Gerard van Herk
Encyclopedia
Gerard van Herk, originally from the Montreal
suburb of Chambly
, was the singer and guitarist for the Montreal band Deja Voodoo
in the 1980s. In 1983 he co-founded Og Music
with Tony Dewald, a record label also based out of Montreal that was notable for providing early exposure to groups that would later go on to mainstream success, such as Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
and Cowboy Junkies
. The label and the band's many cross-nation tours helped to promote Canadian independent bands. Van Herk folded the label and the band in 1990, wanting to pursue other opportunities.
In his post-music career, he has become an academic in the field of linguistics. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Ottawa
and at York University
, and is currently working at Memorial University of Newfoundland
. His research interests lie mainly in variationist sociolinguistics and second language acquisition. He did his Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa under the supervision of Shana Poplack
.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
suburb of Chambly
Chambly, Quebec
Chambly is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada, about to the south east of Montreal.- Geography :It sits on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La-Vallée-du-Richelieu, at .-History:...
, was the singer and guitarist for the Montreal band Deja Voodoo
Deja Voodoo (Canadian band)
Déjà Voodoo was formed by Gerard van Herk and his friend Tony Dewald . Combining 1950s horror imagery with rockabilly and country musical influences they created a sound which gained them a unique standing amongst Canadian artists...
in the 1980s. In 1983 he co-founded Og Music
Og Music
Og Music was a small but influential independent record label based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The label was established in 1983 by the band members of Deja Voodoo, Gerard van Herk and Tony Dewald. It ceased operations in 1990.-History:...
with Tony Dewald, a record label also based out of Montreal that was notable for providing early exposure to groups that would later go on to mainstream success, such as Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet were a Juno Award-winning Canadian instrumental rock band, formed in 1984. They remain best-known for the track "Having an Average Weekend," which was used as the theme to the Canadian sketch comedy TV show The Kids in the Hall...
and Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative country/blues/folk rock band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 by Margo Timmins , Michael Timmins , Peter Timmins and Alan Anton ....
. The label and the band's many cross-nation tours helped to promote Canadian independent bands. Van Herk folded the label and the band in 1990, wanting to pursue other opportunities.
In his post-music career, he has become an academic in the field of linguistics. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
and at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, and is currently working at Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
. His research interests lie mainly in variationist sociolinguistics and second language acquisition. He did his Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa under the supervision of Shana Poplack
Shana Poplack
Shana Poplack is a leading proponent of variation theory, the approach to language science pioneered by William Labov. She has extended the methodology and theory of this field into bilingual speech patterns, the prescription-praxis dialectic in the co-evolution of standard and non-standard...
.