THE ADVENTURES OF PLASTICMAN

To Quote Devo, I'm Through Being Cool

2006-03-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

You know what I get sick of? Hipsters. People try and lump me in that category, and I'm anything but. I'm sick of trying way too hard to impress pretentious losers who could care less, and I feel sorry for anyone who clings onto a trend just to be 'hip'. It's really desperate to me. I've never been one to follow the crowd, but I sometimes get that urge to try and act 'cool', or 'be cool/trendy', and it's a waste of time. The thing that caused me to get into this was the amount of 'try-hards' and 'hipsters' I've seen lately...it gets stale after a while.

Eaton's screwed me up

2006-02-13T16:21:00.000-08:00

I went to the mall nobody goes to the other day(better known as Lethbridge Center)...I didn't want to even buy anything, just wander around the department store(it's a Bay, by the way). Ever since Eaton's in Red Deer got bulldozed for a Zellers several years ago I've had this pshycological void in my head to just go to a two-story department store once again. I know this sounds weird, and maybe I do need to get a life, but I'd been having these dreams where I was in the Eaton's store in Red Deer just shopping. I actually used to have nightmares as a young boy where it closed down, and when it actually did, that was complete deja vu. I went to the library after and took some books out, then I went to a basketball game with some friends from school who were covering it for the school paper(I did a write-up on the agricultural fair this week)...then I went with my roomate to play volleyball later on, and this guy who was there was rude to me when I flinched...there's reasons why I flinch(it's called depth perception), and I'm fairly sensitive about it when people say anything. Anyway, when I went to serve I accidentally hit him smack dab over the back of the head and saw him flinch. Total retribution, and I didn't even mean to do it. The rest of the weekend was spent mostly doing homework, church, etc...(by the way, I kind of got religious(I prefer spiritual) after the holidays)...I just realized today that next week is Reading Week for me, so I'm going to try and do something fun, although at this rate there will definitely be homework involved.

I'm Relieved...

2006-02-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

...that my superbowl story didn't make it in the paper...I feel like I did good on it, but it's just not my topic, and it turned out rather brief. There are times though, that I get assigned stories that don't interest me, but somehow I become excited about covering them. This week I'm writing about the college's involvement with an agricultural fair at the beginning of March. It seems to be going pretty well. The weather has been pretty nice here the last couple days, I hope this keeps up. I got together with the girl I'm going to be entertainment editor with today, as well as the editor for next year, and it sounds like we can get free tickets to review movies...we could either have gone with the Mill or to Galaxy, and we decided it might be better to review new stuff as soon as it comes out, so Galaxy it is... She seems interested in covering the Lethbridge film society and the U of L film club too though, which is great.

films

2006-02-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

hey...I went to a film festival at the college tonight(The original plan was to go see King Kong at the Mill, but I'd forgotten about this and wanted to do it more)...It was the best commercials of the last Cannes Film Festival. There were some pretty cool ones too. Things are going alright...I don't think people understand my sarcasm though, but I can work on that...I got an easier news story this week, should be better. I'm not into sports writing, but sometimes we have to do stuff we hate. It's a part of life.

more to do with old British record labels

2006-02-03T15:51:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if anyone really cares, but I found a Canadian Pye records singles discography online. I won't post the link here because it's a bit hard to follow, and there are some things missing(like the Fabulous Poodles)...but from what I can gather, it was a label here in Canada from the early 1960's to the late 1970's. So I guess I didn't stumble upon a goldmine when I discovered a weird Pye records single. Now if anyone knows anything about that weird Devo single I have...

Pye records...

