The Odyssey: a Christopher Nolan film for people who do not like Christopher Nolan films

I have not, historically, cared much for Christopher Nolan's films. Before I get to The Odyssey, I want to walk through his filmography, as a refresher for myself as well. 

At the time of its release, I enjoyed Memento, the first of his films I saw, and went back and watched Following, which also seemed very interesting at the time (having only seen it once, over 20 years ago, I cannot really speak to Following now). But sometimes critics can have an impact, and Jonathan Rosenbaum's terse dismissal of Memento did make me think of the film in a different way and feel less impressed by it; if you subtract just being engaged in the game Nolan is playing with form, what do you have, ultimately? (I believe I read a longer-form essay than that in one of his books, in fact, but it touches the same points).

Before I read Rosenbaum, however, when I was still big on Memento, I saw Insomnia first run and was crushingly disappointed, came out of the cinema in 2002 really struggling with how little I had appreciated it, how lame it felt (I was much more demanding of cinema back then). I liked it more the second time I saw it, decades after that theatrical experience, so I think for the most part, my bad reaction the first time round is down to my having a lot of trouble adjusting to late-phase Al Pacino, whose last great performance (that I've seen, at least) was arguably in 1992's Glengarry Glen Ross? Or maybe it was Scarface. If he's done any great work since -- if he's made a film where he doesn't come across as an ill-prepared ham, lacking any trace of subtlety or craft or real engagement with his characters, where he basically isn't playing "Al Pacino acting in a movie" -- I've missed it, but I have missed a lot of his later films, by choice (there are some things he's done post-Glengarry that I've enjoyed, like Michael Mann's Heat, but it's like I've enjoyed the movies in spite of his presence, not because of it. Maybe I should try him doing Shakespeare, or in one of the film's he's directed? I have not felt much desire. I think I watched about five minutes of his Richard III film and turned it off). I think I was still struggling with adjusting my feelings about Pacino (who was so great in the 1970s, of course) that it wrecked Insomnia the first time. As I say, I liked it far better on trying it again a couple of years ago -- it is one of three films on this list that I could see myself watching again for pleasure (if there weren't so many other movies I'd rather see instead). 

I didn't see Batman Begins for some time, but went to see The Dark Knight theatrically, and hated it. I wrote about it at the time. As I say, this was 20 years ago, and I've softened a bit since, in part because I made an effort to do so (I have also come to enjoy the Iron Man movies, including the one I call "idiotic and contemptible" in that very review, but that doesn't necessarily mean I don't still think it's idiotic and contemptible; something can be idiotic and contemptible and still be fun to watch, which Iron Man is, and The Dark Knight is not). I think I have come to think, based on the other two Batmans Nolan made, that he really was just going for a cynical cash-grab with his references to current events (9/11 in the first, the War on Terror/ Abu Ghraib in the second, Occupy in the third), but that's more because I came to realize that most of Nolan's films have been about nothing, or nothing very important. I give him credit, in that review, for a sort of right-wing manipulation of his audience, but I hadn't seen enough of his films at that point to recognize mere cynical nihilism for what it was. I actually gave him *too much* credit! 

Somewhere much later I saw The Prestige. It was kind of entertaining, and though I didn't and still don't really know what to make of it ("Is this film actually worth thinking about? Maybe!"), I had no objection to it. I felt that way the second time I saw it, maybe even moreso. It feels like it might actually be Nolan's most sincere reflection on his own trickery, hubris, and ambition? Nolan is his own drowned Hugh Jackman (or at least that's the premise I'd start with if I were to watch it a third time). And though Bowie isn't particularly good in it -- he was never that good an actor, just good at playing himself, it turns out -- you gotta give Nolan credit for the idea of it alone: Bowie as Tesla? Nice. 

Incidentally, that's the other film on this list I could see re-watching for pleasure, with the the third and final being The Odyssey. 

But I hated Inception. I think it was actually the next Nolan film I saw after The Dark Knight (he made it between Batmans, as with The Prestige). For one thing, I felt like it came very close to being a plagiarism of Neuromancer, though there's a section of The Odyssey ("the lotus flower years" with Calypso) that seems to provide a common source for something that happens in both texts. But that wasn't really why I hated it; I hated it because a) it forces you to think far too hard about far too little, seems a walking embodiment of the old saw that if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit; and b) I had never, on seeing it, had a dream where I held or fired a gun, and didn't buy or understand or enjoy how much gunplay the film puts in the dreamlife of its characters. Finally (c), there's nothing of the flavour of dreams in the film -- just the same cold puzzlebox that Rosenbaum finds in Memento.  I love dreams and dream movies, generally (try Dreamscape sometime -- it's cheese, but great cheese, and the dreams actually feel like dreams!); so I went in hoping for dreams, and got chilly games and a hey-this-is-kinda-similar-to-William-Gibson and the usual squinting headache trying to just keep the plot sorted, nevermind what it amounts to. And all done at great length, with a huge budget and a tremendous amount of cinematic and financial resources rallied in service of... what? 

