Azari & III’s self-titled debut album was one of the most promising local releases of 2011 and made waves overseas, too. Alas, infighting among the members – Alphonse Lanza III, Christian Farley, Cedric Gasaida and Rodney Morgan – has led to the house music revisionists’ unexpected demise. The breakup happened via Lanza’s Facebook page, on which he also threw around some nasty allegations before deleting them overnight.
Lanza’s official statement, however, is sweet as pie, explaining that the “art project” had “done its work, run its course and is… a momentary blip in time.” He will likely keep busy in his dark-minded rock band the Cruelty Party, and he also alluded in the statement to something called Aeon of the Phoenix – another art project, presumably? Either way, he sounds optimistic, ending with “Long live the new flesh.”
Shave-Down
November’s almost over, which means Movember’s almost over, which means there’ll soon be a whole lotta shaving going on. Sneaky Dee’s (431 College) got in on the stache-growing action with a launch party at the start of the month, and on Monday (November 25) it’ll donate 25 per cent of sales on three menu items (the ones named after Toronto bands: the Fucked Up Breakfast, Cancer Bats’ Destroyer Fries and Lights’ Cactus In The Valley Nachos) to the prostate and testicular cancer awareness cause. That’s on top of money raised by the music venue’s official team, which last year amounted to over $2,500. Nice going.
Bootleggin’ It
Just in time for the holidays, Sloan are putting out another record. Actually, it’s an audience-captured bootleg from a Tokyo concert originally recorded in January 2002 when the band was touring their Pretty Together album. The Halifax-bred shillers of collectables have been busy: this is the third instalment of their bootleg vinyl series. There are just 500 copies, pressed on white-Japanese-flag vinyl. Need further enticements? The recording includes a rare performance by Patrick Pentland on drums, and Chris Murphy and Andrew Scott playing a duo version of The Life Of A Working Girl. It went on sale November 20, so hurry over to sloanmusic.com before it’s too late.
Going Gaga
Lady Gaga swooped through town this week to promote her recent album, Artpop, and host an intimate, no-media-allowed Q&A session at 99 Sudbury for ticket buyers (Visa Infinite cardholders only) and contest winners.
In true Gaga style, she was an hour late for the pre-event photo call, uttering but a few words – meant for her Toronto monsters – to the huddled press as she breezed by: “I miss you.”
