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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

 

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

Ontario’s police watchdog says it has launched an investigation after a 44-year-old man died in police custody in Orillia.

The Special Investigation Unit says Ontario Provincial Police officers responded to a disturbance Sunday shortly after 6:45 p.m.

The SIU says three man were arrested and taken to the OPP’s Orillia detachment and lodged into cells after being searched.

It says one of the men was found without vital signs during a routine check Monday at around 6:30 a.m.

The Special Investigation Unit says the man was pronounced dead after unsuccessful resuscitation efforts.

Three investigators and one forensic expert are assigned to examine the circumstances surrounding the death.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Montreal’s public health authority has reported a new measles case.

The health authority announced a child with measles was in the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport late Friday and in the Sainte-Justine hospital early on Saturday while still contagious.

The health authority asks people who may have come in contact with the child to monitor themselves for symptoms and seek preventive treatment if they are not vaccinated.

The most recent measles outbreak in Quebec ended in August after 28 reported cases.

Federal measles data shows 1,121 cases have been reported in Canada this year as of Sept. 26.

In November 2025, Canada officially lost its measles-free status, which it had held since 1998.

The Pan American Health Organization revoked the status after it confirmed the same strain of the virus had been transmitted in Canada for over a year.

Measles is an extremely contagious disease and can lead to serious complications, like blindness, encephalitis, pneumonia and even death in some cases.

The main symptoms are a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors have signed centre Jamarion Sharp, the NBA club announced on Monday.

The team, however, did not disclose the terms of the deal.

Sharp was named the NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 7.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 blocks and 25.1 minutes in 39 games (29 starts) with the Texas Legends last season.

He scored in double figures in 14 games, grabbed 10-plus rebounds 12 times and had six double-doubles.

The seven-foot-five, 235-pound Sharp also blocked five or more shots in 15 contests, including a season-high nine on Nov. 21 against Oklahoma City.

In a corresponding move, the Raptors waived guard Chucky Hepburn.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Stelco has reportedly pushed back on accusations it breached its agreement with the federal government, saying they are “false,” and it “stands ready to protect its interests.”

This comes as Stelco begins laying off hundreds of workers, and faces threats of legal action from the federal government if those jobs are not preserved.

The Ontario-based steel manufacturer sent a letter responding to Industry Minister Melanie Joly after she sent a letter to Cleveland-Cliffs, the U.S.-based company which acquired Stelco in 2024. She also gave the company five days to respond.

Cleveland-Cliffs told Global News it sent a letter in response to Joly’s office on Oct. 9, although the response was not initially shared publicly.

Stelco’s letter to Joly, which was written by the company’s president and general counsel, Paul Simon, was shared with Global News Monday via a source who asked not to be named.

“Through our regular contact, the government has had significant advance notice of the impact these unprecedented market conditions have had on our business, and in more recent communications dating back to July 2026,” the letter said.

“Our early September meetings with several senior government officials, including representatives from your office, led Stelco to believe that the government understood the market realities confronting Stelco’s Hamilton Works finishing lines.”

Stelco, like Algoma and other Canadian steel manufacturers have been hit hard by U.S. tariffs of 50 per cent on Canadian steel imports, which led to a steep decline in sales to U.S. customers. The company said these market conditions have forced it to layoff up to 500 workers.

Joly responded on social media on Oct. 10 after reportedly receiving the letter from Stelco.

“The Government of Canada continues to expect Stelco to meet its legally binding commitments to employees. These commitments were agreed upon as undertakings under the Investment Canada Act and do not cease to apply because of changing business strategy or market conditions,” said Joly in the statement.

“As our legal team reviews the Stelco letter, all options are on the table.”

Canada gave U.S.-based Cleveland-Cliffs the go-ahead to purchase Stelco back in 2024 under the Investment Canada Act (ICA), which regulates foreign takeovers.

Speaking in the letter to Stelco last week, Joly said Canada’s approval of the deal was contingent on the new owner maintaining the number of union jobs and the majority of non-union positions.

Those conditions don’t expire just because “business strategy or market conditions have changed,” she added.

“This is particularly relevant here, where Cleveland-Cliffs has cited trade disruptions as affecting its operations at Hamilton Works, notwithstanding its chief executive officer’s public support for Section 232 tariff measures,” Joly said.

Stelco pushed back on Joly’s accusations in its letter, and said it “remains in compliance” with the undertakings in the agreement from 2024.

“Stelco submitted its annual report confirming its compliance with the employment undertakings in November 2025. That report highlighted that Stelco was facing significant challenges due to the unforeseen consequences stemming from unprecedented U.S. tariffs and Canada’s failure to advance an effective ‘Fortress North America’ trade regime,” the letter said.

“Your representation that Stelco’s planned layoffs cause it to breach its undertakings is false as the undertakings do not stipulate a commitment to avoid layoffs.”

When the layoffs were first announced last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the company “betrayed” Canadian workers and insisted “there’s money on the table” to keep employees on the job.

In an exclusive interview with Global News from Sept. 30, Lourenco Goncalves, the chairman and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs, said the company’s decision was purely market-driven and that financial incentives could not fix the fundamental issues.

“I’m not shutting down, I’m not dismantling,” Goncalves said during a 10-minute phone call. “There’s no market in Canada for the amount of galvanized steel we produce in Canada. We need to export… to the United States.”

“Until we reestablish that, there’s nothing we can do, nothing.”

The union representing the roughly 500 steel workers facing potential layoffs, USW Local 1005, said it was not consulted nor did it have an opportunity to review those undertakings in the ICA.

“We were assured by both Cleveland Cliff’s and the Federal Government that bargaining unit employment levels would remain the same for 5 years. In other words no layoffs,” said the union’s president Ron Wells in a statement.

“Although we weren’t privileged to the signed agreement between Cliff’s and the Government, the response reeks of desperation as the original explanation of Stelco being victims of Trump’s steel tariffs wasn’t flying.”

Stelco, in the letter to Joly, denied wrongdoing, and based on the information presented to the federal government throughout the trade war, and the government’s own guidelines, the company said:

“In a situation such as this, Stelco should not be responsible for any non-compliance with its undertakings. Stelco stands ready to protect its interests consistent with the Investment Canada Act and its guidelines.”

Global News sent requests for comment to Stelco and Cleveland-Cliffs, but neither responded by publication.

– With files from Global News’ Colin D’Mello and The Canadian Press

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