Of The Month – Issue 73

SURF BEAT: ROCK ‘N’ ROLL’S FORGOTTEN REVOLUTION BY KENT CROWLEY

They say if a man lives long enough he’ll acquire two things: prostate cancer and a taste for country and western music. Imagine how much cooler it would be if instead it were a discerning taste for cheese and surf music respectively? In Surf Beat a new book by Kent Crowley, you’ll be quickly on your way to getting pitted with Murphy The Surfie and Gidget. Be warned though, Fender Jaguars may look cool but they’re reliability will drive you up the wall.

ADULT SWIM SINGLES PROGRAM

Adult Swim is a rare dragon indeed. Because HBO plays Super Troopers every single day, Adult Swim is the only reason left to pay for cable in America. They’ve got low budget, hilarious shows like Eagleheart and Children’s Hospital and if you’re up real late, you can catch never-not-funny reruns of BBC 2’s Look Around You. Currently, they’re giving fans never-before-released tracks every week from artists like The Tallest Man on Earth and The Rapture. Adult Swim, you had us at Space Ghost Coast to Coast and everything since has been gravy.

GENERATIONALS FREE DOWNLOAD

As our arts and culture editor likes to remind us “Music has no value”. This may explain why ION favourites, Generationals, have blessed you with a free download of their EP Medium Rarities. With an alternate take, a new track and two remixes, you’re getting more value than if you bet on the Bruins to win the cup.  [parkthevan.com/mediumrarities/]

PRINCE: CHAOS, DISORDER, AND REVOLUTION BY JASON DRAPER

From the purple people eating minds of Backbeat Books, we’ve got a new biography about the man currently known as Prince. From his curious, gyrating, guitar playing at James Brown’s birthday party (arriving on a man’s shoulders) to kicking Kim Kardashian off his stage, Prince is the best pop music weirdo America has ever had, and for a small fee you can get deep into the life story of His Royal Badness. The book even includes photos of 1980 Prince, back when he had that sick moustache, long hair, and never wore a shirt.

WHOOPSIE DOODLE

Sometimes when your magazine’s production weekend takes place in a filthy, Thunder Bay strip club, mistakes are made. It’s not completely our fault. We’re going to blame the shots of that cherry flavoured Jim Beam and the deafening sound of Chris Lake songs. Either way, it should be noted that in the Parallel Dance Ensemble feature in issue 72, answers 6-10 and the last one are credited to the wrong interviewee. When you read those lines you can cross your eyes, count backwards and it should read just fine.

THE WA

The Wa is a biannual arts and culture magazine run out of Toronto. This Halloween it’s celebrating its fifth birthday. The latest issue is daredevil themed and features interviews with Mick Foley, a stuntman, a counterterrorist/customs officer and more. Check out all the back issues at [thewamagazine.com]

STEPHEN COLBERT WITH THE BLACK BELLES

Nashville, Tennessee is currently the main vein of songs in America. In many years you’ll see documentaries about the explosion that took place around this time. A fun footnote to the story will be the 7” single put out by Jack White’s Thirdman Records “Charlene II (I’m Over You)”, a collaboration between The Black Belles and American voice, Stephen Colbert. Get it online or if you can, head down south and hit the label’s store. Rumour is it’s run by the Soledad Brothers’ drummer.

CHARLIE SHEEN TO HOST SATURDAY NIGHT AT GATHERING OF THE JUGGALOS

See title. That’s good enough.