ECMAs: Dorky Schmooze-fest or Career Launch Pad?

The 2008 East Coast Music Awards take place throughout the city of Fredericton, New Brunswick from February 7 to 10. Since its inception in 1989, the festival has oft-been considered by Atlantic Canada’s indie music community to be a dorky schmooze-fest run by the Celtic Mafia and only vaguely representative of the sublime music that the region has to offer. During most of the ‘90s, groundbreaking internationally acclaimed rock bands – Eric’s Trip, Hardship Post, Jale, Sloan  – were relegated to the outdated category of Alternative Recording of the Year (which still exists). Hip hop didn’t register a radar blip. So high was the apathy that many musicians didn’t bother submitting their work for award consideration. After all, when the ECMAs finally got an “Urban” category  in 1997, Buck 65 inexplicably lost out to Ashley MacIsaac. He lost again in 2001, this time to Francophone singer Annick Gagnon. One had to wonder if the jury was on crack.

Over the last few years though, a shift has occurred. Rock and hip-hop artists have started edging fiddles, kilts and bodhrans towards the bottom of the churning grey Atlantic sea. Though waning interest in the genre could be to blame, Cape Breton fiddlers and Gaelic-singing family acts are now mostly found in the Roots/Traditional Music categories. Meanwhile, rocker Joel Plaskett leads with seven nominations. And results of a quick poll indicate that the region’s rising young indie stars are excited about, and appreciative of, the festival. (Or perhaps no one wants to look like an ungrateful nominee.) To top it off, producers of the televised event have wisely rethought this year’s CBC broadcast, scheduled for March 2: instead of airing a sleepy two-hour awards gala attended by aging A&R reps in ill-fitting leather pants, viewers can tune in to a one-hour edited compilation of moments from the four-day festival, recorded at venues both big and small. Barenaked Ladies’ Steven Page will host. Now hopefully a rethink of the convoluted award names – Rap/Hip Hop Single/Recording of the Year?! – is next on the improvement list.

Thick Specs asked a sprinkling of this year’s nominees what the nomination, and the whirlwind festival weekend, means to them.

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Rebekah Higgs (Halifax, NS) Nominated Categories: CBC Galaxie Rising Star Recording of the Year; Female Solo Recording of the Year

“Drunken industry professionals, fun showcases and Joel Plaskett sightings.”

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Classified (Enfield, NS) Nominated Categories: Rap/Hip Hop Single/Recording of the Year; Single of the Year; Video of the Year

“Recognition from my hometown and just a fun weekend. Most artists from the East Coast get together and play shows all weekend. Everyone seems to enjoy it.”

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Tim Baker from hey rosetta! (St. John’s, NL) Nominated Category: Group Recording of the Year

“A celebration of music, a celebration of industry, a pickled liver, a sore throat, and meeting so many people. It’s pretty rich and exhausting.”

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Liam Corcoran from Two Hours Traffic (Charlottetown, PEI) Nominated Categories: Recording of the Year; Video of the Year; Pop Recording of the Year

“It’s an honour to be nominated but the ECMA weekend is really about playing too many shows in a short period of time surrounded by all the East Coast musicians you love but don’t get to see very often.”

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Jamie Sparks (Antigonish, NS) Nominated Categories: Male Solo Recording of the Year; African-Canadian Recording of the Year; Urban Single Track Recording of the Year

“Being an African-Canadian musician in Nova Scotia has its limitations. [The East Coast Music Association] has been able to see my music for what it is and recognize my drive to succeed. They recognize musicians who step up with great songs and a great work ethic, and help launch careers.”

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Ruth Minnikin (Dartmouth, NS) Nominated Category: 2007 CBC Galaxie Rising Star Recording of the Year (Folk Art)

“The ECMAs have come a long way, just like me. The whole idea of applying and getting awards is weird. We judge one another on how we judge one another. It’s subjective, political and I’m involved.”

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Nathan Wiley (Summerside, PEI) Nominated Categories: Recording of the Year; Male Solo Recording of the Year; Video of the Year; Alternative Recording of the Year

“The ECMA weekend is always for me like an extended family reunion. I have lots of friends in the industry that I really only get to see once a year at these things, so I always look forward to it. And checking out acts that are new (or new to me) is always cool too. The nominations are great – it’s nice to know people are listening – but for me and many other artists, it’s not really what the whole weekend is about.”

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John MacPhee of Chucky Danger Band (Charlottetown, PEI) Nominated categories: Recording of the Year; Group Recording of the Year; Video of the Year; Rock Recording of the Year

“It’s a gosh darn pleasure to be nominated. Unfortunately the nominations only mean so much unless you win one of them. And we have a feeling this will be [Joel] Plaskett’s year, deservedly. The ECMA weekend is always a pile of fun, lots of great shows to see, and we get to play to a bunch of people. We’re really looking forward to it.”

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Jenn Grant (Halifax, NS) Nominated categories: Female Solo Recording of the Year; Folk Recording of the Year

“I don’t expect to win any awards but I do hope my friend Rose Cousins wins at least one. It’s so special to be acknowledged for things, but there is also something so amazing about seeing your good friend get what she has earned. I feel accomplished already in my own little way. I used to watch the ECMAs on TV with my mother and we would make popcorn and lemonade and the palms of my hands would get sweaty when the winners were called because I was so nervous for them. It’s a special show. I’m very happy to be a part of it.”

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By Carla Gillis

Thick Specs correspondent Carla Gillis is a Canadian musician (Plumtree, Bells Clanging) and writer (currently brewing up her first book).