Music lovers, do you have high-end record collector friends that you want to spend a lot of money on this Christmas? A word to the wise, Rob Frith purchased a ridiculously cool box of 7" singles, all very valuable, from multiple vintage David Bowie (like the original "Space Oddity" 7", pictured below) to an early Jethro Tull 7" mis-attributed to Jethro Toe! These are the sort of singles that are so so cool that I probably wouldn't even recognize them; like, if I saw them at a thrift store I would go, "Huh, a Yardbirds 7", that's cool but it's probably a reissue or something," then not buy it. But these are not reissues.
Of course, these are out of my price range, but super-cool to see. More along the lines of what I can afford is this terrific California punk compilation, notable for me in that the best songs on it are not the ones by bands I know: I bought it for the Dead Kennedys and Flipper and 7 Seconds and such, but I love it for tunes like "Shrunken Heads" by Ghost Dance, a band I had never heard before, or, say, "Dan with the Mellow Hair" by Naked Lady Wrestlers (!) or "No More Riots" by Bent Nails. Who the heck were Bent Nails? Amazingly cool comp -- probably my favourite punk comp ever? And LOOK, it is actually affordable (but don't buy it for me, I have it).
But maybe not everyone on your shopping list does vinyl. Do you want to buy lovingly-made cards, fine art, or illustrated books made to a very high standard? Charles van Sandwyk, whom my wife interviewed for Montecristo last year, is closing up his shop come Boxing Day. Located upstairs at 315 Cambie, more or less above where Scratch Records used to be all those years ago, it's a delightful, unique space. Charles may re-open a store at some point in the future but finds it is taking too much time from his making art; his attitude is very healthy, however (he describes it as having been a "three-year pop-up shop"). Trust me, you will find a gift for someone here, or a card, or something.
Maybe shopping isn't your thing, but you really want to come see me sing "If I Was a Bat" with David M. and NO FUN again (or see if there is a Christmas-themed variant?). Did you miss out the last time we did this? Come to NO FUN at Christmas, this Sunday at LanaLou's! Some NO FUN backstory here, and note David's delightful album of Christmas-themed music from a few years ago -- especially "Elf Toymaker," his seasonal spin on Bowie. NO FUN will be performing at the Bowie Ball this year, incidentally!
This is all I have for you this Christmas. I'll be back with some writing in the New Year, but otherwise going to try to take a bit of a hiatus again. Happy holidays, though, folks!
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