Ola! We're pleased to be launching a brand new website! Most of the kinks have been worked out, but do let us know if you find anything out of whack... and we promise to keep this one more up-to-date than we have been in the past. New songs, a new E.P. in the early works, new shows, new faces -- it just feels like a whole new band. So, along with that comes a new look to the website. Joy!

A brand new song, "World Without a Mirror," can be heard from Robb's solo performance in CJSF radio last night at the Melodies in Mind website until December 4th.

Our apologies, but the Melodies in Mind re-broadcast no longer runs on Monday mornings -- but tune in anyways, as Ryan Fletcher will undoubtedly fill the time with some great! If you did miss Tuesday night's program, don't worry though -- we are working in making some of the highlights of both of our recent Melodies performances available right here on this website.

On Tuesday, September 25th, Robb and Pebbles will be doing an acoustic duo set and interview, as well as participation in the song circle on Melodies in Mind, on CJSF 90.1 FM (listen online worldwide at cjsf.ca). Same as last time with Robb solo, you can listen to one song online at the Melodies in Mind website until October 2nd. The song circle will be re-broadcast on Monday, October 1st on CJSF (radio and online).

We'll get some songs from both Melodies in Mind sessions up on this website very soon after the shows happen.

Robb's performance of "Out of Mind," a brand new tune written by Henry and Robb, is the official selection from the August 7th Melodies in Mind broadcast. Listen at Melodies in Mind website until August 14th -- and don't forget the re-broadcast of the entire song circle August 13th (see the previous entry).

Ryan Fletcher knows where it's at. His show, Melodies in Mind (Tuesday Nights 8:00-10:00 p.m. PST on CJSF 90.1 FM in Vancouver, online worldwide at cjsf.ca), showcases a feature act for the first hour, and a "song circle" the second hour -- where the feature artist, plus three solo performers, trade songs one-by-one... The sharing of songs, ideas, melodies, and concepts is what makes folk music so integral to culture -- and what Ryan does, live on the air, every week!

We're pleased to have two upcoming performances on Melodies in Mind: Robb solo in the "song circle" on August 7th, and the band with some very very special and lovely guests on September 25th.

"Life" has been remixed to finer splendour, still exclusive to (www.myspace.com/paint). Huge thanks and love to everyone who gave input on the rough mix we posted in March -- thank you, thank you, thank you!

We're demoing new songs right now. It's the best stuff we've done by far. You'll hear it soon enough.

Be well,
Robb

Thanks, Richard -- see below everyone:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RESTAURATEURS AND MUSICIANS TEAM UP TO HELP WARCHILD CANADA
Salt Spring Island hosts KIDSTOCK Food and Music Festival

On Saturday May 12, 2007, three Salt Spring Island restaurateurs and more than a dozen bands and individual performers from Salt Spring Island, Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland will be combining forces and contributing their time and talent for free in support of Warchild Canada and its efforts to assist children affected by war while raising awareness for children's rights everywhere.

Hosted at a 200 seat venue at the Salt Spring Island Golf & Country Club (805 Lower Ganges Road, www.falconsheadgrill.com), visitors will enjoy a full day of free food and free music for a donation of $20.00 per person - with all proceeds going to Warchild Canada.

The musicians who have generously donated their time include: First Time Victor, Ruby K., Malonie Langthorne, Swing Shift, Stacy Burke, Paint, Hailey Morgan, The Destructions, David Blair, Lotus, Liz and Luke, Michelle DeYoung and many more - while the free food and service is being provided by the Raven Street Market Cafe and the Falconshead Grill.

Links to both the musicians and the restaurants themselves can be found at www.ravenstreet.ca/warchild.html, and I would be very happy to answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely,
Richard Verhagen
Raven Street Market Cafe

Our song "Life" is now available here exclusively on our myspace page (www.myspace.com/paint) -- yes, that's right, that's the only place in the whole world where you can listen to it.

Enjoy! -- and leave comments, we'd love your feedback.

Be well,
Robb

Sorry for the late notice, but Robb and Kenan will be shooting the breeze on 102.7 fm in Vancouver, or online at www.coopradio.org (visit from anywhere in the world), Wednesday, March 15th, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.PST. The show is called No Apologies Necessary. Hopefully we can keep the streak alive and have a three-peat of "Stephen Harper looking at child porn" remarks. We may get booted off the radio forever yet!

So, we're heading into the studio in just a few short hours that will undoubtedly slip away with slumber (or hours of awake anticipation), I'll put up some photos and give an oral history later this week -- or you can get a possible advanced screening by tuning into 102.7 fm in Vancouver, or online at www.coopradio.org (for all you non-Vancouverites -- there's no excuse!), Wednesday, December 20th, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.PST. I'll be hanging out with Kenan on No Apologies Necessary, shooting the breeze, ranting, and raving, and carrying on... Maybe this time I won't put my foot in my mouth and say something about Stephen Harper looking at child porn -- but hey, it was days after the election, what else could I have done?

Peace,
Robb

Blogger won't publish right now. So this becomes News.

New Music West was a fun show (in spite of the general chaos of the whole event). We played:

Life
Madonna
Death Row
Rivers
Soil
Curtain Call

Annie was there! You remember, she was the second backup singer on Urban Folk Tales. She came up and sang "Death Row" with us, it was fun. She always rocked her part in that song.

Kenan was bang on all night. And thanks to Kate, Steve, Kiren, Pooja, Bobbi, Tina, and anyone else for sitting right up front -- oh, and the rugby girl who asked me for my towel, even after I rubbed it all over my crotch.

I ran into a friend from second grade outside afterwards. Amazing how we recognized each other instantaneously after all these years...

There will be pictures. Soon.

Anyways, we're off for May and going to blaze the rock June 2 and 4. Then we're off for a while to write the new album. New music is good.

I've got a sharp pain in my center back right now. Indication to get off the computer. Now. Blog out. FRJ.

Our good friend Alex McKechnie (drummer on Urban Folk Tales) will be launching a new album called Unification with his jazz trio Plan 9 tomorrow night at the Cellar Jazz (3611 Broadway, Vancouver). I've had the chance to see Plan 9 live and also got an advance copy of the album, and it's a must have for jazz lovers in this town (and abroad). 8:30 p.m., $6. I'll be there. More info at alexondrums.com.

Don't forget our WM3 benefit tonight at the Railway!

Love,
RJ

Robb will be appearing on Co-op Radio's No Apologies Necessary program with our very own Kenan Sungur and Tameem of Threat From Outer Space on Wednesday, January 25th, 2006, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. PST. They will be chatting about the West Memphis Three case, for which the Feb. 1 show at the Railway Club is raising funds. Tune in on 102.7 FM in Vancouver, or listen online at Co-op Radio.org.

RUMBLETONE PRODUCTIONS presents:

FREE THE WEST MEMPHIS THREE (Benefit Show)
Wednesday, February 1, 2006, 9 p.m.
The Railway Club, 579 Dunsmuir Street

with performances by
Threat From Outer Space, The Februarys,
Paint, and Robert Wilson

WHO ARE THE WEST MEMPHIS THREE?
(from www.wm3.org)

Shortly after three eight-year-old boys were found mutilated and murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas, local newspapers stated the killers had been caught. The police assured the public that the three teenagers in custody were definitely responsible for these horrible crimes. Evidence?

