7 things you could buy with Big Wreck's $90,000 FACTOR grant
by AUX staff
June 23, 2014
It’s a slippery slope when you start picking apart FACTOR grants. Not every artist, label or festival is created or treated equally, but the fact remains that the government funded music initiative is in large part the lifeblood of the Canadian music industry. FACTOR treats artists as an investment, awarding money to reinvigorate and populate the scene, which is why great festivals like North by Northeast rake in six figures—undoubtedly, they’ll pump that money back quicker than they can cash it.
Thing is, it’s all public information. The website has an easy to find Recipients page that might not go as far back as we’d like, but one that’s still worth perusing. And every once and a while, we do just that. And every once and a while, we’ll notice something… weird. Like that The Wooden Sky got more than $90,000 in 2013, or that PS I Love You nabbed $76,000 for their latest.
But, whatever. These are emerging artists, good for them. Not so good? At least in 2014? Big Wreck. As much as we all loved That Song (reeeeaaallly loved that sooooonnnnng), there’s no real need for them to be getting $87,132.50 in government money [see amendment at the bottom of this post] for a 70-minute album recorded at one of the most expensive studios around. Though, credit where due, it did go on to sell 4000 copies in its first week, debuting at number five on the SoundScan charts.
We’re not blaming them for getting that money. FACTOR funding has to be fully accounted for, and it’ll go towards marketing the release and fleshing out a tour. But it did get us thinking: What else could that money get you?
A music festival
FACTOR funds awarded: $50,000
Arts & Crafts went bigger and better in Field Trip’s second year, cramming thousands of picnic blankets, Carmen San Diego hats and food trucks into Toronto’s Fort York. And sure, the powerhouse label no doubt had some help from its steady income and sponsors, but the difference maker in booking bands like Fucked Up, Broken Social Scene and a reunited Constantines to a 70-minute Ian Thornley vanity project is pretty huge. Like, $37,000 huge.
Four Polaris Prize long listed albums
We did some quick math, and most of the FACTOR funded albums on this year’s Polaris Prize long list seemed to get between $18,000 (Tim Hecker) and $27,000 (The Darcys). No pressure, Ghosts.
An entire neighbourhood in Detroit
The city of Detroit is in a constant state of disarray, but there’s still something there: Slowly but surely, artists and creatives are taking America’s former working class hub back, rebuilding it as kind of a mecca of culture. The reason why it’s working? You can grab a house there for about $1,000.
200+ Louis Tomlinson selfies
The One Direction singer is selling off pictures of himself to fund his soccer team, and for the price of 13 Big Wreck songs you can land yourself 217 shots of the 22-year-old heartthrob.
Several trips around the world
It’s hard to quantify what constitutes a trip around the world, since the stops and destinations vary. But at least one travel site puts the number between $20,000 and $30,000. At $25,000 a pop, that’s more than three.
Steve Jobs’ audiophile stereo system
For fun, we recently recreated Steve Jobs’ old audiophile stereo system and ended up with a $25,000 price tag. But that’s pennies compared to Big Wreck’s new album. Fuck, buy two recreated setups and you’ll still have more than $30,000 to spend on records.
480+ Pharrell hats
Pharrell’s infamous hat is from designer Vivienne Westwood’s 2014 collection, and at “just” $180, you can buy one in every colour—including our favourite, hot pink—enough times to fill a small room. Do you need 484 stupid looking hats? Probably not. But did you need an $87,000 Big Wreck album?
Still, that song? That Song? I loved that song.
* Big Wreck and their label Anthem Records were funded by FACTOR’s Comprehensive Artist program for Ghosts. This program is one of three FACTOR programs funded entirely by Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters, unlike the FACTOR programs administered with dollars from Department of Canadian Heritage’s Canada Music Fund. Per FACTOR’s website, there are five different financial components to this program that make up the lump grant sum: Sound Recording, Marketing, Tour Support, Showcase and Video.
