# Do Americans Know These Ubiquitous Canadian Pop Musicians? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 24, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051 "2005-12-24T04:11:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/61 "2005-12-25T06:25:47Z")
As came up the other day in another thread, Michael Buble should also be added to the list. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/62 "2005-12-25T08:05:04Z")
Are you all too young to remember Anne Murray? I’ve really been enjoying the Wailin Jennies appearances on Prairie Home Companion. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/63 "2005-12-25T08:16:12Z")
Or Gordon Lightfoot. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/64 "2005-12-25T09:00:37Z")
Canadian here. I am familiar with pretty much all those bands… and dislike most of them. Then again, I’v never been a big classic rock fan. I’m glad at least a couple of people here mentioned some bands that non-Canadians _should_ know, like Carolyn Mark, The Dayglo Abortions, Arcade Fire and Death From Above 1979 I would also add to the list of Canadian bands already mentioned: **Nomeansno Old Reliable Herald Nix You Say Party! We Say Die! Teenage Head Frog Eyes Black Mountain** ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/65 "2005-12-25T16:11:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The last I heard of Larry Gowan he was playing strip malls and weddings. He’s a nice guy, though. Larry Gowan has been the lead singer of Styx since about 1998. Yes, Styx. From Chicago. I’m sure he has never had to play a strip mall or a wedding. One of the most riveting performances I have ever witnessed was him singing “Good Golly Miss Molly” alone at the piano, at The Diamond Club, Toronto, 1987. The guy could flatten you, just with his voice! ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/66 "2005-12-25T16:45:24Z")
Having spent the 1980s as a snarky used-record store drone, I recognise those bands all too well…(used to have a lot of dealings with Jesus Bonebreak of the Dayglos, and John Wright of NoMeansNo/Hanson Brothers used to serve me lunch all the time [he waited at the cafe next to the record store]) What, no love for **Tegan and Sara**? Did we mention early 80’s wannabe Joy Division dirgemeisters **Skinny Puppy**? And university radio faves **I, Braineater**? (Great because their songs were 25 seconds long–we could play 4 of them on my radio show, and have the whole hour’s worth of CanCon done!) **64 Funny Cars**? **Pointed Sticks**? **DOA**? **k-os**? **Buck 65**? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/67 "2005-12-25T20:00:39Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > \ > Looking at everyone’s list of who they have never heard of, it seems to me that the one artist most deserving of more attention in the U.S. is **Colin James**. He was (and is) absolutely huge in Canada. His new album, “Limelight” is great. It’s very much Van Morrison influenced, including a good cover of ‘Into the Mystic’. He’s a fantastic guitarist who was mentioned in the same breath as Stevie Ray Vaughan back in the early 80’s - helped in part by Vaughan asking him to open for him and speaking of him as the next guitar hero. His music is heavily influenced by the electric blues. > > If you’re interested in that kind of music, check him out. Songs to look for: > > \*Voodoo Thing > Five Long Years > I Just Came Back > Chicks N’ Cars and the Third World War > Why’d You Lie > Cadillac Baby > National Steel > Saviour > > You can go to [AllMusic](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47917DB4CAE7F20C093314CC8BA60FD07FE50F28F096E4954C0A2054D9A0E23E748E9D8CFAEF870AB7BAFFF2BE85B0DD9CBE65CF9DD764C40&sql=10:g3820r8ac48v) and hear clips of all of them. Oh, yeah. We got “Limelight” a little while ago, and have been playing it relentlessly ever since. I think my favourite older album of his would probably have to be “Sudden Stop.” We’ve got tickets to see him in February, too, in a smaller venue - I’m really looking forward to the show. Maybe “ubiquitous” was the wrong word - these aren’t Canadian artists that are necessarily still producing albums and charting, but if you play a trademark song by any of them at a Canadian wedding across Canada (offer void in Quebec), everyone will be singing along and dancing. That’s the reason that I left artists like Sloan and (regrettably) k-os off the list. Even though I am totally grooving to “Joyful Rebellion,” most rockers my age aren’t. Larry Gowan was one of the first bands I saw live (the first was Red Rider), and he is a fantastic musician. I can only imagine he’s gotten better with age. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/68 "2005-12-25T21:06:08Z")
