advertisement
FYI

A Podcast Conversation With ... Jeffrey Morgan

This noted Toronto music scribe and photographer recently published Rock Critic Confidential, a lavishly illustrated anthology of his rock 'n' roll writing and photography. Learn more in this FYI podcast.

A Podcast Conversation With ... Jeffrey Morgan

By Bill King

Fatefully born in Toronto on the same day that (We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets was released, Jeffrey Morgan is the authorized biographer of both Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop & The Stooges. Morgan is also the author of the graphic novel The Brides of Mister X and Other Stories, which Rolling Stone called “one of the 50 best non-superhero graphic novels.”


In 1974, Lester Bangs personally invited Morgan to write for Creem: America’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll Magazine; a position he held for twenty years, becoming Creem’s longest-serving writer. Also beginning in 1974, Morgan took over one thousand photographs of many of the rock concerts he attended. That archive is now represented exclusively by Reelin’ In The Years Productions for worldwide licensing.

advertisement

Explaining his unique visual style, Morgan says: “Taking a cue from Debussy, I wanted to capture The Space Between The Notes which is why, more often than not, my photographs portray musicians pausing instead of performing. My intention was to photograph the live equivalent of fine art studio portraiture.”

Morgan recently published Rock Critic Confidential, a lavishly illustrated anthology of his rock 'n' roll writing and photography.

Learn more in this FYI podcast.

advertisement
Amber Still, executive director of the Polaris Music Prize
Johanna Stickland

Amber Still, executive director of the Polaris Music Prize

Awards

‘Protect the Prize’: The Polaris Music Prize Undergoes Its Biggest Period of Change

Now entering its third decade, the Canadian critic’s prize has expanded its voting pool, adjusted to financial constraints and begun awarding both albums and songs. After years defined by its refined focus, the changes mark a major expansion of the organization’s mission.

In 2025, the Polaris Music Prize celebrated its 20th anniversary. Entering its third decade, the award is undergoing what might be its biggest period of change. From funding to voting process, the organization is continuing to evolve.

The cultural not-for-profit organization has spent the better part of two decades creating a space in the industry for Canadian acts to be recognized based solely artistic merit, rather than sales, genre or support from a record label. Founded in the 2000s as Canada's answer to the Mercury Prize, the organization became a registered Canadian charity in 2017.

keep readingShow less
advertisement