Booing Justin Bieber, Seriously?

Yesterday, Nov. 25, was the 100th anniversary of the Grey Cup game. It was a classic east meets west matchup with the Calgary Stampeders versus the Toronto Argonauts. As usual, the halftime show was all glitz and splendour featuring Canadian icon Gordon Lightfoot, newcomers Mariana's Trench, and pop stars Carly Rae Jeppson, and Justin Bieber. And as usual, the performers sang live while the backing tracks were synced by the musicians on stage. Hilariously, Carly Rae Jeppson had a guitar player in her band despite the fact there was no guitar in the songs she performed. Token guitar player I guess.

The most troubling thing about the halftime performances was the response Justin Bieber received. He was vigorously booed before, during, and after his performance. Seriously? Football fans are giant douchebags that have to boo a pop star? Was it because his music isn't "manly" enough for a football game? Was it his hair? What ever it was, it was ignorant and uncalled for. Sure Bieber's music is not exactly the cup of tea of 95% of the fans at the game, but it doesn't mean he has to be booed. He's a Canadian cultural ambassador that has sold a gazillion albums and is popular worldwide. He does more for Canada than the CFL, yet the ignorant fans at the game decided to boo him simply because he's Justin Bieber. 

Granted this year's halftime show was one of the worst. Whose brilliant idea was it to have CBC's Brian Williams emcee the show? Here's a scoop, no one cares. The faces of the fans surrounding Williams were testament to that. Gordon Lightfoot's performance of "The Canadian Railroad Trilogy," while being truncated, seemed wildly out of place compared to the moptops that followed. All alone on stage, he looked stark and vulnerable, yet at the same time, he commanded the respect granted the grand old statesman of Canadian song. Jeppson's performance was lacklustre, as if she was going through the motions. Mariana's Trench were likable enough, playing a forgettable pop tune that instantly went out of my head. I vaguely remember how it goes. What I do remember was the glitter in the hair of the lead singer. Not a good sign if you're trying to be a pop star. 

Having said that, if any of the fans at the game on Sunday can write and perform better songs that are more popular than Bieber, I'd love to hear them. Until that happens, you sports fans should keep your opinions to yourself when it comes to cultural matters. Obviously your taste is in your shoe, and public decorum and manners mean nothing. 

Besides, Bieber wasn't that bad. In fact, he was pretty good. He's a bonafide, international Canadian star we can all be proud of.

A Prayer For Whitney...Seriously?

It has happened again. Another female singer has died too soon. Whitney Houston died on Saturday, February 11, the day before the Grammy Awards. The collective outpouring of grief has been overwhelming. Obviously she was loved and liked. And, just like the response to the death of Michael Jackson, Whitney's albums and songs have sold like gang-busters over the last few days. More Whitney product has been sold since her death than in the previous two years combined.

Last July Amy Winehouse died. Some grieved for her, some thought she got what she deserved. What is curious though, is the difference between the public's response. Both singers led controversial lives replete with drug abuse, relationship problems, and career difficulties. Both singers died under similar circumstances. Both singers were on a "comeback" of sorts.

Yet, Whitey's death provoked something rarely, if ever, seen during the Grammy Awards. Every year the Grammys remember and memorialize those in the music industry that passed away during the year, but at this year's show in addition to the usual tribute, Whitney was prayed for before the show began. Host LL Cool J led the Grammy audience and the millions of viewers in a prayer for Whitney, live and in HD, so to speak.

In contrast, Amy's death provoked nothing even close. No one prayed for Amy at the British Music Awards, and it is doubtful that even if she died the day before the show, she still would not have been prayed for. In fact, there has not been one famous musician that has died and then been prayed for during a nationally/globally televised award show. So why is Whitney different?

Reasons for Whitney's prayer range from the legitimacy of her pedigree, she's the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, cousin of Dionne Warwick and Darlene Love, and Aretha Franklin is her godmother; to the fact she was allegedly deeply religious and spiritual. But, John Lennon and Michael Jackson were both spiritual and I don't remember a prayer said for them at the Grammy Awards.

My argument is that her success both pre- and posthumously is largely due to the song "I Will Always Love You." Whitney has sold in the neighbourhood of 22 million albums over her career, half of those were the soundtrack to The Bodyguard which contained the song; however, I'm not sure that's reason enough to warrant a prayer at the Grammys. Now granted Whitney has recorded more albums and sold more product than Amy, but Amy was half Whitney's age. Would Amy be prayed for if she had an "I Will Always Love You" and four more albums? My guess is no.

And that's the curious thing. Despite the fact numerous famous and influential musicians have died too early, only Whitney gets prayed for at the Grammy Awards.

Frankly, I found the prayer for Whitney out of place. There are other venues appropriate for such a display other than a nationally/globally televised awards show. There already were tributes to Whitney in the program. But after a small cursory review of this with people I know, I'm apparently alone in my view. Having said that, I recognize Whitney's success, her contribution to music history, her influence on subsequent singers, and her talent; but I question her prayerworthyness above others.

The Sad Death of Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse is dead. The news flashed around the world by tweet before it hit the major networks. The inevitable jokes ensued, but the saddest thing about this is that no one was shocked by her death. Surprised, perhaps, that her death occurred so young but not surprised at all that she died. It's as if the world was waiting for the other Amy Winehouse shoe to drop.

She lived a troubled life, not uncommon for young celebrities, but her fame was coupled with addiction that virtually paved the way for her demise. She was, by all accounts, a full blown alcoholic and drug addict. And she appeared defiant and in denial. Even her hit "Rehab" with its chorus of "They tried to make me go to rehab and I said no, no, no" said Amy was not willing to accept that she was an addict and the song was a musical flip of the bird of sorts to all that suggested she was. Remember, though, she did not set out to be an addict. Addiction creeps up unexpectedly, tells you it's your friend, and then destroys your life. Throw in celebrity life and you have a volatile cocktail waiting to explode. And explode it did.

Her music lives on and it's the music that should be remembered. Amy was an addict, so what. She was a talented singer and the tragedy is that we will never know what she could have accomplished. She enters the pantheon of rock stars that have died young -- Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Gram Parsons, Kurt Cobain, to name a few. And guess what? They were addicts too, with the exception of Cobain who committed suicide. But we remember them for their music not for how they died.

We should remember Amy Winehouse the same way.

The 2011 Juno Awards: You've Come A Long Way Baby

The 2011 Juno Awards were broadcast March 27. The top Canadian popular music artists were lauded at the annual event that garners millions of viewers every year. And while last night's show was by far the best one yet, it has not always been that way.

Prior to the 1960s, the Canadian star system was regional with no recognition beyond audience size and airplay. Local acts could become quite popular within their own geographic area, but given the size of Canada and the expense of touring across the country, many acts that were popular in Toronto never played in Vancouver. Before 1964 there was no national music chart either. Most local radio stations had their own chart of what was popular but as far as a national chart or rating, that was non-existent.

