Title Choice: Bonjour. Comma C'est va? Bon! or Justin Beiber was in Harry Potter.

I was bombarded with the French language this week.
3 days straight teaching the language to grade 7's and 6's, plus there was a French baby running around the house during those days.

Hard at work, with perfect hair.

I can't speak French very well but I taught it....kinda.
I passed out work booklets and told the kids to look up the words they don't know in the French/english dictionary.
I am a motivator.
I knew a good chunk of the words and could have easily told them what they mean. But as soon as they write their answer down, it would leave their head.
At least with them taking the time to look it up themselves they may have a better chance of remembering it's meaning.
I don't know if that's true or not, but that's what I'm going with.
I brought my guitar to each class the end of the period play them a song. I learned Dynamite by Taio Cruize

here's why I decided to learn that song. Sarah Winters does a very unexpected, haunting version, my version is slow as well, I may make a youtube video of it as well some day.
and barely got through Bruno Mars Grenade. Kids like that stuff so you know.....

I find that although the boys tend to dislike Justin Beiber quite vehemently, (what's a word like that doing in my blog?) they are the ones talking about him the most. Also they get his hair cut and wear the same clothes as him, soooooooo, Most likely teenage boys are closet Beib fans.
Apparently the Beib got a hair cut.  It's quite the news amongst the teens.

Lets have a look.... google search.....and

 

Well that's kind of underwhelming. 

I thought there was going to be some shocking new style. There he is. Along with this vigorous search I learned that the hair that was cut off, sold for over $40,000.

I actually think he looks like the girl from the Harry potter movies.Let's see,  google search.....

Holy Hell that looks just like him!

I think I discovered some thing.

                                                         Enough about Beiber. Beiber out.

So there was a little French Baby running around the house. 

I didn't know that at first. 

I'm speaking to him and getting no response. 

A little later in the day i hear his mother speaking french to him.

"Oh, " I say, "he only speaks French."

"no he speaks mainly french,some English and Spanish too."

um so this kid is 2 maybe coming on 3, and he's got a more worldly tongue than me. 

It wasn't that he didn't understand me he sensed his linguistic superiority and chose not to respond to a simpleton. 

Well I'll show him, I start speaking French to him whenever he's around, just the words I know Pomplamouse, Mecredi, un chein, just whatever pops in my head.  So far nothing.

On Thursday I come home after work, pretty tired go up to my bedroom  take off my pants, (pants can be so cumbersome) and get into bed. 

Shortly after the door opens and closes. I assume it's Gina, 

turn over, and there is the French baby staring at me. 

"Bonjour." I say

I get a nonchalant "Bonjour." in return

Success! the beginnings of a conversation.

"Comma C'est Va?"

nothing.

"Ca'va mal?" 

shakes his head. 

He walks over, lays down and grabs my dogs tail and rubs his face all over it. 

The French baby, turns out is not a dialectical arch nemesis, it is a dopey baby. 

His mother comes to the door, without opening it and calls for him to come out. 

He lift his head and yells "Non!" and resumes brushing his face with the dogs tail.

That was the last I say of the French baby, they all headed out friday morning to impose the sassy french, spanish english baby upon other mono-linguistic persons. 

This blog has no music info unless you count my rant of the Beib, which some may not. 

I guess that will happen time to time. 

I'm calling today music sunday, I feel like playing some old Jamiroquai tunes on the bass, and may start developing some song ideas I've put on the back burner.

Another day.....

-Neil

www.eyeswide.ca

From The Road to the Classroom

It's been three weeks since I worked. 

Going back to a miscellaneous classroom after some time away, is hard in the body.

Little children can be bothersome early in the morning. 

Especially bratty ones who think they deserve everything.  

And the smelly ones. 

Those are always disliked.

Still working on getting up early in the morning. 

It's a struggle.

So the tour took us to Ottawa, Miramichi, Moncton, Fredericton, Halifax, Sackville, and Oshawa. 

We also spent time in Charlottetown and Montreal on our off days. 

Does playing an open mic in Charlottetown count as having a gig? 

