In the Autumn of 2012 Now Magazine music editor Benjamin Boles wrote several Toronto music people and asked for our top 10 Toronto records ever recorded. This was for Now Magazine’s year end special feature. An awkward predicament because shit I’ve made more than 10 records.
It was surprising when the issue came out – they didn’t publish the list I gave them nor did they publish the lists other people gave them. Instead they published one list – a synthesis of all the responses. Anyway, it occurred to me yesterday why not publish it myself. Here is the list I sent Benjamin Boles along with a paragraph about the Barcelona Pavilion.
Barcelona Pavillion It’s The Barcelona Pavillion
Kyp Harness God’s Footstool
The Quintet Jazz at Massey Hall
Cathy Young A Spoonful of Cathy Young
Ron Sexsmith Grand Opera Lane
Lillian Allen Revolutionary Tea Party
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet Dim The Lights Chill The Ham
Mendelson Joe Fragile Man
Neil Young at Massey Hall
Mary Margaret O’Hara Miss America
It was life changing when I encountered the Barcelona Pavillion in 2000 (or 2001) – this would be the future of everything. During the next decade Barcelona Pavillion leader Steve Kado seemed to have magical powers, in one way or another I would find him connected to Toronoto’s most memorable new works be it Final Fantasy, Kate Stelmanis, Brian Joseph Davis, Fucked Up or everyone else in the catalogue of the musician owned cooperative he started – the Blocks Recording Club. Even the Hidden Cameras were once radical but diluted into just an imitation of themselves after Joel removed the key ingredients which, for me, was largely Steve Kado.
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Would you give us your personal top 10 list, with a short paragraph about your number one album? We may quote your blurb as part of the package, to help ensure a good range of voices. And if you have anything you’re hoping to plug (gigs/albums/books/charities/ect), let us know so that we can mention that in the package.
Does this sound like something you’d be interested in? If so, I’ll need your answers back by the end of this week.
Cheers, Benjamin Boles
Benjamin Boles
Music Editor
NOW Magazine | nowtoronto.com
189 Church St, Toronto M5B 1Y7
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Thanks for thinking of us, Bob. The above photo was taken at Dundas and McCaul in the spring of 2003, when part of OCADU was under construction. A few months later mayoral candidate David Miller famously posed with a broom to symbolize his intention to clean up city hall. It was the year of the broom.