2006-02-02T14:48:00.000-08:00

hey...I got another story published yesterday. I didn't get much to do this week, mostly just write about what happened at the Super Bowl...I'm trying to remain positive about what I get assigned, as I know I'd be pretty appalled if someone had a fit at a story I'd assigned them. The best you can do is remain open, even if it's something you could care less about. I took some cd's out at the library the other day, mostly just cheezy 60's/70's pop/rock compilations. Two of them were Pye-label compilations. Pye was a British pop label that was around from the 50's until 1980 that had a bunch of classic artists on it's roster at one point(Petula Clark, Donovan, The Kinks,really early David Bowie), as well as a bunch of one-hit wonders that were really big over here('Kung Fu Fighting' by Carl Douglas, 'In The Summertime' by Mungo Jerry)...The label didn't exist over here(that I know of anyway) until the 1970's, and by that point there weren't as many good artists signed on. For more about the label, check out my earlier entry on the bizarre Fabulous Poodles single I aquired a while back. I'm guessing Pye was around longer here in Canada, as it was issued on Epic in the States(possibly one of the last Pye recordings to chart in North America, as this was in 1978/79), also the album title is listed(incorrectly?) as 'Unsuitable'....Anyway, enough with all the info, the cds are fairly good(I really like Sandie Shaw's version of 'Always Something There To Remind Me', it's far superior to the Naked Eyes version). I was pretty excited to have come across some compilations, as I didn't know any were ever made. It really doesn't surprise me though, given the amount of classic tracks/artists that they were responsible for.

bragging rights...

2006-01-31T08:49:00.001-08:00

So...I found out yesterday that I got the Entertainment Editor position for the school paper. It should be a great experience and I'm really excited about it.

link

2006-01-28T15:58:00.000-08:00

My brother posted this link this on lisbeths-fruit and I laughed so hard at it I had to add it to my blog:
www.explodingdog.com

Welcome to the United States of Canada

2006-01-24T17:25:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, it won't last long. Harper will be so much like George Dubya that eventually we'll get sick of being lied to and have another re-election. The guy is full of crap, there's no way you can lower GST rates. I'm also concerned that programs such as Katimavik will get cut...that happened the last time the Conservatives got in. All I can say is if something seems to good to be true, than it is, and well, we'll all find that out soon enough.

I'm finally getting one of my articles published!

2006-01-24T17:07:00.000-08:00

The article I wrote is going to be in the next school paper, which will come out tomorrow...I'm pretty excited. I'm taking a whole stack of them, so if you want one contact me.
I got assigned an entertainment story this time around and kept hoping it would be a movie review or a music or concert review. It wasn't to be however, as I will be covering...those who know me well will get a kick out of this....NEW TECHNOLOGY IN NINTENDO GAMES. I
never was into video game systems as a kid, in fact I am probably the only 21 year old male on this planet who never asked for a gaming system growing up. Strangely enough, this story kind of interests me...at least I will be learning something new. The fact that everyone was (ironically) jealous of me for getting the gaming story kind of cracked me up too. So yeah, if anyone out there knows anything about motion sensitive controllers, or any other new technologies that Nintendo have concocted recently let me know, as I am completely video game illiterate.

newspaper...

2006-01-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

I'm currently working on a newspaper article for the school paper on smoking bylaws in Alberta. I got assigned with an Advertising and Public Relations student, but so far it's been going good. The only challenge I've faced so far is how to master the art of the phone interview. Those who know me might find this strange, but I do much better at interviews when I'm talking right to the person. For example, my interview with the VP of Student Life and Development went fine because I was prepared. On the other hand, my interview over the phone with the guy behind Students for Tobacco Reduction didn't go so well, as I wasn't expecting him to call me back so soon(I'd left a message). The most important lesson is to stick to person-to-person interviews. Speaking of interviews, I have the interview for the school newspaper positions I applied for a while back next week. I'm nervous, but if it doesn't pan out, I'm going to see about doing a column instead.

stay away from the used bookstore downtown

2006-01-14T15:58:00.000-08:00

If you live in Lethbridge, don't bother with the used bookstore downtown by the Shanghai. It's disorganized, the books aren't in categories, and the woman who runs it is a headcase. I nicely asked her if they have any graphic novels, and instead of a simple yes or no answer, I get this big rant about how they'd lose money if they sold them, and how her grandson who's inheriting the store won't be able to sell anything they have...blah blah blah...So it's OK to peddle a bunch of crap Harlequin Romance novels, but it's not cool to sell something worth reading? After this I went to the library and got an Alberta library card. I intend to go downtown next week and take out some graphic novels(if they have them)...

Best Singles Of 2005

2006-01-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

Again, it's in no particular order

1) Your Ex-Lover is Dead-Stars
This is an amazing track, buy or download the cd, it's even better.

