Various | “Do you know it’s Hallowe’en?”

“Do They Know It’s Halloween” – bunch of indie kids

I’ve been slacking off. Sorry. But Halloween’s quickly approaching, so here’s the first themed video to celebrate. It’s an animated offering honouring Band-Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, with a cast including David Cross, members of Arcade Fire, Sloan, Postal Service, Wolf Parade, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and blah, blah, blah…

More to come!

Hayden | “All in One Move”

Since I left Toronto, I’ve lost track of Hayden. However, this video pops into my head every time I think about my childhood and the genuine love I had for music. I’m not saying I love music any less; youth was just a time when anything that had a beat was brilliant and worthy of repeat listens. I simply loved everything I heard.

I recall my days lip-synching on the coffee table to Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls” on our 8-track player. And though there’s no real comparison between the disco queen and this Canadian indie folk heartthrob, the video above of Hayden’s own adorable niece singing along to “All in One Move” reminds me of me… in that very short stage when I was young and fantastically adorable. Where have the years gone?

Hayden – Official site | Wikipedia | Last.fm | Amazon

Aphex Twin | “Come to Daddy” + “Windowlicker”

“Come to Daddy” – Aphex Twin

To date, this Chris Cunningham-directed number is still one of the most frightening things I’ve seen.

Even better, though, is Cunningham’s “Windowlicker”, an ingenious video that pairs a disturbing back-limo groping session with the grotesque face of Richard D. James/Aphex Twin pasted on the bodies of bikini clad women. The 4-minute-long vulgarities-rich intro is fantastically offensive. Gasp. It makes my skin crawl.

Clearly, this is one of the best music videos out there.

“Windowlicker” – Aphex Twin

Aphex Twin – Official site | Wikipedia | Last.fm | Amazon

Malcolm McLaren | “Buffalo Gals”

“Buffalo Gals” – Malcolm McLaren

Every music fan has that pie in the sky, that unattainable pop nugget from their childhood. Mine’s Malcolm McLaren & The McLarenettes’ “Eiffel Towers”. I’ve been searching for this song for years and come up with nothing but track listings and references to Bow Wow Wow’s “Sexy Eiffel Towers”. That’s a classic song in itself, but it brings me nowhere near as much wiggle-in-my-seat joy as McLaren’s own mix, heard in the closing credits of that way overlooked ’80s romanticom No Small Affair starring a springy-fleshed Jon Cryer and pre-cougar Demi Moore.

Can anyone help? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Frye?

Malcolm McLaren – Official site | Last.fm | Wikipedia | Amazon

Rock Plaza Central | Pat’s Pub, Vancouver

With Eaton’s new electric guitar in tow, RPC’s blossoming into a distinctly more rocky sound than delivered at previous shows. There was a paltry gathering of diehard music fans, as evidenced in a review by Bunklelife. The friend I’d dragged to the show said something to the effect of “these guys deserve a much better venue than Pat’s”. I know I’ve avoided heading down to this venue at least three times purely based on location. I don’t know. I’m just saying.

Rock Plaza Central – Official site | Myspace | Last.fm | Amazon