Rowdy Roddy Piper, the former pro wrestler best known for smashing a coconut in Jimmy Snuka’s face, has been dabbling in the world of rock ‘n’ roll lately with a new song called “Off The Top Rope.”
The autobiographical song was recorded with an all-star cast featuring members of the Sam Roberts Band, The Trews and The E Street Band.
Sarah talked to Piper about the new tune and his surprising musical career in a story for Huffington Post Music Canada.
One of the themes that appears to have emerged from my favourite albums this year is appreciation for the latest crop of jean-jacketed psych rock. This Elephant Stone record exemplifies that perfectly, drifting between Brit-pop and something more kaleidoscopic thanks to Rishi Dhir’s deft use of the sitar in various places.
9. Midlake Antiphon
I wavered numerous times about putting Antiphon on the list because there’s no real anchor moment that I love. But the album’s subtle Moody Blues-meets-Pink Floyd vibe has a beguiling effect and I found myself going back to it a surprising amount.
8. Murray Lightburn Mass: Light
The other major theme that appears from this year’s list revolves around adventure and experimentation. We’re not talking Wire magazine-style experimentation, rather it’s about relatively conventional musicians doing something bold and brave. The Dears’ lead singer Murray Lightburn’s album Mass:Light certainly fits that description. For a guy known for epic rock songs to switch up and make a one-man electro record that doesn’t blow is an achievement.
7. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats Mind Control
A sludgy triangulation of early Sabbath, Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter and the Harvard Psilocybin Project, Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats’ Mind Control represented a rare spot of true danger.
6. D-Sisive The D.ark Tape
It’d be easy to pass off D-Sisive’s The D.ark Tape as another “indie rapper has sour grapes” album, but that does this record a tremendous disservice. The D.ark Tape is a diary of frustration, loss, false hope and failed promise. Through it all, though, D-Sisive remains defiant, lashing out at critics, biters, haters and anyone else in his line of fire. Which is exactly the fighting spirit you want him to have.
5. Kanye West Yeezus
I hate myself for putting this on the list, but there are so many fascinating things about Yeezus. The lyrics are ridiculous, the production borders on bizarre and Kanye’s peculiar sense of self-worth is head-shaking. But for a mainstream pop-rap album this is worlds removed from anything else that came out this year. And it’s that audacity, that oddly guileless sonic adventuring that I appreciate.
4. The Highest Order If It’s Real
For most of this year I thought The Highest Order’s If It’s Real was my #1 album and it’s only on deeper scrutiny where it’s dropped down just a bit. The cosmic Unintended-style country rock supplied here by Simone Schmidt and her gang hits all my trip-out buttons, but the individual songs are a bit less successful than the “vibe.” That said, being in the neighbourhood of perfect is still a great place to be.
3. Austra Olympia
My three favourite Depeche Mode albums are Black Celebration, Music For The Masses and Violator. Those three albums define that band and they’re the blueprint for a certain melancholy dance-your-pain-away sort of electronic music that’s just so moving. On Olympia‘s best moments I get that same swirling, twirling feeling.
2. The Black Angels Indigo Meadow
The Black Angels’ Indigo Meadow pretty much defines the term “psychedelic outlaw” music.
1. M.I.A. Matangi
M.I.A.’s Matangi was the only album put out this year by a pop star that had any streak of rebellion. It’s actually embarrassing when you compare her to other contemporary pop stars and starlets (Bieber, Drake, Thicke, Perry, Spears, Gaga, etc). For the most part they stand for nothing. Or, at best, some conveniently benign social and/or charitable cause. I’m not 100 per cent with everything Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam stands for, but at least she stands up for something. She takes sides and does so without fear. I love that.
It also doesn’t hurt Matangi‘s production is so contemporary and worldly. There’s no other album I heard this year that feels this “now.”
Other album lists…
2015 Top Ten — SUUNS + Jerusalem In My Heart SUUNS + Jerusalem In My Heart is #1 2014 Top Ten — Sharon Van Etten’s Are We There is #1 2013 Top Ten — M.I.A.’s Matangi is #1 2012 Top Ten — Dirty Ghosts’ Metal Moon is #1 2011 Top Ten — Timber Timbre’s Creep On Creepin’ On is #1 2010 Top Ten — The Black Angels’ Phosphene Dream is #1 2009 Top Ten — Gallows’ Grey Britain is #1 2008 Top Ten — Portishead’s Third is #1 2007 Top Ten — Joel Plaskett Emergency’s Ashtray Rock is #1 2006 Top Ten — My Brightest Diamond’s Bring Me The Workhorse is #1 2005 Top Ten — Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s Howl is #1 2004 Top Ten — Morrissey’s You Are The Quarry is #1 2003 Top Ten — The Dears’ No Cities Left is #1 2002 Top Ten — Archive’s You All Look The Same To Me is #1 2001 Top Ten — Gord Downie’s Coke Machine Glow is #1 2000 Top Ten — Songs: Ohia’s The Lioness is #1 1999 Top Ten — The Boo Radleys’ Kingsize is #1 1998 Top Ten — Baxter’s Baxter is #1 1996 Top Ten — Tricky’s Maxinquaye is #1
Back in 1996 I was the Arts & Entertainment Editor of the Centennial College student newspaper, The Siren. I dug into some of those back issues to find my Top Ten album list from that year.