In December 1964 the recording industry trade magazine RPM Weekly initiated a reader’s poll. Readers were asked to vote for the artists they felt were the most popular. There was no big television show, no big production, instead just an informative and interesting final result with the winners and their categories printed on the front page of the magazine. This small poll started Canadians thinking that they had an industry of their own and after publishing the Reader’s Poll from 1964 to 1969, RPM went one step further. On February 23, 1970, St. Lawrence Hall in Toronto became the first setting for the RPM Gold Leaf Awards. Industry response was lukewarm and no one foresaw the potential for holding such an event. In 1971 the Gold Leaf Awards were renamed the Juno Awards after then-Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) chairman Pierre Juneau.

It was February 1971 when the first Juno Awards were held; again St. Lawrence Hall was the setting. They continued annually in this venue until they were televised nationally for the first time on CBC television in 1975. An advisory group was formed to assist RPM Weekly with the organization and production of the early Juno telecasts. The Canadian Music Awards Association (CMAA) was comprised of a group of record companies and industry individuals. Initially intended as advisors to the Juno Awards, the CMAA was renamed the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and, after the first two Juno telecasts, took control of the awards show.

Early Juno telecasts were haphazard and somewhat facile events that garnered little if any interest from the general public. Perceived as a poor copy of the U.S. Grammy Awards, they were often ignored by the public, criticized for substandard production values, and it was alleged that the winners’ lists were suspect. Rumours flew that a well-placed bribe could get an artist a Juno. The allegations of fixing the Juno Award results were more industry grumblings than a serious attempt at proving malfeasance. RPM Weekly and its editors Walt Grealis and Stan Klees were continually under suspicion, largely due to their antagonistic stance against the broadcasters and because they were instrumental in having the Canadian Content Regulations legislated in January of 1971. Still smarting from Cancon, the broadcasters would seize any opportunity to decry RPM Weekly, its business practices, and its editors. Moreover, Grealis and Klees never received any remuneration for the co-opting of the Junos by CARAS. They were promised payment but it never emerged. Control of the awards was essentially wrested from their hands.

Over the years, public awareness and acceptance grew and slowly a Canadian star system developed. The print media began to feature stories about the nominations and cross-marketing promotions with potato chip and soft drink companies added much needed financial support, all the while helping to raise public consciousness. Artists began to take the Junos seriously, realizing that winning Best Group or Best Artist was beneficial to their careers.

Seeing the value of keeping the Junos in the public eye between telecasts, CARAS released several CDs that commemorate the awards. The first one released in 1996 is a four-CD box set titled Oh What A Feeling: A Collection of Canadian Music that commemorated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the awards (also collections for the thirtieth and thirty-fifth anniversaries) and annual CD compilations since then that highlight the year’s most popular artists.

Not all performers viewed the Junos as something beneficial to their careers. Stompin’ Tom Connors, by far one of the most nationalistic performers in Canada, returned his Juno awards in 1978 because he felt the recording industry had become, in his words, “too Americanized.” Anne Murray, Canada's first international female superstar, boycotted the Junos for almost ten years refusing to participate until the production was improved. When she finally returned fans overlooked her boycott and she was met with a standing ovation.

Presently the Juno Awards are taken much more seriously than previous years. Production values have refined to the point that viewers no longer consider the show inferior when compared to American productions. Last night's telecast proved that conclusively. The Junos have become a viable and coveted means of determining an artist's popularity and Canadians can be proud of current groups such as Arcade Fire that have won Grammy Awards and British Music Awards, pop sensation Justin Beiber, and veterans such as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and The Band.

Juno Awards 2011: Live Blog

The 40th Juno Awards.

8:00
The introduction: Drake in the dressing room. Now, he's talking to Lloyd Robertson who wants to play COD.
Oh, Justin Beiber on Skype. How appropriate. So far, not funny. Got some bromance going on, they're singing "I Will Remember You."

Down With Webster. Horn section with bondage masks. WTF?

The set looks like the Toronto city hall.

Drake starts his emceeing. He singles out Neil Young in the audience. A coup for the Junos for sure. The usual suspects in the audience, Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan, etc.

Drake says  hip hop is taking over the evening. Rapping to the Hockey Night in Canada theme.
Hip hop with a grand piano. Somehow doesn't work.

8:15
First presenters. Deadmau5 and Buck 65 for Group of the Year award.
And of course Arcade Fire wins. No surprise there.

8:20
Royal Wood and Keisha Shante introduce Sarah McLachlan.
Sarah performs. An uptempo song from Sarah. Really? Good song.

Second presenters: Great Big Sea and Meisha
Fan Choice Award. Justin Beiber wins. No surprise there.

8:30
Drake's back and introduces K'naan.
K'naan presents Songwriter of the Year.
And the winner is Arcade Fire. No surprise there. The entire band is Songwriter of the Year. Methinks they're going to clean up.

Maestro Fresh Wes and Classified. Lots of hip hop artists on this year's show.
They introduce Hedley. A ballad. The grand piano looks like it has bullet holes. Not a bad tune though. Different than the usual Hedley fare.

8:40
Bryan Adams does a tribute to Shania Twain, Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee.
She still looks good. She takes her time getting to the stage and causes a bit of hiccup in the walk-up music.
She reaffirms the fact that we do have good musicians and songwriters in this country. Patriotism run amok and now she dishes on Bryan Adams. She also loves the Canadian bush, as do we all.

8:55
Drake introduces Robbie Robertson.
Robbie does a tribute to Toronto and Yonge Street and the early days of Canadian rock and roll.
All star band performs a tribute to Canadian artists.
Jim Cuddy in a suit. That's worth the price of admission.
An excellent segment.

9:15
Buffy Saint-Marie and Shawne present New Artist of the Year.
Megan Smith wins.

Drake's back. He likes rock bands.
Tokyo Police Club performs. Not a bad tune. Interesting sounds.

Ben Mulroney reviews the awards given out on Saturday night. He wants to be as cool as Jim Cuddy.

9:30
Barenaked Ladies present Single of the Year.
Waving Flag or K'naan wins.

Charles Kelly from Lady Antebellum introduces Johnny Reid.
Johnny Reid performs. Canadian country music has come a long way. Not the greatest tune though.

Drake on tape doing a segment with senior citizens."Old money," quite amusing.
Drake's back on stage now and the seniors from the clip are in the audience.

Billy Talent segment on music education. Short and sweet.

 9:45
Yoko on tape talking about the Bed-In for Peace in Montreal.

Emily Haynes and Jimmy Shaw introduce Broken Social Scene.Guitar players galore and two drummers.

Melanie Fiona and Dan Hill present Pop Album of the Year.
Justin Bieber wins. No surprise there.

10:00
Drake's back and flubs the intro. He introduces Daniel Lanois.
Lanois presents Humanitarian Award.
Tribute to Neil Young. Neil wins the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award.
Neil's the best.

10:15
Feist introduces Arcade Fire.
Biggest band yet. Strings section even and two drummers and a harpsichord.

Randy Bachman presents Artist of the Year.
Neil Young wins. Awesome.

10:25
Drake's back and introduces Chromio. Very cool.

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson present Album of the Year.
Arcade Fire wins. No surprise there. And they did clean up.

Drake's back. And that's the end of the show.

The best Junos yet. An excellent show.

