Before record sales collapsed, everyone made most of their money from selling music. The idea of licensing your music for a commercial was considered the height of selling out. Today, though, this is considered to be a normal and necessary way of surviving as a musician.
But someone had to be first, right? But who?
It’s generally accepted that the Velvet Underground was the first true alternative band. And fifteen years after Lou Reed left the band, he might have been the first even alt-rock artist to “sell out” by licensing a song to a TV commercial.
In 1985, he appeared in an ad for a Honda scooter with his song “Walk on the Wild Side” in the background. He took some stick for it—that sort of thing just wasn’t done back then—but he did help start the destruction of the stigma of using actual songs in TV commercials.
True or false: Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was in a band with Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten. True.
It was 1983 and the Chili Peppers were still an unknown group, and things weren’t going well. Flea thought maybe it was time to leave. At the same time, it just so happened that Johnny’s post-Pistols band, Public Image Ltd., was in LA looking for a new bass player. Flea went to the audition, which consisted of just him and the drummer jamming onstage.
Out in the audience in the dark was Johnny, who was listening intently. Flea completely blew everyone away and was offered the job on the spot–which he accepted. All he had to do was come back in the morning and sign the contracts.
Flea went home but immediately had second thoughts. He and a buddy stayed up doing heroin all night–and at seven in the morning, Flea called Johnny and said, “No, thanks.” Probably a good move, huh? Turning down the job, I mean. Not the heroin part.
If you spend any time at record shows or in record shops—anyplace you can find used physical products—you may stumble across some interesting counterfeit records.
A counterfeit release looks exactly like the real thing but was manufactured illegally by someone who is not the artist’s record label. This sort of piracy has been capped at the knees by the spread of streaming services around the planet, which has affected the sales of all physical products, including illegal stuff.
There are high-quality counterfeit CDs and LPs still to be found, many of which come from China and Russia.
But this is hardly a new thing. Even back in the 60s and 70s, there was something some record collectors call “mafia records.” These looked almost exactly like what you could buy in the store but were clever counterfeits. This was how some members of the mob earned.
Today, record collectors must beware of these fakes because they’re obviously not worth as much as the real thing.
October 14, 1982. It had been a cool autumn Thursday in Toronto, with light showers that had lingered for hours. In the Rexdale neighbourhood near Pearson International Airport, almost all the 1,500 employees at the Litton Systems plant on Cityview Drive had gone home for the night. Only a few workers and security guards remained. Traffic was steady on Highway 27, which also ran in front of the plant.
Just before midnight, a stolen pickup van with British Columbia plates pulled up next to the main building. In the back were 550 pounds of dynamite.
Fuses were set, and boom! The explosion blew off the front wall of the two-storey building. No one was killed, but four night-shift employees and three cops were hurt. A few people in passing cars were also hit by the debris.
The damage was severe, with some estimates putting the bill at $50 million. The bombers fled under cover of the night.
We’d later learn that five people were involved, including the former bass player of a fierce Vancouver punk band.
This is episode 75 of Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry. And this time, it’s the story of Canada’s punk rock terrorist bombing.
This is Episode 74 of “Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry.” And this time, it’s the story of the mysterious death of Bobby Fuller.
In addition to the podcasts, you can hear Uncharted on these Corus radio stations (all times local):
Toronto: AM 640 (4-5 am)
London: 980 CFPL (4-5 am)
Vancouver: 730 CKNW (1-2 am)
Edmonton: 630 CHED (1-2 am)
Calgary: QR77 (770 AM) (1-2 am)
Winnipeg: 680 CJOB (1-2 am)
And don’t forget about my current national speaking tour that will feature a live Uncharted podcast presentation. Get your tickets here.
Here’s a trivia question. Name two films that feature an on-screen appearance by The Tragically Hip.
Remember the curling movie, Men with Brooms? The Hip shows up for about a second and a half as a curling team in the big bonspiel. If you blink, you’ll miss them. All right, but what about the second film?
Trick question. NO ONE has ever seen it.
