Frankie Payne My Life Feat. Saukrates-Official Video -Smugglaztv

This video dropped back in January 2011, A few months old but it is sick as hell, it brings me back to that vibe I loved back in the day.

Blogging... this is my life...

YONGE STREET: TORONTO ROCK & ROLL STORIES

Here are some really interesting clips from about the growth of the Canadian music scene...

Duke Edwards


Ronie Hawkins & Edjo



Daniel Lanois

Update with Vanessa Lai...

So, what have you been up to these days?

Vanessa- I've had a really great year so far. I've been really busy working on a few projects that are very different than what I've been involved in in the past so I'm really excited to see how everything turns out.


Can you tell us a bit about these projects, or is it a big secret?

Vanessa- For sure! I've been focusing on my acting this year and i was pretty lucky to land a role in a horror film called FM Andy. I also starred in a music video for a song by Deadmau5. Right now I'm broadcasting the news once a week.


What was FM Andy like?

Vanessa- It was really great, it was my very first film and my first time working with a smaller cast and crew. The dynamic of the experience was very different compared to a large crew. I had a great time working on it. I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to tell you about it but I will say I look wonderfully creepy. I always wanted to be part of a horror movie, I always thought i'd be a scream queen but this role was even better!

Production shot from FM ANDY at Rattailfilms studio

And the Deadmau5 video, can you tell us a bit about that?

Vanessa- Well that was something that had been discussed for a while and finally came together. Play Records approached me with an idea and we decided to go for it. I play a cleaning lady turned sexy dancer. It's a club video but with some very sexy and trippy visuals. We filmed overnight and everyone was pretty beat but it was still alot of fun.

Green screen at rattailfilms for Deadmau5

 Getting dolled up by Frisky

 So you're new at broadcasting, is it something you could see yourself doing long term?

Vanessa- I've always wanted to try a bit of everything whether it comes to my career or just learning about different things. I dont want to label myself as an actress or model or broadcaster, I feel that i'm an entertainer as a whole and want to have expereince in everything. Broadcasting is very different from anything I've done before. That teleprompter has owned me several times it's tricky to read off of.


Is there anything we should be looking out for you in that's out right now?

Vanessa- I'm pretty sure my two episodes of Urban Legends is airing now on the history channel as well as Lingerie and Body Language on HBO... Oh yeah and the deftones video for 'you've seen the butcher'. I dont watch tv so I'm never sure of when things come out


That's funny, you work in television but don't watch it?

Vanessa-I dont watch it much at all lately. I watch more movies than I do television because I have the option of pausing the movie and picking it up later... my schedules been a bit busier than usual lately.

Is there anything you'd like to try in the entertainment industry that you haven't gotten to experience yet?

Vanessa- There's lots, the list is really never ending. I really want to try comedy, scripted and stand up that would be a dream come true. I'd also like to be an on air personality I'm pretty quick on the spot so i think that would be a really great thing to try. I'd also like to try voice acting, for a cartoon or video game sometime.

Is there anyway for us to keep up to date with what you're doing?

Vanessa- Tons of ways, www.twitter.com/vanessal or my fan page on facebook also under Vanessa Lai
vanessaL (vanessaL) on Twitter
twitter.com

Oscar Peterson We Are Ontario 1981

Why don't we have great commercials like this anymore...

A little late on this, but R.I.P. Monster records.

Apparently the store closed its doors back in early April, this is quite a shock to me, and I am pretty bummed about it.

I use to work pretty close to this store about 10 years ago and would spend my lunch hour flipping threw records. In my old DJ days I was always on the hunt for strange and bizarre records which they had plenty of. I could count on them to have something I wanted to watch on DVD at a reasonable price opposed to the big box stores. If I wanted to find some old school kung fu flicks or some b-movie sci-fi they would have it, or something related that I would enjoy.

You could not help but stop in front of that store and spend a few minutes looking at the window display. They always had toy robots, sci-fi actions figures, board games and a shit load of nostalgic memrobelia. I can remember standing with friends in front of the store even when it was closed and talking about the display window.

Even inside was a trip down memory lane , being a kid of the 70s and the 80s this place took you back.

But the way things go now, demand for such things has become less and less. That to me is sad, we are just accepting what the big corporations feed us.

I shall miss the place...

Fingers are crossed...

I am not really a fan of current bands, nothing really moves me to be truthful. I find it sounds like someone else, it has been done before or it just sounds really bad. But once in a while a band will come by and just rock my socks off.
That band was DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979... I just love them.  A lot of music snobs, especially from the  Toronto area always seemed to slam these guys.
I for one enjoy what they do, I was bent out of shape when they called it quits.
Well no news yet if they are getting back together... yet this new photo shows some progress.
Saw these guys once before Jesse had that killer mustache, my ears still ring!

Death From Above 1979- Little Girl by vociferousslam

Toronto boom town...

