Something in Canada attracts artists
Why do international musicians love Canada? James Wood explains.
“The world needs more Canada,” U2 frontman Bono has famously said. And in front of a capacity crowd recently in Vancouver for U2’s Joshua Tree tour, he praised Canada’s record on human rights and gender equality.
Earlier that day, Bono gushed a little more about his band’s love of Canada: “We always have had a thing with Canada in general, but Vancouver has been very welcoming of us at a time when we were fragile,” he said. “Because you get quite vulnerable when you are preparing to launch a tour … in this city, we feel very free.”
Bono has had a long love affair with this country, having appeared on the same Montreal platform as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to denounce poverty as “sexist” and consistently choosing Vancouver as a U2 rehearsal location. But U2 aren’t the only international stars to love Canada. In 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged half of their “bed-in for peace” in Montreal. Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has been grateful to this country since his 1977 drug bust in Toronto, claiming more than once that Canada saved his life. The Stones often use Toronto as their rehearsal location and were known for throwing surprise gigs for fans in the late ’90s.
What is it about Canada that attracts global megastars and emerging artists alike? Sandee Bathgate, studio manager at Bryan Adams’ Warehouse Studios in Vancouver, say the level of talent available when rehearsing or recording is a factor: “In Vancouver, we have amazing talent in engineering and production, and that’s attractive to international artists. Guys like Bob Rock (Metallica), Mike Fraser (AC/DC), Bruce Fairbairn (Bon Jovi, Aerosmith) and Randy Straub (Nickelback) are all from this area.”
As much as talent is never to be taken for granted, by itself it’s not enough to persuade musicians to come to Canada, something Bathgate affirms when listing other attractions for international artists: “Vancouver is a culturally diverse city, which is attractive to artists, and the natural beauty is outstanding. Add to that the fact that some artists need to spend time outside the U.S. for tax reasons, and there are plenty of attractive features for working here.”
Our country’s diversity and generosity, its respect for individual privacy, come up time and again when speaking with musicians who have made Canada their home.
Rich Paxton, lead singer of rising indie rock act Free the Cynics and a Scotsman based in Calgary, says: “Distance is definitely an issue when you’re starting out touring in Canada. But the vibe here is much more collaborative than it is back home in Scotland, or in London. You have bands from different cities offering to set up gigs for you in return for you helping them out — that wouldn’t happen in the U.K.”
Joey DeCosse, drummer for Free the Cynics and a Winnipeg native, agrees: “In Winnipeg, there’s a massive music scene compared to other cities in Canada, with bands like The Mariachi Ghost blending Latin American music with prog rock.”
Especially outside the recognized hubs of Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, Canada offers emerging artists a freedom from pressure and a collaborative environment many of them found wanting in their home countries.
Enoque Carrancho, an electronic dance music producer and DJ based in Calgary, says the positive and supportive dance music community in Calgary compared to his native South Africa: “Calgary is very DIY and it’s easy to create a community and share knowledge. In South Africa, everyone’s always trying to get ahead, not sharing names of tracks they’ve played, that kind of stuff.”
Canada’s venues also find their fair share of cheerleaders — and again, the diversity of the country’s musical environment is singled out for special praise.
A sharing family approach, diversity, natural beauty and talent to spare: it sounds as though the world of music, as much as that of politics, could use more Canada.