Zune Zoon Zune (sing it... it'll make more sense)

So... as I said, I've been terrible with my blog of late. I've been parenting *(see upcoming "every citizen needs to shake a kid - it's our our only hope for the future" blog), throwing a massive number of events (although I wanted to reduce the number to 30 this year, I'm already above that in early Oct), catching up with old friends, and trying (unsuccessfully) to eat more healthily - if that's a word. My car's head gasket went (whatever that means), and I had a streak of bad luck and funny instances like the adventures of Ian the non-bus taker on the TTC...

One of the main reasons that I haven't been on this toy is because, like a 3 year old, when presented with a new toy, the old toy seems to go by the wayside. When that new toy is a member of a toy family that, when coming together like Voltron, creates an even more fabulous toy - well, to be frank, the blog gets neglected for weeks. Okay... maybe a month.

My new toy is called a Microsoft Zune, and it goes with my other new toys, the Blackberry Worldphone (that I talked about in my first ever blog) and a car with Bluetooth and MP3 capabilities. See where the problem comes in? I'm not even sure you should be able to do that many things at once - answer your phone with the car, listen to the music, drive and eat an Angus Burger with cheese (from Harvey's - my new craving of the moment... you'd think I'm pregnant).

I digress... Although I'm not a super Microsoft fan, the Zune is an amazing little toy - I'd expect no less from Bill Gates (who's story I love [especially the drop out of university and create a successful company part - although my mom ultimately made me go back). [Editor's note: Coincidentally he's absolutely hilarious *(watch Bill Gates' last day of work).

As I was saying, the Zune is Microsoft's answer to the Ipod... I never had an Ipod, for, after all, I spend a great number of hours in front of the computer. When I'm not on the computer, I'm in the car, or in the living room where my entertainment unit, and my collection of CDs is. I don't jog, and as unsuccessful as my attempt to eat healthily (word?) have been, my attempts to make it to the gym make them pale in comparison... Needless to say, I had absolutely NO reason for an MP3 player, despite everyone's insistence that I get one.

So I get one. [LOL]. In a strange groundhog day sort of way (ala my Blackberry post) I don't know how I lived without it. Once I figured it out that is.

So the Zune I got is an 8meg one - which they say can hold 2000 songs... which is great until you start putting in music and realize that that's only ummm 2000 divided by umm average 12 songs per album = 166 albums. Its not that much when you start to upload all your ummm... acquired music from your computer and your albums too. If you put any video on there, that's reduced drastically, and you HAVE to put some pics on there too - your neice, your godchildren, and your own beautiful kids. Anyway, the point I'm making is - if you're buying an MP3 player - zune zune or ipod, go for the bigger one... or you'll be erasing stuff all the time to make room like my first digital camera lol...

This is quickly turning into a tech review lol... Anyway - in my limited interactions with the IPOD, I've hated the click wheel thingy, because, like many photogallery's on the internet you have to come out to go in... levels and levels. The Zune is easy to use for non fancy guys like me. [read: non-nerd]. I accidentally noticed (again like my camera) that when you turn the unit sideways, the pics turn sideways too. I'm impressed by little things. BUT - the controls flip sideways too. Ha. Oh. And it has a radio too. So I can go on a 6pm walk and listen to Scratch or Socasize to Dr. Jay on Sundays. Let's see if either happen lol. And speaking of Jay, I've set it up to get his podcasts, Wristpect's podcasts, Jester's and a couple of my favorite radio shows too. That's dope. (cause now I can listen in the car).

And my complaints... because you know there had to be some. The Zune doesn't work with my mac. And its "i-tunes" store sucks for selection. And it doesn't sell any movies (I wanted to buy Speiderman just to try it. I guess I may be a nerd). And one of the things I was looking forward to was watching TV shows - again. No go. And the BIG thing about the zune was the ability to wirelessly transfer music. When I read up, I came to understand that these TRANSFERS were to other people... Why not too and from my computer? That would make it fast and easy when I'm running out the door to drop the new jocking Jay-z or Swagger like Jay-z or any other new Jay-z that I'm trying to hear, quick and easy... And although everything has a camera, I wish it did as my Blackberry worldphone DOESN'T. So I can upload photos to both, but can't take any with either. Sigh. And it doesn't play WAV files. I noticed that by accident yesterday.