Red Rider was the opening act for REO Speedwagon when I saw them in the early 80s. I wasn’t that impressed with REO but I loved Red Rider. I would just like to hear something other than “Lunatic Fringe” on the radio. I have heard of these bands, but I don’t necessarily know their music. Alannah Myles Aldo Nova April Wine Avril Lavigne Bachman Turner Overdrive The Band Barenaked Ladies Blood, Sweat & Tears Blue Rodeo Bryan Adams Burton Cummings Celine Dion Corey Hart Cowboy Junkies Crash Test Dummies Dan Hill Five Man Electrical Band Gino Vannelli Glass Tiger Gordon Lightfoot Guess Who Harlequin Jann Arden Jeff Healey Joni Mitchell k. d. lang Lighthouse Loverboy Men Without Hats Neil Young Nelly Furtado Nick Gilder Paul Anka Red Rider Rush Sarah McLachlan Shania Twain Tom Cochrane Tragically Hip Triumph ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/69 "2005-12-25T22:49:01Z")
April Wine is an interesting case. I’ve heard of them, certainly, and have actually seen them in concert three times (not by conscious choice)… but I’ll be darned if I can name anyone in the band or think of a single one of their songs. April Wine were a perennial opening act for every hard rock/heavy metal band that toured the U.S. They probably played EVERY big arena in the U.S., invariably as the warmup band for the headliner everyone actually wanted to see. I saw them as the opening act for three different more popular artists, over the years. If you read Circus or Creem back in Seventies or early Eighties, you’d regularly see little stories suggesting that April Wine were the Next Big Thing… but somehow, it just never quite happened. Still, they managed to survive a very long time, no small acomplishment in itself. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/70 "2005-12-25T23:41:54Z")
After deleting the names of the artists I’ve never heard of, I’m left with 41 of the original 78 acts: Alanis Morissette Alannah Myles Aldo Nova April Wine Avril Lavigne Bachman Turner Overdrive The Band Barenaked Ladies Blood, Sweat & Tears Bruce Cockburn Bryan Adams Burton Cummings Celine Dion Chilliwack Corey Hart Cowboy Junkies Crash Test Dummies Dan Hill Five Man Electrical Band Gino Vannelli Gordon Lightfoot (one of my two favorite singer-songwriters) Great Big Sea Guess Who Jann Arden Joni Mitchell k. d. lang Klaatu Lighthouse Loverboy Men Without Hats Neil Young Nelly Furtado Nick Gilder Paul Anka Rush Sarah McLachlan Shania Twain Tom Cochrane Tragically Hip Triumph Trooper I’ve also heard of these performers mentioned in later posts: Moxy Fruvous, Jane Siberry, William “Rocket Man” Shatner, Ron Sexsmith, Lorena McKennitt, McGarrigle Sisters, Rufus Wainwright, Leonard Cohen, and Anne Murray (amazing she took so long to crack this thread!) I’d add Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ashley MacIsaac, and Carolyn Dawn Johnson to the pool of names recognized by at least this USA citizen. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/71 "2005-12-26T00:56:46Z")
Avril’s gonna be upset that none of the Canadians remembered her boyfriend’s band, Sum 41. ---
**Author:** ![Treviathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/72 "2005-12-26T01:15:48Z")
I’m _Canadian_, I consider myself to have audiophilic tendencies, and I’ve heard of most of the artists on **featherlou** ’s list. Yet I have to admit I’m completely stymied by the following bands: A Foot In Coldwater Aldo Nova Chalk Circle Max Webster Nick Gilder The Original Caste Payola$ Rough Trade Spoons I’m guessing most of these were one-hit wonders from the early 80s. Am I right? ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/73 "2005-12-26T01:18:39Z")
Just a quick hijack– I recall at least three of the artists mentioned referenced on **SCTV** :[ul] [li]\*\* Ian Thomas\*\* (Dave Thomas’ brother, BTW) appeared as a musical guest on an episode of the show[/li][li]Eugene Levy portrayed **Gino Vannelli** on a promo for one of their rock show parodies. IIRC, his hair and sideburns kept growing until he resembled a werewolf.[/li][li]On their "Pre-Teen World " sketch, a kids’ band (including John Candy) performed a version of **Chilliwack** ’s “My Girl”[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/74 "2005-12-26T01:29:10Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > Avril’s gonna be upset that none of the Canadians remembered her boyfriend’s band, Sum 41. I don’t think they were included because the answer to “do you know this band?” is probably yes for most (at least younger) people. Which is the reason I didn’t include Bif Naked, Simple Plan, Thornley, Nickelback, Fefe Dobson, Tal Bachman, Our Lady Peace or Neil Young on my own list. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/75 "2005-12-26T03:07:27Z")
