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Metal My Movie: Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage
Viewer Discretion is advised before viewing. This documentary deals with assault and violence. Find out more information here.
It is Metal March on CJLO 1690AM. Once again Metal My Movie is back, where we take a look at a movie and give it the metal treatment it deserves.
The original Woodstock festival took place from Aug. 15-18, 1969 – held by its fundamental philosophical notions of peace, love, and freedom of expression, all while listening to music. 30 years later right before the turn of the millennium, another Woodstock festival took place. The promoters of the festival wanted to relive the magic of the original Woodstock and bring it to a new audience to experience, however it was far from the original experience of the core philosophy. The festival, known as Woodstock 99, would come to be known as a disaster music festival – captured in last year’s HBO Music Box series. For this first Metal My Movie segment we will explore the changing shifts of musical acts featured at the Woodstock 99 festival and how this correlates to the shifts in societal norms as seen in the documentary Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage from director Garret Price.
The original Woodstock had more musicians that were all about the foundations of peace, love and freedom. More times than not, the most radical inclination was political or societal in nature. Think about Jimi Hendrix playing “The Star Spangled Banner'' on electric guitar as the counterculture radical move of the time. Wyclef Jean would reenact this moment at Woodstock 99 but many would not get the reference having not been there at the original festival. Woodstock 94, another rendition of the classic festival name, brought the grunge movement with bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam to the forefront without any problems and it was music with meaning for the times. The late ‘90s had some spectrums of music including the boy bands on one side and another side being nu metal. However, the music that was promoted at Woodstock 99 was more aggressive, misogynistic, and misguided towards the young male audience goers in attendance.
Looking at the festival’s lineup, there were only three big female acts billed among the three days – one per day. Woodstock 99 was slated as a nu metal festival as seen from the Saturday night lineup. Following the only female artist billed on Saturday night, Alanis Morissette, bands such as Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine and Metallica played back to back.
The shifting nature of the bands billed at Woodstock 99 was met by a cultural response. We can take a look at how MTV was received at the festival. Most of the male attendees that were there for the nu metal scene did not like the presence of a channel. They felt MTV had sold out to cater to their little sisters with the emergence of the boy bands. This can be seen through The Offspring frontman Dexter Holland’s visual statement, who opened his set by breaking Backstreet Boys mannequins on stage with a plastic baseball bat. However, this would only be the beginning of the violence seen at Woodstock 99.
The original Woodtock festival had something to say about the political establishment at the time though this cultural festival that criticized the government. In contrast, Woodstock 99 saw Kid Rock saunter on stage in a full white fur coat and cane before going into his hit song "Bawitdaba." The counter political ideologies of the original festival were mismatched with the same toxicity found in the songs played at Woodstock 99, something that especially shined through when Kid Rock stated during his set that “Monica Lewinsky is a motherfucking hoe and Bill Clinton is a goddam pimp.”
Taking a look at Limp Bizkit’s two hit songs that frontman Fred Durst decided to perform, “Nookie” and “Break Stuff,” further reveals how the situation unraveled. During “Break Stuff,” he said, "Don't let anybody get hurt. But I don't think you should mellow out. That's what Alanis Morissette had you motherfuckers do. If someone falls, pick 'em up.”
A few songs later, Limp Bizkit were leading into another one of their hit songs, “Nookie,” which is a euphemism for sex. Before leading into the song, he said to the audience, "So for that sake, I want to let everybody know that I'm doing all this shit for the nookie." Halfway through the song, he continued speaking to the audience. "We already let all the negative energy out. It’s time to reach down and bring that positive energy to this motherfucker. It's time to let yourself go right now, 'cause there are no motherfuckin’ rules out there,” as a way of encouraging the audience to let themselves go with no rules of conduct.
Limp Bizkit disregarded the stage management’s advice to settle the crowd, creating an unsafe environment for the female audience members amongst the male audience members. Durst’s messages about sex and letting energy out with no rules put the female members of the audience in more danger, given the rowdy crowd.
The true escalation of the festival however would come Sunday night when the riots and looting started. The sign that the festival was out of control was when a fire was started and stage management told Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to take control and tell the audience to disperse to make way for the fire trucks. Instead, the band retook the stage for an encore performance cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire,” stoking the audience and the flames into more of a frenzy.
Woodstock 99 on many levels is seen as a failure, as after Sunday night’s escalation into fire, riots, and looting, members of the New York State Troopers were called in to peacefully disperse the crowd. The biggest irony is that some of the members of the non-violent group PAX handed out candles in a symbol of peace that would later lead to the fire destruction caused on Sunday night. There would be in the weeks to come many more horror stories to emerge from the festival, as it was revealed that some of the female attendees were assaulted, receiving little help from security or the musical acts.
The Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage documentary explores perfectly where the metal/rock fusion of the nu metal music scene went wrong in promoting ideologies of aggressive violence and misogynistic toxicity. The music and festival community eventually had to look back after the dawn of the millennium to create a better scene in the future. Despite this, today the nu metal scene still deals with the case of recent abuse allegations against Marilyn Manson that will be seen later this March in Evan Rachel Wood’s new documentary Phoenix Rising. Clearly, there still needs to be changes to the scene towards a positive direction.
Next week Metal My Movie takes a look at Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, as the film series celebrates its 20th anniversary. Got a movie you feel should get the Metal My Movie treatment? E-mail us @ atmovies@cjlo.com. Remi hosts At The Movies alongside regular co-host Danny every Tuesday morning from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. only on CJLO 1690AM.
The 6th Edition of Metal March Is Back and Louder Than Ever!
Ho ho ho! It's Metal March time again! Gather round children as we tell tales of yelling voices, blast beat drums, and shredding guitars during this the loudest month at CJLO! When we started Metal March six years ago, we wanted to be able to celebrate not just loud music but also the contribution that loud music has made to the culture at large and how Montreal and CJLO have played into that, and this year is no different.
Yes, sadly we are in year number two of a pandemic that is either already over, never even happened, or is still raging onward depending who you ask, and so Metal March here at CJLO is once again an online affair. BOOOOOOOO!!!! But we still have stuff for you to check out. YAAAAYYYY!!! But we won't get to see your lovely faces. BOOOOO!!!! But none of us will have to put on pants. YAAAAAAYYYY!!!
