Happy New Year - Live It Up!

Better Late Than Never

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

 

Here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year! No matter what you celebrate (or don't), I sincerely wish you all the best and thank everyone who has come out and shaken their ass (or wanted to!) at any of my events. There will be more in 2011 so never fear! But if you can't wait until then, there are still two more chances to shake your tailfeather in 2010.

Come on out to Disgraceland (965 Bloor St. W.) on Boxing Day, December 26th for a night to boast about your holiday swag or recover from a weekend with the family. There will be plenty of good drinks, good food, good tunes and great pals. It's also Yvo Boom's birthday and we will be celebrating with mucho gusto!

The last DJ gig of the year is Yvo & I's once a month batch of trouble over at 751 (Queen St. W.) for our (becoming) legendary BOX SOCIAL. We swear and dance a lot, and play tunes you'll want to dance and fall down to. Now that Tina Sixx is bartending, you know it is going to be a night of trouble in the best way.

See you soon! 

xo.

I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night

Find the facebook event and R.S.V.P. RIGHT HERE

Rock n' Soul @ Disgraceland

I <3 The Phoenix

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mixtape Monday: MESS AROUND

If you were at the last one, you know what to expect. The most dancin-est tunes from the fifties, sixties & seventies, in other words, a Mess Around! We are doing it all over again this Wednesday, November 24th at the good ol' Hard Luck Bar (@Dundas & Bathurst) and we want to make sure you're ready to dance.

This week's mixtape is a hot mess of what you can expect to get down to at a Mess Around. Get your dancing shoes on and your drinking faces ready.

1. Ray Charles - Mess Around / 2. Shirley Ellis - The Clapping Song / 3. Etta James - Tell Mama / 4. The Show Stoppers - Ain't Nothin' But A House Party / 5. The Isley Bros. - Twist & Shout / 6. The Music Explosion - Little Bit O' Soul / 7. Question Mark & The Mysterians - Can't Get Enough of You Baby / 8. The Ramones - Let's Dance / 9. The Exploding Hearts - I'm A Pretender / 10. The Specials - Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)

Halloween Highlights!

Well Halloween sure showed me who was boss! It was a very full action packed weekend at both The Phoenix & Disgraceland. Here's a few highlights...

LoriAnn (ThePunkRockCupcake!) & Dj Misty do it up Saturday @ The Phoenix!

A zombie housewife and a day of the dead DJ

The Phoenix was packed with tons of amazing costumes!

Sunday night @ Disgraceland, all ready for a lil' of the old ultra violence (A Clockwork Orange)

Steve in classic "Douche Bag" costume with a new candy corn addiction

Best costumes! Fantastic Foxes!

Ghouls & a pretty kitty @ Disgraceland

Mixtape Monday: On a Tuesday...

Well I may be a day late with this week's Mixtape Monday, but it is well worth it! This week's mixtape is a tribute to Phil Spector, the man behind the Wall of Sound production style. I wont bore you with the details of what that is in case you already know and if you don't, this Wikipedia entry does a fine job of explaining how this technique is done. Then you can listen to the following mixtape tracks and hear how it sounds in action! 

The 8 songs come from the Phil Spector box set, Back to Mono and I went through and found the songs that I thought to be the most innovative, or the best examples of how his production style sounded. There are tons more, and I love that artists and producers are still recreating this sound today, as you saw two blog posts below with the video for The Morning Bender's song, Excuses.

1. The Crystals - He's Sure The Boy I Love

2. Veronica - Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love

3. The Ronettes - Baby I Love You

4. Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans - Not Too Young To Get Married

5. Ike & Tina Turner - River Deep, Mountain High

6. Modern Folk Quartet - This Could Be The Night

7. The Ronettes - When I Saw You

8. The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody

Dia De Los Muertos Festival: Oct. 23rd

The Morning Benders - Excuses

 Fantastic! I adore The Morning Benders and anyone who knows me knows how much I love Phil Spector. He's the guy who shoegazers of today worship...his distinct Wall of Sound production style can be heard in tons of classics; The Ronettes' hit, 'Be My Baby' for example. 

I sure got a kick out of watching The Morning Benders version of a Wall of Sound for their last album and I remember how rad it was seeing them live where the singer tried to recreate that sound in the basement of The Drake Hotel. We were divided into three sections with three unique harmonies and the whole sold out audience made for a beautiful choir once our voices were merged together. 

