So we just finished up the CBC gig, which went pretty well. A half-hour interview/concert where we got a pretty good lunch turnout in the heart of Edmonton.
Other than my mic level being a little low, and my voice sounding pretty gravelly, it was fun. We got some publicity out of the deal, we got free CBC shirts, and I went to Fat Frank's for lunch.
Fat Frank's, for those of you not in the know, is the best hot dog kiosk in Edmonton. I got addicted to their Honey Ham Smokie when they opened a booth on Whyte Ave last year.
Seriously, the smokie is HUGE! And it's SOOOO good.
But the kiosk on Rice Howard Way, a block away from my mall? They've got the biggest condiment table I've ever seen! Two kinds of homemade relish (corn and pickle), sauerkraut, onions, pickles, olives, five or six different mustards, the same amount of mayos (including my favourite, Hellman's Bacon and Tomato), chili sauce, ketchup...
It's great. And only five bucks for a huge smokie and drink. Bliss...
Anyways, back to the media blitz.
I was REALLY pumped to hear Shelagh Rogers introduce our "Hey Ya" cover on CBC nationwide this morning. They spliced it in with the original song just so viewers could tell the difference. And we got our names out across Canada! Whoo!
There's the Examiner article, as I posted earlier, and the CKUA show he had to turn down, since it's when three of the four of us are not available.
And in today's edition of See Magazine, we're mentioned twice for our two shows this weekend, which are both listed as Picks of the Week. (Saturday: NoHarm, Sunday: Kitchen Sink Cabaret - The Druid, 11606 Jasper Ave, 8 pm show start, 7 pm doors open, Pay what you can - $10 recommended...)
So, nice publicity for us.
* * *
Brian Wilson's finally releasing the album that broke his mind back in the 60s - Smile.
I'm not sure if I'd buy it or what. It's pretty interesting sounding, from what I've heard, but I think I'd just go ahead and buy Pet Sounds first. I mean, really, after 35 years of hype, Smile can't be all that it's made out to be.
I'd probably buy it for Dad's Christmas gift, mind you...
9.22.2004
Free show! Come see!
For those of you who read this in time, and are able to come down to Edmonton City Centre tomorrow lunch, Kow will be performing live for a half-hour CBC Radio taping.
That's right, this Thursday, Kow will perform at 12 noon for Edmonton AM, as well as possibly shooting some video spots for the CBC news.
Note: This is not a concert we're performing just so you don't have to come to Northern Harmony to cheer us on. We still need all the audience we can get.
BTW, NoHarm is 50% sold. Buy your tickets here if you haven't already picked them up. Because they WILL sell out, like they do every year.
That's right, this Thursday, Kow will perform at 12 noon for Edmonton AM, as well as possibly shooting some video spots for the CBC news.
Note: This is not a concert we're performing just so you don't have to come to Northern Harmony to cheer us on. We still need all the audience we can get.
BTW, NoHarm is 50% sold. Buy your tickets here if you haven't already picked them up. Because they WILL sell out, like they do every year.
9.20.2004
Media Harlot, I mean, Darling...
So I've been going hugely into the media for Kow and NoHarm. Firstly, it started with a miniconcert that we threw for the Chorus, which went over pretty well, although Kristin said with some regret that she now has to introduce us as alumni of the choir and not current members.
Although we threw our new Grease spin into Mighty Mouse, which was completely being me being stupid at rehearsal. We just threw it in there for a laugh, and the audience LOVED it. We didn't think it would go over gangbusters like that, that's for sure...
On the way home from karaoke at RATT, Canton and I were shocked at the scene in our backyard.
Vicky, the landlord, called me up that day to say that her husband would be doing some pruning of our backyard tree to kill some of the huge branches.
I'm not sure if her husband's insane or what, but we came to find a trunk with no branches. It looks horrible, so I'm hoping they'll be removing it from the backyard. The tree wasn't the best, but at least it gave us some green and some privacy.
* * *
Then my interview with the Edmonton Examiner came out and all of a sudden, I was getting calls from CBC. Not just Edmonton CBC, which asked for a copy of our bootleg disc, but Sounds Like Canada, a national show that wanted us to perform. Gah!
I mean, we're on the Big Breakfast tomorrow (A-Channel, 8:40 a.m.), but we've done that before, and it's mostly local, unless you've got satellite.
CBC is big. At least, National CBC is. Needless to say, I was almost hyperventilating when I got that call.
Now CKUA's also asking for us. Apparently, we're this year's "it group."
If only our schedules allowed for all these appearances...
