Jersey performs, MTV does not

By Adam Goetz

While it isn’t hard to notice that MTV has slowly tried to force its vapid programming on Canadian audiences, what a lot of you may not know is that there is a MTV2 in Canada trying to establish itself as well.


On Mon., Oct. 6 their Campus Invasion Tour with Gob, Kazzer and Jersey hit barely made a ripple at the Den. That’s right, the Den, which is probably the smallest venue in the city this side of your next-door neighbours back yard.


"The problem was that they relied primarily on MTV Canada to advertise for the show," Greg Taylor (the singer for Jersey) says with frustration. "But what they don’t know is that most people in Canada don’t even have the channel."


The tour, comprised of some quasi-successful Canadian bands, would seem to have drawn a much larger crowd under different circumstances. The appearance of this success for bands such as Gob and Kazzer is largely due to the Canadian content regulations that dictate (to a large degree) what you see and hear on the radio and television. The ultimate question is: "Do people actually like what they are forced to hear?"


"The truth is that every DJ and VJ across the country could want to spin your disk, but that won’t make any difference," says Taylor. "It all comes down to one person, the program director.


"There are just too many bands that are fighting for the limited number of spots that Can Con provides for. The only way you have a shot is to differentiate yourselves." He contests.


Sadly, Jersey has to try to find success in a completely different environment than bands in the United States market. This is unfortunately not likely to change in the near future unless the legislation is appealed or revised to give all Canadian bands a fighting chance in the industry. Allowing DJs to play what they like instead of confining them to a set program list would certainly help to bring about the start of change.


Who knows, judging on the success of several Canadian entertainers south of the border, maybe things will work themselves out and Canadians will hear more Canadian bands because they are simply good at what they do.


Then again, maybe monkeys will fly out of my butt.

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