NEW ROCKERS OF THE PEERLESS AGE by JAIMIE VERNON

I’m updating the Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia once again. This time it has a global purpose and will soon be available to music researchers via a data base known as Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale worldwide to Colleges, Universities, and libraries. It is literally my life’s work and is expected to remain available in perpetuity. To that end I’ve been tasked with updating annually until, well, I’m dead. I can just see me now in a senior’s home skipping Bingo and sing-a-long nights while I sit by the glow of the Google engine looking for the elusive catalog number of Whaleman’s 1991 “Sings!” album and gumming a soft-bun and apple sauce for 4.30 dinner.

Bob’s All Time Favourite Canadian Top Twenty

After five long columns about Laurel Canyon and the legendary Artists who toked, coked, and stroked their way to fame and fortune in the mythic hills of Hollywood and its Sunset Strip playground, I needed to cleanse my palate and write about some Artists and music that hard-scrabbled its way onto my musical landscape from all over my adopted Country, and did so without the benefit of geographic location and timing, but with their ear-worm worthiness and musical uniqueness and skills. Some were hits, and most were not, but in my personal jukebox, these are all worthy of Number One.

And yes …that was one of the longest Run In Sentences I have written in years. Felt good ….

Guest Columnist Barry Teller – The New Elmo

Got this in my email yesterday and thought I’d share it with you. Exciting news about the new Elmo and what we can expect and when.

Barry writes for the new online magazine, Canadian Life. He covers the Canadian Entertainment Industry and has sent this pre-release to a few of us bloggers in advance of the Magazine’s launch next Friday. I’ve added some pictures to this.

Enjoy. – Bob

Bob Stories Opinions and Advice 10 Years On

Don’t Believe a Word I Say has existed as first a column at FYIMusic.com, then in its own self-titled blog for going on 11 years now.

Before this, I dabbled in music, radio, and television for 50 years or so, and feel I have experienced enough to have a fairly informed opinion of my related careers, and the love/hate relationship that comes with a passion and lust for life and its challenging hurdles.

The following has been culled from the first 6 months of this entities existence, which has been updated but not changed in any way, so when I said something stupid then, it remains stupid now. New pictures have been added, and some comments, which will be in italics.

Enjoy the sunshine and the first sign of Spring …mud. Read this when it rains again …or snows …or the cat won’t get off your lap. – Bob

Pat Blythe – Dueling Pianos, February, Upcoming Festivals …and Music!

Ugh!!! Computer and monitor challenges continue. The good news is I finally got my drums up for sale and I’ve managed to get everything off the troublesome laptop on to a honking big hard drive (although now I have to sort that out). I’m downsizing to a smaller kit….less real estate and I won’t feel so overwhelmed. One of these days…..and now, for your latest weather report…..

Segarini: Canadian, Eh? Happy 150th Canada Day!

Have a safe and happy Canada Day…I love you all. And yes…this IS the Greatest Country in the World…even if some of us don’t know it.

Portions of this column originally appeared in FYIMusic, Cashbox Canada, and DBAWIS.

JAIMIE VERNON – INDEPENDENCE IS OUR FUTURE

As I type this music retailer HMV is either in receivership or heading into it after one of the chain’s creditors called in their chips. The retail giant has been floundering for years and managed to escape an industry crash that took out the likes of Sam The Record Man and Tower Records stateside a decade ago. HMV’s position as one of the last giants standing (Sunrise has rallied to fill in the hole left by Sam’s), was only delaying the inevitable.