* * *
We're doing renovations at the store these days. It should take about a week.
The good news is that I can show up to work in any old ratty thing. The bad news is I still have to show up to work to clean the store, rip out carpets, and just babysit the store while the renovating crew is working.
I've realized that most customers are VERY stupid.
Now, I can understand coming into the store when we've got the doors partly open so we can take fixtures out, even if all the staff is in non-selling attire. I'd just say, politely, that I'm sorry but we're currently closed, and we couldn't ring in anything even if we wanted to, because we have no working terminals. To be quite honest, though, we DO have five 8x10 signs up on the doors saying that we are closed for renovations.
When the renovators started making a scaffold and blocking people's way, the stupider ones would go AROUND the scaffolding, OPEN the doors to the store that seem to be closed for a reason? That's when I have a problem, and I pretty much say, "I'm sorry, but we're closed. Please, I can't do anything for you."
When there's a PROTECTIVE BARRIER that's 14 feet high, and a door has been put in front of the storefront, along with 5 blatant signs saying that we're closed for a week, and you OPEN the door, go past the construction workers, open the STORE doors, walk through an empty store that has all the carpet ripped out, and there's only product on the walls and that's it? That's when I start saying, "Bitches, leave!"
That's when I brought out the paintbrush and paint, and started writing in three foot high letters, "RadioShack is closed, motherfuckers!" Well, more like "Closed for renovations," but you get the drift.
I wonder how many people will ignore that blue on white message. Next, I bring out the tasers.
* * *
Sunday was my day off. Canton had just bought the Sims, so I was sitting down at play it on Sunday morning.
At 12:20, my boss Chris called, saying that Ammon, our new hire, hasn't showed up for work yet, and he's got the keys to open the store.
"It'll take me about 45 minutes to get to work, with my shower and all," I said.
"What if I picked you up?"
I resigned myself to working on Sunday, since it would be a four hour shift at that point. Chris said he'd make it up to me.
So he picks me up after one of the shorter showers I've had, and we drive off to downtown.
Where I get there, Ammon's opening the doors, an hour late.
I wait until Chris takes Ammon in the back to chastise him, and then I go off in search of a good place for breakfast.
There's a restaurant in the mall that serves eggs benedict, I so tried them out. A darn good breakfast (Mixed Grill Eggs Benedict - Instead of just ham, it was ham, bacon, and Mundare sausages. And the sides were great...), although they were out of English muffins, and their hollandaise was too small an amount for my liking.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not asking for them to give me a cup of hollandaise to drink after dousing my eggs in it.
God, I vowed to myself I'd never do that again.
Although we threw our new Grease spin into Mighty Mouse, which was completely being me being stupid at rehearsal. We just threw it in there for a laugh, and the audience LOVED it. We didn't think it would go over gangbusters like that, that's for sure...
On the way home from karaoke at RATT, Canton and I were shocked at the scene in our backyard.
Vicky, the landlord, called me up that day to say that her husband would be doing some pruning of our backyard tree to kill some of the huge branches.
I'm not sure if her husband's insane or what, but we came to find a trunk with no branches. It looks horrible, so I'm hoping they'll be removing it from the backyard. The tree wasn't the best, but at least it gave us some green and some privacy.
* * *
Then my interview with the Edmonton Examiner came out and all of a sudden, I was getting calls from CBC. Not just Edmonton CBC, which asked for a copy of our bootleg disc, but Sounds Like Canada, a national show that wanted us to perform. Gah!
I mean, we're on the Big Breakfast tomorrow (A-Channel, 8:40 a.m.), but we've done that before, and it's mostly local, unless you've got satellite.
CBC is big. At least, National CBC is. Needless to say, I was almost hyperventilating when I got that call.
Now CKUA's also asking for us. Apparently, we're this year's "it group."
If only our schedules allowed for all these appearances...
* * *
We're doing renovations at the store these days. It should take about a week.
The good news is that I can show up to work in any old ratty thing. The bad news is I still have to show up to work to clean the store, rip out carpets, and just babysit the store while the renovating crew is working.
I've realized that most customers are VERY stupid.
Now, I can understand coming into the store when we've got the doors partly open so we can take fixtures out, even if all the staff is in non-selling attire. I'd just say, politely, that I'm sorry but we're currently closed, and we couldn't ring in anything even if we wanted to, because we have no working terminals. To be quite honest, though, we DO have five 8x10 signs up on the doors saying that we are closed for renovations.