But maybe I am being unfair. Fact is, Inception is a film I've been meaning to revisit for some time, but I liked it so little the first time around that I have never successfully made myself sit through it again. Most of Nolan's films get more interesting on second viewing, I grudgingly acknowledge, but few of them inspire a second viewing, you know? You kind of have to force yourself. So I may watch this one again someday, but not because I really want to, just to see if maybe I missed something. (Does anyone else do this with films they hated? I mean, I occasionally will do an about-face on second viewing; I really didn't care for Children of Men on first viewing, and now I think it's a masterpiece, so...). 

All that said, Interstellar was an exception to how I usually watch Nolan films, because if memory serves, I loved the first three quarters of it. I was even confused by how deeply I engaged with the story, compared to my usual experience of his cinema. But I had a terrifying glimmer in the first 20 minutes or so that I knew exactly where the film was going, one of those premonitions where you think, "this better not be going where I think it is", where I turned out to my horror and disappointment, when we got to the end, to have been absolutely correct: that weird noise on the shelf would turn out, come the end of the film, to be (spoiler!) the main character, at the other end of his journey, observing himself. I swear, I guessed the twist, not based on any clues in the film (it gives you none) but based on a theory I was forming on what kind of filmmaker Christopher Nolan is. Interstellar was the film where his gamesmanship became demonstrably predictable, where he more or less proved (to me, at least) what kind of filmmaker he was. That didn't stop me from liking the first big chunk of it, however, and being impressed, since usually Nolan's films never emotionally engage me at all. I remember being actually angry at Nolan by the film's end, at the bad joke it makes of itself, which I guess is an improvement over my norm with his cinema. It was a good enough film up to a point that it had the capacity to be wrecked by the ending. 

I skipped Dunkirk, I was so pissed off with Interstellar, and still haven't caught up. Tenet, I went to see in the same socially-distanced COVID delirium as everyone else and thought it the most empty exercise he'd offered yet: a film that requires immense effort to think about, but that transparently has nothing to it worth thinking about. Big-budget formalist masturbation: I can give myself a cheaper headache by simply laying off caffeine for a day, thanks. What a waste of audience faith!   

And then Oppenheimer, which I admit I enjoyed, then read some piece of criticism about that seemed, as with Memento years ago, to force me to reconsider what I'd watched. It wasn't Armond White, but it was as damning. Maybe it was Charles Mudede?). I can only say that I enjoyed the film theatrically, and have no interest in ever revisiting it. 

Suffice to say, if you ask me who the most overrated filmmaker alive is, Christopher Nolan is my go-to. 

I absolutely loved watching The Odyssey yesterday. It's great spectacle, but it also makes the audience work, and for once, there's a reason to DO the work. I'd probably love the film just because of the sheer number of young people coming into the bookstore where I've been working to buy copies of Homer (though maybe not: the number of people who have bought Dune based on the recent films is pretty impressive, too, and I think they're kinda lousy). Saw the film in 70mm -- an actual film projection -- at the Park yesterday. It's pricy ($26!) but the house was 3/4s full, which is impressive as hell on a Monday night. The film makes me want to read The Odyssey as well (I've only read The Iliad). I particularly love that youngsters shopping for the book are even being specific about which translation they want (the Emily Wilson, which was what Nolan used as the basis of his own writing, we gather; we should note that Wilson, who knows her stuff, had mixed feelings about the film. It has been well-received in Greece, however). 

This is all I have to say at the moment about The Odyssey. I may pick up the Wilson translation myself -- I can't really offer meaningful criticism without knowing Homer. But there are ideas about morality and human nature in The Odyssey that elevate it far above most of Nolan's other films. Maybe he's finally made a movie that is thematically worthy of its hugeness? That demands you work with it, but has something worthy of the work underlying it?

That was how I felt after watching the film last night, anyhow. 

Note: comments remain turned off on this blog, since there's a commentor I cannot otherwise block who I do not wish to hear from, but feel free to find my link to this review on Facebook, if you can, and comment there (Facebook, unlike Blogger, allows you to block people effectively). I'd love to know what my friends thought, of this or any other Christopher Nolan movies. 

Gigs: H.Ä.L.T., Code-22, Sue Foley, Billy Hopeless, David M., and one for Saturday night

In which many gigs are discussed (we'll get to Sue presently). 

