CanRock Spectacular, class of '95

Radio Free Canuckistan and Heartbreak Trail are proud to present:

Friday, June 10 at Lee’s Palace, Toronto

Book re-launch for Have Not Been the Same: The CanRock Renaissance 1985-1995, 10^th anniversary edition

Featuring:

Weeping Tile (feat. Sarah Harmer and the Cold Snap line-up) (video)

King Cobb Steelie (hot off their recent 20^th anniversary shows) (video)

Kevin Kane (of the Grapes of Wrath, with his solo band) (video)

Ticket information available shortly. Proceeds will benefit the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Have Not Been the Same, written by myself, Jason Schneider and Ian A.D. Jack, was first published in 2001. Ten years later it remains the only book examining Canadian music between 1985 and 1995, a decade that spawned the likes of The Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, Sloan, NoMeansNo, Daniel Lanois, Rheostatics, Change of Heart, Doughboys, Eric’s Trip, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Grapes of Wrath, Skinny Puppy, k.d. lang and others. It was also the dawn of MuchMusic, campus radio and entrepreneurial indie labels, all of which fuelled this creatively fertile time.

Before Canadian music conquered the world in the age of the Internet, it had to convince Canadians first. During the decade covered in this book, an explosion of Canadian artists redefined the way the country’s music sounded and its relationship with its audience. Musicians became more adventurous, lyricists celebrated their country in song, and there was no shortage of colourful characters who helped build the country’s tower of song. Together, they made music that defined a generation—a generation often ignored by baby boomers and cultural commentators understandably swept up in the giant gains Canadian music has made in recent years.

The original version of Have Not Been the Same sold out of its print run and has been unavailable for at least the last six years. We had always wanted to see it back in print again, but we were bolstered by many requests from younger fans and musicians who wanted to find a copy and learn more about this scarcely documented part of recent Canadian musical history. (On top of that, original copies were commanding three-digit figures on eBay and Amazon.)

The book has been revised to include new interviews, new edits, new context and new information about artists who passed away (the Nils), broke up (Rheostatics), reunited (Eric’s Trip), or went on to greater career heights (Joel Plaskett). Though mention is made of more recent history, the book’s original time frame remains intact, as does much of the original text.

The original launch took place on September 29, 2001, also at Lee’s Palace, and a line-up that featured Neko Case, Chris Brown and Kate Fenner, Blurtonia, Carolyn Mark, Michele Gould, John Borra Band, Dinner is Ruined and Groovy Religion.

This time we decided to focus on three key acts, and we’re absolutely thrilled that these three artists—all very different from each other, and each a personal favourite for entirely different reasons—have agreed to perform.

I look forward to seeing you there.