The same police officers coerced an error-filled "confession" from Jessie Misskelley Jr., who is mentally handicapped. They subjected him to 12 hours of questioning without counsel or parental consent, audio-taping only two fragments totaling 46 minutes. Jessie recanted it that evening, but it was too late -- Misskelley, Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols were all arrested on June 3, 1993, and convicted of murder in early 1994.

Although there was no physical evidence, murder weapon, motive, or connection to the victims, the prosecution pathetically resorted to presenting black hair and clothing, heavy metal t-shirts, and Stephen King novels as proof that the boys were sacrificed in a satanic cult ritual. Unfathomably, Echols was sentenced to death, Baldwin received life without parole, and Misskelley got life plus 40.

For over 12 years, The West Memphis Three have been imprisoned for crimes they didn't commit. Echols waits in solitary confinement for the lethal injection that tax dollars will pay for. They were all condemned by their poverty, incompetent defense, satanic panic and a rush to judgment.

But there's still hope for them, and you can help.

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO HELP?
Efforts have been made to raise awareness of the plight of the WM3, as well as funds for their legal defence. Two documentaries were made, Paradise Lost, and a follow-up Paradise Lost 2, by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky (the filmmakers who brought you Metallica: Some Kind of Monster). Bands ranging from Black Flag, Metallica, and Pearl Jam, to indie bands worldwide have donated their music to fundraising efforts for the WM3 since Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin were convicted. When Fretless, Paint's frontman and prisoners' rights activist, put word out of the possibility of a WM3 benefit in Vancouver, the following lineup emerged:

THREAT FROM OUTER SPACE (www.threatfromouterspace.com): Since 1997, Threat From Outer Space has mashed together styles as diverse as Hip Hop, Funk, Jazz Underground Rock, Drum 'n' Bass, Punk, Ska, and House to create a hard hitting mix that has been generating a buzz ever since returning from their third national tour which brought them to forty-five dates cost to coast. Years of weekly shows and freestyle jams led to a distinct sound system that blended live instruments with samplers. Trumpets, saxophones, guitars, double and electric basses, with a host of electronic triggers give the crew one of the most distinctive styles in the country.

THE FEBRUARYS (www.thefebruarys.net): A Vancouver quartet with loyal local following and growing national interest. Think Radiohead, Wilco, emotional but not EMO. Opening band of choice for Tegan & Sara, local heroes Limblifter and rock star/philosopher Matt Good who said in a recent Chart magazine, "holy shit, these guys are good." Since he has told us on several occasions he knows more than we do, who are we to argue?

PAINT (www.thepaintsite.com): Fresh off their first Canadian tour to support their socially-conscious folk-funk debut, Urban Folk Tales, and mainstage performance at the Under the Volcano festival this summer, Paint proves that there is more to Vancouver than dreampop, tapping into the rich cultural and social foundations of Vancouver to create a truly eclectic and unique blend of sound.

ROBERT WILSON (www.robertwilsonmusic.com): From Malaysia to North America, Robert Wilson's unique live performances capture a rare emotional combination of soul, folk and pop, held together with a groove-heavy, percussive style of guitar playing mixed with a sweet, soulful voice. Robert's appeal as a live performer has garnered him invitations to share the stage with some of the world's finest songwriters. This includes shows with Grammy Award winner Shelby Lynn, Toad the Wet Sprocket frontman Glen Phillips, and Juno Award winner Tom Wilson (Junkhouse, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings). He has also been nominated for Georgia Straight and West Coast Music Awards (as both musician and producer) and has contributed to the soundtracks of various Canadian film projects.

This show will take place on Wednesday, February 1st at The Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver), as part of Rumbletone Productions' Way-Out Wednesday live music series. Doors at 9:00 p.m., 19+.

All proceeds go to the West Memphis Three legal defence fund. See www.wm3.org and the respective band websites for details.

We have organized a West Memphis Three benefit show set to happen on February 1, 2006 at the Railway Club in Vancouver. A formal press release will be posted soon...

The deal for our December 10th show at the WISE Hall (1882 Adanac St.) is this:

We're playing the after-party for the Southern Time production. It will cost you $5 at the door, and starts at 10:30 p.m.

If you'd like to see Southern Time (act 1 only) plus some additional live music and dance from the production, you can get tickets for $15 in advance (from Festival Box Office), $20 at the door. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until the theatre show ends to get in for the $5 after party with Paint.

Our long-time friend and collaborator Alex McKechnie has launched a new website, alexondrums.com. Alex contributed his stellar drumming to Urban Folk Tales and also leads two of his own projects, The Alex McKechnie Trio and Plan 9. A new album is out, and you can get this via his website.

Additionally, Alex has also written a book called Styles and Indpendence for the Developing Drummer. Everything you need to know (and more) is at alexondrums.com.

Karen will be playing a role in Tim's rock opera Southern Time, which stars, and has been written by Tim.

The production will run December 4-10 inclusive at the WISE Hall (1882 Adanac Street), Vancouver. See southerntime.ca for more info.

Check out Shaw TV (channel 4) September 16th at midnight (so, technically Saturday morning) for a re-broadcast of our Under the Volcano performance.

It should be aptly acknowledged that the segment was entirely produced by volunteers from Independent Community Television. Thanks to Geoff Scott and the folks there for all their fine work, and for giving their own time to a great cause. Our love goes out to you!

Sorry for the post-facto notice, but our Under the Volcano performance aired on Shaw TV August 12th at midnight. Thanks Wayne for the notice!

We'll let you know if it airs again.

Andrew Horan at Scene and Heard, has given us some props, calling Urban Folk Tales a "truly unique first effort...held together by frontman Fretless' strong vocals...that would make James Brown proud," and that "there truly is something here to satisfy every musical taste".

Tim has written a rock opera called Southern Time which will be running at the Wise Hall in Vancouver December 4-10.

Southern Time is a rock opera I composed over the past nine years. It first began with songs written to express the pain and range of emotions that I was going through due to the discovery of my HIV positive status, and the manner in which I received this status. Three years ago I decided that all I wanted to do with my life was to make my story known, to make my music heard. Two years ago I indeed decided to make my story know in fact, not only with music, but with story, theatre, and dance. My style of music writing was already quite dramatic, so it was not too much a stretch of the imagination to evolve it into this new form.

-T

Auditions, etc., are currently being held. For more info on this, and everything else about the production, visit southerntime.ca.

We're pleased to announce that we'll be playing the opening slot (1:00-1:40 p.m.) on the main stage at the Under the Volcano Festival at Cates Park in North Vancouver August 7th. UTV is an annual festival dedicated to music and social change, and providing a venue for the representation of alternative voices.

As we're hitting the road this week, thepaintsite.com will not be updated until June 22. In the meantime, we will be keeping a tour journal on our weblog at Paint's Weblog. Additionally, we will be keeping our other websites up-to-date (especially our page at Myspace.com).

Tremendous apologies, but the June 14 show at Phog Lounge in Windsor will not be happening. Fret not, as we expect a confirmed June 18 date soon to make up for it. Keep en eye right here.