Director Robert Altman shot a made-for-TV movie that acted as a pilot for a TV show. It was centered around a rich computer geek who really wanted to be a guitarist. At one point in the movie, he hires a group–the Tragically Hip–to play at a party. However, the movie was never released, and no one (outside those connected with the production) has ever seen it.
Rong Xiang 'Tiger' Yuan is facing a deportation hearing for war crimes and misrepresentation.
Since arriving in Canada almost two decades ago, Rong Xiang Yuan has championed closer ties between Ottawa and Beijing, spoken at community events and rubbed shoulders with politicians.
The founder of an advocacy group called the Canada-China Association for Promoting Friendly Relations, he met Justin Trudeau and donated to the then-prime minister and the Liberal Party.
But Canada’s immigration enforcement department is now alleging the Chinese community leader, also known as “Tiger” Yuan, is a war criminal who lied his way into the country.
Global News has learned the Canada Border Services Agency has launched deportation proceedings against Yuan, who was born in China and is not a Canadian citizen.
Yuan has denied the allegations.
But the border agency is claiming the 63-year-old committed crimes against humanity in the 1980s when he was a member of the People’s Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party.
The CBSA is also accusing Yuan, who lives near Vancouver, of misrepresenting his military record to Canadian immigration authorities when he applied for permanent residence, which he received in 2008.
In a statement to Global News, an Immigration and Refugee Board spokesperson said Canada’s border security agency had referred Yuan to the tribunal for a deportation hearing.
“We can confirm that the IRB has received a referral from CBSA in the matter of Rong Xiang Yuan for an admissibility hearing under paragraphs 35(1)(a) and 40(1)(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act,” the Board said.
“A hearing date has not yet been scheduled.”
The first paragraph is the section used to deport those who have committed acts outside Canada that constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity, according to the legislation.
The second is for those accused of “misrepresenting or withholding material facts relating to a relevant matter,” which resulted in an error in the decision to approve their immigration status.
Yuan served in the People’s Liberation Army during China’s 1979-to-1991 war against Vietnam, according to a communist party newspaper report and social media posts.
His lawyer said in a letter to Global News that Yuan was wounded in the Sino-Vietnamese conflict and was later awarded a citation of merit, but denied any involvement in war crimes.
“He denies in the strongest terms having committed any war crimes, and he has never been charged with or convicted of any such offence in China, Canada, or elsewhere,” Daniel Reid said.
An expert said foreign citizens who have committed war crimes are not allowed in Canada, and failing to disclose involvement in such atrocities on immigration forms was considered misrepresentation.
Rong Xiang 'Tiger' Yuan often represented a group promoting Beijing-Ottawa relations at functions in the Vancouver area.
“Any investigation concerning a non-citizen living in Canada being alleged of committing war crimes is exceptionally serious,” said Kelly Sundberg, a criminology professor at Mount Royal University.
A former CBSA officer who specializes in border security issues, Sundberg said such cases underscored the importance of rigorous immigration screening and sound immigration policies.
“Equally concerning is how a non-citizen facing such serious allegations could apparently gain access to senior politicians and political networks,” Sundberg said in an interview.
B.C. court records show that Yuan has other legal troubles as well: the Abbotsford Police Department charged him with two criminal offenses in July.
He appeared in provincial court on Sept. 14 to face charges of dangerous operation of a conveyance and refusing to comply with a roadside demand. He returns to court this week.
“I can confirm that Mr. Yuan was arrested on July 19, 2026, shortly before midnight on Highway One,” Abbotsford police told Global News. “Mr. Yuan failed to comply with a lawful roadside demand and was subsequently arrested.”
“At the time of his arrest, he was operating a pickup truck.”
The case comes five years after court records indicate he was fined and banned from driving for three months after being charged with driving while prohibited in Maple Ridge, B.C.
Also in July, the B.C. government placed a lien on the Fraser Valley property listed in Yuan’s arrest records as his home address, alleging $507,000 in unpaid provincial taxes.
People's Liberation Army tank during Sino–Vietnamese War, 1979.
The war crimes allegations date to the Cold War conflict that began in 1979 when China invaded Vietnam, which had broken away from Beijing’s orbit to align with Moscow.
