# Before k.d. lang, before Peaches, there was Carole Pope

An episode of [Q with Tom Power](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/256943801), 7 Jul 2026, 35 min.

Audio: https://mgln.ai/e/12/cbc.mc.tritondigital.com/CBC_QPODCAST_P/media/qpodcast/qpodcast-A1iY4edI-20260706.mp3

Carole Pope is one of Canada’s first queer female rock stars. In the ’70s and ’80s, Carole’s band Rough Trade was known for their political outspokenness, sexually charged lyrics and bold live performances. Rough Trade broke new ground and faced both censorship and acclaim. Now, a new documentary traces Carole’s story from shy, bookish adolescent to international queer icon. Carole tells Tom Power about her early days performing with Rough Trade in Toronto, their hit song High School Confidential, paving the way for artists like k.d. lang and Peaches, and why she’s so outspoken about the challenges of being an artist today.

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