First, let's mention the obvious, which is that all your favourite CJLO shows will be "loudening up" their content during the month so you can potentially find some bands you might know that relate to what they play. Your favorite hip hop show might throw in a trap metal track. Your bedroom pop show might get some dark ambient stuff. Your indie rock staple might throw on some post-punk for you to check out. All to try to spotlight some of the heavier aspects of what they play and potentially introduce you to your new favourite band.
And, the metal DJs will be getting in on the action for International Women's Week at CJLO, which kicked off on March 1 as well. The metal shows this first week of the month will be showcasing women in loud music, but not in the Revolver Magazine "Hottest Women in Metal" kind of way, more in the "Hey these kick ass musicians kick ass and are also women" kind of way. As an example, you could tune in to Grade A Explosives this Sunday from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. to hear an interview with the vocal powerhouse from Toronto, SATE. Check out the program grid so you can properly mark your calendars.
Speaking of your favourite DJs from your favourite loudest shows, the hosts of such esteemed programs as BVST (Wednesdays 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.), Sewer Spewer (Mondays noon - 1:00 p.m.), The Noisy Loft (Sundays 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.), and The Iron Club (Sundays 9:00 - 11:00 p.m.), will be writing articles for the CJLO Magazine under the banner of "Metal Mondays." This month, among the other articles, you'll be able to read another "Metal Book Club" article, an article about black metal in China, as well as general reviews of albums, so be sure to check back to this website for more pieces as they come up.
Next, we have some album retrospectives that will be happening during the course of the month. Fun fact: did you know Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast turns 40 years old March 22? Well, it does, and that's not the only classic album that has an anniversary this year. Venom's Black Metal is also 40 years old. Killswitch Engage's Alive or Just Breathing is 20 years old. How about Body Count's debut self-titled record? It's 30 years old and on March 10th no less, and members of CJLO want to talk about these records. Stayed tuned to our social media to hear what albums will be discussed and where you can hear the hot / cold / lukewarm takes that will presented for you to agree / disagree / yell loudly at your preferred listening device.
What's that? You're in a sad state because the music industry is dominated by an unethical business model? Well... honestly that's not new, but the cause of it is COUGH Spotify COUGH. Well, fear not, because once again this year you can help yourself AND bands with our latest edition of the "Band Advent Calendar," where we at CJLO highlight bands and send you over to their Bandcamp where a record will be "Pay What You Can," which means you could have an album for free, or you could be an altruist and kick the band some money. Or you can download one album for free and then buy another. The possibilities are endless... until you reach the end of the possibilities of course. On the docket today is the self-titled album from Winnipeg’s Vagina Witchcraft. Make sure to follow CJLO’s Facebook page for more free albums!
Speaking of the music industry, do you know the Polaris Music Prize? Do you notice that the short list doesn't really have loud things on it very often? Are you curious what the deal with that is? Well, join CJLO for a discussion with Polaris jurors to get some insight on how the prize is determined and maybe find out where all the loud albums go each year during the whittling down process. Be on the lookout for a date and time coming up.
So, to sum it up: loud music and topics throughout the whole month on CJLO's social media, website, and of course on our airwaves. Keep a look out for this as well as any other announcements about programming, special events, and all things loud.
As always, stay heavy, and stay safe.
At The Movies Interview with Quebecois Filmmaker Philippe Grégoire
The Director's Influence presents a conversation with Quebecois filmmaker Philippe Grégoire about his new film Le bruit des moteurs (The Noise of Engines). Among other things, Remi and Grégoire discuss the personal nature of the project and the integral role that sound design plays in the film. Le bruit des moteurs is playing in select cities across Quebec and at Cinema Beaubien as of Feb. 25. Bon cinéma!
At The Movies (with Iconic Sounds) can be heard every Tuesday morning from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. only on CJLO1690AM.
The Unorthodox Romance of Julia Daigle and Un singe sur l'épaule
“I hope it's going to make people dream. Because I dreamt a lot about that project,” said Julia Daigle, skittish about whether that was too pretentious a statement to make about her recent album, Un singe sur l'épaule.
The Montreal singer-songwriter need not worry. Listening to the record feels like stepping into a bewitching dreamscape, untethered from modern musical tropes. The effect is altogether reminiscent of Kate Bush, a creative North Star for Daigle and another artist that draws you into her world on her own terms.
“She was someone I mentioned in my very first meeting with Dominic [Vanchensteing],” Daigle said of Bush, while referencing her primary collaborator on Un singe sur l'épaule. “And so we met and we had a couple drinks and we just talked and because we were strangers at that point, we needed a key word to just open our imagination.”
The word they came up with: “medieval.” It’s a totally accurate description; thanks to old-fashioned instrumentation that includes banjo, farfisa, mandolin, baglama, and bouzouki, Un singe sur l'épaule echoes music from the depths of time. Mixed with the non-traditional structure many of the LP’s songs take, the album is a lot different from the art-drenched pop music Daigle makes as one half of local duo Paupière. “It was probably the biggest challenge I had musically to not have a pop format,” Daigle said. “I'm used to thinking about chorus and verse, like kind of a recipe.”
As with many solo albums from artists part of a group, Un singe sur l'épaule is a personal record for Daigle. “It's more like a journal,” she said of the album. “It's very coded, in the sense that I don't talk directly about some things that I've been through or experienced, but it is very, very personal to me.” Daigle explained that in contrast with her new material, with Paupière, “I write more like stories with characters that are not me, or [anybody] I know. It's just things that I imagined.”
It’s true that Daigle avoids a confessional lyrical approach. The whole heart-on-your-sleeve thing isn’t much to her liking. But Daigle is a devotee of romanticism as a movement, as she explained about "Sur la haute colline," a song off Un singe sur l'épaule that adapts its lyrics from the work of the same name by Quebec poet René Chopin. It’s one of collaborator Vanchensteing’s favourite poems, one he sent her after a session thinking it could be a song.