Vietnam had further upset China’s communist party by overthrowing totalitarian dictator Pol Pot’s murderous pro-Beijing Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.
The war was in its final stages, but hardly over, when Yuan, then in his mid-twenties, was allegedly deployed to the Vietnamese border region in 1987.
“Certainly there was artillery going back and forth, there were border incursions,” said Université du Québec à Montréal history Prof. Christopher Goscha, who is writing a book about the Indo-China wars.
A March 23, 1988 news report in the Chinese communist party’s People’s Daily newspaper described Yuan as a platoon leader who took part in a deadly encounter with Vietnamese forces.
China invaded Vietnam in 1979, capturing some northern cities.
After China and Vietnam made peace in 1991, they erased the conflict from official history, but veterans have begun filling the void by telling their stories, Goscha said.
According to those online accounts, Yuan led the PLA’s 13th Reconnaissance Platoon on the frontline in Yunnan province, and took part in combat missions and the capture of Vietnamese prisoners.
A Saskatchewan-based Vietnamese community leader said if the allegations of war crimes were accurate, he supported the CBSA’s actions.
“If that is true, I agree with that,” said Vietnamese Canadian Federation president Dong Van Tran, who recalled living through the conflict, which caused tens of thousands of casualties.
Yuan was discharged from the military in 1991. His lawyer said he “has had no involvement or affiliation with the Chinese military since then.”
He went on to what his lawyer called a “successful business career in China and Hong Kong,” and immigrated to Canada in 2008 due to “uncertainty in China,” Reid added.
Once in Canada, Yuan moved into a $4.3-million, 10,000-square-foot house with seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, according to court and corporate records. The property has made headlines as the priciest property in Chilliwack, B.C.
A local reporter who visited the seven-acre estate, which has an adjacent four-acre wedding venue, counted 32 security cameras. An outbuilding reportedly houses a collection of vintage vehicles.
Government records list Yuan as a former director of Tiger Arms Ltd., a gun retailer in Port Coquitlam, as well as a “real estate company owner” and a “high risk” gambler.
In 2015, Yuan’s cash buy-ins at the River Rock Casino in Richmond, B.C. exceeded $4 million. His heavy gambling got him flagged by the province’s anti-money laundering unit, records show.
He was among a group of casino patrons notified they could no longer gamble unless they could prove the source of their cash with bank or ATM withdrawal slips.
The action was taken because “the nature of the cash that they presented at the casino suggested that the money did not come from a recognized financial institution and may be of questionable source,” B.C. Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch records show.
He was never charged with any casino or money laundering-related crimes.His lawyer said Yuan “denies any involvement in money laundering.”
He has claimed to have had a gambling problem that cost him US$10 million.
“Yuan says he borrowed large sums of money, in cash, from a Jiuxiao Wang to support his gambling at the River Rock Casino,” according to a court ruling.
“Yuan says he repaid Mr. Wang in China.”
According to his lawyer, Yuan was targeted by loan sharks due to “permissive oversight” at casinos, and denies “any unlawful conduct in connection with his gambling or financial transactions.”
“Mr. Yuan’s gambling resulted in substantial net losses and personal embarrassment,” said Reid, adding that no casinos, lottery regulators or law enforcement had “sought to interview Mr. Yuan about his gambling activities.”
Chinese citizen Rong Xiang 'Tiger' Yuan, standing, next to then-Liberal MP Joe Peschisolido at a 2018 event.
Around the time Yuan was frequenting casinos, the Canada-China Association for Promoting Friendly Relations (CCAPFR) was formed. Yuan is listed in corporate records as a founding board member.
The organization’s mission was “to promote friendly relations between Canada and China,” according to a copy of its constitution.
Yuan represented the group at Chinese community events, giving speeches at functions attended by elected officials from all three levels of government, as well as Chinese consular officials.
“Tiger Yuan is a successful businessman who has been an active member of the Chinese-Canadian community for many years,” his lawyer told Global News in 2020.
According to the lawyer (Yuan is suing Corus Entertainment, the owner of Global News, over a 2018 news reports, Yuan has “met many individuals.”