Details, details, details, we got 'em...

• Sat Jun 11: Club One, Montreal QC
• Sun Jun 12: Cafe Chaos, Montreal QC
• Tue Jun 14: Phog Lounge, Windsor ON - CANCELLED
• Wed Jun 15: Corktown Tavern, Hamilton ON
• Thur June 16: Kathedral, Toronto ON
• Fri June 17: Irene's, Ottawa ON
• Sat June 18: Now Lounge, Toronto ON (TBC)

And once again, we'd like to extend an offer to anyone who may be interested in coming along for the tour to join our entourage and take part in The Paint Reality Tour. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you think you'd be interested in taking a one-week vacation to southern Ontario/Quebec and shuttling around with an indie band to see what it's really like to do the rock thang, please drop us a line at wassup@thepaintsite.com. We'd love to have you.

We had a blast getting shot by Daniel J Collins (propagandafoto.com) at the beautiful Spanish Banks in Vancouver a couple weeks ago.

The Paint Reality Tour is just around the corner.

• Tue Jun 14: Phog Lounge, Windsor ON
• Wed Jun 15: Corktown Tavern, Hamilton ON
• Thur June 16: Kathedral, Toronto ON
• Fri June 17: Irene's, Ottawa ON
• Sat June 18: TBA

We'd like to extend an offer to anyone who may be interested in coming along for the tour to join our entourage and take part in The Paint Reality Tour. We've already got a few people on board for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you think you'd be interested in taking a one-week vacation to southern Ontario and shuttling around with an indie band to see what it's really like to do the rock thang, please drop us a line at wassup@thepaintsite.com. We'd love to have you.

Due to sickness, the Liquor Pigs will not be playing tonight at the Marine Club. Don't worry, the show is still going to rock, with Andre Chrys and Bi-Polar (and us too). Huge apologies.

Showcase International 2005 will be released internationally on March 28, 2005. Purchasing info is at the Chromium Records Website. We'll provide easy-access links shortly.

Also, "Urban Folk Tales" will also soon be available online on some UK sites. Again, we'll keep you in the loop.

Showcase International 2005, the Chromium Records compilation, will be released this month (we'll announce the official date shortly). Check out the Showcase website for band bios, etc.

Tracklisting is as follows:

1. Alphino - Barramundi Elektronica
2. The Chevrons - (TBA)
3. The Sorcerers - America's West
4. The Dawning - We All Fall Away
5. Paint - Open Your Eyes
6. Quatro And - Live From Day To Day
7. Francesca Berlin - Standing Tall
8. Face The Wall - Down On My Luck
9. The Dirty Dreamers - (TBA)
10. Urban Blue - One For Sorry
11. Miss T & The Japanese Tourists - Killing Me
12. The Red Tide Collective - Preludes
13. La Haine - Cut & Shut
14. Katch - Drop Out Kid
15. Page 44 - Somebody Someday
16. The KB Band - (TBA)
17. Sirene - Hope
18. Clare Berry - (TBA)
19. Dead Famous - Down To You
20. SSS - Statue
21. Psychedelic Gods Of Rock - Skulls

Okay, so the bands that will be appearing on Chromium Records' Showcase International 2005 compilation (in no particular order) are as follows:

The KB Band
The Dirty Dreamers
Francesca Berlin
The Dawning
La Haine
Paint
Katch
Clare Berry
Psychedelic Gods Of Rock
SSS
Miss T & The Japanese Tourists
Dead Famous
The Chevrons
Urban Blue
Sirene
Face The Wall
Page 44
The Red Tide Collective
Quarto And
Alphino

Please check out the websites of these bands, from what we've heard so far, they're all great. Release date of the compilation will be announced shortly.

Chromium Records has bumped us up from the Unsung Heroes compilation to a new, and we're told, classier compilation called Showcase International 2005. We will have a release date for you very soon.

Yikes! It has been a long time since our last update. Apologies are due, it's irresponsible, and we recommend that you please kick our asses next time you see us. However, we come bearing exciting news, so hopefully that will make up for the absence.

Paint has signed with the UK-based label Chromium Records, a subsidiary of E3 Records. As part of their promotional campaign, Chromium will be releasing a compilation CD called Unsung Heroes in late February, which will feature Paint's "Open Your Eyes," along with tracks from several bands who have signed with Chromium. Tracklisting, release details, etc., will be announced over the next month.

Our agreement with Chromium will likely see us traveling to the UK in June as part of our summer of rock. Keep an eye on the site for announcements.

We should take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us thus far in allowing this to happen. Our love is with you.

- The Painters

We're gonna try the tape-trading thing. Seven songs from "Urban Folk Tales" can be downloaded in lo-fi mp3 format right here on thepaintsite.com.

Keep an eye out, we may just make the whole damn album available...

Happy 2005 everyone! Not many bands can find themselves listed on New Music Canada as well as Roots Music Canada, the more folk and culturally-oriented version. Well, Paint can say that. Visit Roots Music Canada and type "Paint" into the artist search (there are no designated artist pages), and you'll be able to hear some songs that have previously been unavailable in their entirety online, such as "Death Row," "Dear John" and "Fifteen."

You will be able to listen to and request "Urban Folk Tales" on radio stations across the United States beginning January 2005.

Keep yourself fixated on CJSF 90.1 FM for your chance to win free passes to see Paint's show on Dec. 27th at the Railway Club with Tamara Nile and Jenn Barrett. Winners of the on-air giveaway can also claim a free copy of "Urban Folk Tales" at the Railway Club the night of the show.

Listen at 90.1 on your FM dial or online at cjsf.ca.

The fine folks at CJSF 90.1 FM are planning to re-broadcast Robb's feature interview with Mickey Finn. It will likely play on the "Jambalaya" program on Sunday, November 28th, between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m. PST.

The interview segment we did for CJSF 90.1 FM apparently aired last Tuesday on the "Beehive Arts Collective" program. That's our bad for not staying on top of things. Fret not though, for it will air again. We'll keep you posted.

Thanks to the fine folks at CFUR 88.7 FM in Prince George, B.C., who lifted "Urban Folk Tales" to #6 on their charts, ahead of the likes of the Rheostatics, K-Os and Elvis Costello. We're honoured and humbled.

Fresh off the presses, we've got Paint stickers in four assorted varieties. All stickers are $2 online (including shipping -- quantity discounts available), or FREE if you buy a copy of "Urban Folk Tales".

"Urban Folk Tales" is now pretty much at every college radio station in Canada -- though we may still be missing a few, so hang tough if it's not near you yet.

Robb, Henry and Tim will be making a condid appearance tomorrow night at 10:00 p.m. at the Backstage Lounge (1585 Johnston Street, Granville Island) to do a short acoustic set. Only nerds who frequent this website will know about this -- so kudos to you if you show up!

Anyone who was at the Railway Club last night got a surprise treat: Fretless joined his favourite Vancouver band, Parlour Steps on stage to sing a spirited version of the Steppers' song "Clouds Like Still Ghosts". Caleb Stull, the band's singer/songwriter, mixed and mastered "Urban Folk Tales" and guitarist Rees Haynes also laid down trumpet tracks on the record. Which goes to show you never can tell where the Painters are going to show up (hint, hint, see our weblog).

