Illustration by Merida Anderson
Category Archives: regulars
Venews
Little Mountain Gallery
By Jordie Yow
Editor’s Note
That "we listen to a surprising amount of rap" magazine from CiTR 101.9 FM
By Jordie Yow
Dear Discorder:
It has come to our attention that school is starting again soon. If you are starting school, then it’s quite possible that you are new in town, in which case Discorder welcomes you with an article designed to get you acclimatized to your new locale. We spoke to some of our favourite people in town and asked them what they would recommend to people who are fresh off the proverbial boat. Even if you’ve lived in Vancouver since you emerged from your mother’s womb, you might still learn of a place that you hadn’t thought of visiting before. I certainly hadn’t been aware that Mr. Lee’s General Store & Haberdashery even existed until Andy Dixon mentioned it for this article. Check it out on page 11. Read More
Riff Raff
By Bryce Dunn
Big Dick - Jensen
Textually Active
The England’s Dreaming Tapes: The Essential Companion to England’s Dreaming, The Seminal History of Punk, by Jon Savage
Review By Miné Salkin
Illustration by Lindsey Hampton
Textually Active
Neil Young: Long May You Run: The Illustrated History (Voyageur Press, May 2010)
Review By Andy Hudson
Neil Young is 64 and he rocks. He drives a 19-foot electric Lincoln Continental. This summer he’s on tour, riling old “Harvest” fans with a new crop of anti-war songs and maybe signing copies of his first-ever comic book.
But it doesn’t matter.
When you’re 64 and a rock god, some publisher will do the math—41 studio albums plus three generations of fans—and memorialize your career in a picture book.
At least Voyageur Press did a solid job. For a coffee table biography, Long May You Run is not only good looking but good reading, too.
On glossy, heavy-stock paper, the book collects more than 400 mostly unpublished photos, from young “Sugar Mountain” Neil playing Winnipeg with his first band the Squires, up to shots of the Devo-inspired stage sets of his Rust Never Sleeps tour, and promos for his 2009 Linc/Volt car. Read More
Riff Raff
By Bryce Dunn
Hello once again! Summer is upon us and the living is easy, as they say, but it’s always better when good music is playing. To begin, why not indulge in the summer sounds of the Throwaways, from their newly minted split release with the Spastic Panthers. In fact, there is even a “Summer Song” to get you in the lovesick mood, and that spills over into their ode to “Mikey Erg!” leader of the now defunct seminal pop-punk group the Ergs! (Just for the record guys, in reference to the lyric, “I don’t know where you are today or what you’re doing now” he’s in the awesome band Psyched To Die, check’ em out!). The other two tracks, “Pterodactyl Clap” and “Got A Problem?” sound like a thrashier, noisier version of the Brentwoods or the Tourettes. Live, these gals and guy rip it up: yours truly has watched them and grinned from ear to ear as a result. I can’t say I feel the same about the Spastic Panthers, however, as they barrel through four songs of mid-’80s hardcore/skate rock that just don’t do much for me. It’s played expertly enough and they seem to be having a blast, but I have difficulty getting past a song called “(I’m Gonna) Punch You In The Dink” that’s sung by a bunch of guys approaching an age not befitting the exploits of a troublemaking three year old. Know what I mean? While “Volatile,” a short and bulbous blast of Black Flag worship, fares better as a sequel to their Rock and Roll Beasts EP, it doesn’t stray far from the formula of the hardcore punk style of Jerry’s Kids or the Circle Jerks. Read More
Editor’s Note
That gone fishin' magazine from CiTR 101.9FM
By Jordie Yow
Dear Discorder:
This is our last issue of the summer, we won’t be printing in August, but we will still exist. We’re heading on vacation for the rest of the summer: visiting music festivals, kicking it on the beach and hanging with our buds. We’ll be back in September to welcome all the students back to school so make sure you look for us then. In the meantime we’ll continue to put new content on our website including our regular stream of reviews and the occasional feature and column popping up to keep everyone busy. When we cut back like this it’s not out of any desire to stop providing commentary on Vancouver’s vibrant music scene.
If you happen to know anyone who you think should advertise with us. Tell them how much you like our magazine and point them in our direction. We’ve got great advertising rates. It really would mean a lot to us if you did. These sorts of things are always better when they come from a friend. Read More
Film Stripped
No Fun City: A documentary by Melissa James & Kate Kroll. Premier screening Monday, May 10, 2010 @ Pacific Cinematheque
Review By Brenda Grunau
Vancouver has been touted as the No Fun City, generally referring to the strict bylaws governing the operation of bars and venues in Vancouver. These rules, which govern liquor sales, closing times and other strange measurements of distance and decibels, prevent fun for those cultured few in Vancouver who prefer live music to jogging the seawall. This film explores the hardships of the hardcore (punk, metal and noise) venues and their collective rise and fall in the fabric of the city.
The documentary traces the paths of four venues and their respective owners/operators: Malice Liveit of the Sweatshop, Justin Gradin of the Emergency Room, David Duprey of the Rickshaw Theatre, and Wendy13 of the Cobalt. Of these venues, only the Rickshaw Theatre is still in operation (although 917 Main has reopened in the Cobalt’s location with new management). Lengthy interviews with the four characters comprised the bulk of the film, peppered with great quotes by Vancouver’s who’s who, including Joey Shithead, Japandroids, the Furies, Three Inches of Blood and Skinny Puppy. Read More
Film Stripped
Year of the Carnivore - A film by Sook-Yin Lee
By Tamara Lee
Year of the Carnivore
The film is the next installment in the eventful career of Canadian hero Sook-Yin Lee. Originally from North Vancouver, she has hosted a CBC Radio show, VJed at Much Music, led a band (Bob’s Your Uncle), and acted (in the controversial Short Bus). Read More
Film Stripped
Ear Goggles 5 DVD
By Jordie Yow
Ear Goggles