The 500 - #493 - Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

My plan. 

• 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 493

Album Title: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot 
Artist: Wilco
Released: September, 2001
My age at release: 36
How familiar am I with it: Limited exposure
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Jesus etc.
Great Lyric:
"All I can be is a busy sea of
Spinning wheels and hands that feel
For stones to throw and feet that run but
They come back home, make no difference
Ever known, make no difference
Ever known to me."

My first exposure to Wilco came in the late 90's. I was friends with a number of local musicians who played gigs throughout the week in my town. We also skated together playing pick-up hockey or as a tournament team called The London Fog

I was in my mid-thirties and played hockey two to three nights a week. Most nights, we would head to the bar after our skate for a few beers. Our favourite spot for live music was The Hotel Brunswick - affectionately dubbed The 'Wick. 

Thinking back, I marvel at the fact I could teach all day, coach after-school, prepare my next day, play hockey until 11 o'clock and then go for a few beers before getting to bed well after midnight. These days, I'm usually in bed by 11:00 and playing hockey once a week is plenty.

Monday nights at The 'Wick featured a four piece Southern Rock/Classic Country outfit called Reverend Freddie & the Distillers They played the Uncle Tupelo song Give Back the Keys to My Heart. Their drummer, a friend and fellow hockey player Steve, was the first to tell me about both Uncle Tupelo & Wilco. He and I often talked music (and hockey) between sets and I always appreciated his perspective on both.

Another friend, and fellow skater, Vince featured California Stars by Billy Bragg & Wilco in his acoustic sets. I quickly realized it was a 3 chord song...so I hastily added it to my guitar repertoire. I just wished I could sing it as well as Vince. 

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot passed me by. I remember watching part of the documentary I Am Trying to Break Your Heart; but, Wilco really didn't land for me until Sky Blue Sky which I fell in love with on a trip to Jamaica (See my last post).

I'm glad that this exercise forced me to go back and give this record its due. There is a lot to unpack here in both the lyrics and the music. It certainly needs multiple listens. At times, it felt as if the choice to have some songs move toward discordant, cacophonous sound was an intentional effort to make the material less approachable. A friend once called this "employing the shallow shield": A calculated decision to dissuade the superficial spectator. Framed more positively, it is a way to reward the committed listener - whose investment is the discovery that rich treasure is buried in subtle choices.

• Is it Andy Kaufman-esque?
• Is it smug, hipster superiority?

I guess that depends on how you feel about it after multiple listens. Obviously, Rolling Stone puts it at #493 and this Ranker article currently puts Wilco at #15 on the Most Hipster Band scale.

What are your thoughts?

Things I learned

It was conceived & recorded and well before the events of 9/11...but, there are some haunting coincidences that might make you believe Jeff Tweedy is a mystical seer.  

• Twin towers, albeit from Chicago, appear on the cover.
• There are songs called War on War and Ashes of American Flags.
• A lyric is "Tall buildings shake, voices escape singing sad, sad songs."

   

The 500 - #494 - MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

My plan. 

• 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 494

Album Title: Oracular Spectacular
Artist: MGMT
Released: October, 2007
My age at release: 42
How familiar am I with it: I know it well - many listens 
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Kids
Great Lyric:
"Saw her in the Amazon
With voltage running through her skin
Standing there with nothing on
She's going to teach me how to swim." 
(Electric Feel)

This is the first record on the list that I know well. I didn't need to listen to it twice - but I did. I also listened to The 500 Podcast to hear that take.

Josh and his guest Gareth Reynolds make a good point. Each half of the record is a different style. The first half is an electronic-pop album with an ironic sensibility. The second half is psychedelic experimentation. It was as if the band said: "Here are 5 songs that you market...and here is what we are really in to."

In the winter of 2007, I traveled to Treasure Beach, Jamaica with my wife and my friend Bill (who went there annually).  Treasure Beach is a bit of an anomaly.  Located in the St. Elizabeth Parish on the south side of the island, it boasts fishing & agriculture as its two major industries. Tourism is almost an afterthought. Consequently, if you visit, there are no resorts and you coexist among the locals. In the 1600's, a fishing boat full of Scots sank just offshore. The men swam in and never left. You can still see their impact in the locals, many of whom have red or blonde hair and vibrant green or blue eyes. They are nicknamed the "brownins" or "red men". More information can be found here.

