Sunday, August 31, 2003
The New Music celebrates 25 years!
Man, I'm getting old.
JD and Jeannie back in the day
Physical State: stiff
Mental State: sleepy
Music: Saddle Creek 50 Compilation
Fashion sense: black shirt, grey sweats
Yes its true. The greatest music journalism show of all time, started right here in Toronto at CITY-TV in 1978, is celebrating a milestone! The New Music (originally hosted by John "JD" Roberts, now a CBS correspondent and Jeannie Beker, now the host of FashionTV) is celebrating its 25th anniversary. This show was a major component in my unique music education at a very early age. Kudos to my parents for letting me watch it (some of my friends were not allowed). Where else could you see bands the likes of electric tape-wearing Wendy O Williams, Johnny Rotten, Iggy Pop or The Clash in interview and have reporters that seemed like they could have partied (and no doubt did) with the band? Whenever I heard "Papa's Got a Brand New Pig Bag" by Pig Bag, I would instantly think of The New Music (their theme song). Presently George Strombolopoulos and Hannah Sung are the hosts of this show (which can still be found on CITY-TV and MuchMusic).
My attraction to this show has waned a bit over the years and it has gone through some changes (and many hosts). But the basic formula is still pretty much the same: one host, a camerman and the band in interview (either quietly sitting in Grange Park or trashing a hotel room, take your pick). I recall fondly an interview that the New Music did with The Jesus and Mary Chain where member Jim Reid solved the riddle of why they were so popular by simply replying "It's just because we're so damned good". They then proceeded to show a Glasgow music hall where the Chains had played a show that they had decided to cut short...a total shambles. Often at times I think that the show was so good because the interviewers would really stick their neck out there and get a great story (and they seemed to be as rock 'n' roll as the subjects). When I now look at much of Much Music, MTV and most music journalism today it pales in comparison to the freshness and edginess of this show. Jokingly dubbed the $1.98 show by JD (because of the budget they had no doubt), it was real guerilla videojournalism at its best. The scope was pretty wide too including punk, new wave, blues, pop culture, hip-hop...even Librace. A great deal of pop culture television today has a debt to pay to the New Music. This was a show that existed before music video television, before Much Music, before MTV. They were your only source of getting to find out more about a band on tv at that time (with the occasional variety show having a someone on). Click here for the Toronto Star's Ben Rayner article about the show. You can also read about this show in Laurie Brown's excellent autobiography Success without college: days and nights in rock & roll TV (unfortunately out of print I think).
Viewings of the two part anniversary special (that can still be seen) are on:
Part 1
CityTV Thursday, September 04, 2003 at 11:35pm ET/8:35pm PT
Part 2
MuchMusic: Monday, September 08, 2003 at 9:30pm ET/ 6:30pm PT
Citytv: Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 2:30pm ET/11:30am PT
Thursday, September 18, 2003 at 11:35pm ET/8:35pm PT
Happy Birthday New Music.
