Conclusions

Reflections on Using the Blog as a Medium

To the best of my knowledge, blogs as a legitimate scholarly form is open to debate. Numerous articles are floating around regarding the merit of webtools such as wikis, blogs and podcasts as valid educational instruments. Guides for secondary school teachers outline and suggest that the use of blogs will enhance social learning in a time of technologically-induced isolation for children. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts by Will Richardson, argues that the use of blogs and other web-based resource allows for more interaction being learning source and user, forming a more flexible and interactive style of learning. The use of blogs in higher education has been discussed by Jeremy B. Williams and Joanne Jacobs for the Australian Journal of Educational Technology. In it, the defence of blogs as a legitimate source of knowledge is taken: “The nature of blogging engines allows for the creation of a legitimate warehousing of captured knowledge, and archiving for later retrieval. As a knowledge management tool, blogs provide the potential for relatively undifferentiated articles of information passing through an organisation to be contextualised in a manner that adds value, thus generating ‘knowledge’ from mere ‘information’. Comments systems and democratic posting privileges allow employees in an organisation to give voice to ideas and provide feedback on procedures in a manner not previously possible in a distributed office environment. Further, personalised responses to news and messages are a simple means of developing an understanding of the collective knowledge of an organisation and a means of broadening that knowledge, thus creating ‘intelligence’ from ‘knowledge’. Thus, in a business context, blogs provide a forum for learning. It logically follows therefore, that the experience of collective knowledge generation can and should be applied to traditional educational environments.” (Williams & Jacobs 2004)

As an experiment into the use of blogs to properly convey my ideas, I believe that the exercise has to be considered a success, but not without some hiccups. In my experience using the blog as the medium to narrate my journey across Canada, as well as discussing topics regarding Canadian music culture, urban communities and other observations, there were some definite questions I faced regarding the blog as a framework of knowledge. The blog bases it success on readership between daily posts on current events, discussion of ideas and the interaction between reader and author. The use of comments and discussion of topics is one of the highlight components to a blog’s popularity. Readers, for example, are able to make instantaneous comments and debate the contents of a recent blog post with other readers on any blog that posts on a regular (daily or weekly) basis. The problem felt with The Movable Beast was the nature of the tour journal and the corresponding material regarding Canadian music and underground culture limited debate or comment with any readership. Also, posts on The Movable Beast did not discuss events in a traditional chronological manner. Some blog posts were entered onto the website months after actual described events occurred, in effect creating two separate timelines for the blog. This was somewhat

The mechanisms of the blog restricted me the freedom to display my blog posts, the bulk of my discussion and findings, in the manner that I would have wanted it displayed. Posts had to be ordered chronologically or within categories I had set in order for them to be reviewed. While this display structure is perfectly useful for blogs with material that is intended to be viewed, considered, discussed and replaced on a regular basis, it was not conducive to what I wanted to do. It was my desire to display events in some sort of story arc, supported by feature articles discussing life on the road, but blogs do not function as such. There is neither beginning nor end to a blog. The blog is designed to be a conduit of constant information sharing, discussion and knowledge. To try and graft a story arc or narrative onto this structure, as I did with my tour blog narrative and supporting features, was troublesome to say the least. A blog is designed not to reach any conclusion, but to continue being a forum for authors to post ideas (of both the bright or banal variety) until the author or blog owner decides to stop posts. A story told day by day may be useful for superficial discussions, but for my requirements, it wasn’t as helpful.

What was useful was the way the blog capabilities allowed my information to be separated and structure. The creation of separate pages worked well to divide material into separate areas for the reader’s use. The ability to use hyperlinks to create instantaneous reference to supporting material was very helpful, as was its use in supporting my argument that the internet as a tool for networking was invaluable to the independent musician. The blog also let me customize and make edits throughout the process even after material was posted.

Overall, my experience using Weblog (blog) outlets for my project was successful; however there were some definite restrictions in the display capabilities of the resource. In the future, incorporation of a narrative may not be the best idea, but certainly supporting material could be useful as a supplemental product of a study or argument. That is not to say that The Movable Beast cannot be a useful tool in understanding some of the subjects it discusses within its (web)pages, but perhaps a different look at the structure of the blog could illuminate  better employment of blog potential.

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Findings & Conclusion to Objectives

At the beginning of this project, I outlined a list of topics I wanted to focus on throughout the material. This was meant to guide me in reaching a series of objectives I wanted to understand by the conclusion of the blog project. While there was no particular hypothesis I attempted to prove or disprove in the course of this study, my findings in regards to all my listed objectives has helped me construct a better understand of Canada and independent music today.