Our journey from Detroit to Treasure Beach was fraught with misadventure. 

• An unexpected overnight layover in Springfield, Pennsylvania because of mismanagement by U.S. Airways.
• Lost luggage delayed us in Montego Bay. (Again US Airways!)
• A harrowing drive over the Blue Mountains - narrow, switchback roads of gravel and unforgiving marl winding their way through remote villages and tropical forests. 

Two days later, all was forgotten. The stress had melted away in the Caribbean sun. I had brought a small, portable speaker and my first MP3 player. It could hold about 200 songs. The two newest additions to the roster were MGMT's Oracular Spectacular and Wilco's Sky Blue Sky (Coincidentally, a Wilco record is next on this list).

We rented a floor of a home at the top of a hill overlooking the small town and the ocean. This was one of two homes affectionately called "The Sisters" because they looked similar & were owned by two sisters. The home had a large, open deck with comfortable chairs. It was one afternoon, while my wife napped, that I listened through both the MGMT & Wilco albums for the first time. Consequently, both of these records remind me of warm ocean breezes and a deep sense of tranquility. There may have been rum involved.

Oracular Spectacular begins with an undeniably catchy keyboard riff leading into the band's most recognizable song Time to Pretend. However, it was the second track, Weekend Wars that made me take notice. It reminded me of Peter Gabriel era Genesis - like a missing track from Nursery Cryme or Foxtrot.

Oracular Spectacular is the kind of record that gets a listen from me annually. However, after listening to the podcast, I realize that I only tend to listen to the first 5 songs. The space-rock-psychedelic jams on Side 2 are fine...but I like the pop stuff much more. I picked Kids for my Spotify mix - I'm not sure why - probably because it is such an ear-worm.

The 500 - #495 - Bonnie Raitt - Give it Up

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

So, here's my plan. 

• 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 495

Album Title: Give it Up
Artist: Bonnie Raitt
Released: June, 1972
My age at release: 6
How familiar am I with it: Never heard it 
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Love me Like a Man
Great Lyric:
"I've never seen such losers
Don't think I haven't tried
Find a man to take me home
Instead of always for a ride."

What a terrific album. So glad that this journey helped me discover it. I'll admit, Bonnie Raitt didn't show up on my radar until about 1989. I was in university and delivering pizzas for Fluffy's Pizzeria - Home of the Pizza Monster (I can tell you from experience, that costume stunk.) Other than great friendships and plenty of funny memories - I have very few pictures from this time. Here's what I've got.

Fluffy's Matches, Me making after hours pizza with Dave, sporting the height of 80's fashion.

The album Nick of Time was her commercial breakthrough and, without the benefit of the internet, I assumed her debut. The song Thing called Love was on my radio during many deliveries.

Here's the weird thing -and I am not sure if you have experienced this. I can distinctly remember a specific moment when this song was playing. I mean, location, weather, mood, everything.

I was delivering a pizza to a house on Beachwood Avenue, just south of Commissioners Road (which probably means nothing to you, except that it is not a particularly memorable location for any reason). It's strange how random, innocuous moments take up permanent real-estate in our memories.

While researching this, I discovered that the album Nick of Time would make an appearance at #230 on this list - so enough about that.

I would have pigeon holed Bonnie Raitt as a country artist, but Give it Up is more blues and R&B ... it even has a soft rock Eagles' feel to it at time. I picked Love Me Like a Man because of its raw, honest intensity.

I have a new respect for this sound and I am going to explore more. Obviously, later - I've already got my work cut out for me. We'll see if I got around to it when we get to pick #230.

Things I learned

• Bonnie was nearly 40 before she had real commercial success - LESSON: Keep plugging away!
• Her father was a Broadway Musical Star from California.
• 'This is a important quote for young performers: "I thought I had to live that partying lifestyle in order to be authentic, but in fact you keep it up too long, all you're going to be is sloppy or dead."

Happy 38th Birthday Moving Pictures

On this day, February 12, 1981 - Rush released their eighth, and certainly most commercially successful, studio album Moving Pictures.  I don't have this date memorized - I was reminded of it by a Twitter post celebrating its 38th anniversary. 

