Hero Alert

Drawing-A-Day // June 22 2012:

Here's another something I was shamefully late to. I am still shamefully behind.

Brian Wilson is a newer addition to my long list of muses. Having been so Beatles-obsessed once upon a time, I've long been aware of the gamut of classic sixties pop groups. But oldies radio stations and "Kokomo" did me no favors regarding The Beach Boys. So when I gave Pet Sounds a try this past winter, it was totally new territory. Even though I knew of its reputation and legacy, the record floored me. And the fact that it floored me floored me. Like, what the heck was I doing taking twenty-one years to hear this! Pet Sounds is sweet and soaring and epic and beautiful and I love it to pieces. And it's like a healthier dose of the kind of angst you get from Morrissey; everything on Pet Sounds is my life exactly, even the stuff that actually isn't. The whole tracklist is a high point, but "You Still Believe in Me" is my Mount Everest. What beats that little moment where you think the track has ended and instead it all comes rushing back and you drown in it? Yeaaaaah.

Moar Beach Boys. Moooaaaaarrrrr!

Coming, Colours In The Air

Drawing-A-Day // June 21 2012:

I actively disliked The Rolling Stones for a number of years. Too much radio exposure to "Brown Sugar" and "Start Me Up" will do that am I right. This past winter I tried "She's A Rainbow" on for size. I'd been basking in a rediscovered love for XTC and I'd read that Colin Moulding considered it a favourite song. He mentioned its singularity. And, man, it is just so lovely and beautiful. Damn. With my ears in XTC mode, I received it very, very well. You can certainly hear the influence on Moulding and co.

I'm still a Stones amateur. But Brian Jones intrigues me. (see also: The Pogues and Shane MacGowan). He is definitely a marker for me-- a barrier between the horrors of Rooster Jagger in a glittery t-shirt at the Super Bowl, and the truly beautiful stuff. I'm sure there's more great material post-Jones and I know the magnitude of his contributions waned toward the end, but still: BOOKMARKED.

Paper and Iron

Drawing-A-Day // June 20 2012:

Here's another "wallpaper" experiment. I choked on his hat, but the rest I like.

Feck!

Drawing-A-Day // June 18 2012:

The connection isn't obvious but this piece is Father Ted-inpsired. I was thinking a lot about wallpaper. Also note Ted-esque collar and jacket.

Does Your Dog Bite?

Drawing-A-Day // June 17 2012:

I am late to the Pete and Pete train. I could try the old, "It was before my time," excuse, but considering the bulk of my tastes, that absolutely does not cut it. I checked it out because of Marshall Crenshaw's cameo. And daaaang, what a gem of a show.

Here is a Big Pete-inspired piece.

Monsieur Crenshaw

Drawing-A-Day // June 10 2012:

Ladies and gentlemen, the endlessly lovely Mister Marshall Crenshaw. Sweet, pure, pleasant, etcetera. There are few joys as unbridled as classic powerpop. And Marshall is ALL the way up there with The dB's and His Majesty Nick Lowe.

And Iggy's cool, but Marshall Crenshaw! Yay, Michigan!

But Nigel Beat Him To It.

Drawing-A-Day // June 02 2012:

I'd really like to start writing regularly. I enjoy it as much I enjoy drawing, but I'm not as good because I don't keep up with it. It usually comes to surface as a therapeutic sort of thing. Crappy, unstructured poetry, you know. This piece is halfway there in that regard. An arbitrary page out of a longer story. Only technically the rest of the story doesn't exist. I dunno. I dunno what I'm talking about.

Anyway, this fella is Neil Finn-inspired. Or... just Neil Finn flat-out. Circa Split Enz.

Jena

Drawing-A-Day // June 01 2012:

This day was a particularly bad one, so I nearly forgot to get in my daily drawing. Here's a quick sketch of my best friend, whom I love very very* much.

*ad infinitum