I had listed three main objectives I wanted to contemplate and share. These objectives and my conclusions are as follows:

Observation of the processes of the Canadian independent music community in 2009.

While the danger of my observations came close to being little more insightful than the average travelogue, my focus on the underground music and art sub-culture living in the city helped with my understanding of its existence. The capacity of specific regions within the urban confines to be forums of artistic expression was seen in every city I visited. These artistic enclaves allowed groups from specific sub-cultures to congregate with each other and express ideas, while interacting and creating links with those engaged in different creative endeavours all in one location. Given the economic reality of recent times in light of economic recession in the late 2000’s and also the habitual financial restrictions most bands have to cope with, it is a matter of survival that independent music groups from all sub-genres of music create music scenes and interurban connections with other bands to help support to continuation of their craft. Bands have long been able to support themselves in some capacity when economic reality and public awareness of bands are less than self-sustainable. My band, Endangered Ape, was consistently helped by members of other bands with sharing of band equipment, sharing bills for performances to increase public exposure, and sharing accommodations during travels. The feeling of community is implied, almost expected, for touring bands crossing the country. This mutual support, in terms of making connections to promoters, providing information about local music scenes, and even providing shelter for the night, ensures that the process can continue its existence. Without it, the means of touring for a vast majority of independent music groups would be unobtainable.

The use of the internet as a vital tool for musical groups to survive in a time of product saturation and relative market obscurity.

As I had mentioned in an earlier post, the employment of internet tools to organize and coordinate band activity is the most vital tool underground, independent musicians can utilize. Bands can communicate with groups in other cities, research information regarding government funding or upcoming trends, strengthen social networks, book venues for performances and share useful know-how on any number of websites. More than just creating links between music scenes across Canada, the internet is allowing artists to form as one cohesive music scene that operates beyond physical limitations and distance. With the proliferation of social networking sites being used as means advertise and promote artists, a saturation of the market has been noticed. Membership into the specific niches of countless musical sub-genres is being fought for over the internet today. There are simply too many bands vying for media attention for any but a few to gain commercial notoriety. Members of bands, or their representatives, then must utilize the free and (mostly) universally accessible internet as a medium for product advertisement and consumption. Thus, in order to have any success in band development, commercially or culturally within a particular sub-culture and/or beyond, an effective employment of internet resources is needed to make that happen. Bands must be proficient at exploiting the internet just as well as they are at writing songs. The question then is, which skill is more valuable, songwriting or using the web? Perhaps the bands of the future will need only to know the proper internet resources to use to become successful.

Personal understanding of Canada and Canadian identity through observations and research during cross-Canada journey.

This project, at its heart, is the chronicling of a journey across Canada in the summer of 2009.  Much of my focus was on the distinction found, or rather perceived, in varying urban centres in Canada. As I mentioned in my earlier expectations found in the Objectives & Goals page of The Movable Beast blog, my initial conception of Canadian cities were that of distinguishable urban entities unique in culture and scope. While there would be superficial similarities to all cities I would visit, my hypothesis was that there is no classic, identifiable ‘Canadian City” or singular ‘Canadian culture’ present in the 21^st Century. In my travels and notes regarding the matter, I found at least three factors that influenced these pre-conceived notions. Differences in the city environments and culture depend on the structure of the city (how it is planned and physically divided), the diversity of its demographics (people), and its proximity and influence to other urban systems, specifically in terms of culturally diffusion and dominance. As a member of a touring band, my time studying a city was superficial at best, staying for only a few days at maximum in one location. My observations were usually kept only to the area around a certain venue or in some cases, to major attractions located in the urban centre. From this, I determined that while all Canadian cities observed a basic suburban/urban division, specific areas were, as anticipated, most neighbourhoods were utilized by residents of a very close proximity. I make this claim using what I had observed in neighbourhoods that one would call “artistic enclaves” (Markusen 2007). Most lived within a few minutes commute to the areas of performance, specifically, artists living near venues that could accommodate the expression and consumption of these endeavours. Most outsiders were not present here. Influence from larger neighbouring cities in terms of dominance is felt in the background of these artistic neighbourhoods, as well. Depending on size, economic, political and cultural dominance can be felt influencing the decisions of citizens. I base this specifically on the decisions and art expressed from music groups in performance. Some musical and aesthetic elements appeared to be mimicking stylistic trends appearing in vogue in larger, more culturally prestigious cities. Halifax-based group Sloan made a very poignant reflection on this phenomenon with their 1994-released album, “Twice Removed”. This title suggested the cultural point-of-view from artists and groups from Halifax looking to Toronto for inspiration, while Torontonians themselves looking to New York City for their cultural cues. The view on taste and expression is then twice removed from its initial origin.

