"Can't you figure it out?" - Sloan

This photo was taken by a dear friend named Beth in Toronto. She is so talented with her camera!
www.rockpaperpixels.com
OH YES! Jay Ferguson is going to talk to us on the Maple Minutes. I have always wanted to talk music with him but get kinda tongue tied in person. I mean, how do you start a conversation about about a million bands while other people are waiting to talk to him after a show. He is just a sweet, sweet man so I am honored. Hopefully I get out a few things I have always wanted to ask. When I would listen to his and Chris' show each week, I would pretty much be their third anyway-LOL! It should be fantastic.
Elkas forgot to call in this past week but sent the most charming apology. We will have him on also in a few weeks. In-Flight Safety's Daniel Ledwell is this week. I adore them too as you all know.

Today a member of local band The Love Blisters was on for guest DJ week. I heard the starting chords of "Fashionable People" by Plaskett. I hear that song so often on the radio it took me a minute or two to realize it was on The Blaze. After Plaskett he played "Last time in Love' by Sloan. I was floored. I went in and introduced myself. He proclaimed NHTEOI and Ashtray Rock the best records of last year. I said we need to talk more! Nice guy. He also played The Zombies! I had to leave to teach but wish I heard the rest of his set.

More maple madness today. Billy Talent is playing the Tempe Music Fest. I am not a huge fan but see no reason they do not come by the station since they are a block away. I called around and ended up on the phone with their publicity guy. Super nice guy, talked music for a bit. Turns out he does publicity for Arts n Crafts. Holy nice phone call... He was super interested in The Blaze and I mentioned we would like Jason Collett....What a huge connection! Hi, could we talk to Amy and Torq please? <3

My birthday last week tunred out to be a super nice day. No drama, all good feelings, fun gifties and wonderful friends and family around me. And I laughed so much at Sloan on with Jian that morning. Jian handles everyone so smooth but Chris Murphy always throws him off a bit. I told Chris that, he is about the only one who can snag Ghomeshi's cool demeanor on air. Hooray for fun birthdays!

We interviewed that gal Lights that Jian manages. She was just an absolute ray of sunshine. Super positive and very sure of herself and what she wants to accomplish. Sadly we lost the interview to a technical glitch. I can wish and dream Jian heard it, right? It went really well. I think she is going to be huge. The Old Navy commercial is already helping that.


I have been just pouring over Newfoundland books trying to plot my course of action. I am going to work at it again tonight to plan making both my Nova Scotia travel aspirations and Newfoundland ones work.

A little wrench in my plans to travel for now on came on Saturday. Dan decided to fire up Big Red and put her in the trailer. I know it may seem ridiculous to some but the minute it started up I balled my eyes out. I loved racing and hearing my car start for the first time in two and a half years was a jolt. Of course, uncapped, it jolts the entire neighborhood and all the pictures on the wall also. I can not imagine being able to travel and race. It was so hard to see Dan drive it the few feet he did to get it in the trailer. I just don't know.

Work is crazy but good. Orientation season has started and somehow I still ended up involved in it. Not all students are reacting well to our school's move to downtown Phoenix. There are only a few weeks left of school and I will have to say good bye to more of my fave kids. Plus 2 of the first Cronkite Village group are graduating (in three years!) It gets so hard to see them come and go. Then I have lunch with some of my past directors and hear all the new marriages, babies and even divorces. 8 years worth of students now, I am so fortunate to have a job I LOVE!

"Romance" - The Payola$

Or Bromance....
I am dying! Peter Elkas on the Maple Minutes this Thursday...YES!~

Cars - Gary Numan

Cars is one of the first New Wave songs I ever loved along with "Generals and Majors" - XTC and "Pop Musik" - M.

I am helping Dan sell auto parts at a huge auto swap meet this weekend. Having done many a garage sale, I find it facinationg how men at sales like this are so different. I suppose because they are more competitive, they behave worse? We got out to this event at 5:30am. It is supposed to start at 7am. Just as Dan opens the trailer door there are guys trying to come in his trailer to get first look at what he's got... He kicked them out but as he tried to unload, more and more guys kept perusing his stuff. He had to answer questions and could not get a minute to finish unloading the trailer. I don't think we ever got it all out. They are insulting in their offers but that is true of garage sales also. I understand wanting to get a deal but we price cheap anyway! It was amusing for me to hear my very shy husband be a sales man. He is pretty good at it, likes to be really nice and tell the part's entire history. The men at these sales have carts or wagons they bring. Differnce is, they have hundreds in their wallet. I have probably once had $100 if that to go garage saling. Dan made a few grand, so I guess all the work was worth it. The economy has made no dent in men's pockets who are rebuilding cars! The funniest part to me was these guys who tape pictures of their cars with a price on their T-shirts. This is their own walking advertisement as they are shopping. I saw so many, it was hilarious. Some would have no pictures, just lists of parts and prices. Too funny.