February Music: Gunn and Don Felder

Feb. 4: Gunn at the Bluescan
Feb. 6: Don Felder with John Lefevbre at Jack Singer Concert Hall

On Friday I had the pleasure of visiting some old friends who were playing at The Bluescan and Sunday I joined another old friend and together we saw Don Felder at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Both venues are located in Calgary, Alberta.

At the Bluescan, it was Gunn, a five-piece contemporary blues band comprised of some of the finest musicians in Calgary. The band plays a combination of original tunes and interesting arrangements of cover songs. Sort of a Steely Dan, Little Feat, Stevie Ray Vaughn mix replete with beaucoup guitar solos provided by Greg Gunhold and killer B-3 organ by the master, Brock Gillis. Aside from the band's only singer being mixed too low thereby rendering the vocals at times non-existent during the first set, the vocal problem was rectified and the band rocked. A well-rehearsed group, which is something virtually unheard of these days especially when local groups are concerned, they came across as tight and polished. Good songs too.

At the Jack Singer, former Eagles' guitarist Don Felder proved he was the guy that helped write "Hotel California," by opening with the song and setting the stage for what was to come. In essence, an Eagles greatest hits concert without Don Henley and Glenn Frey, Felder played all of the hits he helped write plus some that he didn't. "Tequila Sunrise," "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Life In the Fast Lane," "Witchy Woman," "One of These Nights," and a whole lot more, including a cover of Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Pride and Joy" that featured Felder's daughter on vocals, gave the crowd more than they bargained for.

An interminably long opening set was provided by Calgarian John Lefevbre. Despite having Bill Payne from Little Feat playing organ and piano, plus Bonnie Raitt's rhythm section, Tom Waits' keyboard player, and one of the hottest session guitarists, Lefebvre proved conclusively that good players do not a good song make. His songs are redundant, boring, self-indulgent, and generally not that good. Plus, his amateurism and lack of experience showed through enough that the audience began to leave after thirty minutes of musical bombast and bad jokes. Better luck next time John.

Still it was an enjoyable weekend. Live music always makes things better. It was refreshing to see a local band that is musically entertaining and technically competent. Gunn is worth checking out. And it was an enjoyable night at the Jack Singer where despite a weak opening act, Don Felder showed what a master guitarist he really is.

Support your local musicians.

Cross-posted at: http://pages.videojug.com/pages/18431-Feb-Music-Gunn-and-Don-Felder

"Money For Nothing" Banned ... Really?

One person can make a difference.

In the case of the Dire Strait's song "Money For Nothing," one person was all it took. Radio station CHOZ-FM in St. John's, Newfoundland played the album version of the song. Contained in the second verse are three uses of the word "faggot," and this offended one listener that happened to be a member of the LGBT community. After complaining to the radio station and receiving an unsatisfactory response, an additional complaint was registered with the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC). The CBSC is an organization comprised of broadcast industry professionals that monitor the standards of radio and television broadcasting in Canada. They look for the seven words you can never say on television and radio.

After careful consideration, the CBSC ruled "Money For Nothing" could not be broadcast over the Canadian airwaves. And predictably, the Canadian public went nuts. Cries of censorship went up almost immediately. The CBSC was inundated with emails and phone calls. At least two radio stations played "Money For Nothing" continuously for an hour in protest. It was the end of civilization as we know it.

At first glance, it would seem the CBSC decision was censorship and if not, at least bordering on censorship. In fact, the CBSC has no real power over what is broadcast in Canada. It can label things "not fit for Canadian airwaves," but it has no regulatory or legislative power. That hammer belongs to the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The CBSC can recommend but it cannot enforce.

Plus, after reading the decision it is clear the CBSC neglected certain salient aspects of popular music. The first being context, which the Board claims does not apply to "Money For Nothing." The second is intent, and while the Board agrees that the use of the word "faggot" was not malicious or particularly nasty, it overlooks the circumstance in which the word is used. To smooth out the rough edges, the Board notes that "Money For Nothing" can be played in its edited version -- the version that was played on the radio when the song was initially released in 1987, the version most people have heard since then, and the same version included on Sultans of Swing, the Dire Straits greatest hits album released in 1998. 

So, while on the surface it appears the CBSC is censoring popular music in general and many arguments point to the use of other so-called objectionable words in other forms of popular music, and aside from the ridicule the decision has garnered from other parts of the world, there is no real damage done to Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler (the songwriter), "Money For Nothing," or popular music. Radio stations will continue to play the song, albeit in its edited version which was the one played initially, then the outrage will subside and the world will get back to what it was doing.

Chalk it up to bureaucracy trying to do the right thing.

And that is frightening.

The decision: http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2011/110112.php

Cross-posted at VideoJug: http://pages.videojug.com/pages/18118--Money-For-Nothing-Banned-Really-

The Best of 2010

A new year is upon us. Out with the old and a time for reflection. 2010 had its moments, although for me to pick, say, a top ten of anything would be difficult.

So, with that in mind and in no particular order, here's my list of ten things from 2010 that I think were memorable:

1. Kelly Sutherland wins his 11th Calgary Stampede chuckwagon race championship.
Kelly proves he really is the King.

2. Rosanne Cash, The List and John Fogerty, The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again.
Two albums of cover songs by two of my favourite artists. Once again the old ones do it best.

3. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trilogy.
It has been a long time since a book or books captured my attention like Steig Larsson's trilogy. The second one in particular, The Girl Who Played With Fire, I found impossible to put down.

4. Halo: Reach and Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Two of the most anticipated video games of the year. Halo: Reach is a prequel to the Halo series. It's a good story on top of an exciting shooter game and finishes the series quite satisfactorily. Call of Duty: Black Ops also serves up a satisfying story. Setting these two games apart -- their online experience.

5. The United States of America.
Nothing is quite as entertaining as the U.S. Polarized to the extreme, American politics and the U.S. attitude toward religion made for some awe inspiring moments. John Boehner, Republican senator and newly elected Speaker of the House, thinks the U.S. has the best health care system in the world, advocates for tax cuts for the rich, and then cries about it. Sarah Palin makes up words and claims that because Shakespeare coined words and phrases then she should be able to as well. Senator John McCain remains wildly homophobic and opposes the repeal of the U.S. military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy regarding gays in the military, despite having a gay daughter. Crackpot christian ministers brand Islam evil and threaten to burn the Qu'ran along with protesting the building of a mosque in New York City at "Ground Zero," even though it is nowhere near "Ground Zero." Creationists build an amusement park in Kentucky based on Noah's ark in an effort to legitimize creationism and debunk evolution. Dancing With The Stars, 'nuff said. There's more but this is a short list.

6. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
This environmental disaster exposed British Petroleum, or BP as they now like to be called, as the charlatans they are. In interviews, former CEO Tony Hayward and current CEO Bob Dudley come across as out of touch and sociopathic, concerned more about their shareholders than the 29 people BP killed at its facilities and the millions of litres of oil that spewed into the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster.

7. The Beatles on iTunes.
Apple vs. Apple. Finally after years of legal wrangling over brand names, royalties, and cost, Apple Records and Apple Computers reach an agreement and Beatles' music is available for download. Praise the Fab Four and pass the iPad.