A mix of music venues, pubs, bars, and coffeehouses.

What have I learned of these cities. 

Ottawa.

You are expensive. 

$100 for a parking ticket 3 minutes past the allotted time seems a little excessive. 

Politicians talk a lot. They also enjoy hearing themselves talk a lot.

Check out Avant-Garde. They play some crazy videos.

oh you, Parliament Building you.

Charlottetown.

Your bridge is expensive. 

No wonder people do not want to leave the island much. They can't afford to leave.

Also your snow is salty.

The Gahan House is awesome.

Moncton.

You get too much snow.

But your Poutine Pizza is delicious.

Plan B is a crazy fun place to hang out.

Ravens (or perhaps crows) are taking over your city. Be warned.

Sackville.

You have a horrible name. I can't believe there is also a Sackville in Nova Scotia. 

At least you have an awesome cafe (Bridge Street Cafe) and pub (Ducky's).

--Side note I assume the University Pub (yes Sackville has a University, but not a place where you can buy things like pants) is not for me. As I walked in with Julien we were looked upon buy a ton of dudes in collared rugby shirts. Then, as if a message from the Gods, my zipper split from the bottom up. Forcing me to leave and change pants. --- end side note

I like this pick. I'm fond of elephants.

Montreal.

If you are a girl/women living here you have a 87% chance of being hot. Oh ya, I did the math.

Schwartz has great sandwiches.

I now no longer dislike Montreal. 

Thank you hot Montreal women for helping me to change my mind.

Halifax.

You like cover bands.

You pay attention to them as if U2 were tearing up your little pubs.

If you are a cover artist move to Halifax. 

I am an original artist therefore my reception was not treated in the same manner.

Snaubar has amazing food. 

Oshawa.

Maybe the only city where an acoustic act can open for punk metal bands and still sell CD's.

Go to the Bulldog for drinks not food. 

Fredericton.

I don't know much about you except that you have lots of strip mall type areas. 

Also MDMA is quite he hit with the kids there (thats an organic ecstasy or something along that line)

Miramichi.

I learned to pronounce your name correctly.

Also that I don't know any up-beat songs. Thank you for informing me of that strange drunk lady.

I had a good time on this trip. 

I usually do when traveling. I'm big on eating out in local restaurants and trying local beer. 

We tried to live on the cheap, using couchsurfing.org for free places to crash ( a must for a traveler on a budget.) eating pb&j sandwiches. Stuff like that. But very quickly I turned around and was spending money on unnecessary things. By the end I almost broke even. I kept track of my spending and had I been more tight in the wallet I could have come home with a good profit. Ah well, I increased Eastern Canada's economy.

This time I mailed my posters to the venues. As emailing them did not work. 

I think half the venues put them up. Even the venue in my home town didn't put up my poster and I hand delivered them. 

It's frustrating. It costs money to print up posters and to have them go to waste makes my heart hurt.

We had some media attention, Snap Barrie, Snap Halifax and Snap Oshawa come out to take pictures of the tour, A small blurb of our show was in The Coast paper in Halifax and in an Ottawa paper but I can't remember the name. We also did a radio interview/performance for www.CHSRfm.ca head there to hear it. I forgot a whole verse to Pride have a listen and listen to garbled gibberish. 

I think I need to get a lap top for the road to write while travelling. I am forgetting much.

Death trap #2 good thing we had child workers.

Stuck in the ice twice.  Ran out of gas on the highway. Wore the same jeans for 9 days straight. Got sick of Subway. Became very broke at one point. Ate lots of continental breakfasts. Got Julien drunk followed by a killer hang over. and played lots of music. Met great people (minus the drunk cougar). 

Can't wait for the next one!

I'm going to watch Rescue Me I suggest you do the same.

C'est Bon.

-Neil

www.eyeswide.ca

Oh hey, if anyone wants a free Live Track from my London UK recording session send me your email and location.  

 

I broke the trophy.

