International Women’s Day
It’s International Women’s Day and I thought i’d mention one of the most underrated female Canadian artists of all time, Lubomyra Kowalchyk – Also known as Luba.
Outside of Canada Luba is primarily known for her works on the “9 ½ Weeks” film soundtrack, namely “Let It Go” and “The Best Is Yet To Come”. But she has had numerous hit singles in Canada from January 1983 to May 2000, including “When a Man Loves a Woman”, “Giving Away A Miracle”, “How Many (Rivers To Cross)”, “Little Salvation”, “Storm Before The Calm”, “Everytime I See Your Picture” and “Innocent (with an explanation)”.
From 1985 to 1990 she was nominated for 11 Juno Awards, winning three consecutive Juno Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year from 1985 to 1987 and a Juno Award for Best Video in 1986 for “How Many (Rivers to Cross)“.
She also won two Casby Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1986 and 1987, a Félix award for Dance Record of The Year for “Let It Go” and a Black Music Association Award for Female Entertainer of the Year. And she also received two gold singles, four gold albums and three platinum albums from the Canadian Recording Industry Association for physical album sales in Canada from February 1985 to November 1991, which includes a platinum award for “Over 60 Minutes With“, one of the first compact discs I had purchased in the late 80’s.
This 16 track greatest hits compilation featured all of my favourite tracks from her previous two Capital/EMI Music Canada albums and both “The Best Is Yet To Come” and cover of Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Loves A Woman” so it had become one of my favourite albums from the period.
Her subsequent Capital/EMI Music Canada album, 1989’s “All Or Nothing“, also had a few great tracks, mainly her singles from the album (“Giving Away A Miracle”, “Little Salvation” and “No More Words”). But this was her last studio album release for a decade, other that the 1995 re-release of “Chain Reaction“, her pop rock debut from 1980.
This re-release has some good tracks, my favourites tracks being “I Stand Alone” and “Seems Like A Dream” (which reminds me of Pat Benatar’s recordings from the early 80’s). But I preferred her next release, 2000’s “From The Bitter To The Sweet“, which was released on an indie label and included “Is She A lot Like Me”, “Let Me Be The One”, “Sorry” and title track.
Unfortunately of all of her albums only two remain in print on compact disc, “Chain Reaction” and “Icon“, a 12 track greatest hits package that was released in 2014 by Universal Music Canada. But these can be downloaded legally from iTunes Canada and Google Play or streamed legally from Apple Music and Spotify, although it should be noted that Luba’s official web site claims the “Ten Best” release available on Google Play and Spotify is unauthorized and should not be purchased or streamed.
Personally, if I would choose 20 of my very favourite Luba tracks from the Spotify catalog i’d choose the ones i’ve compiled in this Spotify Playlist, adding a few more tracks from her “From The Bitter To The Sweet” album to complete the collection. But if you have a chance to buy her albums on compact disc or vinyl, I highly recommend it.
Excellent News For Music Fans
I have just received word that the “Tour Tax”, a prohibitive fee that international artists were subjected to when performing in Canada, has been scrapped.
This counterproductive fee kept newer artists out of Canada, especially independent and unsigned artists, and has caused many clubs to stop featuring live acts altogether.
Over 143,000 signatures had been registered on a change.org petition promoted on this blog in 2013, which was presented to Jason Kenney, Canada’s Minister for Multiculturalism.
New Fee May Hurt Small Clubs
The Calgary Herold reported yesterday that new fees for international performers have been introduced on July 31st, 2013.
Non-Canadian musicians, technicians, sound engineers, crew members and tour managers may now be subject to a $275 fee, per person, per venue. This amount is added to the $150 work permit fee that most of these people are required to pay to work in Canada.
Prior to the introduction of this fee most bands were subject to a maximum of $450 to play Canada’s smaller venues. But now the fees have quadrupled for some international acts resulting in extra expenditures that will be passed along to consumers.
This new fee will also hurt new and upcoming international performers who have not yet gained enough of an audience in Canada to play the larger venues, some of which are tax exempt.
A petition against the implementation of this fee is available at change.org. Please consider signing this petition.
Thank You.
Canada Post To Honor More Canadian Recording Artists
Canada Post will be issuing a series of postage stamps, prepaid post cards and limited edition frame prints dedicated to Canadian recording artists The Guess Who, Beau Dommage, Rush and The Tragically Hip on July 19th, 2013.
These collectibles are available for pre-order and previous collectibles for Bryan Adams, Edith Butler, Robert Charlebois, Stompin’ Tom Connors, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Bruce Cockburn, Robbie Robertson, Ginette Reno, Paul Anka and Joni Mitchell remain available at their online store.
Update to “Scammers On The Prowl”
In June 2011 I had posted a somewhat off-topic warning about a security issue I had been encountering for months.
I had been receiving unsolicited calls from individuals with thick Indian accents claiming to be “Software Maintenance Department of Online PC Care” asking me to give them access to my computer because of some alleged virus infection.
This was of course a common con by that time, which also involved individuals claiming to represent Microsoft calling random numbers in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Basically they gained access, altered settings without the user’s knowledge and then proceeded to extort $49 to $450 from the user to “repair” the damage they had caused.
The Federal Trade Commission in the United States have taken legal actions against these fraudsters yesterday, freezing their assets and demanding a halt to this activity.
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission have also penalized the companies involved in this tech support scam in respect to Canada’s no call list legislation.
If you have received a call of this nature, please file a complaint with the CRTC via this form.
Scammers On The Prowl
Warning – If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the “Software Maintenance Department of Online PC Care“, do not give them any information and do not give them access to your computer.
I’ve been receiving calls from these India based scam artists and identity thieves for a while now. And the routine is generally the same.
They call you at random from an VOIP site based in the states and with an Indian accent claim to be calling people in your city in regards to software that is alledgely downloading material without your knowledge or consent.
They ask you for five minutes of your time and ask to gain access to your computer remotely to correct the alledged issue. Then they proceed to install malicious software on your machine, in essence creating the issue they claim to be correcting whilst gaining access to sensitive financial and/or personal information on your hard drive.
Basically they peddle anti-virus software that they first ask you to install and then later demand renewal fees for, which is usually upwards of $150. And they can claim you consented to all of this nonsense because they’ve recorded you, if they happen to have charged your credit card using information they got from your hard drive.
An online version of this scareware scam can also be found at certain sites, that install software through your internet browser. But of course there are plenty of more reasonably priced anti-virus programs out there, some of which i’ve listed under “Consumer Security” on my Consumer Links page.
Not only do these programs address the issue alledged by the con artists but Microsoft itself issues patches against these problems via their web site. And no, Microsoft does not call people over these issues.
They will of course alter their pitch at will in their attempts to gain access to your computer. But in the end the results are the same if you allow these people access ; An infected computer and a large credit card bill, at least.
Meanwile, you can address any concern in regards to any infection by using Microsoft Safety Scanner, which costs nothing and does not conflict with your existing anti-virus software.