Introduction

Bob Mersereau Fredericton, 2008

Welcome to the new edition of The Top 100 Canadian Hamilton at 3 a.m. with Garth Hudson and his wife Albums. The hardcover edition, published in October Maud in a successful search for a barbecue joint. The 2007, met with great success in its first year. It became young kids in the restaurant didn’t know what to make a national bestseller, garnered lots of press coverage, of this old fellow with the wild hair and the Los Lobos including full-page articles in almost every major tour jacket. When the waiter asked me who he was, Canadian newspaper, was featured on dozens of radio I told him to Google his name on his laptop. All of a and television shows, and even wound up as the basis sudden, the kids were clamouring to take cell-phone of a joke on This Hour Has 22 Minutes, surely a photos. That same weekend, I got to serve as Daniel cultural touchstone. Debates raged on talk shows, Lanois’s personal MC for three different shows, present in print, and on the Internet, with discussion groups the first double bill of local legends Teenage Head voicing arguments about which albums were and and Simply Saucer in thirty years, banter with Tom weren’t on the list. Negative or positive, the goal of the Wilson of Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, and present book was achieved: to engage Canadians in discussions Garth Hudson with The Band’s Lifetime Achievement about our popular music and to point out the quality of Award. In Calgary at a book launch, in the middle of albums our artists have produced. a question-and-answer session, I heard someone at the When the first edition was released, I embarked on back of the bookstore yell, “Lies! It’s all lies.” I looked a series of trips that took me across the country. This up to see the beaming face of Kelly Jay of Crowbar. All was the highlight for me — a chance to talk to music I could answer in return was, “Ladies and gentlemen, fans in person or on radio call-in shows about their here’s the man who wrote ‘Oh What A Feeling’.” favourite Canadian music. The enthusiasm they had for In Vancouver, I went to the beloved Commodore their beloved albums was thrilling. There were many Ballroom to see Wintersleep, a group I’d just great moments. One was heading out into unfamiliar interviewed a week before in Fredericton at the East

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Top 100 paperback text.indd 7 7/18/2008 2:21:29 PM Coast Music Awards. In Winnipeg, I played music trivia question: “Do you remember so-and-so? Whatever with some major fans, including the dean of Manitoba happened to them? Do you know that Feist was born music history, author John Einarson. It’s a good thing around here?” There were young people and old he was up to date on his MacLean & MacLean trivia. people, and they all loved music. It was the perfect In , waiting to appear on Canada AM, I met discussion of Canadian music. British novelist Ian Rankin. As any fan knows, Rankin What’s changed for this edition is the addition of loves music and uses references frequently in his books. more interviews. Some artists were unavailable when It turns out he has a special fondness for Canadian I wrote the first edition, and I’m pleased to add more music, and fans mix CDs here and mail them to him. I interviews now. The inclusion of their own reflections was thrilled as he flipped through the book and knew on the work they’ve created is, in my opinion, the best all about Broken Social Scene, The Tragically Hip, The way to gain more appreciation for each album. We’ve Weakerthans, and others I would have thought were also lost two of the artists who appear in the book. under the radar in his country. The great songwriter Willie P. Bennett passed on after In Halifax, we launched the book with a party as the publication of the hardcover edition — it turns out part of the annual Halifax Pop Explosion, a festival the interview I did with him while he was recovering I’ve attended several times. It was a thrill to have a from an initial heart attack was one of the last he gave. band from The Top 100, Eric’s Trip, perform a set from The world also lost the man who was arguably the last their Love, Tara album, which shows up at # 39 in the of the classic jazz greats, Oscar Peterson. Oscar truly list. I’ve covered the group many times over the years, belongs in the list that includes Ella, Frank, Louis, whether together or in their solo careers, and consider Dizzy, Bird, and Miles. His passing marks the loss of them all friends. the last connection to that golden era. The best event of all involved no rock stars or media It’s too early to do another complete poll and and happened in the smallest place I visited. I was asked compile a new ranking of The Top 100 Canadian to speak at the library in tiny Amherst, Nova Scotia, Albums. Perhaps a few more years should pass to let a place I know well. It was the last night of the book opinions change and the importance of certain albums tour. I was flying into nearby Moncton that day already, settle in. Yet, since the initial voting took place, many of so it was convenient. To my delight, I arrived to find the artists here — among them Arcade Fire, Feist, Joni the place decorated from the front door to the stage Mitchell, Joel Plaskett, , Alanis Morissette, with ribbons and paper that matched the red-and-black Rush, Bryan Adams, Blue Rodeo, Sloan, Daniel Lanois, colour scheme of the book, plus a wall full of vintage k.d. lang, Ron Sexsmith, Hayden, The Weakerthans, Canadian vinyl, much-loved and much-played pieces The , Rufus Wainwright, The Sadies, and from someone’s precious collection. There were hits Sam Roberts — have released albums that rate among from the book and obscure pressings that immediately their best. Cowboy Junkies even re-recorded their caught my collector’s eye. There was a bowl of punch, Trinity Session disc, featured here. Improbably, Teenage cake, and homemade squares. Everyone listened to Head and Eric’s Trip reunited, to acclaim. Amazingly, every word and then started in with question after Simply Saucer not only reformed but recorded their

