The Tipping Point

It's only taken 12 years.

They say that there's a point when the number of visitors to your blog explodes. I thought that had happened years ago, when I went from about 12 readers per day to 150. I was so excited and a bit humbled that so many people would want to read my material.

Honestly, writing posts for my blog is more of a mental-therapy exercise for myself than anything else, though I'm honoured to have loyal followers. Thank you so much. I hope I can be an entertaining distraction for part of your hectic day.

There have been times through the course of The Brown Knowser when I've had spikes in readership, but those spikes usually center on a particular post that has caught attention over one or two days.

It seems as though, possibly, that I've caught a lot more attention.

Since the end of May, my daily number of visitors has gone from an average of 150 people (or bots, perhaps?) to an average of more than 1,200 views. Some days, my blog has seen more than 80 views per hour and has even broken 2,000 views in a single day.

The last 30 days, as of midnight, June 18.

If things stay on course, I'm looking to break well over 30,000 views this month. Crazy!

All-time views, as of midnight, June 18.

I'm trying to think what it could be that I've done differently. After I moved from Twitter to Mastodon, last November, I went from announcing my blog posts from three times a day to two. At first, the number of daily views dropped a little but started recovering after a couple of months.

When I learned that Twitter hadn't actually closed my account, I started reusing the account only to announce daily blog posts, and I did so only twice daily (sometimes, only once). My viewership stayed at about 150 to 160 views per day.

But I've noticed that over the past few months, some of my followers on Mastodon were boosting (like retweeting) my blog announcements. The overall average didn't change until May 30, when the number of daily views jumped to more than 960. On May 31, the viewership jumped to more than 1,300.

As I've said, my average viewership has been about 1,200 or so for the month of June. Tell me, dear folks, what have I done to draw this much attention?

Have I reached some sort of tipping point?

The pressure's on to not disappoint but not knowing what has caused this sudden jump in visitors makes it a challenge to keep the momentum going. Perhaps, me just doing me is enough?

Thank you to all of you for supporting my blog. If you want to support me further, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel and helping it grow. And, as always, you can buy me a coffee...

As this is a Monday and I used to post music at the start of the week, I thought I'd end this post with a song that popped into my head when I started writing it. It's "The Tipping Point," from Tears for Fears, which was released in February, 2022.

Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Night of the Swallow

Photo source: Google

Last week, in the Twittersphere, I learned that Kate Bush was trending because, in the recent season of Stranger Things, the song "Running Up That Hill" is featured.

Great song.

Tweets surrounding Kate Bush seem to indicate that this British music icon is regaining popularity and I couldn't be happier for her. In the 1970s and 80s, she was a pioneer, being the first female artist to reach number one in the UK with a self-written song. She also produced all of her own albums from 1982, onward.

She is also reportedly the first artist to wear a microphone headset in a live performance so that she could dance, hands-free.

When her album, The Dreaming, was released in 1982, I was already familiar with Kate Bush's musical talent, having heard her sing backup for Peter Gabriel in his song, "Games Without Frontiers," in 1980 (she would also join Gabriel again, in 1986, for his song "Don't Give Up," which has a great video, IMHO). I had heard the title track, "The Dreaming," on the radio, and picked up her album soon thereafter.

I loved it. My parents hated it.

I would have to listen to the album with headphones when my parents were home—they didn't like the screaming (and donkey sounds) in "Get Out of My House" or the high-pitched vocals in "Suspended in Gaffa."

One of my absolute favourite tracks on The Dreaming is "Night of the Swallow." The rise and fall in Bush's voice in the chorus gives me imaginings of a bird in flight and even today, that song stops me in my tracks, makes me want to give it my full attention.

On Saturday, DW, Kid 1, and I invited ourselves to my parents place for dinner. We had bought a bunch of steaks earlier in the day, with fixings for salad. I asked my mom if I could grill the meat on her barbecue if we shared the meal. We also brought beer and wine to share. Mom, in return, made some potato salad and picked up a treat for dessert.

