If you’re a musician and you hit it big, how long can you expect your stardom to last? This has been the subject of statistical study.

Today, nearly 75% of artists who have their first hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 are gone forever from the chart in less than a year. If we dig a little deeper, 27% of those songs come and go within a month. About 12% have singles spanning one to three years. Around 4% stretch things out to five years. There’s a slight bump for artists whose careers run six to ten years at 6%. Then it falls to just over 3% for a string of hit singles that run between 11 and 20 years.

Less than 1% of all artists can expect to have hit singles for more than 20 years.

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There was a period in the early 90s when alt-rock saw a flood of heavy electro-industrial bands: Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, and more. Among that cohort was My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, a group–a collective, really–based in Chicago’s then-awesome industrial scene.

For a couple of years, MLwtTKK had some hits on both alternative radio and the dance club charts, contributing songs to a few soundtracks along the way. I bought most of their CDs, including Sexplosion!, which was released by the great people at Wax Trax. This was the single. Damn, alt-rock was so much heavier and harder back then, wasn’t it?

© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

There’s been much study into the lifespan of musicians, a profession that’s loaded with a lot of dangerous situations and lifestyle choices. If we look at rock, the number one cause of death is some kind of accident, which accounts for about 24% of all fatal situations, which is about the same rate as cancer.

Next is heart-related, which can be blamed for 15% of all musician deaths. The suicide rate is 7% and homicide is just under 4%. If we narrow things down to punk, accidents are responsible for 30% of deaths, followed by cancer and heart problems. And if you’re into metal, accidents are also at the top of the list, but suicide is second at 19%.

And in case you’re wondering the homicide rate is highest among hip-hop and rap artists at 51%.

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Bearbonez is a California-based guy named Kyle Hilmoe. He obviously loves Queens of the Stone Age and the later work of David Bowie. You’ll hear it immediate.

© 2024 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

There are certain professions that the actuarial tables say are more dangerous than others. The worst possible gig you can have is that of a race car driver. The average lifespan of someone who goes fast for a living is 56.1 years. That makes a race car driver a worse choice than someone who works in the military (57.1 years), a boxer (59.7 years), a pro wrestler (60.5 years), and an activist (62 years).

In sixth place is a musician. With all the dangers, pitfalls, and lifestyle choices, the typical professional musician has a lifespan of just 64 years. That number is derived from a study of all musicians born since 1900, so things must have improved in recent decades, right? Well, if we narrow it to just the modern era, the average age of death for both male and female rock musicians is just over 50. Punk and metal musicians of both sexes die, on average, at the age of about 40.

Let’s be careful out there.

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You would think that going to a concert would be a safe thing for everyone First, you have thousands of like-minded people looking to have a good time. No one sets out to ruin the evening for everyone else. You paid good money for your tickets, and you’ve waited a long time for this night to come.

Second, there’s security everywhere. The last thing an artist, a promoter, or a venue wants is there to be some kind of trouble where someone gets hurt—or worse.

For 99.999% of all concerts, things run smoothly. Yeah, someone might get a little drunk or stoned and cause trouble. Maybe a fight breaks out because someone got pushed. But generally, these common issues are dealt with quickly and without any serious repercussions.

In other words, concerts (for the most part) are safe spaces…except when they’re not. Concerts are easy pickings for anyone who wants to cause carnage. They are mass gatherings—and such concentrations of unsuspecting people are easy soft targets for people determined to cause injury and death.

If you look at things on a global scale, concerts are more often the target of terrorism than you may realize. The Global Terrorism Database studied attacks on concerts and festivals dating back to 1970. They found 146 examples.

Most targets were religious festivals with 54. But in second place were concerts with 29. The most common type of attack was bombing followed by assaults, which included firearms. Most victims were on-site when it happened.

Between 1970 and 2019, 244 people were killed at concerts and festivals and 1,656 were injured. Those numbers have gone up substantially since that study concluded. They do not, for example, include the deaths and casualties in the Hamas attack on the Supernova Festival in Israel on October 7, 2023. At least 346 people died that day.