“It's very romantic, but not in the romance [sense], like people falling in love,” Daigle said. “Just romanticism in general – the pain of living, and beauty […] the vision of time that is different. I just think it was very touching, because the words are still as beautiful now as they were when he wrote it. I think it's timeless, his art [and] his creation in general.”
The dichotomy between Daigle’s romanticism and her avoidance of traditional romance even extends to her never having written about the most quintessential song topic: love. “I actually never wrote a love song in my life, like in Paupière or in this project,” Daigle admitted. “There's many forms of love, but romantic songs, it's not my thing.
“Maybe someday I'm going to write a love song for someone, but it just never happened,” Daigle later added. “I have songs about friendship or passion – passion for your art, passion for living… But, yeah, it's not my thing.”
One of the most romantic-sounding songs is the only other track on Un singe sur l'épaule not written by Daigle, and again is not romantic in the lovey-dovey sense. Backed by longing saxophone and pillowy synths, "Nanette" is based on Nanette Workman, an American-born singer who in the ‘60s ran in the same circles as artists like The Rolling Stones. She also made it big in Quebec by singing in French, impressive considering it wasn’t her native language. Before she shot to fame, however, Workman was in New York City, trying to get into the prestigious Juilliard School and ending up as an understudy on Broadway.
“[Vanchensteing] read her biography that she wrote,” Daigle said, “and that’s just a part of her life that he thought was very beautiful, and he just made a song for fun.” Inspired by Vanchensteing’s inspiration from Workman’s love of her early years in NYC, Daigle compared her approach on “Nanette” to that of an actress inhabiting a role.
“When [Vanchensteing] showed me the song, I just loved it so much,” Daigle said. “It was very magical. I think we only did four or five takes for that one for the vocals, and [in] one shot, which is very rare for me. Because I often search for a long time for the tone, for the good intention that I want. But this one, I felt like I was possessed or something, [from] the strong feelings that [Workman] probably did have.”
It speaks to the power of art that it can transcend time, becoming relevant to each new generation that comes into contact with it, much like the poems of Chopin or the story of Workman did for Daigle. It’s no surprise why artists hope their own creations become timeless, but not necessarily for any narcissistic reasons, according to Daigle.
“It's kind of like dreaming of being like a superhero in a way,” Daigle said, “but not in a megalomaniac way of thinking. It’s just because you've been traveling through other artists before, so for sure you dream of giving back and making other people travel through you.
“I think it takes a lot of courage to expose yourself and show your work. And, you know, sometimes you discover something and you're like, ‘Thank you’ (laughs).”
Un singe sur l'épaule is out now (Lisbon Lux Records)
Photo credit: David Cannon
Alex Viger-Collins is the host of Ashes to Ashes, your home for modern pop in all its forms, every Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
CJLO Year End Top 2021
CJLO’s Top Played “Loud” Artists of 2021
Well, 2021 was quite a year wasn't it? It's a good thing we're in 2022 now, which we all know will be totally different from 2021 and isn't just an arbitrary number we've assigned based on our observations of us rotating around the sun. No, 2022 has already come in and solved all the problems that were left over from the last year.
But before we banish 2021 to the trash bin of history, I thought it might be fun to give you the list of the top played loud artists who released new material in the last year. What does "loud" mean? Well, it's become kind of a catchall term in college/community radio to describe music that, as all of our mothers knew before us, forces us to take drugs, commit murder, and return library books overdue. So, of course this encompasses metal, but also punk, and noisy rock bands.
Before we start, I just feel I should point out that all of the bands that get played are selected by the DJs on shows themselves. CJLO doesn't have a playlist of bands DJs must play, and despite all of big tech's efforts, humans aren't algorithms, so each of these bands was selected by a real person who played it on their show for other real people to hear. I know this seems like a weird thing to mention, but it's worth pointing out that the DJs at CJLO work hard to try to construct shows they think that you'll enjoy and because of that, to me, I think these bands should feel even prouder about their work.
With that out of the way, perhaps it's best to add a bit of context to this through some factoids, so here's some of that:
- CJLO was sent roughly 2,000 records from bands who released EPs or LPs during the course of the year. It was, to put it mildly, a lot, and that doesn't even factor in the stuff released in 2020 that was sent during 2021.
- Of those, DJs on shows played 452 bands, so roughly 25% of all albums sent to us. For all you bands reading, I'm not saying college radio will definitely play you if you send your record, but a 25% chance is infinitely better than your chances of being played on a corporate radio station. Not saying... Just saying.
- Of these 452 bands, 171 were from Canada, thus making the total CanCon on the list 37.83 per cent, well above the 35 per cent required by our license. Please take note, CRTC.
- 61 of those bands were from right here in the province of Quebec because CJLO likes to try and bring you the best from your local scene. That means that 13.5 per cent of the list was Quebec bands or groups.
- This is probably a good time to mention that if you're in a band and want something played on CJLO, feel free to send an email to md-metal@cjlo.com and you might be on next year's list.
- And finally, the most common words in band names this year were "black," "sun," and "wolf"/"wolves." This breaks the two year running tradition of "dead" or "death" being in the top three. Perhaps this tells us that metal bands are maturing and able to get more creative with their band names, or more likely that there will be twice as many mentions next year.
And so, with all of that out of the way, here's the top 201 loud bands played on CJLO that released something new in the past year. Why 201? Because the last two were tied, so deal with it. Congrats to all these bands, and we hope to hear more from them in the near future.
Bands in red are Canadian. Bands in blue are from Quebec.