We had a great time last night at the Marine Club, the audience was awesome and we put on probably the most high-energy show we've done. This is obviously a sign of things to come! All of the other acts rocked the house, and Fretless is especially grateful to Tamara Nile for taking his request to play her song "Get Together". Carson Au was there taking photos, and whilst we don't have hi-res shots in our hands yet, you can check out a hefty gallery of shots by clicking HERE to visit Carson's website. We'll have some up here soon.

Can't wait to see you again!

ChartAttack.com reports that "Urban Folk Tales" has reached #9 on CFMU 93.3 FM in Hamilton, Ontario -- ahead of the likes of Sonic Youth, Bjork and G. Love. Not too shabby! We've also hit #28 on Co-op Radio (CFRO 102.7) in Vancouver.

Big love to Rob Gauvin, music director at Co-op Radio, who included us in his 40 Faves this week through the radio show "Urban Renewal Authority."

In the name of responsible press, we need to break taboo and respond to a review of "Urban Folk Tales" by Dave Madden at Splendid Magazine. Let it be known right off the bat that we don't care that he didn't have a favourable opinion of our record. That's not at all the issue here; everyone has different tastes. The issue is that Madden made a significant error based upon a spin of the album that completely misrepresents the band.

On three occasions, Madden makes references to what he thinks is Christian content to the record: 1) that Paint adds a twist by "incorporating Christian rock elements", 2) that lyrics are constantly "calling all sinners to repent", and 3) that the only way to endure the record is if you're "stuck in a car for hours with a Born-Again acquaintance".

First of all, it needs to be clarified that no one in the band is Christian. Second of all, Robb is, and always has been, very open about his atheism -- to the meticulous point where he won't even spell the word "god" in his lyrics (it's always "g-d"). Thirdly, whilst several songs on the album make reference to religion, they all either challenge and question the notions of god and faith (as human creations), or criticize the church for its historical and contemporary exploitation and persecution of innocent people.

A few examples:

• "Crucify those who won't believe in a faith they conceived so their ends could be achieved." ("Open Your Eyes")
  
  
• "Be fruitful and multiply and dominate all species, this is what we've ascribed to, but we've been lied to...We don't need your god to make us act like decent human beings." ("Soil")
  
  
• "...the reflections that we see ourselves become the heavens and gods that we spend our lives trying to please...you could have opened up and understood the only god to lift you up is you." ("Utopia")
  
  

We honestly don't see any way that someone could interpret the lyrics as "Born-Again" or "Christian rock" if they actually read them. The only real motivation of this press release is we hope in the future the Dave Maddens of the world won't haphazardly portray a band as something that they aren't -- whether they like the music or not.

By no efforts of our own (we don't think), we cracked the top 30 chart (at a humble #26) on CFMU 93.3 FM at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. So, huge thanks to the fine folks at CFMU for having such wonderful taste.

We've added "Rivers," "The Write Thing" and "Soil" to our page at New Music Canada for your listening pleasure. You can get lo-fi streams of the first 2 minutes of every song from "Urban Folk Tales" at CDBaby.com, but this is the first time these three tracks have been made available online. Enjoy -- and if you haven't bought the record yet... DO IT NOW!

Our crack management team (a.k.a. "Fretless") has just shipped "Urban Folk Tales" to college radio east of Ontario and to a few places in between which we missed in the last mailout. There are still a few stations we need to hit, but you'll be kept in the loop about where things are at in the weeks to come.

Please note that it will be about 2 weeks until we're on the playlist. Don't let that stop you from raising the anticipation of respective station music directors though!

Big love also to Joe Myles for spinning Paint (2 tracks, not sure which) on his Ham Radio show at UMFM 101.5 in Winnipeg. We hope to have more Paint in the ears.

After we were violently raped by the Peak, Shawn Conner of the Georgia Straight, though not a fan of funk music or anything remotely reminiscent of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has given "Urban Folk Tales" praise for its "perfectly pleasant, dusky-summer vibe". Strange, we would take having some of our tunes compared to the Peppers' Uplift Mofo Party Plan record as a compliment since it's one of Robb's top five all-time punk-funk albums. Check it out in newstands across the Lower Mainland all week.

Thanks to Annie (our East Coast connection), you can now purchase "Urban Folk Tales" at Spin-It Records, 575 Main St. in Moncton, New Brunswick. We're going Coastal, baby!

A 3-minute Paint promotional segment is now airing regularly on CJSF 90.1 FM. The segment features highlights from Fretless' interview with Mickey Finn interspersed with soundbytes from "Urban Folk Tales." All of this is hitting the airwaves in anticipation of the airing of the full interview in mid-August. In the meantime, request us on CJSF!

In an unlikely turn of events, "Flygroove" has been spinning lately on The Upper Room With Joe Kelley in Fairfield, Connecticut, which broadcasts LIVE ONLINE 24-7. The show also boradcasts on Mondays 4-8 p.m. EST on WVOF 88.5 FM. A song with a two-minute instrumental jam intro may seem unlikely for radio, but that's what's so great about college and indie radio. So, thanks to everyone at The Upper Room for Paint-ing the airwaves -- our love is upon you!

Feel free to request "Flygroove" or anything else off the record! Visit the The Upper Room Webstie, or make contact with WVOF: FM requests can be made by calling (203) 254-4111, web requests at (203) 254-4002 and, most simply, email requests at requests@wvof.org.

Perhaps a more appropriate title for this entry could be "Ouch! The Peak Gives 'Urban Folk Tales' a Good Old-Fashioned Lashing!" but that would not be entirely accurate. Simon Fraser University's student newspaper does commend Paint on the use of ambient sounds, less-traditional instruments, "melodically ear-pleasing rhythms" and the "harmonic beauty of the female vocalist," noting that "this band may just make it in the urban world." Basically, Knesha Yu has issues with Fretless' voice and the album's lack of genre. This is fine of course, because wise people have noted that it's better to have extremes of loved-it and hated-it than a string of mediocre reviews... this way we know we're at least getting a reaction of some kind.

It would be very easy to take a few pot shots at Knesha's obvious difficulties with grammar and syntax, but that would be petty and we would not want to judge what someone else does because that would be wrong. Right?

Last night Fretless taped an hour-long interview at CJSF 90.1 FM with DJ Mickey Finn. It turned out to be a very humourous and insightful conversation, touching on subjects of prison abolition, restorative justice, the underlying themes of "Urban Folk Tales" and silly acronyms for the word "Paint."

The interview will air on CJSF in the next couple of weeks coupled with a few on-air giveaways of "Urban Folk Tales" so we'll keep you posted if you keep checking.

We'll be doing a live acoustic set, Q & A session, spinning some tracks from "Urban Folk Tales" and other fun stuff on Local Kids Make Good, a program focused on the local scene here in Vancouver on CiTR 101.9 fm, on Thursday, July 15th from 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Tune into 101.9 on your fm dial, or listen online at CiTR.ca (listeners living east of Burnaby may have to do this).