2) Blue Orchid-White Stripes
It was a toss up between this and the Killers, but considering I'm a huge fan of Meg and Jack, the Killers got left out. However, if Jack did what John Lennon did and gave Meg a whole side of songs to sing like John did for Yoko, then the Killers would have won. Even Yoko could outsing Meg any day of the week...

3) TIE Wake Me Up When September Ends-Green Day
Jesus Of Suburbia-Green Day
This was a toss-up, so I decided on both of them. This isn't shiny bubble-gum boyband drivel like Hedley, it's gutsy rock and roll with a message to it. You have to give Green Day credit, because they easily could have wound up like the garbage they influenced.

4) Monster Hospital- Metric
Sure, they're over-rated, but this song is amazing. Be warned though, the album isn't terrible, but it's a classic case of not being able to live up to the hype. They still have potential, and I really like her voice. Plus Feist is apparently a fan, and if this list wasn't relegated to five entries, she'd be on here with her cover of 'Love You Inside Out', which if truth be known is much better...

5) TIE Do You Want To-Franz Ferdinand
Eleanor Put Your Boots Back On-Franz Ferdinand(album track)
This is one of those tracks that makes you want to get up and dance. Just close the blinds.
I got the album the day it came out(Franz are my favourite band), and it was worth it. There was even a change of pace with a pair of lovely ballads, including 'Eleanor Put Your Boots Back On'(about Eleanor from the Firey Furnaces, who Alex Kopranos apparently had a relationship with). I heard they don't perform it live which is a shame, because it's the best thing they've ever done. Hopefully it gets noticed and doesn't wind up gathering dust on the album.

Worst Singles Of 2005

2006-01-13T14:59:00.000-08:00

This is in no particular order, they all sucked.

1) On My Own-Hedley
You can call this punk, but it's not, it's crap, and the vocals get whinier all the time. Two words would have summed this up better: Processed Cheese.
2) TIE a)That Pussycat Dolls song
It really makes me mad that people are given record deals for the way they look, and not for how much talent they have, which in this case is none.
b)My Humps-Black Eyed Peas
Not only is this one of the worst singles of the year, it's probably one of the worst singles of all time.

3)You're Beautiful-James Blunt
This guys voice is the audio equivalent of nails on a chalkboard...the video is weird too, basically Blunt sitting in a corner straightening objects in a line then jumping to his death after. Awful.

4)Jerk It Out-Caesars
There's no way you can compare this garbage to the Killers and Franz Ferdinand...I mean it totally sounds like something Smashmouth turned down. If one more person compares this trash to all of the new-wavey style bands out at the moment, I'll hunt them down and make them listen to Hedley and Ashlee Simpson for a week straight. That would traumitize anybody.

5)TIE a) Crazy-Simple Plan
Well, you do have to give them credit for doing a song called 'Shut Up'(something they and the next group should do)
b)Photograph-Nickleback

Idiots!

2006-01-13T14:49:00.000-08:00

I watched the debates the other night, and well they're all...well, they're idiots. I couldn't believe it. Seriously though, either way it's a dead end. Harper scares the crap out of me and Martin seems really naive, and the other two are just there. I know voting Green is probably like voting for Ralph Nader, but in my opinion, voting for the underdog is the better thing to do than voting for someone who will probably just screw things up more than they already were.
www.greenparty.ca

News

2006-01-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

Hey...it's been a while, but yes, I'm still alive...School started...I turned 21...I got a roomate last week and it's going really well. I applied for some positions with the school paper and I'll keep you all posted on that...Today we were all given beats(areas in the school to cover, we weren't slapped around or anything like that) I'm covering residence and general studies. We go and gather story ideas and then submit them to either our instructors or the paper and they are given either to us or another student. Anyway I have to go, but I should have lots of news in the next little while.
Mark