And now for the WORSE thing. I hate the software. It's slow and they're Microsoft. They should have just made it 2 explorer windows and made it drag and drop instead of this fancy, pretty Zune software, which is too complicated to work. You have to put the songs that are uploading to the zune into a "zune directory" and the zune pulls them off. Arrgh. I don't want to copy my files into a directory... I just want to drop them from where they are.

But - I can play it in the car, so at least when I do manage to get new music up on it, I can listen on my way from work to work and all points in between ummm... work. Did I mention I got a converter to change the power outlet to a plug so I can use my laptop in the car? I think I need a vacation lol.

Zune Zoon Zune...

I

p.s. As I went to press save on this blog, new software that just downloaded allows the Zune to drag and drop individual songs... I guess it's a work in progress...

IMPORTANT: PETITION FOR CIUT RE: WORLDWIDE 89.5 - PLEASE READ

"I don't sleep, I'm tired, I feel wired like codeine..." JAY-Z

What's up?

I feel hopeless. It's 4:03am and I just came off a three hour conversation with Young Future... my hope for the future - discussing the future of our city. I feel hopeless. It seems like the more things change, the more they stay the same.

I'm here praying that on the 9th of September, two days before the buildings fell down, that our tallest freestyling structure can break through where none from Toronto have before. Its a lot of pressure, but the future of Toronto's hip hop community lies squarely on the hands, and albeit large shoulders of one individual - Kardinal Offishall... and that's a lot of pressure for one guy. Even when you're 6 foot plus. {His album "Not for Sale" is in stores September 9th}.

I pray that as we TRULY know the meaning of SUPPORT next Tuesday. I'll be in the store buying a few copies or at least one to start with. Please scrape together your pennies and do the same - if Kardi doesn't make it, it's a wrap for our city...

Anyway...

This is yet another sleepless night for me - and I'm going to the radio station in and hour... Speaking of which - did I mention I feel hopeless?

I've always known that you can't build a castle in someone else's kingdom. However, I've always thought that if you do something - excellently, that somewhere along the line that you MUST be given the respect that you deserve. I find that this isn't always the case - and though I've been personally blessed, I'm disgusted that after over 10 years of service to CIUT that Jester's radio show is treated with an irreverance and lack of regard that is befitting of no one - much less someone that has been one of the leaders in fundraising and one of the highest sources of ad income for the station.

If you haven't heard, Worldwide's timeslot has been changed once again. Now instead of listening to Jester and Chief from 6-9... or from the recent 5:30am - 8:30, the show - one of the few pure sources of urban and caribbean music - will now end at 8am.

As I sit here typing to "politics as usual" in the background, I contemplate the conundrum - should Jester put up a fight and potentially upset the establishment that is CIUT fm, and even more realistically lose his radio show - or should he be quiet and take the insult {that he wasn't consulted but TOLD that this was his new time slot? Keep in mind that the time change isn't so much the insult as the lack of regard is... As is the almost seeming exclusion from the familial establishment that IS the radio station. In the almost 11 years that I've been supporting Jester - as far back as Prodigy - I've NEVER seen them included in the stations celebratory processes... I've NEVER seen them granted the ability to circumvent other programming to celebrate things such as Caribana or even their 10 year anniversary... I've never seen as much as a congratulations - a mention of their successes - so much so that I'm sure that Paul has internalized and responded in kind by not wanting to be involved so much so that I wonder if CIUT even knows that Worldwide has won accolades for college radio show of the year?}. I digress.

More important than any of my thoughts above is that we talk about support a lot in our community - our musical community, or community community... I hope that in these 2 instances, that we can ACTUALLY support...

Pick up Kardi's record on Tuesday September 9th - whether you like him or not for your city.
- and -

Make your voice heard at CIUT FM. My belief is that either direction that he goes, that we, the community that call in for fundraising or spend money on advertising should not stand by idle - as though without a voice when our voice is needed the most. We talk about respect - I think this is one on the times that you - we - make our voice heard.