We had a great meal.

While I worked the barbecue on their deck, I admired the birds that visited their feeder. At one point, a sparrow landed on the feeder and sang me a song, and I don't know how it was related but in hearing the song of the sparrow, the song "Night of the Swallow" entered my head.

It remained with me for the rest of the weekend. At the time of writing this post (after 9 last night), the song was still going around in my head. In particular, the chorus was on a continuous loop.

So, for those of you who just discovered Kate Bush from Stranger Things, I give you one of her earlier songs, from 1982. There's no official video; just music, so put on your headphones, close your eyes, and enjoy!

Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Going Crazy

It's week seven. Or is it eight? I'm sharing another video, so it must be Monday.

I'm sure that this tune from children's entertainers, Sharon, Lois, and Bram, rightly conveys how everyone who is cooped up feels.

Continue to stay at home unless you're essential. Don't make our front-line responders deal with more than they have to.

Going crazy doesn't count.



This will be my last Music Monday for a while. As you can see from the line of songs that I've shared over the past seven weeks, there's no telling what frame of mind I'll be in next week.

Happy Monday! Stay safe.

Music Monday: Cry (If You Want To)

When I brought Music Monday back to The Brown Knowser, I did it thinking that I would only be doing it for a few weeks—a month, at most—while we rode out this global pandemic. Back then, like many of you, I didn't think that self-isolation wouldn't last long.

After all, the coronavirus doesn't live long without a host.

And yet, here we are, seven weeks into this shut-in, with my sixth musical post that is COVID-19-related.

I miss my friends. I miss getting together with my family. I even miss being in the office.

I want to cry.

In the mid-90s, DW came home, late one evening, crying her eyes out. I was worried, as she didn't come home as expected and I had no idea where she was—this was the time before cell phones. And when she finally walked through the door, at almost 11:00, on a work night, with tears in her eyes, I asked her, "what's wrong?"

"I had tickets for us to see Holly Cole, tonight, and I forgot. And I had wanted to surprise you with them." She and I both loved Holly Cole.

"But why are you so late coming home?"

"I remembered at the last minute and rushed to the NAC. I tried to call you when I got there, but you didn't answer. I missed the first half hour."

We cried, together.

Here's Holly Cole:

If you're tired of self-isolation, it's okay to cry. But please, stay home.

Happy Monday!

Music Monday: It's the End of the World as We Know It

For not the first time, and certainly not the last time, I've lost track of the days of the week. I rely, to some extent, on my smartphone to tell me whether or not I have to get out of bed to go downstairs, to the basement, and get to work. The radio tells me when it's time to eat, it's time to call it a day, and when it's dark and I'm tired, I tell myself to go to bed.

Time in and of itself is meaningless, these days.

Life's set of routines isn't as concrete as it once was. No one cares if I shave or not. It's no longer important what to wear. Though, I do try to make an effort, most of the time. I'll get out of bed when my alarm tells me to. I have a shower. I shave. I put on clean clothes. I go to the kitchen and, if time allows me and no meetings are pending, I feed myself. I go to the basement, turn on the computer and log on. I check my messages, line up what tasks I have, and the day moves forward.

I try to tell myself this is okay, this is normal. The new normal. But nothing about this is normal. I miss being around my peers. I miss getting together with my family and friends. I started working from home 41 days ago but it seems like it's been longer. Much longer.


How are you holding up?

Happy Monday.

Music Monday: We're All In This Together

Well, how are you now?

I hope that you're well and managing during this isolation period. That, if you usually celebrate a holiday at this time of year, that you were able to make the best of our situation and share some virtual time with family and friends.

Last night, DW, my kids, and I spent a couple of hours on Skype, hanging out with my parents and one of my sisters, who also live in Ottawa, with another sister, who lives in Toronto, my brother and his family, who live in Phoenix, AZ, and my niece, who is in Austin, TX. It was as though they were all with us, around our kitchen island.

Almost. Not quite. But definitely worth it.