It is amazing to see what Toronto use to look like...
This short documentary studies the contrast between the sedate Toronto of the turn of the century and the thriving, expanding metropolis of 1951. Aerial views give evidence of the conversion of the old Toronto into the new--the city with towering skyscrapers, teeming traffic arteries, vast industrial developments and far-reaching residential areas housing over a million people.
Toronto's mid-century progress is also Canada's, as manifested in the building of Canada's first subway, and in the bustle of the nation's greatest trading centre--the Toronto Stock Exchange.

IN-STORE DVD SIGNING Tuesday, May 31st 6PM HMV SQUARE ONE Mississauga

All I know when I walk around that busy mall, everyone needs a hurt real bad.
Dude is mad funny, if you have a chance and live in or close to the Mississauga area... check him out!
From his website...

"Russell recorded his new live DVD on September 23rd & 24th in London at the O2 Arena in front of over 30,000 fans.  The new special / DVD was shot with 11 cameras in full HD.  Tentatively titled, RUSSELL PETERS: THE GREEN CARD TOUR Live from the O2 Arena, will be released in May / June of this year.  The DVD is in the final stages of editing and the cover art is being finalized.  The DVD is 30 minutes longer than the broadcast edit and features over 60 minutes of extras including; Deleted Scenes, Bloopers and Behind The Scenes footage. "

Veronika London, Intensely Dark, Bold and Stars in the gritty dog-eating thriller “Searching for Angels” alongside Vivica A. Fox

She is one of the most talked about up and coming Canadian actress that started as a Maxim model in 2009. Her bold choice to dismiss her agents advice and appear in the provocative TV-Series HBO “Lingerie” and SHOWTIMES “Body Language” scored her international recognition as a new face to watch as she spilled over to the states.  This year the young starlet enters the “serious actress “ pond playing a heroin addict that suffers from amnesia in “Searching for Angels” which was formerly known as “Jane Doe”.  It’s been quite a fast transition for London who seems to play by her own rules. Her approach to the business seems rather ambitious “Your agent does 10 percent of the work, we do ninety by taking control, taking risks and managing out careers”.

Her Motto:

“While I’m alive I’m going to move as quickly as possible, live as much as I can and I’m not going to care if it is good or bad for my career”

 I had a small chat with Miss London the other day, big things are happening!

Cannes 2011: Skull World Trailer

I have had the privliledge to actually meet Skullman twice at networking parties that Rattailfilms had put on. I first saw Skullman on SPACE the imagination station talking about BOXWARS and I knew this guy had something going that was really bad ass!!
So threw the magic powers of facebook we started talking, and the rest is history.
He did tell me a while back that a movie was being made about him... and it looks like it's going to be at cannes 2011!
I did talk to Skullman with out the mask, I called him Greg, he signed my copy of BOXWARS on dvd... Can't say enough good stuff about this guy!
Rock on!

Yall need to check BONJAY!

I just discovered them as of last night, and I am really enjoying this sound and feel of music.
I have not been able to obtain enough information so I am hijacking their info from their facebook page...

"Drawing their name from spice island slang for "Good God!", Bonjay were born in a basement at Ottawa's legendary Disorganised parties. What began as a simple crowd pleasing party lark has developed into a serious commitment to songwriting and production, including remixes for labels like Mad Decent, Ninjatune and Ghetto Arc (XL Recordings).

With Alanna on the mic and Pho on beats & effects, their live performance is a high-energy sound system of bass and soul. Dancehall innovation, indie sentiments, and R&B hooks - these are the sounds booming out from the jeeps, towers and headphones of young Toronto, and Bonjay makes them their own."

PS I LOVE YOU 'Get Over' [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

I just discovered these guys on my never ending journey of discovering wonderful artists from this fine province of ours.
"P.S. I love you" is pretty damn awesome, I love this video because I can relate to such parties in my past!
Rock out with your stuff out!


Director: Mike Portoghese
Executive Producer: John Nadalin/ RT!
Producer: Rory Halsall/ Bruce Carson
D.P: Samy Inayeh
Editor: Mike Portoghese
Production: theNE
Label: Paper Bag Records

Buck 65 - Paper Airplane - Official Video

Originally from Nova Scotia now residing in Toronto, Buck 65 is not your typical hip hop artist.
To tell you the truth and to some this may sound funny but Nova Scotia's hip hop scene is very slept on. I discovered Buck 65 when someone lent me his album "Square" and I knew from that album that this guy was something special, was doing something unique, instantly I became a fan.
You are defiantly not going to get this mixed up with 50 cent or some dirty south crunk beats.
This is truly a beautiful video...


Official music video for Buck 65's Paper Airplane, featuring Jenn Grant, from his album 20 Odd Years. Directed by Sophie Levy and shot on location in Paris with actress Roxane Mesquida.