8. The Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Despite an ominous start brought on by the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, the 2010 Winter Olympics is lauded as one of the most successful. Canada pulls off an amazing show gathering more gold medals in these games than ever before and proving the dominance of Canadian hockey.

9. The discovery of new life and the possibility of extra-terrestrial life.
Scientists discover bacteria that processes arsenic and a planet is discovered in the so-called "Goldilocks zone" of a distant star. The "Goldilocks zone" is the region of orbital space around a sun where it's not too cold and not too hot, in other words, just right for harbouring life. Maybe.

10. The election of Naheed Nenshi as mayor in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Nenshi is the first Indian and Muslim politician to be elected in ultra-conservative Alberta. Even surprising himself, Nenshi struck a chord with many people in Calgary handily beating rivals former city alderman Rick McIvor, "Dr. No" as he is known because of his predilection to vote no to new legislation and policy, and former news anchor Barb Higgins, whose only positive attribute was a nice smile. Nenshi's election made global headlines.

So, that is my list of memorable things in 2010. Now, with the onset of 2011, we can start all over again and hopefully not repeat the mistakes of the past. Personally, I'm looking forward to 2012. Don't forget the world will be ending then according to the Mayan calendar and everyone knows how accurate the Mayan calendar is. Plus, amazingly, it can predict the future. Where's Marty McFly when you need him?

Happy New Year and best wishes to everyone in 2011.

Cross-posted at VideoJug: http://pages.videojug.com/pages/17349-The-Best-of-2010

The Unifying Force of Christmas Music

For many people in North America and elsewhere, December is the Christmas season. Some celebrate Christmas with religious traditions and some use non-religious ones. Regardless of secular or sacred celebrations, the one thing in common is music. Christmas songs. There is also a divide between secular and sacred Christmas music. But in spite of this divide, there is considerable overlap as musical bridges provide a means of traversing between the secular world and the sacred world while maintaining a foothold in the chosen belief system. In other words, “Jingle Bells” is sung by religious people just as often as “Joy To The World” is sung by non-religious ones.

Of course the music we hear during the holidays is only played once a year, and it is ubiquitous during this time. The variations and renditions of traditional Christmas songs coupled with newer compositions are played everywhere. Stores, malls, TV, radio, ads on TV and radio--the recognizable strains of every Christmas song permeate the cacophony of daily life.

It is, however, a limited playlist. Compared, for example, to blues songs, there are few different Christmas songs. It’s always the same songs done by a variety of different artists in different styles. What are lacking are new contemporary Christmas songs. There are some written in the twentieth century but only a chosen few attain the status of being accepted into the canon of public recognition. How many people sit around and sing Run-DMC’s “Christmas In Hollis” or John Prine’s “Christmas In Prison”? My guess is there’s more Prine. It’s easier to play.

But there is a plethora of contemporary artists doing their version of popular Christmas songs. John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, and Madonna come to mind. This is coupled with the traditional Christmas music performed by contemporary artists and what we have is new sounding Christmas music but no new Christmas music. In my humble opinion, one of the best Christmas songs written in the twentieth century is “Please Come Home For Christmas.” The song was originally released in 1960 by American blues singer and pianist Charles Brown. It was re-released as a holiday single by the Eagles in 1978. It has stood the test of time and has been frequently covered by other artists; more importantly though, it’s a good song. Divorced from the holiday meaning and on a purely musical level, the song is an excellent composition in its own right. And just like in the pop chart world, a popular Christmas song has to be at first a good piece of music.

Still, it would not be the holiday season without music and what we have is a collection of songs that bring together family, friends, and communities in a common and comfortable musical environment. In fact, it’s advantageous the canon of Christmas music is so small. It results in widespread dissemination and cultural unification. There’s a public “warmth and fuzziness” created by the commonality of music during the holidays. Everyone knows the words. Everyone knows the music, even the most stoic quietly mumbles their way through “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

Gene Autry would be proud.

Cross-posted at VideoJug: http://pages.videojug.com/pages/16504-The-Unifying-Force-Of-Christmas-Music

The Death of the Music Game?

When the music video game Guitar Hero was released in 2005, initially it was looked at curiously and with trepidation. At first it was thought using plastic instrument-shaped controllers to pretend to play the guitar to classic rock and independent tunes would not catch on. Well, it did and GH went on to sell an enormous number of units, and it generated interest among the music community to use the game as a platform to showcase or release new material. The success of GH spawned Rock Band, which took the idea one step further. Whereas GH is only pretend guitar, RB is pretend guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.

For a number of years the music video game industry has enjoyed an explosion of popularity that game developers only dream of. Both GH and RB have multiple versions of the games such as the Aerosmith-branded GH and the Beatles-branded RB. Recently the release of RB3 has upped the ante by offering a "real" music experience. New controllers for RB3 include a keyboard or keytar and stringed guitars that double as controllers and conventional electric guitars. RB3 also touts the fact their "pro" mode is the closest thing to playing a real instrument in a band you can get, without actually playing a real instrument in a band.

But for all the hype and hullaballoo, the music video game industry has possibly contributed to its own demise. Saturation of the market almost never works and in the case of music video games it has been an albatross around the neck of the game developers. With stiff competition from other video game franchises like Call of Duty, Halo, and Grand Theft Auto the music video game industry has found itself wondering what happened. Recent sales figures show a disturbing trend. In 2008, the music video game industry made over 1.6 billion. A year later, in 2009, that figure dropped to half, and in 2010 it is even bleaker. All of the various expansions and versions of both Guitar Hero and Rock Band did not boost sales or popularity, if anything it generated complacency. In essence, no one cares.

The communal, party atmosphere of music video games has been subsumed as well by new gaming platforms. Nintendo's Wii has in a lot of ways, overtaken the privileged position of popularity that GH and RB have enjoyed. The party atmosphere of gameplay that is created by music video games became the party atmosphere created by playing baseball, tennis, bowling, or golf on the Wii. And for a lot of people, having plastic instrument-shaped controllers takes up space and for some, setting up the game and instruments takes time they don't have.

Does the drop in sales preview a complete destruction of the music video game industry? After all, MTV's owners Viacom are dropping Rock Band's developer Harmonix. The company's future is thought to be in the hands of Electronic Arts, a partner in Rock Band. Having said that, even though sales have dropped for the various music video games, they are still profitable and corporations like profit. My humble prediction is that the music video games will settle into a sales routine that is more in keeping with actual popularity. In other words, hype, promotion, and word of mouth propelled video game sales initially. But that has worn off and now what's left are the consumers that actually enjoy playing the games and derive some musical satisfaction from them.

Music video games do foster an interest in playing a real instrument and while their popularity has diminished, the games still sell -- albeit not as much as previously. Plus, the Rock Band Network has emerged as a vehicle for releasing new material from established artists and showcasing independent artists. It is possible for songwriters to upload their own tracks to the Rock Band Network, thereby generating sales (you have to buy the tracks) and exposure that they would not ordinarily have access to. The new album from Pearl Jam, Backspacer was released on RB and along with an exclusive deal with Target stores, the band managed to release the album without a major label. Plus, in the works are deals with other artists for the Rock Band Network, and this has opened up opportunities for sales and promotion that eschews major label pathology.The music industry is changing.

