podunklander

Mersereau admits the poll results are very much a "snapshot" of today's Canadian tastes rather than a definitive statement on the history of Canuck rock, and that the list will undoubtedly raise debate among anyone passionate about music.

The above statement references the "history of Canuck rock" and not Canadian music in general...and certainly for me, when I consider Canuck rock, Neil Young IS #1 and of all his albums, Harvest is my personal favorite.

The poll results on the otherhand, I would consider to be much less of a "snapshot"

"That's the whole fun," Mersereau says.
"The important part is to talk about Canadian music and enjoy it. This was tried to be a consensus of as many music people and music fans and big serious listeners across the country that have definite opinions. I'd be shocked if there wasn't complaints and arguments and debates. Half of my (own) list didn't make it."

The tabulation was fairly simple, Mersereau explains in the introduction to the book, which also includes album artwork and new interviews with many of the musicians.
Each juror was asked to send in a list of their top 10 discs, using whatever criteria they wished. Each number 1 pick was awarded 10 points, with the number 2 choice given nine points, and so on.

A total of 580 responses were tallied, and Mersereau says he took pains to make sure they were drawn from a range of ages, regions and backgrounds.

Well, the poll was not only fairly simple, but utterly unscientific. 580 responses from (all?) over Canada is hardly representative of Canadian music (or rock music) choices. The author refers to the poll results as a, "snapshot" "of today's Canadian tastes" ...so unless people who were polled were asked about their past preferences at a certain period of time, or over time...the results would be based on current (today's) preferences.

If the poll had considered past choices, say in the past 30 years, this of course would have excluded those jurors who were not born yet or who were too young.

For Canadian jurors to choose Neil Young's, Harvest as #1 for Canadian rock music today, doesn't surprise me in the very least. If the poll was to be a reflection of Canadian music in general and not just rock...then I would have to say the results would have been different...and we'd probably see "Gord's Gold" as #1!

Pam