Coincidentally, the time change also affects King Turbo's Morning Ride - a staple for Reggae in the community as well.

I urge you, if you enjoy the shows - listen frequently or infrequently - that you send your thoughts on the shortening of the show to those who make decisions - in the most respectful and eloquent manner possible. You are a representative of a community that is marred by stereotypes - be sure not to reinforce them...

I've included the names of the people who make the decisions. Please be sure to bcc me - ( ian@amnesia.ca ). I'm curious to see your responses to this sad state of affairs...

Station Manager:	Brian Burchell Email: b.burchell at ciut.fm
Program Director:	Ken Stowar Email: ken.stowar at ciut.fm

Til next time...


I

Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant Postponed. Please Forward (from August 20 9:19pm)

BOBBY BROWN & RALPH TRESVANT POSTPONED. Please forward.

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August 20 9:19pm

Mood: contemplative

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What up,

As I write you today, I’m on an emotional rollercoaster. Over the last few days and weeks, I’ve experienced the highs and lows of emotion. I want to start by making myself EXPLICITLY CLEAR in saying that ANGER is not one of them.

As you will hear from one media source or another over the next day or so, our Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant show with Ray Robinson and Kim Davis is postponed. I say “postponed” as we (myself, Patrick Lewis and Jay Martin), have yet to determine our next course of action. Unfortunately, before we were able to make an official statement or even formulate a formal position, one of our promotional partners pre-maturely released the “postponement”. Notwithstanding the fact that WE would have liked to have done so first, the show IS in fact now postponed. In lieu of current circumstances, we have decided that this is the BEST possible course of action at present.

Let me cut to the chase.

Over the course of the past few weeks, I have done every and all things that I have done on any large scale promotion that I’ve presented over the last few years. The flyer was everywhere - I appeared at radio, sent facebook and myspace messages as well as all other online methods, wrote on message boards, enlisted the assistance of the promotional community etc. If you know me, you know that I’m very hands on, and as such flyer my own events personally. As I flyered, I heard the comments - “he’s still alive?”; “WHY would I want to see Bobby Brown”; “He can’t cross the border!”; “Is that even real?”; “Isn’t he’s a a crackhead”; “look what he did to Whitney”; and the list goes on.

NONE of these is the reason that as I write to you today Bobby Brown and Ralph aren’t coming.

Bobby CAN cross the border. Bobby Brown is NOT a crackhead - despite the indelible images burnt into our collective psyche by media. Bobby can still sing and he can still perform.

Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant are not coming - and I want to re-iterate that I’m not angry as much as I am confused and disappointed - SIMPLY DUE TO LOW TICKET SALES. For whatever reason, I/we were unable to convince you, the patron, that he was worthy of a chance - worthy of being seen. The reason that I’m not mad is that you don’t HAVE to want to see every artist I/we present. Music is a SUBJECTIVE thing… A PERSONAL thing. And so the fact that I may love an artist, doesn’t mean that you don’t have to.

We will not, degrade members of musical history by putting them on stage in front of low numbers of people.

I guess my question is one of WHY it is that you didn’t want to see him. This is not a rhetorical question - I welcome your feedback - PLEASE WRITE BACK TO EITHER MYSELF DIRECTLY AT ian@amnesia.ca or channel it through one of the sources that will send this out.

I wonder if it was a simple question of waiting until you heard him on Flow this Thursday night on OTA, or on the Traffic Flow mixed show at 5pm with Ralph on Friday to confirm that he was ACTUALLY here? Was it a fear that he really can’t sing anymore? Are you of the position that you want to “remember him the way that he was”? Did you not think he could cross the border, or that he would come? Is his music just irrelevant? Or are you just broke this close to Caribana, and all the other events going on? Maybe you were coming - but funds were low, or you were waiting until Friday for payday? Is your summer over as you’ve partied too much? Was the price too high? Maybe we need proof - maybe after he performs Madison Square Garden with Keith Sweat, KRS-One and Rakim on October 2nd…