It will be interesting to observe the consequences of declining sales on one hand and increased interest in using the platforms to release new material on the other. Still, music video games can be a lot of fun to play and they are a great way to preview new songs and artists that may never have had the exposure that the games generated.

I predict that music video games will be around for some time to come. Their supposed demise might be premature and given the interest by a considerable number of established artists, music video games might become the new AM radio -- all the hits all the time. And best of all, you can "play" them too.

Crossposted at VideoJug: http://pages.videojug.com/pages/15161-The-Death-of-the-Music-Game-

A Moment Of Silence For the Sony Walkman

It has happened. After some thirty years, Sony has discontinued production of the cassette Walkman. For those old enough to remember, the Walkman was the first portable music device. It is the forefather of the iPod. It allowed us for the first time to carry our music with us. It created a personal, isolated world, a soundtrack for life. It changed the way we listen to music.

Previous to the Walkman, listening to music was a static activity. Record players are not that portable, and while portable record players that played 45s did exist, it was a huge hassle to gather up the records and pack up the turntable just so you could listen to records at your friend's house. Plus, you needed headphones if you wanted to listen in private and headphones were a luxury that few had or could afford.

The first Walkman appeared in 1979. It came equipped with a faux leather carrying case and headphones. The buttons were big and chunky and it had second headphone jack so two people could listen. Battery life was about three hours. It was originally marketed in the US as the Soundabout, but trademark difficulties necessitated Sony use the name Walkman worldwide, thereby creating a popular culture icon. Incredibly Sony has sold over 200 million units since the device was introduced.

In the early 1980s, the Walkman turned the cassette into the dominant format, outselling LPs. With the ubiquity of home cassette recorders, consumers could create their own so-called mix tapes by cherry picking favourite songs off albums. Blank cassette sales soared and the record companies countered by releasing new albums on high-quality tape complete with liner notes printed so small you needed a magnifying glass to read the lyrics and production credits.

The Walkman morphed into other models like the Sport Walkman that was designed for joggers and outdoor use. It was even waterproof. Scuba divers listened to music. Just kidding. There was a version that had an AM/FM radio and one that could record as well as play back. It was a Walkman with a radio that provided my contact with the outside world during the Great Blackout of 2003, when the northeastern corner of the US and southern Ontario suffered a huge power failure.

While Sony has stopped manufacturing the cassette Walkman, the CD version will still be available along with third-party knockoffs. But for many, the Walkman will fondly live on, if only vicariously through an iPod. 

Fun Has Six Strings

Guitar instruction has become big business. There's a proliferation of "how-to" methods that all, obviously, teach essentially the same thing. From printed tablature anthologies of the latest and greatest songs to Internet tab sites and YouTube videos, from guitar magazines and instructional DVDs to Estoban and iPhone apps, guitar instruction is readily available. And much of it is free.

This plethora of guitar instruction materials and methods got me thinking what effect this field of fretted pedagogy will have. I'm all in favour of someone learning to play a musical instrument. It's good for you. And now with all these ways to learn how to play the guitar, anyone with a modicum of talent can manage to bang out a few chords and amaze and astound their friends.

I am a self-taught guitarist. Compared to what is available today, in 1969 when I started it was a wasteland. There were printed guitar instruction methods like the venerable Alfred's series and the odd guitar teacher here and there, but that was it. I had a book and a guitar and a burning desire to be a musician. So, I taught myself how to read music notation and how to play a few chords and rapidly chewed through the meagre amount of materials I had. In order to go any further, I realized that I would have to resort to figuring out songs off records and the radio. In the beginning, a hugely daunting task that I was not looking forward to. It seemed impossible. How was I supposed to listen to a record and then magically play what I heard?

I discovered the technique of playing and re-playing the song over and over painstakingly trying different chords until I found the ones that fit. When it came time to learn how to play lead guitar, this skill was even more necessary. Eventually it became easier to do and, during my tenure as a road musician, it continued to be the way I learned songs. I was not the only one either. Every band and musician used the same method. The recording had gained supremacy as the primary text.

Fast forward to the present. Today's novice guitarist has, as I said, a vast amount of resources available. Whereas once upon a time I would have had to play a song like "Magic Carpet Ride" over and over to figure out what the guitar is doing, the new guitarist today can Google how to play it. Technology even makes it possible to slow down audio tracks without pitch loss to help decipher a rapid-fire guitar solo like Randy Rhodes' masterpiece in "Crazy Train." A far cry from hearing the solo and trying to reproduce it in real time, something that takes a lot of practice and is not easy to do. Moreover, the difficulty of this can be seen as a contributing factor to the rise of the fore-mentioned Internet tab sites and anthologies.

The "play it again" method helps develop the musical ear among other things. Popular music is formulaic and familiar patterns emerge after repeated listening. Something heard in one song can many times be found in others. Some songs cross genres and styles, so inadvertently by learning a rock song, for example, it's possible to learn the blues or country at the same time. As a result, listening to music takes on a whole new meaning. Songs become aurally deconstructed to reveal their musical secrets. There is much to be said for doing it this way.

You would think with the materials available there would be more people playing the guitar. But regardless of the amount or quality of guitar instruction, the simple fact remains that in order to play any instrument, one truism rises above the rest. You have to practice and unless you're a musical prodigy, the pay-off takes time. While today's guitar instruction methods have not resulted in measurably more people seriously playing the guitar, they have fostered a new sort of "hobby" guitarist. This guitarist can play a few chords, wank out a passable version of the "Sunshine Of Your Love" riff, and almost knows at least five songs. Almost. The hobby guitarist picks up his or her guitar now and then, using it more for relaxation or something to do to kill some time.

So, the hobby guitarist is what's driving the guitar as big business. And having more people interested in music education can only be beneficial, not only to the students but to the teachers and other musicians as well. Learning to play the guitar can create opportunities to hear a diverse amount of new music and, at the same time, generate an appreciation for styles that may otherwise be ignored. Whether it's learning by ear or by some other method, playing the guitar or any instrument can be immensely rewarding as a means of relaxation, a way of creative expression, or just plain enjoyment.

"I don't want you to play me a riff that will impress Joe Satriani; give me a riff that makes a kid want to go out and buy a guitar and learn to play." -Ozzy Osbourne

In Praise Of The Yellow Pages

This post is slightly off topic. "Talking About Music and Stuff" is the subtitle of this blog, so file this post under "Stuff."

The other day something showed up on my doorstep. I was quite excited to see it and I always enjoy its arrival. I'm talking about the new phone book. More specifically, the new Yellow Pages. Imagine, every business in the city listed categorically and alphabetically. Need a starter for your car? The "Used Auto Parts" section is the place to check.

Now, some of the younger generation, who shall remain anonymous for the purposes of this post, think the Yellow Pages and the white pages are out of date. Why bother with the bulkiness of these books when you can find the same information on the Internets?

You know, it is a good point. Why bother? Well, despite the fact the Yellow Pages website may purport to have the same information as the printed version, I don't think that's true. My results, when I search yellowpages.ca, seem fewer than the listings in the printed version. I haven't counted them, but it seems the local listings are lacking on the website. There are, however, a lot of national ads. No help there.

