Merck and I first met by phone, while I was at CHOM-FM Montreal, later face to face backstage at the UB40 gig at Theatre St. Denis.
We became fast long-distance friends. It was always about music, the music business, and our massive record collections. Merck was Head of Marketing at Virgin Records in Toronto, where he excelled in the music business, born in Schefferville, Quebec.
Much Music launched August 31st 1984. I went. I‘m sure Merck was there, everyone in Canada was there, including Rush, the best party ever! I knew this was my next move to do television in Toronto. I got the job a week later and couch surfed in Toronto returning to Montreal weekly for a few years. Then I heard Merck needed a roommate. It was worth it just for the guest list (Leroy Sibbles, Jackie Mittoo, Willi Williams, China Crisis, Simple Minds, Quincy Jones, MoJah, Colin Linden upstairs, and Big Sugar across the hall.)
The music coming out of our apartment was amazing in Arcadia the Artist Co-Op on Bishop Tutu Street and Queens Quay; it was one of the most creative and fun times of my life.