Just a quick little update.
I've been meaning to write about the tour since I got back on Friday.
But have been busy with this and that.
Real work, emails, booking more tours.
Today I am in pain.
I wanted to get back in shape and take a break from the drinking of booze. As I had consumed quite a lot touring the East Coast.
Hey, there's a lot of good breweries over there.
So for the past 5 days I've been working out yesterday I did some leg exercises, had a run, and went to yoga class.
Today I waddle like a penguin.
Sitting down and getting up is a struggle.
A little too much activity when one is just getting back into physical movement.

So I went to a charity Bull Ride competition,
*Side note my girlfriend lasted 3 seconds. It was a disgrace to the Bull riding community.

And I said hey "take a picture of me pretending to steal the trophy."
It was just sitting on the bar all alone next to a can of Pringles.

As I picked it up, the bovine just came off. It was not attached properly, says I. 

So I grabbed some Cheetos and walked away. 

Here's said trophy.
Looking very underwhelming when placed next to a can of Pringles.

Ended the night by watching our beloved mayor rehearse for a Battle of the Bands contest this weekend. There were only 4 of us.

Quite an odd way to end a Wednesday night. 

And of course I had a beer. Bad Neil! Bad!

Now I am going to bed.

Very soon East Coast Tour and all it's foibles will be revealed....

-Neil 

And Hey, Hey! I actually got a comment on one of my posts! 

I'm quite pleased on that.

Thar's a Tour a comin'! Take Cover!

Yes there is. Yarrrrr!
Pirate's anyone?
No?
Fine.

Wednesday starts a tour for Julien  Michaud and I in Barrie Ontario. Kenznigton has just put in a new Stage. Looking forward to testing it out.
We've been practicing some covers and going over each others originals.
Looks like it's going to be a good time I'll be doing some percussion withe tambourine shaker and and suitcase for a few of Julien's tracks.

Julien in the Richmond Switch Jam Space

-I was just on the phone with Julien and google mapped Ottawa to Miramichi, NB
Good God it's 11 hours!

Friday's alcohol intake must be regulated. Back to the blog-

A few weeks ago I discovered a band called The Famines. www.thefamines.ca 

and they are helping out DIY (Do It Yourself) bands. I fall under this banner, now don't I.

THey have made a pamphlet with a whole bunch of do's and don'ts to booking a tour and touring in general. I was curious so I ordered a copy. It was only 1.50 so it's not really a money maker for them just a helpful little thing. It's a quick infromative read. I've done most of what they said already from both common sense and doing the wrong thing first, realizing it was wrong and correcting for the future. 

I recomend anyone doing there own touring to get one and if nothing else be reminded on Tour etiquette.

The Mighty Pamphlet from The Famines. Thanks fellas!

I've discovered I am quite disapointed with the beer in Barrie. A few spots I know has a pint I'm into ( A Killkenny Smithwick's or a Kraft Brewery beer) I just can't drink Coors or Budweiser anymore. Not that I really did. but I went to the LCBO (that's the Liquor store in Ontario governed by, well, our government. and discovered these.

Yup Newcastle Brown and Spitfire. 

These little friends of mine followed me back from the UK. Not the same as getting it out of the cask mind you but it's doing the trick.

I've decided that my suitcase will be an ever changing canvas for art. 

For every tour I want it repainted by me or someone else. and Even if there are fans or friends who want to repaint it mid tour ( as long as there is sufficient drying time) I am all for it. 

Here is the first incarnation painted by me mr. Eyeswide himself.

Now that I look at it. It looks like a jellyfish and sperm.

Odd.

I'm listening to The New Pornographers right now. nothing to do with the mention of sperm. 

It's the name of the band A popular Canadian Indie band. 

I've been getting into making some different art pieces for T-Shirts or Stickers or something. I don't know yet but here's one of them. What do you think, miscellaneous readers? Yah or ney?

I've given my live recordings from London a good listen and I will be eventually making that into a CD. 

I thinking of either get it pressed proper or burn them to CD's myself and have different artists paint or draw on them making each unique. I really like that idea. but I also want a good quality sounding CD. that the Pressing company can provide. Again what say you in the world? Unique art CD's or Quality pressed?

