Have Not Been the Same The Canrock Renaissance 1985-1995

by Barclay, Michael; Jack, Ian A D; Schneider, Jason; Downie, Gordon

• ISBN13: 9781550229929
• ISBN10: 1550229923
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-06-01
• Publisher: Ecw Press

Summary

Capturing the spirit of Canadian rock from the late 20th century, this history tells the stories of the musicians and bands that made an indelible mark on Canadian culture and the global stage. Regarded by critics and musicians as the definitive history of the era, this massive tome has been updated to include brand-new interviews and up-to-the-present histories of the bands from Canada's homegrown music industry, including Blue Rodeo, the Tragically Hip, Sarah McLachlan, Sloan, Barenaked Ladies, Daniel Lanois, and many others. Rich, extensive first-person interviews pair with a treasure trove of rare photos in this one-of-a-kind masterpiece, making it one of the seminal works in the field of Canadian music writing and a must-read for any Canadian music fan.

Author Biography

Michael Barclay is a musician and sings on Arcade Fire’s album Funeral. He blogs at Radio Free Canuckistan and has written for a variety of Canadian newspapers and magazines, including CBC.ca, Exclaim!, Eye Weekly, Magnet, and Maclean’s, where he currently works. He lives in Toronto, Ontario. Ian A. D. Jack is a teacher and songwriter. He records and performs with the Loft Party and Headpets. He lives in Port Hope, Ontario. Jason Schneider is a writer whose work can regularly be seen in Exclaim! He has been a contributor to the Globe & Mail, the Toronto Star, and many other publications. He is the author of 3,000 Miles and Whispering Pines. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario. Gordon Downie is a Canadian rock musician and a writer. He is the lead singer and lyricist for the Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip. He lives in Kingston, Ontario.