Bad cat daddy had to leave gig early tonight to feed the cat, who has been alone all day. I am home now, but (now that he has been fed), he is not hanging out with me from his usual perch by the computer. He's a bit "hrumph", I suspect -- is chilling in some other room, which mayhaps he will leave should I enter. I missed the Tranzmitors for this? I could have at least missed them for Digression (see previous post). 

I did get to see H.Ä.L.T.. whom I have promised future press to. I like them, but I have questions, including basic ones, like what does H.Ä.L.T. stand for...? I also wonder, given that the bassist reminds me of Dave Tregunna, if that name means anything to him? (Also: is his look more Melvins or Birthday Party? I am unable to decide). I am now attending gigs by bands so much younger than I am that I can no longer assume common ground. There were, like, 13-year-olds dancing around in the audience, I'm pretty sure! 

I also liked that touring band Cheap Glue (from Minnesota!) did a cover of the Pointed Sticks "Out of Luck." I promptly emailed a couple of Pointed Sticks and let them know it was happening. Fun band,  that Cheap Glue, but I hope they sold a lot of merch, because it's a long way back to Minnesota. 

Shot vid (but not the Pointed Sticks cover).

Turns out the best time I had, though, at the Red Gate tonight, was dancing to "Big Brown Eyes" by Code-22 (who I also mentioned to Nick; I think he'd dig'em). I'd forgotten how much I like that song! It was also my best photo of the night. 

This was my third time seeing Code-22, and I well-documented the first, in the dank environs of Alf House, including a vid of the very song I mentioned above. Someone: this song badly needs to be on a 7". 

Does Pete not look a smidge like...

But as I say, this was my second night out in two days; my wife and I went to see Sue Foley the night prior, as well. Sue was great, though I liked some pieces better than others (particularly was taken with the dark, earthy "Southern Men" and her cover of Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Jack O' Diamonds," which is a revealing song to research if you want to understand the odd lore around that particular playing card, which also appears in Clarence Ashley's "The Coo Coo Bird" (aka "The Cuckoo"). It relates to Conquian, a card game related to rummy that (maybe?) also dates back to an ancient Chinese card game called khanhoo? I was, weirdly, finding more revealing stuff on my phone than I am on my computer, but invite you to dive down your own rabbithole, here. Suffice to say, there is some complexity to playing the Jack O' Diamonds in Conquian, because of how cards get scored, that makes it a risky card, apparently -- but I'm not entirely clear how that works. Some variants of the game remove the 8s 9s and 10s, so the Jack joins runs with the 7, making it, if I understand correctly, the highest-scored "non-face-card", which also makes it a card you can lose points on? Not totally clear! I'll ask Sue Foley about it if I see her again. Just as well that Townes used stud poker for his song, though; rummy wouldn't cut it. See also: Seven Psychopaths. 

...But while we are talking about the meaning of songs that Sue sang, did guest Steve Kozak really lead a song with a chorus of "If the house is a rockin', don't bother-knockin'"?  Did anyone else get confused by that lyric? To me, it brought to mind and cross-pollinated with that classic dare-I-say-'white-trash' bumper sticker,"If the trailer is a rockin', don't come a knockin'", which I think means, "If I'm fucking someone in here, don't bug me"? So if the whole HOUSE is rocking, what is that, a gigantic orgy? ...And in that case you should just come on in and join the fun?

The vibe of the song is far more roadhouse than it is group sex, but still, that was where I initially took that lyric. Erika didn't seem to share my puzzlement, translating for me that it meant if there's a party, come on in. Which is certainly the first of the entendres, but... was there seriously not a second one? Is this all in my dirty little mind? I did not want these thoughts in my head.

Anyhow, great show. I was less fond of the boogie-woogie stuff than the deeper blues of the evening, but Foley's playing was very hot throughout, and her band, including old Yale co-conspirator John Penner, were great; plus she was  gracious through the meet and greet, signing whatever was placed in front of her and patiently listening to everyone's stories (I tried to spare her any of my own, though I did try to tell her that I was getting a poster signed for Rob Frith; she joins Tony Levin in the ranks of musicians I have mentioned that story to who a) had not already heard it and b) did not seem to care! It must be hard to feign polite interest in the stories people tell you at meet and greets (incidentally, Stick Men are coming back in September; Tony DID chat with Rob about a mutual friend, even if he didn't know the Sir Paul story; and Pat and Markus did!). 

