Can-Con 45 Of The Day - August 28

Can-Con 45 Of The Day - August 28

Postby radiofan » Mon Aug 27, 2018 8:24 pm

Today's Can-Con 45 is from 1972 ... It's Michel Pagliaro and "Rainshowers" ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81_i_OIVbSY

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Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: Can-Con 45 Of The Day - August 28

Postby paterson » Tue Aug 28, 2018 5:33 pm

Always interested that a radio company would stick their corporate foot into the record business in Canada. Looking at what little has been written about MUCH records it is often with a sort of condescending theme such as "they did this to fulfill their cancon obligations"...blah blah blah.. Typical Canadian "chip on the shoulder" attitude from some media types even back in the early '70's. Sadly not "much" has changed..sorry, couldn't help myself. However the MUCH name does live on to this day with the MUCH formerly MuchMusic channel.

MUCH released material from many artists, Rich Little, SeaDog, Mantis, Raphael Exchange, Rhonda Silver, Pagliaro, April Wine, Copper Penny; even some instrumental albums and more middle of the road material.

1050 chum in Toronto certainly didn't go to any great lengths to play songs from their corporate cousins. Rainshowers was only on the chum chart for 4 weeks and peaked at 20 in June of 1972 and had more success elsewhere in the country. The follow up Some Sing Some Dance only appeared for 3 weeks and peaked at 25 on the chum 30. April Wine had slightly more success with MUCH productions and even more after the group moved permanently to Aquarius/Capital Records after MUCH productions closed down.

Looks like MUCH Productions either produced or released about 50 singles and albums during it's 4-5 year life as a working company. The label was based in Montreal and this would likely explain the association with Michel Pagliaro and April Wine. They also released some material in French for the Quebec and some other French markets under the label MUCH International.

Pagliaro was the label's only major release internationally with material released throughout Europe, US and Japan on the Pye label. First record released on the MUCH label was Pagliaro's Give Us One More Chance in 1970 and the second single was We're Dancing Til it Blows Over by a group called Second Helping which was actually Pag as well.

I know that Standard Radio had the Canadian Talent Library (CTL) material which released a lot of MOR singles and albums but didn't normally have much distribution beyond radio stations that subscribed to the service. Did any other radio stations or companies in Canada own their own record labels that released material from local bands or artists? I know stations would often do novelty songs that were more "one off"s but I was wondering about something longer term.
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Re: Can-Con 45 Of The Day - August 28

Postby Richard Skelly » Wed Aug 29, 2018 2:40 am

Excellent research and summary of MUCH, Paterson. If I’m not mistaken, Brian Chater was either executive or hands-on producer for the label. And later headed up a Canadian music industry group.
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Re: Can-Con 45 Of The Day - August 28

Postby Richard Skelly » Wed Aug 29, 2018 3:03 am

The lobby group name finally came to me. The late Brian Chater helmed the Canadian Independent Record Production Association. Before CIRPA, he played a pivotal role signing Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance to the publishing arm of A & M Records of Canada which greatly accelerated Bryan’s recording career with the label.
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Re: Can-Con 45 Of The Day - August 28

Postby paterson » Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:58 am

Brian Chater was in charge and basically ran the label out of offices in Montreal. He was responsible for signing up artists for MUCH and I know he made a few
licensing arrangements for the label as well. Much Productions used various producers, Harry Hinde Bill Hill, Terry Filion and George Lagios who produced Pagliaro's material.

I guess the label went bankrupt sometime in 1974 when CHUM was no longer willing to bankroll the label. Sort of odd why April Wine's first three albums and various singles never appeared on the MUCH label even though the band initially was signed to Much Productions. All of the early material was on Aquarius which was also based in Montreal.

Standard Radio's CTL label was around from 1962 and wound down in 1985. They were quite active with over 225 releases and did have success with Haygood Hardy's The Homecoming instrumental hit and album. Many CTL productions were released on RCA, GRT, Attic and various other labels. The Canadian Talent Library was a big benefit to easy listening and MOR radio stations providing them with well produced cancon that was not contemporary/rock or hit oriented.

Thanks for your compliment Richard and sorry I ramble a bit sometimes. Don't know why I found it interesting that a couple of radio companies actually took a serious stab at the music industry years ago.
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