Steve Jordan on Founding Polaris, Why Genres No Longer Create Barriers, Quitting A&R & More

Jonathan sits down with longtime former CBC Director of Music Steve Jordan to dive into his full journey. Steve tells never-before-shared stories about: • His early days running incorrect weather forecasts on radio • Being the first person to play The Tragically Hip on radio • Launching local Kingston bands and building a true DIY music scene • Crossing paths with Sarah Harmer, The Inbreds, Mahones & more • Everything wrong he saw with award shows that inspired Polaris • What label life was really like in the 90s and 2000s and why his dream was not reality • Why most A&R scouting was painful ("90% of bands you check out aren't good") • The truth about discovering commercial acts vs. music you love • How the industry has completely changed — and why nobody knows what it is anymore You'll hear a ton of behind-the-scenes music industry history, wild anecdotes from the early days of Canadian rock, and honest insight about signing artists, surviving label politics, and building long-term careers. The full episode is available on Youtube if you prefer video. If you enjoy the podcast please rate/review us it helps us a lot! If you care about Canadian music, A&R stories, or the evolution of the industry — this episode is a must-watch/listen. New episodes of I Hate Simkin every second week. Hosted by Jonathan Simkin. Powered by 604 Records.