And if it seems that there have been more terrorist attacks on concerts and festivals, you’re not imagining things. There was a spike starting in 2015 that continued until the COVID lockdown in 2020.

I have details on two terrorist attacks that happened during that period. The first was on a seemingly normal Friday night in Paris. The other was late on a Monday evening when everyone was going home after a night of live music.

I’m speaking of the Bataclan massacre and the Manchester Arena bombing. This is episode 24 of Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry. And boy, have I got some stories for you…

Get Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry wherever you get your podcasts. Both Uncharted and The Ongoing History of New Music will be heard back-to-back overnights five days a week on these Corus news stations:

Showtimes (all times local)

• Toronto: AM 640 (4-5am)
• London: 980 CFPL (4-5am)
• Vancouver: 980 CKNW (1-2am)
• Edmonton: 630 CHED (1-2am)
• Calgary: QR77 (770 AM and 107.1 FM) (1-2am)
• Winnipeg: 680 CJOB (1-2am)

 

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When the CD first appeared in the early 80s, there was no doubt that it sounded better than the crappy vinyl that was being sold at the time. But over the next few years, a few weird practices started cropping up, insisting that your CDs would sound even better if you did this. I remember two.

First, there was the insistence that if you put a CD in the freezer overnight and then played it, the sound would be much better. Although some people swore by that, it didn’t work.

Another practice involved taking a green Sharpie and running it around the edge of a CD. The theory was this did something to make the red laser that read the CD work better somehow. Sorry, but there was never any scientific evidence that this worked. It boosted the sale of green Sharpies for a while, though.

© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Two people are in custody facing murder, kidnapping, and extortion charges in connection with Winnipeg’s 30th homicide of 2024, police say.

Officers were first called to the 300 block of Bridge Lake Drive on the evening of Sept. 10 about a missing man who had allegedly been abducted. Three days later, investigators found a body in a Bristol Avenue home.

The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Zeyad Shammo, from Ontario. Police, with the help of the tactical support team, arrested two suspects who were known to the victim.

Sonny Balemba and Robert James Chaykowski, both 26, have been charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and extortion. Chaykowski also faces four counts of failing to comply with a release order.

© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

The suspect who sparked a days-long manhunt in northwestern B.C. last month following an incident that police said left a woman seriously injured, is now accused of attempted murder.

Five additional charges including unlawful confinement or imprisonment, aggravated assault, using an imitation firearm while committing an offence and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose were sworn against Nathan James Mitchell Rinsma on Sept. 10.

RCMP said the new charges are related to an investigation that began on Aug. 31 after a report of a serious assault involving two victims.

Two search warrants were executed at homes in Thornhill, west of Terrace, where Mounties said cash, ammunition, weapons, illicit drugs, and firearms were seized.

In an initial news release on Aug. 31, Terrace RCMP said they were investigating a report of a possible aggravated assault around 7:45 a.m. in Thornhill, where one woman was seriously injured.

The North District Emergency Response Team was deployed to search for the male suspect.

Hours later, RCMP identified the suspect as Rinsma, and warned he should be considered armed and dangerous.

After a three-day manhunt, Rinsma was arrested by Terrace RCMP on Sept. 3.

Rinsma, 30, was initially charged with one count of aggravated assault in connection with an alleged domestic incident on Aug. 31 in Thornhill, B.C.

On Jan. 10, Rinsma was set for trial on separate charges of spousal assault and uttering threats related to allegations on Oct. 16, 2022 in Kitimat.

That matter was resolved on the same date when Rinsma entered into a 12-month peace bond.

Rinsma remains in custody ahead of a scheduled bail hearing via video in Williams Lake court on Oct. 4.

RCMP said the investigation into the Aug. 31 incident is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact them at 250-638-7400.

© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

After three years near the NHL’s basement, the Montreal Canadiens want to fight for a playoff spot this season.

