The Lovely Pacific Northwest

[Matos_W.K.]

I'm noticing a lot of PacNW'ers on here, which is great. I live in Seattle and love it (though I miss New York, where I lived last, and Minneapolis, where I'm from, both very much a lot of the time). Obviously J0hn's got some connections here too, and I suspect that helps the PNW head count 'round these parts. But enough of that--who all here is from up/here?

[Scott CE]

I am here, for one.  I am up here AND I am from up here: Seattle.  I know there are more; we've GOT to have more than State College.

[sedita]

i'm in portland, yo.

though i grew up in upstate ny,
and lived in dallas, shit ball of the earth, texas for a bit.

j.

[Nickosaurus]

Also from seattle. Was born in Santa Barbara california, but moved up here when I was four, so all my living memories are from Seattle.

[swilkes]

I'm in Seattle at the moment (sedita, I'm going to go check out your show at Trofeo tomorrow, I promise), but I'm leaving for a new life in the Other Washington in 2 days. I wrote "Washington, DC" in my forum profile just to see how it feels. Feels OK, I guess. I will always have my cloudy, blackberry-infested hometown, though.

[mackro]

Seattle, here here.  I did most of my growing up in West L.A. then Orange County, CA, though...  I've been here 3 1/2 years so far, and am not planning on going anywhere else in the near future, save any future act of human attrition that occurs here (none of which I will have a hand in... I'm a nice guy that way)

[NedRaggett]

I was born in Bremerton and hallowed the place with my presence.  After slouching towards that Bethlehem, though, my family moved soon thereafter and I've only been back once -- though I've been to Seattle itself a number of times now, and Portland once.

[Roque]

I'm from Yakima, on the unphotogenic meth-lab-heavy desert half of Washington (no evergreens, no). While you Western Washingtonians may have access to better seafood and Oriental cuisine, I guarantee we have better Mexican food.

And Portland is gorgeous. Too bad the community-bike program failed.

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[derrick]

I'm in Vancouver BC, and grew up just south, in Surrey(it's a hole). I've been through Seattle many times, most often for bands that don't come to Canada.

I really like Vancouver. It's comfortable and quite wonderful, if you know how to get around. I imagine I'd have trouble moving, but then I don't really know any other cities.

Do we count as part of the PNW, despite being across the border? It's a natural fit, geographically, but I don't think many people connect Vancouver to the Seattle area. It's only a short trip, but the border mentally adds about 10 hours to the journey.

[mackro]

Do we count as part of the PNW, despite being across the border? It's a natural fit, geographically, but I don't think many people connect Vancouver to the Seattle area. It's only a short trip, but the border mentally adds about 10 hours to the journey.

Um, you are sooooooo wrong about that last part, derrick.  Van is most certainly a part of the PNW, and it doesn't "feel like 10 hours" to get there -- especially if you take a bus or train, where customs doesn't take their time questioning you.. nudge nudge wink wink.  In fact, I might be going to Vancouver not only this weekend but the following weekend as well.  I've mentally entertained the idea of moving there several times.
(There are several people on this side of the border who I bug and will continue to bug regarding finally getting their goddamn passport or birth certificate so they can finally visit without hassle and get to experience the joys found there.)

It's home to Scratch records who's released one of my favorite artists Bugskull... also other great area bands of present and past:  Good Horsey, Pork Queen, The Evaporators, Radio Berlin, Destroyer, Skinny Puppy, Ben Nevile, and -- once I hear them -- The Value Village People if only for the name... and, if you count Victoria, NoMeansNo.  Not to mention a lot of great early punk bands.

Vancouver is also a great used vinyl shopping town.  It also has the best hip hop/R&B/pop store I've ever been to.. Beat Street records. (http://www.beatstreat.ca).  This is where I stock on my goods for my own "DJing" purposes.   (although I'll give props to the Island stores Ditch records in Victoria, and Blackball records in Nanaimo.)

I could go on.. anyway, derrick, yes yes yes, you're ONE OF US.