Post-Christmas Rant

2005-12-26T23:27:00.000-08:00

I've been here for over a week now and I'm doing alright...Actually, a lot of people don't really remember who I am(!). I really don't think that I've changed that much in a year, but whatever...I miss Lethbridge quite a bit. I've thought long and hard about quitting school, but there's absolutely nothing going for me anywhere else. It seems the only major issue at this point is meeting more people, and that's not worth quitting school over, escpecially if it gives me the opportunity to do something substantial with my life. I'm going back home to Lethbridge in a couple of days, during which time I might be assigned a roomate(I currently live in Residence by myself in a two-room apartment). I'm trying very hard to stay positive. I came up with ways to keep a low profile when I had three roomates, so I can probably do the same with one. I'm one of those guys that likes to have their space, but given a chance will talk someone's ear off...hypocrisy at it's finest. Anyway, it's late, and it's rambling. I'll try and add those CD reviews I promised a while back. I never give up on my word, sometimes it just takes me a while to live up to it.

new pictures of me...

2005-12-22T22:05:00.000-08:00

...taken this week

Poor Simon Pegg

2005-12-22T21:42:00.000-08:00

Just found out he's in Mission Impossible 3...work either must be really thin for him since Shaun Of The Dead, or he's been relegated to crap hollywood fare, Either way, what's he thinking?

I'm dreaming of a red neck Christmas

2005-12-16T16:35:00.000-08:00

Man...this blog is really starting to get more cynical all the time. I'm going to my parent's place this weekend. I come from a small town of 500 people. I really tried to pursuade them to come down here, but to no avail. I seriously don't want to be there for more than two weeks(even that is pushing it...) My parents are really cool, it's just I never fit in where I grew up, and even though my situation in Lethbridge is far from great, living in a city at least gives me freedom to not be afraid to go somewhere...If I ever feel like that I know I can hop a bus and get away for a couple hours. That's what I did when I had roomates who acted like the idiots I grew up with. The reason I never went anywhere growing up is because I didn't like anyone, and I knew I'd just get stared at or harrassed anyway. On a positive note, there will be plenty of updates throughout the holidays and maybe even some pictures(yep, you heard correctly)

people who don't shut up in libraries

2005-12-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

I really need to get this out of my system...I just spent an hour in the 'quiet' part of the school library trying to study, and I had to move twice because people wouldn't stop blabbing...I mean, if you're gonna spend time talking out loud, then a) don't even bother(there's a reason I study alone, I talk about completely unrelated stuff otherwise) b) go study in the common area, or the front part of the library, or c) here's a really good one: book the group study room(what a concept!)...I know I sound like a prick, but to me it's just common courtesy to not talk out loud with people in that part of the library when it's pretty obvious that some people are trying to study...I even leave my phone on silent, because I would be embarrased if it rang when I was in there. I even worried I was making too much noise when I rustled some papers. I know I'm bitching, and I'm probably guilty of doing the same thing in the past, but I just think it's kind of inconsiderate.

Doctor Who Christmas Invasion....

2005-12-09T14:07:00.000-08:00

....Will be airing Boxing Day at 8pm(approx.) on CBC. Anyone ever notice that Billie Piper has really bad teeth?

Almost Christmas...

2005-12-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

Hey...sorry it's taken me a while to add a new entry. I have a couple of classes left until Christmas. I was up in the computer labs for a few hours last night working on final projects. I was completely out of it by the time I was done, I almost fell asleep in the elevator. Once I get everything out of the way, I'm hoping to add more stuff to this blog. For awhile I seriously considered adding team members in hopes that more new entries will get more people to view the blog...

John Belushi Lady

2005-11-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

I saw her again today(see mullets and John Belushi in drag for more)...anybody know if he has a long-lost daughter? The resemblence between the two is uncanny.

More Celebrities...

2005-11-26T21:19:00.000-08:00

Today I saw this guy having a smoke outside the Ramada Inn on my way back from the drug store who looked like Alex Kopranos from Franz Ferdinand...In the last while, I've also seen someone who looked like Danny Pino from Cold Case, and I know an AD PR student in some of my classes who looks kind of like Rory from the Gilmore Girls...When I lived in Courtenay BC , I saw Roger Whittaker and Andy Warhol's doubles all in the same week. Apparently I look like Rivers Cuomo(people actually call me 'Weezer'...'Hey Weezer!', though I really don't see any resemblence at all.

Getting Bland...At least I went out all weekend though...