...as for Sue Foley, I bought her 2024-Grammy-winning One Guitar Woman, which focuses on her acoustic, fingerpicking side, with a few moments of flamenco, as well as a copy of her book, which has an Ellen McIlwaine interview in it. Besides that, we meet-and-greeters got swagged -- signed posters, bags, and Sue Foley tea towels. To be honest, Erika and I are not sure we need two of those! 

If anyone else is craving a Sue Foley tea towel, hit me up? Also, my wife wanted to know if those were Louboutins, but we never got around to asking! (They had the trademark red inner heel).  

What might else one say to Dr. Foley? Congrats on the PhD in Musicology, and thank you for educating the world about Charo, because for years, I thought she was basically just a joke, a manufactured, cartoonish, somewhat vulgar made-for-TV bimbette. I saw her clowning around on television when I was a kid and even then found her annoying and silly. I am blown away and humbled to learn that she was (and still is?) a flamenco guitarist and I will be reading that chapter in your book as well. 

I don't have much else to say at the moment. Happy for the folk festers (wait, that sounds wrong: the folk festival goers?) that the weather cleared, but I'm sitting this one out (I hafta work). But I do have some fun photos of Billy Hopeless with the Parole Models at Khats last weekend (I shot a clip that includes one full song; hang in there for it): He ended up giving roses to various girls in the crowd afterwards, and when the girls ran out, gave one to me, as well.

Ever the romantic...

I also, somewhere in there, made it to a co-op picnic event where David M. played a short set, including "If I Was a Bat," in which I partook; his wife Danielle also joined him for "Manic Monday," and I took a couple of my favourite-ever photos of M.:

Finally, the Deadcats show -- I didn't get much, but here's RuBarb and Chopper: 

About Chopper: someone explain edamame to him, okay? He came by where Erika and I were sitting (at the Counter at LanaLou's) just as our edamame arrived, and I offered him one, but instead of popping the beans out, I'm pretty sure he just threw the whole thing in his mouth and chewed it up. Probably not the best way to have your first experience of edamame, if that's what that was!

It's been fun getting out to a few shows, though I'm glad to have slowed down a little. But for people who have an interest in such matters, note that Aging Youth Gang will be opening the night at LanaLou's tonight (July 18th), trying out a few new songs, apparently; they'll be followed by Motorama (the present incarnation of both bands involving Orchard Pinkish, incidentally) and then Witchy Sister, which also involves Marcus Lander of Motorama. Deets here, and apologies to Billy Bragg, who I will not be seeing at the festival! 

I am told (by a maybe slightly less-than-reliable Orchard Pinkish, who was chewin' the devil's lettuce when we interacted) that Witchy Sister involves Marcus Lander, of Motorama, and that Orchard will be in two of the bands, playing guitar in Motorama and bass in Aging Youth Gang. Or was that the other way around?

Here's one of their songs! 

But hey, you have options. Hope wherever you end up, dear reader, you have fun! 

Clay Holmes on Eargoggles, Digression and the Cobalt "re-enactment" at the WISE Hall

Digression band photo; that's Clay, second from the left

I am going to state at the outset: I likely won't be at the Cobalt thing at the WISE Hall (sorry, Clay!), unless the show that I am going to ends early enough that I can catch some of Digression's set. It seems unlikely. I've simply got to go to Red Gate, as I'm totally taken with H.Ä.L.T., whom I have never seen before, and who describe themselves as a "traditional goth/post-punk band" on their Bandcamp, who, further, remind me of a Gothier variant of early Lords of the New Church, especially in their basslines.  Plus I have grown to utterly love the night's headliners the Tranzmitors in the last few years. But I gotta be clear about that at the outset, because otherwise, it would seem very weird for me to turn up at Red Gate having NOT GIVEN ANY PRESS AT ALL to that show, while in fact having given press to a different one. Like, what kinda hypocrisy would THAT be? This paragraph lets me off the hook for that accusation, though it may put me on the hook for others. Sorry! 

But people wanting a blast of Vancouver punk and metal that will give you a taste of how great "Vancouver's hardcore bar" the Cobalt was, in its initial incarnation -- or who want to see a stacked bill of bands that regularly played that venue, at an insanely low price ($10 advance, maybe a bit more at the door!) should hit the WISE Hall instead, especially if you've never seen the Golers (a savage thrash band with a sense of evil, confrontational, pitch-dark "humour" in their lyrics) or Mr. Plow (who writes very rude, funny acoustic originals like "Let's Get Fat Together", the studio version of which features Mr. Chi Pig. And how can you not love someone who titles an album Apocalypse Plow?). 

By the by, Dave Plow lives out of town now, so he doesn't perform here very often! 

