had a good sized and ample stocked earthquake kit after Nisqually earthquake in Washington state in 2001. That quake though centered far South of Vancouver, was felt by us. I was at Electronic Arts at my desk when I thought someone had snuck up behind me and was rocking my chair and as I turned I saw the huge plate glass windows in our department wobbling..

I wouldn't say I became obsessed with the potential for mass devastation for our area, but maybe hyper aware... And each time there was a sizable quake, you could be sure the local news would 'remind' people that the 'Big One' could happen ANY moment!

Never ended up having to use that 'kit' I had put together and now that I live in a much less seismically active area my earthquake kit has been turned into a basic emergency kit, for times when a blizzard or hurricane might take out utilities in our area.

So, again, I implore my friends and family on the West Coast, be prepared, educate yourself for the potential around you and stock up your kit accordingly!!

You never know when it's gonna happen!!!