I remember this day so vividly...so powerfully. 

It is one of those memories that carries additional and weighty sensory detail. Perhaps you've experienced it? A time where you can recall the weather, the shape of your frame, the very feeling of being present. I even remember insignificant details, like exactly where I was sitting in the library at Saunders Secondary School and the specific texture of weird, but durable 70's style-fabric that covered the low rise wooden chairs. I was poring-over the smallest details of the liner notes - trying to absorb the rich meaning behind Peart's lyrics before I could even get home to put it on my turntable.  

A lot had led up to that day.

• I had been deeply Rush-obsessed for some time. I first heard a song by them at an school dance when I was 12-13.  Yes, we tried to dance to Rush, Led Zeppelin & KISS in the late 70's.
• I had already managed to collect all of their back catalogue - quite a challenge when I was living in the town of Kingsville (population 2,000). This was made markedly easier by a move to London, and bus accessible transportation to a dozen record stores.
• I owned every pin, patch & poster available at the local head shops - as well as a black, Velcro Rush wallet of which I was particularly proud.

  

  Not exactly it - but close.

• It was the first time that I was waiting for an album's release. It had been heavily promoted on local radio and (although Wikipedia calls me a liar) I am convinced that the single Limelight had been available for airplay a few weeks earlier.

This was an incredible time to be alive.  

I say that with no disrespect to the rest of my life - which has been rich beyond words. It's just, there was something magical about the freedom of early high school.

• I had some, but few, responsibilities
• Within reason, I was pretty much free to do what I wanted and had access to public transportation & a bike.
• My grades were only marginally important - and I was lucky enough to be good enough at school to keep my parent's happy.
• I had some money in my pockets - I had worked the high-school snack-bar after school and washed dishes at lunch in Kingsville and had always managed to secure babysitting gigs. 

Happy 38th Moving Pictures!  

Sincerely;

 15 year old me...and 53 year old me.

"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and calling students stupid.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

If you are a fan of any of the following ... 

• cinematography (especially long, complex takes), 
• stand-up comedy, 
• eclectic music (particularly show-tunes & 50's hits), 
• New York City, 
• Late 50's fashion, 
• sharp, tight writing, or 
• rich, complex characters

...this is the show for you. 

It follows suddenly separated housewife Miriam "Midge" Maisel as she discovers a hidden talent for stand-up comedy in the burgeoning Greenwich village art movement of the late 1950's. 
The supporting cast are probably my favourite part.

• The caustic rapid-fire wit of Alex Borstein's Suzie Meyer's (Midge's hostile manager).
• Kevin Pollack - a stereotypical 1950's Jewish businessman who breaks with his character for a powerfully touching and important "father/son moment" in Season 2. 
• The anxiety-fueled comedic angst of Tony Shalhoub as Midge's brilliant but out-of-touch father - Abe Weissman.

Near the end of that season, Abe is under tremendous stress. The organized, idyllic world he has carefully curated for himself is under assault from all sides and he is in a crisis spiral. 

He walks into his advanced mathematics classroom at Columbia University to find it nearly empty. It seems his recent, erratic behaviour has led to a student exodus. Exasperated by the absence of his star pupil - Truman - he goes off on an epic rant. I tried to find it on YouTube, but the text will have to suffice.

"Let the record show that there are no men in Abraham Weissman's differential equations course. Just a sad collection of fatuous, imbecilic, puerile, blithering milksops. 

Why are all of you still here?!

I have one more math problem for you.

  (All of You) + X =Competence

Solve for X?

Do you want to know what X is?

It's competence - because none of you have any! 

You're all incompetent. You'll never work in any field that has the word "advanced" in front of it. You'll simply be overqualified dishwasher repairmen. I keep telling you that and you keep coming back - well, don't. Get Out!"

Here's the thing

I had a few of those teachers. Now, granted, they were not quite as eloquent as Abe...but I was absolutely in classrooms where one, or all of us, were dressed-down and called stupid.