Or was it that you didn’t trust us?... Coincidentally, Patrick said, maybe we should have said in the promotion - “from the people who bring you Amnesia, Soul Kitchen, ICON, Big People, B-Boy Document, etc, the person who brought you New Edition, SWV etc, and Jamaica vs. Trinidad and Kama Sutra. He said - maybe you should remind them “that you’ve NEVER promised them something and not delivered it”, or “tell them that you wouldn’t put you money on the line when you have children to feed if you didn’t think it was possible”. I said that it is unnecessary to prove who you are to people who know who you are every single time you do something. By the way - I am not trying to illicit any sort of sympathy, I’m posing positions - but I know it’s difficult to sense tone in an email.

I am concerned that our heroes are disposable - and this theory has me feeling like Bill Cosby - the guy making sense that seems like he’s crazy. Again, I reiterate - there is no anger in my tone - only confusion. I am not trying to put ANYONE on blast, but I cram to understand why, for instance, Bobby Brown is a crackhead, but we are accepting that Lil Wayne walks around with a cup with a cocktail of cough syrup and alcohol. Is it because Lollipop is so addictive and Bobby hasn’t had a hit in years? Should we have given Mariah Carey another chance?

We judge and are unforgiving - we often give stardom and take it away - removing with it the contributions that the individuals make. The greatest rapper ever was a drug dealer from Marcy, but we’re okay with that - he makes INCREDIBLE music and doesn’t sell drugs anymore. Last week, one of the other challengers for the title of KING OF R&B, R. Kelly was acquitted. We step in the name of love to someone that married Aaliyah at the age of 15 and other things we all know of. I’m simply trying to show that we exert judgement unequally - coincidentally, in the process of getting his work permits done, I came to realize

I ask the questions - and make the statements to understand whether as one of the main promoters of things MUSICAL, whether Lauryn Hill or Whitney Houstan, D’Angelo, Superblue or even MICHAEL JACKSON are HUMANS that make mistakes and deserve our respect for the musical contributions they’ve made or whether their legacy’s are forever tarnished by the mistakes - however heinus those mistakes may be.

Being who we are - we will be providing FULL refunds to anyone who has purchased a ticket for this Saturday’s show. You can return to your point of purchase and receive a full refund - for instance Play de Record, including your service charge, or from the promoter you purchased it from in the first place. If you purchased on Ticketmaster, call and you will be refunded.

I can be contacted at 416.293.4812.

Extremely disappointed, yet still thanking you for your understanding, and looking forward to your comments,

I remain,

Yours sincerely,

Ian Andre Espinet

per
Patrick Lewis
Jay Martin

ian andre espinet
ian andre espinet entertainment +
black star graphic design & communications
canada’s leading urban graphic design studio. period.
ian andre espinet 2008

The KING of R&B... and it's not Ursher or R. Kelly...

THE KING OF R and B IS COMING TO TORONTO. SATURDAY AUGUST 23RD.

Who is the king of R and B you ask? He is a member of the single most influential male R and B group of all time. (And I know that the stats may say that Boyz II Men have sold the most, or that NKOTB or any of the other "boy bands" have sold out more concerts), but do me a favour... name ALL the members of ANY of those groups. Then show me their solo successes. Then think of all of the ones from the past... The Commodores... The Four Tops... The Jacksons? Now do the same. Right about now, you're struggling with Randy, Jackie and Marlon. Yeah - I can see it on your face.

The group is called.... New Edition. Guys wanted to be like them and girls wanted to be with them. The members were on your (or your) girlfriends' wall or locker or wall,(lol) from magazines like Right On, Word Up, Sister 2 Sister etc and when they came to town, she was in the front row or even on the grass at Kingwood or the Molson Amphitheatre. [Editor's note: I took the sleeve of "When Will I See You Smile Again" to the tailor to get a suit like that for graduation].

