Holy Fuck Deemed "Offensive" by Canadian Government
PromArt is a national arts funding initiative that gives money to Canadian musicians and artists who could use a financial boost when touring; An agreeable arrangement by any measure. But isn’t there always a hitch, a rub, a holy fuck up? This time its literal. Toronto band, Holy Fuck, who used some of the money from the PromArt fund to help finance a tour of England in 2007 have found themselves in the middle of a good old-fashioned government brouhaha- This one more than a little ridiculous too.
Seems the Harper Conservative government has rallied against the distribution of funds from the PromArt initiative, and has even cited Holy Fuck as an example of a band that were “unrepresentative, and at worst, offensive.” Those are the words of Anne Howland, who speaks on behalf of Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson. Holy Fuck bassist Matt McQuaid has hit back at the claims, pointing out that their portion of the funding “comes in at something less than 0.1 per cent of the whole program.”
McQuaid goes on to site a number of reasons why the band was deserving of PromArt funds, including the fact that their tours are now self funded, and that Holy Fuck has been nominated for the Polaris Prize this year. Regretfully, the PromArt program will wind down by March 31, 2009. A second program, the $9-million Trade Routes program, which helps promote cultural exports abroad, also is to be cut. (Woohoo! Just a font of good news I am today.)
In all seriousness though, I really hope there is a Federal election this year. I can’t wait to voice my opinion on this one. For now maybe those 'Holy Fucksters' should consider calling themselves Shania Dion and re-establish some other government tour funding pronto.
The good news remains: Holy Fuck is undertaking a North American tour in September, full dates listed below including a stop at London’s LOLAFest.
09.05 Detroit, Michigan: Royal Oak Music Theatre
09.10 Quebec City, Quebec: Pavillon Desjardins-Maurice Pollack
09.12 Chicago, Illinois: Subterranean
09.13 Morrison, Colorado: Monolith Festival / Red Rocks
09.17 Montreal, Quebec: Metropolis
09.19 Hamilton, Ontario: Pepper Jack’s
09.20 London, Ontario: LOLAFest - Victoria Park
09.25 Toronto, Ontario: The Phoenix
09.26 Kingston, Ontario: The Grad Club
09.27 Peterborough, Ontario: The Montreal House
Seems the Harper Conservative government has rallied against the distribution of funds from the PromArt initiative, and has even cited Holy Fuck as an example of a band that were “unrepresentative, and at worst, offensive.” Those are the words of Anne Howland, who speaks on behalf of Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson. Holy Fuck bassist Matt McQuaid has hit back at the claims, pointing out that their portion of the funding “comes in at something less than 0.1 per cent of the whole program.”
McQuaid goes on to site a number of reasons why the band was deserving of PromArt funds, including the fact that their tours are now self funded, and that Holy Fuck has been nominated for the Polaris Prize this year. Regretfully, the PromArt program will wind down by March 31, 2009. A second program, the $9-million Trade Routes program, which helps promote cultural exports abroad, also is to be cut. (Woohoo! Just a font of good news I am today.)
In all seriousness though, I really hope there is a Federal election this year. I can’t wait to voice my opinion on this one. For now maybe those 'Holy Fucksters' should consider calling themselves Shania Dion and re-establish some other government tour funding pronto.
The good news remains: Holy Fuck is undertaking a North American tour in September, full dates listed below including a stop at London’s LOLAFest.
09.05 Detroit, Michigan: Royal Oak Music Theatre
09.10 Quebec City, Quebec: Pavillon Desjardins-Maurice Pollack
09.12 Chicago, Illinois: Subterranean
09.13 Morrison, Colorado: Monolith Festival / Red Rocks
09.17 Montreal, Quebec: Metropolis
09.19 Hamilton, Ontario: Pepper Jack’s
09.20 London, Ontario: LOLAFest - Victoria Park
09.25 Toronto, Ontario: The Phoenix
09.26 Kingston, Ontario: The Grad Club
09.27 Peterborough, Ontario: The Montreal House
1 comment:
hahahaha I forgot about the Barenaked Ladies fiasco!
Sheesh. I knew about PromArt being cut but somehow missed the memo that Holy Fuck are offensive. Wanna bet Harper has never listened to them? Actually, maybe he has, as a snippet of Lovely Allen is used on As It Happens sometimes.
Will you get to see them at LOLA? They're playing on Radiohead night in Seattle. And I am sad to see no Calgary stop on the tour.
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