And then there's the time it takes to boot up what ever device you use to do your stuff on the Internets, whether it's a computer, an iPad, or a smartphone; it takes time to wake the thing up, start the browser, type in the address, search, look through the results, and not find what you're looking for. And if you're spelling challenged it can take even longer. On the other hand, I can find what I need from the printed Yellow Pages in less time than it takes on an electronic device.

I also realize that getting rid of the printed Yellow Pages makes environmental sense. It's got to take a lot of paper to print all those copies. And I realize that eventually the printed Yellow Pages will end up in the same place as the drive-in movie theatre, rotary dial telephone, VCR, and other technology past its Best Before date.

But, until the Yellow Pages appears on my doorstep no more - long live the Yellow Pages! (the book not the website that is)

Just sayin'.

Has The Internet Really Destroyed Rock Music?

The Internet has taken a bashing lately from old rockers John Mellencamp (nee: John Cougar Mellencamp, nee: John Cougar) and Stevie Nicks (ex-Fleetwood Mac). Both assert the Internet is destroying rock music. Mellencamp thinks the Internet is more dangerous than an atomic bomb and Nicks thinks the online music industry stifles talent.

Neither of these artists really have to use the Internet. Mellencamp and Nicks have already had successful careers that were established under the old music industry regime. The A&R (Artist & Repertoire) person finds the new act either by solicited demo tapes or the chance meeting in a nightclub. The new act is signed to a major label, the promotion machine kicks in, the Great Unwashed gobbles up the product, and voila, a star is born.

While that may have worked twenty years ago, in today's world that does not hold true. It is not necessary to be signed to a major label or to avail oneself of the promotion and distribution that a major label offers. It is possible to build a successful music career from a grassroots or cottage industry base that is entirely online. Independent artists and labels can now have global distribution simply by offering the music for sale at a website such as eMusic or AmieStreet. Perhaps the poster child for a successful music career that is entirely Internet-driven is Jonathan Coulton. Coulton writes geek rock, which is, I think, the best description of his music. He regularly draws a substantial audience to his shows, has a considerable online catalogue for sale, and produces his own DVDs. In addition to the online sales, he sells product at his concerts and has managed to garner considerable interest from online press such as Wired and ArsTechnica.

Mellencamp and Nicks are acting like curmudgeons. All that is missing is for them to yell "Get off my lawn you rotten kids!" As well, their comments are based more on aesthetics, or what they consider "good" rock music, than anything else. Maybe they don't like the new rock acts or the new rock music, but that doesn't mean the Internet is at fault. The Internet is a tool for musicians, plain and simple. No, you don't have to slog it out in the clubs or on the road anymore. Paying your musical dues means something different today. No longer is it the months and years of playing before the awesomeness of signing to a major label, in fact the opposite is true. Bands can be signed with no live experience at all (I'm looking at you Everclear). That doesn't mean they perform well live though, there is something to be said for years in the clubs. But it does mean that the Great Unwashed potentially has access to the music in a manner that dwarfs what the traditional major label paradigm can offer.

There's a whiff of Luddite in what Mellencamp and Nicks have to say too. Plenty of folks over 50 can only and barely check their email, let alone figure out how to upload songs to a website or create a website of their own. Perhaps if Mellencamp and Nicks were starting their careers they might have a different attitude toward the Internet. Given the questionable accounting practices of the major labels, one would think they would welcome a new way to sell and promote their music that is driven by them and not some multinational entertainment conglomerate. I guess it's the "old dog new tricks" adage come to life.

I wish we had the Internet when I was on the road. It used to cost around $4000.00 to record and manufacture a 45. But just because you had a 45 didn't mean you got airplay either. When Killer Tumbleweeds released "When The Rain Comes" as a single, we managed to get airplay in the US, but here in Canada, all we got was criticism about the production values. As if a radio DJ in Peace River would know how much reverb is needed on the voices. Most radio DJs I have met are a "good voice" and that's it. Suffice to say, Killer Tumbleweeds received no airplay in Canada. Thanks for the support.

So, has the Internet destroyed rock music? Hardly. If anything the Internet has diversified rock music. The traditional gatekeepers no longer have control and there is plenty of new and exciting music available. Music hybrids are cropping up, musicians that otherwise would remain in obscurity now have a place to be seen and heard, and global distribution is all but guaranteed. All that is required is an Internet connection and a MySpace account. 

It is harder, however, to separate the wheat from the chaff, but more choices are better than fewer choices. The "old" music industry offered fewer choices, the "new" music industry offers more, and that's a good thing. Mellencamp and Nicks are off-base and showing their age. I mean really. "Pink Houses" and "Don't Stop" only go so far.

While you're at it, check out my MySpace page. Got some tunes posted there.

It Takes A Lot Of Years To Play Classic Rock, Or Does It?

Back from my self-imposed summer hiatus, I have some not earthshaking news. Randy Bachman and Fred Turner have reunited to form Bachman & Turner, a kind of twenty-first century BTO revival. They have released a new album Bachman & Turner with the first single "Rock And Roll Is The Only Way Out" being an anthemic, Kiss-style rocker complete with chantable chorus, "Whoa oh, rock and roll is the only way out." [pump fist appropriately here]

I'm not trying to promote the album but rather it serves as a segue to the real point of this post. Mike Ragogna of the Huffington Post interviewed Randy and Fred. Randy is asked about the retro BTO sound of the songs on Bachman & Turner, to which he replies, "I wanted to give them a taste of new classic rock, as if it was '77. You can't do that with guys in their twenties. It's almost like blues, where if you want really great blues, you've got to get a Buddy Guy or somebody who is of a certain age and has lived it. It's hard to get somebody twenty-two and really get an authentic evening or a whole album of blues because they're only touching on it, they've only just started the journey."

This got me thinking. Is Randy right? Does it take similar life experiences as playing blues to authentically play classic rock? This would mean classic rock has become a unique genre, like blues or country music. Never mind that classic rock encompasses several genres ranging from singer/songwriters like Elton John, Billy Joel, and James Taylor to bands like Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and Grand Funk Railroad. With all the genres and sub-genres, classic rock is a massive style of music. If you think of it that way.

But, Randy is not thinking of classic rock as this monolithic genre, rather he is suggesting that, like blues, in order to play which ever genre of classic rock you choose, there must be a degree of authenticity that can only come from individual life experience and years of practice and performance. That ephemeral degree of authenticity is what makes a performance "real." In the words of Jerry Doucette, "He's too young for the blues, he's still inside his first pair of shoes."*

Now, Randy is not entirely off-base with his statement. Anyone can play the blues. How many times have you seen a new or amateur band play a questionable cover of Cream's "Crossroads" or any other blues song for that matter? The parts are there but something is missing. That missing "something" is the small degree of authenticity that seasoned musicians have. And this is what Randy is alluding to. Being a seasoned musician means playing countless hours and umpteen songs. Practicing. Practicing. Practicing. Paying dues in crummy clubs. Being shafted by club owners, managers, record companies, and other musicians. Living the life. Dreaming the dream. Not everyone can pull that off nor does everyone have the desire to.

