CHSR-FM 97.9 | Once On Much – Ep08 Wide Mouth Mason

Once On Much – Ep08 Wide Mouth Mason

If you came of age in Canada in the 1990s, MuchMusic wasn’t just something you watched — it was something you belonged to. It was a front door to Canadian culture, a crash course in music discovery, and for bands lucky enough to break through, a launchpad that could change everything.

On this episode of Once On Much, Safwan Javed of Wide Mouth Mason reflects on that era as a true golden age for Canadian music, shaped by strong label investment, a national touring circuit, campus shows, radio, and MuchMusic’s role as a cultural gatekeeper. For a blues-rooted band that emerged from Western Canada’s bar circuit, Much wasn’t just exposure — it was one of the pillars that made longevity possible.

Safwan also looks back on festivals like Edgefest, the camaraderie of life on the road, and the lasting impact of Big Shiny Tunes 2, where Wide Mouth Mason’s “My Old Self” continues to be their most-streamed song decades later. While the industry has since fractured — trading gatekeepers for algorithms — the band’s core values haven’t changed. Gratitude, integrity, and musicianship remain central, whether playing to massive festival crowds in the ’90s or reconnecting with audiences in 2026. The full conversation is a thoughtful reminder of what was lost, what endured, and why that era still matters.