This note’s going to be a little weird as it’s not quite my last issue at Discorder, but for all intents and purposes, this is goodbye. That sounds way too serious, but it’s the truth. My time here at the magazine is nearly done, so I give you this as my sendoff.
Back in 1997, on my birthday, in fact, my friend Nick gave me a copy of His Hero Is Gone’s Monuments to Thieves—it’s probably the Memphis-bred crust band’s best (unless you count their first seven-inch … or their first album. Let’s just say I’m still a fan). I was obsessed with them, and was extremely stoked Nick picked it up for me. Upon that first listen, though, I noticed there was something extra crammed inside the record jacket: a makeshift birthday card he had written on a tattered piece of computer paper.
The year before, we had celebrated my birthday stumbling around Point Grey, drinking Mike’s Hard Lemonades that were gift-wrapped in cheap, thin towels. The following year, we were out in Whalley at another friend’s place and I was a pretty sullen, judgmental straight-edge kid. Mind you, he wasn’t. The note reflected the distance between us: “Times change, people change; underwear doesn’t change.” All three are compelling points (though the last one is kind of gross), and kind of tie to an ironically consistent topic of the last year of Editor’s Notes. Life is always in such a state of flux, and while sometimes it puts me in a state of panic, I totally embrace it. I know I had a blast putting together Discorder, and I’ll hang on to memories of loading up on fries during production, meeting the cast of volunteers that come through the doors of CiTR, and actually watching a group young writers develop with each article they contribute. Some of you have made some incredible leaps from where you were last year! But, it’s time for me to make a jump of my own, and I wish you all the best.
So, yeah, change is everywhere. Cover star Grimes (a.k.a. Claire Boucher) was raised in B.C., but she didn’t really start making her exciting brand of onomatopoeic new age electro until she moved out East. With the next year of her life dedicated to supporting her stellar new Visions LP, she’s temporarily relocated to the West Coast. Though judging by Sarah Berman’s feature, she might be looking for a new locale in the near future.
Though having spent some time playing in Said the Whale and supporting Tegan & Sara, the guys and gal in Rococode are currently undergoing a spotlight shift of their own. The band’s debut LP Guns, Sex & Glory is proof enough that they’re ready to do their own thing.
As for Sleuth, Tyranahorse and From Birch to Yew, 2012 should have each act discovering what life’s like after winning their respective prizes at our annual SHiNDiG competition.
My comprehension of the Chinese Zodiac is pretty lacking, but from what I’ve been told, the year of the Dragon is known for shaking up people’s lives, and damned if it doesn’t feel that way. It’s an incredible feeling, though.
On to some station news, February is Black History Month, and CiTR is celebrating in style. All throughout the month we’ll be running a number of on-air PSAs highlighting a number of local community members with compel- ling stories. There will also be some special blocks of programming, inlcuding documentaries and lectures, and films will be screened across town. You can check out our calendar for some date-specific info!
In conclusion, it’s been a wild ride, Discorder. I hope you enjoyed the last year’s worth of issues as much as I did, and I can’t wait to see what the next editor has in store (frankly, I’ll be teaching them the ropes next issue, so I’ll be the first to find out!)
(In spirit forever, but officially for one last time) Discorderly yours,
Gregory Adams