From: owner-canadian-music-digest@smoe.org (canadian-music-digest) To: canadian-music-digest@smoe.org Subject: canadian-music-digest V3 #28 Reply-To: canadian-music@smoe.org Sender: owner-canadian-music-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-canadian-music-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk canadian-music-digest Tuesday, March 14 2000 Volume 03 : Number 028 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [NSC] the funniest juno article you'll read ["Tabassum Siddiqui" Subject: Re: [NSC] the funniest juno article you'll read Paul wrote: >[1] Copps refers to Sheila Copps, Canada's Heritage Minister. > >[2] Okay, any guesses on the anonymous woman? Tara? > >http://www.nationalpost.com/artslife.asp?f=000313/230534 I never thought of that! ;-) I was guessing Damhnait Doyle, since she's a friend of Dayna's and is *always* out on the town. ;-P Good gracious, Dayna! See what Jeff Martin hath wrought... ;-P [1] - - Tab :) [1] The Tea Party (mentioned specifically as party boys in the article, big surprise ;-P)'s Jeff Martin worked with Dayna in L.A. on her new album... ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 14:52:41 -0800 From: Sean Palmerston Subject: Sonic Unyon/Junos article from the Saturday Toronto Sun I just thought I would pass this message on. AND CONGRATS TO JULIE DOIRON AND THE WOODEN STARS FOR THER WIN!!! It is so nice to be involved with quality music like their record! A well deserved win. - -Sean / SU Saturday, March 11, 2000 Sonic Unyon dominates best alt list By KIERAN GRANT -- Toronto Sun Monopolies are supposed to be the work of faceless corporations, cigar-chompin' tycoons and bespectacled power-geeks vengefully bent on world-domination -- particularly in the recording industry.  It's surprising, then, that the strongest presence of any label in a single category for this year's Juno Awards -- taking place tonight and tomorrow night -- belongs to the unlikely lads at Hamilton indie imprint Sonic Unyon Records.  Those who run the label aren't corporate types, they rarely smoke cigars (let alone chomp them) and they appear as though they'd actually prefer geekdom.  Four of the five nominated groups for best alternative album have ties to Sonic Unyon: Montreal rockers Tricky Woo with Sometimes I Cry; Toronto's Danko Jones with My Love Is Bold; Moncton's Julie Doiron with Julie Doiron & The Wooden Stars; and even Thrush Hermit, which broke through at the end of '99, 10 months after releasing their nominated album Clayton Park.  The other nominee in the category is Len, whose You Can't Stop The Bum Rush came out on Sony.  It's a fine showing for a label founded six years ago by three members of indie band Tristan Psionic -- Mark Milne, Sandy McIntosh and Tim Potocic. They set up in Milne's parents' basement.  The Sonic Unyon crew are reluctant to own up to their Juno coup.  "Two of the artists aren't really on our label," Milne says over the phone from his Hamilton headquarters. "We just put out Danko Jones as a one-off and distributed Julie's album.  "But," he adds with a laugh, "even if they aren't directly associated with us, at least we had the right idea."  This year's best alternative list, the winner of which will be announced tonight at the Junos, marks the first time this category has been dominated by indie artists.  "No offence to Len, but maybe this year's list is a bit more reflective of what it ought to be," Milne says. "That sounds kind of pompous in that we have such a stake, and maybe there should be more variety in terms of where the bands come from.  But'alternative' doesn't mean Our Lady Peace this year, which is probably better in the long run."  That doesn't change the fact Len has a leg up on the Sonic Unyon stable with its massive mainstream hit, Steal My Sunshine. If that tune earns Len the award, however, it raises the question as to whether that group belongs in the alt-ghetto anymore.  With no trace of sour grapes, Milne wonders aloud if, ideally, Len's position might have gone to an internationally respected, but domestically obscure, band such as Montreal's Godspeed You Black Emperor!  His pick for odds-on favourite this year?  "Len," he cracks dryly. "Though I'd like to see Tricky Woo take it because they worked their asses off."  So, any acceptance speeches ready?  "We don't know who's going," Milne says of tonight's champagne reception and gala dinner. "The $300-a-plate cost is a little out of the indie-rock budget! For that, I can run 1,000 posters for Sinclaire's tour ... But Tricky Woo's members can't go because they have to work -- they have jobs at HMV and washing dishes. They said we could have their tickets.  "I don't think winning this award would make any of our bands quit their day jobs. It might change the way the industry views our company. It might legitimize us -- fool people into thinking we know what we're doing." - -- Sean Palmerston ph(905) 777-1223 Sonic Unyon Records fx(905) 777-1161 www.sonicunyon.com email: promo@sonicunyon.com New Releases CROOKED FINGERS - Crooked Fingers CD (Canada only) - out now SIANspheric - else CD - out now SINCLAIRE - Sinclaire CDEP - out 2/29/2000 (USA) Coming Soon TRISTAN PSIONIC - Mind The Gap CD - out 4/18/2000 ------------------------------ End of canadian-music-digest V3 #28 ***********************************