Archive for December, 2010

Rattlehead is best known for hosting Powerchord on Citr with Metal Ron from 1985.   He’s seen over a thousand shows and is Vancouver’s biggest rock and roll fan, period.  Over the years, venues have closed, scenes change, but Gerald’s always been there.  And he’s doing it all for the love of it, which is why Vancouver’s lucky to have him. Gerald was gracious enough to share a few of his most prized pieces of memorabilia with me, so I could share them with you over the next few months.

This is probably the rarest Iron Maiden thing you can own. It’s a promo from when they first started, they were giving these records away for free at their first concerts. This is worth several hundred dollars. I got two of the original members sign it too back in 2008 when they were here for the somewhere back in time tour.

How did you get that done?

I knew where they were staying. They played the show Tuesday, but they didn’t leave the city until Thursday. So I went to try to see them on Wednesday, but didn’t see them at all. I don’t know what they were doing, walking around, going fishing or something. So I go back Thursday, knowing they had to go to Edmonton that day. So I was in the coffee shop near the hotel, and I ran into their manager. He said ‘HEYY! I remember you!’ because I have seen them so many times over the years. I asked him if the guys from the band were around and he said ‘Yes, they should be out at 1:30 PRECISELY, and Steve Harris is always on time.” He was super cool too, he said, if I had any trouble getting Dave Murray or Steve Harris signing anything, to let him know and he’d take care of it. And I needed him too, because they were loading all their stuff in and couldn’t hear me, so I gave it to the manager and he took me over and got everything signed for me. I guess that’s payback for being a fan for so many years.

And you’ve probably interviewed them and seen them so many times over the years.

Yes and every time except once, I’ve met up with them. They’re really accessible guys. Last time, I think everyone had gotten to Steve except for me, and so I called out for him. I think he had his kids with him, but he was still cool, and came over, and remembered me. That time too, I got him to sign a test pressing of ‘Run to the Hills’, it’s a 45, and he looked at it and went ‘Whoah, what’s that?’

Every day we share a single photo from our Flickr Pool shot by one of our faithful and talented readers (that’s you!).

It’s New Years Eve tonight, a night where many folks put on their fanciest Christmas sweaters and hit the town to let their hair down, kick up their heels and cut the proverbial rug. That’s the feeling I get from today’s contribution from John Goldsmith entitled Argyle. John has a sharp eye for colour, composition and juxtaposition, and is a damn fine photographer determined to get the shot he wants.

After all, at a New Years’ Eve party, there are only two types of people – you are either the life of the party, or you are a pylon. Which one are you?

Have a safe night, everybody.

Gary

Happy new year Vancouver! (There’s cussing in this bad boy)

skate sundays 13 from calen knauf on Vimeo.

“Although I think the post that I found the most interesting this year was the Bob Rennie Interview, it has been chosen a bunch so I’ll pick again. Not like there isn’t a lot to choose from!

The ongoing updates of the Fraser river Sockeye return were awesome (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Even though this run may be an anomaly, it’s nice to dream that we’re on the right path with salmon conservation.

The Vancouver Was Awesome articles on the history of the new office (1, 2, 3) were also amazing and insightful, even cinematic feeling! The clips from the paper really made it tangible. It’s incredible to think back to the sometimes grimy history, the secret passages and the rough and tumble cops of our early history. I’d like to see a film about this era in Vancouver.

I also really liked Giants of the Forest, Episode 2. For some reason it really stuck with me.

Happy New Year!”

- Dano Pendygrasse, former Flickr Pickr Editor

If you’re on Twitter you know that at the end of each week people put together “Follow Friday” lists of their favourite people they’re following and share them with everybody. I’m flipping the script a little bit on this with this feature on the blog where every Friday I’ll feature somebody who includes our main Twitter account, @VIAwesome, in their #FF, in order to shine a little light back on them and what they do. It’s a little tricky given the timeline (somebody #FF’s us and I scramble to author a post), but I do my best.

Today’s featured tweeter is Eco Pup Clothing and I chose them because 1: they featured us as a #FF this week and 2: when I took my dog out for a walk this morning he almost froze his… well… he was freezing cold outside without a sweater on! By their own description Eco Pup is an “Eco-friendly company that specializes in sustainable designer clothing & accessories for your dogs”. Started in 2008 in Vancouver they make a range of different products for your pooch. Check out their site HERE.

“One of my favourite posts from 2010 was the Lion’s Gate Mittens.
During the Olympics there were lines for almost everything so my wife and I walked across Lion’s Gate to get back to North Vancouver, rather than wait 2 hours to get a SeaBus. It was fun to walk on Robson for an hour or so but the “Times Square at New Years” crowd was a bit tiring. I saw the mittens and had a laugh and saw a fun post for V.I.A. automatically. Thanks Vancouver!”

- Randy Laybourne, former Visual Arts Editor

“Vancouver’s Most Awesome: Bob Rennie

I knew Bob built condos and was a huge patron of the arts, locally and internationally, but I didn’t know how much until he took me on a tour of his gallery, where I got to ask him 21 questions (maybe more!).

I also didn’t know what an awesome, down-to-earth person he really is until that tour, and I’m glad I got the chance to share all of that with our readers.”

- May Globus, Building Blocks Editor