In an article eloquently titled "Music has never been so desperate for a new messiah", Youthink Magazine says "Urban Folk Tales" has "lyrics that scream out for a new generation to step forward, learn, and take care of the world around us," and that it is an "elegant and contemplative record."

Youthink Magazine is a monthly publication that seeks to connect the diverse teen population with a common, positive magazine that is written entirely by high-school students (which explains the comment that our record doesn't have much "angst").

We can be heard (especially by reuqest!) on The Upper Room With Joe Kelley in Fairfield, Connecticut, which broadcasts LIVE ONLINE 24-7. The show also boradcasts on Mondays 4-8 p.m. EST on WVOF 88.5 FM. FM requests can be made by calling (203) 254-4111, web requests at (203) 254-4002 and, most simply, email requests at requests@wvof.org.

The "Upper Room with Joe Kelley" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalties and supporters of independent musicians.

The show features creative music in funk, r&b, jazz, blues, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E., Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, John Scofield, EC Scott,John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "The Upper Room" hosts an in-house concert series.

You can also now buy the "Urban Folk Tales" at Highlife World Music (1317 Commercial Dr, Vancouver). Also, SFU students can pick it up on campus at Enchant (2901 MBC).

Tired of the way radio is sounding these days? Think it needs some colour? well, PAINT is obvious solution to all of your colourless needs. Call and request Paint at CJSF 90.1 FM, CITR 101.9 FM, and CFRO 102.7 FM (Co-op Radio). We've avoided mainstream stations until now because, well, they suck. But the thought of PAINTing the airwaves may warm our hearts. We'll keep you posted.

"Urban Folk Tales" can be purchased at Zulu Records (1972 W. 4th Ave, Vancouver) and Red Cat Records (4307 Main St, Vancouver). You can also buy the album online (as well as listen to snippits of EVERY song) at CDBaby.com. More places (both stores and online) will be coming soon.

Other ways to get the album are listed HERE.

We've now got four more places to listen to some tunes from "Urban Folk Tales": 1) CNET Download.com, 2) Starpolish.com (this listing has changed from the previously posted one), 3) Broadjam.com and 4) Soundclick.com.

Remember, you can also listen at New Music Canada and IDMusik.com.

Saturday, May 29th, 2004, 8:00 p.m. till late at Taf's Cafe Gallery, 829 Granville Street, Vancouver (on the corner of Granville and Robson across the from Capitol 6 theatres and the fabulous Commodore Ballroom).

This is an entirely social event, where you can buy and listen to "Urban Folk Tales" in its entirety for the first time, hang out and chat with us and all of your friends (who you'll be bringing of course) and indulge in the EXCELLENT food and ambience of Taf's.

...oh, and you can get stinkin' drunk too if you'd like.

Randall Thomas, will also be screening some silent footage of his documentary-in-progress, "Canvas" throughout the night.

It is absolutely free to attend... but don't expect to leave without taking home a copy of "Urban Folk Tales" for just CDN $10.00 (they're $15.00 over the website -- take advantage of the deal!)

Hope to see you there!

Jeff Carter at Pacific Music has completed the full layout for the "Urban Folk Tales" packaging. Have a look see, will ya?

We're on par for a May 29th release. Expect a formal announcement of a release party soon...

Emi Kozikowska has brilliantly produced some fabulous artwork for the record. Below is the front cover, designed by Emi based on a photo by Fretless.

Lastly, Jeff Carter at Pacific Music is laying out the back cover, sleeve notes and CD face work, and so far it looks fab! It should be posted by the end of the week.

...or maybe the singular, "place." You can also listen to "Madonna," "The Open Road" and "Girlie Boy" at StarPolish.com.

More to come...

Well, we've finally got some mp3s available online! You can listen to "Girlie Boy," "The Open Road," "Madonna" and "White Sheep" at our New Music Canada page.

Apparently though you need some kind of software to use New Music Canada (blame the CBC -- sorry:-). So, we've also set up "Girlie Boy" and "The Open Road" at IDMusik.com.

We'll be making music available in more locations as time passes, but enjoy for now!

An unfortunate few days historically speaking. It's the tenth anniversary of Kurt Cobain's untimely suicide. His death is yet another example of our foolishly obsessive culture's wanton desire to elevate its "icons" and watch in sadistic amusement as they are slowly crushed under the weight we place on their shoulders. The voyeurism and judgment we cast upon those we do not know does hurt them.

Never forget your humanness. It's all you've really got.

On this day, April 4th, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered in Memphis. Let's not forget what he did and how unfortunate it is that, to this day, those who love us the most often have to be the targets of senseless acts of violence. Did killing Dr. King really put an end to the advancement of the social status of Black Americans? An entire people cannot be silenced by the murder of one, regardless of how influential that one may be.

In peace.

Hello beautiful people,

As I type this, I've just gotten home from three intense but absolutely fabulous and mind-blowing mixing the record days at Vogville Studios with Caleb Stull (of Parlour Steps -- the best darn band in this town in my humble opinion!). It was a roller coaster (of love, of course)! The songs sound rich and lush and we cannot wait for you to hear them!

Barring any after-the-fact, "What the hell were we thinking?" experiences, all we've got left to do is mastering and then, yes, we're finally done! I think you'll find "Urban Folk Tales" to be an emotional, uplifting, phat-ass and beautiful collection of groovy folk-stories with a kick. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll shake your booty and you'll think...well, at least that's what we hope! We'll let YOU be the judge!

Some pictures from the sessions will be up soon, and of course, we'll also be putting some sneak previews from the album up in the next couple of weeks BEFORE the album is available -- how cool is modern technology?

You'll hear more when we've got more...

Love,
Robb

Holy crap, I haven't updated in a while, have I?! I'll be terse; life is busy -- but there's always time to keep the folks up on what the hell we're doing!

We're mixing the record with Caleb Stull this weekend. Expect some sound samples in the next few weeks. Album will be released in May.

Love,
Robb

Well, it's getting closer. We assure you that when you hear "Urban Folk Tales" it will be well worth the long wait.

We spent the weekend recording horns with Erik Termaat, Rees Haynes and Cary Campbell (who was born in 1992), finishing up background vocals and preparing rough mixes. We are 95% finished recording and the roughs we are currently listening to in preparation for our final mix in late March are sounding extremely strong.

So, yes, we're almost there...

February is Black History Month, which must make the other eleven undesignated months of the year white History Months, right?

Shame on you(S.A.) -- acknowledging the history of the people you enslaved for 400 years and currently imprison in unmatched proportions to the rest of the world. This kind of tokenistic folk-festival mentality, while a step in the right direction, is hardly a reparation for the suffering facing the collective minds of African Americans then and now.

Let's make EVERY month Black History Month so we can always be conscious of the issues which trouble African American communities in the 21st Century.

If you're sick of hearing from me all the time, you will now have the chance to hear from other members of the band as well as make your comments on our brand new Weblog at the Blogspot (thepaintsite.blogspot.com). It's just a matter of getting them hipped on the technology (which I for some reason have learned!!).

Love,
Robb

Generally one to opt more for a Malcolm X perspective, the undeniable impact Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had on race relations is certainly worthy of a holiday. He gave African Americans one thing that can never be taken away from them: pride.

