Interesting letter to the Victoria Times-Colonist by David Mattison in response to this story about me donating interviews to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland:
As a former archivist with the Royal B.C. Museum, I was surprised to read this remark by Vancouver rock ‘n’ roll DJ Red Robinson: “There is no repository for my stuff, or Bruce Allen’s or Bryan Adams’ or anybody. It’s a disgrace.”
Did Robinson approach the Library and Archives Canada, or even the Royal B.C. Museum, which houses the B.C. Archives?
He might be surprised to know that legendary rocker Randy Bachman’s archival records are preserved by the Library and Archives Canada and constitute a relatively large body of multiple media material.
That institution also preserves the records of Gino Empry, an individual with performing arts credentials somewhat comparable to Bruce Allen’s.
The Library and Archives Canada also holds records of RPM, the recording and radio industries trade publication, as well as archival records of other West Coast musicians and personalities, including photographic portraits taken by Bryan Adams.
I realize there is an archive in Victoria and also one in Vancouver. In addition there is an archive at the Vancouver Public Library. My dear friend Jack Webster donated his interview library to the Archives. How can anyone access his interviews with Muhammad Ali or Jack Benny or numerous politicians? Have those tapes been digitized? Can the average citizen listen to them on-line or at the museum?
A friend of mine donated many transcriptions and taped interviews to Victoria years ago. When he needed some copies from that collection for a documentary, they came back in terrible shape because the archives do not own the proper equipment to transfer the material. These are just some of the reasons I have not approached these institutions because of past experiences.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will not only make the material available on-line but also on display on museum computers so the public can access the material. My experience and the experience of others has not been a positive thing. I know for a fact that the Vancouver archives approached me years ago because they came up with a budget from the Feds. Their understanding of my collection was pitiful and they expected me to provide everything at my cost.
How about the Jack Cullen radio collection, the Dal Richards music collection, the unbelievable collection of show business posters, autographs and general history of one of Canada’s greatest impresarios, Hugh Pickett? Since his death no one has inquired. There are many more also but to date no one has approached them. Give your head a shake. Heritage Canada seems interested only in Native art and all things Quebec. We will lose all of this if we don’t wake up.