Matthew Good Still Unimpressed By Junos

Matthew Good has criticized the Juno Awards again, but has pulled a blog entry about it from his website "to avoid a headache."

Good has never been a fan of the annual Canadian music awards show, and hasn't made a secret of his distaste.

But some people apparently got their knickers in a knot over Good's blog and a Canadian Press telephone interview where he said, "When it actually promotes Canadian music at root levels, and it isn't kind of this weekend when the Canadian music industry pretends that it's this independent industry and not just marketing warehouses for the United States, then sure, I'll be a part of it.

"But until then I really have no desire to be a part of it at all."

The outspoken artist admitted in a March 23 blog entry titled "Mr. Shit Storm" that he has "an innate ability when it comes to creating shit storms.

"I have no idea why, but when it comes to the Canadian music scene a lot of people don't much care for speak your mind types.

"There's no denying that over the years my opinions have made for some great copy, and even to this day I am occasionally goaded by the odd journalist into giving them something inflammatory.

"I suppose there are a few things that, over the years, I wish I hadn’t said, but to be honest there has never been anything that I have ever deeply regretted. For the most part I stand by the vast majority of my opinions."

Good has won three Juno Awards and been nominated for 17 since 1998, but says he's never attended a show or accepted a Juno in person.

"That was, and remains, a personal choice and has never been meant as a slight to those who are ardent supporters of Canadian music though forced to deal with the trying nature of producing such an event and placating all those involved (that said, there's nothing wrong with after parties!)," Good wrote on Monday.

Good thinks artists have been subjected to a decline in respect from the music industry — and even by the public, in some cases — in recent years, and believes shows like the Junos have been a part of that.

"Perhaps highlighting their achievements on television seems a good thing to some, but at some point we must face the fact that that celebration is being slowly warped into a bad commercial," Good wrote. "Ultimately, that also reflects on the respect shown those that create the music that hundreds of millions of people all over the world listen to and connect with.

"It has, without question, warped the perception of talent itself, rendering artistic creation nothing more than something that anyone can do if they put their mind to it. One need only tune into one of several 'Idol' television programs to realize that."

Good has been working on a new album, tentatively titled Vancouver, which he hopes will be out by the end of the summer. The Juno Awards will go on without him on CTV at 9 p.m. EST on Sunday.