Mayhap I can think of a way to do both....

So last blog before the tour. 

Wish me luck of good performances and many sales!

Cheers!

-Neil

One last thing I've been updating the Website www.eyeswide.ca still having trouble with audio. The trouble being there is no audio. But check it out for me. Pretty Please?

  

Flip flop. Rhymes with Hip hop.

It's true. It does.
I flip flop.
Fret about paying off my credit card in time.
Or don't worry about bad credit and they get it when they get it.
It's like a daily thing with me back and forth.
Didn't help that when I was in the UK I racked up a $500 dollar phone bill.
I'm a sucker for convenience and not looking for  cheaper way... for example spending $20 and 5 min to buy a phone card.
I've got to do a photo shoot  for an artist  because the girlfriend is sick. I'm the fill in guy.
So I will beer up before I head off.
I don't have much to say today i just figure I should write something to not have a once a month post.

Blog Phlog Mlog

I just took my dog to the vet, he is now doped up.

Coming home from work I let the dogs out. When Trail came in his nail was crooked and bleeding. Off to the vet we go.
The Doctor gave him as hot to lessen the pain and then takes some scissors and cuts it off and then cauterized the end. I'm pretty sure the shot had no effect on my dog. I had to hold him while the doc did that. but an hour later at home he is loopy and  sleepy. Ah well.

So let's get rid of the UK tour. I have not read what I wrote last but I think it was the very end. I was to go to Belfast and hang out in Northern Ireland, another place I've never been. but when I showed up for my flight I had booked it the day before. They would not give me a discount or let me on the flight. I didn't have money to buy another ticket so I was stuck in London. not really stuck because I had a place to stay. But I was upset for about 10 min. A nice blend of angry and sad. So last 4 days I hung out in London had some more pints hung out with my friend Pete and that was that. I must say I was disappointed in not getting a Guinness in Ireland. and of course upon return my guitar did not arrive. Everytime I travel Air Canada with my guitar, it goes missing, I guess air personnel like my shit.

Fast Forward!
Back in Canada
Threw a CD release party with Future History, www.myspace.com/futurehistorymusic , my closing act. I wanted a full band to close the show since, although I did have another guitarist and a keyboardist out for some songs, I was mainly acoustic. I like ending a show with a full rock band! But alas, everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. It was still a fun night, with great music, but...
We started well over an hour late, i noticed posters were not in the windows, people refused to pay cover, the manager was not there to pay us.
So what happens was me getting all night "When does the music start?", followed by people leaving early because nothing started yet, and when people refused to pay, we need them in there to make up for people who had to leave, followed by me having to pay the sound guy and the other acts. Also it was a snow day in Barrie  so the streets were horrible.
Not a well oiled machine, plus good ol' bad luck.
But we made it through and the people that lasted to the end of Future History's set had a great time.

Future History

Sometimes you drop it low

Me and the boys.

Correct grammar version: The boys and I.

The Next night I played after a Fashion show for IMAGO http://www.myspace.com/imagozine It was interesting.
There were models coming out lookin' nice.
then a couple of little girls (5 years old?) walk out and it's all cute.
then they walk off, and a girl comes out with a glasss dildo.
huh, I think.
Just a straight transition from kids to didldo's.
then kids come out again, Awwww, cute.
next up a guy with a butt plug.
Hey-O!
Followed by a girl with her tits sneaking out of the scarf she had wrapped around.
That was a mixed bag if there ever was one.

some models.

Kickin' it

Still kickin' it.

After that was up north!

Thunder Bay, ON to be exact, a show opening for Wax Philosophic www.waxontheweb.ca 

I burned some CD's 

Here is what I say about my music selection

Mumford and Sons and Dan Mangan really good stuff

P Diddy- He is a guest star on his own CD, plus not a very good guest star. It did have 2 or 3 songs that had good beats.

Kanye West- The new CD is really good. As much as I thought I wouldn't like it (mainly because I think he is a dick, but I realize that that has no impact on him being a great artist and producer) so check it out.