So perhaps maybe, there is the existence of a mainstream, exported view of Canadian culture. If so, it would only be one of many cultures within the state of Canada operating today. Whether they operate in conjunction with each other is entirely inconsequential to the existence and reproduction of its own identity. It is this diversity, I believe, is what “Canadian culture” really consists of, and what it is ultimately that is being celebrated. The Canada of the 19^th and even mid-20^th century is certainly a different one that is being seen today on the road across this land. As the world becomes ‘smaller’ with the proliferation of technology and communication, identity has become more and more specific to younger generations brought up on consumer targeting and lifestyle branding. Sub-groups, seen stratified within the urban setting, continue to change and adapt to their physical surroundings.

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Thank you all for reading and reviewing this project.

End of the Road

After the successful completion of our travels to the coasts of Nova Scotia and British Columbia this summer, there was nothing left for Endangered Ape to accomplish. The lack of substantial attention in local, regional or international underground music circles greatly restricted our creative impetus to continue our productive output in this capacity. Thus, after 18 months of performing and creating music, Endangered Ape collectively decided to call it quits in August of 2009. As with any dissolution of creative partnerships, speculation began to abound within the limits of our social influence. Many within the underground music community in Lethbridge, Calgary and Vancouver began wondering why the group decided to part ways creatively. Rumours of members relocating to other cities, or of animosity within the group were most common. The true reason was a combination of many factors. Enthusiasm to continue performing dwindled after the cross-Canada tour for key members. Financial strain coupled with creative limbo left many questions to the future of the band. University studies, too, became a major issue as responsibilities of academic pursuits loomed over the flexibility of members. Performances and rehearsals had to fit the cramped schedules of 4 full-time students, my own responsibilities included. Finally, it was understood that Endangered Ape had nothing else to express. We had become somewhat out-of-vogue, the victims of time, financial restriction and a fickle listenership. So, with much fanfare, our last performance occurred on August 15^th at GCBC Lounge in Lethbridge. To celebrate the occasion, a monumental crowd (for our standards, a crowd of 50 is considered monumental) congregated on the scene. I was overjoyed with the support from seeing friends dancing and singing along to lyrics. It was a memorable night, and a bittersweet send-off to the group that was Lethbridge Alberta’s, Endangered Ape.

From the ashes emerged a set of new projects by former Endangered Ape members. Evan Van Reekum, among contributing to local band, The Moby Dicks, has started a new group with drummer Ryan Grieve called Fist City, named in homage to Loretta Lynn. Kent Aardse has continued his studies in Grad School at the University of Lethbridge. When he has time during his work he writes music under the moniker, The Fifth Business. Paul Lawton and Jane Edmundson are still seen gallivanting together. Paul, the consummate workaholic, spends his time immersed in several projects, including work in community radio, promotion of local independent music and extensive work in his new band, The Mylien Sheaths, among other things. As for me, I am deeply immersed in my undergraduate degree at the University of Lethbridge, including chronicling my journeys of 2009 in this Independent Study. I have for the time being “retired” from music and performing in the public realm, but who knows what the future holds? The itch to perform will always be there, as will the memory of the band and the travels I undertook. While I reminiscese about the thrill of those times, I am also very aware of one thing about life; like being on the road, it’s not necessarily the destination that matters, but the journey itself that is to be relished and the moment that is worth living.

Westward Ho!

In late May and June of 2009, Lethbridge’s Endangered Ape, coming off their cross-Canada tour, played a series of performances in various venues close to home. Money was still tight for everyone in the band who had spent much of their money on tour. Considering the condition we were in and the confines of our budgets to travel, the tour itself was deemed fairly successful. Now, in the haze of post-tour depression and low funds, we played a handful of shows in Lethbridge and Calgary. One of the highlights during this time was playing at the Sled Island music festival, an annual showcase of local and international music not regularly heard in popular media. The 4-day fest had quite of big names in independent music present, including Andrew W.K., BBQ and the King Khan Show and The Breeders. As a perk to those performing at the festival, all-access passes were distributed allowing the carrier entrance into any show at the multi-venue event.