We shall honour the man who would have been a young and vibrant 75 years old had he lived to reach his January 15th, 2004 birthday.

It took us an entire freaking day to record percussion on the record's leadoff track, "15," yesterday. But it sounds beautiful, layered with congas, cymbals, shakers, and some strange eastern instrument that I initially thought was a pot for growing flowers (I can't remember the name of it but it's just so very Indian sounding -- I had to work in my culture!).

We've been rehearsing with our fabulous horn section, taking calls and meeting prospective new band members for our return to the stage and planning, planning, planning...

Did I mention the next record is well on its way to being written? (I know, this one's not even done yet!)

Love and more love,
Robb

We spent yesterday at The Hearth with Shuggy Milligan as he did dual duty producing and laying down slick percussion straight outta Jamaica on a number of tracks. I even got a quick Engineering-101 to help things flow smoother. Myself and Karenoke got in on the recording action as well, making strange and interesting noises with items that I'm not even sure were actually meant to be musical instruments. Randall Thomas even stepped out from behind his video camera to help us make some sounds.

The mixes are getting fuller and richer as "Urban Folk Tales" nears its conclusion. Annie's got most of her vocals left, Karenoke's got a few also and we need to lay down a few remaining percussion parts, horn section and random elements of colour.

You'll hear more when we know more,
Robb

Award-winning independent filmmaker Randall Thomas has struck a chord once again with the film community. His acclaimed short film "Away," an official selection at this year's Montreal International Film Festival, has also just been selected to screen at the 9th annual Victoria Independent Film and Video Festival (which takes place January 30th-February 8th, 2004). As mentioned in previous news, "Away" features music and cameo performances by members of Paint.

On the subject of Randall Thomas, he is also in the process of compiling and editing footage from Paint's live performances, studio sessions and interviews towards what will eventually be a feature documentary that we can expect to see sometime in 2004. Additionally, he is also working on splicing together a music video out of the same footage as well as toying up ideas for a second music video, both of which will join the documentary in a 2004 unveiling -- the songs are yet to be determined. We'll keep you posted.

Greetings once again,

We spent last night in Vogville Studios with producer Shuggy Milligan reveling in the world-class drumming of Alex McKechnie as he laid down the last of the record's drum tracks. Man is he great! We're moving closer and closer to the completion of "Urban Folk Tales" and can feel the joyous vibes all around us. We've still got some backups vocals, horns and "miscellaneous debris" to record over the next month or two before we move into post-production. We should be on par for a March release.

Caleb Stull, singer/guitarist of Fretless' favourite Vancouver band Parlour Steps will be mixing and mastering the record early in the New Year. The front cover will also feature original artwork by Emi Kozikowska, who is busy creating images based upon her responses to a rough cut of the record. You'll hear more when we've got more.

Spread the love,
Robb

December 6th is a National Day of Remembrance and Action to Stop Violence Against Women. Mohawk women and other feminist groups are calling for a Dec. 8 walk out from work at 10:30 am.

Campbell's Casualty list: Cutting 28,000 single people off welfare in 2004; cutting benefits to single parents, cutting pay equity, daycare; housing, jails, legal aid, human rights, victim services, women's services, debtors assistance, poverty law, employment standards (a "self-help" kit even for those sexually harassed) cutting services in the Hurtlands, cutting unionized (mostly women) hospital workers and holding a racist $9 Million referendum on aboriginal treaty rights and squandering millions on the Olympics.

Everyone will be affected by these cuts, directly or indirectly.

Why the Womyn's Walkout action? Because it would hit the government in the pocket book. This is the only language they understand.

Men. Take action, do your own Walkout for Womyn!

For information or ready-made posters, please email: womynwalkout@yahoo.com

Socially-conscious music appears to be at an all-time low in a time when it is needed more than ever. It has been 10 years in the waiting but it is a cause of celebration to know that Living Colour, the seminal political rock band and Seventh Wonder of the World, has reformed, released a new record and is on tour!

Check it out: livingcolour.com

Gordon Campbell and his B.C. Liberals have made several political and social attacks on disadvantaged people in British Columbia since they took office. Now, they have gone one step further by going after the Georgia Straight, Vancouver's award-winning news and entertainment publication. The Liberals have claimed that the Georgia Straight is not a newspaper, but a magazine (of which it fits none of the legal criteria) and henceforth slapped it with a pending $1 million tax penalty, which could potentially shut the publication down. This is a serious issue of freedom of thought, belief, speech and press. Just because Mr. Campbell leads a political party that is without a serious opposition, it does not mean he can turn British Columbia into a dictatorship. The Georgia Straight has always provided a critical voice for segments of the population who do not have the means to have their voices heard. Without this key aspect of democracy, social stratification will only grow.

For more of the specifics on the issue, please go to straight.com. To express your concerns, call Mr. Campbell's riding office at (250)387-1715, or email him at premier@gov.bc.ca. We will keep you posted on further courses of action.

Not only does the Straight provide an important social voice in the community, Paint would not exist if the Straight did not exist. Fretless found the other members of Paint through advertising in the Georgia Straight. For that, we will do all we can to help the Georgia Straight stay alive.

Aside from his fabulous duties in Paint, our fine cellist Timbuktu also plays in a band called Emissary. You can see him in action with them on Thursday, October 9th at the Backstage Lounge, 1585 Johnston Street at Granville Island, Vancouver at 10:00 p.m.

Hi folks,

We just had a fabulous few days at Vogville Studios with producer Shuggy Milligan laying down foundation tracks. We exceeded our scheduled expectations for the session, which could not have gone any better! Fretless completed all 14 of his bass and acoustic guitar parts, we tracked several songs live with drummer Alex McKechnie and Timbuktu laid down several cello tracks that will knock you on your ass when you hear them. The session was an emotional rollercoaster that took us through moments of dancing for joy to bittersweet tears. We are all super excited and cannot wait to return to the studio in just a couple of weeks to pick up where we left off.

Photos from the session will be up shortly.

Much love,
Paint

The sad news is that Johnny Cash passed away today at the tender age of 71. Whilst the mainstream press thus far has focused on his commercial success and chart hits, this social and musical visionary's great contributions to the human community -- so much as to earn him a Nobel Peace Prize -- will never be forgotten. For some, he was more of a father than any biological human could have been. His work, his passion, his love and his life will truly live forever.

As vigorous planning and arranging continues, it's almost that time! We will be taking the following stage-tested songs into the studio for the record's first session in just a couple of weeks:

15
Flygroove
White Sheep
Open Your Eyes
The Open Road
Death Row
Girlie Boy
Remembrance Day
The Write Thing (freedom song)
Madonna
Dear John
Soil
Utopia
Rivers

The record is tentatively titled "Commusication." The regular lineup of Robb Johannes, Timbuktu, Karenoke and Annie Robichaud will be joined by a polite smattering of special guests and friends, including drummer Alex McKechnie and percussionist/producer Shuggy Milligan. The cast of characters will be updated as the process moves on.

Yesterday, I saw one of the greatest things I have EVER seen: I was at the Arts Alive festival in Langley, B.C. to see the Midget$, who said they were showing up to play uninvited out of the back of a flatbed truck. They were not invited to play the festival because they were too hardcore. Indeed this was true, as the streets were filled with country and western music that would make any coloured person run for cover in fear of facing the Klan. I looked around the barricaded streets and wondered, "How are these guys going to pull this off?"