An old racer friend was at the swap meet. He stopped racing prior to me. We were catching up and he asked me how mom was. I froze. That was the first time I ran into someone who didn't know. My face must have told him as he reacted and said , oh I am sorry. (Mom had cancer for 4 years, so I am sure he knew she was battling) It was just so odd because I thought everyone in our circle of friends knew. I had that happen once after my dad passed away. A racer came up to me at the track, looking for my dad. I felt so bad for him because he broke down over it right there. Just hard to deal with. Mom is on my mind so much, it hit me so odd to think someone thought she was still with us. I wonder if Dan has had it happen yet with his dad? The person feels so bad too but you know it is an accident, you can still tell they feel stupid for not knowing. If you ever make that mistake to someone, just respond by how much you liked that person. That always makes it easier for me. I want people to remember how amazing my parents were.

I love swap meets, even auto parts ones bring out a few antiques. I am on this old radio kick to decorate the new office. I was determined someone would have one out there. I was so surprised to find a fella out there who was simply working out of his truck advertising old radio repairs! It makes sense as these old cars for sale need radios. He said that was the majority of his business. I asked if he had any radios with him. He pulled out a 1947 Philco, plugged it into his truck with a little mini amp and it played beautiful. I ran back to Dan who graciously gave me some of his earnings. It is gorgeous! Now I was very careful in my negotiations so as to ask for best deal but not insult what was obviously a beautiful radio that worked. I had been shopping on ebay for some last week but to actually buy it from a fellow who fixed it back up and was kind to sell it was much better. Spoiled me, I also found a tiny old transitor radio for $20. Like I need another collection.. Now officially I will get 4 old radios for my birthday. Two of them were only $100 which I believe were smoking deals. The other two were only $20 each. I will photograph them Monday when I "open" them. I will try to contain this collection...Is that possible with me?

Pickin flowers for - Best Kissers in the World

Tiny bits today:

*I took the posted photo! It may be the best photo I have ever taken! I had a bag of Anne of Green Gable wildflower seeds. We had so much rain this year, wildflowers are aboundant. I smile when I drive up and see them. Even Dan comments how beautiful they are. Need to go to NS to buy another bag of seeds-haha!

*I am listening to the new Bauhaus CD. Yes, they have a new release. I seem to have this tiny goth side to me. It is pretty damn good so far.

*Speaking of the NS trip. I had so much more planned by this time last trip. I am waiting for tax return to buy flight. I am just so confused what to do about NFLD. I need a panel of experts as to what to do.

*I did not end up going to California for Matt Good. Andrew could not get off work because it is Spring Break. Maybe we will go up to see him with a full band but those dates get close to the NS trip.

*Spring Break is right baby! Some folks have told me it was no big deal when I had to give up the stauffer office BUT this week is proof that I need my own time. Now don't get me wrong, I love the kids but just the opportunity to finish an email without interruption is a blessing. I needed the mix of alone time with student time.

*I turn 41 in less than a week. I dragged Dan around shopping so I assured myself some gifts-hahaha! I got it in my head I wanted an old radio for my new office. (huge shock, I found out last week I get a window!) I ended up with two radios, one from an antique store in Chandler and one from ebay.

* Saw video of 4 new Sloan songs today that they did at the murderrecords relaunch. Nobody seems to like the Murphy song but I did. Jay's song was my favorite of the 4 songs. Ever since Ruh told me that most folks in T-dot would like to hear a Jay solo record, I have thought about the fact that his songs are closest to the indie pop played on college radio these days. It is good old power pop to me but I can see why he is the indie kids fave member.

*No students at ASU for a week means Leah can play Jian's show loud in the entire Blaze offices.

* Billy Talent was added to the Tempe Music Festival. I am not really a big fan but it would be cool to have them come by the Maple Minutes...

* Sugar Free candy is pretty darn good. They need to work on sugar free ice cream.

* I eat yogurt now, with nuts. Who am I?

* I should have listened to Hutch, I love this macbook way better than my own laptop.

* Dan and I realized we are magazine addicts.

* Peter Murphy still has a great voice. A new generation of kids will want to slit their wrists to this record-hahah!

Oh How you used to know me so well - The Superfantastics

This is the band I interviewed today. This video is absolutely adorable as was Stephanie, the gal I interviewed. One of my students asked me how I prepare. I guess it is honestly the most natural thing I do in life outside of loving someone. No matter what career I have now, my most natural instinct is to be a radio broadcaster. Does that mean I should go back? No, not unless The Verge or CBC3 come a calling.