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CANCER BATS
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AIM LOW
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SPECTRAL WOUND
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SUDDEN WAVES
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TUNIC
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SCARE
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FUCK TOUTE
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PORTRAYAL OF GUILT
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FRVITS
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SWARM OF SPHERES
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WHITE COWBELL OKLAHOMA
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DEVIN TOWNSEND
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OLDE
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VAGINA WITCHCRAFT
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EVERY TIME I DIE
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HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY
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THE HISTORY OF FLYING OBJECTS
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CLICPOW
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EX DEO
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CULTED
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WEEDIAN: A TRIP TO CANADA
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GRALE
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KATO
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68
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SEUM
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BIRMANI
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CELL PRESS
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MAUDIIR
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ANTI-GOD HAND
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THREE EYES LEFT
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KARLOFF
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SLEEP TOKEN
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CONFINED TO OBLIVION
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DANKO JONES
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THE BRONX
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SPIRITBOX
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A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH
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AS WE SUFFER
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GORLVSH / THE LISTENER
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CONVERGE & CHELSEA WOLFE
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EYEHATEGOD
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AGE OF WOLVES
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NADJA
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SATE
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ALTERED DEAD
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YAUTJA
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THE JAILBIRDS
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DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA
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RVBBER VVITCH
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THE DAMN TRUTH
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MARES OF THRACE
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ARCHITECTS
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EVIL
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ROB ZOMBIE
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SANDVEISS
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THE ARMED
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GWAR
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FOXOR
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MOTORHEAD
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DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979
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DEAD SENTRY
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DEADWOLFF
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SIGIL
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WANDERER
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FRACTURE
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ERDVE
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NOISE UNIT
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ANDREW WK
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JOEY CHAOS AND THE GHOSTS
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TONY RUST AND THE MUDHORSES
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MALACODA
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SOILWORK
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BASTERDS
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BLEEDING OUT
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LOCKED IN
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VITRAIL
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BLACK CLOTHES
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BEASTWOOD
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MONSTER MAGNET
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THE PICTUREBOOKS
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BLOODY HAMMERS
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COFFINS
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FRONTLINE ASSEMBLY
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SANDSTORM
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MONOLORD
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PLAGUE WEAVER
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BLACK SABBATH
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FULLUM
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ZAO
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AUGUST BURNS RED
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FEAR FACTORY
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ANTIOCH
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ARCHAIC EARTH
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AUTUMN KINGS
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TRISTWOOD
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SERMON OF FLAMES
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BONEYARD
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FULL OF HELL
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DA BEUMB PROJECT
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SUN BELOW
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BACKXWASH
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LORDI
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NERVOSA
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THE DESIGN ABSTRACT
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CIRITH UNGOL
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BONE TOWER
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MIDNIGHT GALLOWS
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HATEBREED
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TRAUMA LANE
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UNCLE WOE
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HEAD OF JEDDORE
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NEKER
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AT THE GATES
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GRAND COLLAPSE
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LLNN
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HARD CHARGER
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ELECTRIC HYDRA
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RUFF MAJIK
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NORDICWINTER
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ISCHEMIC
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BRIDGE BURNER
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SLASHDANCE
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BETWEEN THE BURIED AN ME
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DISCARDED SELF
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APHRODITE
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FLAMING SIDEBURNS
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ATREYU
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THUNDERMOTHER
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THE MIGHTY ONE
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ECLIPSER
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MAMA DOOM
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CUESTACK
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LAMB OF GOD
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WORMWITCH
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SHOTGUN SAWYER
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MASTIFF
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CARCAJOU
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DOOMED AND STONED IN CANADA VOL 2
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THE AGONIST
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LUTHARO
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HALLOWS DIE
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KNIVAD
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A SCENT LIKE WOLVES
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AUTOCATALYTICA
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LUCIFER
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TIMO ELLIS
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DARKTHRONE
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HAUNT
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DARK TRANQUILITY
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HOWLING GODS
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DIVIDE AND DISSOLVE
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BOOZEWA
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RIVERS OF NIHIL
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OUTRE-TOMBE
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GREEN DESERT WATER
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HANDS OF DESPAIR
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SODOM
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ZEBADIAH CROWE
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VIKING QUEEN
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PIG
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TIGERS ON OPIUM
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CEVIN KEY
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HO CHI MINH
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VARJA
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GASPARD
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WITHIN NOSTALGIA
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WARCALL
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SHOW ME THE BODY
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ODD CIRCUS
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CANNIBAL CORPSE
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BLACK SPELL
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THE LION'S DAUGHTER
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GOJIRA
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ARTILLARY
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FUCK THE FACTS
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APE VERMIN
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T-TOPS
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DEATHCHANT
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HIVERNA
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KING WOMAN
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WILDSTREET
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ANAHATA
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EUTHANIZED
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MONTEZUMA'S REVENGE
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SHADOW OF CORVUS
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LESOTHO
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COMET CONTROL
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IRON MAIDEN
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ZACK OAKLEY
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MINISTRY
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WAGE WAR
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THE BODY AND BIG BRAVE
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UNTO OTHERS
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UNREQVITED
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GREEN LUNG
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THE METALLICA BLACKLIST
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ESCAPE TO WEIRD MOUNTAIN
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SINNER
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HELLOWEEN
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GAYLORD
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TRAPPIST / CONNOISSEUR
Hey Joni
This article originally appeared in the 2021 POP Montreal Programme
I met Joni years ago when a mutual friend told us that we should meet (his exact words, "it's gonna be good"). Visiting Montreal from Ottawa, she was a fellow community radio music director. We talked about our respective stations over some Boustan, sharing notes about how they operated before going record shopping. Not just colleagues, but instant buds. Music talk with her could range from Rancid to Rhys Chatham, to our mutual love for North of America and Autolux.
Over the years we became closer through our On-the-Road-esque network of radio friends, making sure to link up at music and radio conferences along the way or whenever she was in town for a show or a screening at the dearly departed Blue Sunshine (and most importantly explaining what the words "plenary" and "groat" meant at an NCRC). One visit to POP Montreal in 2011 involved a packed Japandroids show at le Divan Orange where Joni emerged from a sweaty mosh pit excited that she had just been kicked in the face by a crowdsurfer. Nothing fazed her.
When she moved to Montreal, the entire CJLO staff were so happy to finally be in the same city as Joni, and to be given the opportunity for more frequent hang outs and run-ins with one of our fave out-of-town radio pals. Through radio, she dug her roots into the music scenes of the different cities she lived in; she became an exceptional resource for DIY bands trying to book tours, and got involved with festivals like Arboretum Festival, Suoni Per Il Popolo, and of course, POP—becoming the Symposium Director for a time, where I had the pleasure to work with her on two workshops. Joni loved more than just community radio, Joni loved community.
I have so many stories about Joni, a lot of them about her great sense of humour, but most of them about what a kind, helpful and incredibly supportive friend she was. My wife always remarked how she truly listened to you, and was always interested in what you had to say, what you were putting out into the universe, and what kind of art you were creating. She genuinely cared.
