LUCIDMEDIA

25 years of MuchMusic

Written by Nadine Bachan Monday, 31 August 2009 11:10

On August 31st 1984, Moses Znaimer and John Martin’s vision was launched – a Canadian cable channel that would specifically focus on music, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They named it MuchMusic. While it was, in essence, inspired by MTV, Znaimer and Martin wanted Much to be a channel that would hold its own, and that it did, becoming the supreme music resource that resonated with countless music-lovers across Canada and beyond.

During my (and my siblings’) younger days in the 90s, there were three impressionable, thirsty-for-everything, tune-driven youths in the house. Therefore, the television in my family’s living room was invariably switched to MuchMusic. The hours I spent learning about the music scene, watching videos and interviews, and connecting with my favourite VJs will always be fondly remembered as an important root of my love for music of all genres. You could track my timeline by my ever-evolving tastes over the years according to what I watched and waited for during my daily dose of Much. I am sure the same holds true for many people.

One of the best aspects of the channel was its devotion to showcasing Canadian music and news. If not for MuchMusic, many musicians may have never had the chance to prove their worth. Just to name a few, there was Moist, Our Lady Peace, Econoline Crush, Bass is Base, Barenaked Ladies, The Philosopher Kings, The Tea Party, Matthew Good Band, Big Sugar, Treble Charger, Chantal Kreviazuk, and Sarah McLachlan. Much provided an outlet for all acts that showed talent and substance, regardless of fame or origins.

To ensure that all genres were represented, specialty programs was created and aired regularly to keep viewers up-to-date on all of the music scenes. The original programming included French Kiss, The Wedge, The Punk Show, RapCity, and Da Mix among others. I will always remember the Friday nights I spent watching Electric Circus, its hosts Monika Deol (1988-1996) and Juliette Powell (1996-2000), and all the people (inside and outside the studio) moving and grooving to the latest club hits by acts like 2 Unlimited, Ultra Naté, Fun Factory, Jocelyn Enriquez, Culture Beat, Joée, and Amber.

And, of course, during most of the day, Much would air VideoFlow, which would play back-to-back music videos all day long, only to be interrupted by FAX (later known as MuchNews) to keep us in the loop about the latest in new releases, tours, and special events. Many sick days did I spend, lying on the couch and watching those music videos (both new and old), introducing me to the emerging talents of the day and to the great established bands of the past.

But I think what people remembered the most about their time with Much was their favourite VJ. In the beginning, Jeanne Beker and J.D. Roberts were the first of several Video Jockeys to grace the screen. They hosted The NewMusic together. Later on, in my time, there were a number of notable personalities, each representing a perspective or taste that viewers could relate to:

Bill Welychka – The smart guy who enjoyed the grunge alt rock scene. You could tell he knew music and always did his homework before interviews. You trusted Bill’s word – no matter what.

Master T – The authority on all things rap and hip-hop, T was likeable, intelligent, down-to-earth, and able to connect with his interviewees on a personal level.

Sook-Yin Lee – She appealed to the artists in us all. Her tastes for avant-garde, undefined music and all things creative gave audiences insight on perspectives not often discussed. Now a known filmmaker and actress (Shortbus), Sook-Yin continues to delve into what interests her most.

George Stroumboulopoulos – The quintessential cool guy, black nail polish and all. He was musically-savvy, quick-witted, and had a fast-paced way of speaking that kept you on your toes. Everyone who watched George knew he was destined for greater things. As the host of CBC’s The Hour and radio programme The Strombo show, George’s continues to thrive in hard-hitting music journalism.

Rick the Temp – The young go-getter who was into edgier music. Rick, while a bit drippy with his shoulder-length hair and short cargo pants, possessed a genuine quality and youthful eagerness you couldn’t help but appreciate. Rick moved on to become a host of ET Canada, and while he’s all grown up now, that goofy smile and keen attitude is still there.

Nardwuar the Human Serviette – The quirky reporter from Vancouver served as an interesting correspondent, keeping viewers up-to-date on the west coast music scene. His odd (and oft annoying) interview style makes him unique. While he tends to anger or confuse most of the people he’s interviewed, some have been able to take his form of journalism with good humour and wit. Nardwuar is still featured on Much’s Going Coastal.

Major interviews on Much were revolutionary due to the fact that audiences were encouraged to come down the studio to watch and ask their own questions. This series was called Intimate and Interactive, which gave bands and their fans the opportunity to see each other on a much more meaningful level. Given that the VJ chosen to interview often formed a good rapport with the artists, more and more bands and musicians were willing to participate, including No Doubt, Spice Girls, Nickelback, Destiny’s Child, Sum 41, The Tragically Hip, Coldplay (which I attended back in September 2002), and Alanis Morissette.

Today, after a period of ins and outs with a variety of VJs that didn’t last very long, MuchMusic seems to have settled with a featured quartet … for now. In the main group of four is Devon Soltendieck, the first personality to win a reality contest. Devon wowed audiences with his experience as a musician and his charismatic presence at the young age of 18 during the VJ search competition in 2004. His staying power earned him a permanent place on the Much roster. The next VJ of this nature was Tim Deegan, who won in 2006. What about him initially impressed judges? He took his shirt off during the audition … yeah. Devon and Tim currently stand alongside Sarah Taylor and Leah Miller as the four major personalities.

Taking a look at what MuchMusic is all about now, things are certainly a far cry from what they were in the beginning. I hardly watch the channel anymore, which isn’t for lack of trying. What I see on the channel now I can’t tolerate for long and it saddens me: An early devotion to Canadian bands and music has been replaced with celebrity-chasing and gossip. Specialty programming about different music genres and perspectives has been virtually pushed aside for ad-nauseum repeats of reality series. Interesting and insightful VJs have been swapped for cookie-cutter personalities with painted-on smiles for a generation of young people obsessed with pop culture and spending. Even the MMVAs appear to be little more than a chance to rub shoulders with tabloid stars, flavour-of-the-months and socialites. Sure, music’s not completely pushed aside. Original programming like RapCity, The Wedge and The Punk Show are still aired. They still do Countdown and top ten lists, and added shows like disBAND and Video on Trial, but even those efforts are mired in fame-grabbing and celebrity culture. But, then again, the creative directors are merely giving the audience what they want.

When the MTV Canada cable channel was re-launched in 2006, promising at least 68 per cent Canadian content, people’s ears pricked up. With hosts like Darren Jones (a veteran of the hilarious Buzz series on Rogers in the mid 1990s and former writer for the Rick Mercer Report), audiences were hopeful that his edgy style and solid persona would mean a return to the old ways. However, MTV Canada didn’t do much in providing the much-missed perspectives and quickly proved to be a simple supplement to the focus of today’s MuchMusic. With commentaries dedicated to shows like The Hills and random banter about YouTube videos and bizarre news, MTV Canada has surprisingly very little to say about music.

Now, if you really want to get access to quality programming, you can find it on MuchMusic’s supplemental channels MuchLoud, MuchVibe, MuchMoreRetro, and PunchMuch. However, these specialty channels are currently only offered on digital cable.

Long gone are the days where VJs had real opinions and musical preferences, where the focus was on good music from home and abroad, not scandals and celebrities. In 25 years, things have definitely changed for the once-loved music channel, but the spirit still remains – it simply shifts and gets a bit buried under what’s popular right now. Perhaps things might return to where they once were, but while we hopefully wait, we can at least look back at what MuchMusic once was – something to be proud of.