I have always been on the fence with Cancon rules, and my negative views are as follows:
1) censorship. I just didn't like the government telling me (or more specifically radio stations)what I had to listen to.
2) This censorship led to limited music. Growing up I hated hearing the same old Rush song; or the Tea Party again. The radio stations I listened to (unfortunately I kept mainstream growing up), would never have played more underground music of the 90's, because of their limitations. So instead of Pavement and Jane's Addiction and Sonic Youth, we would hear equally abstract, but of lesser quality (IMO) Canadian bands like Bif Naked, Rainbow Butt Monkeys and the Killjoys. Now I lok back and wish I could have been introduced to these American bands at an earlier age.
However, that being said, I look at the vibrant Canadian Music scene and have to attribute it's international success to CANCon of the 90's (and Government's (GoC) influence in promoting Canadian art). Many current artists grew up knowing it was possible to make a career in music by seeing all these semi-successfiul bands from the 90's. The Global influence has furhter made it easier, and the GoC continues to provide positive influence for these acts. CBC radio 3 and it's website is a clear indication of this.
Sorry Gramma, didn't want to keep inidating your thread with this topic.
Just wanted to clarify a couple of things from Brad's comments.
-Yes CanCon does "thrust" certain artists on the radio, but rarely are we deprived of "what's going on in music". If you were listening to Mainstream Radio you were still hearing all the popular artists that were on US radio. Unfortunately we got to hear every Britaney, Backstreet Boys, 'NSYNC, and what not in heavy rotation. We also got to have that stellar lineup interupted every now and then with some Jacksoul or Philosopher KIngs. Those canadian artists were not taking the place of Sonic Youth on Mainstream Radio. Even in the US you weren't regularly getting a healthy dose of SY on Big Rock or Alternative stations. -In both contries these types of sound were available on smaller local stations or college radio. I would also argue that Canada even had it a little better with "The Wedge" being on Much Music @ 3:30pm every Mon-Fri (always a new show). That happened for years, the show has now been reduced to an hour once a week at some vampire hour on the weekend. But durring those years you could always get a major dose of wacky and weird on a mainsteam channel, pretty cool. We also had it better because weird canadian pop bands were on mainstream radio due to CanCon. I was glad to hear Bran Van 3000 next to "Backstreet's Back". -I think the main problem was that you were (as many of us were at a certain time I suppose) only exposed to mainstream radio, and CanCon or no CanCon, you weren't gonna get any "%100" on those stations. Certainly a few underground bands (I am being liberal here) showed up on pop stations ( pop,rock or alternative) with their radio hits. I'm taling about The Breeders, Nirvana, The Pixies... -My long point being, CanCon didn't prevent you from hearing Sonic Youth on the radio. -Also wanted to mention that I am really trying to hammer this all out here quickly, in no way am I trying to attack you Brad. Your comment is actually very normal to hear, I just wanted to provide another side to the story. Thanks.
No offence taken Friendly; apart from being called normal (which I am self-aware enough to realize is not a bad assessment)
I enjoy the discussion. I can admit that yes, mostly it is my fault and not CanCon that I did not discover these bands. I did not do enough exploration of music as a younger self - or least compared to others on this board, and that kept me from indulging in some of the better independent music of the 90's
I can only relate to my radio listening, which was Ottawa Rock Stations (the Bear and Chez106), and loved when I was near enough to Toronto to get the Edge 102.1. (aside) You wouldn't catch me dead listening to either station nowadays .
I would watch the Wedge - but the fact is I appreciate seeing it now much more than I did then. But it has always been a good show. Back in the 90s, I would see (for example) hHead playing on the 'Wedge' and love it, but would balk at some of the other american stuff, as I wasn't conditioned throughout the rest of the week on Rock Stations, like I was with hHead. I Dr. Garbanzoured you could attribute that to a lack of flexibility from Cancon. Again, also partly my fault for not digging more.
I guess I stayed away from College radio as it was filled with so much stuff I couldn't comprehend, that it was too much for me to sift through to get what I wanted - where a lot of what I wanted was on the Modern Rock Stations.
I am very appreciative for the technological advancements that have made it so easy for me to broaden my musical knowledge. I couple of years ago I purchased Sirius, which was very helpful as well - and as of late I am even finding Satellite radio a little limiting; especially when you are digging as deep as Gramma is...
I had the benefit of associating with some pretty knowledgeable people during a couple periods of my life, and once you develop an ear for the kind of stuff I like you realize that the weird stuff, too, is all kind of inbred. Once you know what you're looking for the process gains its own forward momentum and stuff becomes easier to find. Also, crate diving in hole in the wall record stores has always been very relaxing to me.
I haven't yet begun to dig, though. I'm luring you guys in with the relatively normal stuff so that you'll trust me when we get to the weird stuff.
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