And speaking of rude humour, the Gnar Gnars will no doubt do their songs about fucking vacuum cleaners and their cat (their cover of the Kinks "Lola" is kind of legendary, too). Have seen all three of these acts multiple times and its kinda genius to put them all together on a Cobalt-themed bill (which, I gather, Dan Scum of former Cobes regulars Powerclown will also be joining, though I am unclear what he will be doing). The whole thing is the brainchild of the WISE Hall's Clayton Holmes, who (besides headlining with his band Digression) shot tons of video of shows at the Cobalt back in the day, circa 2005-2010, which he put out both on EarGoggles anthology DVDs (complete with satirical advertisements and other pop cultural references between songs); and as standalone discs of complete shows (including a Subhumans show I missed because I was neck deep in moving from an apartment that had a bedbug problem, trying to make sure I didn't bring the fuckers with me... that was a tough night, and it hurt to miss that show, though it wasn't really the last one at the Cobalt -- Eugene Chadbourne played a Fake Jazz the next Wednesday, which I did make, and which Clay also shot. Anyhow, cool to have a whole Subhumans performance on DVD!). 

Interview commences about Friday's show! 

Clay Holmes, left, with Johnny Matter of Matterhorn records

Allan (in italics): So what was the first show you saw at the Cobalt, what was the first show you shot footage of at the Cobalt, and what are your high points, either of the venue in general or re: the bands on the bill?

Clay (not in italics!): I can’t remember the first show I saw at the Cobalt but I definitely remember walking through the door for the first time in the early 2000s and realizing that I had found my place. I asked Wendy for a job right away and she just shook her head. I managed to win her over in 2006 which led to me documenting the place with EarGoggles. Her oversight of the place is really what made it special. For certain types of weirdo fringe artists there was nowhere better to do whatever the fuck you wantedG

Will you be doing an old-school Eargoggles video document of the coming night? I still have all my EarGoggles DVDs... will you have any on the merch tables? (besides the compilations, I only have two complete shows you shot, the Rebel Spell and the Subhumans; were there others?)

EarGoggles was made before cellphones had filming capabilities and its lost most of its necessity since then so I don’t really film bands anymore. I think I did a Dayglo DVD at some point but if I did, they’re long gone. I do have a smattering of full length sets (including a full day of sets at Neptoon Records during Record Store Day) at https://www.youtube.com/@clayholmes4561/videos

I gave the last of my EarGoggles away to Johnny at Matterhorn Records when he opened because he’s a good guy.

(my own personal Eargoggles collection; how many am I missing? Also note, I have a feature film by Clay -- which he gave me 15 years ago or so. Guess I should watch it!)

Is the Digression album going to be available at the show? What format?

Digression has never made any physical media and probably never will. It would be nice but I’ve never really cared too much about holding an album in my hands before listening to it.

Who is in Digression, playing what? What's the band's history? Is this going to be a serious, ongoing project (I have your "Clay" album with the And No One Else Wanted to Play spoof on the cover, and that seemed like a one off). By the way, Digression from what?

Digression is myself on guitar, Adrian Marsden on another guitar to make up for my guitar, Ry Somerton on bass and Rodney Riot on drums. It’s been going for about eight years now through various lineups but the lineup right now is peak Digression. The first two albums are actually mostly songs from that old CLAY album. I finally found people to play with me!

 
I’m a pretty sarcastic guy and just thought Digression was a funny name for a punk band because it sounds like Aggression but just means to go off topic for a moment. It would have been even funnier with death metal lettering but Richard Katynski designed us a road sign logo and I love it so we’ve been rolling with that ever since.

Is there an overaching theme to the album? The beginning of the end of what conversation? (Why the end?).

It’s the beginning of the end of conversation in general. People don’t have the patience for meaningful dialogue anymore. It’s far trendier to plug your ears, dig in your heels, and belittle anyone who disagrees with you. I think that’s one of the main reasons why the world is so fucked up right now.
It’s mostly represented in two songs: "The Beginning" and "The End."  "The Beginning" focuses on a conspiracy theorist type who cuts himself off from society completely in favour of an AI bot that perpetually agrees with him. "The End" deals with a more somber character who decides to end a toxic relationship after years of reflection.

About other songs on the album -- who are the "Beautiful Castaways" in "filthy lingerie"?

 
"Beautiful Castaways" is about suicide and the title characters are at the bottom of the ocean.

I think my favourite song on the album is "Hollow" -- I can think of a few businesses I used to frequent that have been replaced with perpetual For Lease signs, but was it written about a specific building or situation, or just the general state of development in Vancouver?

I can’t believe that we have a housing crisis in this city when there are so many empty spaces. What a waste! The fat cats who own them should be forced to lower their asking price or convert them to DIY art spaces.  

