Pop Montreal marks its 10th anniversary this year – ten whole years of celebrating music in general, and Montreal’s homegrown music in particular. There’s much to celebrate on that front. Aside from those Grammy/Juno/Polaris winners, Montreal has a wealth of local talent.
Why is the city host to such musical bounty? Amy Millan of Stars describes the inspiring atmosphere of her adopted hometown:
“When you’re walking down the street and it’s covered in snow and there’s a clown juggling next to you in his crazy pants and everyone’s speaking French, you feel taken outside of your life.”
But there’s more behind Montreal’s colossal indie rep than just its European-tinged romance. It hasn’t always been a bastion of independent music. In this edtion of The Birth of Canadian Indie, we’ll look at the indie legacy left by bands in 1980s Montreal. It was a time when underground music meant few live venues and little support from the disco-loving public.
More Birth of Canadian Indie...
Edmonton
Halifax (Segment on the CBC Radio 3 Podcast)