Rock Wars
| Rock Wars | |
|---|---|
| Genre | variety |
| Starring | Brad Giffen |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBC Television |
| Release | February 1, 1985 – May 1985 |
Rock Wars is a Canadian television variety series, which aired in 1985 on CBC Television.[1] A national "battle of the bands" competition, the series featured unsigned musical groups competing in a series of regional concerts held in various cities across Canada, with the winner of each episode advancing to another round of competition until the ultimate winner was named at a final concert staged in Vancouver, British Columbia.[1]
Hosted by Brad Giffen,[2] the program aired on Friday nights as a companion to the network's music video series Good Rockin' Tonite.[1] Judges over the course of the series included Keith Sharp of Music Express,[3] Samantha Taylor of CBC's Video Hits and CFNY-FM program director David Marsden.[3]
The winner of the competition was to receive a half-hour CBC Television special devoted to the band,[3] as well as a cash prize of CA$100,000.[3]
The series was won by Tchukon, a funk and rhythm and blues band from Montreal, Quebec,[4] over finalists Eye Eye, HB Concept and Peter Mann and the Lonely.[3] Other competitors over the course of the series included Monuments Galore,[5] The Instructions,[5] The Rage,[5] The Stilettos,[5] Eight Seconds,[3] The Waiting,[3] Haywire,[3] Mad Shadows,[3] Steps Around the House,[3] Apple Viper,[1] Zlatko[1] and The Micah Barnes Band.[1]
Tchukon later went on to win Best Vocal Group in the 1986 edition of the American series Star Search.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "CBC opens fire with Rock Wars". The Globe and Mail, February 1, 1985.
- ^ "CITY-TV rocks host revamps pop video show". Toronto Star, February 18, 1988.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Keith Sharp, Music Express: The Rise, Fall & Resurrection of Canada's Music Magazine. Dundurn Press, 2014. ISBN 9781459721951. p. 143.
- ^ "Polished Tchukon charms fans". Montreal Gazette, June 17, 1985.
- ^ a b c d "From the CBC archives: Bands battle on CBC's Rock Wars in Winnipeg, 1985". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, February 20, 2015.
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- 1985 Canadian television series debuts
- 1985 Canadian television series endings
- 1980s Canadian music television series
- 1980s Canadian reality television series
- Television series produced in Vancouver
- CBC Television original programming
- Canadian late-night television programming
- Canadian television show stubs