Pretty Important Questions, Y'All

Ok, I'm going to ask some questions that are related to music - sometimes only on a molecular level, but that's ok. Answer them if you'd like. Actually, answer them if I'd like... and I would. So now you have to. I think that's how it works.

Who would win in a fight between a piano and a sousaphone? Prison rules.

What do you think Mick Jagger's favourite colour is?

WHO is Carly Simon singing about in "You're So Vain"?

WHO really shot Mr. Burns?

What's a song that reminds you of each of the seasons?

LISTEN TO THIS!(He said, in the form of a question...)

For that matter, check out QTV if you're ever hankering for some cool music and a super-great Canadian radio DJ. That reminds me! Jian Ghomeshi-Billy-Bob Thornton showdown, in an upcoming post. I'll be honest, these summertime blues have my blog-sense out of whack, but if you complain enough I'll do what I can.

Of The CBCC - The Extra 'C' Stands For 'Cuts'

So I just woke up and got out from that rock I was under, but apparently there's a recession going on? Thanks for telling me, people. Not only that, but it's causing job losses and budget cuts all over the world or something. Even in our most venerable institution, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Yes, it was announced on Wednesday that the CBC would be making significant cuts across its television and radio platforms. Prime-time T.V. shows like Being Erica and Little Mosque on the Prairie are being told to produce fewer episodes, while a number of shows, including radio spots The Point and Out Front, are being cancelled altogether.

Overall, there are 171 million dollars being trimmed and slashed from the CBC's programming roster. Over 800 jobs lost, with a number of small-town radio stations being shut down and staff being downsized nationwide. Amateur sports simply won't be broadcast anymore.

There's a lot to address here; some of it's economical, some of it's political, some of it's cultural. So I'm going to go ahead and break my thoughts up into three separate posts. And if I'm smart, I'll use those three topics. Otherwise I'm not planning this well.

SO! Coming up next week! Probably Monday but don't hold me to that because I am so so SO bad at updating regularly! Look for some musings on the economic side of this issue. There's no denying that we're all strapped for cash - does that make these cuts forgivable? And were they made in a responsible fashion?

TUNE IN NEXT WEEK! Goodness, I feel like I'm doing a T.V. promo. What an astute observation I've made.

Oh, right. Here's something to listen to, since spring is finally awaking and smiling.

Oh yes. Oh, yes.

Ocean Mind

The title of my post is the title of a podcast I listened to today, from CBC Radio's Ideas show. It was all about the society of whales and dolphins, and how their culture is the oldest on Earth - which of course makes me, and possibly a good deal of human beings - consider what a culture is. I know my first thought of culture is an anthropocentric one; we are the most advanced beings on the planet, and we created the idea of culture as it exists today. But oh, humans, we are not as intrepid as we think. We're not the first, just... the fanciest.

What's this have to do with music? I don't know, who's asking? I am? Hm. I suppose I should answer me, before I stop speaking to me because I ignored my question.

Ahem.

My favourite thing about whales and dolphins - might as well call them cetaceans, since that's what they are and it sounds so much more academic - is their song. Clicks and groans and whistles, given a somehow mythical and haunting quality when found echoing through the reaches of the ocean. And musicians of a peoplier variety have done what they can to emulate or use whalesong - two come to mind immediately. Incubus' The Warmth has some cool guitar work as bookends, and at just about 11:20 into Pink Floyd's Echoes - with a comfortable 12:00 still to go, of course - David Gilmour's take is surreal. He is one of my favourite guitarists for a reason, and that reason is how atmospheric he can get with his sound. I'm not often a fan of 23:00 songs - if you can't say what you have to say, all that's left to say is, "Cut" - but I can get into the chill stuff from time to time.

So, if you haven't given a lot of thought to the beauty of nature's own music, you should definitely check out "Ocean Mind", parts 1 and 2. They're available through CBC Radio's podcasting site, from "Best of Ideas". While you're there, peruse. Look around. Dig, people. You might find something you like.

That's also Canadian.

Oh yes.