A couple reflections

• It was a bit frightening when I was younger - but I feel that I rolled with it. Granted, I grew up in a world where any adult could verbally, or even physically, correct me. Once, as a child in Britain, I was caught stealing penny candies in a "sweet shop" by a complete stranger brought who pulled me to my grandfather...by the ear. I got in trouble. He got thanked.
• Verbal explosions like this were almost comical when I was in high school - we all silently "high-fived" each other with our eyes because we had made Mr. or Mrs. (Blank) snap. 
• Most importantly, Almost every time it happened - we kind of deserved it. Well, if not deserved... we had provoked it. Objectively, we were being "stupid" because 
• we were not paying attention to clear instructions or 
• we were not investing sincerely in the work or 
• we were doing something that we had been warned about repeatedly or
• we were being...kids.

As an educator, I have experienced the same frustrations that my teachers must have felt. Obviously, because I still have a job, I don't "yell at" or belittle my young charges. 

I don't know of any educator who would suggest a return to the Weissman method. But, I have heard some say the pendulum has swung too far toward indulgence and we are coddling our children - without preparing them for the so called Real World.

Is there a middle ground?

I'm not sure. I do know that their Real World will be the life that they create and I am confident that they are resilient - just like I was. My ear and my pride have both recovered. Besides, there is nothing wrong with being a good dishwasher repairman.

The Gillette Commercial - The Best a Teacher can Teach?

There was a lot of buzz last month about a new Gillette Commercial or, as they present it, "Short Film". It seemed to be generating both controversy and conversation - which I suspect was entirely their point.

• I did notice some members of my Twitter #PLN considered using it in their Intermediate & High School classes - with the intention of generating discussion around things such as media, bullying, stereotypes & kindness.
• There was also some negativity coming through, from two sources...
• Camp A: who disagreed with it (for a variety of reasons addressed below). Some seemed exasperated, while others were openly hostile.
• Camp B: who took great umbrage at the fact that people dared to disagree with it. They, too were spitting venom - in 280 characters or fewer. 
• I'll admit - it was mainly positive vibes on my radar... my social circle & #PLN certainly skew toward beneficence and, for the most part, tend to avoid antagonism. It's a glass-half-full crowd for sure. 

At this point, I still had not seen it. I wasn't avoiding it - I just got preoccupied.

It came up again during a brief discussion with a colleague who was choosing not to use it because (and I paraphrase here) "They should just be selling their sub-par razors and stay out of social/ political issues."

I had no rebuttal...So, I watched it.

The Cons

• Gillette is being intentionally provocative by choosing to take this approach to advertising. Certainly, they realized that controversy would follow - see Oscar Wilde. Was it virtue signalling? Perhaps Procter & Gamble would be better served to address the issues connected to its own use of palm oil and the environmental & human rights issues connected with that choice.  
• It is just a razor commercial. If this was an important issue - why not stick to conventional razor ads and then quietly (or publicly) donate money to groups that work to create positive experiences for all youth?
• Typically, and I know I am generalizing here, razor
  
  commercials are for women. Sure, the target audience for the implied message is men - but, many television spots feature handsome, shirtless dudes with washboard abs. As they admire their freshly rinsed jawline in the mirror, they are immediately set upon by a beautiful woman who literally can't keep her hands off them. So, this must mark a clear change in Gillette's approach to razor ads - right? We'll see.

The Pros (which I hope to present with no intention of virtue signalling)

• Who wouldn't agree that we can all work to be better? I am in a perpetual pursuit of self-improvement. I've made and make mistakes and I keep trying to be a better human.
• A conversation about the media that surrounds us is important. Why not have that conversation with students?
• How do they feel about the ad? Does it land for them?
• Do they see those behaviours, or are we living in a time when they are vanishing?
• I'm always fascinated to hear how young people process this world. I have wisdom, but I'm frequently out-of-touch. Teens have their boots-on-the-ground in popular culture and are interacting directly with the prevailing zeitgeist.
• How is "We believe in the best in men." a statement we shouldn't endorse?
• At no time during the commercial did I feel attacked and I am certainly guilty of some of the behaviours depicted - particularly in my teen years & early 20's. (I guess I've always passed it off as "...it was the 80's"; but,  maybe I should reconcile some of those choices.)
• Terry Crews (a victim of a sexual assault) says "Men need to hold other men accountable". I can't disagree with that. I have many male friends. I have known them for decades and they have served as an integral part of my moral compass. I often say that my community of friends is my version of a religious fellowship - offering me support, guidance & direction through advice and meaningful conversations. I'm interested to hear their thoughts about this commercial - I suspect it will come up, over beers, soon enough.  