When the renovators started making a scaffold and blocking people's way, the stupider ones would go AROUND the scaffolding, OPEN the doors to the store that seem to be closed for a reason? That's when I have a problem, and I pretty much say, "I'm sorry, but we're closed. Please, I can't do anything for you."
When there's a PROTECTIVE BARRIER that's 14 feet high, and a door has been put in front of the storefront, along with 5 blatant signs saying that we're closed for a week, and you OPEN the door, go past the construction workers, open the STORE doors, walk through an empty store that has all the carpet ripped out, and there's only product on the walls and that's it? That's when I start saying, "Bitches, leave!"
That's when I brought out the paintbrush and paint, and started writing in three foot high letters, "RadioShack is closed, motherfuckers!" Well, more like "Closed for renovations," but you get the drift.
I wonder how many people will ignore that blue on white message. Next, I bring out the tasers.
* * *
Sunday was my day off. Canton had just bought the Sims, so I was sitting down at play it on Sunday morning.
At 12:20, my boss Chris called, saying that Ammon, our new hire, hasn't showed up for work yet, and he's got the keys to open the store.
"It'll take me about 45 minutes to get to work, with my shower and all," I said.
"What if I picked you up?"
I resigned myself to working on Sunday, since it would be a four hour shift at that point. Chris said he'd make it up to me.
So he picks me up after one of the shorter showers I've had, and we drive off to downtown.
Where I get there, Ammon's opening the doors, an hour late.
I wait until Chris takes Ammon in the back to chastise him, and then I go off in search of a good place for breakfast.
There's a restaurant in the mall that serves eggs benedict, I so tried them out. A darn good breakfast (Mixed Grill Eggs Benedict - Instead of just ham, it was ham, bacon, and Mundare sausages. And the sides were great...), although they were out of English muffins, and their hollandaise was too small an amount for my liking.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not asking for them to give me a cup of hollandaise to drink after dousing my eggs in it.
God, I vowed to myself I'd never do that again.
9.14.2004
The l*** sat upon the gr***y knoll...
On my way home tonight, I passed some derelicts at the Second Cup on Whyte. I caught this snippet:
"This whole shitty planet is fucked up!"
I'd like to see you cope on Mars, bucko. You think EARTH is a shitty planet! Try living on a planet that doesn't support life! Like, oh, I dunno. EVERY OTHER PLANET IN YOUR SOLAR SYSTEM!
* * *
So I was on the Quintessential website today, checking out our competition in Northern Harmony.
They've got a guestbook, so I thought I'd leave a note.
This is what I typed up:
Quintessential:
Well, it looks like it'll be another year of performing at NoHarm with you guys. The guys in Apocalypse Kow and I are looking forward to see what you come up with in terms of repertoire, as I'm sure it'll be another set of fun and great harmonies. You guys really deserve the Audience Favourite you picked up last time.
Just so you guys know, Kow is looking forward to taking the crown this year.
So, here's some smack talk (tongue in cheek, of course...) to get you guys riled up and ready for the performance.
Ahem.
You guys are going down. Alas, you happened to get in the way of the a cappella juggernaut that is Kow. Talk to Saskatoon's Hoja to see how much pain they suffered at our hands at this year's Fringe. It was a dirty game, but I know all the moves to be assured victory on any stage.
As a courtesy to you, I will be sure to make your demise swift and painless.
Jago
Bass, Apocalypse Kow
Oh, are you guys planning on having an accident before the show so one of you will need crutches again? I think I can milk the crutch gag a little more...
Or, at least, that's what I typed. Apparently, the guestbook has a filter on it so the family-friendly types won't be offended by people writing in.
So, it appeared as "Kyle Jago, B***, Apocalypse Kow" and "***uming."
So what was a fun little challenge in my eyes turned into something which LOOKED a lot more profane and mean-spirited.
Eh, I'm not miffed or anything. If anything, it adds to my rep.
Before I leave, a list of words that wouldn't be let through by Quintessential's guestbook:
Har***
L***ie
S***afr*** (Dev thought that one up)
gr***
m***
br***
cl***
gl***
half-***ed
******in (That was all Axler)
***ignment
cuir***
***banjo
p***word
***essment
overp***
g***y
h***le
p***ionfruit
Fuckwad
Listening to: Frou Frou - Let Go; Postal Service - Such Great Heights; Aimee Mann - The Scientist (originally done by Coldplay)
"This whole shitty planet is fucked up!"
I'd like to see you cope on Mars, bucko. You think EARTH is a shitty planet! Try living on a planet that doesn't support life! Like, oh, I dunno. EVERY OTHER PLANET IN YOUR SOLAR SYSTEM!