Re: "Stop Having Kids", have you actually had a vasectomy, or...?

I have not but I also don’t have any kids. Fun fact: my wife, along with a mother and son combo, sang “no more children” on the chorus.

When was Dave Plow's last show in town? What's your favourite Mr. Plow song? (I am partial to the one about getting fat together...). Do you have favourite Golers or Gnar Gnars songs? Who is going to get the proceeds from this gig, when the door is so cheap?

Plow hasn’t played here for ten years so a lot of people are very excited to see him again. I really hope he plays "Crackhead Momma" which is my favourite Plow song. The Golers are pretty much as good as it gets when it comes to live thrash and the Gnar Gnars are hilarious. I thought it was important to have island representation because the Victoria punk scene was very important to the Cobalt.

 
The bands will get the proceeds from the door if there are any proceeds. I work at the Wise and get a good deal on the rental so I figured it would be nice to do old school punk pricing.

The Cobalt has been kinda rehabilitated as a punk venue, but you're choosing to have this show at the WISE; I realize you have long associations with that venue, but are you happy the Cobalt is up and running as a punk club again?

I would be happier if it burnt to the ground! I know this makes me an asshole because every extra music venue is a good music venue but I can never go back out of respect to Wendy and apparently this means that I have to miss all the First Attack shows. That aside, I know a few of the current Cobalters and wish them well.

Yeah, they're good people, and I think Wendy herself is accepting of them. But I respect your loyalty. Curious, is anything being done to pay respects to Mr. Chi Pig? He really should be busing the tables.

You know, I sent out a mass Facebook invite for the show and had to spend an hour amending it because so many of the people I invited are dead. I’m a pretty emotional person and, when it comes to death, I’m also a bit of a coward so I tend to avoid acknowledging it unless it’s small personal gesture (I will be wearing my Grow Up shirt). Like many people, I loved Chi and I hope he and Jon Card will be heckling us from punk rock heaven.

By the way, I realize it's not on the album, but I like the "All Generaliztions Are Bullshit" idea. But when Noelle did her All Cats Are Beautiful t-shirt, I thought for awhile that she had riffed on an idea of MINE (because I'd come up with that "joke" myself in a Facebook post, or thought I had), then realized when I talked to her that it's been around for awhile, predating even my comment. So is AGAB unique to you, as a riff on ACAB? (I've had very few problems with cops, myself, but I've never been a street punk or tried to run a punk club or such).

I coined AGAB when I realized that some punks actually took ACAB seriously. I guess I’ve always thought that punks were better at seeing through the bullshit than most, so it was disappointing to see how vulnerable some of them were to sloganeering. Kind of like discovering that a large percentage of your scene is made up of anti vaxxers or Trump supporters. I’ve actively criticized cops in videos like "50,000 Volts" and understand that a lot of them are assholes who abuse their power but it’s lazy, bordering on delusional, to say that they’re all bad people. I actually thought that some ACAB punks would say hey, maybe it is more important to reject stereotypes than it is to validate my own personal animosity. But instead, they raked me over the social media coals. I tried to explain that I had no cop connections and that cops weren’t even the point, just a potent example of a generalization. But it’s kinda difficult to defend yourself when you’re getting called a bootlicking fascist.

Sidenote, I actually did meet one of my detractors in person one day and he was surprisingly apologetic about his online behaviour. We even chatted amicably for a while so maybe there is hope after all. We never came to agree on the ACAB thing or whatever but that’s ok because how boring would it be if we all just agreed with each other? And how lame would it be if we agreed with each other just for the sake of it?

By the way, attached are some photos, and the only one that might not speak for itself is the Halloween costume where I dressed up as a cop and changed my nametag to All Clays Are Bastards. Now that I’m looking at it, the name tag is way too small so probably not useable but, hey maybe you’ll get a kick out of it.

All Clays Are Bastards

 
Any comments on Noelle as a punk organizer/ community force? (Only accepting positive ones!).

Re: Noelle, she’s as pure and positive a force as I’ve ever met in the punk scene. We recently had a good laugh about one of her posters for Trooper Fest where a band called Clay is playing. 

[Note: people who have followed the Trooper Fest saga here and on the Straight should note that Trooper passed earlier this year, after the fundraiser for his meds was organized; this year's festival, taking place next weekend, will raise money for other punk cats in need and maybe go towards establishing a fund for them? Not 100% clear, but more to come].

Ha. In fact, when I saw the Clay on the poster, I asked her if that was you! Is there anything else I should say about the gig or the bands?

Ya Dan Scum is on the bill now so come throw some sushi at him!

