Polaris People August 10: Grimes' Fashion, Handsome Furs Remembered
Everyone we know has Olympic fever right now and for good reason. Did you see the Canadian women soccer team? Man, that was a rollercoaster ride of emotion.
There’s another place where the competition is still pure and genuine, though. Polarisland.
Our people, the Polaris People, are beyond reproach. Mostly because all they do is make perfect records. Here’s what some of them were up to this week:
Former 2010 Short Lister Dan Mangan has some opinions on what the Olympics does to a city and he should know, having witnessed the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver firsthand. He talked about it for Huffington Post Music Canada.
The Dears, 2007 Short Listers, ranked #3 on Prefix magazine’s list of top “Mozzelgängers” — musicians who sound like Morrissey. The Smoking Popes took the #1 spot.
2007 Short Lister Julie Doiron has a new band she’s calling The Wrong Guys, but considering it features Eamon McGrath and members of the Cancer Bats — both past Long List artists — we’re more inclined to believe they’re The Right Guys.
Meanwhile, you’ll be able to find us and 7,000 other people all sitting here waiting patiently for 2006 Short Lister Sarah Harmer to say something.
In a sure sign of mainstreaming, the fashion world has officially discovered current Short Lister Grimes. People are styling Azealia Banks to look like her, writing articles how to dress like her, and promoting her shows in mags otherwise devoted to, well, not music.
Drake continues to be one of the most written about people on the planet. His summer school plans even reached NME‘s ears. And where it matters — onstage — the folks at NOW, Exclaim, MTV and Spinner all think he’s the stuff.
Dan Boeckner, ex- of the broken up/current Short Listers Handsome Furs and past Short Listers Wolf Parade, and present member of Divine Fits, gave Exclaim a status report about all his lamented former bands.
Current Short Lister Cold Specks was recently on Q for an interview with Polaris juror Jian Ghomeshi. The folks over at the Gazette dig deep into the world of Al Spx as well.
Cadence Weapon, a Short Lister from both the first year the Polaris took place (2006) and this year, explained to MSN how being declared your city’s poet laureate can be a mixed blessing.
Finally, in the Polaris juror-does-good-work department, Exclaim editor/Music Gallery artistic director David Dacks told NOW all about his forthcoming CBC documentary “Funk Getting Ready To Roll” about George Clinton’s years spent in Toronto. The radio doc airs Sunday, August 12 at 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., on CBC Radio 2.
