Back when Pearl Jam was at their height, they had the clout to do anything they wanted. Anything.
On September 26, 2000, the band released 25 double CD live albums—what they referred to as “official bootlegs”—featuring performances from virtually every show they played on European tour in support of their Binaural album. Of those 25, five immediately made the top 200 album chart. This was the first time any act ever saw more than two new albums show up on the chart in the same week.
Two other sets just missed the cut. Had they made the charts that week, Pearl Jam would have joined The Beatles, The Monkees, and U2 as the only acts to that point with seven albums on the charts at the same time.
A question from new parents: “Should I expose my baby to live music?” The answer is “yes.”
A recent study at the University of Toronto revealed that infants have longer attention spans when experiencing live music. Sure, you might want to give them an iPad to stare at, but that apparently doesn’t work as well as live music. Videos don’t captivate them a whole lot but live music elicits physiological changes like a synchronization of heart rate to the music.
The final conclusion? “Findings suggest that performer–audience interactions and social context play an important role in facilitating attention and coordinating emotional responses to musical performances early in life.”
The big caveat? Volume. The live music cannot be too loud for those delicate little ears.
The Flaming Lips are certainly unconventional and experimental. One of their weird projects was a very, very long song called “7 skies H3” which, in its original form, ran for 24 hours.
It consisted of several separate pieces, each running anywhere from 25 minutes to seven hours. If that wasn’t enough, just 13 copies were released on flash drives that were encased in actual human skulls. They went on the market (appropriately) on Halloween 2011 and cost $5,000. And yes, they sold them all. If you can’t find your own copy—imagine that—they also set up a website with the song on a continuous loop.
And if you would rather have a physical copy, there is an edited version that runs 50 minutes and was released for Record Store Day 2014.
Back in the 1930s during the Great Depression, there was a phenomenon known as the dance marathon. Basically, couples would take up a challenge to see who could remain dancing longer than anyone else. They were held in ballrooms and auditoriums and could continue for not just hours, but days and even weeks.
Spectators paid to watch, too. The longer the marathon went on, the higher the admission price. Couples had to stay in motion continuously resulting in blisters, injuries, and collapse from exhaustion.
Why would anyone subject themselves to such a thing? Like I said, it was during the Depression. Many people signed up for these marathons because it meant food, shelter, and a place to sleep, even if it was just a few minutes an hour. Those who won were given a cash prize. Hey, the Depression was rough. People were willing to do anything to survive.
Some recommendations can be quirky things. U2 on a flatbed truck in Las Vegas? A member of Spinal Tap going off on the Barbie phenomenon? And is emo really back? These things and more with this week’s Five Songs.
1. U2, Atomic City Single (Universal) Recommended If You Like: Whatever U2 is up to these days
This Friday, U2 will open their residency at the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas. Fans had been expecting some kind of new music ahead of this—hey, it’s just the kind of thing U2 tends to do—so “Atomic City” debuted as part of a pop-up thing on the back of a flatbed trailer on Freemont Street. Bono described the song as being the spirit of late-70s post-punk. And yes, that’s is Larry Mullen playing drums. He won’t be at the Sphere shows because he’s still having post-op therapy on his back, but it was nice to see him with the rest of the band.
2. Lowest of the Low, Hey Kid (You Got Soul!) Single (Independent) RIYL: 90s memories
Just as U2 is preparing for their Sphere gigs, there’s a documentary on Lowest of the Low entitled Subversive: The History of Lowest of the Low that has started having screenings. (Yes, I’m in it.) It’s nice that there’s a new LoTW single to go along with that. You’ll definitely feel the need to skank along with this.
3. Derek Smalls, Must Crush Barbie Single (Bottomland Productions/Immortal Records) RIYL: Barbie hate
I didn’t see this one coming. Spinal Tap bassist Smalls has decided that enough is enough with the whole Barbie phenomenon and wants to eviscerate it with a song that he describes as “an excoriating attack on the pink sensation … that advocate of everything pink and fluffy, Barbie. The self-described embodiment of lukewarm water reaches boiling point with Smalls’ first track in five years.” The bio goes on for quite a bit, too. No word on the status of David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tuffnel, or which drummer died during the sessions. (Yes, yes, it’s actually Harry Shearer, but just go with it, okay?)
4. The Moss, The Place That Makes You Happy Single (Hollywood Records) RIYL: Feel-good songs
Coming out of Salt Lake City, The Moss is a four-piece that specializes in straight-ahead anthemic and poppy guitar rock (for this song, anyway) and has the slightest bit of country twang to it. A number of publications have tagged them as a band to watch.
5. Taking Back Sunday, S’Old 152 (Fantasy Records) RIYL: The current emo revival
There’s no question that after hiding its bedroom for the last decade or so, emo has returned, let by some of the stars of the early aughts including My Chemical Romance, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and now Taking Back Sunday. We shouldn’t be surprised, really. Emo goes well with a tough economy and lots of political uncertainty. And yes, emo is definitely a nostalgic sound, but the times are right for this revival. This TBS record—their eighth and first since 2016—will be out October 27. Oh, and the title of the album comes from a section of a road between Highpoint, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh where the band and their friends would meet up as teenagers.