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Top 100 paperback text.indd 8 7/18/2008 2:21:29 PM Standing, left to right: Neil Young, Jeff Weaver (CBC Radio, Victoria), Frank Sampedro (Crazy Horse, guitar), Bob Mersereau (author), (Crazy Horse, drums). Seated: (Crazy Horse, bass). The author meets Neil Young & Crazy Horse backstage at Harbour Station, Saint John, NB, in 1996. Also in the photo is Jeff Weaver, the first juror to vote in the survey. Coincidentally, he voted for Young’s Harvest, the eventual winner of the poll.

first true album and are now enjoying a level of fame popular music since the 1950s has been made into and success they never approached in their initial record, CD, and digital albums, I was shocked to 1970s incarnation. At the time of writing, Sarah discover that never before had there been a book McLachlan and Robbie Robertson have recorded songs devoted to ranking, and honouring, the best albums for upcoming projects, and Leonard Cohen took the produced by the country’s artists. You can certainly stage for his first tour in fifteen years with a magical find out what are considered to be the best US or opening night in my hometown of Fredericton. British albums of all time. There are books that look So, while much has changed, the reasons for at albums from all over, and Canada is always well creating this book remain the same. It is, above all, a represented. But many great Canadian albums go celebration. It’s been compiled and written to honour unheralded beyond our borders, so I simply decided one of the most exciting art forms of our time, the that it was high time to celebrate a major piece of popular music album. Most Canadians read books, Canadian culture. many enjoy films, and smaller numbers appreciate In preparing the book, I asked many people what everything from fine art to dance to poetry, but virtually they thought of the idea of honouring our best albums all of us listen to music, on disc, downloaded, live, or this way. It was met with complete enthusiasm, on radio. Yet, even though the majority of Canadian especially from the musicians themselves.

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Top 100 paperback text.indd 9 7/18/2008 2:21:30 PM Overwhelmingly, their first reaction was that it roadies, instrument makers, festival operators and was about time. Next came the question, who should volunteers, theatre and club managers, collectors, decide on the Top 100 albums? There are two obvious and Web site managers. ways. One is to conduct a huge poll of anyone wishing Each juror was asked to provide a list of their to vote, perhaps on an Internet site or through ballots Top Ten Canadian albums. They were allowed to use placed in music stores, much like baseball fans vote whatever criteria they felt best: their own favourites for the all-star teams. The problem with that is that it or the music they felt was the most important. They is open to repeat voting and tends to measure overall could choose music from any style they wanted, in popularity rather than quality. Another method is to any language, from any area of the country. It could sequester the top critics, writers, and musicologists in be a greatest hits collection, a live album — everything the country. That would give you a very knowledgeable counted. To be considered Canadian, however, a solo selection, but I felt it would leave out the important artist must have been born in Canada or have moved to element of popularity. Critics and experts listen for Canada before they made the album in question. Bands different qualities in albums than the public. They had to have a majority of Canadian members when the want recordings that match their ideal of what makes album was made. This means The Band, four of whose a great one instead of what simply makes them feel five members were born here, was eligible, but not really good. But there’s a reason certain albums Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, with only one Canadian. resonate with the public, even if critics dismiss them. As for those who had been born in Canada but moved This is the great divide between music experts and away, a book about great Canadian albums without music fans. What I wanted to find was some sort of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell would be unthinkable. happy medium between critical choices and popular To ensure every style would be represented, I paid ones, between music nerds and people who just like attention to the demographics of the voters, whom to be entertained. I believe are a good mix of ages, men and women, So, instead of using a small jury, I chose to compile anglophones and francophones, widely multicultural, a big one, with the idea that the more people were and people from big and small communities right across involved the more representative it would be of the the country. There are college radio and young music entire country. You will already know many of the fans and an equal number of older veterans. Close to people in the jury. They are your local deejays and six hundred people responded to my request to vote. music reviewers. They are your favourite musicians, Their top pick was awarded 10 points, the number-two including Jim, Ed, and Tyler of Barenaked Ladies; choice 9 points, and so on. Alan Doyle and Bob Hallett of Great Big Sea; Neil The final list that makes up The Top 100 Canadian Peart of Rush; Ryan Peake of Nickelback; Sass Jordan; Albums, therefore, is a consensus. Jurors submitted Jill Barber; Ron Sexsmith; Corb Lund; George Pettit wildly different lists, depending on what music they and Wade MacNeil of Alexisonfire; Sarah Slean; and preferred, how old they were, and where they lived. many more. There are music company employees, But there was always that one album from each list broadcasters, managers, agents, bookers, retailers, that would come up in others. Heavy metal fans, for