I'd also love to hear from you. Feel free to comment here or on Twitter. 

The 500 - #496 - Boz Scaggs - Boz Scaggs (Third Album)

This is the fifth in an ongoing series, the first can be found here and the second here and the third here and here is the fourth.

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

So, here's my plan. 

• 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 496

Album Title: Boz Scaggs
Artist: Boz Scaggs
Released: August, 1969
My age at release: 4
How familiar am I with it: Never heard it 
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Loan Me a Dime
Great Lyric:
"Oh, your sighs screamed with loneliness
Your eyes traced broken dreams
And your touch held a warning of goodbye."

I have a very specific and sad memory connected to Boz Scaggs. It comes back every time I hear his name - even though he shoulders none of the blame.  Here goes... 

My first dog was named Chrissy. She was a Springer Spaniel I got at Christmas when I was 10 - hence the "not-so-clever-in-retrospect" name. At the time, we lived in Kingsville, Ontario in a house that overlooked Lake Erie from a bluff. We were surrounded by farmer's fields and apple orchards - it still baffles me how I ever took that for granted. 

Chrissy was a natural hunter, often taking down birds in the nearby fields or bringing dead fish up to the doorstep from the shore. She also had a terrible habit of following me in the mornings when I walked up a long, gravel road to the highway in order to catch the school bus. She would then bark at cars as they raced by. Finally, she got clipped by one - just slightly - and the habit stopped for a few months.

One school morning was particularly exciting because it was "gum day" and I had prepped with a pocket full of Double Bubble packs. (When something is important to kids - they are absolutely able to plan ahead & remember supplies).

In my haste, I forgot to lock Chrissy inside and she quietly followed me to my bus stop. This time, she stood in the middle of the road as a car came toward her from a very long distance away. It was a black sports car - I think a Trans-Am. Suddenly, I heard the engine roar and I realized, too late to do anything, that the driver was  actually accelerating to maximize the impact for the dog. 

It was over in a flash - he plowed straight into her and I grimaced as I heard the sickening thuds of her body going under the chassis. The car continued down the road as I ran out to look at her...dying.

She only appeared to be alive for about a minute...and the rest is a surreal blur. I think this is what happened...

• I think I moved her closer to the side of the road and saw her eyes close.
• The bus arrived (I'm not sure how much time passed).
• I got on the bus and the driver, who must have seen the event or the evidence, asked if I was okay.
• A school mate said "Is that your dog?"
• The bus started to drive and then stopped.
• My mother climbed on the bus and told me to come with her.
• She had come in the car and it was parked  behind the bus.
• I went home with her, feeling the gum packages in my pockets.
• I went into my room and turned on the radio...the song Lido Shuffle by Boz Scaggs was playing.
• The tears came.

I am not sure how my mother knew what had happened. The house was a long way from the bus stop. I just called her and she says that she thinks someone saw it and called her...but can't be sure.

Anyway, that was a painful one to dredge up - but it is always the first thing I think about when someone mentions Boz Scaggs - The Lido Shuffle and the sociopath who murdered a dog in front of a kid.

This album was released several years earlier, in 1969. I had no idea it existed and it is simply fantastic. It features the famous Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Duane Allman on guitar. If you haven't heard it - give it a spin. The groove on Loan Me a Dime is remarkable. The whole album plays as a great listen or terrific background music for a gathering of friends. 

Things I learned

• Boz Scaggs used to be in the Steve Miller Band.
• His style of music is considered "Blue Eyed Soul".
• A schoolmate gave him the nickname "Bosley" which was shortened to "Boz".
• I still quietly hope that the guy who ran over my dog had an entirely unpleasant life and that he reflects on that moment as the reason.

A Project Based Journey - Part 3

 Here are Part One and Part Two. This is Part Three in this series about my latest Project Based Learning Journey.

The next step is building a Multi-Media Tech Set (MMTS). Here is a quick primer on the concept, which comes out of the world of Hyperdocs developed by Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton & Sarah Landis. Be sure to explore that link or the incredible Teachers Give Teachers for resources.