Sure enough, at the stroke of noon, I heard a low rumbling of punk bass and loud distorted guitar, followed by screams and bellows. An ominous tone literally filled the entire street and everyone in attendance looked up to see if death was indeed coming their way. And then I saw it...a flatbed truck passed behind the stage of a loser country artist and there were the Midget$, going full throttle on the back of the truck, their amps powered by generators. The audience shuttered for a moment after the truck passed, shook it off with laughter and continued about their business.

Until a few minutes later, when the wrath of the Midget$ struck again the other end of the street...and then back at the front end again...and again...

I hopped into my car and started following the Midget$' flatbed truck around, laughing aloud with joyous laughter at how brilliant this spectacle was. Then came the next natural step: police lights went up and the Midget$' truck was pulled over by the Langley RCMP. The last I saw of the Midget$ that day, they were being arrested, when I drove past them, honked my horn and told them, "YOU GUYS FUCKING ROCK!!!"

Punk rock with true attitude and gall -- and the music to back it up -- is a rare gem in this day and age. Please check out the Midget$ website and give this band your attention -- they certainly deserve it!

Al the best,
Robb

Beginning in September, Paint will be heading into Vogville Studios to record their first full-length studio album, to be produced by Shuggy Milligan. This will keep us occupied for the remainder of 2003, so we are NOT expecting to be making any live appearances while we focus on making the most beautiful, socially-conscious and artisically-heightened record you've ever heard! It should be completed and ready for consumption accompanied by our return to the stage in early 2004.

Our website will be updated regularly with studio progress, photos and general news. You may also be able to capture glimpses or preview soundbytes of our record-in-progress -- but don't take that to the bank. And you never know, we aren't ruling out shows all together, so you just might get to see us...

Thanks for all your support,
Your friends in Paint

Award-winning filmmaker Randall Thomas has produced his second official selection at the Montreal International Film Festival. "Away," which features music and cameo appearances by members of Paint, will be shown at the 2003 festival from August 27th to September 7th. See the Festival Website for screening info.

The praise could only last so long; making progressive steps on same-sex marriage does not get Canada off the hook for Leonard Peltier.

Given that today is the 28th anniversary of the events at Wounded Knee which led to the wrongful conviction of Leonard Peltier, we should take the time to contact the Canadian Minister of Justice to order an Independent Commission of Inquiry into the events surrounding Mr. Peltier's 1976 extradition proceedings, in which the FBI fraudulently and unjustly intervened in Canada's sovereign authority to bring Peltier back into the United States. Mr. Peltier has now spent 27 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, is long overdue for parole and is in ill health.

For more on the Peltier case, visit www.freepeltier.org. To voice your concerns, you can write to:

The Honourable Martin Cauchon
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
284 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H8

The Federal Government has decided to change the Canadian legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples, which will (with pending legislation) legally recognize and honour gay marriage in Canada. While this does not get them off the hook for many incidences of injusitce, the Canadian Government (in conjunction with the decriminalization of marijuana) truly deserves the utmost amount of credit and praise for taking such a progressive step in the pursuit of social equity for all.

Proud to be Canadian today!

In light of the highly commendable decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal to legalize same-sex marriages for the first time in Canada, a solution to the ailing post-SARS Ontario economy has arisen: the province of Ontario can become Canada's Las Vegas (or shall we say, "Las Gaygas"), where same-sex couples from all over the country can travel to to get married. Think of all the hotel and tourism revenue that could be generated to help the people of Ontario...

On June 1st, 2003 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Joji's Hair School will be hosting a fundraiser on Commercial Drive in Vancouver to commemorate its 18th anniversary. The staff, students and graduates will be donating their time and skills to offer $10 haircuts (or accepting $10 donations). Proceeds will benefit "Beauty Night," a non-profit society that supports marginalized and disenfranchised women.

Paint will be performing a live outdoor set at 12 noon in Napier Square, near 1126 Commercial Drive.

On May 19, 1925, the great social visionary Malcolm X was born. Whilst Canadians will be off work for the "Victoria Day" holiday, we should be encouraged to revert our means of celebration to reflect upon the life of a man who changed the course of history in the Western world by providing African Americans and all people of colour with a sense of pride, strength and determination and a window into the richness of their culture and history.

The world-renowned Centre for Restorative Justice at Simon Fraser University has added Robb's thesis, "An American Nightmare: From Slavery to Mass Imprisonment in the United States," to its database. It can be downloaded as a pdf file with Adobe Acrobat (we had nothing to do with the formatting, so we apologize for any technical exclusion it may produce).

Click HERE to download it directly...but please look around on the Center's website...it could change your life!

While we continue with ongoing member auditions, we can be seen twice monthly at El Cocal, 1037 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, from May through July. Click on the gigs link for dates.

Tickets for the "Away" film screening are $5 at the door or $3 in advance at the SFU Theatre box office. "Away" will be the second film shown out of potentially eleven short films.

"I want to stress that SARS is a challenge for all of society and it is not a disease of ethnicity. SARS may have emerged in Asia, but a person of any race or colour is capable of being a carrier of this disease. It is both wrong and prejudicial to fear or shun any or all people in the Asian community based on the assumption that they must have SARS." - Dr. Colin D'Cunha, Ontario's commissioner of public health.

The media-hyped outbreak of SARS, which individual Canadians have a 0.00001 percent chance of contracting, has fueled racist sentiment against Canadians with Asian backgrounds. Whilst it may seem obvious that this is a highly irrational and racist point of view, history should allow us to see this as yet another manifestation of the racist subconscious of Western society, which continues to play itself out on day-to-day levels. By manipulating Canadians to avoid traveling to Asian countries and refrain from fundamental human activities such as simple interaction, the agendas of power-hungry elites to manufacture docile and sedentary populations will only be furthered. The true victims will be regular citizens.

Acclaimed independent filmmaker Randall Thomas, whose award-winning short film "Helen of Troy" (featuring music by Fretless) was an official selection at the 2001 Montreal Film Festival, has completed another insightful film titled "Away." The emotional story of a Maritime woman's experiences in cross-coastal family abandonment features music and cameo appearances by members of Paint.

"Away" will be screened at the Pacific Cinemateque, 1131 Howe Street, Vancouver, on Wednesday, April 30th and Tuesday, May 6th at 7:00 p.m.

Knowledge should be open and accessible to anyone and everyone who wishes to acquire it. In this light, Fretless (under the name "Randeep Singh Chauhan") will be making a public presentation and defense of his academic thesis, "An American Nightmare: From Slavery to Mass Imprisonment in the United States" at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Campus on April 15th at 9:45 a.m. in room WMX (West Mall) 3210.

The following is a summary of his work:

The enslavement of African Americans in the United States has not ended. Rather, legal slavery has taken on newer, modified and more subtle forms which are equally destructive to the African American community. This issue can only be properly addressed through the wide lens of history, for such a perspective is imperative to understanding the overarching mechanisms and processes that have kept African Americans perpetually enslaved since America's inception.