I can't listen to it and not sing along...it's my current in the shower hit single.

So Much Greatness!

It's been a little more than a red hot minute since I've updated but you will have to bear with me as so much good stuff is going on! 

Starting all the fun off is this weekend's HUGE overnight art party! I'll be at The Gladstone Hotel for their Nuit "Nude" Blanche affair which is a world record breaking 12 hour and 3 minute long burlesque/variety show. You can find me there doing the sound/dj'ing for the whole show so make sure you pop in and check out the great tunes, beautiful dancers, acts, magic and more. Coffee/Red Bull's/Rockstar's brought to yours truly will also be appreciated...

After this weekend, I'm back holding it down over at The Phoenix Concert Theatre where I play new rock/alternative/punk rock/retro every Saturday night. I can't even tell you what a blast this night is, so please make sure you email me to get sorted out for the guestlist. djmistyrocknroll@gmail.com

Also on the not too distant horizon include my monthy night of sin and debauchery which now happens on the second Friday (no longer Saturday) of the month at Cloak & Dagger on College St., another DJ night alongside the fabulous Yvo Boom on the last Thursday of the month at 751 and plans for an awesome Halloween party (two, in fact!). 

Between all that excitement and awesome band practice's life is kicking ass. Hopefully I can return the awesomeness to the blog soon so stay tuned for more Mixtape Monday's and Youtube greatness to come.

Mixtape Monday: These Boots

I'm not going to lie, these eight tracks were taken directly from my DJ set at Disgraceland last night. Uh huh. A little sixties set from the bar, to my blog and finally to you at home. Enjoy!

1. Sam The Sham and The Pharohs - Little Red Riding Hood (1966)

2. The Animals - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (1966)

3. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son (1969)

4. Vanity Fare - Hitchin' A Ride (1969)

5. The Monkees - I'm A Believer (1966)

6. Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made For Walking (1966)

7. Donovan - Season Of The Witch (1966)

8. The Turtles - Happy Together (1967)

Life is Good

The sun is coming up outside and I'm just getting ready to hit the hay as opposed to rising with the morning light but everything is alright all the same. These past couple of nights have been pretty fantastic. The Runway Lights practiced with our new lineup, I dj'ed a fun night at The Cloak & Dagger and had a packed dancefloor tonight at The Phoenix. Nothing feels better...and tomorrow, I'll up the soul a notch over at Disgraceland where I get to be your own personal jukebox. 

Any requests? Shoot em my way: djmistyrocknroll@gmail.com

p.s. hey breakdancing guy, you rule.

 

Mixtape Monday: No Laborious Work Today

This week's mixtape is all about a good time. Labour Day marks the end of the last long weekend of the season and for many a last chance to cram in the summer before it's gone. These eight tracks are fun, breezy tunes that reflect a summer of sunny days, friendship and love. How 1965, right?

"If I could turn the hands of time back into friends of mine, I'd chase away those skies of gray and things would be just fine."

1. The Barracudas - (I Wish it Could Be) 1965 Again

2. Andy G & The Roller Kings - Feelin' So Good

3. Rancid - Timebomb

4. Kings of Nuthin' - Waitin' to Leave

5. Reigning Sound - Stormy Weather

6. Sky Saxon & The Seeds - They Say

7. Best Coast - When I'm With You

8. The Queers - The Sun Always Shines Around You

Mixtape Monday: The Beginning of the End of Summer

I know that Summer is ending. The evenings are getting a little chillier and the days are a little shorter but I also know that I'm not quite ready to give it up yet. Thinking about cold, snow and everything Winter, it's hard not to feel bleak and dreary. But there is still so much to cram in the remaining time...The CNE, swimming, Toronto Island, patio pints...

This is my mix to declare that while the beginning of the end is nigh, Summer isn't quite over yet. Hopefully these 8 tracks of pop punk goodness will make you live your last days of Summer like it's the last.

1. The Copyrights - Stuck in Summertime

2. Screeching Weasel - First Day of Summer

3. The Ramones - California Sun

4. Groovie Ghoulies - School is In

5. Mean Jeans - Let's Pogo B4 U Gogo

6. Teenage Bottlerocket - Wasting Time

7. The Riverdales - Heart Out of Season

8. Fifteen - The End of the Summer

Yvonne Fair: I Found You

So I'm pretty confident in saying we all know and love James Brown, oui? But of course. So get this; I Got You (I Feel Good) was first recorded by one of my favourite soul/funk ladies in 1962!

