A thousand years ago, I read an interview with Tom Hamilton, the bass player of Aerosmith. He was asked why he chose that instrument over anything else, and his reply stuck with me.

Paraphrasing Tom, he said that the bass is the bridge between the drums and the guitar. The bass has percussive elements and is often used to emphasize the beat. A bass player and a drummer who can lock together is an amazing thing and can turn an okay band into something awesome.

But the bass also has melodic characteristics. A great bass player can also underscore what’s happening with the guitar and even the vocalist. Listen to what Paul McCartney did with the Beatles or how John Paul Jones subtly and effectively added more power to Jimmy Page’s riffs.

If you’re gonna rock, you need bass. That bottom end is the sonic scaffolding upon which everything is built. Without it, things sound thin. And I’m looking at you, Metallica, and your ...And Justice for All album.

Like, come on. I mean, it’s a fine metal record, but it would have been so much more powerful if you’d turned up Jason Newsted in the mix. But noooo! James and Lars ordered that Jason be pushed way down in the mix, so he’s pretty much inaudible. They said, “Oh, our ears were just fried from touring, and we just kept pushing up the treble so we could hear it. And in the process, the bass just disappeared. Sorry… our bad.”

Right. It was ego, and you know it.

If you want an alternate universe for this album, just look for a fan project called And Justice for Jason.

Anyway, I digress. What we’re here for is part two of a look at the most important bass players in the history of alt-rock. And you’ll be able to hear each and every one of them.

Songs  heard on this show:

• The Stranglers, No More Heroes
• Talking Heads, Life During Wartime
• The Smiths, This Charming Man
• Primus, Tommy the Cat
• Radiohead, The National Anthem
• Green Day, Longview
• Pearl Jam, Jeremy
• Rage Against the Machine, Killing in the Name

Here’s Eric Wilhite’s playlist.
The Ongoing History of New Music can be heard on these stations:

• 102.1 The Edge/Toronto – Sunday night at 7pm
• Q107/Toronto – Sunday night at 9pm
• Live 88-5/Ottawa – Saturdays at 9am and Sundays at 6pm
• 107.5 Dave-FM/Kitchener – Sunday nights at 11pm
• FM96/London – Sunday nights at 8pm
• Power 97/Winnipeg – Sunday nights at 10am and 10pm
• 107-3 The Edge/Calgary – Sundays at 10am and 10pm
• Sonic 102.9/Edmonton – Sunday at 8am and 8pm
• The Zone/Victoria – Sunday at 9am and 9pm
• The Fox/Vancouver – Sundays at 10am and 10pm
• The Goat Network/Interior BC
• WAPS/WKTL The Summit/Arkon, Canton, Cleveland, Youngstown – Mon-Fri at 9pm

 

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Is there a correlation between being a psychopath and the music they like? That’s what a study at New York University set out to explore.

About 200 students were given a questionnaire designed to gauge their level of psychopathy. Among the questions were “For me what’s right is whatever I can get away with.” That’ll give you an idea of what character traits they were looking for.

After determining who in the group had psychopathic tendencies, researchers then gave everyone a music preference test. Those with the highest psycho scores tended to like “Lose Yourself” by Eminem and “What Do You Mean” by Justin Bieber. Non-psychos preferred “Money for Nothing” from Dire Straits and “My Sharona” from The Knack.

Does this mean music preference can be used to determine whether or not you’re a psychopath? Not yet, but more study needs to be done.

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Scientists are fascinated by how the brain processes music. How, for example, was Gord Downie able to eventually relearn the lyrics to 90 Tragically Hip songs for the band’s final tour even though he had a temporal lobe and hippocampus were surgically removed? Maybe it’s because musicians have better memory abilities than non-musicians.

And we’re talking about both short-term and working memory. They also have a slight edge when it comes to long-term memory. This came out of a study in Italy that used data collected back to 1987. But here’s the thing: scientists can’t explain why musicians’ memory is superior. The only thing they can come up with is “the multi-sensorial nature of music training.”

Another reason to make sure your kid takes music lessons, right?

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

When David Byrne was with the Talking Heads, he was determined that the band always be ahead of their time. But there was one occasion when the band was too far ahead.

The 1988 album Naked was released “graphics ready.” This meant that if you were to buy a CD player with a special decoder, you could watch the lyrics of the songs pass by in real-time on your television. You could also watch a list of which instruments were playing when.