This same student, Sarah, is the last of a dying breed. A Tempe music fan, as in the old days of Mill Ave. She is egging me on to write something about those days. I can't really wrap my head around the idea. The writing coach I went to see suggested I write some personal essays about events and see where it goes. I feel like all my old aircheck tapes and articles in boxes need to be exhumed. It would take years. I also keep telling her that it would just end up being ode to Robin. I left monumental shows to go where ever the Blossoms were. Won't my memoir just be a girl with an unrequited love with alternative bands and radio set in the background? I heard a quote from Robin recently about the first time he heard the Blossoms on the radio. He said he was overlooking the Phx lights, on a date making out. I just shook my head because I guarantee you he had me on KQ. I am sure I was playing it, it was probably the day we added Dusted. I know I was the first to play them on KUKQ. In fact, I am such a stupid pack rat; I still have the index card from KQ. (We had all songs on a card system; you initialed the card when you played a song) So are my memories of that time period worth repeating? Maybe as I tell someone or blog but probably not a novel. I need to think on it. I would love to write another fictional story. That seems ten times easier than real life.

Sloan is playing their Canadian Music Week show as I type. I am ok not being there. It just didn’t seem to be the right time to go back yet. I would guess I will sneak to a Detroit show so I can visit. My heart is thinking about the NS trip now, not really much of anything else.

Beat So Lonely - Charlie Sexton

I had a dream about Charlie Sexton a few nights ago. Now I certainly like the guy but seriously, how does someone like that end up so vivid in one's dream? My best guess was that recently, while researching how to contact Peter Elkas for a Maple Minutes interview, I saw Charlie's picture for his myspace on Peter's myspace. (Because Sexton produced Elkas latest release.)

In the dream, I was watching a movie Sexton starred in. He was the hunky romantic lead who the main female gets to kiss in the end. I remember I was thinking to myself, "Wow, I didn't remember Charlie Sexton was in a movie." (He was not, this is the dream.) Dreams are such weird things; my mind tries to rationalize even in my dreams. It is just like every time a guy gets near me in a dream, my mind says no, I can't I'm married. Jeez, let me dream without guilt!

I do have a few Charlie Sexton stories though. I remember in high school my old pal Michele and I waited up on New Years Eve to see him on their special. Sexton was our age, so cute and pouty. He was the last artist on the show, like at 2am or something. We were so cool for staying up so late to see this hot new artist!

His second LP has a song written by Marty Willson-Piper. Now there is a dream duo of high cheeks. Put John Taylor along for the ride and I will explode in teen screams for sure.

When I was station manager at KASR, my team of gal directors all traveled to SXSW in Austin, TX. Debauchery was abounding for that weekend. As we arrived at Sky Harbor to leave, we walked by Charlie Sexton. Girl squee ensued. We kept watchful eye as he meandered into the bar. We followed. (5 girls all approaching? -look out!) I recall trying my brainy about music approach that got me nowhere all of the time. My music director Christine managed a few more words out of him with her earthy approach. We finally left him to his drink after discovering he was on our plane to Austin. We all hoped our ticket would be next to him but alas, Charlie didn't take any of the KASR girls home to Austin with him.

That weekend in Austin was all about the schmoozing. Label reps bought us Shiner Bock at the all Arizona bands showcase starring the Sandrubies. Blossoms were involved, naturally. We drove to Houston to see them play with Dash Rip Rock. It was a long drive but come on, did I ever not follow Robin where ever he went? Doug was in rare form at that show. The Blossoms played downstairs, Dash Rip Rock upstairs. Robin jumped on stage with them and wore the singer's ten gallon hat. Pictures exist somewhere. Oddly I remember having a long conversation with Phil Blossom outside that club. We stayed with Jules's family then drove back. The party was in our room the next night. Mercury reps took us to the hotel hot tub to listen to the "next big thing", Mother Love Bone. They were half right.

As I recall, I had a puppy following me the entire weekend, yes I mean a guy...I never got the guy as I always had gorgeous, slim friends but for once, this one was after me. I had spoke to him a bunch by phone prior as he was a college radio PD from Florida. He was Jewish, he must have thought he found his girl when he saw my nose-hahaha! He was smart too. Yeah, if his name wasn't Robin, I never took a second glance. Too bad as this fella even came to visit me in AZ later for my graduation! Years later I saw him on TV, he was a doctor on some late night paid programming. I kid you not!

I spoke to a writing coach today about writing non-fiction. It was interesting but just as I write blogs, I can really only remember bits and pieces of events. I would guess if I could remember what we tried to talk to Charlie Sexton about at the airport would make a more interesting story but I can't. I feel like I have interesting tidbits from my past but not a memoir. I have to think on it. I enjoyed writing fiction so much, I think non-fiction would annoy me. I think not remembering as well as I would like would just tick me off.

Two bands on Maple this week- The Superfantastics and The Blood Lines. I am excited!