Joni was the familiar face you looked for in a crowd at a show; she was a lot of people's security blanket and probably never realized that. Everyone rightfully loved her. Mention her name to a stranger in a different music scene and you will immediately bring a smile to their face, followed by an, “Oh, you know Joni too!?” As our different communities live on, Joni will continue to link us together, but it’s still going to be hard to get over the habit of looking for her when walking into a packed venue.
Joni was also incredibly fun, and did not waste time. The drumming, welding, sailing, embroidering, knitting, I-learned-to-code-cuz-pandemic-freed-up-a-lot-of-time-ing marvel wouldn't want us to waste any time either. Live your life, learn that new skill, go on that trip, meet those new people and take that chance. Don't waste the little time you have. Fill it with whatever challenges and interests you, and whatever makes you happy - and share that with those you care about. That's how we can continue to pay tribute to Joni and keep her memory going.
She was, and will always be, the coolest person I know.
Shots ring out from the center of an empty field
Joni's in the tall grass
She's a beautiful mental jukebox
A sailboat explosion
A snap of electric whip crack
She's not thinking about the future
She's not spinning her wheels
She doesn't think at all about the past
She's thinking long and hard about that wild sound
And wondering, will it last?
-Sonic Youth, "Hey Joni"
Mapping Montreal Music
CJLO has recently endeavoured upon a new initiative: the Mapping Montreal Music (MMM) project. MMM will see the production of an 8-episode podcast series, whereby we’ll be mapping our city’s musical history, borough by borough. Tasked with the project are three new members of the CJLO staff: Music Journalist in Residence Sun Noor, Music Journalist Assistant George McFarlane, and Lead Web Developer Alana DeVito.
So the world can learn more about our new staff and what brought them to CJLO, we’ve asked each new member to fill out a short Q&A.
Sun Noor (Music Journalist in Residence):
1. Can you tell us about your relationship with music journalism?
I've always had a passion for music and art growing up. I also really enjoyed writing and storytelling and so I merged all of my passions together in high school and started making web zines, which eventually led to the creation of my blog, For the Record. The idea emerged from creating an outlet for my friend to discover new music and keep up with releases. Although I still enjoy writing features on artists and in-depth album reviews, I've been more focused on producing longform, research-heavy articles. To me, shedding light on interesting scenes and movements from both the past and present make for the best music discovery pieces.
2. What interested you about this position and CJLO 1690AM?
I'm a big fan of Montreal music, storytelling and CJLO, meaning this role simply consisted of what I enjoy most. Volunteering at the station over the past year and curating cool playlists has been great. I'm excited to contribute to the station with the project.
3. What do you hope to create with the MMM project?
I hope to create an audio experience through storytelling that will make listeners feel as though they can envision the places being visited. I've always wanted to create a documentary-style project on Montreal music, as there is so much to explore and uncover. I also hope to shed light on lesser known movements from the past and present while incorporating important discourse about the future of live music.
George McFarlane (Music Journalist Assistant):
1. Can you tell us about your relationship with music journalism?
I’ve always been interested in music journalism from an outsider perspective. As a gigging musician and fan of live music in general, obviously I would always go to shows and form my opinions on the acts that played. I never really put pen to paper and got those thoughts out of my head, though. Working with Sun has been great so far because it feels like I’m finally getting the opportunity to really show my love for local music. There’s also this annoying elitism that so often comes with music journalism, and it’s very heartening to see that there’s none of that at CJLO, and specifically with what Sun and I are working on.
2. What interested you about this position and CJLO 1690AM?
I’ve been wanting to get involved with CJLO for a couple years now. Anytime there’s been a job opportunity, I’ve applied, and this time I guess the fit was right! Over the last year or so, I developed this intense fascination with local/campus radio stations, which made me want to work for one even more! I was also working as an audiobook editor over the summer, and I had been looking for more opportunities to create sound content for a while. CJLO in particular interested me because it’s so close to home. Not only is it in Montreal, but it’s for my university! All of the interactions I’ve had with people from CJLO have been nothing short of lovely, and it’s great to finally be able to contribute to that environment.
3. What do you hope to create with the MMM project?
The MMM project is an opportunity to spotlight one of my favourite things in the world, local music. Since I’ve only lived in Montreal for a couple years, I don’t connect as deeply with the history of music here. In those few years, though, it’s been made abundantly clear that live music and Montreal go hand in hand. The reason I play music at all is because of a single student show in a dingy basement when I was fourteen, and all I want is to translate that incredible feeling into this show, and maybe convince some more people to go out and support their local scene!
Alana Marta DeVito (Lead Web Developer):
1. Can you tell us about your relationship with music journalism?
When I was a teenager I consumed everything I could about music and would buy armfuls of music magazines. It was a hugely important part of my life and actually what inspired me to become a musician and sound artist later on. Actually, before I became a musician I wanted to be a music journalist at a British music magazine…
2. What interested you about this position and CJLO 1690AM?
I had actually come up with the concept for an assignment in one of my CART classes (computation arts) – this idea that you could “hide” content in different GPS locations on a map and then allow people to explore their city to find these “gems” – and had just started to prototype when Francella approached me at my position at the Acts of Listening Lab at the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling to ask to collaborate on a project combining the music community and history of Montreal in an interactive, “soundwalk” form. It was perfect timing! I’ve always wanted to get involved with CJLO, so it was exciting when it fell into place!
3. What do you hope to create with the MMM project?
An exciting and innovative, new medium to explore music content while learning about your community. A new way for people to connect with the history, present and future of the creative, vibrancy of Montreal.
Best of 2021
CJLO tends to attract community members who are intensely passionate about art, whether they’re creators, consumers, or both. As a result, checking out our yearly “best of” lists is a great way of keeping up with great releases that may have flown under your radar this year. With the station’s wide range of tastes, from crusty hardcore to electro-pop, there’s surely something for everyone to discover. Music-based lists also weren’t the only thing submitted, so make sure to look out for top movies as well!
