26 December 2006

SPAM for the holidays


Can someone please tell me why there is only spam in my e-mail inbox this Christmas? This is kind of depressing really. Luckily we were spared SPAM on the table for Christmas lunch! Honestly, how do we get people to write to each other again? To take the time to sit and reflect on what to tell others, to actually work that out for oneself!

The end of a year is for most of us a moment to take stock. One can do it lightheartedly or ... not -- which one to choose?

2006 was not a year to go down in history and yet a few small things happened to brighten the picture:
- Spending Easter time with Polona and Luka in Ljubljana -- a definite high point;
- Managing to bring down my working time to 90% -- another small victory even if the 90% is illusionary, the additional days off are definitely real;
- Finding amazing new people on my path and hoping that solid friendships will come out of these encounters.

Yet something will need to happen in 2007 for my mind to be completely at peace. Somehow difficult to pinpoint. I seem to be at a stage where I start to feel that something is missing in my life. Maybe the ability to make a difference in the wider sense? Maybe simply becoming me again. I hear you guys saying I am simply going through the famous mid-life crisis. Maybe!

So you will have guessed, my new year resolutions will include getting back on the right path. Making sure that I don't just sit on my butt. You see me do that? Coax me!

05 December 2006

Ghost in the Machine

No I am not referring to a 1981 album by the Police or the 1967 essay by Albert Koestler (which are really related).

My ghost is called Norton and it lives in my PC... Thanks to him I was able to re-install without to much headache (or heartache for that matter).

So I'm in the game with a working PC. Send me e-mail!

04 December 2006

25 days -- that's how long it would take ...

... to listen to my 8,887 songs on iTunes. And only few of my CDs are in the collection! Oh well, retirement is only 25 years away... Wish me luck!

27 November 2006

Fabchannel.com - How I so wish it were mine!

I was telling you a few months back about fabchannel.com. Well it's definitely worth regular visits. A lot of cool concerts were recently posted.

Check these out:
  • Lily Allen (she's off-key most of the time, but what energy!)
  • The Frames (they're depressing alright but cool!)
  • The Pipettes (just pure fun! showgirls they are!)
  • Thomas Dybdahl (how cool is he with his hat and his beer?)
And in December, they have two "treats" for me... Early Christmas presents!
  • Sarah Bettens (3/12)
  • The Nits (21/12)

23 November 2006

Music Keeps Me Sane

Music for a good cause:
(OK I already used that gimmick but the cause is still worth it):
Casa Alianza CD #2 is out. Buy it and contribute to the fight for taking kids off the streets in Central America.

Check out the playlist here. 12 great Swiss artists have contributed to this edition including William White and Tiger the Lion.

Music for a good cause (bis repetita):
This time a little more selfish. Music for my mental sanity! I bought a great pile of CDs last time I went to town (always an event!). They now keep me awake when I put many long and late hours at the office. Some tracks tend to top the playlist for different reasons, here's a short list:
  • "Scared" by Albert Hammond Jr
    This track is kind of soft for my tastes yet I keep playing it. Something to go with my mood these day! The album is pretty cool and melancholic. Trivia: Hammond is also one of the lead guitars of The Stokes.

  • "The young idealist" and "How wrong can you be?"by Lloyd Cole
    Lloyd is back. How cool? His new album is 100% true to the best of his older stuff. Mellow, lyrical and sometimes quite funny, Listen to the lyrics of "The Young Idealist" and you'll see what I mean! Some of you might even be able to identify!

  • "I don't feel like dancing" by Scissors Sisters
    That's just what I need around 21.00 when my energy is waning and my stomach cries for a bite to eat. This keeps me going a little longer.

  • "Jupiter" by An Pierlé
    A gem in the middle of a wonderful album. Saw her in concert recently and I was taken immediately. Funnily I discovered her in 2004 via the Tanger-Glasgow on Couleur3. The only other girl listener who put together a programme had a song by Pierlé in it and that was the beginning of that!

  • "The art of letting go" by Eskobar
    One of my favourite nordic bands. Smooth voice and catchy melodies with a twist of drama. This track is a perfect example of that.

  • "Tricycle" by Psapp
    I love their stuff! And now I am almost desperate because they are becoming mainstream. Thanks to Grey's Anatomy!

  • "Quiet town" by Josh Rouse
    If you ask anybody in Switzerland if they know Josh Rouse you'll get a big blank. Ask them if they can hum the song from the UBS ad and they'll do that without any problem. Well, they're humming Josh Rouse's "Winter in the Hampton" from his previous album. This track opens the new one called Subtitulo, a definite favourite in the recent months!
I really have to put together a few mores mixes, so you guys can discover in sound rather than words!

Until then ... "Stay out of trouble" as the Kings of Convenience would say!

10 October 2006

Apple's Sense of Humour - Get a Mac

Was just sent this link (http://www.apple.com/getamac) to fantastic ads by Apple. It will get you laughing out loud, it might even make "some" consider finally going the Mac-way!

Watch this space for some more news!

21 August 2006

Sausages for a good cause!

As some of you know, I am very fortunate to live in an amazing medieval village on the outskirts of Geneva called Hermance. August is a special time in my village as it traditionally hosts its famous "Jazz sur la Plage" evening. This year I was given the opportunity to get a little more involved as the association "Casa Alianza Switzerland" was holding a sausage stand there and needed volunteers.

Well you can imagine I could not resist the call of the grill! I came with my chef's apron, my chef's mitts and my BBQ tongs and was ready to roll! Six hours later, we had sold 800 (!!!) sausages and made a small profit for the association! Paul, Bouli and I at the grill; Maud, Eliane, Cate, Serge and Patrick at the counter, what a great team! Definitely worth the muscle ache in my hand, arm and shoulder and my sore feet!