Yvonne Fair is a woman with a killer voice (you may remember her from the mixtape below) and got a good start with both The Chantals and The James Brown Band which is with whom she recorded this track. Coolest part? James dug it so much he reworked it and made it his very own on his 1964 and 1965 recordings. 

Give this a listen; the ows! The shrieks! Which version do you dig the most?

Mixtape Monday: MmmHmm!

 Before I pop over to Disgraceland for one of my favourite DJ nights (all vinyl no beats from the boys over at Know Your Product) I thought I would post my first mixtape. I was listening to this as I was getting ready and shakin' my butt for the mirror so I think it's only fitting that you can do the same. 

These are some of the best female vocalists shredding their vocal chords and belting out some of my all time favourite soul and boogaloo tracks. 

 

1. Gloria Jones - Tainted Love (1964)

2. Diana Ross & The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love (1966) 

3. Shirley Ellis - Rubber Dolly (The Clapping Song) (1965) 

4. Esther Phillips - MoJo Hannah (1964) 

5. Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools (1967) 

6. Etta James - In The Basement (1966) 

7. Yvonne Fair - Say Yeah Yeah (1963) 

8. Jean Knight - Mr. Big Stuff (1971)

Nuit "Nude" Blanche @ Gladstone Hotel

Rock n' Soul Sunday's @ Disgraceland

I Need A Life

So, Born Ruffians made my Canadian Music Fest. I caught them live on Sunday night at The Phoenix and wow. It was no wonder the crowd of teenage girls were screaming and shouting, "Buddy Holly" as the singer/guitarist definitely has that appeal. Other CMF mentionables include; Cut Throat Britva, Think About Life, Metz and The Leathers*.

*ok. I didn't actually get to see The Leathers at either of their CMF shows but know they would have topped my list of highlights based on the fact that they have kicked my ass with amazing every time I've seen them.

Happy International Women's Day

I waited a little too long to post my blog today, and as a result missed International Women's Day. But while this is coming to you a day late, know that it took me the whole day to narrow it down to three youtube videos. I'm posting three female bands that knew how to rock n' roll and didn't just follow the boys. 

The Slits - Typical Girls


Bratmobile - What's Wrong With You?




and of course,
The Runaways - Cherry Bomb 

Playlist: The Demon's Lair 25.02.2010

In keeping with our Black History Month theme, The Blue Demon and myself thought we'd stray from the soul so that we could have a punky reggae party and that's exactly what we did! Now, not all of the artists were black(*cough* M.I.A. *cough*) but we went with the flow and represented a good selection of artists that we felt fit in with the show.

Check out the playlist, and don't forget to tune into "The Demon's Lair" on CKLN 88.1 fm Wednesday nights/Thursday mornings from 2am-6am.

Black History Month Tribute: Part II

Bob Marley - Punky Reggae Party
Tapper Zukie - MPLA
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
Toots & The Maytals - 54-46
The Selector - On My Radio/Too Much Pressure
Bad Brains - Sailin' On/Don't Need It/Attitude
Stiffed - Radio/It's Unanimous
Andre Williams - Car With The Star/Agile Mobile and Hostile
Folkes Bros/Prince Buster - Oh Carolina
Bob Marley - Simmer Down
Peter Tosh - Mega Dog
Desmod Dekker - Israelites
Fishbone - Skankin' To The Beat
The English Beat - Ranking Full Stop
M. Franti/Spearhead - Say Hey
Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves
The Specials - Gangsters/Concrete Jungle
Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Yakkity Yak
The Paragons - The Tide Is High
X Ray Spex - Oh Bondage Up Yours
The Templars - I Believe In Myself
Dead Kennedys - Kill The Poor
Love - My Little Red Book
Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put A Spell On You
Chuck Berry - Oh Baby Doll
Santigold - Lights Out

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Up Above My Head

Well, tomorrow IS Sunday and a woman killing it on an SG is alright by me.

Playlist: The Demon's Lair 18.02.2010

Every week I co-host a little radio show on CKLN 88.1 fm here in Toronto. It can be heard on fm radio in the Greater Toronto Area, on Rogers Digital Cable & anywhere in the world from www.ckln.fm

The Demon's Lair is hosted by myself and The Blue Demon, and we play a huge mix of genres like punk rock, rockabilly, surf, ska, soul, blues, psychobilly and more. Commercial free, minimal talking...it's rock n' roll radio at it's finest. You can tune in every Wednesday night/Thursday morning from 2am-6am.