Just remember that by staying indoors as much as possible, by maintaining a minimum social distance of two metres, and by washing your hands thoroughly and regularly, we'll beat this COVID-19.

Be good to one another. After all, we're all in this together. Together, we'll get through this.

Here's one of my favourite Canadian bands.

Happy Monday! Stay safe.

Music Monday: You're Not Alone

It's well enough for me to be confined to my home during the COVID-19 pandemic. I have a wife and two fun kids to keep me company. Not to mention, two adorable cats.

I'm fortunate.

But I can't help think about those who are in self-isolation, on their own. If you're one of those, I hope you have friends and family who you can reach out to. Someone you can call, or chat with through Skype or FaceTime, or other reach out to in other ways.

If you're able, arrange to meet a friend in a place where you can go for a walk while maintaining a healthy two metres from each other.

For all of you in isolation during this unprecedented time, here's a song that will hopefully lift your spirits. It's by my favourite female singer, Sarah Slean.

Oh, and if you like Sarah and want to see her perform, live, in her home living room, on April 19, go to her Side Door Access site to get yourself a ticket.

Help support a fabulous artist. Joining a crowd, even virtually, proves that you're not alone.

Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Dancing With Myself

Week 3 into this COVID-19 social distancing, and if you're like me, you're starting to climb the walls.

My family and I have coped by keeping busy. Apart from working from home, we've been getting out each day to take walks, grabbing our cameras to try to keep it interesting.

As with last week, I'm sharing a song that captures some of the social distancing that we've been exercising, in an effort to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus.

How are you coping? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.

Take care and stay safe.

Music Monday: So Far Away

As we enter our second full week of isolation and social distancing in order to combat COVID-19, I thought I'd share a song that has periodically entered my head, starting when my CBC morning radio show, Ottawa Morning, asked listeners to help them compile a playlist for these times.

I suggested this song, along with another one, which I will share next week.

How are you doing?

Happy Monday! Stay safe.

Music Monday: Stuck in My Head

I was never a fan of the 80s Canadian band, The Pursuit of Happiness, but after the past 10 days or so, if I never hear them again, it would be too soon.

The Pursuit of Happiness entered the charts in 1986 with their song, "I'm An Adult Now," which I still hear playing at least a couple of times a month on one of Ottawa's rock  radio stations. (I dislike that song as much now as I did when it first hit the airwaves.)

Because I'm not a fan of this band, the only songs with which I am familiar are the ones that received the most airplay. The only other song I know, one that I used to actually like to a small degree, is their 1989 son, "She's So Young."

I liked how the song just starts off swinging, with vocals by Moe Burg leading the charge, with the music jumping in right behind him. The chorus is harmoniously backed by sisters Natasha and Tamara Amabile. It's a feel-good song that gets your toe tapping and sticks in your head.

And that's my problem. Sometime, about 10 days ago (at the time of writing this post), this song got into my head, likely after a visit to the washroom at work, where they pipe in this rock station. Once this song entered my head, it never left it.

Whenever I'm idle, or sitting at a computer, or on my smartphone, or driving in my car—which no longer has a radio or sound system—this song enters a continuous loop. (It's playing in my head while I bang out this post!)

They say that misery loves company, and so I'm now passing this tune onto you. Like it or not, here it is.



Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Blues at Queen Street Fare

This week is all about the past: things I did when I wasn't blogging and things that I did after I started up The Brown Knowser again, but haven't shared yet.

Last September, my youngest daughter was invited to perform a couple of numbers with Ottawa blues artist, JW Jones, at a show at Queen St. Fare. My daughter has performed with JW before, at his youth series, #613FutureBlues, and last year he was so impressed by her progress that he invited her to be a special guest drummer at his September show.

I saw JW last Friday, performing a Valentine's Day show, and we chatted about this year's #613FutureBlues show, and he's aiming to hold it in April. If you know of any young musician, aged 13 to 18 years old (my kid is only 16), stay tuned for information about how to audition.