I had already come in contact with Caza Alianza in the past via my former colleague Etienne who is a founding member of the Swiss antenna and who got me interested in their work to socially rehabilitate street children in Central America.

You can help just by buying their compilation CD (very cool Swiss bands), through donations or by becoming a member. You may also want to become a volunteer once in a while!

Here's more info in English:
http://www.casa-alianza.org/en/news.php

30 June 2006

Mix May 2006 – volume 1 and 2

The new mixes are out. I procrastinated quite long to put these into they final order. As always comments welcome and you know what to do if you want your own!

Mix May 2006 – volume 1

  1. The Streets: When You Wasn't Famous
  2. Mattafix: Gangster Blues
  3. The BellRays: Tell The Lie
  4. Blow Up Hollywood: WMD
  5. Kula Shaker: Troubadour
  6. Morrissey: You Have Killed Me
  7. Gary Reynolds & The Brides Of Obscurity: On The Radio
  8. Nada Surf: Do It Again
  9. Guillemots: Who Left The Lights Off, Baby?
  10. Death Cab For Cutie: Crooked Teeth
  11. Skye: Love Show
  12. Jack Johnson: Girl I Wanna Lay You Down
  13. The Twilight Singers: There's Been An Accident
  14. Crystal Skulls: Baby Boy
  15. The Long Winters: Ultimatum
  16. Josh Rouse: Quiet Town
  17. Donavon Frankenreiter: Move By Yourself
  18. Rachael Cantu: Saturday
  19. The Lovetones: Stars
  20. Hard-FI: Hard to Beat

Mix May 2006 – volume 2

  1. People In Planes: If You Talk Too Much
  2. Psapp: Tricycle
  3. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Snow (Hey Oh)
  4. Controlling The Famous: Two Sides
  5. Mellowdrone: Oh My
  6. Lashes: Sometimes The Sun
  7. Mat Kearney: Nothing Left To Lose
  8. Rocky Votolato: Light and the Sound
  9. Lauren Hoffman: Out Of The Sky, Into The Sea
  10. Calexico: Lucky Dime
  11. Persephone's Bees: Nice Day
  12. Eric Lindell: Give It Time
  13. Drive-By Truckers: Gravity's Gone
  14. Ane Brun & Syd Matters: Little Lights
  15. Peter Walker: What Do I Know
  16. Margo & The Nuclear So & So's: Skeleton Key
  17. Teitur: Josephine
  18. Gus Black: Certain Kind Of Light
  19. Sing-Sing: I Do
  20. P!nk & Indigo Girls: Dear Mr. President (Featuring Indigo Girls)

30 May 2006

Futebol Fever: Brazil - New Zealand in Geneva on 4 June

It's going to be my first time at the Stade de Genève and what a first time! Brazill is playing New Zealand. And no, it's not cricket as one of my colleagues suggested today!

I know that most of you are already fed up with the football fever. I quote Elly (on Saturday as I was watching Switzerland-Côte d'Ivoire): ... [and it's not even started yet!] ...

Ok I have to admit it, I am a bit of a football junkie. I have printed the schedule of games, one copy at home, one copy at work and am planning my June evenings. However, I resisted the temptation of buying the Panini vignettes!

Will you watch the games? Which team are you rooting for? Add your comments here!

26 May 2006

Explore Web Favourites of Like-minded Strangers

I have done quite a bit of web browsing recently and fell onto a website that allows you to keep your bookmarks online and to share them with people within the site community. You can also look up people you share bookmark(s) with and explore further ideas from their own list. A very cool site to expand your web resources!
http://del.icio.us

25 May 2006

Exploring the Web for New Music

I have spent a few hours on the web today exploring new and cool music. I came across an amazing site from the Netherlands that stores full length footage of live performances by alternative artists. To boot, the name of the site was right up my alley!

Concerts by some of my favourite songwriters and bands: Ane Brun, The Editors, Ron Sexsmith, Stereophonics, Andrew Bird, Ani DiFranco, Nada Surf, Howie Beck and even... Madness and Simple Minds!
http://www.fabchannel.com/

In the same vein, Peter sent me a link to a website where you can download (among other things) full-length concerts. Artists who believe in the free distribution of their music post their live performances on this site. In addition to live music, you'll find much more on the site: images, audio, text archives.
http://www.archive.org

Please add your comments to this post to submit links to sites that help you discover music.

Fab

14 May 2006

Stint on Couleur 3

Missed my stint on Couleur3 in May? You can access it until early September in the show's archives. Click on 05.08.2006 and once the show has started go to the beginning of the second hour.

I had fun and was more relaxed than the first time around. Also, I went for a slightly different type of mix (with at least some guys in it)!


Here's the playlist and links to snippets on iTunes.

1.
The Zutons: Not a Lot to Do
2. Aimee Mann: Invisible Ink
3. Elliott Smith: Let's Get Lost
4.
Souad Massi: Hagda Wala Akter
5.
Jenny's Joke: Sea Horse
6.
FLORiS: Weight of This World (Featuring Sarah Bettens)
7. Laura Veirs: Galaxies
8. Belle and Sebastian: If She Wants Me
9. Rumplestitchkin: I Do
10.
dEUS: Nothing Really Ends

I would be happy to have your comments on either the playlist or the show altogether.

20 March 2006

How do you discover new music?

After the recent stories about "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!" and "The Arctic Monkeys", I am curious to see how you discover new music and what your best sources are.

1. Do you use online tools for discovering new artists? If so, which ones do you like best?
2. Do you still go to the shop and buy full CDs or do you simply download tracks from iTunes and the likes?
3. What about radio? Do you still listen to the radio? If so, which stations are your favourites?
4. What are your most recent music discoveries? How did you come about them?
5. Where do you listen to music?