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Top 100 paperback text.indd 10 7/18/2008 2:21:30 PM instance, often included Quebec’s Voivod, as did many In many cases, for specific genres, regions, or alternative music fans. The youngest jurors would rec- individual artists, voters couldn’t decide which album ognize Neil Young, and some of the oldest would vote they liked the best. Vote splitting caused several albums for Arcade Fire. A surprising number of people from to disappear below the magic Top 100 mark. Thirteen Western Canada voted for East Coast artists Joel Plaskett, different Bruce Cockburn albums, for instance, received Eric’s Trip, and Sloan. Language played little part in the votes, which caused him to land only one in the Top selection of three Harmonium albums. 100. Regional voting was equally complicated. Often, Once the votes were counted and the Top 100 voters in one province would include nothing from compiled, my next step was to write the text. I con- their area. This happened quite a few times, even tacted as many of the musicians responsible for the in Quebec, where francophones often chose only albums as I could. I was sure they had wonderful stories albums by English-language artists. At the same time, to tell, and I wanted readers to hear from first-hand there were many votes from across the country for sources about how these albums were created, which francophone artists. Of course, it was impossible to might get them interested in checking out music with know who was bilingual or what level of knowledge which they were unfamiliar. The artists, too, might have each voter had of music styles. Some people suggested new information to impart or fresh perspectives on that the poll should have been left to those critics their work after the passage of time. with the best knowledge, but they turned out to be In the introduction to the first edition, the last words an unpredictable bunch at best. Even with an artist such I wrote were “let the arguments begin.” They certainly as Neil Young, critics differed wildly, a few choosing did. Travelling the country on the promotional tour, Harvest as his best while others picked Tonight’s The I listened to countless complaints and passionate pleas Night, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, On The for individual favourites. Where was Anne Murray? Beach, or even Time Fades Away. The New Pornographers? D.O.A.? Hank Snow? Many The point is, there’s no perfect system. Opinions people thought I had excluded artists from the list change, everyone uses their own criteria, and your myself or had a bias against their region. There were own taste is as valid as the next person’s. The list isn’t accusations that Western Canada, or Quebec, had been even the most important part of the book. It’s not about maligned. The language debate, always part of any who’s in here but that we have 100, 200, 500 albums national consensus, was raised. I wish now that I’d had to celebrate. Check them out and all the other discs room to present the Top 150 albums, or 200, or 500 — people recommend passionately. It’s wonderful to hear so many of the complaints could have been addressed. people talking about Canadian music at parties, on-line, Where was David Wiffin’s Coast To Coast Fever? Why, and on phone-in shows, asking questions about artists at # 102, of course. How about favourite francophone they’ve never heard before. The Top 100 Canadian artists? You could find Beau Dommage’s self-titled album Albums has become one of the most talked-about books at # 113, Malajube’s Trompe-l’oeil at # 116, and Jean on the shelves, so let the arguments continue. Leloup’s L’amour est sans pitié at # 124, to name a few.

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