I make mine in Google Docs. 

• I create a table and distribute the curriculum questions (see previous post) evenly over the squares.
• I find fun, colourful pictures that have some relationship to the question.
• I curate kid-friendly links to videos, articles & websites and connect the links to the pictures.
• I save one panel for a Google Form Picture and link.
• I use some colour fills to make it aesthetically pleasing.

Here is my latest.

The next step is revealing it to the students. Our plan is to have them explore at least 3 links and then complete the Google Form to give us feedback. Eventually, they will be making 3 Panel Brochures or Infographics, so we will need to front-load that.

The 500 - #497 - The White Stripes - White Blood Cells

This is the fourth in an ongoing series, the first can be found here and the second here and the third here.

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

So, here's my plan. 

• 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 497

Album Title: White Blood Cells
Artist: The White Stripes
Released: July, 2001
My age at release: 35
How familiar am I with it: Somewhat 
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Hotel Yorba
Great Lyric:
"It might sound silly
For me to think childish thoughts like these.
But I'm so tired of acting tough
And I'm gonna do what I please
Let's get married
In a big cathedral by a priest
Cause if I'm the man you love the most
You could say "I do" at least."

In the late 90 & early 2000's, I hosted a late show at CHRW - Radio Western - our local University station. It ran from 2 am until 6 am on Saturday mornings (Friday nights). With the exception of a group of grocery store workers on the midnight shift, I didn't receive a lot of phone calls or requests. Consequently, I was pretty much free to play what I wanted...as long as I respected the station mantra - No Hits - that is "nothing that has been on the Top-100 in the past year". Those grocery store workers loved a death metal band called Six Feet Under - so I always kept copies of those CDs close at hand.

A number of my friends were working musicians, so I could always count on them as listeners after their bar gigs ended. It also gave me a chance to feature their music. Consequently, I named my show Stomping Grounds and 30% of the material I played was by talent from London and the surrounding Southwestern Ontario region.

On one show, two former students, joined me for a shift. They brought some of the music they were listening to and one disc was The White Stripes. They played a few tracks and I remember feeling sort of neutral about it. I certainly wasn't wowed.  

I was wrong. I suspect I was being a curmudgeon and a tad pretentious - dismissing these teens with their sloppy, fuzz-rock.  I mean, I've heard Garage Rock before and thought affordable technology had moved us forward. Was this supposed to be an homage? I do know I was troubled by the drumming. It seemed sloppy & incredibly simple - like someone who had just learned to keep time, but had not developed subtlety or feel.

Much has changed. I have a new respect for the band and I love so much of Jack White's style. His live version of Dolly Parton's Jolene is exceptional and the DVD Under Blackpool Lights has a grainy, mystical power that is absolutely riveting. I truly think it will, eventually, be regarded as one of the great concert videos.   

I chose the song Hotel Yorba because it was one of the first songs I could play on the guitar while singing. It's fun lyrics and chunky rhythm is catchy and an absolute blast to play. 

As a side note: 

Kitchener area musician, the late Matt Osborne was playing a gig at The 'Wick and agreed to come on my radio show that same night. Despite arriving at 3:00 am and having to drive 100 km home, he happily agreed to an interview and played a couple songs for us.  He was an incredibly sweet guy and an exceptional talent. This is a version of one the songs he played . Sadly, he passed in 2004. I would absolutely recommend checking out his album Man vs. Concrete - it is on Spotify. Whining Teenager's Dramatic Exit is a personal favourite and, tragically, way ahead of the curve in its commentary on the phenomenon of school shootings - which, at the time, seemed like bizarre & temporary anomalies.

Things I learned

Jack White was born Jack Gillis and took his wife's last name in marriage.

Jack loves creating mythology by weaving believable lies around him & his life. Like suggesting that he and Meg were the two youngest of ten siblings who formed the band on Bastille Day or that the Hotel Yorba in Detroit once housed The Beatles. 

Next: Boz Scaggs: Boz Scaggs

A Project Based Learning Journey - Part 2

This is Part Two in a series about my latest Project Based Learning Journey. Part One can be found here.

As I mentioned in my first post, the approach to a PBL needs to take on a Triangular Shape. 

