Features


To get to the article you want, just click on the corresponding quote. This indicates an Editor's Choice, while this indicates something added within the last two weeks. Once you're on a page, you can also go to the previous or next articles on the list, if you want to take a linear direction (the exceptions are the links to articles on other websites, which open new browsers so you can come back).

We have a collection of articles Moe Berg himself has written, including his columns in Canadian Musician and his ongoing series of book reviews in the Edmonton Journal and on Amazon.ca. As well, we've added short stories by Moe that have been featured in the literary magazine Taddle Creek.

Of course, there are more chapters to this wacky tale to come. If you know of published articles (online or off) that could be here, let me know. If we use it, you get a credit and a link of your choice. For copyright info, see The Rules.

From 1987 / From 1993 / From 1997 / From 2000

By Moe Berg: in Canadian Musician / in Other Publications / Fiction
Book Reviews in the Edmonton Journal / Book Reviews on Amazon.ca


"WEA Canada get hip (more or less)", by Sheena L., Nerve, March 1987

"...the Psychedelic Furs on Drano"

"The Pursuit of Happiness" by Richard Flohil, Canadian Composer, April 1987

"...and giant pink-red rimmed glasses of the sort that female executives wear when they're power dressing to make an impression."

(traduction française) "Moe Berg au Seuil D'une Grande Carriere" par Richard Flohil, Le Compositeur Canadien, Avril 1987

"...et d'énormes lunettes d'écaille rouges qui rappellent celles que portent les femmes haut placées dans l'administration."

"Pursuit of Happiness Searches for Recording Contract, Album" by Brad Oswald, Winnipeg Free Press, February 24, 1988

"With a new single, Killed By Love, set for release this week and rumours that a rep from Chrysalis Records is flying in from New York to catch tonight's show, Gilby said things are looking up."

"Power Popsters' Pursuit of Stardom Brought Step Closer to Record Deal" by John Mackie, Vancouver Sun, November 8, 1988

"the temperature was 40 degrees below zero, the band was playing a 'fern bar' called Bananas, and the club owner wouldn't let the band do a sound check - but Hyman was impressed, and said she was going to sign the band that night."

"Pursuit of Happiness" by J.D. Considine, Baltimore Sun, reprinted in Calgary Herald, January 5, 1989

"Still, one question remains: Why the name?"

"TPOH Declares Its Independence" by David Wild, Rolling Stone, February 23,1989

"..with the squeals of Duran Duran fans still audible - the band members unwind...by successfully naming
in chronological order every entry in the discography of their fellow Great White North rockers Rush."

"The Agony of Ecstasy" by Chris Roberts, Melody Maker, May 6, 1989
(from The Downward Node)

"The Pursuit of Happiness recently played Disneyland
and were very nearly fired from the "Mickey Mouse Club."

"Hot Pursuit" by Phil Wilding, Kerrang!, May 20, 1989
(contributed by Andy Gardner)

"It's bubblegum with balls, and there's nothing else quite like it."

"Hanky Panky" by Rosemary Passantino, Spin, July, 1989

"This is the first time in my life I conceptualized something and made it happen."

"Searching For Utopia" by Ralph Traitor, Sounds, July 8, 1989
(contributed by Andy Gardner)

"It's a song that chronicles one man's belated awakening to his own morality."

"Happiness Is..." by Ann Scanlon, Sounds, November 4, 1989
(contributed by Andy Gardner)

"Dave stuck a whoopee cushion on her seat and they all laughed hysterically as Leslie let out a long, loud squelch..."

"Side Effects" by Ann Scanlon, Sounds, April 14, 1990
(contributed by Andy Gardner)

"...I think I've taken this as far as it can go and I'd definitely like to get involved in production at some point."

"TPOH: One-sided story" by Howard Druckman, Metropolis, June 7, 1990

"Some girl called (the radio phone-in program) and said she'd slept with someone in
Pursuit of Happiness, and now she's afraid she has a disease."

and the sidebar "Other Sides" (see above)

 

"The Pursuit of Happiness: the riveting rockers are gaining ground with sexy songs of longing" by Michael Hollett, Now, June 7, 1990

"Offstage, Moe Berg is the kind of guy who gets hit by lightning. His is the lap that spilled cups of coffee always find. He's the innocent bystander who catches the bullet."