It does take particular performance practice techniques to ensure that the music being played conforms to what is expected for that genre. In other words, you have to play the guitar or any other instrument a certain way for blues and a different way for country. Each genre has its own rhythms, song structures, riffs, and melodic characteristics. In fact, this applies to every genre and style of music.

Certainly new styles can be created by amalgamation or cross-pollenization, but this is not what Randy is talking about. He means experience. And again, this applies to all music. Seasoned musicians are a pleasure to hear. They impart emotion and give the illusion that their musicianship is effortless. They know the value of playing "in the pocket" and their playing makes people dance, or at least want to. Seasoned playing is what people expect.

For much of the Great Unwashed, classic rock is musical comfort food. It's what they grew up with and what they still enjoy. And while there are numerous bar bands, wedding bands, party bands, weekend bands, basement bands, garage bands, and jam bands playing classic rock songs, it takes that certain type of musician to authentically recreate, or even create, the classic rock music experience - at least in the way some people remember it. 

You'll know it when you hear it. 
 
*"Mama Let Him Play" by Jerry Doucette (1977)

Remembering a Calgary Stampede Tradition

The Stampede has started in Calgary, Alberta. That venerable time of year when the city goes from urban to rural overnight. Wannabe cowboys appear everywhere, storefronts are decorated with barn boards and hay bales along with the requisite "yahoo" painted on the windows. Pancake breakfasts abound. This year there is an iPhone app that will find the elusive flapjack feasts. Maple syrup fans rejoice. Country music oozes out of stores, cars, and bars. The city fixes the roads. Okay, I was kidding with that last one.

Stampede's arrival used to mean the arrival as well of the Big Downtown Cabaret. A past hallmark of Stampede festivities, the Big Downtown Cabaret (BDC) was a popular meeting place, a keep-the-buzz-going-after-the-Stampede-bbq-at-work place. The BDC was a place where you could create Stampede stories that would be told and retold for years to come. "Remember when you [insert embarrassing activity here]?" It was a place where you could become someone else for a few hours. A someone that only comes out at night during Stampede. A someone that drinks beer from a cowboy boot.

There once was more than one BDC. And they had fanciful, good-time-will-be-had-by-all names such as The Golden Garter and The Silver Slipper. And the people would start queuing up as early as 2 pm. Doors open at 6. These BDCs were essentially big, empty boxes, convention areas in downtown hotels, filled for the occasion with tables, chairs, and "country" decorations. Usually three or four bands would provide the two-stepping fun. People would dance and throw up. A good time was had by all. The BDCs were the place to go.

Times changed and the BDCs moved from the downtown hotel convention facilities to downtown nightclubs. Cowboys erected a tent beside their building which added another 2000 or so drunken patrons to the already filled to capacity nightclub. Other nightclubs followed suit. There were lots of good bands playing. There was lots of beer. Good times continued to be had by all. 

Then Cowboys lost its lease.The owners tried to open another Cowboys a few blocks from its original location but downtown merchants wouldn't have it. "We don't want the trouble that comes with nightclubs," they said. "We are scared," they meant. The gentrification of Victoria Park, the area around the Stampede grounds, was in full swing. Another nightclub BDC conveniently located two blocks from Stampede Park was swallowed up by city appropriation. And with that, BDCs disappeared. Good times too. Now where can people go to gather and collectively get as drunk as possible? What can be used as the excuse for calling in sick at work the next day? Where do you go to hear Hank Williams' songs?

The end of the Big Downtown Cabarets is the end of a unique time in Calgary when live music was king, especially during the Stampede. This is not to say that live music has entirely disappeared during Stampede week, there are still bands and singers playing here and there, but the ubiquity of live music during Stampede has substantially dwindled. In a lot of ways it's too bad. The BDCs were the reason people went downtown. Stampede was sure to vitalize not only the hotels that hosted the BDCs but also the restaurants and other clubs in the vicinity. They were a destination. They added an atmosphere of decadence and depravity, a kind of safe walk on the Dark Side, complete with boots and hat. In short, they were a lot of fun, not only for the wannabe cowboys but the musicians that played them.

Here's to the Big Downtown Cabarets. May they rest in peace.

Festival Express: Rockin' Across The Country

Canada Day. July 4th. Big celebrations at the start of the summer. Woodstock, Monterey Pop, and Altamont Speedway, big rock festivals that have become symbols of the counter-culture and hippiedom. This weekend marks the 30th anniversary of another big celebration and festival - Festival Express. While the other festivals cemented their place in popular music history, Festival Express quietly slipped into obscurity.

What's Festival Express you ask? Well, it was a cross-country concert train that travelled from Toronto to Calgary, Alberta and included some of the more famous groups and singers of the time. Imagine The Band (above right), Grateful Dead (right), Janis Joplin (below), Mashmakan, Tom Rush, Buddy Guy, Ian and Sylvia, Delaney and Bonnie, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Mountain, Traffic, and a host of others gathered together at the same time. All the musicians were sequestered on a Canadian National Railways train and they travelled across the Canadian Shield and the prairies. They jammed together, drank together, and hallucinated together all in the name of freedom, peace, and musical goodwill. Sounds fantastic I know, but it really happened.

Festival Express was supposed to begin in Montreal on June 24, but the date was cancelled; so instead FE began at the CNE (Canadian National Exposition) grandstand in Toronto on June 27 and 28. Riots occurred during the TO shows largely as a result of Woodstock, the famous festival at Max Yasgur's farm in New York state in 1969. There, over 300,000 people essentially stormed the gates and turned what was originally a ticketed event into a counter-culture love-in (see my previous post on the anniversary of Woodstock). Because Woodstock was ostensibly "free," thousands of concert-goers in TO thought FE should be free too. TO police quelled the uprising adding a black mark to the reputation of the show. The Grateful Dead ended up performing a free concert in Varsity Park to placate the protesters.

From Toronto the train rolled west to Winnipeg, Manitoba for a show on July 1, which was Dominion Day back then not Canada Day. The show went off without a hitch and the train chugged off to Calgary for the July 4 show, which was the last one on the bill. The final show was supposed to be in Vancouver but, like the Montreal show, it was cancelled leaving the McMahon Stadium show in Calgary the final one (video clip below the fold). An amusing event occurred after leaving Winnipeg when the train ran out of liquor. It made a pit stop in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and the musicians descended on the closest liquor store buying all of the Canadian Club rye, among other things, the store had. Restocked and happy, FE trundled on to Cowville.

Financial difficulties plagued the tour from the start and when it was all said and done, the organizers and sponsors, which included Maclean-Hunter and Thor Eaton (remember Eaton's department stores?), lost close to half a million dollars. In Calgary as well, controversy hit again as then-mayor Rod Sykes confronted the promoter Ken Walker demanding the show be free, like Woodstock. Walker, smarting from the financial debacle as it was, responded by punching the mayor in the face.

