[direwolf74]

From what I've read over the years in various interviews with the band members, the Hip's relationship with Universal has always been a good one, and they've basically left the band alone to do their own thing for the most part. Because their first 3 albums were such huge sellers, I think it likely afforded the Hip the kind of artistic freedom that many major label artists probably didn't have at the time.

Coke Machine Glow was actually produced independently under Gord's own label, Weiner Art Records. Universal just distributed it. Gord was a Canadian superstar by that point, so it was no skin off Universal's back to manufacture and distribute the thing. They knew it would sell just based on Gord's reputation and popularity. Sounds like any tension during recording was just between Steven Drake and the musicians.