Tracing the early roots of modern slavery back to the Agricultural Revolution of 13,000 BCE, the Christian-based colonial slave trade (c. 1450-1900) will be examined as a peculiarly ideological institution which developed ideas and practices of race prejudice in the United States. Post-Emancipation, freed slaves were immediately warehoused into prisons and put to labour within the criminal justice system. This early mass imprisonment boom created the Southern Jim Crow segregation system and the Northern ghetto, both of which concentrated urban poverty and crime into segregated African American neighbourhoods and set the stage for the current disproportionate and strategic mass imprisonment of African Americans. Racially-biased policies such as the "three strikes" laws, the "war on drugs" and capital punishment all find themselves at the helm of America's current apparatus of racial control.

Only by abandoning models of crime control and "zero tolerance," dismantling the religiously-fundamental public sector, raising public awareness about the realities of neo-slavery and postcolonialism in the United States and accepting the consequences and responsibilities of correcting the crimes of the past, will African American "crimes" in the present be properly understood and dealt with in a more socially-responsible and humane manner.

The thesis presentation will be followed by an open question and answer period.

I have been relatively silent about the war in Iraq on thepaintsite thus far for a simple reason: what could possibly be said that has not been said already? Regardless, my conscience is forcing me to conceptualize the thoughts I have had amidst the madness:

Whilst many Iraqis and citizens of the world agree that regime change should come from within, history has shown that internal attempts to defeat Saddam Hussein have been violently quashed before they could begin. Outside assistance may be necessary in Iraq but should not come from a selfishly and imperially motivated country such as the United States.

Eliminating Saddam Hussein will not weaken Al Qaeda, nor assuage international or domestic terrorism, for there are no concrete links between them aside from the American role in propagating them. Rather, the colonial missions of powerful rogue nations fuel resistance movements that become labeled "terrorist."

The United States did not deplete all avenues of diplomacy as claimed. If they had, UN weapons inspections would have been able to continue. The supposed "immediate threat" from Iraq was fabricated by capitalizing on the fears of vulnerable Americans post-9/11, which is truly a shameful example of the Bush administration's absent conscience. Without domestic or international support, this war is illegal, immoral, unwarranted and appallingly self-serving.

I challenge the human race to communicate more openly on the personal and governmental levels before violently responding. Simply ask yourself the following question: would you accept "humanitarian aid" from someone who just finished murdering your family and thousands of people in your country? Anyone who will not hesitate to kill you could not possibly want to free you.

Peacefully yours,
Robb

Residents of British Columbia should know that amidst the rising gas prices due to the international concerns in Iraq and Venezuela, Gordon Campbell (whose approval rating has now dropped to barely 30 percent) is implementing an extra provincial gas tax of 3.5 cents per litre on March 1st (today). Government and provincial agencies already take between 11 to 17 cents per litre in taxes and with the price of crude oil rising because of the Bush family agenda, Campbell's hike is once again an ill-concieved conception. This will be a $200 million gouge to oridinary citizens. And of course, he does not plan to channel a majority of the extra tax money into public transit. Rather, he wants to embark upon overly ambitious highway projects to motivate citizens to drive even more, thus burning more gas, paying more government wages, fueling more international terrorism and allowing more war to ensue.

Don't forget to check out our consecutive-Thursday gig lineup on the 6th and 13th!

Big love,
Paint

Given the skeptical and mature response of the UN Security Council to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's scant, circumstantial and presumptuous report on the apparent Iraqi threat on February 5, 2003, the Bush family must come to terms with the fact that the international community is not the timid herd of sheep they would like them to be -- excluding Tony bah-bah-Blair of course. By sheer numbers, resistance to Bush's bullying will leave him with no other option than to take on Iraq alone.

And if he does, we propose that both daddy and son Bush (dr. Evil and Mini-Me) be forced to strap on machine guns and leave the middle and lower-class pawn soldiers out of their bourgeoisie chess match. If you support this initiative, please send an email to us by using the contact link. We will compile all the names and addresses and forward it as a petition to the US Military.

Big love,
Paint

The unfortunate news of the fatal accident of the Columbia shuttle this morning is a tragic reminder of the senseless space race perpetuated by Cold War politics. Condolences are due to the astronauts' families. The United States government should save the ridiculous manpower and fiscal resources it frivolously dumps into its space program and redirect these resources into the feeding of its many hungry mouths.

In typical narrow-minded and imperial fashion, the conniving propaganda of CNN and George W. Bush to use the blood of seven brave astronauts as a unifying agent to further perpetuate war on Iraq is thoroughly and utterly disgusting.

Keep the peace,
Paint

It goes without saying that Joe Strummer and the Clash turned the world upside down with their unique blend of political humanitarianism, punk rock and reggae. Truly an inspirational human being and citizen of the earth, Joe will live forever through his music and his contributions to a better world for the disadvantaged.

In Joe we trust.

The pending war on Iraq is motivated by oil, imperialist ideology and a desire of the Bush family to complete the unfinished business that George Bush, Sr. began during the Gulf War. Al Gore asked the question, "What does Iraq have to do with Osama bin Laden?", criticizing the Bush administration for acting hastily and unjustly in connecting Iraq to America's "War on Terrorism."

Canadians can help prevent the war against Iraq by lobbying our government to stop ceding to American pressure and reaffirm faith in human rights. UN Security Council resolution 1441 must not be taken as a license to make a genocidal campaign against Iraq, as the UN Charter states that force can only be used when peaceful means have tried and failed. At last check, peaceful means have yet to be explored. And while the weapons inspectors make a visit to Iraq, why not make a stop in Washington on the way? You can voice your concerns by contacting:

The Honourable William Graham,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Lester B. Pearson Bldg.,
A-10, 125 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0G2

Spread the love,
Your friends in Paint

Many American prisons have become run by private for-profit corporations. Without an inmate population substantial enough to meet their yearly quotas, the businesses will fail. 70% of the 5 million people in American correctional facilities belong to so-called "ethnic minority" groups. In prison, they are denied the right to vote. Interestingly enough, in times of legal slavery, Black slaves were also denied the right to vote. Republicans and prisoning corporations simultaneously benefit from America's rich heritage of slavery, racism, genocide and oppression.

We are proud to announce the return of our virtuoso cello player Timbuktu. We will also have a new face, Mr. Alex, behind the drumkit. See them both at MesaLuna on the 13th!

Fight the power,
Your friends in Paint

On September 11th, 1973, Augusto Pinnochet's regime in Chile bombed the presidential palace, ending Chile's democratic governmental system and beginning one of the most merciless regimes in history. Of course, this was all done with the unconditional support of the American military and government.

Thanks to Coupe for the Scoop and see you at the Brickyard on the First,

Your friends in Paint

Welcome to thepaintsite.com. We hope this site will be informative and constructive to your collective social psyche. Please bookmark it and check it out often. And nevereverever be afraid to contact us regarding anything from suggested weblinks to reading material to social causes to bands or even just to voice your political and social concerns to wide open ears. Knowledge reigns over all and the only way to gain it is to pool our collective energies. Thank you for hitting us up and we hope to see you in the flesh reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel soon.

Big love,
Your friends in Paint.