* * *
So I was on the Quintessential website today, checking out our competition in Northern Harmony.
They've got a guestbook, so I thought I'd leave a note.
This is what I typed up:
Quintessential:
Well, it looks like it'll be another year of performing at NoHarm with you guys. The guys in Apocalypse Kow and I are looking forward to see what you come up with in terms of repertoire, as I'm sure it'll be another set of fun and great harmonies. You guys really deserve the Audience Favourite you picked up last time.
Just so you guys know, Kow is looking forward to taking the crown this year.
So, here's some smack talk (tongue in cheek, of course...) to get you guys riled up and ready for the performance.
Ahem.
You guys are going down. Alas, you happened to get in the way of the a cappella juggernaut that is Kow. Talk to Saskatoon's Hoja to see how much pain they suffered at our hands at this year's Fringe. It was a dirty game, but I know all the moves to be assured victory on any stage.
As a courtesy to you, I will be sure to make your demise swift and painless.
Jago
Bass, Apocalypse Kow
Oh, are you guys planning on having an accident before the show so one of you will need crutches again? I think I can milk the crutch gag a little more...
Or, at least, that's what I typed. Apparently, the guestbook has a filter on it so the family-friendly types won't be offended by people writing in.
So, it appeared as "Kyle Jago, B***, Apocalypse Kow" and "***uming."
So what was a fun little challenge in my eyes turned into something which LOOKED a lot more profane and mean-spirited.
Eh, I'm not miffed or anything. If anything, it adds to my rep.
Before I leave, a list of words that wouldn't be let through by Quintessential's guestbook:
Har***
L***ie
S***afr*** (Dev thought that one up)
gr***
m***
br***
cl***
gl***
half-***ed
******in (That was all Axler)
***ignment
cuir***
***banjo
p***word
***essment
overp***
g***y
h***le
p***ionfruit
Fuckwad
Listening to: Frou Frou - Let Go; Postal Service - Such Great Heights; Aimee Mann - The Scientist (originally done by Coldplay)
9.13.2004
Misunderstandings on the drive home...
On the way back from Kow rehearsal in Barber's car:
I had bought a Super Big Gulp to alleviate the non-liquid intake I had yesterday during work, since it was too busy for me to grab food/drink.
The four of us (Me, Dev, Barber and Canton) were, of course, just having way too much fun bantering. I was also just drinking my 7-Up like a demon. (Yeah, everyone who's ever eaten with me/hung out with me/done ANYTHING with me knows about how quickly I drink and eat. It's pretty scary to see me suck back a litre of liquid in under five minutes, or eat two cheeseburgers before we get half a block away from the fast food place.)
Canton had said something to make me threaten him with my drink. (Like that's something new...)
Me (muttered): I'll stab you with my Big Gulp.
Dev mentions Richard Gere in some form or another.
Me (muttered): I'll stab Richard Gere with my Big Gulp.
Dev turns back to me. "WHAT?"
Me: I said, "I'll stab Richard Gere with my Big Gulp." Why? What did you hear me say?
Dev: "Stan Richard Gere'd my Big Gulp."
Me: What does that even mean?
Dev: I don't know. That's why I was asking for clarification.
Barber: I didn't know that "Richard Gere" had become a noun all of a sudden.
Dev and I (in unison): Verb!
The four of us died laughing for the better part of five minutes.
* * *
I was interviewed for the Edmonton Examiner today.
Not for a position, mind you. For a write-up on Kow going into Northern Harmony later on this month.
I'll have to see how that goes...
You people ARE getting tickets, right? Only $16 for adults, $13 for students! Click the link!
I had bought a Super Big Gulp to alleviate the non-liquid intake I had yesterday during work, since it was too busy for me to grab food/drink.
The four of us (Me, Dev, Barber and Canton) were, of course, just having way too much fun bantering. I was also just drinking my 7-Up like a demon. (Yeah, everyone who's ever eaten with me/hung out with me/done ANYTHING with me knows about how quickly I drink and eat. It's pretty scary to see me suck back a litre of liquid in under five minutes, or eat two cheeseburgers before we get half a block away from the fast food place.)
Canton had said something to make me threaten him with my drink. (Like that's something new...)
Me (muttered): I'll stab you with my Big Gulp.
Dev mentions Richard Gere in some form or another.
Me (muttered): I'll stab Richard Gere with my Big Gulp.
Dev turns back to me. "WHAT?"