Thanks so much to every CJLO member who contributed to the list this year, and anyone who helped make 2021 a great year for the station. Catch you all in 2022!
Dana Hachwa (volunteer)
Soundtrack to my First Year in Canada
1. Good Days by SZA
2. Guys by The 1975
3. Connaissais de Face by Khruangbin
4. Tidal Wave by Tom Misch
5. What Once Was by Her’s
6. Slow Burn by Kacey Musgraves
7. Ginger by WizKid, H.E.R.
8. Golden Brown by The Stranglers
9. Black Madonna by Cage the Elephant
10. Heart Don’t Stand a Chance by Anderson .Paak
11. Rhymes Like Dimes by MF DOOM, DJ Cucumber Slice
12. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Mayer
13. Time Moves Slow by BADBADNOTGOOD, Samuel T. Herring
14. Send Me An Angel by Scorpions
15. From the Inside by Linkin Park
16. The Zephyr Song by Red Hot Chili Peppers
17. Dress Down by Kaoru Akimoto
18. The Adults Are Talking by The Strokes
19. Like Real People Do by Hozier
20. Mourir au large - sunset version by Safia Nolin
21. Steppin’ Out by Electric Light Orchestra
Remi Caron (staff and DJ)
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10 Best Visual Media Scores and Soundtracks of 2021 (in no particular order)
Bo Burnham - Inside (The Songs)
Daniel Hart - The Green Knight
Jonny Greenwood - Spencer
Mark Isham and Greg Harris - Judas and The Black Messiah
Thomas Newman - The Little Things
Jim Williams - Titane
Various Artists - Last Night in Soho
Hans Zimmer - Dune
Ramin Djawadi - Eternals
Alexandre Desplat and Various Artists - The French Dispatch
10 Best Albums of 2021 (in no particular order)
Arcade Fire and Owen Pallett - Her (Score)
*Note that even though the film was released in 2013, the score received an official release in 2021
Ariane Moffatt - Incarnat
Kiwi jr. - Cooler Returns
IDLES - CRAWLER
PONY - TV Baby
Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR
Jon Batiste - WE ARE
The Killers - Pressure Machine (Abridged)
Lucy Dacus - Home Video
Kanye West - Donda
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Best Films of 2021 (IN ORDER)
10) Dune dir. Denis Villeneuve
9) Val dir. Leo Scott & Ting Poo
8) West Side Story dir. Steven Spielberg
7) The Green Knight dir. David Lowery
6) tick, tick…BOOM! dir. Lin-Manuel Miranda
5) Titane dir. Julia Ducournau
4) The French Dispatch dir. Wes Anderson
3) Bo Burnham: Inside dir. Bo Burnham *Author’s Note: Some may claim this stand up comedy special as a cheat or a cop out of another excellent film, however it is on many top ten lists of film critics when it comes to the end of the year. Also it had a limited theatrical run.
2) Blue Bayou dir. Justin Chon
1) In The Heights dir. Jon M. Chu
Chris the Frog, host of Sewer Spewer (Mondays at 12 pm)
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Best Montreal Albums of 2021:
Backxwash - I LIE BURIED HERE WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES
Fuck Toute - Coké computer
Katö - Québec Gold
Spectral Wound - A Diabolic Thirst
Priors - My Punishment on Earth
The Horny Bitches - Shut up and Be Nice
Thrush - Cool Now
CRABE - Sentients
Birmani - Birmani
The Last Mile - Respect the Frequency
Best Canadian Albums of 2021:
Bad Waitress - No Taste
Botfly - Lower Than Love
Rules - The Bummer Circus Comes to Truth City
Black Dresses - Forever In Your Heart
Tunic - Quitter
Slowpoke - Slowpoke
Karloff - Karloff
Wine Lips - Mushroom Death Sex Bummer Party
Olde - Pilgrimage
Zero Zero Ufo - Conspiracy
Best International Albums of 2021:
The Armed - ULTRAPOP
Danny Efman - Big Mess
Yautja - The Lurch
Carcass - Torn Arteries
Harakiri For the Sky - Maere
The Muslims - Fuck These Fuckin Fascists
Turnstile - GLOW ON
Filth Is Eternal - Love is a Lie, Filth Is Eternal
Pupil Slicer - Mirrors
S.H.I (Struggling Harsh Immortals) - 4 死 Death
Chris the Frog - Best New Movies I Watched in 2021 (in no particular order)
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The Last Matinee (VOD)
Psycho Goreman (Shudder)
Mad God (Fantasia Fest)
The Sadness (Fantasia Fest)
Fear Street Part 2: 1978 (Netflix)
Candyman (Theatres/VOD)
Dune (Theatres/VOD)
Frank & Zed (Fantasia Fest)
Vicious Fun (Shudder)
Straight Edge Kegger (Shudder)
Megan Dams - host of Purple Hour
Best Projects of 2021
1. Planet Her - Doja Cat
2. Donda - Kanye West
3. Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish
4. Life of a DON - Don Toliver
5. Scary Hours 2 - Drake
6. Big Femme Energy Volume 1 - Femme It Forward
7. TEMPORARY HIGHS IN THE VIOLET SKIES - Snoh Aalegra
8. JNGL - IAMTHELIVING & Teon Gibbs
9. Certified Lover Boy - Drake
10. To: You (a holiday joint) - Baby Rose
Best Singles of 2021
1. Drugs N Hella Melodies - Don Toliver (feat. Kali Uchis)
2. Thot Sh*t - Megan Thee Stallion
3. Take My Breath - The Weeknd
4. Like That - Kalisway
5. Talk Luv - Zeina
6. Patience - Realestk
7. MERCEDES - Brent Faiyaz
8. Feelings - Zach Zoya
9. All My Wishes - Fernie
10. Beautiful Mind - Ciscero (feat. Oddisee)
Alex Viger-Collins
Best Albums of 2021
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1. Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee
