About RPM
Magazine Stan Klees remembers
how it all started, after he convinced Walt to launch
the “tip sheet” or “confidential newsletter”
– with barely any ‘drop weight’ at
a mere four pages – in 1964. “When Walt
started RPM Weekly early in 1964, he first learned to
write and for a number of years wrote the whole magazine
by himself. Eventually there was a staff, but at the
beginning it was Walt and a bunch of comic strip-like
characters he invented. “Most important among
them,” says Stan, “was a saucy, nasty and
rumour-mongering lady named Elvira Capreese. She would
just interrupt Walt and say the most outlandish things.
She was the resident gossip and readers couldn't wait
for the rumours.” Stan joined the staff of RPM
in 1971 as a designer, a position that eventually evolved
into “special projects consultant.” Klees’
design and organizing capabilities – that ability
for what Walt called “getting it done” –
were key to assuring that RPM would have a major influence
on Canada’s recording industry. Stan says RPM
was a great place to work. “The writers who worked
for RPM read like a Who's Who. They include Kate Taylor,
now a renowned writer (for the Globe and Mail). Lisa
Robinson wrote first in RPM. It was her first outlet
before her international fame. Even today writers acknowledge
Walt as having given them their first break. He was
always a gentleman and a joy to work for. It was fun
to work at RPM.
“Walt was easy to talk to, easy to know and a
great ambassador. I can remember one story when my stock
broker (a lovely lady) invited us to an event to finance
a movie made by Charlton Heston's son. As we chatted,
we noticed Charlton entering the door with a lady and
standing (just inside the door, looking) confused.
“It became apparent that (all the guests at the
event) were all so impressed that no one was going over
to greet them. It was getting embarrassing. So I told
Walt to go over. Walt brought them over and introduced
Charlton's wife and Charlton to everyone and said, ‘I'm
going to take Chuck around and introduce him to some
of these people’. He called Moses “Chuck”!
He didn't know any of the people there, but suddenly
he was the host. And “Chuck” was an instant
friend.”
The official count of music charts digitized in the
RPM Magazine archives is more than 10,000. But this
impressive collection of information on nearly 40 years
of Canadian music history is much, much more than a
great mound of rankings. Anyone could have done that,
and a few others did.
RPM was, from 1964 to 2000, the voice of Canadian music.
Into its modest 4-page beginnings and glossy descendants,
its founders poured not only the measurements of audience
favour known as charts, but also industry news and their
hopes and dreams for an explosion of Canadian sound
to be heard round the world. 2004 marks 40 years since
the magazine launched. It’s a short time, in historical
terms, but it really was a long time ago, in technological
terms: RPM solicited comments by mail and – consider
this – via Telex! As for cost, in 1967, three
years after its launch, the newsstand price was just
15 cents. You couldn’t even get a Lola (a pyramid-shaped
piece of ice flavoured with fruity-sweet syrup) for
15 cents!
Walt Grealis
(l), a young Whitney Houston and Stan Klees: RPM promoted
Canadians first, but its founders recognized that Canadian
artists develop their careers in a global industry
The news coverage was focused, in the early years, on
the struggle to end the anti-Canadian music bias rampant
at most Canadian radio stations, especially in major
markets. As Canadians began to be heard on their own
airwaves, RPM noted their progress, featured artist
profiles and album reviews, opinion pieces and editorials
on the successes, failures and issues of the day. The
magazine also got into the minutiae that defined the
evolution of radio stations, record labels, distributors
and the performers and creators themselves: personnel
comings, goings and promotions; DJ news; events involving
touring or visiting artists; charity work; publicity
gimmicks and activities; CBC news; community events
(at least one of these featured a high school concert
band!), and much more.
And what would it have been without photos and illustrations?
From publicity stills and line drawings to candids taken
at events big and small, the pages were brimming with
artwork. True to the spirit of a ‘trade book,’
RPM featured photos (and articles) about the people
who made a difference within the industry or at individual
companies. Industry outsiders might not have known their
names, but they likely would have heard on-air the music
or information or interviews organized by the behind-the-scenes
folk. Walt and Stan and their writers understood the
importance of recognizing these people and how it meant
as much to them, or even more, than it did to artists
and performers whose successes may first have been highlighted
in RPM, but who would become household names thanks
to the consumer media.
Canadian content, awards
to build careers and profiles and audience acclaim,
home-based labels, a true north music business, strong
and free. All of this was chronicled in RPM, all thanks
to its founder, Walt Grealis, and his partner, Stan
Klees.
With this letter,
RPM founder Walt Grealis introduced RPM to Canadian
radio stations and record companies. Vol 1 – No
1 was dated February 24th 1964.
