sandy

I'm in a hotel room (by myself) and hockey is on the television. This is out of the ordinary on two counts, as a) I watch sports only after consuming frosty ones to the point of sedation, and b) Quinzy (a music band that I'm in) is used to being stored in rooms no larger than a placemat. In this particular instance, we are being stored in FOUR distinct rooms. Jason has asked for keys to our suites in case he gets lonely.

Thanks to everyone who came to my own personal home and shot a video with us! And extra spicy thanks to Mr. David Skene, director/quinzywrangler.

Hopefully we'll have it up pretty soon... Right now it's looking to be surprisingly dark. Disturbing even. Jason, as it turns out, it possessed by Jack Nicholson's Joker, Heath Ledger's Joker and Steve Miller's "The Joker". He just loves that song!

And that's how I spent my Louis Riel Day.

Sorry, I kind of dozed off for a year there... Whoops.

-Apology over-

Hot diggity, things are getting very, very busy. Albums, ill-advised sojourns to Asia, showcases, the Olympics, Christmas shows, HBO's "The Wire". All of these things have kept us busier than a something in a whatsit-house.

And even though we're been knee-deep in this wacky xmas shindongle, the sixth verse still feels like the first if you know what I mean... There doesn't seem to be any qualitative difference in how I perceive this year as opposed to the ones that preceded it... It all feels so familiar...

But of course that is nothing but a tricky ruse. You can't go back. In fact it's what the new Christmas song is about. There. I said it.

Now, if you'll excuse me, the decemberwolf is humping my leg. He needs a damn good wallop with this here rolled up Sears catalogue.

Yours, ever faithfully,

s

So, yeah, it's not great how the election went. Luckily our little guv'mint isn't as high-stakes as our big brother on the bottom-bunk, but it's disappointing.

Yet, unlike the bulk of the worlds problems, this one has a single crystal-clear answer. It is this: Replace our preposterously antiquated regional, first-past-the-post voting system with some sort of proportional representation. Why? Because then the party that wins 7% of the votes will get at least some seats, while the party that gets 10% doesn't get 50. Because then people's second choices and, perhaps more importantly, last choices would be taken into consideration. But most of all it would kill dead that cynical, shrewd and calculating democracy-killer known as 'strategic voting'.

We accidentally played a benefit for strategic voting back in Winnipeg. It was fun and all, but we thought it was a simple fundraiser to help make people aware of the damage that those crazy Tories were doing to Canada's rare and marvelous arts funding. But sadly people were also encouraging strategic voting, which I'm afraid this dude cannot abide. Let's not be cynics, folks. Vote for who you want to. Don't be coy, Roy. But electoral reform is badly needed to help us optimists not feel like we're pissing up a rope.

There are weeks that are so filled with starjam and spacehoney that they might burst at the seams, it seems. Secret shows, picture takings, guerilla videos (the best workout I've had in years, also), birthdays and recordings. A week is fun when the man you tapped to produce a christmas song calls and asks your drummer his opinion on timpanis (the answer, of course, is that we support them).

Quinzmas is being pinned down in a greasy wrestling match, and some magical elves have been leaving chords and lyrics under my pillow for a new album. Order is being imposed onto chaos, and chaos is holding its tattered bowler in its hands and muttering words of thanks.

Thanks for a fun-time at the EP release fracas, all. If you guys all collectively put out an EP, or do an art showcase, or a multi-media presentation, I would be there. Front row. You need to know that.

Hi, welcome back. I don't believe in guilt, apologies or cardinals, so let's not dwell on the time apart, hmm?

But, first, an explanation: Time runs slow in band-land. There has been much effort devoted to getting various ducks in a row, watching other ducks self-organize and perform marching routines, and occasionally observing glumly as some wayward ducks spontaneously self-destruct leaving us with nothing but the bill.

Yeah, I punned.

And after all that, I have an album in my hand and it's called 'One Boy's Guide to the Moon'. And it looks pretty darn sharp. And guess what? It's one of three that will be coming out in the next year(-ish). Three small albums rather than one big album. Crrrazy!

The "street date" for this first one is June 24, 2008. That's when you can buy it on iTunes and local shops. And of course that does not mean you cannot track one of us lads down and shake us comically by the ankles until precious albums flow from the pockets like manna.

Your continued patience is extremely considered... A rejigged webbysite is coming on down the pipe, shows are actually happening, and darn it all if it isn't nice to see some forward motion again. See you soon.