Either...

• Many choices (questions) with a single (or few) final product choices.
• One (or few) choices with multiple options for presentation.

At the time of this writing, I am working with a Grade 3/4 teacher to develop a PBL approach to the Light & Sound section in the Grade 4 Ontario Science Curriculum. We have decided to use triangle two (on the right). Multiple curriculum prompts with learning demonstrated through either a Tri-Fold Brochure or Infographic (possibly with a QR code to a Google Site.) 

Step 1: Start with the Curriculum

Go through the curriculum and pull out the specific expectations and example questions you want the students to explore. I have organized them into this table.

Step 2: Decide on the Culminating Task

• Explore a Multi-Media Tech Set to learn about the elements of Light and Sound that are identified in the curriculum.
• Identify a question they would like to answer or an area they would like to explore.
• At this age, we need to help support them finding "open" questions or provide meaningful question prompts.
• Research their question and organize the information into either an Infographic or a Brochure
• Both of these products will need to be "front-loaded" through literacy activities.
• Optionally, students could include a QR code to a Google Site that contains the same information.

Step 3 - Solidify Evaluation Approach 

• Feedback throughout the project is essential - especially for young children and those participating in a PBL for the first time.
• Learning Skills need to be addressed regularly - student self-evaluation through Google Forms might be a good strategy. I have also provided time at the end of each work period for students to document their progress and share it with their parents (I used Student Story in Class Dojo)
• The Final Project should be assessed using a No Mark Rubric co-created with students so that they fully understand the expectations. Perhaps...
• Aesthetic Appearance - Communication of Understanding & Media
• Organization of Information - Literacy, Research, Reading and Writing
• Literacy Conventions - Editing & Using Google Tools
• Overall Understanding - Can the student explain their understanding & knowledge?

Next - Building the Multi Media Tech Set

A Project Based Learning Journey - Part 1

Increasingly, teachers with whom I work are becoming interested in incorporating Project Based Learning (PBL) into their classrooms. If you are not familiar with the difference between PBL and traditional "projects", this short video is a great place to start.

I am just completing a lengthy PBL with a Grade 4 class at Thamesford Public School. It turned out well - mainly because both the students and the classroom teacher were persistent & committed to the experience. It took about 6 weeks and I was present for at least eight 1-hour classes and a few indoor recesses. 

Student projects included...

• A Talk Show
• Song performances including "The Compass Rose Song" featuring the music of Shawn Mendes
• Lego Stop Motion
• Google Slide Stop Motion
• A Podcast interview with a resident of Iqaluit, Nunavut
• A Scratch Coded Interactive Canada Map
• Interactive Google Slides - on the Boreal Forest & Canadian Provinces
• Minecraft EDU presentations
• Kahoot & Blind Kahoot Quizzes 

The biggest lesson I learned was to shape my approach like a triangle and not a rectangle.  I used this multi-media tech set (MMTS) which includes this Google Form to help students define the question they wanted to answer. My approach offered multiple topics and multiple project options - the rectangle design. This was unwieldy.  

I should have employed The Triangle Approach - either a few questions with lots of presentation options or many question options with one project goal.

Word of mouth has spread and another member of staff has asked me to try something in Grade 4 Science. 

This time, we are curating 8 questions from The Ontario Science Curriculum and having students demonstrate their learning with either a Tri-Fold Brochure or Infographic (possibly with a QR code to a Google Site.)

More on this next time!

The 500 - #498 - The Stone Roses - Stone Roses

This is the third in an ongoing series, the first can be found here and the second here.

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

So, here's my plan. 

• 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 498

Album Title: Stone Roses (Debut)
Artist: The Stone Roses
Released: May, 1989
My age at release: 23
How familiar am I with it: Somewhat
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Fools Gold
Great Lyric:

"Stands on shifting sands,
The scales held in her hands,
The wind it just whips her away
And fills up her brigantine sails."

The Stone Roses landed on my radar in the mid-90's. A high school friend had moved to England and he and I stayed in touch through letters (pre-email). At one point, we exchanged cassette tapes. I filled mine with the songs that were popular here and his highlighted the music he was hearing in London. I'll admit, I didn't recognize a single name - Oasis, Blur, Travis, Suede, Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses. It would be another 6-12 months before some of them gained a North American beachhead. 