Unfortunately, these special CD players were not available in 1988—and many people have totally forgotten about this.  And come to think of it, technology and technological standards have changed so much since then.

Today, there might not be a piece of consumer electronics anywhere that can properly decode this part of the Talking Heads disc.

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Re-elected Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas is promising better communication and more listening as the city’s new council begins its term.

But whether that includes greater access to individual councillors before decisions are made remains an open question.

At Monday’s swearing-in ceremony, Dyas pledged to find more ways to listen and communicate. Asked what that would look like, he acknowledged there is room for improvement.

“Over the last few months, we’ve heard that there needs to be some improvement with regards to communications,” Dyas said, adding that the city is looking at what changes could be made.

One issue that has drawn scrutiny is councillors’ reluctance to speak publicly to the media about matters coming before council.

During Dyas’ first term, journalists were often told the city’s code of conduct prevented councillors from commenting on issues before they were debated at the council table.

However, the code does not explicitly prohibit elected officials from expressing their personal opinions on municipal issues before or after council considers them.

Dyas maintains that councillors should wait until they have received all the information presented during a council meeting before communicating their position on a matter.

“To speak to an item before a decision is made at a council meeting would not be appropriate,” he said, explaining that information presented during deliberations could change a councillor’s thinking.

Dyas argues the approach allows councillors to make informed decisions without outside discussion influencing the process.

But Sean Holman, a journalism professor at the University of Victoria and the Wayne Crooks Professor in Environmental and Climate Journalism, says limiting public discussion until after decisions are made raises concerns about transparency and accountability.

“The only thing that matters is the decision after the fact and that’s just wrong,” Holman said. “We should be able to know why government is making the decisions that it makes.”

Holman says increasingly scripted communications and restrictions on access to elected officials are eroding the public’s right to know and undermining trust in government.

“What Canadians want more than anything else from their elected officials is authenticity and the truth,” he said.

Some of the city’s newest councillors say they intend to take a more open approach.

Newly-elected councillor Les Bellamy says he has no intention of being silenced and believes the code of conduct does not prevent councillors from speaking about general municipal matters.

“I think councils may have been encouraged not to speak to matters and I will do so respectfully,” Bellamy said. “The code of conduct does not limit what I can say.”

Bellamy says he wants to ensure he has all the relevant facts before offering an opinion, but also wants to see more opportunities for residents to have their say before decisions are made.

He intends to bring forward a motion asking city staff to investigate ways to improve direct communication between the community and council, potentially through dedicated public input time at meetings or townhalls.

Fellow newcomer Kevin Kraft also says he is comfortable speaking with the media before council meetings.

“I’m fine being accessible even prior to a meeting,” Kraft said. “With five new councillors joining the eight-member council, whether a change in council brings a change in communication remains to be seen.”

Five new councillors are joining the nine-member council but whether the new faces can help make a change in communication will only be determined over time.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Winnipeg’s new city council has officially taken the reins after being sworn in at city hall Tuesday.

Nine new faces are sitting on Winnipeg’s freshly elected city council alongside six incumbent city councillors. Mayor Scott Gillingham also retained his role in last week’s election and is set to begin his second term.

He will lead the council alongside 15 city councillors, including St. James representative Kelly Ryback, who will serve as the presiding officer, which is the city’s equivalent of the speaker.

The 14 other ward representatives include: Evan Duncan, Cindy Gilroy, Emma Durand Wood, Jeff Palmer, Natalie Smith, Jeff Browaty, Greg McFarlane, Vivian Santos, Sara MacArthur, Matt Allard, Ray Dubois, Chris Sigurdson, Lora Meseman and Jasmine Brar.

The councillors were sworn in at Winnipeg city hall during the inaugural meeting on Tuesday evening. All the elected officials took the Declaration of Office, vowing to represent Winnipeggers and their ward residents fairly. They also swore they would not take bribes or engage in other corruption.

“In this town, change is always necessary but it’s never easy. New faces and new laws, and new promises can create exciting opportunities for change. But on their own, they’re not enough. Lasting change takes hard work, determination, risk, (and) follow through,” Gillingham said, addressing the councillors after they took the declaration.

“Let’s approach the next four years with determination, with humility, and a willingness to work together.”

