TORONTO – Corus Radio’s long-running (not to mention informative and intelligent) The Ongoing History of New Music commemorates 500 episodes the week beginning Sunday, October 9.
Hosted by modern rock music historian (and 102.1 The Edge PD) Alan Cross, the production is the longest-running music documentary feature in the country. The program, which started as an experiment on Toronto’s legendary CFNY – now syndicated on rock stations across the country through Corus’ Deep Sky – reflects on its own place in music history in this special episode.
For over a decade, The Ongoing History of New Music has explored the themes, facts, issues, myths and personalities behind today’s music culture. The show debuted in February of 1993 and has covered virtually every sub-genre in rock; issues like censorship and gay culture in music; great bands and artists of their time; and pretty much everything else that can be linked to new music. Interviews featured on the show range from the ultra-famous, like Joey Ramone, David Bowie and Bono, to the infamous, like Courtney Love and Oasis. The show has spun off a short-form one-minute daily feature, four books, more than a dozen CDs, a daily podcast series and a B-stream on www.edge.ca and other Corus Radio rock station sites.
“Somewhere in the midst of examining and contextualizing icons in music history, The Ongoing History of New Music became an icon in its own right,” said Ross Winters, national director of programming, Corus Radio. “Its popularity speaks for itself, and we are proud to count the show and Alan Cross among our Corus assets. Congratulations to Alan on 500 inspiring episodes.”
The man behind it all, creator/writer/producer/host Alan Cross, started on the Edge in the 1980s, coming to Ontario from Manitoba, where he worked on-air at both college and commercial rock stations. It was during Alan’s first initial 14-year stint at the Edge where his degree in history came in handy, taking him from on-air personality to musicologist. Twelve years later, Alan is widely acknowledged as Canada’s only new music historian and is often called on for his expertise.
“When I started this show 12 years ago, I knew it was a great opportunity, but I honestly didn’t know that it would achieve this kind of pick-up, much less make it to 500 episodes,” said Cross. “The response is overwhelming and I’m glad to keep doing what I love for an audience who loves it as much as I do.”
The 500th episode of The Ongoing History of New Music takes a look back at the 499 episodes that preceded it: the trends, the genres, the people and the technology that has come and gone since the program started. Featuring clips from previous shows, including interviews with bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and a landmark moment in radio broadcasting: the original Kurt Cobain death announcement.
The Ongoing History of New Music: Episode 500 airs Sunday, October 9 at 7 p.m. and Monday, October 10 at 11 p.m. ET on 102.1 the Edge and www.edge.ca. It also airs on Corus Radio affiliates 99.3 the FOX (Vancouver), Power 97 (Winnipeg), FM 96 (London), Y108 (Hamilton) and Rock 101.9 (Cornwall), and other affiliates The Zone (Victoria), 97.7 Sun-FM (Grand Prairie) and K-Rock 105.7 (Kingston).
