Photo by John Packman - Tag filled background by the Rock Garden
Those dirty $#@!&s have the first of 2 CD release shows tonight at Dal.
They were also featured on the cover of the Dalhousie Gazette this week.
TONIGHT [soon]: Dirty Poets CD release at Ondaatje Hall in the Marion McCain Building is on Jan. 20 @ 8 p.m. Tickets are $20/$15 with student ID.
Near Future: Seahorse Tavern, Jan. 26, @ 10 p.m., with The Grass & Ryan McGrath.
You can hear some new music on their MySpace page.
FCC Seriously Considering Indie Music Requirement was the title of a post on Hypebot the other day.
Interesting proposal.
CANCON is the result of a Canadian broadcasting policy to ensure a wide range of programming that reflects Canadian attitudes, opinions, ideas, values and artistic creativity, by displaying Canadian talent in entertainment programming [in addition to radio it also applies to television, pay TV, etc.].
When most people speak of CANCON though they are referring directly to the requirements or quotas in place to ensure Canadian content is included in play lists on radio [TV programming etc.]. Currently commercial radio content must be composed of at least 35% Canadian selections [college and community radio have their own requirements].
Additional information regarding CANCON can be found at the CRTC [Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Division] Canadian Content area
Just as Canadian content rules have helped the music industry in that country flourish, independent music requirements could be a boon to the indie sector in the US. - Hypebot
True, but CANCON has certainly had its detractors on pretty well all sides from:
radio, who in 2006 they attempted to have the 35% quota reduced to 25% [there have been calls in the past to completely scrap the system as well]
to artists
Frankly, Avril Lavigne doesn’t need government legislation to receive radio airplay in Canada or anywhere else in the world. The songs of Sarah McLachlan, Nickelback and Celine Dion are heard in many countries around the world and will be played on our airwaves regardless of their nationalities. They are fully developed artists and are profitable, sustainable entities. In short, they’ve made it.
Canadians are proud of our international stars, yet surely, the point of creating CANCON (forcing radio stations to play more Canadian music) was not to merely pad the airplay of international superstars and the profits of U.S. based record companies.
CANCON was constructed around a sound idea. More radio play for homegrown artists would mean more musicians, more instrument sales, more rehearsal spaces, more recording studios, more managers, more promoters, more labels, more record stores, more fans of Canadian music, etc…
When Shania Twain gets a spin on Canadian radio today, it does none of the above. CANCON’s current formulas are undercutting the very foundation on which it was created.
From letsfixcancon.ca
to music fans in general.
Personally, I’m more interested in hearing good music than being force fed half-assed tripe just because it’s Canadian and it will fill a necessary quota.
- via Craptastic
The proposal put forward stems from:
a staff proposal that could resolve the agency’s investigation into payola allegations between the record labels and major radio broadcasters, according to industry and government sources.
While details of the Enforcement Bureau’s proposal were sketchy, sources said that radio station groups would be required to set aside a certain amount of airtime for music produced independently.
It was unclear how the airtime deal would work and what would qualify as “independently produced” music, but the sources said that some of the commissioners are concerned about the major labels’ ability to dominate the airwaves.
One of the concerns is whether the airtime component has real teeth or is a paper tiger that allows indie music to be aired when no one is listening.
Read the full report
That last point above can easily be addressed via a clause similar to the one existing for CANCON:
To ensure that Canadian selections are played during periods of high listening, at least 35% of popular music selections broadcast between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, must be Canadian selections.
If this goes through it will be interesting to see exactly how it is implemented and what type of response there is from independent labels and artists.
Posted in Advice on 01.18.07 20:48 In the coming weeks, perhaps days even, I’ll be announcing a trail project aiming to get east coast bands more exposure outside the region. It’s nothing revolutionary*, but I do believe it can stand as a good opportunity for bands that are part of it. The trial will run in March and there are a number of issues that will determine whether or not the project is ongoing.
[*truthfully I’m still pretty damn excited]
As that will all be announced at a later date, the real point of this post is a piece of advice I was given that a) works and b) makes things [like the above project] happen.
Summed up in one word so you can’t forget it: Ask
If there is something you want, ask for it. Whether it is an opportunity to have your band play a show with a specific band, someone you want to join your band or start one with or perhaps an individual you would like as a business partner it’ll never happen until you ask.
What’s the worst that could happen? The person/people at hand could say no. What have you lost? I’ve never gone into an interview nervous as my mindset was I don’t have anything to lose so why stress over it. [Does not apply to people who have placed themselves in a situation where they DESPERATELY need the job/any job – just don’t do that though].
Ignorance and innocence to me are great things especially in business. I know I’ve made requests that have likely made people question whether they should even be doing business with me, but you know what, even the one person who said exactly that to me, wanted to work with me because he saw I was ambitious, had enough ideas to compensate for any that needed adapting over time and he assumed based on my current work schedule/success to date that I was hard working.