[mackro]

(arg. messed up... that's http://www.beatstreet.ca)

[derrick]

Yes, yes, indeed.

Maybe it's a Canada thing. I mean, it's figurative; by car/bus/train(ooh!) it takes no time at all to get down there, at least in comparison to anywhere we could go in Canada.* But Seattle feels so far away. It's weird, definitely.

*The joke is that in Canada, everyone grows up secure in the knowledge that it takes at least a day to go anywhere worthwhile.[/i]

[Nickosaurus]

ATTENTION: Seattle-ites. There will be an awesome fire show at the old sand point naval base next friday and saturday, and I am working the door. $15 for adults, $10 for kids and seniors. A STEAL AT TWICE THE PRICE!

Look for the guy in the silly bunny suit:

[swilkes]

It's home to Scratch records who's released one of my favorite artists Bugskull... also other great area bands of present and past:  Good Horsey, Pork Queen, The Evaporators, Radio Berlin, Destroyer, Skinny Puppy, Ben Nevile, and -- once I hear them -- The Value Village People if only for the name... and, if you count Victoria, NoMeansNo.  Not to mention a lot of great early punk bands.

Ohmygod, I LOVE Good Horsey and the Evaporators! And by "great early punk bands", I assume you mean DOA and the Young Canadians?  I heart the Vancouver, BC, rawk scene! Nardwuar should be appointed Canadian ambassador to the UN.

I went to the Scratch Records store once, back when it was in Gastown. I don't remember what I bought. I do most of my record shopping at Zulu Recs when I visit Vancouver.  Zulu used to have a great collection of local DIY cassettes.  I got a couple of tapes by Mark of Good Horsey at Zulu, before GH put out their excellent, widely-distributed (would you believe I bought my copy in Claremont, CA?) album, "Kazue".  

Question: Why should Canadians accept the US-oriented regional name "Pacific Northwest" when, in fact, Vancouver is in the Canadian southwest?

[mackro]

Question: Why should Canadians accept the US-oriented regional name "Pacific Northwest" when, in fact, Vancouver is in the Canadian southwest?

Because, "Pacific Northwest" is not a US-oriented term, but a continental term.

A better question is.... why aren't Alaskans getting all up in our thongs about our blatant bastardizing of the term when they are clearly as north and west in this side of the Pacific as possible?

[mackro]

Also, 90% of the population of Canada would have to call themselves "The Great White South".. and why in hell would anyonewant to call themselves that?  (aside from maybe 15 people in the southern U.S.)

[Scott CE]

I thought the "Great Pacific NW" encompassed ALL of British Columbia and Alaska.

[mackro]

NEVER OVERLOOK THE YUKON

(Home to the second highest mountain peak in the continent.. Mt. Logan, just a hair east of the Yukon/Alaskan border, and just feet shorter than Mt. Denali/McKinley)

[Casuistry]

I'm not known to overlook the Yukon.

[Casuistry]

Also I'm in Portland, which I guess my doo-dah on the side doesn't mention right now. Hm.

[sedita]

yeah! portland!

[graysick]

Idaho counts, although we have lots of desert (but so does Eastern Oregon).

[sedita]

hmm. i might have to armwrestle over idaho.

state your case.

[derrick]

In terms of the continent, we're about the middle, iirc; it's just the north of the populated area. Vancouver doesn't consider itself part of the pacific northwest, at least primarily. We aren't even generally considered the official 'West', as it were, which is usually claimed triumphantly by Alberta; rather, we're somewhat seperate culturally, which is generally attrributed to the Rockies. Provincially, which is how we're usually thinking, Vancouver's in the Lower Mainland, or sometimes South Coast.

Canada's more than willing to call itself the 'great white north', etc, in a continental context, even though some 80% of us live along the border

wow, could I wank off more, sorry. Anyhow, yeah.

[Roque]

Idaho counts, although we have lots of desert (but so does Eastern Oregon).

Eastern Washington, too. Desert all over.

But no, Idaho doesn't count, as of today. The PNW traded Idaho for B.C. in an intricate four-region deal.

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