05-29-2006, 12:12 PM
I don't hate Celine or Britney. That would require more commitment of thought than I'm willing to expend on them. Nor do I think that either is the spawn of Satan - although I should confess to you all that I'm a atheist so I don't think anyone is the spawn of Satan mostly because I don't believe in Satan or his ability to spawn. I don't like their music, but I suspect that I'm not their target audience in any case.
I used Britney merely as an example to illustrate my point that musicianship, songwriting abilities and/or artistic integrity do not a musical career make. Far more important factors in garnering success on the radio and video channels would be sexuality and the willingess to exploit it, marketing plans, a mind-numbing dance beat, etc. By forcing Canadian radio stations to play Canadian bands/performers, CanCon laws gave us (the Canadian public) the opportunity to hear something other than the outpourings of the American music industry.
I'm not dissing the American music industry either. It has produced some kickass music in the last 50 yrs. It just hasn't been Canadian music. And, if the Hip is nothing else, they are proof that there is a distinctly Canadian message to be shared in Canadian music.
So, I go back to my original statement that, as a fan of the Hip, I'm grateful for CanCon laws. I'm not from Kingston (or southern Ontario) so I'm pretty damn sure that I'd never have heard of the Hip otherwise.
I'm willing to put up with the music of Bryan Adams and Celine Dion. The pleasure I get from the Hip outweighs the pain I get from hearing the other two.
I used Britney merely as an example to illustrate my point that musicianship, songwriting abilities and/or artistic integrity do not a musical career make. Far more important factors in garnering success on the radio and video channels would be sexuality and the willingess to exploit it, marketing plans, a mind-numbing dance beat, etc. By forcing Canadian radio stations to play Canadian bands/performers, CanCon laws gave us (the Canadian public) the opportunity to hear something other than the outpourings of the American music industry.
I'm not dissing the American music industry either. It has produced some kickass music in the last 50 yrs. It just hasn't been Canadian music. And, if the Hip is nothing else, they are proof that there is a distinctly Canadian message to be shared in Canadian music.
So, I go back to my original statement that, as a fan of the Hip, I'm grateful for CanCon laws. I'm not from Kingston (or southern Ontario) so I'm pretty damn sure that I'd never have heard of the Hip otherwise.
I'm willing to put up with the music of Bryan Adams and Celine Dion. The pleasure I get from the Hip outweighs the pain I get from hearing the other two.