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Better Know A Jury Member #6: Stuart Derdeyn July 10 2009
Stuart Derdeyn (Vancouver)
Music Columnist, Vancouver Province Jury member since: 2006
Please share the Top 5 Canadian records you put on your first ballot
K'Naan Troubadour
Charles Spearin The Happiness Project
Coeur de Pirate Coeur de Pirate
Fucked Up The Chemistry of Common Life
Bison BC Earthbound
Tell us about your top ranked choice. Why #1?
As only two of my original nominees for the long list made it, I felt it the right choice to keep these in the top two spots. The K'Naan album is, to me, a great mix of what I love about hip-hop — tight beats, good hooks and somewhat unique loops with the African samples, etc. — and, wait for it, a message. He does have things to say and says them in ways that beat down so much of the posturing crap within his chosen genre as well as others. Plus, I am so incredibly sick of the “I'm a sensitive, misunderstood, cardigan-wearing, middle class college graduate underemployed 'artist' with folk/roots sensibility and some nifty, quirky bits in my otherwise dull songs that get me adoration from people just like me” acts that seem to dominate so much of the national indie music dialogue. Haven't we bought enough beers for these jerks already? What about jazz, folk, various international fusions? There is so much great music out there.
Reaction to the Long List: Your most pleasant surprise ? Shocked by any omissions ?
I actually like the long list better this year than any previous. Shocked by the absence of any jazz or outside music, but pleased to see more Francophone artists than I recall seeing in other years. Plus, really hoping that some doors could open to get music from Quebec into the entire national scene through greater recognition via the long list. Shocked that Art Napoleon's Siskabush Talesdidn't appear to resonate with anyone else but me, but he was passed over at the Junos too. Yeah, I just got that in so people might go check it out.
Describe the state of Canadian music in 5 words:
We're on to something good.
Imagine the tables are turned and you are the nominee : What would you do with the 20,000$ prize money ?
Use it to hire a great web designer to establish high level online presence and be sure that a component of that was some Threadless-like t-shirt operation to support my art and finance touring. Nobody will be buying my, or anyone else's CDs anyways. Right?
Related Link: The Vancouver Province
Better Know A Jury Member #6: Stuart Derdeyn July 10 2009
Music Columnist, Vancouver Province Jury member since: 2006
Please share the Top 5 Canadian records you put on your first ballot
K'Naan Troubadour
Charles Spearin The Happiness Project
Coeur de Pirate Coeur de Pirate
Fucked Up The Chemistry of Common Life
Bison BC Earthbound
Tell us about your top ranked choice. Why #1?
As only two of my original nominees for the long list made it, I felt it the right choice to keep these in the top two spots. The K'Naan album is, to me, a great mix of what I love about hip-hop — tight beats, good hooks and somewhat unique loops with the African samples, etc. — and, wait for it, a message. He does have things to say and says them in ways that beat down so much of the posturing crap within his chosen genre as well as others. Plus, I am so incredibly sick of the “I'm a sensitive, misunderstood, cardigan-wearing, middle class college graduate underemployed 'artist' with folk/roots sensibility and some nifty, quirky bits in my otherwise dull songs that get me adoration from people just like me” acts that seem to dominate so much of the national indie music dialogue. Haven't we bought enough beers for these jerks already? What about jazz, folk, various international fusions? There is so much great music out there.
Reaction to the Long List: Your most pleasant surprise ? Shocked by any omissions ?
I actually like the long list better this year than any previous. Shocked by the absence of any jazz or outside music, but pleased to see more Francophone artists than I recall seeing in other years. Plus, really hoping that some doors could open to get music from Quebec into the entire national scene through greater recognition via the long list. Shocked that Art Napoleon's Siskabush Talesdidn't appear to resonate with anyone else but me, but he was passed over at the Junos too. Yeah, I just got that in so people might go check it out.
Describe the state of Canadian music in 5 words:
We're on to something good.
Imagine the tables are turned and you are the nominee : What would you do with the 20,000$ prize money ?
Use it to hire a great web designer to establish high level online presence and be sure that a component of that was some Threadless-like t-shirt operation to support my art and finance touring. Nobody will be buying my, or anyone else's CDs anyways. Right?
Related Link: The Vancouver Province
RT @teganandsara: Home Recordings the bonus album from our vinyl box set is streaming at http://bit.ly/9mrMUN.
Jul 30 2010, 4:26pm from TweetDeck
@nicooooole in @torontoist on @TheSadies awesome summer .
Jul 30 2010, 4:25pm from TweetDeck
Cool. RT @CiTRradio: CRTC policy decision gives Community Radio Fund of Canada $775,000 in funding to support community and campus stations.
Jul 30 2010, 4:01pm from TweetDeck
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