With Sled Island in June, Endangered Ape still had to put its nose to the grindstone and book shows around the country. For early July, a short 6 night romp of B.C. was planned, marking a complete tour of the nation in the process. Our first stop on the tour would be Kelowna, B.C., a summer paradise for sun seekers and wine connoisseurs alike. I can’t say Endangered Ape had a lot of good experiences in this town. The only other time we had come this way was during our brief tour on B.C. and the Northwest in August of 2008, when we had discovered the venue we were scheduled to play had double booked the stage. So, instead of playing, we roamed the streets gawking at the bizarre congregation of hippies and social elites gathering on the waterfront. The combination of social elites having to cope with the sometimes overwhelming surge of transients and bohemian drifters was an amusing sight, to be sure, but not exactly our main goal in coming so far that night. I was much more confident our trip out east would be much more fruitful this time. I took the liberty of transcribing my journal entries that were taken during this tour. Please read on.

On the road to Vancouver

Kelowna June 30, 2009

On the road again, hitting up Highway 2 back across Highway 22x through Bragg Creek. We found out today that Jane is leaving the band at the end of the summer. The band life is a grueling, unforgiving beast and not always the lifestyle for everybody. She’s one of the original members of the band, has played every show (minus one particular night in Medicine Hat) and has traveled with us all the way. She’s put in a lot of time and sacrifice, so I can understand feeling exhausted by the process. So, now the remaining members have to figure out what the heck we are going to do for the future. Maybe put Kent on keys for now? There has to be a lot of re-examining now that we’ve finished the major tour in May. What is left to accomplish? We’ll figure it all out when we get back home in a few days.

The Rockies in June are, of course, a beautiful sight to behold. The foothills reminiscent of the opposing power of the Canadian Shield we ploughed through earlier this year. We had all been out this way dozens of times before, living so close to the mountains. They are familiar and comforting to see, just a few hour’s drive into our backyard. The ride into the wild doesn’t feel as daunting as our infiltration into the East. These aren’t strange woods, but the backdrop for our lives on the prairies.

As clichéd as it may sound, I look at the TransCanada highway as an artery spreading a collective identity and symbolism to members of the country who are too immersed in the trials of their lives to have any kinship or commonality with faraway places. It symbolises identity, nationhood and sovereignty, things completely abstract. It is not only a road running along mountains and fields, but a reminder of our shared heritage and culture. The Trans-Canada is a simultaneous link between Canadians, never really meant to have a beginning or end, but functioning as one entity. Evan as it runs its way through some of Alberta’s staunchest bastions of western sovereignty and isolationism, there still is the reminder that there is still a nation linked together with them.

Kelowna is a vacation paradise. The warm sun and the placid waters of Lake Okanagan bring a motley gathering of families, hippies transients and beautiful people. I feel slightly absurd being there.

In tour news: This time around we are touring with one of Calgary’s best bands, The Sharp Ends, who went out to Winnipeg and back earlier in March. When I say ‘best bands’, I do realize that it is all relative, considering neither Endangered Ape nor Sharp Ends have any major record deal, commercial success, or massive fan base. It is, of course, a matter of opinion.

Canada Day Backyard Event Poster (taken from show promoter)

Vancouver – July 1, 2009 – Canada Day

The performance last night took place at a tiny cafe called The Grateful Fed, a clever play on the successful 60’s band, The Grateful Dead. As one could imagine, the venue was decorated with memorabilia from the 60’s, specifically the psychedelic hippie sub-culture that defined pop music for some time. We played with the Sharp Ends, and Rocket Reducer, from Ontario conducting their own tour this summer. Collectively, all the bands involved with last night played quite well, but were discouraged slightly by the cold reception we received from the audience. It was a gamble to play in a town like Kelowna, seeing as the tastes of the local youth seemed to cater towards softer styled music. If anything, it was a stopover for our trip to the coast, where our reception would be better enjoyed by an audience with more favourable tastes.

We slept in a tiny lakeside park along the road to Peachland, B.C. I was exhausted and retired early to one of the bench seats in the van. Kent and Evan soon joined to sleep in the adjoining seats, where I proceeded to torment them for the next 5 hours. From what they told me, my snoring was so extreme in volume and frequency that it drove Evan to finally exit the van and take refuge on the rocky beach near our parking spot. My snoring was likened to someone scraping my face off with a dulled knife. I feel sorry for the guy, but it is amusing nonetheless.

Most of Canada Day was spent driving through the B.C. interior while I dozed in and out of consciousness, so I wasn’t able to get a good description of our approach into the city. Later that night, however, we all were treated to some warm hospitality from Vancouver’s Patrick Geraghty, member of Role Mach and one of the organizer of the Canada Day festivities we were invited to play. The site of the party was a simple backyard in East Vancouver with a small area for bands to play in the back of the property. Bands playing were the Super Fantastics, Apollo Ghosts, Endangered Ape, The Sharp Ends and Role Mach. The event had a great turn out despite complaints by neighbours bothered by the noise. Other than this, it was a great time.

