She's got fashion in her eyes, fashion in her eyes, eyes, eyes...

I think someday I will finally meet Jian Ghomeshi because he is everywhere in my life. Admittedly this because I listen to him on CBC everyday but seriously how could I not? I think I have documented this before but indulge me. Back in those forgotten Canadian 80's, I saw a video for a band called Tall New Buildings on Good old Sam Taylor's show Video Hits. Hooked... Searched and searched, only found the 12 inch mixes for "Breakin on through her walls" and "Fashion in her eyes".

As I entered college and started my creative writing courses, I needed my male hero for my short stories. That character was the image of the guy I saw in those Tall New Buildings videos, yes...my character was Jean (as Jian was known then) I got A's on all my Creative Writing classes! I never got an "A" in a broadcasting class. One of my fave silly facts about me. "Jean" and "Andi" went through a lot together-LOL!

While doing the Maple Minutes in college, I interviewed a gal and her brother known as Candi. They were a dance hit duo. In Candi's video, guess who reappeared! Yep, Jean was in their video, I even asked her about it. I recall her being surprised and said "you know who he is?" My guess by her reaction was, he was "close" to her. Hmm?

Now here comes the ridiculous, fuzzy, middle period with Jian in my life. Years pass, I hear of a band called Moxy Fruvous. I was at a festival in Barrie, Ontario that they played but did not get there in time to see Moxy but someone handed us free cassettes. I have no idea our hero Jean is now in Moxy Fruvous using his real name Jian. It gets worse. KBM and I go see Nick Heyward here in Phoenix, guess who opens?! Oh yes, I SAW Moxy Fruvous. We loved them, bought merch, I start collecting their CDS. Seriously, still no clue nor make the connection. Remember there was no internet back then. I read liner notes but how would I have translated Jean in TNB to this guy. I live in Arizona, I didn’t have videos on youtube, only one magazine, etc..

Now fast forward to about 6 years ago. In my fave ebay searches I would always looked for Tall New Buildings. I was still in the dark whether there was a full length LP or just those two 12 inch singles. (I still have this mystery) One night, while working with Wake at Rockaway, I notice in the title line in one of the TNB 12 inches it says Moxy Fruvous. I was perplexed so I head over to the M section; grab a MF CD we happen to have in stock. It was one of my favorite discoveries of all time....there he was...Jean! Then I hit myself over the head a zillion times fully seeing him in my head playing with Moxy Fruvous.

The rest is what you would figure. I research, see him on The National when I still had that on cable, turn on all the CBC shows he has been a part of online. (I never saw him on The Hour, living in the US has it's limitations you know...)

He walked by my table last year at a High Dials show during Canadian Music Week. Ask my T-dot friends how I dealt with that...

So why the Jian fawning today? My Maple Minutes co-host and Cancon pal Andrew is really into this Toronto band Lights. Andrew emailed Lights' manager for an interview on the Maple Minutes. Lights' manager? Jian Ghomeshi.... I told Andrew forget Lights, get me Jian on the phone! Don't you think?! Jian responded promptly today, said we had Lights for next week. Andrew told him I was a fan. Is that the correct definition at this point?