Mental Floss

I just found a copy of some video of me shot around 1999 for an early Internet video program called PepperScott Television. It's a bit dated, but an interesting take on myself at the time, what I had done, and where I was going.

MENTAL FLOSS – TORONTO INTERNET TELEVISION

Well it's happening again, I'm playing at the annual Harvest Festival and it should, as always, rock. In fact the logo above has a shot of the tent stage I'll be playing in.

If you've never been, but live in the area, consider going. It's always filled with my favorite DJs of the area, is nice land and features good sound systems. I also ordered a new soundcard to DJ with, so either my set will sound awesome, or or it'll be silent while I figure out Why I Fail So Hard.

Sandy McCallum – my Great Acting Uncle

Just wanted to post a note about my gret uncle Sandy who passed away last week.  If any of you saw Death Race 2000 made in 1975, he was The President.  The only interesteing image I could find of him was a web writeup that you see displayed here — looks like that's where my brothers and I might have inherited our knack for making faces.  🙂 If you click the image, it should link to the official online writeup.

My dad sent me this Guest Book for him after I first posted this article.

So on April 5th somehow I was hit by a train.  Pretty much damage is just to my skull.  And my ego.  I literally “woke up” only 3 weeks ago.

I think I was walking and didn't hear it coming, but I can't remember anything.

Well, looks like it's going to be a busy weekend for me; playing two awesome events in the city.  A little late to post on the site, but consider signing up to the mailing list.

The first is Toronto's WinterCity festival from 6:-7:30pm in the Lodge with some downtempo, curving to some uptempo.  It's a large tent in Nathan Phillips Square in front of city
hall.  It's a nice family-oriented event with lots of stuff to do and
look at.   Definitely explore through the links to find out all the cool little things going on.

The second event is Luminescence put on by a bunch of folks including Newmindspace, the group responsible for a lot of great spontaneous public space events like Pillow Fight, Light Saber Battle and Capture The Flag. My set starts at 1:30am, spinning breaks.

I had the opportunity to play at a Boreal canoe trip to Moon River the other week, and Andy Johnson was kind enough to record a good chunk of the set.  Thanks be to Andy!

Boreal’s generally a yearly (or twice yearly) canoe trip for 150 people organized primarily by Justin/Alieninflux who also does Harvest Festival, with assistance from a core group friends and all of us campers.

It’s a good mix of some minimal/dub techno, house and stuff in-between, and the crowd freakin’ rawked!  Completely prepared to have a good time and very appreciative of all the music for the night.

You can use the player below for instant gratification, or download it for your iPodding pleasure.

Just a heads up that I'll be playing at re:Treat, this year's gathering for old friends/new friends of the OM Sumer Solstice Festival.  I'll be arriving early this year on Thursday, so will probably play Thursday or Friday sometime.   I have to leave Saturday this year because of previous commitments 🙁  Come track me down at the festival for more specifics – it's always kinda fluid that way…

I'm happy to be playing the first Promise Cherry Beach Sunday this coming weekend. There was some fear that they might not be able to continue but all's good.  Come out and chill in the sun!
 
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hi, David and Irving here. We’re really  happy to announce that Sunday afternoons down at Cherry Beach will be  continuing this summer for the 6th year!
     
    With the controversy at the end of last summer, all winter long we were  concerned that we had reached an end of an era. After 5 years of sweet,  mellow anarchy and community in the sun, it was frustrating to think we  wouldn’t be able to listen to music and dance in the park with friends,  family and pets.
   
    We got lots of good advice from the Kensington Car Free Sundays people  Shamez and Kelsey, Jason from Councillor Joe Pantalone’s office, Ari  from the Trinity Bellwoods Tuesday drumming group, our smart political  friend Mike Layton, the Toronto Public Space Committee, Gregory Nixon  from Live with Culture, and Kevin and Lori from NewMindSpace, and went  into action this spring to encourage local councillor Paula Fletcher to  support us.
   
    Paula understood that this Sunday gathering is fantastic on many levels  and she was very willing to throw her support behind it. We wrote up a  proposal to the City and now they’ve given us a permit and blessing to  continue. This type of fun is a viable part of great cities like New  York, Paris, Montreal and Madrid. Toronto just got way cooler.
   
    Here’s the good news:
   
    this Sunday June 17th
      Promise Cherry Beach Sunday Afternoon Soundsystem
       
    Bring a frisbee, bring a kite, bring a handy sweater, bring a dog (only  nice dogs), bring your lover and a hammock. And pass the time on this  lazy sunny Sunday afternoon with friends and friends of friends.
   
    3 to 11pm
   
    Dan Driscoll – trip hop
    Violet – dub reggae
    Hali – house
    Orly – retro and electro
    Rollin Cash – break beats from the birthday boy – congratulations Roland!       
    Adam Marshall – deep house and techno
    Mental Floss – deep groove
   
    Directions to Cherry Beach and the new location – With consideration to  ongoing construction and landscaping, the site may move around the park  from weekend to weekend, which is kind of interesting. We have a  meeting at the beach friday morning with Parks staff to determine the  location for this Sunday. We will email and let you know in the evening  just where it is.
   
    Biking to Cherry Beach is easy along the paths beside the lake, and a bus from Union Station goes there too.
   
    Things to think about – Please bring only what you plan to take back  out with you, leave no trace! Pack something warm (it gets cool after  dark by the lake) and something to sit on and also something to keep  sun off your head. Drink lots of water. Bring something to share.
   
    And remember how key it is to take care of your friends, your  neighbours, and what's going on around you. It's what makes Cherry  Beach happen smoothly.
   