Event deets here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/dollar10-punk-show

Note: BUY ADVANCE TICKETS, because it will cost more at the door

Deadcats Friday! Plus Mick Tupelo, Mike Dennis, the Bill of Rights and some cool vintage photos by Adam Kates

Adam Kates and I found out the same way, on the same night, that Deadcats guitarist/ bassist/ vocalist Mick Tupelo (in the right rear of the top photo) had passed: we were at LanaLou's, a few years ago, for a show that involved Tequila Bats, one of Orchard Pinkish's many humourous country projects, with another former Deadcat on guitar (Chopper, in the left foreground below). Adam told Chopper that he had some photographs of the Deadcats from 20-odd years back -- which you see below; Kates thinks they were taken at the Pic, maybe circa 2002. That was when we found out that Mick Tupelo had died in 2019. 

Deadcats early 2000s at the Picadilly Pub, by Adam Kates, not to be reused without permission

Left-to-right Chopper, drummer Rob (but not Miner), Scooter, Mick

I had seen the Deadcats at least twice. One, in passing, at the Niagara, which used to be a live music venue with a super-cool neon sign (destroyed by Ramada, but immortalized, if memory serves, in Hard Core Logo). I was going in there for some other reason, and the band were playing, and I stopped and checked them out and was most impressed, particularly remembering Scooter (on the washtub bass above) having a fun, tinted hairstyle that night -- a look that stuck, as did their overall style and vibe. The next time I caught them was at the Rickshaw some years later, in a bill with Swank and the Nervous Fellas in 2009. I covered the story for the Skinny magazine and was a bit of a bitch about it (which I would hear about from Butch of the Fellas later, giving him my mea culpla: I coulda been more respectful! I had more attitude in my writing in those days). 

So based on Chopper's news, it sounded like we'd never see the Deadcats again, which both Adam and I were bummed about, because Look Like Hell!, their final album, from 2009, is actually really fun. It's the disc of theirs you're most likely to find around town, though it isn't plentiful these days (sadly, Gord "Gorehound" Smithers of the band reports that Mick had been the merch guy, so there won't be any vintage merch at the show on Friday).  

Fact is, I didn't really know much about the band: and certainly not that I had seen Mick Tupelo, under his real name, Mike Dennis, had performed at the first-ever punk show I attended, as the founding member of the Bill of Rights. All that same up when researching the Straight feature I wrote about the band's second-ever reunion gig since Tupelo passed, happening this Friday at LanaLou's. I did know that Bev Davies had been an item with Rick Knott of the Bill of Rights, and that she had a photo of them onstage with me in it, back in October of 1984, since I'd previously posted it here.

Anyhow, those details worked their way into the article. I should clarify that Gord Smithers, the Deadcat that I ended up interviewing was only on the band's first and last albums, since that detail gets a bit fudged in my press to one-up John Lucas. 

Also note -- the gig poster says the Petty Larceneers will play, but they had to drop off the bill; Smithers tells me that Alberta band Run the Plank (featuring Kermit Von Munster and Aaron Rose, doing double-duty that night as the Deadcats' rhythm section) will be the only opener (we believe Evil Norton Niels will just be singing with the Deadcats?). Happy to have a chance to see the band again, and to show the world Adam's photos (I interviewed Kates about his punk rock history, and showed a few other of his photos, here). Thanks go to Jess Templeton for pointing me at PhotoScape (freeware that is a bit tricky to download, since every page you find has malware links on them, but the Photoscape X one worked). The photos cleaned up pretty darn good, I thought! 

Also note that Smithers also said (but it didn't make the cut) that if the band continues without Kermit, they'll be doing so under a different name. 

So there's a gig to be at on Friday! More info here...  

Les Goodman Saves Canada (Again) and SKÁLD: shows this week

Photo by Gord McCaw

I have seen a few different projects with Dennis Mills, but I have only ever seen Les Goodman co-hosting an event at the Rickshaw with Tony Lee; have never done the Canada Day show. I am changing that! Apparently one should wear red, or red and white, even, for the photo (I guess I have the perfect use for my new Asian Persuasion All Stars shirt). Is Secret Asian Man doing something? I am not sure--they were doing something somewhere for Canada Day,  and I believe Tony Lee is co-hosting this as well. I am keen. If you have Wednesday afternoon off, the event runs from 3-7, tickets here. 

Also, French Viking folk (-metal?) band SKÁLD is at the Rickshaw on Saturday. They are not the Belgian metal band Skald, so don't be fooled; the right bandcamp is here. But they also have a video on their main webpage, and another on the Rickshaw event page. Didn't know them until yesterday, popped on a video just to see and was immediately interested. Why are the doors at 6? Tickets here, unclear why it is starting so early (doors at 6). 

