Joshua Van Tassel

I’m heading overseas in a few hours with these fine monkeys

for a 2 week UK tour, so my updating abilities will be effected I’m sure. I’ll do my best to report as accurately and efficiently as possible every detail and seemingly insignificant event that goes on in my life and that of my band mates. I’d never keep any secrets from you. And I’ll miss you. …..

Here’s how it sounds to me right now in the outside world. In my head that is.

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I was going through some sounds I recorded on the weekend and came across this one; David’s wife Nina, Joanna and myself apparently having a very late night stomp re-enactment after a whooooooole lot of good music and good Nova Scotia beer. Have to say, don’t really recall this, but it’s nice to have these little thing pop up every now and then….

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And here’s a picture from last night. I don’t really know why I like this so much, but I do. The iphone camera is an unpredicttable little creature.

Had a great weekend out east with David Myles and co. The show was nice and full, my family and friends came which kicked ass, and we were treated really really well in true Nova Scotia fashion. As promised here’s a sweet foghorn and a little visual for you too.

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Here’s Joanna looking very nautical and looking for something far off in the distance, England perhaps, or an undiscovered island where all the freak keyboard players with perfect pitch can congregate and plan a musical takeover from us less talented monkeys.

And here’s the ol’ band in a van window.

see you tomorrow….

…with David for tonight. My good friend and ridiculous keyboardist Joanna got in last night, and we’re going to show her NS proper this aft. I recorded some great foghorn and ocean sounds yesterday too, seems like I do that every time I’m here. I love it.

Low blogging advisory, headed to NS where the wi fi is scarce and the people are wonderful. Talk to you on the weekend, Sunday…….

As the weather gets warmer two things seem to happen to the good inhabitants of Toronto. One is that they get kinder and the second is that they seem to be a little more impatient. Maybe because it’s so nice out and they have a million things to do in the course of a day before it becomes cold and terrible again at any moment? Either way, here’s a situation where you see both.

At the grocery store, and a very impatient man was giving a poor cashier a very hard time over a $.50 coupon that wouldn’t scan through. She was trying very hard and he wasn’t having it. A really nice young woman in front of me sort of stepped in to try to mediate the situation. I only got a quick clip of things, but it was a nice gesture for her to get involved and try to smooth things over. Being a cashier is no fun, and this was actually ery friendly and working hard.

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and as per usual on Wednesdays – Things my 6 Year Old Student Said to me – May 6th

“Ugggggh. Laffy Taffy? Disgusting. Colored Smencils? Stupid. Girls? I don’t understand them!! They’re so annoying!! This was the worst day of my life.”

Wow. It usually takes a few more years to come to those conclusions, especially the laffy taffy one. Such drama.

ps – If you’re in Nova Scotia, I’m coming for you. Tomorrow. I’m playing Friday night at the Parragon ( used to be the Marquee) with David Myles. Come come come.

…..but I guess I’m not there yet. My roommate has some pretty intimidating electric guitars that I’ve been terrified of, but I worked up the courage to play one and made a nice little vibe for something that could be be something soon.

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Dear Haters,
A few questions; does Steve Jordan play with you? How many records have you sold this year? Does ?uestlove say this about you? – “… is incredibly underrated. Ohmigod. Severely. His whole Abercrombie and Fitch, nice guy, moms love him, that’s whatever.”
Are you very famous yet completely open about your song writing and recording processes for your much anticipated upcoming record?

If so, please continue as you were. If not, stop the John Mayer hating. He’s a great musician.
love Josh

Mr Lanois and Brian Blade, making music for Trixie Whitely. This is a really cool video where you get to see Lanois really direct the 2 of them through, the song, and constantly help things flow up and down to keep the music exciting and interesting.