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When 1050 CHUM Boosted CanCon Before There Was CanCon
I'd often heard that some management-types at CHUM were among those radio titans who fought hard against the Canadian Content rules before they were implemented by the CRTC in 1971. Whether that's accurate or not, it's clear the Top 40 giant wasn't always happy about the idea, knowing what it might mean to their playlist.
(There were people like Duff Roman who not only promoted but recorded Canadian artists, and CHUM never shied away from local groups, but I think it was the idea of being forced to play a certain percent that irritated the powers-that-be at the station.)
And then I found this on the back of an old CHUM Chart from January 1969. I'm not sure if they ever did this again, but given all the positive and negatives about CanCon bandied about here the past few weeks, I thought it was worth pointing out - a Canadian station openly boosting Canadian content years before the rules went into effect.
Can't say I can put my musical finger on all of them. Who, exactly is "Michael?" Or "Witness Inc.?" I've never heard of The Buena Vistas and I'm surprised to see Mars Bonfire listed separately from Steppenwolf, who recorded some of his songs.
A neat little artifact from the station's historic past.
- Fitz
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Re: When 1050 CHUM Boosted CanCon Before There Was CanCon
A version of Ride with Me by Mars Bonfire was definitely played on Toronto radio in 1968. May have been on the CHUM chart. Don't remember hearing it much, if ever, since but it is on YT:
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- Fitz
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Re: When 1050 CHUM Boosted CanCon Before There Was CanCon
I found the Chum Chart with Mars Bonfire as the CHUM Charger at the CC archives site. The chart had become the the 30 song version and the song would probably have charted when there was a 50 song version. I looked at three or four charts after the one below and could not find the song:
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- RadioActive
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Re: When 1050 CHUM Boosted CanCon Before There Was CanCon
Can't say I've ever heard of any of the songs on the Chum Chargers' list that week. Not all were Canadian, but as far as I know, none of them ever made the charts. Still would love to know who "Michael" was. Almost impossible to look up something on the web with only a common first name to go by.
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Thread Starter- Fitz
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Re: When 1050 CHUM Boosted CanCon Before There Was CanCon
RadioActive wrote:
Can't say I've ever heard of any of the songs on the Chum Chargers' list that week. Not all were Canadian, but as far as I know, none of them ever made the charts. Still would love to know who "Michael" was. Almost impossible to look up something on the web with only a common first name to go by.
I am a fan of Paul Revere and the Raiders and even their bubblegum period. Cinderella Sunshine still shines!
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- Fitz
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Re: When 1050 CHUM Boosted CanCon Before There Was CanCon
I may have solved the Micheal mystery. Noticed that most of the can con listed charted at some point during the late summer or fall of 1968 and looked at those charts and found Michael as a CHUM Charger.on Dec 14/68. I found a Canadian single on Discogs by Micheal Tarry released in 1968 by the same name as the Chum Charger song and I would think that's it but I don't know why Chum listed only the first name. The Michal Tarry song is on You Tube BTW but I did not link as it's not the greatest example of Can Con:
Last edited by Fitz (March 27, 2021 6:22 am)
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Re: When 1050 CHUM Boosted CanCon Before There Was CanCon
CHUM had a Sunday night show dedicated to Canadian talent around 1967. Forget the name of it, but it was a regularly scheduled show for a while.
"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
- Fitz
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Re: When 1050 CHUM Boosted CanCon Before There Was CanCon
Can't say I've ever heard of any of the songs on the Chum Chargers' list that week. Not all were Canadian, but as far as I know, none of them ever made the charts. Still would love to know who "Michael" was. Almost impossible to look up something on the web with only a common first name to go by.
Quick Joey Small by the bubblegum super group Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus was a top 25 hit. I got to know it mainly when I bought this bubblegum comp on Rhino records in the 1980's in those post punk times when the "hipper than thou" attitude had been shed. BTW that scratch and sniff sticker on the top right retained it's aromoa for a good decade. Bonus points if anyone can guess who the artist featured on the left side of the back cover ( 2nd pic below) which has a snip from a real teen mag of the day. Maybe !6 magazine.
Last edited by Fitz (March 28, 2021 8:45 am)
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