The Ex live in Vancouver: review and photos, June 26 2026

Terrie and Kat by Allan MacInnis

That was great... my favourite reviews of last night were from Ed Hurrell and Nick Mitchum... Nick came to see Gord but hadn't heard of the Ex... Ed was blown away... "Now that's a band!" I pointed my phone and said, "Give'm a thumbs up, guys!" Their faces say more than I will...

Happy campers after the show

In fact, a few friends came, some directly on  my invite, and maybe my Straight article actually helped with this one... hope so... venue wasn't full but with competion from FIFA and Ak'Chamel it was all right! I woulda done more if I coulda.. run through the streets of the city like Kevin McCarthy at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers... "They're here! You must listen! You must go to this show!"

The band were very patient with my excesses and signed everything... except Terrie I think missed my Brass Unbound album... and I left the cover of my Kurdistan 7" in my bag (oops). Thought I'd lost it, even! They sold all their merch, including the Zea albums Arnold said he'd bring (they sold in Montreal)... no t-shirts... no setlists to steal, either, since they just played the songs in order off the album (I think), and one encore...  

Openers Grdina and Lillinger smoked it up but I realize that I'm a vulgarian, the oud is interesting and beautiful but I liked hearing Gord ROCK OUT most, which he did plenty of... Lillinger was so expressive (with his face as much as his drumming!) that he almost looked like someone (Bill Paxton, maybe?) playing a drummer in a 1983 movie about a punk band... they weren't a punk band but played with the intensity of a punk band... Grdina was like a hyper-intense John McLaughlin, jacked on steroids and stimulants circa Love Devotion Surrender (I don't know if John McLaughlin was ever jacked on steroids and stimulants and I doubt Gord was either but he PLAYED like he was, dig?)... laid down a few hooky loops, essentially basslines, and then built sheets of building intensity on top of them, pushing you upwards towards the ecstacy, like he wanted to make your brain ejaculate its contents onto the ceiling... I haven't seen him enough this year...

(Bob will have this from another angle, not sure what Terrie was doing, was part of the chorus of one song later in the night, Terrie doing this "tellya a secret" thing as he joined in...)

And The Ex was amazing, everything I'd hoped for... It's just as well I don't live in Europe, I'd see them every show, I would just go see the Ex and the New Model Army every gig and never see or do anything else... I did note, though, that the sound was better from the right side of the stage, at least up front: Terrie's monitor made his guitar anarchy too dominant on the left! I liked the rhythm a bit more dominant in my mix, so I eventually moved over, but Terrie's a real character... smiled through the night, goofed around with the audience, poking and prodding them and even deliberately (playfully) knocking over someone's beer that they had put on the stage; he even played his guitar on the edge of the stage (or with some sort of lid-like circular thing -- maybe part of a drum -- or with a metal camping cup, or with a drumstick or sometimes with the fingers of his right hand, but not in anything like a conventional fingerpicking way... almost more like a bassist... fascinating to watch)... earlier he giggled when I told him that if you watch the Youtube video of his last show in Vancouver, when he played here with Han Bennink and Brodie West, there's a fat man seated up front with a really terrible hairdo: "That's me!"

You were left wondering if Terrie is always this happy onstage... he bounced from foot to foot all night, smiling even when he had a guitar pick in his teeth... his guitar looked like it survived a war or three... I wonder how long he's had it? Had almost as much character as he does!

There were a couple of real characters in the audience, too, including a slightly aggro (but still jubilant) dude in a beret who had seen them in Seattle... he yells that at the band at the start of this clip... Kat is like "uh, okay, thanks"... but his enthusiasm was sincere and palpable... he woulda moshed if there'd been a moshpit... I was glad there wasn't (moshpits aren't rhyhmic enough for this kind of music) but I was happy there were people dancing besides me...! 

Shot another clip too, one of Arnold's songs... I think it's "Spider & Fly" but Bob is snoring on the couch here (he's crashing) as I type this... so I can't easily check... it was the song after "The Evidence."

They traded up their encore... my Straight article is wrong, they didn't do "Soon All Cities", they did "The Heart Conductor" off 27 Passports. Which is also great. The other error in the article is that Andy doesn't really play "bass", he plays guitar, but he is often doing bass parts ON his guitar, if that makes sense... I must investigate... I will investigate... Bob's photos are better than mine but we'll save'm for a magazine... I sure hope I get to see this band again...

Amazing night. At their current rate of performance in Vancouver, we can expect them again in 2061... hope they come back sooner than that!