"Berg's Back with Lyrics from Hell", by Alan Niester, Globe and Mail, February 27, 1993

"It's not really much of a complement to say that your lyrics are slightly more intelligent than regular rock records.
I'm not gonna win a Nobel Prize for that."

"Rockers Hit Scene in Style" Canadian Press, printed in Winnipeg Free Press, March 13, 1993

"It's like Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and the Pursuit of Happiness."

"Pulse Spotlight," Pulse Niagara, March 17, 1993

"Somebody like the Barenaked Ladies, they've probably made more money
on their indie cassette than they're ever going to make
with their big record deal."

"Downward in Pursuit of Moe's Mind" by John Mackie, Vancouver Sun, April 8, 1993

"I had a bunch of stuff in the van," laments Berg. "My bag with the camera, my spare glasses,
my New Kids on the Block t-shirt that I got from Donnie Wahlberg.
My really great Chicago Black Hawks cap..."

"Where the Wild Things Are" by Geoffery Davis, Canadian Musician, June, 1993

"We'd have to phone cabs - I think there's like four in L.A.,
we had the same cab driver so many times..."

The sidebar, "Band Gear"

"Luck Turns for the Pursuit of Happiness" by Larry LeBlanc, Billboard, July 22, 1995
(from The Downward Node)

"Now we have something to prove with this album."

"Full Circle" by Paul Myers, Impact, September 1995

"Brad's right, and that's one of the things that may have been
a problem for us..."

"Happier Days Ahead for Pursuit of Happiness" Canadian Press, September 4, 1995

"Did anybody like the song? What did you think of the song?"

"Berg's Pursuit of Happiness Hits Roadblocks" by David Howell, Edmonton Journal, September 7, 1995

"Oh, no. Woe is Moe."

"The Pursuit of Happiness" by Marla Mathis, The Peak (Simon Fraser University), October 10, 1995

"When we were playing, everyone started throwing chocolate bars on stage."

"Moe Berg Discusses Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Longevity" by Terry Cockerline, Brock Press (Brock University), October 12, 1995

"David Letterman - still pretty funny."

"Berg's Pursuit of Happiness Continues" by Andy Pederson, Daily News of Halifax,
November 16, 1995

"Not only did I say we'd beat them, I was stupid enough to say that they won't even be able
to score a goal on us. Now, I'm having second thoughts about it all."

"Pursuit of Happiness" by Teresa Bolter, Beat, August 28, 1996

"'It's a reference to the lack of penis more than anything. I guess you could put an 'r' on the end of it if you wanted,'
says the Pursuit of Happiness' guitarist Kris Abbott of their fourth album's title."

"Purveyors of Pop Finesse Press On" by Patti Welch, Raves, Records and Collectibles, October 1996
(from The Downward Node)

"I can't begin to understand what it means, but I find it fascinating to look at."

"In Pursuit of Perfect Pop" Network, December 1996

"..it's definitely something people can get through without much effort."

"Happiness Is a New Album" by Jane Stevenson, Toronto Sun, December 12, 1996

"Yikes."

"Pursuit of Happiness Gives Berg Vehicle For Catchy Ripostes" by Norman Provencher, Ottawa Citizen, December 12, 1996

"Well, I mutter to myself in the street like everybody else and get my share of strange looks."

"Pursuit Closing in on Happiness", by Ben Rayner, Ottawa Sun, December 13, 1996

"Irony and cynicism, yes. Anger and regret, occasionally. Self-loathing, uh-huh.
But happiness? Be serious."

"Pursuit Perseveres: The Pursuit of Happiness Has Bounced Back From the Edge" by Tom Harrison, Vancouver Province, February 21, 1997

"A lot of bands would have broken up in that situation...
Like, they no longer can afford the tour bus."

"Moe Berg in Pursuit of Analysis" Edmonton Express (Sun), February 21, 1997

"'That's part of my shtick, I guess.' And it's for real? 'Oh, it's for real.'"