They went by the names of Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky and Mike, Ralph and Johnny too. Sometimes. But, before sometimes came along, there was this guy. He wasn't necessarily NUMBER 1 up on the good look chart of the group - girls each had their favorites - some loved Ralph with his soft voice and sensitivity... Some liked Ronnie - he was tall and debonair and pioneering some raps in the tunes... Some loved Biv... and others liked the mid toned Ricky. But - as I've argued over the last few years, all girls, at some point in their history loved a BAD BOY. And he was the template... for all Bad Boys that would follow from K-Ci to R. Kelly to Jagged Edge, he was THE quintessential bad boy of R and B.

He went by the name of BROWN. And everybody wanted to know what was goin' down... not with the James - not the Jim - but the BOBBY BROWN. And he was chillin' much harder cause we all knew that Bobby Brown was good to... good to... good to... go... solo.

And with that sentiment he did. After all... It was his PEROGATIVE... he could do what he wanted to do. I remember memorizing that ENTIRE video waiting for the day that I'd bend a girl over in a dance and kick my leg over her. If you see me tonight, I'll do the change pocket shake when the song comes on at Amnesia...

The guys catalogue reads like a menu. He could literally do a 3 hour show with his own stuff PLUS whatever he choses to do from New Edition...

My Perogative

Don't Be Cruel

Roni

Every Little Step (my 3rd favorite music video of all time behind Janet's Alright and Michael's Smooth Criminal)

On Our Own (my favorite Bobby fast song - and check out Halle Berry dancing backup...)

Get Away

Rock Wit'cha

She Ain't Worth It

Humpin Around

Good Enough

That's The Way Love Is
Something In Common
Two Can Play That Game
Feeling Inside
Girlfriend
Girl Next Door

And for this very special occasion, and in a tribute to summer (that I'm sure T-Rexxx and Brock would be proud of), we proudly introduce the Triumphant return of FEVER...

On August 23rd, the day's festivities start at 6pm with the BBQ and BLOCKO and continue into the night with THE CONCERT AND THE AFTERPARTY... with music by a dream DJ lineup...

STARTING FROM SCRATCH
SKIMPY
JASON CHAMBERS
P-PLUS
SKIMPY
JESTER
DOC
PRESTO
LINDO P.

and all of our friends on hand hosting...

I didn't really get to get into it the way I wanted to, as I gotta run to get something to wear to Amnesia, but I just wanted to give you this heads up...

AND A PREPURCHASE CODE: IAE FOR TICKETMASTER...
OR YOU CAN BUY DIRECTLY FROM ME FOR $35... BUT ONLY UNTIL THE 10TH.

<<<>>>

TICKETMASTER OPENS TO THE PUBLIC FOR SALES FOR $40 STARTING ON THE 10TH...so the choice is yours, but as usual, smart people plan ahead...

Take a second and hit youtube... and you'll quickly remember WHY he's the King of R and B. You may be there for hours...

More guys should be this honest lmao

LMAO. McGruber.

I can't stop laughing right now.

Random thought.... Why are you in washroom on the phone?

Lately, I've been getting a lot of messages saying "my cell phone fell in the toilet - send me your contact"...

Now. Here's my question. A wha de bumba? What on earth are you doing in the toilet with the phone? What the hell is so important?

Many a time, I've been on the phone with a young lady I'm speaking to on a level. Then all of a sudden the room sounds hollow. I know you're in the bathroom. I'm like "just call me back", and I've been told, "no... it's okay".

Really. I don't want to hear that. I don't care if I've seen it, or had extracurricular knowledge of it. When I'm in the bathroom, I want to be in there alone. And you should too.

Yu nasty wretch. I'm not using your phone when I come to your house. I don't doubt you washed your hands, but I know you didn't wash your phone?

Yu wretch yu.

Just a random thought.

I

p.s. And if you're a man, don't be talking and holding big conversation when I'm in the washroom. And don't try to hail me. I don't want to shake your hand in there.

p.p.s. They should make all washrooms with those walls that you walk around, cause many a time, I've been trapped in the washroom waiting for someone to come in and open the door.

p.p.p.s. And they should put a garbage bin directly outside - cause I use the paper towel to open the door and then have no where to throw it.