Although it’s been around for less than three years, blogTO has quickly become one of the definitive online guides to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Featuring “hyper-local” coverage of not just the music scene, but also other cultural touchstones such as film, food, fashion…even a few of the fine arts that don’t begin with the letter “F”…blogTO has amassed contributions from over 40 different writers since its launch in December 2004, helping spread the word on Toronto-centric artists like Jeffree Star, Malajube, Three Electric Lives, Put the Rifle Down, Creature, Kids on TV, Champion, Chromeo, You Say Party We Say Die, Final Fantasy, the Carps, Obijou and what just may be our favorite band name of 2007: Lesbians on Ecstasy. With a background in media (CNN) and interactive marketing, blog founder Tim Shore casts a keen eye on his cultural scene; those in the Toronto area who wish to be considered for the Toronto Indie Music podcast should send their material to either tim@blogto.com or rajiv@blogto.com.

Mollie Moore

Name: Mollie Moore 
Title: A&R 
Company: Atlantic Records     
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN     
Current Location: My office at 10 pm at night. In Burbank. In California. In CMJ schedule hell.  
Previous Jobs: Jiffy Lube in highschool. Thats true, by the way. (I also dabbled at RCA and Velvet Hammer.)    

--STARTING TO DIG--

>>How did you get into the music biz?  
I have a pretty scratchy low voice, and I randomly sent a tape into WBCN when I was studying psychology at Boston University. They took me in, and I've been falling upwards ever since.  

>>What did you want to be when you were 10?  
I wanted to have a job that could allow me to have a house for every season in different cities. I think I need to sign the next 5 Gnarls Barkleys for that to legitimately happen. I think there was something about a firefighter in there too.

>>..and what did your parents want you to be? 
Alive probably.  

>>If you had a musical genie that could grant you 3 wishes for the industry, what would they be? 
A "fast forward" button to where we have it all figured out distribution wise, and to where I have those 4 seasonal houses. For my third wish can I just get a little "save the children" or something? Seems so damn selfish.  

>>Mentors/influences you've had in the music industry 
Steve Aoki, only because I get so steaming jealous when I read his email blasts that he gets to travel all over the planet. It makes me want to kill him....or be him. Still working that one out. Something to strive for though, yes?  

>>Other things that keep you busy aside from the old 9 to 5?  
Oy vey. So much of that going on right now. I've started 3 different nights around Los Angeles. Two of them are an opportunity to see buzz/local acts first. The third we're calling "A&R Knights" and it's starting at the knit every tuesday. www.myspace.com/arknights. I wanted to give bands a place to showcase for us, but also invite fans. How uncomfortable are those SIR gigs?! Seriously.  

>>Top 5 fav bands/artists of 'right now' 
Sam Sparro, Voxhaul Broadcast, He Say, She Say, Cabin, Iglu & Hartly

>>Top 5 fav bands/artists of 'back in the day' 
Stone Temple Pilots, Green Day, Sarah McLachlan, Paul Simon, Digable Planets

>>Worst album of all time: 
I wouldn't have made it 30 seconds in if it sucked. 

>>Why does your job rock? 
I work for really awesome, smart, music loving people.  

>>Famous person/people you resemble? 
I've been hearing Shirley Temple lately cause I cut the locks.

>>Your daily reads
I really like bloggers as people generally 'cause they like music as much as I do, but I really feel like we all need to form our own opinions, so I stay away from all that. I do LOVE Scientific American though. Read it cover to cover.  Currently you can find me wading through the CMJ schedule. Kill me.

>>How can people get in touch with you?
Now. If you are trying to find me my email is mollie.moore@atlanticrecords.com and I'm on the 'space and the 'book under that email as well.

>>Advice to young artists 'trying to make it'? 
Create your own story and your own momentum, and you will always be proud of it.  

>>Parting words? 
Did you know that soy sauce has wheat in it?! Totally blew my mind. Be careful all you other wheat-allergy-people.  

MEAGHAN SMITH, “I KNOW”: Hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Meaghan Smith has moved beyond her folk-pop beginnings into a deliciously retro direction, incorporating horns, strings and big-band swing into her first official full-length album, Take Me Dancing (available in stores and online in January 2008). Inspired by the likes of both “standards”-bearers such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan in addition to more modern songbirds such as fellow Canadian Feist, Meaghan’s yearning, delicate vocals are ably aided and abetted with lush instrumentation courtesy of newcomer producer Les Cooper, helping to support Smith’s storytelling style of lyricism. Add an appearance by world-renowned Canadian DJ Kid Koala and the result is a sound most reminiscent of good old-time jazz laced with a shot of modern turntable manipulation. Meaghan’s recently been attracting major international interest from management, labels, publishers and radio. To discover why, check out Meaghan’s “I Know” by clicking HERE

BAND OF HORSES HIT GRAND SLAM: That’s right, kids-n-kampers: Sub Pop’s Band of Horses has done it yet again, topping the Mediaguide Alternative Specialty Song chart for a stunning fourth week in a row with “Is There a Ghost.” However, their two-week grip on the corresponding Album index position with full-length Cease to Begin was, unsurprisingly, ended by Radiohead’s self-released In Rainbows, which boasted five--count ’em, FIVE--entries amongst the Top 20 on the Song chart, including “15 Steps” at #3 and “Bodysnatchers” at #4. (The other three entries, respectively filling the 18-20 slots: “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi,” “Videotape” and the aptly titled “Jigsaw Falling into Place.”) Easing in between Band of Horses and Radiohead was longtime Alt fave PJ Harvey (Island), who slips into the #2 slot with “When under Ether,” helping full-length White Chalk remain at #3 on the Album end. Other impressive debuts on the Song chart include The National at #8 with “Apartment Story” (Beggars Banquet), which helped their full-length, Boxer, to a #11 showing on the Album chart. Also appearing for the first time on the Song side are the Killers with “Shadowplay,” which debuts at #9,.and emo heartthrob Dashboard Confessional, bowing at #11 with “Thick as Thieves” (Vagrant). Getting some love on the album chart, meanwhile, are those lovable madmen Gene and Dean Ween, whose La Cucaracha (Rounder) debuts at #5. Also enjoying a Top 10 Album debut is Nellie McKay, with Obligatory Villagers (Hungry Mouse/Vanguard) checking in at #7.

A little kid asks his father, "Daddy, is God a man or a woman?"

"Both son. God is both.

" After awhile the kid comes again and asks, "Daddy, is God black or white?"

"Both son, both." Confused, the child is still inquisitive, "Daddy, does God love children?"

"Yes son, he loves all children."

The child returns a few minutes later and says, "Daddy, is Michael Jackson God?"

SUBMITTED BY MOTHER MARY