One of them was allegedly Trudeau, who reportedly met Yuan at a Richmond hotel during his first term as prime minister. Yuan was photographed sitting next to Trudeau at a 2016 Liberal party event.
Yuan later donated $1,500 to Trudeau’s Montreal riding association. Three other Tiger Arms directors also contributed $1,500 each to Trudeau, although all lived in B.C.
He gave another $2,800 to the Liberal Party of Canada in 2016, while the other three Tiger Arms directors, and a Canada-China association board member, donated $11,500 in total, according to Elections Canada records.
The Canada-China Association for Promoting Friendly Relations, meanwhile, donated $1,050 to the B.C. Liberal Party in 2017, Elections B.C. records indicate.
Media coverage and social media posts also show Yuan alongside then-Liberal MP Joe Peschisolido at a 2018 Canada-China boxing event hosted by the CCAPFR.
They were side-by-side again at the opening of what press coverage called a “high-end private club for Chinese” that featured “celebrities from all walks of life.”
His lawyer said Yuan had contributed extensively to Canadian and Chinese Canadian communities and had raised $30,000 to support Alberta communities affected by wildfires in 2016.
“The value of those charitable contributions substantially exceeded the value of his limited political donations, and reflects
Mr. Yuan’s deep attachment to his adopted home,” Reid said.
“Mr. Yuan also attended public, social, and community events at which municipal, provincial, and federal politicians were present,” he continued.
“Importantly, although he attended events at which sitting Members of Parliament and the former Prime Minister were also present, he has never had a personal relationship or private meeting with a Canadian politician.”
“He has never lobbied or otherwise sought to influence the Canadian democratic process beyond making lawful political
donations, all of which complied with applicable electoral law.”
Rong Xiang 'Tiger' Yuan, left, representing Canada-China friendship group at 2016 Liberal party event.
Henan Canada Friendship Association
Although the B.C. government dissolved the Canada-China association in 2019 for failing to file the required paperwork, Yuan continued speaking at community events.
In one address, he referred to China as “our great motherland,” while opining that “as overseas Chinese, we are strangers in a foreign land.”
At the 2023 gala of the Canadian Community Service Association, a non-profit that Trudeau wrote in a letter had “greatly contributed to our nation,” Yuan took to the stage once again.
Dressed all in red, Yuan spoke in Mandarin to the audience, which the hosts said included two Liberal MPs, a B.C. cabinet minister, two provincial MLAs and the local mayor.
Yuan encouraged community members to “actively participate in politics,” and to “make our due contributions to the Canadian community by obeying the law.”
This classic style deserves a spot in your fall 2026 wardrobe.
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Fall’s most versatile shoe for fall 2026? The loafer. And we totally get the appeal. This wardrobe classic makes even a simple jeans-and-sweater combo feel put together. This season, it’s all about the details–from preppy tassels and easy slip-on mules to soft suede finishes. You’ll find plenty of inspiration at Simons, Little Burgundy, Quince and beyond. Ahead, five loafer trends worth slipping into, with a splurge and a save for each.
All in the tassels
A little embellishment goes a long way. Tassel loafers bring a touch of vintage charm to fall’s tailored staples, making them an easy match for pleated trousers, crisp button-downs and oversized blazers. Keep things classic with sleek black leather, or opt for a chunky sole for a little edge. The finishing touch? White socks peeking out beneath cropped denim.
The splurge:
The save:
Slip into something chic
Love the look of loafers but want something a little more relaxed? Enter: the loafer mule. The backless silhouette delivers all the stylishness of its traditional counterpart with the ease of a slip-on. Pair yours with ankle-skimming trousers and a soft knit on milder fall days–or let them peek out under long denim for a chic finish.
The splurge:
The save:
Suede persuasion
If there’s one texture that feels right at home in a fall wardrobe, it’s suede. Soft and understated, suede loafers bring a little richness to everyday outfits without feeling overly dressy. Chocolate, caramel and taupe pair beautifully with cream knitwear and dark denim, while black offers a sleek alternative. Add a cashmere coat and a structured bag, and you’re good to go.