An interesting object I had noticed while in Vancouver was the design of the home in the adjoining lot next to us. It was occupied by a family of Asian descent and the construction of the house seemed to mimic some elements of South Asian design that I thought was interesting. Installed in the roof were bright red tiles similar to houses similar to those seen in Taiwan or the Philippines. In the back of the home was a modular construction to the back patio that created an extra enclosed room for living, replacing the open air patio. This design is reminiscent to what I had seen in my time living in Taiwan as a student/ English teacher where condo tenants would modify existing room dimensions with industrial plastics to create new living spaces and thus increase the amount of space available to them in their homes. I made note to take a picture of it, as I thought it was interesting to see the modifications being done here in Canada. While it can be argued that Vancouver holds the label of being a Pacific Rim city, the juxtaposition of such modification and construction in North America is interesting.

Nanaimo – July 2, 2009 & Victoria – July 3, 2009

I woke up early from sleeping on the wooden floor of Patrick’s house. The snoring incident a few nights ago left the other members of the band a bit fatigued, so I was separated accordingly. We collected our things and made our way down to the BC Ferries landing at Horseshoe Bay, located just outside North Vancouver. I can’t really give a lot of details into our approach, as I was hidden under a pile of blankets in the back of the Cream Dream. Four members of Endangered Ape hid behind sheets and pillows in an attempt to avoid detection by ferry authorities and save on boarding fees. If I recall correctly, admission onto a ferry to Vancouver Island costs about$13.50 per person. Add that to the $45.00 vehicle fee, and that’s $252.00 round trip for the 6 of us travelling. Luckily, we got through without detection.

The funny thing I noticed in terms of traveling the Trans-Canada Highway, the actual paved highway ends at Horseshoe Bay and begins again at Departure Bay. I had always found it odd how planners designated stretches of island roads as Trans-Canada, considering the physical disconnection to the mainland. It’s symbolism, of course, and part of a larger maintenance budgeting scheme, but only after I got onto the ferry did I realize the nature of roads, paths and trails as something dynamic and adaptive. I have always though a trail had to be one continuous line, but after being on the road across Canada, I’ve come to realize the interconnectivity.

Our time on Vancouver Island was unforgettable. The sights and the people made it one of the best times we as a band had ever experienced. Vancouver Island’s natural beauty in the summer is inspiring to those stuck in the flat, often underappreciated Prairies. The tepid climate is refreshing and timeless, especially when you drive out of town into the overgrowth. We managed to visit Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park, the last remnants of old growth forest found on the island as a result of logging practices. When you are surrounded by Douglas-firs that soar 60+ metres, I guarantee you will be impressed.

Cathedral Grove, MacMillian Provincial Park

Back in town, we had managed to fine tune our musicianship and songs into tightly organized expressions of post-punk mayhem. The boom of the drums and bass, the rough crunch of the guitars, the surreal buzz of the keyboard. We were becoming quite proficient at our songs and music style, being that we were playing together almost every night. For our efforts, we received a warm response from the crowds both in Nanaimo and Victoria. We were all slightly sad to leave the sun and ocean, but we had a job to do back on the mainland.

Vancouver – July 4, 2009

The return to Vancouver had a bit of the dramatics to it. After our arrival in Tsawwassen, I noticed myself feeling quite ill. Before I knew it, I was being admitted into St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver. I imagine that my body had taken quite a beating on the course of the trip, having to deal with late nights, lack of sleep, and dehydration. It could not handle it anymore and it began to react with the situation. Now, I must say, for my credit, I wasn’t engaged in any extreme use of substances or dangerous activities. I was simply dehydrated and exhausted to the point where I became violently ill in a restaurant on Granville St.

Thankfully, my ordeal at St. Paul’s would only take a few hours of recuperation, allowing me to, quite carefully, perform later that night. I was driven to the venue, a dilapidated old theatre on Hastings St. The Rickshaw, as it is called, is an amazing former kung-fu theatre that closed years ago due to slow business. Miraculously, a few interested entrepreneurs managed to track down the original owner of the building in Hong Kong and buy the space in an attempt to renovate and restore the theatre for love music. Take a look at the link, it’s a really great story, and I’m glad I was healthy enough for us to play there and healthy enough to make it home in one piece.