It’s Tuesday night, November 17. My renovations are nearing completion, the house is dead quiet as I sit here, stretched out on the couch, looking around at this home we lived in together for 18 years. Remembering all the wonderful celebrations, dinners, Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners, TV watching, companionable “book reading”, and just quietly being, soaking up each other’s presence.
Well another Canadian Music Week is under my belt, or, elastic waist-band pants. I believe it was my 33rd. I believe it was their 33rd. Prior to being called CMW it was known as “The Record Conference”, and before that there was an annual event called “Three Days In March”. It’s hard to explain (and often remember) what exactly happens at a music industry conference and the more that you attend the wider your reach is and the more friends, acquaintances, former workers and bartenders you know.
Quality Records was my training ground. Back in the seventies there were no school courses teaching the music business. If you wanted to work in a studio you hung around studios and hopefully someone would ask you to pick up a broom or maybe get the engineer a coffee. If you wanted to work at a record company you needed to know who to talk to and where they might hang out. A good in was getting to know the label publicists and the easiest way to do that was by writing album and live reviews for your school newspaper. I starting doing this in high school and by the time I reached college I had a couple of good ins at the labels (as well as lots of free albums and concert tickets).
Bullseye Records of Canada
Segarini: Don't Believe a Word I Say 