2. CHVRCHES - Screen Violence
3. Cadence Weapon - Parallel World
4. Porches - All Day Gentle Hold !
5. Brockhampton - Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine
6. Kacey Musgraves - Star-Crossed
7. Janette King - What We Lost
8. Tika - Anywhere But Here
9. Magdalena Bay - Mercurial World
10. Julia Daigle - Un singe sur l'épaule
Honourable Mention: Olivia Rodrigo - Sour
Best Discoveries of 2021
1. New Order - Brotherhood (1986)
2. Hole - Live Through This (1994)
3. Radiohead - Pablo Honey (1993)
4. George Strait - Strait from the Heart (1982)
5. R.E.M. - Document (1987)
6. XTC - Skylarking (1986)
7. Green Day - Warning (2000)
8. Allen Toussaint - Southern Nights (1975)
9. Eve - Scorpion (2001)
10. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Claudine (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1974)
Honourable Mention: Dolly Parton - Hello, I'm Dolly (1967)
Angelica (BVST DJ)
Best Albums
My list this year could easily be called "Bands I Really Wanna See When This Nightmare Ends," as there's not one single act here that I've seen live yet. See you in 2022, maybe? Or maybe in 2023? Stay safe out there, y'all. Once again presented in no particular order, you can check out the playlist of all the recommended tracks from these records!
Knivad - Insidans Ärrvävnad
Knivad explain their band name as "Swedish for something like 'stabbed in the throat by a fucking knife!'" and that just about covers their sound. Fusing crust with metal in a furious, raw D-beat yelp, the album manages to strike a balance between sexy stomp and breakneck ferocity. Track to taste: "Häktad"
Birmani - Birmani
These fuzzed out locals are more than a psych-y stoner act, there's some real rock groove to their first full-length, and all the grit is balanced out by some unexpected moments of pure sheen that veer toward big pop hooks. Track to taste: "Balles de plomb"
Deathchant - Waste
While this sophomore album isn't as perfectly pulled together as their 2019 self-titled debut, it's still incredibly strong, and continues to define their sound, which they aptly bill as "psychedelic heavy proto-metal.” I was hungry for another helping of So-Cal scuzzbucket rock, and this delivers. Track to taste: "Holy Roller"
Mastiff - Leave Me The Ashes Of The Earth
Easily the bleakest album on this list, Mastiff's third full length is a maelstrom of the most miserable bits from every extreme metal subgenre blended into a pummeling assault that shows no mercy, but doesn't overstay its welcome. Track to taste: "Endless"
Scare - Congratulations on Your Death
Clocking in at under 12 minutes, this mean little morsel hits all the sludge/hardcore high notes, and is heavily recommended for those still in mourning for the likes of Cursed, Mi Amore, and Trigger Effect. Screamy and dreamy, this EP has me hoping for a full length in 2022! Track to taste: "Post-Life"
Olde - Pilgrimage
This thick slice of Canadian doom dropped a year into COVID, and properly captured the absolute futility of, well, everything (and not just because they directly reference plague doctors on "Medico della Peste"). A big, meaty, angry record, Pilgrimage will force-feed you and leave you sated. Track to taste: "In Defiance"
Harakiri For The Sky - Maere
Five albums in, this Austrian post black metal duo continue to never disappoint. Expansive without relinquishing any intensity or viciousness, and introspective without being claustrophobic, Maere is a truly beautiful record. Don't miss the cover of Placebo's "Song to Say Goodbye" that closes out the record, it's an unexpected, but very welcome surprise. Track to taste: "Time Is a Ghost"
King Woman - Celestial Blues
Kristina Esfandiari returns with an extremely worthy followup to 2017's flawless Created In the Image of Suffering. Slipping effortlessly back and forth from the dread and emptiness of space and silence, through ethereal vocals and lush melodies, to explosive riffs and animal howls, this album will undo you and stitch you back again. Track to taste: "Entwined"
SATE - The Fool
On the surface, Sate is a blues rock singer, fronting a blues rock band. That hardly encompasses how dark and seductive her new album is. Setting aside her incredible musical pedigree (SATE is the daughter of Salome Bey), this second full-length is proof of the chops to go along with it. There's enough growl and grind in this record to appeal to the grittiest, so don't sleep on this rough gem. Track to taste: "Dirty Little Lie"
Zack Oakley - Badlands
If Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats had a happily stoned sibling, it would be Zack Oakley. This record is unashamedly steeped in drugged out ‘60s/’70s psych, and it's exactly the kind of sunshiny acidtab rock that appeals to the part of me that's always ready to bolt to the desert and disappear. Track to taste: "Acid Rain"
Alex Menjivar (AutoBeat DJ)
Best Albums
Joy Orbison - still slipping vol. 1
Space Afrika - Honest Labour
El Michels Affair - Yeti Season
Priori - Your Own Power
Leon Vynehall - Rare, Forever
Madlib - Sound Ancestors
J. Cole - The Off-Season
Flying Lotus - Yasuke
BADBADNOTGOOD - Talk Memory
Unknown T - Adolescence
Mansur Brown - Heiwa
Best Local Releases
Skiifall - WOIIYOIE TAPES Vol. 1
Secret Witness - Volume I
Fred Everything - Alone (Together)
Hologramme - CIEL
Ellxandra - Old Memories That Never Were
Camille Frey - The Grand Tour
Salin - Cosmic Island
DJ Killa-Jewel - Sagittarius
Hildegard - Hildegard
Gayance - No Toning Down
Paolo Rocco - Life in Pieces
Pascale Project - Where’s the Party?
Favourite New Local Artists
Skiifall
Pascale Project
Ellxandra
Calvin Cashen (Music Director, The Waiting Room DJ)
Top Albums
Pauline Anna Strom - Angel Tears in Sunlight
Magdalena Bay - Mercurial World
Julie Doiron - I Thought of You
black midi - Cavalcade
Playboi Carti - Whole Lotta Red
Erika de Casier - Sensational
Jazmine Sullivan - Heaux Tales
Astral Social Club - space draft extended play
Knocked Loose - A Tear in the Fabric of Life
Water From Your Eyes - Structure
Top Songs
Megan Thee Stallion - “Thot Shit”
Magdalena Bay - “Chaeri”
Tirzah - “Send Me”
Julie Doiron - “You Gave Me the Key”
Yves Tumor - “Jackie”
Hermeth - “Devil's Reject”
The Weather Station - “Parking Lot”
Makthaverskan - “This Time”
Water From Your Eyes - “My Love's”
black midi - “John L”
Playboi Carti - “Vamp Anthem”
Baby Keem (feat. Kendrick Lamar) - “family ties”
Big Thief - “Little Things”
LSDXOXO - “The Devil”
six impala - “6FINGERDEATHPUNCH”
Arooj Aftab - “Mohabbat”
Overmono - “Pieces of 8”
Sweeping Promises - “Pain Without a Touch”
Lost Girls - “Losing Something”
Om Unit - “Treading Earth”
Andrew Wieler (Metal Music Director and host of Grade A Explosives)
Albums of the Year
1. Radical - Every Time I Die
Easily the best work these Buffalo natives have done since The Big Dirty. This record sees them lean into some more "post" elements with great effect. Now they're all fighting with each other, so it might be the last album, and if so it's probably the best one to go out on.