Among the items on his new council’s agenda is further developing downtown to attract new residents, investments and businesses. The city will also respond to riders’ feedback by improving upon Winnipeg Transit, Gillingham said.

“We can bring new life to old streets. It’s been a struggle for decades, like (at) north Main Street,” the mayor continued, noting that new life would involve the city having “to address homelessness, mental health and addictions.”

“Bringing housing, treatment, outreach and ongoing supports together while improving public safety.”

On Wednesday, he will get to work by establishing his new executive policy committee. The EPC consists of a handful of city councillors who will join the mayor’s equivalent of a cabinet. The mayor will serve as that committee’s chair.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Manitobans are watching the U.S. midterms closely on Tuesday evening hoping for some relief after tariffs continue to hamper the agricultural industry.

“What a nightmare it is buying fuel right now to close out the season, as we get colder temperatures our equipment use more fuel,” said Curtis McRae, a farmer in St. Andrews, Man. “It makes it very difficult for me to plan years in advance. When you farm you need to plan a couple years out.”

McRae paid 30 per cent more for fertilizer and nearly a 100 per cent increase for diesel, he says.

Watch the video above for the full story.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Montreal’s McGill University says a man who was convicted of murder and attempted murder for attacks committed in 1984 is no longer a student.

McGill’s provost, Angela Campbell, informed students and staff about the news in a statement sent on Monday.

“McGill’s principal obligation is our duty of care to everyone who learns, works and lives on our campuses,” Campbell wrote.

Campbell sent the message after news from October about Jeffrey George Ewart’s enrolment in law classes while on parole sparked concern about student safety and debate over whether or not he should be allowed to attend.

Ewert, now in his 60s, was sentenced to two life sentences after he sexually assaulted and strangled two women in British Columbia in separate 1984 incidents that left one victim dead and the other severely disabled.

Campbell’s note did not identify Ewart by name, but said a person on day parole who was admitted to its law faculty this fall is no longer enrolled.

“Each student and colleague deserves a learning and research environment that is safe, respectful, inclusive, and conducive to their flourishing and success'” Campbell said.

Campbell said the university has launched an independent review of admissions processes and protocols that will take several months to complete.

“The goal of this review is to make sure existing procedures are sufficiently rigorous, set clearly defined responsibilities, and reflect our values, our academic mission, and our duty of care,” she wrote.

Campbell said the school is also committed to “dignity and second chances.”

“We believe in rehabilitation and in education’s power to transform lives,” the statement read. “Accordingly, past convictions do not, on their own, bar anyone from studying here.”

Campbell also acknowledged that students have been under strain due to media attention generated by the case, and that “differing views about recent events have created tensions within our community.”

The statement did not say whether Ewert’s enrolment was revoked by the school or whether he withdrew. The Canadian Press could not immediately reach his lawyer for comment.

Correctional Service Canada confirmed that it had issued a warrant to suspend Ewert’s conditional release and said he has returned to custody while the situation is being reviewed.

The agency said it can move to return someone to custody “when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the offender has breached a condition of release or that the risk they present can no longer be safely managed in the community.”

The agency said it can either cancel the suspension within 30 days or refer the case to the Parole Board of Canada for a post-suspension review.

McGill said it could not comment on specific cases for privacy reasons. However, it said that while criminal background checks are not typically part of Canadian universities’ admissions processes, the school “would act quickly and decisively should concerning information be brought forward about a student’s background or behaviour on campus.”

McGill said its procedures also include consulting relevant government bodies and its own policies to remove the individual from campus and to review its admission processes to ensure the situation isn’t repeated.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Montreal activists are cautiously optimism after seven police officers were fired amid allegations of racism, discrimination, abuse of power and questionable treatment of vulnerable people — though some say more needs to be done to address systemic problems across the force.

Montreal police chief Fady Dagher announced Monday that the seven officers had been dismissed administratively following allegations of criminal misconduct.

The decision was welcomed by community advocates who have raised concerns about officer conduct in Montreal.

“Honestly, it was refreshing to see that this time, there were finally some consequences,” said David Chapman, executive director of Resilience Montreal, which serves people experiencing homelessness.

Two of the dismissed officers were from Station 21 in the eastern part of downtown Montreal, where allegations had emerged that an unhoused person had repeatedly been humiliated and dehumanized, including being urinated on while sleeping.