Every week I'll post the show's playlist starting with this past weeks.

Black History Month Tribute: Part I
This week we opted for lots of soul, blaxsploitation and a few other of our fav's as we dug out the Way Back Machine. Tune in next week as we play our favourite black punk rock, ska and reggae artists.

Issac Hayes - Shaft
Ray Charles - I Got A Woman
Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
The Impessions - Choice Of Colour
Randy Ray Moore - Dolemite
Gloria Jones - Tainted Love
The Supremes - Stop In The Name Of Love
Freda Payne - Band Of Gold
Junior Walker - Shotgun
John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom
Smoky Robinson - Mickey's Monkey
Chuck Berry - Too Much Monkey Business
Marvin Gaye - Can I Get A Witness
Martha Reeves - Dancing In The Streets
Wilson Pickett - Land of 1000 Dances
James Brown - Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
Aretha Franklin - Save Me
Sly & The Family Stone - Dance To The Music/I Want To Take You Higher
Sam & Dave - Don't Turn Your Heater On
Archie Bell & The Drells - Tighten Up Pt. I
The Temptations - Cloud Nine
Bo Diddley - Road Runner
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Heard It Through The Grapevine
The Four Tops - Reach Out
Solomon Burke - Stupidity
The Jackson Five - I Want You Back
The Exciters - He's Got The Power
The Temptations - Psychedelic
Millie Jackson - My Man Is A Sweet Man
Eddie Bo - Hook & Sling Pt. II
Gino Washington - Out Of This World
The Ikettes - A Fool In Love
Lee Dorsey - Who's Gonna Help A Brother Get Further
Laura Lee - What A Man
Professor Longhair - Big Chief
Dee Dee Warwick - Suspicious Minds

The Day The Music Died

R.I.P.

Playlist: The Week The Music Died

This is the week the music died. More specifically, tomorrow is "The Day The Music Died". The day 51 years ago that JP "Big Bopper" Richardson, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens perished in a plane crash during their Winter Dance Party tour. They were 28, 22 and 17. Of course there have been countless other rock n' roll deaths that have occured way too soon, and I can barely begin to scratch the surface on the musicians who have been an incredible influence on what music has become and been.

But here in Toronto, there is another death in the music scene and that is with the closing of our Big Bop. The Big Bop has been a massive purple building sitting on the S-E corner of Queen and Bathurst streets, housing rock venues; The Kathedral, The Reverb & Holy Joes which served as a refuge for underage music fanatics. It was here that people of all ages could see their favourite bands play or, have a place for their own band to perform. I dedicate this week's playlist, a tribute to some of the musicans who have died too soon, to The Big Bop and the underage music fanatics who may well go on to become a Buddy Holly or even a Jay Reatard of sorts in their own right.

The Big Bopper - Little Red Riding Hood
Ritchie Valens - Donna
Buddy Holly - Dearest
Bobby Fuller - Let Her Dance
Marc Bolan (T. Rex) - One Inch Rock
Keith Moon (The Who) - My Generation
Jay Reatard - It Ain't Gonna Save Me
Darby Crash (The Germs) - Lexicon Devil
Bon Scott (AC/DC) - Rocker
Eddie Cochran - Nervous Breakdown
Ritchie Valens - Ooh! My Head
Johnny Burnette - Little Boy Sad
Hank Williams - Ramblin' Man
Buddy Holly - Not Fade Away

Well Done!

So I made it all the way to 2010 without uttering a peep in the last half of the year. Yikes. We have some catching up to do only now I can do it in a mad flurry and will have no choice but to spare the boring stuff. Not too bad, eh?

So let's see. The past six or so months have brought love, the birth and hiatus of The Runway Lights (Bang It Out's baby), and some prolific Dj gigs that included dj'ing for thousands at Nathan Phillip's Square's Cavalcade of Lights to toot my own horn for a moment. Turning my full-time day job into part-time to accomodate an increase in gigs has by and far been my greatest accomplishment for 2009 and while the thought of dj'ing full-time never crossed my mind it's there now, wondering what if...or do I keep focused on my big kid career and what I went to school for? Ahhhh such is the deep exploration I must do and since there's no time like the present I suppose I'd better add it to the ol' to-do list of life so I can officially procastinate doing it along with the day to day stuff like laundry and doing dishes.

I'll keep you posted.

xo.