"Pursuing Their Dream" by Michael Platt, Calgary Sun, February 25, 1997

"When I realized no one could ever surpass them, I decided we were number one anyway."

"Too Late the Loser" by JR Taylor, NY Press, July 16, 1997

"That's how I justify anything I do in my love life. Make funnier movies."

"Moe and Co. Happy in Fame's Middle Ground" by Chris Denschikoff, SEE, September 18, 1997

"I'm going to be an embarrassment to my friends and family for as long as I can..."

"Beyond the Pursuit of Happiness" by Carey Weinberg, University of Western Ontario Gazette, January 15, 1998

"..demonic wrestling matches of failed relationships and bad attitudes.."

"Moe Better Blues" by Ian A.D. Jack, ID, February 12, 1998

"Basically the barrier between me and God has always been Christians."

"Moe Berg's Solo Pursuit" by Simona Chiose, Globe and Mail, February 28, 1998

"When he says, for example, that he cannot possibly eat all five sausages, coleslaw and bread that make up his breakfast/lunch, you feel no compunction about digging into his food."

"Poet-Laureate for the Romantically Challenged" by Shawn Ohler, Edmonton Journal, April 22, 1998

"It was inspired by the hookers."

"Moe Berg: Always in Pursuit of Happiness" by Mike Devlin, Victoria (B.C.) Times Colonist, August 16 1998

"Wow, this is great. People are listening and I can see the response on their faces."

"Edmontonian Wrote Anthem for Champion" by Mike Sadava, Edmonton Journal, April 17, 1999

"Berg reached into his bag to pull out a CD to give to Gretzky,
and one of the 'goons' at his table stood up, as if Berg was going to pull out a gun."

"Sex, Food and Happiness" by Liisa Ladouceur, eye, January 13, 2000

"...you can't really tell the difference between who's really famous
and who's borrowing rent money from their parents."

"He's an Adult Now" by Kieran Grant, Toronto Sun, October 31, 2000

"The detail is funny and often graphic -- like Woody Allen writing for Penthouse Forum."

"Moe Berg Listened to Those Who Said, 'You Should Write'" by Andrew Flynn, Canadian Press. printed in National Post, November 14, 2000

"The gangly bard of Queen Street has turned his pen to the pursuit of literature."

"Happiness Is a Life Never Taken Too Seriously" by Alan Kellogg, Edmonton Journal, December 30, 2000

"Driving lessons -- on a standard yet -- swimming, camping, the outdoor life.
Moe Berg? In a tent? Life lurches forward for all of us."

"Moe Berg Toys With Novel, Web Album" by Paul Cantin, JAM! Showbiz (Canoe Online), April 18, 2001

"... I'm not sure how it is going to come about. That is my fantasy."

"Happiness Is a Theatrical Role" by Kieran Grant, Toronto Sun, April 24, 2001

"It's liberating to play a rock star instead of being one."

"One Moe Pursuit: Three More Nights of Happiness" by Marshall Ward, Echo, June 20, 2002

"I guess that was the last kick in the butt that we needed."

"Iron Maiden Fan in the House" by Nathalie Atkinson, National Post, August 9, 2002

"I love that look of either glee or dispair when I spin Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield."

"TPOH Records New Songs, Plans Tour" by Karen Bliss, JAM! Music (Canoe Online), October 4, 2005

"...it will be somewhere between renting a jet and all piling into a van with our gear
and a crew guy and sleeping in the McDonald's parking lot."

"None of Your Rubbish," by Mat Snow, Mojo, September 2006

"...when you live in a large urban area, your teenage years can last well into your thirties."

Moe Berg interview, by retroDan, Retroblog.net, October 24, 2007

"As Keith Richards said, 'you don’t know the meaning of true love until you have kids.'"

"Hooks'n'You: The Pursuit of Happiness, 'The Wonderful World of...'," by Will Harris, Popdose, February 25, 2008

"I think you can compare them to the Smithereens in both their musical approach and inability to find an audience
because their respective labels didn’t have a clue."