Anyway, back to last September's show.

It's been a few years since I've run a Music Monday post, and I thought I would share my daughter's performance. Two songs, and 12 minutes that is more than worth your time. You can hear why JW rightly earned the Maple Blues Electric Act of the Year Award.

Both numbers, "Funny Bone" and "I Don't Believe a Word You Say," are great, but they really come together in the second number.

Thanks to my good friend, Marc, for capturing this video while I worked on stills.

Happy Monday!

Music Monday: All You Sons And Daughters

It's fitting, I think, that I end my Music Monday series where I began, with Matthew Good.

In November, nearly two years ago, I was searching for an idea for a blog post, and not coming up with much. I had a touch of writer's block, as can happen often when I try to write almost every day. While I was wracking my brain, I was listening to Matt Good's album, Lights of Endangered Species, when his song, "Non Populus" started. I love the gentle start to the song and the gradual build. Songs such as this, and "Weapon" are why Matt is one of my favourite artists.

His latest album, Chaotic Neutral, comes out on September 25, and I can't wait. I consider myself to be chaotic-neutral, always chose that alignment when I played Dungeons and Dragons, in high school. I like to stir things up and I don't tend to weigh heavily one way or another when I encounter something new.

Matt has released one song on Chaotic Neutral, complete with a video. The song, "All You Sons And Daughters," is classic Good: haunting lyrics and strong instrumentation. Check it out:



As I said, this is my final Music Monday. Next week, I'll be bringing you the latest Where In Ottawa challenge, and by the following Monday, I'm hoping that I won't have a writer's block and will be able to come up with something new.

Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Riptide

I'm on vacation.

And I have to be honest: before I wrote this blog post, my folks came to my house, and my father and I drained two-thirds of a bottle of a 16-year-old Lagavulin. Thanks to Ian Rankin, who personally told me to try this stuff.

So, yes, I'm writing this blog post under the influence. But that's okay: I'm on vacation.

On Saturday, as I was cleaning the house, I did what I tend to do when I'm working around the house: I streamed music from Google Play: when I stream music from this fabulous music service, I chose a theme.

The theme was, simply, On Vacation.

The first song to play on that playlist was by Vance Joy, entitled, "Riptide."

I had heard this song before, but never paid attention to it. Until then, when I started my chores and started moving to the music.

Further disclosure: I've been making a lot of typos, and have had to back up and start typing again. But I'm on vacation, and I'm taking it easy. And I've consumed a lot of single malt right up until I sat down and started banging out this post.

The song is catchy and I've played it a lot of times over the weekend. It's now on my smartphone and I expect to hear it, while I drive around town for the first few days of my vacation, before I head out to the Bruce Peninsula to join my family and relax on the shores of Lake Huron.

So, yay for me on a somewhat drunken start to my well-deserved vacation, and enjoy this Vance Joy tume.



Happy Monday!

How'd I do? Can you tell I was a little drunk through this post?

Music Monday: The Shade

My family and I are counting the days: only one week until vacation.

We are going to be hanging around the house for the first couple of days, trying to get it in order, so that when we return from our trip, the house will be a welcoming place for us. My wife and kids will be going camping for a few days (my days of camping are over), and we will meet up at a cottage on the Bruce Peninsula.

My trip will be also involving some stops along the way, both before our cottage escape and after, as I take in some Ontario craft breweries. One of them, a brand-new brew house, is in the delightful town of Elora.

I wish that we were in Elora this past weekend, instead: there was a music festival that featured two of my favourite Canadian bands, Sam Roberts Band and Metric.

Metric is releasing a new album, this fall, entitled Pagans in Vegas. I'll be ordering it as soon as it's released, as I've never heard a song from them that I didn't like. And, fortunately, they've already released one song from the album, "The Shade," which is available as a free download from Google Play and iTunes.

Here's the video. Have a listen. (And as a heads up, there's no point in watching the video. I shows nothing. I think it's a placeholder for a future video, as it only shows the image of the song title, and let's face it: if you can't see Emily Haines, there's no point in watching anything else. Luckily, the song is great, so you can play it while you do something else.)