With asking you can’t be afraid of failure. I’ve failed plenty of times at plenty of things. And I will again. So what! Its part of life no matter what you do.
In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on. –Robert Frost
That was one of the hardest lessons I have ever learned in life [for completely non-business related reasons]. But it applies to this topic directly. Once you accept that there are worse things to be called than a failure you can find yourself extremely liberated. And once there you can start thinking crazy ideas, then asking people to help you and then when they say yes those ideas don’t seem so crazy anymore.
This year I’ll be doing plenty of asking, for investors, for people to help get those ideas investors are needed for on the go and a number of other music projects that will require someone’s assistance.
I guarantee you this time next year things will be a 100 times different for me, and for the better, than they are now. And it’ll be from asking one person or group at a time to help me, work with me, invest in me, or just give me a chance and until you try it for yourself you’ll never realize how many people are out there willing to help you if you’d only ask.
Yesterday I mentioned Julie Doiron’s new CD, and posted a video for “no more” that wasn’t the actual video. Go back down the page and watch the real deal if you saw one yesterday that was filmed from inside a car. The real video was produced by Colin MacKenzie.
Here’s a review and a link to two additional songs off the new album.
Julie Doiron
Woke Myself Up
(Endearing)
Great art comes from the extremes of emotional experience. Julie Doiron has always been able to channel those passionate depths, having mastered, over the last 20 years, a style of first-person narratives derived from defining moments in her life. But nothing you have heard from her will prepare you for her latest. Woke Myself Up is a beautiful and ultimately heartbreaking listen. These songs reveal someone who is recalling the joys of a loving domestic situation, succumbing to temptation and losing the one closest to her. Perfectly recorded by Rick White, featuring members of Eric’s Trip on all but three songs, it has the eclectic indie-rock feel of an ET album. “Don’t Wannabe/Liked By You,” the most uptempo song, depicts someone initially rejecting unwanted advances only to acquiesce in the end. The title track, a Love, Tara-era acoustic and bass dirge, seems like a calm domestic picture until you realize she’s waking up to escape haunting dreams. The most touching moments come on the wings of quiet reflection. “I Left Town” is a tender account of driving all night through sleet to get home. All of this, considered alongside the final untitled track, essentially a summation in the form of an apology, the whole disc comes into focus. To say that Woke Myself Up is a crowning achievement would be unfair to her back catalogue, but this is arguably Doiron’s best work to date.
Dave Hayden
Dreams of Horses has two songs from the new disc, untitled and I Left Town
Here at The Coast, we are in the process of compiling MP3s, for use on our website when covering and promoting bands. What better way to convey how a band or song sounds, than letting our readers take a listen for themselves? Bearing this in mind, we are inviting and encouraging bands across Halifax to send us an MP3 or two.
The Coast is usually the first to be bashed for the quality of their coverage of local music [or perceived lack thereof] when the chance arises, but when they do something unabashedly right, the response isn’t always as immediate/loud/there. To date the list of bands who have submitted music is only on page two. I personally know enough local bands to fill 22 pages.
As far as I’m aware there is no specific requirement to genre, hell they even have a Cover Band category [as well as punk, loud, hip-hop, DJ and pretty well anything else you’d expect to find].
So if you’re a Halifax band, why not take a minute and send your music to:
mp3@thecoast.ca
(Please include band/song name). Maybe they don’t know you’re out there and hearing your music will alert them to your greatness and you’ll be their next cover band. Even if all they can do is include mention in a brief write up that people can hear your music on the site, maybe you’ll find one new local fan. Well worth the time it takes to send an email.
If you’re a music fan, consider this another place online to get a taste of what Halifax musicians are creating. Kudos to the Coast on this one.
The Coast Music Player
Some more news from the Rock:
INDEPENDENT ARTISTS COOPERATIVE ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR THE THIRD ANNUAL ROCK CAN ROLL MUSIC AND MEDIA FESTIVAL AND CONFERENCE – JANUARY 26, 27 AND 28, 2007
Festival Passes available ONLY IN ADVANCE from Fred’s Records - $25 –
after January 15th .
All over downtown St. John’s the weekend of Jan 26 – 28 rocks out as the best of Newfoundland’s independent arts community perform, present and push boundaries in the Third Annual Rock Can Roll Music and Media Festival. Rock Bands, Film Screenings, Performance Art Presentations, Fashion Design, Brainstorming, Discussion.
The RCR Festival celebrates the Newfoundland independent artist. Speakers and performers are also coming in to join us from around the country. Some of our featured events include:
∑ The Coast Guard return from Toronto to their hometown to release their first full length CD – Majestic 10 PM January 27, Brian Byrne (I Mother Earth) joins them with his new independent rock band along with Rayfield, Bob Wiseman and Lizband.