(back on top)

By Moe Berg in Canadian Musician

"Don't Take Advice from Other Songwriters" February 1987

"This last part works particularly well in the summer when it's really hot
and the coffee shop doesn't have air conditioning."

"Producing Guitar with Todd Rundgren" December 1988

"Later, our A and R person admonished him on the phone, 'You told Moe his guitar playing sucks!'
to which Todd replied, 'I never told him it sucked - but it does suck.' "

"What Type of Writer Are You?" May/June 1998

"...generally speaking if you're too obtuse no one will be able to relate to you and if you're too cliched,
you will sound corny and EVERYONE WILL LAUGH AT YOU."

"Transcend Your Influences - Create Something New" November/December 1998

"We were discussing why so many good artists are so inarticulate and she said,
'If they could say it, they wouldn't need to create it.' "

"Remember: Music is a Business" May/June 1999

"Here's my idea. You guys are going to spend all day promoting me and my music
but you're going to do it for the love of music and you won't get paid."

(back on top)

By Moe Berg in Other Publications

"The Grammys: Glitz, Glam and Sham," The Globe and Mail, February 22, 1999

"I'm late. Lucky it's only you. I'm going to do my makeup - order me a cup of tea."

"Stage Presence," Fashion, March 2001

"...I got the impression that we have few Spider-Men and a lot more Peter Parkers."

"Poetically Hip," review of Coke Machine Glow by Gord Downie, The Globe and Mail, March 17, 2001

"I am happy to report that Gordon Downie is no Jewel."

By Moe Berg: Fiction in Taddle Creek (thanks to Tanya Bean)

"After Dinner" (originally published Christmas 1999)

“Just a game? You invite people into your home and then take money from them,
take money from your own family, and you think ‘it’s just a game’?"

"The Sandra Manoeuvre" (originally published summer 2001)

"Her legs were crossed Mary Hart–style: pressed tightly together, tilted to the left. Whenever she asked a question,
she twisted her left ankle and shifted the weight from her right heel to toe and back."

"Without Affection" (originally published summer 2006)

"Back in the room she was laying on the bed in a T-shirt and panties, her legs crossed at the ankles,
pointing the remote at the jabbering TV like it was a video game."

(back on top)


Book Reviews by Moe Berg in the Edmonton Journal

The Romantic by Barbara Gowdy

The Skating Pond by Deborah Joy Corey

The Natural History of the Rich by Richard Conniff

The Womanizer by Rick Salutin

Step Across This Line by Salman Rushdie

The Mulberry Empire by Phillip Hensher

Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters by Robert Gordon

Mike's World: The Life of Mike Myers by Martin Knelman

The Rainbow Singer by Simon Kerr

Book Reviews by Moe Berg on Amazon.ca

The Player: the Life and Times of Dalton Camp by Geoffery Stevens

Money Players by Bruce Dowbiggin

Timbit Nation by John Stackhouse

Original Canadian City Dwellers Almanac by Hal Niedzviecki and Darren Wershler-Henry

Please by Peter Darbyshire

Oscar Peterson: A Musical Biography by Alex Barris

Karnival by Michael Mortensen

Glenn Gould: A Life in Pictures by the Estate of Glenn Gould

Who Speaks For Canada? Words That Shape a Country by Desmond Morton

How Insensitive by Russell Smith

Noise by Russell Smith

The Spirit Cabinet by Paul Quarrington

The Life: The Seductive Call of Politics by Steve Paikin

Lost Girls by Andrew Pyper

The Falling Woman by Shaena Lambert

Southern Stories: The Selected Stories of Clark Blaise by Clark Blaise

Going Down Swinging by Billie Livingston

Teaching Pigs to Sing by Cordelia Strube

Rhymes with useless: Stories by Terence Young

Choose Me by Evelyn Lau

Then Again by Elyse Friedman

Walking in Paradise by Libby Creelman

Lost Between Houses by David Gilmour

Loyal No More: Ontario's Struggle For a Separate Destiny by John Ibbitson

The Pornographer's Poem by Michael Turner

Pull Gently, Tear Here: Stories by Alexandra Leggat

Back Flip by Anne Denoon
(back on top)


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