Table of Contents

Disclaimer	p. ix
Foreword	p. xi
Overture: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere	p. 1
In 1985, tears are not enough to rescue Canadian music
punks and folkies go DIY
Stompin' Tom brings it all back home
recording technology breeds indie boom
the children of CanCon come home to roost
Did You Get My Message on the People's Radio?: CBC, Campus Radio, Muchmusic	p. 25
The CBC's Brave New Waves and Night Lines build new alternative communities
the dawn of campus radio
MuchMusic's videos spawn the radio stars
Glittering Prizes and Endless Compromises	p. 53
Og Records connect the country with It Came From Canada
Barenaked Ladies' indie cassette changes the rules
Lowest of the Low battle the industry
major labels give former indie stars vanity labels
Sonic Unyon builds an empire
the Inbreds reap the rewards of the CanRock Renaissance
Under The Volcano: The Fallout of Vancouver Punk	p. 76
The careening career of Art Bergmann
Bob Rock goes from the Payolas to ushering heavy metal into the mainstream
NoMeansNo makes hardcore an artform
Slow spawns grunge then takes on David Geffen as Copyright
Folk of the Eighties: Montreal	p. 114
Men Without Hats and Rational Youth capture Cold War nightlife with the punk underground
Gerard Van Herk and Tony Dewald go primitive with Deja Voodoo
the Asexuals, the Nils and the Doughboys break out beyond city walls
Voivod escape a Northern Quebec factory town and become Montreal metal gods
Yeah, It Matters: Change of Heart and Post-Punk Toronto	p. 170
Young art school punks form Change of Heart
A Neon Rome dabble in the dark side of rock mythology and nearly become casualties
Elvis Mondays create a community
Bruce McDonald sets out to document A Neon Rome and ends up with Roadkill
Northern Wishes & Visionary Flounders	p. 202
The Rheostatics take a self-conscious Canadiana approach to art rock
Jane Siberry's technological folk transforms into spiritual soul
Look People's Jaymz Bee embodies Toronto's comedic id
the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir find soul salvation
Mary Margaret O'Hara labours over a singular masterpiece and retreats under pressure
Dale Morningstar tosses out the rulebook in Dinner Is Ruined
What Are We Fighting For?: The Outsiders	p. 258
Andrew Cash gives Canadian punk a social conscience
Skydiggers turn back the clock to help cope with hard times
Bruce Cockburn embraces activism and finds a wider audience than he has ever known
Spirit of the West leads the charge for Celtic music and topical songwriting
the Pursuit of Happiness battle political correctness
Acadian Driftwood: The Creation of the Daniel Lanois Sound	p. 295
The Lanois brothers open Grant Ave. Studios
Daniel meets Brian Eno and shifts from recording folk artists to new wave bands
Luba, Parachute Club and Martha and the Muffins are early clients
Lanois indelibly alters modern music production via his international client base
Crash Vegas, Junkhouse and SIANspheric follow the Lanois example
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse	p. 333
Neil Young reclaims his rightful place as the father of Canadian rock
13 Engines borrow the Crazy Horse template to forge their own powerful sound
54 40 seek success in America but instead discover they can't escape their roots
the songs of Hayden, Weeping Tile and Treble Charger echo Young's painful honesty, but for a new generation
Folk You: Roots Revisited	p. 366
Handsome Ned tries to bring traditional country to Queen St
Cowboy Junkies' mutant Queen St. blues somehow ends up selling millions
k.d. lang tries to subvert the mainstream with cowpunk and gives up
Jr. Gone Wild's fusion of punk and country struggles to fit into either camp
The Importance of Being Sloan	p. 419
Jay Ferguson and Chris Murphy meet in Kearney Lake Rd
Sloan create a bidding war and ignite the Halifax Pop Explosion
battling their major label over Twice Removed becomes worthy of a Hollywood underdog story
Sloan decide that breaking up is hard to do
the band takes ownership of their career and develop Murderecords
Never Mind the Molluscs: The Halifax Underground	p. 456
Jellyfishbabies show the locals how it's done
the October Game becomes a launch pad for Sarah McLachlan's talents
John Chisholm's Black Pool develops a sense of professionalism in the independent circuit
the search for ôthe next Nirvanaö brings Sub Pop to Halifax and record deals for Eric's Trip, Jale and Hardship Post
the Super Friendz, Rebecca West and Thrush Hermit sustain the explosion
The Path of Thorns: Nettwerk Records	p. 500
Terry McBride's label grows beyond his one-bedroom apartment to become a multi-million-dollar international operation
Moev and Skinny Puppy give the label an early electronic credibility
the Grapes of Wrath and Lava Hay present the folk rock side of the label
Sarah McLachlan moves from Halifax to begin her rise as an international superstar and the label's epicentre
Nettwerk's growing pains cause much of its original roster to splinter as various lawsuits arise
Trust Yourself: Blue Rodeo	p. 546
Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy flirt with new wave and New York City
they come home to find a band and a better music scene
ôTryö becomes a video hit and prom staple
Bob Wiseman's talent can no longer be contained in Blue Rodeo
happy accidents spawn Five Days in July
not-so-happy accidents and turmoil spawn Nowhere to Here
solo albums bring the band back together
Two Solitudes: The Tragically Hip	p. 581
An unlikely garage band from Kingston, Ontario, avoids the cover-band trap
early recordings capture the imagination of young Canadians seeking a band to call their own
Gord Downie develops his poetic talents and becomes the figurehead of the CanRock Renaissance
the Tragically Hip parlay their popularity into a touring festival, curating a definitive collection of the country's top talent
Epilogue: Where The Change Is	p. 622
By the late '90s, the scene's hopes exceed its expectations
delusions of grandeur and a major bankruptcy help sink the scene
creatively adventurous material hits a glass ceiling
even a mainstream songwriter like Ron Sexsmith struggles to have his voice heard
Canada's live scene evaporates
Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the New Pornographers and the Weakerthans find international success on their own terms
the next generation applies lessons learned to an even more productive decade
Selected Cast of Characters	p. 649
Selected Critical Discography	p. 656
Sources	p. 695
Thank Yous	p. 711
Index	p. 715
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