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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-09-09, Page 17Jennings captures Canada's pop music history in CBC documentaries _Gerard crsoes signal -star staff Music has the power to unite gen- erations of people. The changes to the industry over the past forty years are nothing short of remarkable and one Goderich man has taken it on himself to document them all. Music journalist Nick Jennings has chronicled the breakout decades of Canadian popular music in two documentaries: The Beat Goes On, which looks at the 1970s and Rise Up, Canadian Pop Music in the 1980s. Jennings is a seasonal resident of the area, cottaging north of town for the past 20 years. The documen- tarian also plays for the Goderich Oldtimers soccer team. Both his documentaries are airing Thursday nights on the CBC in the month of September. In The Beat Goes On (BGO), Jen- nings looks at the rise of the music industry in Canada with bands like Max Webster, April Wine and Troop- er rocking arenas from coast to coast and bringing their sound to apprecia- tive audience across the country. He said many times it was small shows that cemented a band with fans, and many Canadian acts trav- elled to out-of-the-way places to play to the young, music -loving crowd. "Whether it's a small town or a big city doesn't matter," he said. "If a band played at your high school, that's a turning point. "So much of our youth is tied to great music." An example of the power of rock is in BGO, where the members of Great Big Sea recall when the band Trooper came to St. John's, New- foundland. It was that day they de- cided rock and roll was their calling. In Rise Up, the influence Canadi- an music had on the country's artists becomes more apparent as newer artists such as Sam Roberts, K -OS and members of Doc Walker tell how artists like Kim Mitchell paint- ed the backdrop for many a summer growing up. A music critic for McLeans maga- zine since 1981, Jennings has always had sound on his mind. He said these documentaries serve as a chance to show off the talent available in the country. "Canada has a really rich musical legacy," he said. "We don't need to be shy about our achievements." Part of the uniqueness of the music has to do with it's situation between the mega -markets of the United States and of Europe. "Canadian musicians always have a great perspective on things," he said. "They combine the best of both worlds. We don't need to be shy about our achievements." The Buggles may have claimed Photo by Gerard Creces Music journalist Nick Jennings is documenting the past fifty - years of Canadian pop music for the CBC. that video killed the radio star, but for Canadian artists, the power of the video catapulted virtual unknowns to international stardom. In Rise Up, Jennings takes a look at the explosion of artists and genres in Canada, as networks MTV and Much Music give national exposure to bands across the country. One example given is of Corey Hart, who within six months of air- ing his video for Sunglasses at Night went from opening for April Wine to headlining his own arena shows. That growth was due to the power of television to spread music to the masses. As exposure grew, so did the reach of record companies. Traditional rock- ers were being met on-stage by reg- gae bands like Messenjah or rap like Michie Mee or Maestro Fresh Wes. Because of the strength of the re- cord industry, Jennings said there was much more wiggle -room for diversity on the airwaves. "In the 80s the industry was strong enough to support new genres," he said. "And the big thing about it was how big these stars became." Searching film archives from Canadian, American and Europe- an television for footage, Jennings said it took about three years to complete both BGO and Rise Up. Jennings has an earlier docu- mentary, Shaking All Over, which is about Canadian music in the 1960s, which can be taken out at the Goderich Public Library. It is based on a book of his, Be- fore the Gold Rush, and served as the starting point of his quest to capture Canada's musical past on film. "That's where it all began," he said. "That first documentary led to these ones." He said there are two more in- stallations to be created - one for the 1990s and the 2000s. After be- ing immersed in Canada's musical history and talking to the country's biggest names for so many years, he said he still feels lucky to be doing what he's doing. "Sometimes I have to pinch my- self," he said. "It was a real joy to make this series." The two, two-hour documen- taries feature 100 songs, all pure Canadiana, and 150 interviews with our home and Native artists, producers and others in Canada's music industry. Rise Up begins airing Septem- ber 10 at 9 p.m. on the CBC. The Beat Goes On re -runs Sept 12 and 18 on CBC Newsworld at 10 p.m. • Improve your b Search Techniques .;Attend a FREE One Day Workshop in... ✓ Resume Preparation ✓ Interview Techniques Lir local Centre for Employment and Learning. Goderich 519-524-2515. 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