THe Black Keys have made a great driving record, Brothers is fantastic.

Smashing Pumpkins-Hve not listened to that double disc in a long time. some great songs but two discs was too much pumpkin, could have easily been paired down to one disc. 

Louis Armstrong-Idon't know what it is but I'm on a big Sachmo fix, especially the slow ones. He does a cover of Baby it's cold out side that's pretty cool but I have only heard it on Youtube.

T Bay was ok I hit my favourite eatery's and hiked with the dog visited the family and what not.

Very low key.

but here's some show pics.

Derek and Jarret of Wax Philosophic

Right now nursing the dog and doing finishing touches on Feb tour. to the East Coast of Canada. Opening for The Junction www.thejunction.ca in Fredericton!

Packing up the last of the discs that are going to College radio stations in Canada.

Fun stuff!

If you listen to college radio in Canada request Eyeswide. Although the only provinces that have it at this moment (Feb 7) are Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI, the others will be out in a few weeks.

Here's the tour poster.

I keep coming up with little thoughts for these blogs but I tend to forget them minutes later. I may try shorter blogs in the future. 

I still hate the word blog

-Neil

UK Journey Continued.

I went out last night for a Movember Finale party last night.
I do not feel top form today.
So seems like a good time for the sordid tale of my UK excursion.

Let's see... left off with travel partner.
basically just wandered London, saw the inspection of the guards, (pretty boring), went to the Canadian bar called the Maple Leaf. They had hockey stuff on the wall and served Sleeman and Moosehead. (nothing to crazy) and I kareokeed while drunk. An asian fellow shook my hand mid song. So I must have been alright.

Then to Edinburgh. I took a train for 120 pounds. I found out I could have flown for way less than that. Lesson learned.
Edinburgh is very hilly. Ups and downs carrying a giant backpack and guitar is not recommended for this city. But it's beautiful. old buildings, a castle right outside the hostel window. Fantastic jacket potatoes.

I have found that Scottish girls really like curse words. Fuck, cunt and twat seemed to be the preferred terms. usually blended together in the same sentence. "You tell that cunt fuckin' twat that I don't want to talk to her!"
I have not stayed in a hostel in a while. i forgot about a few things.
Sex. People having sex across from you, as quiet as they try to be, you hear it all.
Germans. I love Germans, good looking, kind, fun. But they are horrible hostel goers. They come in from the Disco and either talk very loud, turn on the lights, or both, when everyone else is sleeping. Oh the Germans....
Co-ed toilets. I'm just not a fan of going in to the same room and having a shower while a strange girl is trying not to fart to loud.
I played at the Wee Red Bar an on campus bar, pretty cool place. Green Day and the Proclaimers have graced the stage. as well as Eyeswide!
The show was ok but all of the acts were touring acts so we didn't really have a draw. But some people did come out, and I had some good conversations.

Off to Bristol again by train. I joined up to Couchsurfers.com and found a place to crash. A nice little place in yet another hilly city up and down. Despite my trusty map. I kept getting lost. I saw a fair bit of Banksy art and perhaps some copies of Banksy.
Let us look at some street art.

This one was in a museum.


I played at Mr. Wolf's here and the crowd was decent but since I was unknown did not get too much attention, or maybe I just didn't play well...




From Bristol to Liverpool. I'm just cutting right through these cities.
I went straight to from the station to the Cavern Quarter, to.....

Yes The Cavern, where the Beatles kicked it off. I went down for a drink and ended up on stage playing my version of Come together.
It's kind of tourist but it still has a vibe in there.

On stage at the Cavern!














So again I am going to leave this tale of excitement for later. part 3 will conclude the journey.
Where i will tell of how I wanted to cry in the airport.

but as for some current news.

Eyeswide is a feature artist on www.sonicbids.com I am gracing the main page!
Sonic Box Radio has featured a 30 min segment on Eyeswide.
That can be found at www.canadianartistrecords.ca
Let's go nurse this hangover shall we?
-Neil