Month: October 1999

By Darby Sawchuk

A deep, hoarse voice quietly introduces itself through the receiver. Its tone ready to crumble at the slightest quake, it is familiar but weary. Shouldn’t it be louder than a bomb? Shouldn’t it assail its listener without a pause? Perhaps it is saving energy for the rebellion that has made it so familiar. The booming… Continue reading Poisoning the public

By Laura Glick

Not many artists make the leap from cover band to major label original artist in less than four years. Especially trios from Saskatoon. Wide Mouth Mason have been an exception and have had a moderate amount of success since the format switch. "We gradually switched over to blues rooms and that’s where we could slip… Continue reading Not your average media darling

By Justin Lee

A laid-back, dream-like feeling passes over you while listening to Brown, the debut album from ex-Base Is Base member, Ivana Santilli. Interspersed with energetic and upbeat sections, Brown creates what Santilli describes as "soul." "I describe it as soul and the thing is, I’m a little apprehensive in describing it that way simply because I… Continue reading Ivana Santilli: new boss lady

By Mike Hwozdecki

I got to the show early and wandered around. I kept thinking, "What the heck happened to all the punky multi-colored hair on 20-year-old boys?" Instead the crowd was a sea of pre-teen preppy girls everywhere. Must be an MxPx show. The show opened with a trio called Too Bad Eugene, from Scott’s Valley, California.… Continue reading A good old punk rawk show

By Micheal Leung

No, you won’t find any lesbians here. That’s just the way it is with Earth, Deepa Mehta’s second film in her nominally-tied trilogy. Mehta’s first film in the set, Fire, caused much controversy in India and abroad because of its radical sexual orientation themes. During screenings in India, rioters crashed the now-banned film, breaking glass… Continue reading Earth peers into India’s past

By Darby Sawchuk

Metal and rap were born from anger. The two genres grew up in the same neighbourhood: the deep, crunchy guitar assaults of metal faced any and every opponent while the rhythmic, verbal attacks of rap music most frequently focussed on topics of inequality and injustice. Both born of aggressive emotion, their now-united front is a… Continue reading Machinehead meld metal and hip hop

By Melissa Shea

The Epic Painter is a retrospective exhibition showcasing Ronald Gyo-Zo Spickett’s work from the ’40s to the ’80s. In 1984, at age 58, the nationally and critically-acclaimed painter abandoned his studio and his full-time art career after he embraced Zen Buddhism and assumed the Dharma name Gyo-Zo. The current exhibition, the first in 17 years,… Continue reading Exibit chronicles artistic career

By Darby Sawchuk

Somewhere in California, rusty loading carts rattle and screech behind Taylor McLam, guitarist for rap/metal trio Orange mm. With an accent befitting an X-games participant, the amateur skater and rider spews pent-up energy through the phone. "We have to focus every time we play on bringing as much energy as we can," waxes McLam. "We’re… Continue reading Is your metal heavy?

By Dave Teeuwen

There are few Canadians with the fame Mordecai Richler enjoys. It is not the kind of fame movie stars and musicians endure, crave and then complain about. It’s more along the lines of being an ambassador everybody likes. His recent collection of magazine articles and musings, Belling the Cat (and taken in large part from… Continue reading Mordecai tells it like it is