2005-11-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

Went to an art opening tonight in a last-ditch effort to meet some people...once again, it's failed...I just didn't feel social once I got there. I looked at the exhibits for quite a while and left. The art was cool, mostly abstract stuff. 'Artsy' people seem really pompus. That was a really big problem I had when I worked at an art gallery during Katimavik. No matter how hard you try and lump the two together, there is definitely a big difference between artists and writers. The weather here tonight is crap, it's snowing. Saw a film last night called 'North Country' about a woman coal miner who sued the company she worked for because they treated her and the other female employees like garbage.

Mullets...and John Belushi in Drag

2005-11-24T17:45:00.000-08:00

I was in the school library with one of my friends yesterday when we spotted this woman with this really wild mullet that was a cross between Ziggy Stardust and Spike from Degrassi Junior High...Scary...It was like we'd somehow been transported into this weird 80's timewarp. A little later I saw this lady walking around who looked like John Belushi in drag...maybe he's not dead after all...I've seen a lot of really scary celebrity-lookalikes since I've been down here, I 'll start keeping track of them.
Mark

Records Fan

2005-11-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

Hey...whoever sent me the link to the Records website, thankyou! It's good to know there's other people out there who are fans of late 70's power-pop bands.

Stuff

2005-11-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

Hey...I started doing busts instead of heads. My plan is to keep slowly progressing at sculpting until I can make whole bodies. It'll take a couple years to get the hang of it, but it should be really cool. I saw the Killers on the cover of a teeny-bopper magazine. It kind of disturbed me to see a decent band being packaged and lumped in like processed cheese with all the evildoers of bubblegum. I'm having a crummy week...I've been really restless and the emotional equivalent of a yo-yo. Things will pick up, they usually do. I'll be back with more updates soon.
take care
Mark

snow

2005-11-14T15:30:00.000-08:00

It snowed here today...Fortunately most of it's gone now, but it's supposed to get as low as -10 degrees outside tonight, and if I remember correctly, tomorrow morning will be -4. I misread the TV screen this afternoon, so you can imagine the look of shock horror on my face when I found out it was minus ten, not plus ten outside. It's always great to have such warm weather.

Doctor Who Spin Off

2005-11-13T19:41:00.000-08:00

I just went on www.imdb.com and heard that there's going to be a Doctor Who spin-off called 'Torchwood' that will star John Barrowman who played Captain Jack Harkness in the last few episodes of Season One. I seriously hope this doesn't pan out, as I don't have particularly high hopes for it...Considering it's supposed to have the same writers as Doctor Who, it might not be so bad.

Crap Music

2005-11-13T19:18:00.000-08:00

I've decided to add a list of best/worst singles/albums list for 2005 for this year closer to Christmas. If you have any picks for worst/best singles/albums for this year (holy crap I'm repetitive) feel free to leave a suggestion.

Plasticman's Revenge is back

2005-11-13T19:10:00.000-08:00

Hey...this is my first brand new post in two months, and hopefully there will be more to come. I plan on adding reviews for Franz Ferdinand and Metric in the next couple weeks, among other things. Unfortunately I'm not able to add pictures, as I'm now doing this on public computers, so this will probably stray from the original photo blog format of the earlier entries. Lis...I remember you telling me the other day how to delete junk from my comment list, but I can't quite remember, so if you're reading this, please let me know how under comments. thanks :)
take care,
Mark

Here's the short story I wrote...

