Dubya drops the dog. Witty caption unnecessary.

Today is the first day in ages where I have nothing I *need* to do. It is also the last day of my vacation. Figures. I’m meeting up with Large tonight to see the new Jim Jarmusch film Coffee & Cigarettes at the Film Festival. I don’t know what I’ll do with the afternoon.

Last night I met up with Azra for some ghetto chicken (read: KFC) and ended up at a rock show with some of her classmates from school. The Mark Inside were playing at the Dovercourt House as part of Anagram’s CD release party. I didn’t stick around for the headliners, but Mark Inside were alright. They had more of a swampy blues-boogie thing going on than the last time I saw them, which was a little more on the New York post-punk tension trip. I preferred them the last time.

np – Metric / Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?

Neutral Milk Hotel founder Jeff Mangum has been MIA for years since releasing the transcendent In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. What happened to him? This guy is determined to find out.

Who is Lys Guillorn? I don’t know, but she’s got some heavy hitters playing on her album. Including Dean Wareham, James Mercer and Robert Quine, among others.

Another Soundscapes in-store – Super Furry Animals perform an acoustic set at the store Monday, September 15 at 7pm. Those interested in attending should try to snag a spot, oh, NOW.

Some Lake Holiday news – we’re playing a show at the Silver Dollar Room on September 25 with local synth-pop outfit Pony Da Look and Belgian chamber-popsters Melon Galia. Also, we will be part of a Tribute to Joy Division & New Order night at Sneaky Dee’s the second week of October – exact details to be determined.

np – Chappaquiddick Skyline / Chappaquiddick Skyline

File under: “What the hell were they thinking?” Elton John was the surprise guest at the Harley Davidson 100th Anniversary party in Milwuakee.

Because you demanded it – Family Guy : The Motion Picture.

A round table discussion with former child stars. Dig the tension – Danny Patridge and Screech musta had it out in the parking lot afterwards. Link from The Modern Age.

Travis’ tour for 12 Memories brings them to the Hummingbird Centre for an extra-scary Halloween show, October 31. Okay, it probably won’t be scary in the slightest.

Today was lots of running around, blowing cash on household implements. Desk and bookcase from Ikea – I briefly floated the notion of moving them home myself, but the 90 lb package quickly scotched that idea. They’re being delivered Tuesday night. I also got a load of this and that from Canadian Tire. I am almost all set up, I think. Ah hell, who am I kidding. I have no idea.

np – Guided By Voices / Isolation Drills

Check this out – Hassslehoff music videos… There’s no accounting for taste, but the Germans are just NUTS.

Kevin Shields talks about scoring Lost In Translation.

My Morning Jacket do a free instore at Soundscapes at 7pm next Friday, the same night as their show at Lee’s Palace.

That Universal Music price slash I mentioned yesterday? It’s not just Universal Music Canada – it’s Universal Music worldwide. Universal is the largest major label in the world, by the way. Price war! Price war! Price war!

Things I have at the end of the day that I did not at the start of the day:

– a toaster (thanks mom!)

– my own phone number (thanks Bell guy!)

– three fully opening windows instead of two (thanks building maintenance guy!)

– a working vacuum cleaner (thanks guy who sold me a new belt for my vacuum cleaner!)

Tomorrow – to Ikea. Seems that next-day delivery only works if you go to the store and purchase said items. Over the phone, they ship from Quebec and it takes 11-14 days. Um, no.

np – Nada Surf / Let Go

Something curious happening with my phone line. The previous tenant has moved his phone number to his new address, and my line isn’t due to be installed until tomorrow. However, I plugged my phone into the jack on a lark and voila – dialtone. I can make outgoing calls, take incoming calls (I called a friend with call display to find out what the number was)… and I have no idea who this number belongs to. Bell doesn’t know – the previous tenant was with another local phone provider. So yes, we can get all the requisite “call porn lines!” jokes out of the way now. Hell, I just took a phone survey on this mystery line…

Jessica Simpson as the Invisible Girl in a Fantastic Four movie? Um, okay.

Wheat’s long-awaited, oft-delayed Per Second Per Second Every Second has been – wait for it – delayed again. The October 7 release date is now an October 28 release date. Sigh. I don’t think the album really exists.

Velocette Records has some mp3s from the new Beulah album for your approval. Yoko! September 9! Linkie from Catty Birdy Seatie.

Time Magazine – yes, Time – declares Spoon your “new favorite band” and a title for the new album – Captured To Be Cooked is revealed. Expect it in Spring 04. Link from Traveler’s Diagram.

Universal Music has announced they are lowering their wholesale and list prices on CDs in response to music downloading. That’s great guys, glad to hear it. Now how about concentrating on putting out music that DOESN’T SUCK?

np – Beulah / The Coast Is Never Clear