I remember when FE came to Calgary. I was a young, impressionable teenager that just started playing the guitar. As I recall, tickets were around $14.00 or $15.00, which was pricey for the time, and there was no way my parents would let me attend a festival that had The Band, Grateful Dead, and Janis Joplin. Horror of Horrors! So, despite the best laid plans of me and my best friend (his parents wouldn't let him go either), attending FE ended up being something we wished we could have attended.

Festival Express faded into oblivion until 2003, when the movie Festival Express premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Originally, the tour was filmed and the audio recorded for a concert movie and soundtrack album, again like Woodstock. But this was not to be as the film production company went bankrupt. The original film footage was lost and then discovered gathering dust in the garage of Gavin Poolman, son of Willem Poolman the producer of the 1970 footage. Anecdotal evidence reveals the film cans were used in a quintesstially Canadian way - as goalposts for road hockey games. Apropos? I think so.

Festival Express (the movie) is a valuable piece of popular music history. Mostly because of the performances and partly due to the fact the Calgary show was one of the last concerts that Janis Joplin would ever play. She died of a heroin overdose in October of 1970 a scant two months after FE (note: Joplin's last performance was August 12, 1970 with The Full Tilt Boogie Band at Harvard Stadium in Boston). Festival Express (the movie) is available on DVD and comes loaded with a host of extras such as concert performances not featured in the film along with commentaries by musicians, journalists, and academics. My Ph.D. supervisor Rob Bowman gives his usual astute analyses in the movie, for me this is worth the price of admission alone.

Festival Express (the DVD) is available at HMV, Chapters, and Amazon for less than twenty dollars. If you haven't added it to your collection, I highly recommend you do so. Festival Express (the DVD) is entertaining and enlightening, plus seeing and hearing these artists is a walk down memory lane you won't soon forget. And it's educational for the youngsters that have no idea about these artists or the movie.

Festival Express. Only in Canada, eh? Sweet.


Check out this performance of Janis Joplin doing "Tell Mama" in Calgary.

Happy Birthday LP and The Ten Best Album Covers Of All Time

June 21 marks an auspicious day in popular music history. 62 years ago, June 21, 1948, Columbia Records introduced the world to the twelve-inch, 33 1/3 rpm, long-playing vinyl record, forever changing the way we listen to music.

Thomas Edison pioneered the first technology that could preserve a conversation or musical performance in 1877. His wax cylinder "talking machines" were the first devices that allowed recording and playback. In 1889 Emile Berliner perfected the technology and developed flat-disc recording; instead of a cylinder now the records were flat discs that rotated on a turntable. Unlike the wax cylinders, though, recording was not possible on this medium. The flat disc innovation was adopted by the fledgling recording industry and became the standard. The fact that Berliner had a hand in creating the three largest record companies in the world, EMI, Deutsche Grammophone, and RCA Victor, didn't hurt either.

The discs were known as 78s because they rotated at 78 rpm. They were about ten inches in diameter and somewhat fragile. (right) Sound fidelity was the best that could be achieved at the time. Very quickly 78s and the record players, known as grammophones, graphophones, and other "phones," caught on and there was big money to be made.

78s were extremely popular in the early twentieth century. Most households had a grammophone in the living room. Musicians became stars. Songs became hits. Record companies sprang up everywhere. But 78s were limited by the amount of information that could be recorded on a single side. One side of a 78 could only take about three minutes of music or one song.

Since the 1930s, Columbia Records had been working on technology that would allow more recording time and better fidelity. The rotation speed of 33 1/3 rpm had been decided upon and work progressed on reducing the groove size to allow 22 minutes of space per side. (left) Now instead of one song there could be five or six songs per side. Once this had been perfected, Columbia released the first twelve-inch, long-playing record on June 21, 1948. It was a recording of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor performed by Nathan Milstein and the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of New York.

The new long-playing records were slow to catch on initially. Virtually every household already had a grammophone and a collection of 78s, so the technological shift took some time.

In the 1950s, record companies discovered an untapped market in the teenage baby boomers. RCA Victor had countered Columbia's long-playing record with the development of the 45. It was seven inches in diameter and had a giant hole in the center. (right) It too used microgroove technology, but was a throwback to the days of 78s. 45s, so called because of the rotation speed of 45 rpm, could only hold one song per side. The rotation speed of the 45 was not arrived at scientifically either. RCA simply subtracted the rotation speed of the long-playing record from the rotation speed of the 78. 78 minus 33 equals 45. Simple math that changed music.

LPs were commonly a collection of songs by one artist, or a classical work like an opera or concerto. The big seller was the 45, aimed squarely at the youth market. As a result, record companies used the 45 more as a promotion vehicle than to sell an album. Very often the album would not contain the song released as a 45. The 45 or single, was played on the radio and its primary function was to sell the artist. Plus, most teenagers at the time could only afford the single, the album was somewhat cost prohibitive.

By the mid-1960s, the album had evolved into something more than a collection of songs. Helped by the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (1966) and The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) the idea of a narrative thread or concept that ran through the songs on an album became the norm. Now albums could be a cohesive work. Artists could realize creative concepts beyond the pop music platitudes of girls, cars, high school, and love.

Coupled with the narrative paradigm, the idea of the album cover as art also took over. Kick-started by the Sgt. Pepper album, cover design quickly became as esoteric and artful as some of the music. Famous graphic artists like Andy Warhol and Richard Hamilton would lend their talents to creating some of the most iconic album covers.

So, in honour of the LP's birthday, I present my choice for the ten best album covers of all time.

1. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon (1971)

From its gatefold design, to the posters and stickers, the graphic design company Hipgnosis took the idea of cover art to a new level. Hipgnosis would design the covers for almost every Pink Floyd album.

2. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

The one that started it all. How many hours of teenage life have been wasted staring at this cover? It was also the first album to print the lyrics on the cover. Plus it used the gatefold design, which was innovative at the time, and the album included an insert with cut-out mustache and sergeant stripes.

3. Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (1971)

Andy Warhol design complete with real zipper.

4. Cream Disraeli Gears (1967)

The album that almost singlehandedly codified the artistic style of the counter-culture.

5. Joni Mitchell Blue (1971)

Its unique photography technique creates a cover that is evocative of the music.

6. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Deja Vu (1970)

The initial release used textured paper to resemble the cover of a hymnal. The printing was gold-leaf and expensive. The Civil War-era photograph was glued on and expensive as well. The whole project was costly from start to finish but worth it. Platinum worth it.

7. Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

The band name does not appear on the cover nor does the title. Simply known as "Led Zeppelin Four" the cover evokes the folksiness and fantasy of the music.


8. Meatloaf Bat Out Of Hell (1977)

The motorcycle explodes out of the grave, like a bat out of hell. Awesome. Perfect mural for a Chevy van too.


9. The Beatles The Beatles (1968)

Richard Hamilton design. Minimalism at its finest. Known as "the white album" because of the cover, included in the album jacket were four individual colour 8" x 10" photographs of the band and a collage poster.The band name was embossed on the jacket and first pressings had a serial number printed in the bottom right corner.

10. Moody Blues Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971)

A textured cover and fantastic painting. The title is the mnemonic device used to remember the lines on a musical staff.

This is by no means the definitive list, just my top ten favourites.

Feel free to comment. What's your vote for the top ten album covers of all time?