Friday, December 23, 2005

Like A Phoenix From The Flames Of A Hash Pipe

VICE Records was born three and a half years ago when Suroosh Alvi discovered Grime sensation Mike Skinner, aka the Streets. There is debate about which of these lovelies actually discovered which but we will have to save that for a more in-depth probe. Let's just say that some spiffy microphone work beneath the sheets proved key to the fruits of their labor.

This wicked Skinner/Alvi amalgam allowed VICE to enter into a joint venture with Atlantic Records and the rest, as they say, is history. Soon the little record label that could evolved into a leviathan marching to the west Indian drumbeat of the shrewd Dr. Alvi. With his six loyal minions, he has created a power house of independent music including The Streets, The Stills, Bloc Party, Chromeo, Death From Above 1979, Panthers, The Boredoms, Justice, The Favourite Sons, and the Run the Road compilations.

The story is even more amazing when you look back to the wild west days that spawned it. The Montreal melieu of VICE Records forerunner, SSG Records, was so outlandish and decadent that its mere mention has been excised from the history books of most decent school children. Yet prevaling winds did blow and while the predicted Tahitian home base never materialized, nudity is still guaranteed at most VICE Records' events.

P.S. In truth, there still are a few kinks in the armour but perfection, I reckon, is the sign of a deviant mind and let it be known Farkas really wants that corner desk.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That story and in particular those shoes are about as classy as a pierced ear on a man.

Anonymous said...

This coke fueled egomania is priceless:

The SSG crew acknowledge the inevitability of obsolescence. One day, they'll be paunchy, clueless burnouts, eclipsed by the next wave of angry young turks. Always the clever one, McInnes is prepared for such an eventuality. "When we're 35, we'll be living on Tahiti with our 14-year-old native girlfriends, smoking Cuban cigars filled with Thai weed, saying to each other [affects ridiculous English accent], 'We really did it, didn't we, chaps? We really showed them--the pricks!'"

Anonymous said...

i don't get cell phone service in canada.

Anonymous said...

I am so happy these guys are finally coming to back to SXSW for 2006. Seriously, guard your women.

 

the running mule

the running mule