Me: I said, "I'll stab Richard Gere with my Big Gulp." Why? What did you hear me say?
Dev: "Stan Richard Gere'd my Big Gulp."
Me: What does that even mean?
Dev: I don't know. That's why I was asking for clarification.
Barber: I didn't know that "Richard Gere" had become a noun all of a sudden.
Dev and I (in unison): Verb!
The four of us died laughing for the better part of five minutes.
* * *
I was interviewed for the Edmonton Examiner today.
Not for a position, mind you. For a write-up on Kow going into Northern Harmony later on this month.
I'll have to see how that goes...
You people ARE getting tickets, right? Only $16 for adults, $13 for students! Click the link!
9.09.2004
So Florida gets hurricanes, and we get...?
Yesterday at work, my district Manager was talking on his cell about how he was heading out for Spain the next day, and that he's glad to get out when it's expected to snow.
I was ready to just condemn him on the spot when I saw the conditions outside. Cold rain, below-average temperatures.
Still, when Ii left the house with D! at about 10:45 p.m. to go to his place for some WWE viewing, I didn't think that it would be that much and that puffy.
And I certainly didn't think the visibility would be so low as to make D! completely miss the big telephone pole in my back lot. Or should I say, completely hit it, as he took out his passenger's side mirror with it. And as the guy SITTING in the passenger seat, it gave me quite the scare as well.
So, yeah, there's a bit of snow lying on the ground today. Not enough to shovel yet, which is good, since I'm not sure where I put the snow shovel.
Oh, wait. I remember where I put it. I put it in NOVEMBER, where it belongs!
* * *
Snippets of dream that I thought were weird today:
Me having my haircut by someone I've never gone to before. Different, but more of a variation on the way I get my hair styled these days.
Also, finding in a West Ed Mall hybrid, a likeness of me as a small toy statue. As in, there was a miniature me in one of those little displays, with my hair cut in my usual place, the details pretty well exact, including the shade of maroon/burgundy of one of my dress shirts.
I was pretty freaked out about it.
I was ready to just condemn him on the spot when I saw the conditions outside. Cold rain, below-average temperatures.
Still, when Ii left the house with D! at about 10:45 p.m. to go to his place for some WWE viewing, I didn't think that it would be that much and that puffy.
And I certainly didn't think the visibility would be so low as to make D! completely miss the big telephone pole in my back lot. Or should I say, completely hit it, as he took out his passenger's side mirror with it. And as the guy SITTING in the passenger seat, it gave me quite the scare as well.
So, yeah, there's a bit of snow lying on the ground today. Not enough to shovel yet, which is good, since I'm not sure where I put the snow shovel.
Oh, wait. I remember where I put it. I put it in NOVEMBER, where it belongs!
* * *
Snippets of dream that I thought were weird today:
Me having my haircut by someone I've never gone to before. Different, but more of a variation on the way I get my hair styled these days.
Also, finding in a West Ed Mall hybrid, a likeness of me as a small toy statue. As in, there was a miniature me in one of those little displays, with my hair cut in my usual place, the details pretty well exact, including the shade of maroon/burgundy of one of my dress shirts.
I was pretty freaked out about it.
9.08.2004
If I didn't know any better...
I'd say that someone was joyriding around in a fire engine tonight.
I was outside D's place, waiting for the bus to arrive. A few blocks down Whyte, a siren went off and out came a fire truck, rushing in the direction of University.
When it got past the Safeway, it decided to u-turn at the crosswalk, plowing around until it was literally about four feet away from the bench I was sitting at.
Out of instinct, I pulled my legs underneath my bench.
The truck then stopped its siren, went back towards the east, flipping its signal lights left, then right, all while keeping in a straight line down the middle of the road.
I sat staring in the direction it disappeared in, trying to figure out exactly what I just saw. And then I went back listening to U2's B-Sides, 1980-1990, deciding it wasn't worth the strain on my mind.
I was outside D's place, waiting for the bus to arrive. A few blocks down Whyte, a siren went off and out came a fire truck, rushing in the direction of University.
When it got past the Safeway, it decided to u-turn at the crosswalk, plowing around until it was literally about four feet away from the bench I was sitting at.
Out of instinct, I pulled my legs underneath my bench.
The truck then stopped its siren, went back towards the east, flipping its signal lights left, then right, all while keeping in a straight line down the middle of the road.
I sat staring in the direction it disappeared in, trying to figure out exactly what I just saw. And then I went back listening to U2's B-Sides, 1980-1990, deciding it wasn't worth the strain on my mind.
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