All the original Ramones are no longer with us. While Dee Dee died of a heroin overdose, his three bandmates suffered from different forms of cancer. Joey died of lymphoma. Johnny? Prostate cancer. Tommy suffered from bile duct cancer. Coincidence? Maybe not.
Some suspect these cancers are the result of the conditions of a loft on East 2nd Street where the Ramones rehearsed and printed t-shirts. It was the former home of a plastic flower factory and some believe that the toxic residue left over from the chemicals used in their manufacture. They permeated the entire building.
Oh, and one more thing: Arturo Vega, the Ramones’ art director and the guy who designed and pressed up all those t-shirts in that loft? He also died of cancer.
Police are investigating a fatal single-vehicle collision that occurred in Digby County early on Saturday morning.
DD
RCMP are investigating after a fatal single-vehicle crash in Digby County early on Saturday morning.
According to a media release, first responders arrived at the scene of the incident on Highway 101 in the community of Plympton at about 4:15 a.m., where officers located a Subaru Legacy flipped upside down in a ditch.
Police say the car was fully engulfed in flames.
“The driver and sole occupant of the car was located inside the vehicle and pronounced deceased,” police said.
The section of Highway 101 between French Road and North Range Cross Road was closed for several hours while a collision analyst attended the scene.
Police say the investigation is ongoing with assistance from the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service.
Despite more fall-like conditions today, the Glen Lake wildfire near Peachland is raging out of control. The fire is only several kilometres from the edge of the small Okanagan community and residents are wasting no time in getting ready for the possibility of having to flee for safety. Klaudia Van Emmerik reports.
Cooler temperatures and precipitation in the Okanagan have significantly reduced fire activity on the Glen Lake wildfire burning near Peachland.
According to Central Okanagan Emergency Operations, no new orders or alerts are expected on Sunday as a result of the improvements on the fire.
Firefighters and helicopters are continuing to work on the northeast and southeast flanks or the fire, which is mapped at 1,116 hectares in size.
Structural protection is in place for the community of Peachland as the wildfire continues to burn out of control.
An evacuation order remains in effect for recreational properties accessed off Glen Lake Forest Service Road, including six recreational properties on Glen Lake Forest Service Road.
An evacuation alert remains for all areas within the Regional District of Central Okanagan south of the Brenda Mine site, southwest of Highway 97C (Okanagan Connector) and west of Highway 97. The alert does not include Peachland Beach Avenue neighbourhoods or the downtown area.
Unifor says it has reached a tentative deal with Ford Motor Co. that could avoid workers going on strike. The deal was reached after Unifor extended its strike deadline by 24 hours late Monday after receiving what it called a "substantive offer" from Ford. Ahmar Khan reports.
The union representing 5,600 workers at Ford Motor Co. facilities in Canada says workers have voted to accept a deal with the automaker.
Unifor and Ford reached a tentative agreement Tuesday after extending a strike deadline by 24 hours.
The union has said the three-year deal addresses all issues raised by members for this round of bargaining.
With the Ford deal ratified, Unifor can move on to trying to replicate that deal at the other big automakers, Stellantis and General Motors.
The union has said wages, pensions, job security and the transition to electric vehicles were key areas of focus for bargaining.
Meanwhile, workers at GM and Stellantis plants in the U.S. have been participating in limited strikes, and on Friday expanded the work action to 38 locations in 20 states.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2023.
Union leader Lana Payne, national president of Unifor, issued a statement today saying the deal will mean tremendous gains for autoworkers.
Payne says the deal will also set the pattern for future negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis.
Unifor and Ford reached a tentative agreement last Tuesday night after extending a Monday strike deadline by 24 hours.
The deal covers more than 5,600 workers at Ford’s plants in Canada.
Brothers Carson (left) and Jackson Sombach on the field during Regina Rams football pracitice
Global News
This season, the University of Regina Rams football team will see up to four jerseys with the name Sombach on the field, at any given time.
Brothers Jackson, Carson, Connor and Rylar Sombach have all earned spots on the Rams’ roster.
Jackson is the oldest of the four and said it is no coincidence the band of brothers ended up playing for the U of R. All the brothers played Regina minor football and then at miller high school before joining the Rams.
“We are all very close at home, we all spend a lot of time together. So growing up we always had the thought that we could play for the Rams at the same time, I know my dad definitely wanted it to happen so to see it all come together and spend this much time together and be on the same field everyday is pretty special,” he said.
Jackson is in his fourth year as a defensive back for the team. On the field, he stands next to the team’s safety, his brother and second-year player Carson, the next oldest.
“We are really good at communicating, we see stuff together, I’ll tell him he’s wrong, he’ll tell me I’m wrong or vice versa. But it’s awesome to have your big brother and close friend right beside you, it’s a lot easier to make decisions,” Carson said.
The youngest of the bunch are Connor and Rylar, a set of twins who also play the defensive back position and are in their first year with the team.
“They learn through watching us and through us helping them, they’ll come ask us questions about film, about plays, we’ll go through some stuff with them and they take advantage of us being the older people on the team for sure,” Carson said.
And the elder statesman of the brothers Sombach, said that while a natural sibling rivalry can get heated at times, when it comes to the football field, they keep things positive.
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