In 1978, after finishing university, I moved into an old apartment with my friend Gary. We were barely into our 20s, and life was opening up. A West End pad one block off “Robsonstrasse” was about as good as it got!
Along with a bunch of shoddy furniture, we merged our vast record collections, which were definitely not shabby.… Continue reading
Vancouver’s Fourth Avenue used to be a rag-tag collection of funky used clothing shops, esoteric bookstores, leather sandal makers and vegetarian restaurants. Higgledy-piggledy. There was a smattering of old residential homes in poor condition, built in a bygone era. In the late 1960s, when I first saw the neighbourhood, it was a hippy haven. I was barely 11 years old and wide-eyed.… Continue reading
A few months back, Jen and I went to a dinner party, one of the first in a long time, post-COVID. The food and conversation were lovely, but one person in the group launched into a diatribe against George Harrison, the deceased lead guitarist of the Fab Four.
The Beatles, in my mind, are unassailable.… Continue reading
One of the most compelling moments in Get Back, the three-part documentary about the Beatles’ last days, is when Paul McCartney sits down and begins strumming his bass guitar like a man on a mission. He’s intense, hunched over. It’s restless, aggressive, edged with frustration.… Continue reading
During last week’s great hot cross bun bake-off, I found companionship, joy, and energy in The Beatles. I am not kidding!
Do this right now: find the original recording of John Lennon singing Twist and Shout (on the Please Please Me album)! I defy anyone not to stay still, let alone dance, while listening to this ball of energy.… Continue reading