I'm sorry that I missed them in concert, in Elora (they put on a great show), but I hope that I can catch them the next time that they play in Ottawa.

Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Band on the Run

When I was a teen, in high school, I was known for my love of wide ranges of music. I knew bands, I new their music. When I had a job, working for a paint and wallpaper store in a suburban shopping mall, I would spend most of my pay on the latest albums at Sam the Record Man. I'd make mixed tapes for myself and my friends, and there would always be music playing at my house.

I was a music junkie.

A friend of mine, Neil Talbot, would call me up sometimes, and when he heard my voice, he would start his own version of the game, Name That Tune. He would drop the needle onto some vinyl, a tune would play for a second or two, and he would then lift the needle and ask me what it was that he had played.

I had a success record of more than ninety percent.

Today, I still know my music, although I'm not as familiar with today's pop hits, even though my youngest daughter insists on playing Jump FM or Hot 89.9. At the office, in our washrooms, CHEZ 106 is piped through speakers—possibly, in an attempt to drown out the sound in the stalls.

It doesn't work.

I don't like commercial radio, because it seems that more time is spent listening to mind-numbing ads or goofball DJs than in listening to any music. But when CHEZ 106 does eventually get around to playing music, it's mostly the music from when I was younger. And I love it.

Lately, I've returned to playing the game that Neil ran with me on the phone, only this time, it's a bit different.

From the moment I enter the washroom, I have to identify the song that's playing as soon as I can. By the time I reach a urinal or stall, I have to be joining in the lyrics or at least mouthing the words, when the washroom is full.

It usually takes a second or two to identify the song, and I often join in the singing shortly thereafter.

One of the songs that is on a steady rotation, one that seems to play often when I enter the washroom (even though I don't always go at the same time), is the classic song from Paul McCartney and Wings, "Band on the Run." Sometimes, I'll sing along, even if there are others in the washroom.

Here's the song, with a YouTuber's rendition of a video. Enjoy.


Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Changes

I get bored, as all folks do from time to time. The same old becomes so old, and change is the only option.
 
The Brown Knowser has become a formula over the years. I know what I'm doing from week to week, and perhaps my readers have grown to know what to expect. That's not a bad thing, I suppose, and I can see a pattern in where my readers focus, what they like, and what they don't.
 
My writing gets good viewership, and that's good. I'm a writer, after all, and though I don't always get as creative as I'd like, I keep my mind moving, my fingers moving over the keyboard. My head gets full, and this blog is the canvas upon which I like to let my brains spill.
 
Sometimes, I know, it ain't pretty.
 
My photos get good attention, and I like that. More and more, my eyes are seeing things from a photographer's perspective, and there have been many times where I've been tempted to walk away from my day job to be a full-time photographer. But I'm not good enough, in my opinion. When I retire—if I ever retire—I'll have time to pursue that interest.
 
I love music, am often surrounded by it: listening to it or singing a capella, as I clean house or shower. I love to share some of the sounds that fill my portable device, but each week that I post Music Monday, I feel like I'm cheating. It's not my music. It's not mine to share.
 
And so I'm thinking of changes.
 
I'm thinking that this may be my last Music Monday. Even though this regularly scheduled post is popular, I think I want to break away from posting music videos that other people put online.
 
There's a lot to this post: I have to come up with a song. Lately, I've chosen random tunes from my Android device. Once a song is selected, I have to search to see if I can find a video for the song, and often I either can't find the artists video or I cannot share it because of restrictions. And in most cases, I end up taking the video from some random person's YouTube channel.
 
So, I steal a song from someone who has stolen the song.
 
Once I have the song and the video, I then have to think of what I want to write to tie in the song. I research the band, find their Web site (if they have one), and blah blah blah, put together a blog post.
 
I love music, but I don't think I love preparing it for my blog.
 
I'm becoming bored and I need a change.
 
