On a trail to interesting boulders along Lynn Creek, Uncle Weed enjoys beer, bread and cheese while exploring the impact of bohemian painter Fredrick Horsman Varley on West Coast art culture. Varley, a member of the venerated Group of 7, lived in Vancouver for 10 years during which he moved from Jericho to Lynn Valley with his student/muse/mistress Vera Weatherbie, while his wife and kids lived in Kits.
Anecdotes include: WW1 battlefield painting, trips to Algonquin Park with Tom Thompson, visits from Emily Carr, collaborations with photographer John Vanderpant, exhibits at the Tate in London and his later years with a short NFB film and CBC interviews in which he proclaimed his refusal to paint people who were too beautiful.
Continuing on a conversation about Iraq and Afghanistan, Lt. Magnum of the US Navy shares experiences from an assignment helping the Philippines recover from a variety of natural disasters aboard the USS Pelilu (named for the Palaun island). Stories include logistics of engineering, construction projects, diplomatic relations, ingenuity on the ground, pig roasts, helicopter landings and the goodness of the Navy’s construction battalion AKA SeaBees.
Just back from New Orleans, Uncle Weed shares anecdotes from a stop on hi-jinks-laden drive-away car delivery journey from Miami to Dallas and recounts recent culinary forays including turtle soup, Po’boy sandies and crawfish ettouffee, along with social observations about the French Quarter and Frenchmen’s street including the joy of brass bands and convenience of “go” cups. Recorded on a backyard in Squamish, BC on the late Jerry Garcia’s birthday.
Geeky discourse about the culture and rituals of the people at SXSW Interactive conference/festival specifically with cyborg anthropologist Amber Case who gamely banters about: human-techno-social-experience within information revolution; how future is created; how geek inherit/acquire power; micro-economics of start-ups; perils of venture capital; survivability of these commercial endeavors; industry-culture power structures; checking-into lines; affection for robotic devices; time and space compression; durability of books; importance of archiving; and attempt to manifest of a documentarian to articulate how to preserve invisible artifacts which exist every/nowhere.
During the Festive season – holed up at an historic hotel in Nelson BC sampling local hashish – a sloppy Uncle Weed stumbles through stories with the loquacious harmonica master Xomaha who shares songs and harp licks while annotating the history of the mouth harp from German beer halls to American plantations. Along with wise ganja analysis comes a story about a trippy night in Peru influenced by giant psychedelic Morpehus mushroom moths; his roots from Seattle “paying dues” in a changing city; youthful times in the Bay Area seeing Taj Mahal, Grateful Dead, Crosby Stills and Nash, Jefferson Airplane, Steve Miller, Cat Stevens… Plus anecdotes from Hunter S. Thompson and Dalai Lama, and a call to action to contribute to the collective intelligence.
Hustling to a bus, Uncle Weed ends the festive period with vaporization session and recounts highlights, hi-jinks and life remixes from 2010 including gut surgery, True North Media House social reporting at the Olympics including Olympic Outsider podcasts, Subpop Records, Hockey Hall of Fame, SXSW, Komasket Music Festival, UW40 party, Halloween at the Waldorf hotel, visits from friends, and then a decompression road trip to Nelson with forays to ferries, hot springs and local organic beers. Ends with clumsy thanks to the Chooglers who had my back during the past year.
Musical interludes including an skat/vocal rendition of a Charlie Parker tune by Nico from Savage Blade.
While at Komasket music fest, Uncle Weed describes a visit to a traditional Moroccan shish lounge with tea run by a guy named Guy. Also describes performances by Wolf Child and Cowboy Bandit plus describes a morning visit to yoga. Plus preview of Delhi to Dublin, Alex Cuba and Shamik on agenda.
Musical interludes feature “Delhi to Dublin” from Saturday night performance and Wolf Child and Cowboy Bandits from Saturday performance plus and dancing children. Part 7 in a series from Komasket Music Festival.
Wandering through the festival grounds, Uncle Weed talks to first aid crew, interviews a 2nd year attendee about a kayaking trip, tipi camping, Brazilian capoeira and dancing workshops, while Canadian entertainer Fred Penner shows his multi-linguistic skills. Plus bits of other artists, and chatter about vendor alley, African drums and recounting jam tent performances.
Musical interludes feature Fred Penner, and the jam session with Bocephus King, Oka and Kia Kadiri — plus various snippets from Doug Cox and Pacific Poi Boys and other artists. Part 6 in a series from Komasket Music Festival.
Koolant, sitting in the Bob Marley hot seat singing with the legendary Wailers featuring “Family Man” Barret, speaks about the joy of singing reggae music for people around the world. He recounts growing up in Jamaica learning the music and mentions the beauty of the Komasket location and audience. Plus peaceful warrior troubadour Fred Penner sings about our right to be free and happy.
Musical interludes feature “Redemption Song” from The Wailer’s Saturday night performance and “Right to be Happy and Free” by Fred Penner from Sunday jam tent performance. Part 5 in a series from Komasket Music Festival.
Renegade musician Ken Giles recounts stories about backwoods huckleberry pancakes and picking with the Beaver Bottom Boys with Uncle Weed backstage at Komasket Music Festival near Vernon, BC. He also tells about hijinks ensuing when moose hunting en route to recording sessions, hijinks with Merry Pransters and Hunter Thompson, and the importance of living a life worthy of original songs.
Musical interlude by Wolf Child and the Cowboy Bandits recorded Sunday. Part 4 in a series from Komasket Music Festival.
WolfChild and the Cowboy Bandits, is a Smithers BC band, we have been playing local regional gigs for four years. Rockin Blues dance music, and also some great love songs, saxaphone harminica, slide guitar, we get you up on the floor and sometimes tables dancing, we have played festivals, pubs, weddings, benifets, legions, private parties, We are currently recording our first cd @ Chesslatta Records in Prince George BC and will release it in June this year!!! We are grateful to our fans and friends for thier awsome support, We have recieved a grant from the Smithers Arts Council and waiting for one from the Canada Arts Council. !!! So send us some positive vibes so we get this grant
Yup, it's a podcast - featuring Uncle Weed on random sound-seeing adventures around Vancouver and international exploits spieling on with anecdotes and observations about communities, public policy, transportation, economics, architecture, entrepreneurship and enjoying herb, ya know ganja.
Get yer mitts on some tasty, hemp-fortified podcast hi-jinks!
Choogle'd: Ramble on to New Orleans ~ Choogle On! #102 - Just back from New Orleans, Uncle Weed shares anecdotes fro... http://ow.ly/1e3xiS9 months ago
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