I think it started in the early 90s. Growing up in very rural Kentucky, we couldn't get cable. It wasn't available in our area. Well, we found out we could get a satellite dish that would offer more channels!
The dishes were huge. It reminded me of the big dishes seen in Empire Strike Back on Hoth. Also, if people were in our backyard, we would check before changing channels- the dish moving around COULD hurt someone.
We couldn't get MTV, BUT we COULD get MuchMusic out of Canada. Close enough. Of course, Canadian Music is SLIGHTLY different from what Americans are used to.
Big rock and pop stars in the US are pretty much always big in Canada too, but the reverse isn't always true.
The Guess Who, Rush, and the Barenaked Ladies found success in the US, among others. Some great bands, however, never could get that same momentum.
You could maybe assume that some bands are just too Canadian. Excessive references to hockey, and towns totally unfamiliar to Americans might explain some of that.
Watching MuchMusic back in the 90s... well, I thought The Northern Pikes and Jane Siberry (two of my favorite Canadian artists) would take over America. I thought Barenaked Ladies were too goofy for their southern neighbors and would never make it. A Paula Abdul knock off singer in Canada going by "Alanis" repackaged her act and Alanis Morissette would be one of the biggest acts in the world.
Quick, without thinking- name the greatest band from Canada. I can almost guarantee you, that Canadians and Americans will have different answers.
Americans will likely answer Rush, thought the Band, or one of the other bands I mentioned earlier might come up.
If you are Canadian, there is really only one answer- The Tragically Hip. If you are American, you likely are totally unfamiliar with that one.
I'm not even going to try to explain that here, but the Tragically Hip are very important to Canada and the death of their irreplaceable lead singer in 2017 was a national tragedy. Their last concert, broadcast on many platforms, we estimated to have been watched by a third of the population of the country. The Prime Minister had a press conference on the day he died.
I have told people that I feel like Canadians put more into their music. The lyrics are more poetic and emotional, in my opinion.
I have found that I love Canadian TV shows a lot too. Heartland (a show about a family and horses, in a very brief nutshell) has a big following worldwide. The scenery on the show is always beautiful. The Murdoch Mysteries is a detective show set in the 1890s that is crafty and smart. I love their vintage postcard like settings. Co-star of the Murdoch Files, Jonny Harris has his own show, Still Standing, which showcases the wonderful small communities of Canada.
Those are about my three most favorite shows, all Canadian.
No comments:
Post a Comment