2. Diablo Swing Orchestra - Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole
Hey, do you like metal? Oh, and also swing music? And also a bunch of other genres mashed together to a near-perfect paste? Well friend, this here is for you. Not as good as Pascifisticuffs, but still more creative than most things you'll listen to this year.
3. Sleep Token - This Place Will Become Your Tomb
A good, but ultimately disappointing album from Sleep Token. Could have used another year in the oven really with non-sequiturs and more disjointed segments than Sundowning. Still, what it has is more interesting than a lot of other stuff I've heard this year.
4. The Lion's Daughter - Skin Show
Sludgey, plodding stuff with synthesizers thrown in gives this both a foreboding and aggressive atmosphere. Like if John Carpenter was in Unsane but didn't want to impose.
5. Sermon of Flames - I have Seen the Light, and it was Repulsive
This album finally cemented an idea that wasn't fully formed in my mind, which is genres like "industrial" and "black metal" and "noise" should really act more like descriptors than be their own genres of music. Seriously, no one likes a boring plain "black metal" album, but then you put in some noise electronics, and some weird chord progressions, and you get something like this thing. Is it Methwitch, no, but It's as close as this year gives us, so we must work within the paradigm we have.
6. Amigo the Devil - Born Against
Mixing elements of tragedy and comedy, this is "murder folk/country" at its absolute best. It's sometimes funny, sometimes heart-wrenchingly sad, but always engaging, and even though it's not perfect, it's definitely worth your time.
7. Vitrail - Les Pages Oubliées
Québec manages to make a post-black metal project that stands with any of the rest of them. This record soars with parts infused with all of the things the "post" modifier indicates, while still keeping black metal at its heart, all while not going off onto 8 minute long tangents.
8. Grale - Agitacion
A small EP that whacks a big punch of heavy stoner rock. Really, this could have gone to the other compatriots of this band, namely Olde or Head of Jeddore, but this is so lean and to the point that it edges them out.
9. Bridge Burner - Disempath
Ugly deathy crust stuff from the COVID resistant (or more likely idiot resistant) New Zealand. Really this is just a standout among the other sludgy stuff that it could share with, including Erdve, Wanderer, or LLNN, but this one just has a punch to it that sort of made me feel literally anything, so there's that.
10. Cvlt ov the Svn - We Are the Dragon
A mix of metal with some pop sensibilities, this self-described "Occult Murder Pop" basically got their description correct. I'm just shocked that of all the Scandinavian countries, Finland delivers this to us and not the pop juggernaut that is Sweden.
Honorable Mentions
Bloody Hammers - Songs of Unspeakable Terror
Best Misfits tribute album of the year for sure.
Lordi - Lordiversity
I feel as though I have to put this on the end of year list in some capacity for the sheer audacity of making an album that is actually seven different albums all set from different genres from rock/metal history including: 70s rock, AOR, Disco, industrial rock, 80s rock, thrash, and prog rock. It's kind of insane to do something like this, but this is Lordi after all.
Portrayal of Guilt - Christfucker
One of two albums put out this year by this band, and I find this one leans more into the noise and industrial which means it's more ma jam.
Harakiri for the Sky - Maere
This duo has basically perfected post-black metal, though that apparently means they have to be long-winded with their songs, but I'd rather listen to a long meandering song full of artistry than the cash grab that certain other bands in the genre try to do.
Neker - Neker
Italian one man stoner doom is a solid release that deserves a shout out
Scare - Congratulations on Your Death
Is this the best EP Quebec put out this year? The leading question has been asked.
Vagina Witchcraft - Vagina Witchraft
Easily the freshest voice in sludgey hardcore, with a fresh voice and take on the current world. If you're worried about what that means, you can just listen to the first track, "Prelude", and see what I mean. A bit more raw than I usually like my records, but it is "off the floor" so I can't really complain too much.
There Were Wires - Somnambulists (reissue)
Best reissue of a record this year where every band was legally required to do at least one. If you want to see what a band looking into the future of metalcore would do in the early 00s much like Planes Mistaken for Stars, this is something you should check out.
Tunic - Quitter
"You want us to be noisier? Fine, we'll be noisier."
Backxwash - I Lie Here Buried with my Rings and My Dresses
Continuing the hip hop, industrial, and metal crossover, this record didn't do it for me as much as God Has Nothing to do With This Leave Him Out of It, but I could see why other people would prefer it more with its higher intensity and more in your face approach.
Sate - The Fool
Toronto's Sate returns with a cosmic rock concept record and basically puts so many pop artists to shame with her natural vocal talent.
BVST Goes Santapalooza X!
Did you blink sometime in the summer and suddenly find yourself in December? So did Angelica from BVST, who woke up and realized that it's time for holly-jollying and kris-kringling during her year-end xmas specials!
First up, it's a brand new edition of the BVST HEAVY METAL XMAS SPECIAL! Newly recorded for this year, with some old favourites and fresh new tracks, your holiday just got heavier! Tune in Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 7:00 p.m. EST for all the merry metal fun.
Then, it's time for the main event! BVST GOES SANTAPALOOZA X is happening on Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 7:00 p.m. EST! The incredible 10th edition of this annual event welcomes guest programmer Matt Kiernan to once again take over the music direction. He'll have all the underground Christmas tunes you need to hear this year, so make sure not to miss it, or you'll get a lump of coal in your stocking!
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