    We have been asked by Parks to put a lid on public consumption of  alcohol, which is reasonable. It’s delicate and we have a trial permit,  so understand that alcohol in public spaces is not ok. David and Irving  will need to keep an eye out, so please don’t let us see any. We will  have friends helping to remind people of this over the weekend. If we  all cooperate here, then we get to have our good times.
   
    For the past 5 years the picnic’s been free. Now with the permit,  insurance, soundsystem and other weekly expenses, we’d like to ask for  your help. From time to time we’ll be passing around a hat, please  contribute as you are able. Thanks a lot!
   
    Looking for djs, bands and other performances
    Over the course of the summer there’s about 80 djs, bands and  artists that perform. We’d love your help and suggestions and any  contacts you may have to make the performances happen. Last summer’s  stunning hit was the Jimmy Swift Band from Nova Scotia, arranged by our  friend Derek in synch with the band’s appearance at NXNE. If you’re  bringing in a dj or band or performance, ask them to make an appearance  at the beach part of their weekend in Toronto. They may embrace the  chance to play outdoors, away from the hype and lights of a club, to a  happy and enthusiastic crowd like ours. Think big and let us know.       
   
    We’d like to give our deep thanks to Pat and Councillor Paula Fletcher,  Sandy Straw and Jaime McCaig at Toronto Parks, Jason and Councillor Joe  Pantalone, the Toronto Public Space Committee, Shamez and Kelsey, Ari,  Mike, Jason, Kevin and Lori, Wade, Joey, Jonathan, Gregory, Charlotte,  Ayla, Katie, Lyen, Linda, Bettina and Emily, Justin, Tomasz, and  Robbi-Anne.
   
    And, most of all, please thank yourselves for the huge influx of  letters of support to city council. Pat and Paula told us how impressed  they were with them. Their office get lots of angry and aggressive  complaints. Your letters were refreshingly upbeat, mature and  personally engaging. Way to go everyone! We did it!
   
    Thanks for reading, see you Sunday!
   
    cheers,
    David and Irving

For those in Guelph, here's a nice little event out on a farm with a bunch of friends from the OM Festival.

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Shoo Rabbit Crew Presents…

FREAKIN' ON FIFE
  ~ A summer solstice phenomenon ~

Saturday June 16th, 2007
  7081 Fife Road, Guelph

7pm till ???

~ With musical guests ~

Mentalfloss – consistently inconsistent (www.mentalfloss.ca)
  Mike Lambert -tripped out techno, dubbed out house (Sumkidz, Dickard & Bobert)
  Jonah K. – dark drum n' bass (Sumkidz)
  Spazzmonk – jungle/breaks (IBS, Sumkidz)
  Violet – dubby niceness (Purrpelle, Sumkidz)
  Katikata – funkhouse
  Karma – roots n' dancehall
  Pype – live
  + other special guests

~ Join us for a night of dancing under stars in the beauty of rural
  Guelph! Go for a walk in the bush, carouse in the kitchen, zone out by
  the bonfire, dance in the grass, trip out in the fields inhabited by
  zillions of crickets and frogs! Surrounded by 80 acres of soya and
  wheat fields the only addition to perfection is your precious
  presence! ~

WHAT TO BRING:
  – A tent
  – sleeping bag/blanket
  – some vegetables/fruit to donate to the kitchen
  – waterproof shoes
  – snacks
  – bugspray
  – sunscreen
  – treats to share
  – BYO Vibe : enhancements to your attitude may be available but come prepared

** Lots of room for fire dancers to play so bring your poi/staff
  Smokers: please bring a tin or film canister to dispose of your butts.
  Also, bring a bathing suit if it's hot on Sunday and we take a drive
  to a local watering hole!

**NO COVER but a small $ donation (sugg $5-$10) to cover costs of
  sound and donations to artists is appreciated and encouraged**

**PARTY INFO: 519.821.6505**

PLEASE RSVP!

DID YOU KNOW?? The fife is a simple instrument usually consisting of a
  tube with 6 finger holes,and diatonically tuned. It is made of wood,
  usually grenadilla or rosewood & sometimes bamboo.

African-American fife and drum music can be traced back to the Civil war.
  But in the hands of slaves, the stiff, formalized music used to direct
  military movements was transformed by the same African syncopations and
  poly-rhythms that eventually gave birth to jazz and blues. In a time when
  drumming by slaves was forbidden, the fife and drum was an acceptable
  outlet. Many dancers “salute” the drums with pelvic movements not unlike
  traditional dances from Africa, Haiti and the West Indies. Otha Turner was
  one of the best known African American fife players, he passed away in
  2003 at the age of 94.
  Go here to find a link to Turner's “Shimmy She Wobble”
  http://www.othaturner.com/mp3/ShimmySheWobble.mp3

MAP QUEST LINKUP:
  http://tinyurl.com/3bowjp

Directions from Toronto/Guelph
  Hwy 401 West towards Guelph
  Exit Hwy 6 North (Exit 295)
  Exit at Wellington Street (Wellington, Cambridge, Acton)
  NB: DO NOT EXIT AT THE FIRST WELLINGTON EXIT! WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE
  SIGN SAYING “WELLINGTON, CAMBRIDGE ACTON”
  Take a Left at Wellington (west – Provincial Route 7, Prov Route 24)
  Go 3 Lights on Wellington Street (you will pass a 24 Hr Tim Hortons &
  Gas Station at Imperial Road)
  Take a Right at Fife Road (NB: STREET IS NOT WELL MARKED) – Fife is
  one street past Imperial Road
  Go until 7081 Fife Road (Approx 3 miles on your left)

To anyone who's in Ottawa or has friends there, I invite you to come
check out Spore, a fundraiser for the Mushroom Kingdom art project
destined for Burning Man this year.  Note that you'll have to commit to
it early, so drop them an email if you'd like to come out.