2005-09-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

Eddie Goes to the Vinyl Hut
by
Mark Edward Randall
Eddie walked into the Record Hut clutching a tattered box of used cd's. Without hurrying, he found his way to the front counter, becoming increasingly nauseated by the stench of cigarette smoke and patchouli that filled the air. After about five minutes of being subjected to astonishingly bad early 1970's Progressive Rock, complete with endless keyboard solo, a man arrived to wait on Eddie.
'What do you want, kid?' the man growled
Eddie was usually quite good at using eye contact, but in this case, all he could focus on was the man's beard, which appeared to have not been trimmed or washed since at least 1978. Eddie also suspected that the remnants of Kraft Dinner that were stuck to it had been there just as long.
'I'd like to exchange these please' Eddie spoke nervously
'OK' the man answered 'Let's see what you have'
The man began to skim through the box saying 'No' every other second. Not only was Eddie starting to get bored, but he was also becoming quite frustrated as well.
'Supergrass?' the man asked
'Yeah' Eddie retorted 'They're quite big in the UK'
'Well they aren't big here' the man replied
Eddie looked around. The store was empty, save for a pair of pasty vampiric goth kids who looked like they could melt if they were to eye some bright lights.
'Three Dog Night?' the man gasped in shock horror 'I haven't sold a Three Dog Night CD in four and a half years!'
Eddie was getting sick of being belittled like this. He quickly sucked in any remaining courage he had left and decided to use it.
'Have you sold much of anything in four and a half years?' Eddie asked
The man looked at Eddie. Eddie looked at the beard and wondered exactly how long the Kraft Dinner had been stuck in it.
'Get the hell out of my shop!' the man hollered
'OK Fine' Eddie responded sternly ' I have some old 78's someone gave me that I want to sell, would you take those?'
END

Rain

2005-09-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

After tomorrow, it's supposed to be sunny most of next week which should be nice considering it rained non-stop here all weekend. I closed my blinds yesterday so I didn't have to watch it.
Here's another weblink to check out:
www.dragondiscs.co.uk
Several record label discographies and some tips for how to care for your record collection.

Super Furry Disapointment

2005-09-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

I heard some of 'Love Kraft' a little over a week ago, and unfortunately they've pulled a Bjork and gotten really boring after doing some amazing records(Bjork, in my opinion, got really boring after 'Dancer In The Dark'). It's nowhere as good as the last Super Furry Animals release, 'Phantom Power'(2003) which you should definitely check out instead. On the other hand, I've seen the video for Franz Ferdinand's 'Do You Want To', and it looks like another good one. I was very impressed and can't wait for the album to come out.

Don't Worry I'm Still Alive

2005-09-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone...Sorry it's taken me so long to add any more new entires to this. I've just started taking Print Journalism at LCC. My first week went OK. It's been so long since I've actually been around people that it's a little awkward, but in the next little while, or as soon as things become more familiar, everything should pick up. My classes are alright. Some are really cool, while others are really boring. I'll try and add more stuff in the next while if I can.
Take Care
Mark

News

2005-08-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

Hey...I'm leaving for Lethbridge(again...it's a long story) tomorrow. I'll try and add more stuff as time progresses and keep you all updated on my writing, as there's some projects I'd like to pursue while I'm in college if I have time. I'm really serious about trying to do a fanzine again while I'm taking journalism. Maybe a bi-monthly, or just a couple issues every now and then. If you're reading this and would like to submit some stuff let me know.

Twitty Indeed...

2005-08-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

Short Story

2005-08-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

Hey...I just finished the first rough draft of my first short story. I'll let you all know when it's finished.
Mark

One Year

2005-08-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's already been a year since I finished Katimavik. Time has gone by too fast. When I did the program, I had no idea of how much great stuff I'd learned and accomplished. It's a good experience for anyone to go through, even if it is difficult at times. You learn quite a bit even after the program is over too.
take care
Mark

Marc Bolan

2005-08-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

http://members.cox.net/dregenold/marc/early.html
Biography of Marc Bolan I found a while back.

Book

2005-08-14T10:16:00.000-07:00

I just started reading a book called 'In Their Own Write: Adventures In The Music Press' by Paul Gorman.

Links

2005-08-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2676690?htv=12
Thanks to Rus for sending me this
The next link is one I wanted to put in my old blog:
http://users2.ev1.net/~kryan73/emitt/index.html
Emitt Rhodes website, unfortunately it doesn't appear to have any updates since December 2003. It's still a really interesting website. If anyone knows where I can find some of his albums(cd or vinyl) please let me know.

Can't even remember where I got this...

2005-08-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

...But I wanted to put it in my old blog and never got around to it.

How to do crossfading in Media Player

2005-08-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

Hey...Most of you probably know this, but here's how to segue your songs together on media player:
1) Click on 'Now Playing'
2)Underneath the visualization screen, there's some controls
3) Click until you get to crossfading and auto volume leveling
4) Turn up the button underneath as much as you want. I have mine up all the way and it sounds cool. The best was when Abba segued into Iggy and the Stooges 'Search And Destroy'

Updates...

