Why hasn't there been a published history of Canadian electronic music before? A Nation of Tinkerers grapples with that question while outlining the history itself, charting the rise of electronic music in the country from garage workshop curio, to a ubiquitous part of songwriting, recording, and music production. There's a pervading belief that Canadians come to styles, sounds, and technology belatedly, which this book wholeheartedly resists, showing there was a lot more going on in the 60s and 70s than just Neil Young and Joni Mitchell (though they make an appearance here, too). Canadian contributions to the field of electronic music are often relegated to footnotes or omitted altogether. This book aims to shine a light on a lesser-known part of that era, challenging the established Canadian canon while helping orient listeners to the many artists and inventors that preceded and paved the way for Canadian artists like Caribou, Grimes, The Halluci Nation, and Kaytranada. Artists like Drake, The Weekend, and Justin Bieber are not just household names but among the highest-grossing artists in the world, and they almost exclusively use computers and synthesizers in every aspect of their musical production. How did we get here?
As both a burgeoning technology and emerging art form, electronic music was an essential part of how Canada announced its post-war identity to the world. This text explores how Canada's post-war nationalism funded many early, cutting-edge technological advancements. It then discusses how the free market took over once this technology was no longer politically expedient, permanently changing musicians' relationship with technology, and the ability of Canadian inventors to have their instruments heard, much less mass produced. That this narrative begins at the end of World War II is significant: it highlights capitalism's inherent contradictions, with destructive conflicts leading to technological ?progress.?
At the centre of this history are inventors and artists who explore the boundaries and possibilities of electronic music through play and experimentation, exposing the relationships and tension between creativity and technology. Though tinkering and the advent of the home studio are often framed as individualistic pursuits, this work was highly social and collaborative, across the avant-garde, psychedelia, reggae, disco, hip hop, pop music, and everything in between.
