Claude Rajotte
Encyclopedia
Claude Rajotte is a well-known DJ/VJ/,music critic from Montreal
, Canada
. Rajotte is currently working for MusiquePlus
(Astral
)
on 3 July 1955. His career started at the local radio station CHRD-AM, in 1974. After short stints in Ottawa
and Quebec
, he settled in Montreal
and started to work for CKOI-FM
in 1976.
While being a DJ for CHOM-FM
(1982–2002), he spoke English
with a marked French Canadian
accent that was liked by his radio audience. In the 1980s, Rajotte was in the habit of continually switching from English to French during his broadcasts. With his unmistakable accent, Francophones connected immediately, however, that did not detract Anglophone listeners, leading to complaints from CHOM's main competitor at the time, the Francophone radio station CKOI, Rajotte's former employer. Canada's broadcasting regulators, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), ruled that CHOM DJs were not allowed to speak in French on the air, despite the requirement that CHOM must broadcast a certain proportion of French language songs.
He was also a fixture for over 17 years (1987–2004) on MusiquePlus
(the French counterpart to MuchMusic
). He was a VJ and a much appreciated album critic. His review show called Le Cimetière des CD (The Cemetery of CD
s) was on the air for ten consecutive years. Once a week during the show, Rajotte would hold a "destroy", an event during which he would physically destroy a newly released album which he particularly disliked using unorthodox methods. He was also a regular host of the channel's alternative video show, Nu Musik during the 1980s, and Rage during the 1990s (which was renamed The Claude Rajotte Show).
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...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Rajotte is currently working for MusiquePlus
MusiquePlus
MusiquePlus is a Canadian French language Category A specialty channel owned by Astral Media operating from Montreal, Quebec.MusiquePlus is devoted to music and music related programming from various genres including pop, rock, RnB and focuses on a younger demographic than its sister station, MusiMax...
(Astral
Astral
-Concepts of the non-physical:* Astral body, a subtle body posited by many religious philosophers* Astral journey , the same as having an out-of-body experience...
)
Life
Rajotte was born in Drummondville, QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
on 3 July 1955. His career started at the local radio station CHRD-AM, in 1974. After short stints in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, he settled in Montreal
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...
and started to work for CKOI-FM
CKOI-FM
CKOI-FM is a French-language Canadian radio station located in Montreal, Quebec.Owned and operated by Cogeco, it broadcasts on 96.9 MHz from the roof of the CIBC Tower in Downtown Montreal with an effective radiated power of 307,000 watts using an omnidirectional antenna...
in 1976.
While being a DJ for CHOM-FM
CHOM-FM
CHOM-FM is an English language radio station located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Owned and operated by Astral Media, it broadcasts on 97.7 MHz from the Mount Royal candelabra tower, with an effective radiated power of 41,200 watts using an omnidirectional antenna.The station has a mainstream rock...
(1982–2002), he spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
with a marked French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
accent that was liked by his radio audience. In the 1980s, Rajotte was in the habit of continually switching from English to French during his broadcasts. With his unmistakable accent, Francophones connected immediately, however, that did not detract Anglophone listeners, leading to complaints from CHOM's main competitor at the time, the Francophone radio station CKOI, Rajotte's former employer. Canada's broadcasting regulators, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), ruled that CHOM DJs were not allowed to speak in French on the air, despite the requirement that CHOM must broadcast a certain proportion of French language songs.
He was also a fixture for over 17 years (1987–2004) on MusiquePlus
MusiquePlus
MusiquePlus is a Canadian French language Category A specialty channel owned by Astral Media operating from Montreal, Quebec.MusiquePlus is devoted to music and music related programming from various genres including pop, rock, RnB and focuses on a younger demographic than its sister station, MusiMax...
(the French counterpart to MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
). He was a VJ and a much appreciated album critic. His review show called Le Cimetière des CD (The Cemetery of CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s) was on the air for ten consecutive years. Once a week during the show, Rajotte would hold a "destroy", an event during which he would physically destroy a newly released album which he particularly disliked using unorthodox methods. He was also a regular host of the channel's alternative video show, Nu Musik during the 1980s, and Rage during the 1990s (which was renamed The Claude Rajotte Show).
Compilations by Rajotte
- 2001: Le Cimetière des CD (Gold Jam RecordsGold Jam RecordsGold Jam Records is a Canadian record label established by DJ Gold Jam in 2000. Although it closed down in June 2002, it produced electronica, rock and francophone records which are seen on the radio but never got in the billboard. The last record to be produced by Gold Jam is the instrumental...
) - 2007: L'univers de Rajotte (CBC RecordsCBC RecordsCBC Records is a Canadian record label, owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which distributes CBC programming, including live concert performances in album and digital format....
) - 2008: L'univers de Rajotte 2 (CBC RecordsCBC RecordsCBC Records is a Canadian record label, owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which distributes CBC programming, including live concert performances in album and digital format....
)