Just a reminder that this film gets its premiere this coming Friday. But it will also be on the move to other locations as well, including (eventually) Hamilton.

That is a very kind offer, Mr. Alper and I hope someone or many "someones" here takes you up on it. Thanks for the nice gesture. Did you ever visit MuchMusic in its heyday? Sounds like it might have been your kind of place!

An amazing time that we won't see again. I've also been in that building as well, and I recall how alive the place always seemed. Sad that it's over. Great that it happened at all. 

The premiere seems to have been a huge hit with the audience, which took many of the former VJs by surprise.
 
'Spirit of MuchMusic' still alive at doc premiere with former VJs in attendance

If you didn't see this flick on its tour across Canada, there's a chance you never will. The director, Sean Menard, says he's received a challenge about the music clips used from Universal Music Canada and it could scuttle additional screenings. 

And it doesn't sound like Menard will have much - no pun intended - of a case if it goes to court.

“I knew I could not afford to license all these short clips,” says Menard...He didn’t license the clips, but he argues he also didn’t need to, as the clips could be considered fair use.

Menard says that UMC disputes his fair use claim and says they're threatening possible legal action to prevent further screenings of the documentary."

MuchMusic Documentary ‘299 Queen West’ Faces Legal Challenge From Universal Music Canada 

Back during MuchMusic’s heydays the oft greedy record labels came up with the brilliant idea of charging MuchMusic for playing their videos. Moses Znaimer and John Martin balked at this concept and told the labels that they simply would not play their videos. The labels changed their tune quickly. Imagine getting free exposure for your artists and then wanting to be paid for it, as Eric Idle would say, “Greedy Bastards”.

Universal Music Canada should be embarrassed with this and consider how much they benefited financially in Canada from MM. They should be grateful that Sean Menard included them in his doc.
No wonder music labels are not that significant anymore. Good thing. Remember how they fleeced us with the price of CDs??!

Interesting article, I admire Sean's dedication and tenacity.  I hope that Crave can run this movie and give it the exposure it deserves.  Can't believe music companies like Universal are giving this guy so much grief. 

The article also brings up a somewhat disturbing fact.  When he mentioned that no distributors in Canada would take on the film.  Another example of a Canadian artist that can't get their product out in their own country.  Sad this still happens in 2023..  Full credit to the director Sean Menard for doing it himself.  

This is what ultimately brought in cancon for radio.  Back in the day with the exception of stations like CHUM and a few in western Canada, radio played few Canadian artists.

Programmers complained of a lack of material and poor quality.  Some of that may have been true, but radio music directors were also lazy, couldn't be bothered, and just watched to see whatever was popular south of the border.

If a Canadian artist broke in the US or were signed to a label south of the border with airplay, then they would get on the case and play the song.  But for local bands still living here, any exposure was thin and Canadian artists were not treated the same as those from other countries. 

Much Music treated cancon the same as all other music.  The Nations Music Station wasn't afraid to put Canadian artist front and centre.  And look what happened.  Canadian performers were selling out arenas, moving truckloads of product and merchandise and could make a very comfortable living here even if international exposure eluded them.
 
Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, Gowan, Platinum Blond, Barenaked Ladies, 54-40, Matthew Good, Grapes of Wrath, Northern Pikes, Jeff Healy, Crash Test Dummies, Dream Warriors, Glass Tiger, Spoons, Payola$, K-OS, Men Without Hats, Red Rider, Strange Advance, Mitsou, Snow, Martha and the Muffins, Honeymoon Suite, Meastro Fresh Wes, Loverboy and many others.

Some went on to international fame, others didn't.  All of these artists became popular because of Much Music and the other video programs such as Video Hits which were on OTA TV.  Much was breaking hits and artists, something that radio was not.

Last edited by paterson1 (November 6, 2023 11:08 am)