> [@Treviathan](#): > > I’m _Canadian_, I consider myself to have audiophilic tendencies, and I’ve heard of most of the artists on **featherlou** ’s list. Yet I have to admit I’m completely stymied by the following bands: > > Max Webster Max Webster is what Kim Mitchell did for most of the 1970s. They were an amazing band, with a completely off-the-wall approach. The band consisted of Kim Mitchell, guitars, vocals; Terry Watkinson, keyboards, vocals; Mike Tilka, bass, vocals - replaced by Dave Myles (from 3rd album); Paul Kersey, drums (1st album only), replaced by Gary McCracken, and non-performing lyricist Pye Dubois. They made six albums before it all went south, and Kim started his solo career. If you like Mitchell at all, I urge you to get all the Max Webster albums. They are all worth repeated listens. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/76 "2005-12-26T03:41:25Z")
> [@MisterThyristor](#): > > Leonard Cohen is mostly known by music enthusiasts, but I think he had at least a minor hit with “Suzanne”, although maybe more people know the Judy Collins version. And I’m pretty sure more people have heard the Aaron Neville version of “Bird on a Wire” than his own version. I think he had “The Future” on the _Natural Born Killers_ soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/77 "2005-12-26T04:29:55Z")
If you haven’t listened to **Cowboy Junkies** , you should grab a copy of _The Trinity Session_, which I think is one of the best live albums ever. They basically took a digital recorder and a microphone into the Holy Trinity church in Toronto and played a set of just incredibly haunting music. You can read a review of it [here](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47917DB4CAE7F20C093314CC8BA60FD07FE50F28F096E4954C0A2054D9A0E23E748E9D8CFAEF870AB7BAFFF2BE85B0ED9C8E95CFFD9765D40&sql=10:ytouak4k5m3c). Absolutely fantastic disc for a rainy afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/78 "2005-12-26T04:40:42Z")
What about Anvil? They made a huge point out of being Canadian hockey fans. I cannot believe that Toronto is still clinging to life. They are one of the bands that proves that bands that name themselves after cities-states-nations-rivers-continents-whatever are born to suck. Anyway I 'm familiar with most of the bands on the OP’s list, but I hate most of them. Rather surprised by the omission of Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Jane Siberry, The Stars and The New Pornographers. I was in a Toronto record store several years ago and observed that they put maple leaves next to the names of all the Canadian artists as if purchasing their records would cause some sort of surge of patriotic pride that would enhance the listening enjoyment. They didn’t know Jane Siberry was Canadian either apparently because they left her name in an un-leafed state. And she’s from Toronto too. I don’t get the whole point of the list. I don’t care what Minnesota artisits are well-known outside of gopherland. ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/79 "2005-12-26T04:49:50Z")
> [@saoirse](#): > > I think he had “The Future” on the _Natural Born Killers_ soundtrack. Actually, he had three on that soundtrack: “The Future”, “Waiting for the Miracle” and “Anthem”. And “Everybody Knows” was used on two different movies, _Pump up the Volume_ and _Exotica_. But I don’t think the songs themselves ever made it big. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051/80 "2005-12-26T05:35:51Z")
> [@Treviathan](#): > > I’m _Canadian_, I consider myself to have audiophilic tendencies, and I’ve heard of most of the artists on **featherlou** ’s list. Yet I have to admit I’m completely stymied by the following bands: > > A Foot In Coldwater > Aldo Nova > Chalk Circle > Max Webster > Nick Gilder > The Original Caste > Payola$ > Rough Trade > Spoons > > I’m guessing most of these were one-hit wonders from the early 80s. Am I right? Let’s see - A Foot In Coldwater - Make Me Do Anything You Want Aldo Nova - Fantasy Chalk Circle - April Fool, This Mourning, 20th Century Boy Max Webster - Let Go the Line Nick Gilder - Hot Child in the City The Original Caste - One Tin Soldier Payola$ - Eyes of a Stranger, Hammer on a Drum, Where is This Love, Never Said I Loved You (duet with Carole Pope of Rough Trade), It Must Be Love, You’re The Only Love Rough Trade - High School Confidential, All Touch Spoons - Romantic Traffic, Old Emotions, Nova Heart, Tell No Lies, Arias and Symphonies I’m guessing you might not recognize all the songs from the titles, but you would have to have never listened to Canadian pop music to have never heard any of these songs. Some were one-hit wonders, but their hit was monster (like “Hot Child in the City”) and are still played today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-americans-know-these-ubiquitous-canadian-pop-musicians/337051.md?page=5)