Of all these bands, it was Portishead that really struck a chord with me. My girlfriend, now wife, had also discovered Dummy and the track Glory Box got plenty of airtime in my apartment and car.

A few years later, I was teaching, but continued to bartend to make ends meet. Several of the serving staff had spent a year abroad and they raved about The Manchester Movement - and The Stone Roses in particular. Most of my family lives in the Manchester area (Rochdale, Littleborough) so, I felt an odd kinship. A local pub had a weekly Brit-Pop night, so I began to hear them more often - mainly Love Spreads.

I enjoyed listening through this album in its entirety. My favourite track, and the one I added to my Spotify list, is Fools Gold - I'm a sucker for a groovy bass-line and funky percussion.

Things I learned:

The album cover is Jackson Pollack inspired and is intended to reference the 1968 Paris Riots - hence the flag in the top left. Lemons are depicted because they were used as an antidote to tear gas.

The Manchester Scene was dubbed "Madchester" - how did I not know that until today?

Next: #497: The White Stripes: White Blood Cells

The 500 - #499 - BB King - Live in Cook County Jail

This is the second in an ongoing series, the first can be found here.

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Each week, he and his guests (fellow comedians, actors & musicians) will discuss a different album as he works his way backward to Number 1. 

The discovery of this podcast has rekindled my interest in expanding my knowledge of music and a Spotify account makes access far easier.

So, here's my plan. 

• 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 499

Album Title: Live in the Cook County Jail
Artist: BB King
Recorded Live: September 10, 1970
My age at release: 5
How familiar am I with it: Somewhat (a few songs I know well)
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: How Blue Can You Get.
Great Lyric:
"I gave you a brand new Ford, you said 'I want a Cadillac'
I bought you a ten dollar dinner, you said 'Thanks for the snack'
I let you live in my penthouse, you said it was just a shack
I gave you seven children, and now you want to give them back"

Quick Hits:

When I was young and learning about popular music, BB King was ubiquitous. He was one of those artists that occupied legendary status for me, even before I could even name a single song he played. I could see the reverence with which he was embraced on The Tonight Show. Saturday Night Live or Sanford and Son. So, I knew he was important - like Elvis, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, or even Liberace.

I guess the first time I really took notice was watching the U2 film, Rattle and Hum. I remember seeing the respect and veneration afforded him by Bono. It was unsettling, but also satisfying, to see a rock-star act like a fanboy in his presence. He was so eager to share his lyrics to When Love Comes to Town with him. BB seemed both nonplussed and distant - as if he was both overwhelmed by the opportunity...and entirely removed from it.

When I listened to Live at Cook County Jail, I was familiar with most of the songs. I know I have heard this album before, but never in its entirety. I love that the album opens with an bizarre and awkward announcement from an unnamed female MC. She, unwisely, chooses to acknowledge a "Sheriff Woods" to a brief smattering of applause...followed by a hearty round of boos and jeers. Undeterred, she continues... "and another dear friend of all of yours out there, the Chief Justice of the Criminal Court Joseph Power." Again, a raucous chorus of boos.  What a fantastic example of "not knowing your audience" or, perhaps she does? And she's straight trolling...70's style.

It was tough to pick a song to put on my Spotify Mix. This is one of those records that should be listened to in its entirety.  I chose How Blue Can You Get for two reasons. First, I love the sample of "I've been downhearted baby" on the Primitive Radio Gods' song  Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in my Hand. 

However, more significantly, my favourite London, Ontario cover band Sweet Leaf Garrett used to cover it, and singer Shaun Sanders would deliver the lyrics with an appropriate mix of sincerity and comedic panache.

Things I learned:

BB King's real name is Riley B. King, but was nicknamed the Beale Street Blues Boy ... hence B.B. 

He stops playing guitar when he sings. 

His guitar, Lucille, got its name after he rescued it from a fire. The hall where he was playing was heated with metal cans filled with kerosene. Two men, fighting over a woman, knocked the can over and set the place on fire. After retrieving his guitar, BB learned that they were fighting over a woman named "Lucille"... Legend Forged!

Next: #498 - The Stone Roses - Stone Roses