I was going to move my beer reviews back to The Brown Knowser, but my wife rightfully reminded me that Beer O'Clock is the best place to keep those posts, that beer lovers might not be interested in my other posts. I was going to make some changes: move my beer reviews to Thursdays, write on Mondays and Tuesdays, and keep Wordless Wednesday and Photo Friday as is.
 
But Beer O'Clock will continue where it lives today. I won't post beer reviews here.
 
And yet, I want changes. I want to do something new.
 
Until I decide, there will be no changes. Not for now. Maybe, in September, I'll give The Brown Knowser a new look and will introduce something new.
 
There will be no changes right away. Except, today, with David Bowie's classic hit, "Changes."



Next Monday, being the first Monday of the new month, there will be Where In Ottawa, in place of Music Monday.
 
Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Casual Viewin'

Lenny Bruce, declares a truce and plays his other hand.
Marshall McLuhan, casual viewin', head buried in the sand.
Sirens on the rooftops wailing, but there's no ship sailing.
Groucho, with his movies trailing, stands alone with his punchline failing.—Genesis, "Broadway Melody of 1974"

From one great song to another, my random pick from my Android device is a song that takes its title from another song, one that is on one of my favourite Genesis albums, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. As a young kid, growing up in the 70s, I could sing the lyrics to all of the songs, from end to end, by heart.

And so, when one of my favourite Canadian bands, 54-40, was inspired by this song to use "Casual Viewin'" as the name of its 2000 album and its title track, I just new this song was going to be doubly good.

In January of next year, 54-40 is scheduled to perform at North on 29, and I highly suggest that if you like this band, you should pick up tickets ASAP. If you don't know 54-40, start here. 



Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Someone Somewhere In Summertime

They were one of the best bands of the 80s and they're still going strong.

I have memories of listening to New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84), Simple Minds' 1982 hit album, on my Sony Walkman, walking from my home in Skyline to work, at the Merivale Mall, the volume turned up (probably why I'm losing my hearing now). The unmistakable voice of Jim Kerr, the synthesizers, the solid beats. I would be singing along and I didn't care who heard me.

One of my favourite songs from that album is "Someone Somewhere (in Summertime)." I have always loved the guitar melody and the driving beat. It's a great driving song.

Over the decades, I've all but forgotten it, until we drove up to my in-laws' cottage at Lac Bernard, yesterday. We were listening to a retro-music show on Live 88.5 FM, and I was enjoying hearing some of my favourite music from the 80s: The Smiths, Peter Gabriel, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Simple Minds.

When "Someone Somewhere (in Summertime)" came on, it must have been about 25 years or more since I had last heard it, and memories of my teenage youth came flooding back. And, surprisingly, when Jim Kerr started singing, I sang along, remembering the lyrics, not caring who heard me.

Have a listen. If your remember this song, sing along. If you don't know it, I hope you enjoy it.



Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Nude

I hope this post's title doesn't attract all the wrong kinds of hits. IT'S MUSIC, PEOPLE!

Once again, I've chosen a random track from my smartphone, and this time, I've come up with a band that I like because their music is as varying as all the rest of my music from the many artists I have stored on my device.

Radiohead can have loud, driving rock beats and soft, ethereal melodies. They can have a techo-synthesized sound or a catchy pop one. Radiohead is a lot of things.

As we move into the summer and vacations, where we like to kick back and relax, their song, "Nude," from their album, In Rainbows, is a soft, mesmerizing tune.

Enjoy: just keep your clothes on if you're listening to this song at the office.


Happy Monday!

Music Monday: Piano Blink

Once again, I have picked a random song from my smartphone, and this time I have come up with a song from one of my favourite Canadian songwriters, Hawksley Workman.

I have heard several versions of his song, "Piano Blink," including a slow, melancholy version when I first saw him perform live, and I love every version.

Here's a video that Hawksley shot, by the look of it, from inside Toronto's Eaton Centre, after closing.

Have a watch.



Happy Monday!