March 2001

LIVE REVIEW: PARTS UNKNOWN'S LAST SHOW
El Mocambo - Saturday, February 17, 2001

In these po-po-ro times when not only has everything been done, but every riff and gesture presented to a crowd seems to serve only as guilty-'til-proven-innocent appeasement to an icy row of folded arms racing to process and judge said signifiers, sometimes satisfaction most pleasantly arises not from any overtly-recombinatory epiphanies, but instead from a band who simultaneously betray and sidestep their pedigree; in less words, sometimes all a band needs to do is not necessarily blow minds, but just mean it, goddamnit!

Appropriately supported for their last gig ever by a band (Cobra Verde) from that geographical axis (Cleveland-Dayton-Cincinnati) which arguably most consistently and humbly sets the standard for "meaning it" in R'n'R form, Parts Unknown respectfully bowed out at the El Mo on February 17th after putting in eight years of understated but diligent rock clock-time (insert sequence of metal-lunchbox-toting, hardhat-donning Derek, Minesh, Eric and Alex punching in for the last time - KA-CHUNK!).

Well, to make this prose less purple, I guess all I really have to say to do my small part in, er, eulogizing this here group of associates is that, no matter what sound happened to be of the moment, no matter what look happened to be in vogue, Messrs. Westerholm & Co. could always be trusted upon to be strumming, singing and playing in the only way that felt right to them; although purists may scoff at the notion, I say if that isn't punk feckin' rawk, I don't know what is.

Cliches (and Propagandhi) be damned; whether that look on your face at one of their countless shows was a smile, a cringe, or the aforementioned au courant Toronto Flatline, you can't argue with the fact that the P.U.-gilists hung in there and (there, I said it already) fought the good fight...

- Craig Fraid Dunsmuir

WAVELENGTH'S ONLY-EVER LETTERS PAGE

Hey Jonny,
I thoroughly enjoyed your column on the topic of radio in the February Wavelength zine. I don't have a car, but I often drive for a living (mostly CBC awards shows....pathetic, I know), and it's really the only time I listen to the radio. I've discovered the pleasures of AM myself lately, but you neglected a few FM gems in your column. Between 97.7 HITZ FM Rocks (which plays Max Webster and its Can-rock ilk fairly frequently and seems devoted to playing the entire AC/DC catalogue), Y-95 "it's about music....great music"), 88.5 "disco, Motown and funk!", although I once caught them playing Alannah Myles' "Black Velvet" twice in one day), 98.3 (I'm not sure what their gimmick is, but it's kinda like Y-95, which is to say like MIX 99.9 without anything from the last 10 years), and the stations you mentioned, you can make a... well, tolerable day on the road. Later,
The World Provider

Dearest Wavelength,
Thanks for the contribution in the zine, for Memory Bank looking 4 guitar player, the search we think... is at a close. We received several calls from it and truly appreciate the help. We're opening up for The New Pornographers tonight at 9:45, which will be our last show with our old guitar player. So if any of you are there, I'm the guy with glasses and big hair.
Frank
P.S. I'm really not sure who I'm talking to exactly.

Hey Jonny D or whomever answers this address:
It's Ryan from The Russian Futurists.
Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for inviting us to play the Anniversary Weekend, and the show before that. We had a fabulous time/show both times (although I think that our after party on the 10th was the best one Œcause the cops came!). Judging from the amount of money that we got paid and the number of people who showed up, I'll assume the whole weekend was a big success for your crew and all of the bands that played. Deservedly so.
For those about to indie rock, we salute you...
Ryan

Hey... whats up...
This past summer I went to almost every Wavelength... I was living in Toronto... now I am back in Trenton... where my parents live... I am moving back this summer for good. Anyways... I have missed so many Wavelengths and one of the coolest things about Wavelength is the zines... anyways... I have maybe five... I started collecting them after a while... anyways... my point is I was wondering if I could buy back issues of the small page booklets.... they are fucking awesome to read and I always wanna have them as part of my zine collection... anyways. Please!!! Hehe... it would be awesome. If you could reply at all... that would be rad. Thanks.
James Klassen