Love a loafer with a little attitude? Platform styles give this polished staple a playful edge–and a welcome height boost. Pair yours with wide-leg denim and a fitted knit to balance the chunky silhouette, or lean into the preppy look with a pleated mini and opaque tights. Classic black keeps things versatile.
The splurge:
The save:
For animal lo(af)ers
Consider this your cue to take a walk on the wild side. From classic leopard spots to sleek snakeskin-inspired finishes, animal-print loafers bring personality to even the simplest fall outfits. Let them steal the spotlight with dark-wash denim and a neutral knit, or pair them with tailored black trousers for a playful take on office dressing.
Watch the online edition of Global News Hour at 6 BC.
We are learning that BC NDP Leader David Eby has benefitted from the province’s $10 dollar-a-day child care program, even as his government paused expansion earlier this year. On the campaign trail, Eby is pledging to protect public health care, while the political parties continue their mudslinging online. And residents in Victoria and Saanich will soon face a non-binding plebiscite question on merging their municipalities.
Watch ‘Global News at 6 BC’ for the latest news in British Columbia.
Members of Montreal's Indian diaspora held a demonstration Monday afternoon to stand in solidarity with "Cockroach" protesters, and to denounce security crackdowns. Many demonstrators are concerned for friends and loved ones over fear of a decline in democracy in India. Protests in Canada comes as trade relations are set to ramp up with India this week. Phil Carpenter reports.
A group of protesters gathered at Norman Bethune Square in Montreal Saturday to stand in support of the young people of India who are experiencing what activists call an “increase in the steady loss of democracy” leading to “unimaginable violence.”
The “Cockroach” youth movement has intensified in India since election authorities began revising voter lists last year, removing more than 130 million voters.
Protests have grown to include India’s opposition parties and its particpants are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission have denied allegations of manipulation, saying the move is needed to remove duplicate and ineligible names.
Larger protests began about a month ago related to repeated paper leaks, administrative errors and cheating scandals at the nation’s colleges.
Violence ensued over the weekend as thousands of protesters were detained in a police crackdown.
“In my opinion, they are creating a beginning stage of fascism. They are basically creating an atmosphere of fear. People cannot speak, people cannot protest, people cannot demand their justice,” Abid Khan told Global News at the solidarity protest in Montreal.
Back in May, India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant compared India’s youth to cockroaches saying they turn to social media to attack institutions without ever doing anything.
Now the nation’s youth are working to prove they are anything but, but the name stuck.
“A simple joke became a revolution,” Khan said.
The protest expanded past the Indian diaspora including people of all backgrounds.
Global News
Rundranil Raha told Global News he grew up in India around the time the BJP came to power in 2014.
He said he was taught that India was an inclusive country that accepted all people, but that ideology has been ripped to shreds.
He said India’s government is now “sowing the seeds of hatred that aims to divide the country.”
He said women, LGBTQ2 people and ethnic and religious minorities are carrying the brunt of the burden.
“If I am in India, I’m a male, I am a middle caste and I am Hindu so I wouldn’t have any problem if I kept my mouth shut,” Raha said. “If I am speaking out, I am afraid that I just might be the next target of this surveillance heavy rights stampeding regime.”
But Canada’s supporters of the movement are spanning further than just the Indian diaspora.
“As a Pakistani, I feel like it is my duty to also provide cross-solidarity because what happens in India does affect the rest of the region,” Zahra Haider told Global News.
Rahul Varma, another attendee of the Montreal protest, told Global News he fears what is happening in India is just one example of the rise of nationalism all across the world.
“It is not anymore a problem of a particular country,” he said.
But as solidarity is growing across Canada, the federal government is seeking to deepen its trade ties with India.
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu is in India this week as the two countries look to reach a free-trade agreement by the end of the year.
Varma said he is in support of Canada advancing its relationship with India, but only if human rights are at the forefront.
“The Canadian government has not made a significant statement against the Indian state to stop any of those activities,” he said.
Global News reached out to Global Affairs Canada for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
– With files from Phil Carpenter, The Associated Press and The Canadian Press
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