Whether or not that means actually reaching the post-season, general manager Kent Hughes isn’t ready to predict. But the organization’s stated goal ahead of training camp this week is to be “in the mix” until April.

“I want us to be in the race, more long-term,” Hughes said Monday before the Canadiens’ annual season-opening golf tournament at Club Laval-sur-le-Lac. “I can’t predict whether that means until the last game, I can’t predict whether we’ll make the playoffs.

“At the end of the day, for us to progress, to move forward, the players need to gain experience as a team in games that matter.”

Training camp for the 2024-25 campaign begins Wednesday as the Canadiens look to avoid missing the playoffs in four straight seasons for the first time in the storied franchise’s history.

And excitement for the Habs is building in Montreal after an active off-season.

The Canadiens added former 40-goal scorer Patrik Laine to a young core that is locked up long-term. The team also boasts several top prospects coming down the pipeline, some hoping to crack the NHL lineup this fall.

Vice president Jeff Gorton hopes the days of rebuilding and worrying about where the Canadiens finish in the draft lottery are in his rear-view mirror.

“I think that as the season progresses and it gets after the trade deadline, we’re still in there, playing meaningful games, competing for a spot,” Gorton said to define being “in the mix.”

“We’ve had a few years where we’ve picked (fifth overall) a couple times here, first,” he added. “It’ll be nice to see if we can move it along.”

On top of the off-season moves, Montreal’s youthful roster continues to develop.

Winger Juraj Slafkovsky and captain Nick Suzuki, in particular, made significant strides last season while playing on the top line with Cole Caufield.

The 20-year-old Slafkovsky, the first overall pick in 2022, quieted critics with a second-half surge, tallying 20 goals and 30 assists in 80 games to earn an eight-year, US$60.8-million contract extension.

Suzuki, 25, proved he has the chops of a true No. 1 centre with career highs of 33 goals and 77 points in 82 games.

The Canadiens will get a boost down the middle with the return of Kirby Dach, who underwent season-ending knee surgery just two games into the 2023-24 campaign.

There’s also defence prospects Lane Hutson — who put on a show at Canadiens prospect games against Toronto over the weekend — Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom trying to break into the NHL as rookies.

“We have a ton of elements,” Suzuki said. “Our forward group is super deep from top to bottom, I think we know we’re going to surprise a lot of people in that way. And we got a lot of young D that are going to make big strides.

“There’s a lot of optimism in the group and in the dressing room, so I think we’re in a really good position right now.

“And I’m really excited to get the season going.”

Montreal finished 32nd, 28th and 28th overall in the last three seasons, climbing from 55 points to 76 in that span. For reference, the last team to qualify for the playoffs last season — the Washington Capitals — had 91 points.

The Atlantic Division could also prove to be a gauntlet. Florida hoisted the Stanley Cup last spring, and Boston, Toronto and Tampa Bay are perennial playoff teams. Meanwhile, Ottawa, Buffalo and Detroit are optimistic about taking a similar leap as Montreal.

But Suzuki says the Canadiens welcome any doubters.

“The position that we’re in now, we’re really trying to make the playoffs and show what kind of team we are,” Suzuki said. “I think we’re being slept on pretty hard right now — I like that position.

“The guys are fuelled by that, and I think everyone’s ready to go.”

A bounceback season from Laine could go a long way in helping that cause.

The Canadiens acquired Laine and a second-round draft pick from Columbus in exchange for defenceman Jordan Harris.

Laine may possess one of the most dangerous shots in the league, but the 26-year-old hasn’t surpassed 30 since 2018-19.

Last season, he tallied six goals over 18 games in a year he sustained a clavicle injury and entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program to prioritize his mental health.

“It’s not a secret that the last couple years have been a little tough, but I think it’s just great to get this new opportunity with this team. That’s something I was hoping for,” Laine said. “I feel like they’re building something special here.”

The Canadiens open the regular season at the Bell Centre on Oct. 9 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They’ll play six pre-season games beginning next Monday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

© 2024 The Canadian Press