∑ The Nordic Beat present their farewell show at the Ship on Saturday the 27th with Trailercamp, Coast Guard and the Pathological Lovers.
∑ New Brunswick’s Iron Giant, The Heaviest Band in Canada, will be playing bar and all ages shows throughout the weekend
∑ Tough Justice will play the Ship! So will Devastator!
∑ Independent Rock collaborates with independent Fashion Design in Rock The Runway – hosted by Krissy Holmes and featuring the work of local independent designers and local independent bands/artists. Majestic 8 PM Friday January 26.
∑ Bob Wiseman (the Hidden Cameras) will be performing new work involving scoring original films with original live musical performance. Majestic Theatre - Friday and Saturday nights.
∑ Vancouver performance artist and activist Jesse Scott will be presenting at the conference as well as performing an experimental piece on Saturday Night – Multi-Media Night at the Majestic with Bob Wiseman, Amelia Curran, Jesse Scott, Jenny Gear and Hey! Rosetta
∑ Amelia Curran is coming from Halifax.
∑ Steven Kado co-founder of Block Blocks Blocks Recording Club (Final Fantasy, Bob Wiseman, The Hidden Cameras) will be presenting at the Conference at the Majestic on Saturday afternoon
∑ Dogmeat BBQ have a whole new set of songs – Distortion Saturday 27
∑ First Annual Rock Can Roll Fake Awards Show – Finale Event/Multi-Media Cabaret with many guests, screening of Justins Simms’ “Punch Up At A Wedding”. Majestic Theatre. Sunday, January 28th 8:30 PM
A full schedule can be found at:
http://www.independentartistscooperative.com/schedule2007.html
SUNDAY - 1 – 7 PM – CONFERENCE – THE MAJESTIC THEATRE - FREE
1 PM - HOW WE TOUR - Stories from the road with insight into methods
and advice for touring this great country and beyond. Guest Speaker:
Eric Warner (Toronto). Other guests: Neil Conway (St. John’s), PJ
Dunphy (Moncton), Jill Porter (St. John’s), Jon Hynes (St. John’s)
2:30 - CONTRACTS - What is a contract? When do you need one?
Discussion on the definitions and the pros and cons of contracts in a
small scene as well as contracts with bigger entities. Peter Harbin
(St. John’s), Eric Warner (Toronto), Denis Parker, (MusicNL, St.
John’s), Liz Solo (St. John’s)
3:15 - BREAK
3:30 - TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR HANDS - Using technology to spread your
music and share your vision - from home recording to how to pretty up
your myspace page to performing live in virtual environments - home
recording, youtube, myspace, online distribution, virtual performance.
Guest Speaker: Don Levandier (Moncton). Other guests: Liz Solo (St.
John’s), Jimmy Rose (St. John’s/Toronto), Jesse Scott (Vancouver),
Peter Andrews (St. John’s), Eric Warner (Toronto), Montgomery Hall
(St. John’s) and more.
5:00 - INTERACTIVE TOUR MAP/NETWORKING SESSION - Using all the people
in the room we will create a map of the country with
contacts/venues/advice for playing in different cities. This tour map
will go up on the Internet to be added to over time. This session will
also give an opportunity for final networking. All participants and
presenters.
8:30 PM – THE MAJESTIC THEATRE - THE 1ST ANNUAL RCRR FAKE AWARDS SHOW
AND AFTER PARTY - $6 - A celebration of the year in indie rock, arts
and performance. Multi-media Cabaret. Many performances and special
appearances - featuring - Jody Richardson, Liz Solo, Sarah Joy Stoker,
The IAC Players, Bob Wiseman, Susan Kent, Rhiannon Thomas, Oddly
Enough, screenings of local indie media including Justin Simms’ award
winning short film “Punch Up at a Wedding” and much more.
Stay Tuned to
www.nflocals.com
www.independentartistscooperative.com
or
www.rockcanrollrecords.com
For updates and schedules.
In the recent poll for rising east coast acts and its follow up post there was a glaring lack of representation from outside Nova Scotia. That was all addressed in those posts and comments so here’s some of what was missing - a number of links to noted Newfoundland acts.
These were compiled by by one Newfoundland ex-pat Chr!s Sm!th photographer to countless musicians here and there. I’m sure via their friends you can find even more Newfoundland acts to check out.
All link to their MySpace pages. Enjoy!
http://www.myspace.com/trailercamp
http://www.myspace.com/kurodamusic
http://www.myspace.com/thenovaks
http://www.myspace.com/cheriepyne
http://www.myspace.com/markbragg
http://www.myspace.com/furpackedaction - no longer together
http://www.myspace.com/thenordicbeat
http://www.myspace.com/heyrosetta
http://www.myspace.com/lovehijackermusic
http://www.myspace.com/thelizband
http://www.myspace.com/geinusband
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