The Notorious C.H.O

Growing up as an Asian American in the 90s meant slim pickings when it came to representation in the media. My idols were Kristi Yamaguchi, and Margaret Cho. One is an Olympic gold medalist, and the other just got a g-shot in her vagina.

You gotta love The Cho.

Now the All-American Girl has a reality show on VH1 called “The Cho Show,” and you can watch the first episode online here!

She may also add Broken Social Scene member to her resume soon.

Could this be the result of pleading with Kevin Drew’s answering machine during her visit to The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos?

Hi Kevin Drew,

This is Margaret Cho. I am such a fan of yours and I wanna join the Broken Social Scene! There are so many people in the band no one will notice if there’s just one more person. I wanna join, and I can play any instrument. I’ll learn really fast. I’m Asian! I’m a quick study. Please let me join your band!

Will she rock the rain stick or the triangle? I can’t wait to find out.

Broken Social Scene: Cause=Time
(Buy the album here)

Yankee Doodle Dandy

You know, I've been paying so much attention to the hoopla at the DNC, that I didn't know John McCain picked up a new endorsement.



*Shrugs* It's a toss up! Anyone else notice how Daddy Yankee totally stole the spotlight? I don't know what I found more disturbing though: Daddy Yankee endorsing John McCain's immigration policies, or hearing John McCain say, "Daddy Yankee."

Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out what they have in common.

Oh, right. They love that gasolina.

Birthdays: Shirley Manson

Happy Birthday! Shirley Manson turns 42 years old today.

There are only maybe a handful of musicians who I would piss my pants if I ever met. Not surprisingly, kick-ass female rockers are at the top of the list, including Melissa Auf Der Maur, Emily Haines, Alison Mosshart, and of course, Shirley Manson.

I’m beyond disappointed that her record label is shelving her new album, which apparently they believe is too “noir” to turn a profit.

"I've had a really successful career. I don't really need to do anything for money and I certainly have no intention of doing that. I just want to live a creative life and sing songs that have some meaning for me personally," she says in an interview with The Scotsman.

You can catch her on The Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles this fall as well. But mostly, I'm rooting for that album release.

Everything Has A Place

Interior design is not a field in which I am particularly skilled. In any case, I came across this spread from Domino Magazine from 2007, which featured a house tour of Blonde Redhead's apartment, complete with photos of their baubles and knick knacks.



I'm kind of surprised actually, because listening to their moody melodies, I expected their living space to reflect the same darkness I hear in the music. Maybe my biggest surprise is that they have a cat. They're cat people! Who would have guessed? His name is "Toto" according to this interview.

Everything in the space is so delicate, fragile. Even Toto looks like he might shatter if you try to pet him, and yet it all fits. Everything has a place. My favorite piece in the apartment is the perculator on that stove. I know it doesn't seem very special considering all the other antiques, but the smell of brewing coffee says, "We are living here."

That's really the only thing that matters.

Blonde Redhead- Elephant Woman
(Buy Misery is a Butterfly)

Happy Happy Joy Joy

Not long ago, I wrote about this great band called Joy Formidable. Label-less but talented, I wondered when they would get their big break. I'm so happy to report that they're on the Another Music= Another Kitchen roster! They'll also be playing Reading and Leeds this weekend, before hitting up London with Ra Ra Riot on Aug 26. It'll be a killer show, natch.

Take a look at JF's video for Austere. I don't know about you, but Ritzy looks like a pixie Alice in Wonderland here.



Tea partaaay!