I caught Franz Ferdinand on Austin City Limits last night. They are still the band of the 21st century.

I like Stompin' Tom. I have listened to "My Old Atlantic Home" most every time I drive back into New Brunswick - which has been a number of years now that I think of it. I think about my back when I hear mention of Tilsonburg and figured out the map of the Upper Ottawa valley where I used to live …

I try to organize my life so as to not think about stuff too much. Ben is in that unhappy phase of life when he has to think too much and such consequences resulted that I felt compelled to give the advice that Oldie Olsons always give. But here in the moment when there are ribs basted enough for …

I had no idea there was one of these still around:  •  “Trombonist and composer Alain Trudel has been named the principal conductor of the CBC Radio Orchestra. He'll officially take over musical leadership this fall at the Vancouver-based orchestra, North America's only radio orchestra.”  •  I am …

The Flea has made his demand: more banjo news.  •  For those of you who were elementary school children of the early 70s, whose school bus radios played Crosby, Still and Nash or "Don't it Make My Brown Eyes Blue" by Crystal Gayle leading to an inordinate desire to strum a guitar, leaving you know …

It's sad to wait for the last day of your 43rd year to find your calling in life. Now I have to get subscriptions to Banjo Man, Banjo Now and other cool magazines. I'll have to ask the Flea for tips and drop by unannounced whenever I need to run a new plunky lick or two past him.  •  But where …

Less than a day into banjo ownership and I'm on the third set of  •  strings.  Furious fingers do not help but there is that odd certainty that  •  there is another twist needed in the tuning peg just before the  •  twangggg-snap.  •  In other news, we are aiming for a return stop at Bennington …

Hmmm:  •  Trombone or banjo?  •  Pulled pork or burger?  •  I have nothing else to think about today.  Tough old life.

While contemplating the centre field tickets at Cooperstown, I had the unhappy occasion to come across American Idol sings Queen this evening. How sad. How unlike what I recalled when I did rock last month but how it did remind me of Mr. Taylor's doubt as to the relationship between Queen and …