2005-08-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

Hey...There's some new updates on here. I went and simplified some of the write-ups and deleted a couple items to make more room. I'm going to try and add as much new stuff as I can, but as I'm relocating, it might take me a while. Until then keep a little Marc in your heart and I'll be back same Marc time, same Marc channel...

Link

2005-08-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.albertashame2005.com

New Albums

2005-08-10T23:02:00.000-07:00

New Supergrass album 'Road To Rouen' comes out on September 27th, and the new Super Furry Animals album 'Lovekraft' is supposed to be out sometime this month.

New Franz Ferdinand Album

2005-08-10T22:40:00.000-07:00

'You Could Have It So Much Better...With Franz Ferdinand' comes out on October 3rd, and the first single will be out on September 19th.

Weird Devo Single

2005-08-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to figure this out for a long time ago. All I know is this is some sort of weird Canadian variation with 'Whip It' on side One(Billed here also as C) and it's follow-up, 'Freedom Of Choice' .Is this a rare pressing, or just a Canadian-only Back-to-Back Hits single? This definitely wasn't issued in the US, as I've checked.

Really cool link

2005-08-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

http://www.blockaholic.com/stompage.htm
A webpage I found where someone made Stompin' Tom with Lego. There's a Doctor Who one too.
http://www.blockaholic.com/dwpage2.htm

Doctor Who Action Figures

2005-08-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

I came across this last night and thought it would be cool to add on here. I'm not sure if they'll be available here in Canada though. I'm really happy they made an Eccleston figure rather than a Tennant one.

Back By Demand....

2005-08-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

The Records

2005-08-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

The picture sleeve to the Rcords only(minor) hit 'Starry Eyes'
The cover and fold-out sleeve of The Records first album. I took these myself, so it's not the best quality, but you get the idea.
One of my favourite late 70's power-pop bands, the Records were formed by John Wicks and drummer Will Birch in 1978. A year earlier they had been in the Kursaal Flyers, who'd had one hit in the UK in 1976 with 'Little Does She Know' (really good song). Shortly after the lead singer of the Kursaal Flyers left, Wicks and Birch formed the Records. After being signed to Virgin Records, the band released their first LP in 1979. In the UK, the album was titled 'Shades In Bed', and had different album art and tracklisting. Over here, the album was simply titled 'The Records'. It peaked at #41 on Billboard and featured the amazing #55 hit 'Starry Eyes', as well as the just as catchy 'Teenarama'. I was a bit disapointed that their version of 'Rock 'n' Roll Love Letter' wasn't on here, as it's far superior to the Bay City Rollers version. Unfortunately, the follow-up 'Crashes'(which I've never heard) tanked. It bubbled under at #210. Also, a third album, which I've also never heard was barely released, and The Records broke up in 1982. Both albums had rotating line-ups.

Recent Pics

2005-07-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

Nice...I finally figured out how to add pictures on here without having to use Hello

More Heads

2005-07-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

I forgot to add these earlier

Pass This Site On

2005-07-26T17:28:00.000-07:00

Feel free to pass this address on. The more comments the better.
Mark

Heads

2005-07-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Here's some sculpey heads I made recently

Does anyone know about this?

2005-07-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

I have had this 45 since about October. It is a copy of 'Mirror Star' by the Fabulous Poodles on Pye Records. I know that the US version that charted was released on Epic. I have seen Canadian pressings of the LP to this on Pye called 'Mirror Stars', however here it says this is from the LP 'Unsuitable'. Does anyone know if this is a misprint, or if the album title was changed at the last minute. I know I've seen 'Unsuitable' album covers on the internet. Also, this must be one of the last North American Pye singles, as the US version had already shut down by this point(the Canadian one must have lasted longer)...Was this released on Epic later on?, as I know the follow-up LP 'Think Pink' was.

Has anyone else ever noticed that Tony Blair resembles the Centaur from the old Hercules cartoon?

2005-07-23T21:19:00.000-07:00