Chapman said he hopes the dismissals send a message to other officers.

“If there’s no consequences, that sends a message where other officers can see, ‘Well, we can more or less do what we want and we’re going to get away with it,'” he told Global News on Tuesday.

Five of the dismissed officers were from Station 39 in Montreal North, where allegations emerged last summer that a group of officers had cut dreadlocks off a Black man’s head and kept them as trophies.

Alain Babineau, a McGill jurist, retired RCMP staff sergeant and Red Coalition racial profiling director, praised Dagher’s efforts to address racist behaviour within the force but said accountability should extend higher through its ranks.

“I want to see more,” Babineau said.

“I want to see some sergeants, some inspector, lieutenant, and if need be, some assistant commissioner or assistant director that takes the fall for this.”

Babineau also criticized Dagher for using part of Monday’s news conference to praise the work of most Montreal police officers.

“It was not the time to give the good cops flowers. It was a time to hit on the head of the bad cops and to also reassure the community,” he said.

Station 21 is also the home base of an officer alleged to have deliberately deleted video evidence in a domestic violence case.

Sonia Para Jordan of Action Plan Against Intimate Partner Violence said the firings are a good start.

“This is a big step forward and sets a precedent of more definitive consequence to misconduct from police officers,” Para Jordan said, adding she is hopes criminal charges will be laid.

Dagher said Monday the police force has submitted information from its investigation to the Crown prosecutor’s office, which will decide whether charges should be laid.

While activists welcomed the dismissals, the union that represents Montreal police officers raised concerns about how the punishments were carried out.

Montreal Police Brotherhood president Yves Francoeur said in a message to members the alleged actions of the officers, if substantiated, would profoundly violate police values.

However, he said the administrative process used to dismiss the officers was unprecedented and did not appear to comply with existing rules governing the relationship between the force and its employees.

“From the standpoint of principles, the administrative dismissal of seven (Montreal) police officers raises fundamental questions of law,” Francoeur wrote Tuesday.

“This is a method that’s entirely unprecedented in our history of labour relations, which has never been used and does not appear anywhere. This approach appears to us to be clearly non-compliant and could prove harmful in the future.”

Francoeur said the union “will defend the rule of law, and will take appropriate measures to do so.”

Montreal police consulted city lawyers before revoking the officers’ accreditation and security clearances, Dagher said Monday, through what he described as an administrative dismissal.

The force needed to act immediately to maintain public trust, he said.

The police chief acknowledged the officers could challenge their dismissals and seek reinstatement. He said the force would refer them to its disciplinary committee if they returned.

Montreal police said Tuesday afternoon it had received no indication the officers were contesting their dismissals, though that response appeared to have been issued before Francoeur’s letter.

— With files from The Canadian Press

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors confirmed Tuesday night that forward Kawhi Leonard has successfully completed treatment to address swelling in his left knee.

The Raptors, in a two paragraph statement released at 7 p.m. (ET), said Leonard will now begin the return to play process in Toronto, and said his progress will be “updated in one week.”

Leonard, acquired by Toronto during an off-season trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, played the Raptors’ first two games of the season but was placed the team’s injury report one hour before tipoff of an Oct. 25 game in Minnesota.

The Raptors announced two days later that Leonard would miss at least a week due to the swelling.

Leonard will miss his fifth game when the Raptors visit the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. Toronto is 2-2 without him so far.

While the Raptors said an MRI last week did not find an acute injury, Leonard has had a troubled history with both knees.

Leonard missed time during his 2018-19 season with Toronto because of a left patellar injury that appeared to still be bothering him during the Raptors’ championship run. Teammate Danny Green said during Toronto’s Eastern Conference final against Milwaukee that Leonard was “playing through pain.”

The left knee issues persisted after Leonard signed with the Clippers for the 2019-20 season, with the team often resting him on the second night of back-to-backs.

Leonard has more recently dealt with significant injuries to his right knee, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained during the 2021 playoffs that kept him out the following season.

Leonard is in his second stint with the Raptors after a dominant 2018-19 season in which he led Toronto to its only title, picking up his second NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in the process.

He averaged 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals over the first two games of this season while shooting just 32 per cent.

Leonard is a two-time NBA Finals MVP. After getting traded back to Toronto this summer he agreed on a $115 million extension that, at his option, would run through the 2028-29 season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press