Looking at the list now it’s a pretty clear reaction against grunge in favour of mostly dark, electronic-based music.
Here it is:
1. Tricky Maxinquaye
2. Massive Attack Protection
3. Future Sound of London ISDN
4. Pop Will Eat Itself Dos Dedos Mis Amigos
5. Neil Young Mirror Ball
6. Blue Resistance
7. Portishead Dummy
8. Teenage Fanclub Grand Prix
9. Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral
10. Cypress Hill Temple Of Boom
Nearly a decade-and-a-half later, Maxinquaye remains infinitely listenable. Besides the tepid cover of Public Enemy’s “Black Steel” it still sound intriguing today. It’s probably no longer the #1 on this list, but it’s still a solid Top Five.
Of the trip-hop big three Massive Attack’s Protection is probably the one I care the least about now. That’s not to say I don’t care, it’s just that it’s the album I go back to the least amongst them. Again, if you listen to this album in the now it could still fool the kids into maybe thinking it’s current. Or, at the very least, you can trick ’em into believing “these are the guys who used to produce The Weekend.”
Holy smokes did I ever listen to Future Sound of London’s ISDN a lot back in the day. It’s why I’m very been-there, done-that about Boards of Canada in the present. This was also kinda my last flashback buzz album as I transitioned from student rascal/five-day-a-week rave ‘n’ club kid into person-with-a-job.
I wouldn’t quite call this a guilty pleasure because there’s no guilt in my enjoyment of Pop Will Eat Itself’s Dos Dedos Mis Amigos, but of the albums on this list it’s probably the easiest to peg in terms of being of a certain time, scene and sound.
Neil Young’s Mirror Ball is the only good album Pearl Jam’s ever been part of.
In hindsight, the inclusion of Blue’s Resistance on this list is kinda embarrassing. An electro-dub record on Sabres of Paradise’s label, this selection was clearly an act of showing off my expensive import record collection. The album doesn’t suck, but it wouldn’t make my Top Ten now and it speaks of hanging around a bit too much in the chill out room.
Portishead are where it’s at. After some time and distance, Dummy is probably my #1 album for 1996. And Beth Gibbons was doing witchcore at least 10 years before everyone else was.
I’m not sure why I put Teenage Fanclub’s Grand Prix on my list. I don’t really like Teenage Fanclub or much power pop and I haven’t actually listened to this album since 1996. This song’s OK, though, so perhaps I need to revisit this one:
Ah, Nine Inch Nails. I had this at #9, which means I probably didn’t like it all that much, but as a superfan of the band I had to put The Downward Spiral on the list. Maybe it’s because the album’s so familiar. After all, it was the album that anchored a certain big-booted, goth-rivethead scene that year and I would have heard it everywhere I went. It can probably stay on this list… but with a leery eye.
Cypress Hill’s Temple Of Boom? Too much time in the chill out room, for sure.
Other album lists…
2015 Top Ten — SUUNS + Jerusalem In My Heart SUUNS + Jerusalem In My Heart is #1 2014 Top Ten — Sharon Van Etten’s Are We There is #1 2013 Top Ten — M.I.A.’s Matangi is #1 2012 Top Ten — Dirty Ghosts’ Metal Moon is #1 2011 Top Ten — Timber Timbre’s Creep On Creepin’ On is #1 2010 Top Ten — The Black Angels’ Phosphene Dream is #1 2009 Top Ten — Gallows’ Grey Britain is #1 2008 Top Ten — Portishead’s Third is #1 2007 Top Ten — Joel Plaskett Emergency’s Ashtray Rock is #1 2006 Top Ten — My Brightest Diamond’s Bring Me The Workhorse is #1 2005 Top Ten — Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s Howl is #1 2004 Top Ten — Morrissey’s You Are The Quarry is #1 2003 Top Ten — The Dears’ No Cities Left is #1 2002 Top Ten — Archive’s You All Look The Same To Me is #1 2001 Top Ten — Gord Downie’s Coke Machine Glow is #1 2000 Top Ten — Songs: Ohia’s The Lioness is #1 1999 Top Ten — The Boo Radleys’ Kingsize is #1 1998 Top Ten — Baxter’s Baxter is #1 1996 Top Ten — Tricky’s Maxinquaye is #1
If you’re a fan of novelty songs and strange sounds you’ve probably stepped aboard the Ylvis bandwagon already.
Ylvis, the comedy duo/musicians/TV hosts and brother pair Bard and Vegard Ylvisaker behind the novelty song “The Fox” were in Toronto for the Big Jingle and talked to Sarah about the song’s success with her.
To read the full story head over to Huffington Post Music Canada by clicking here.
Risky Fuel 