... Into the 80s: Great TORONTO Bands - continued from page 2
Liner Notes - 2
Meanwhile, Halifax, Nova Scotia act Basic English decided that if they were to make it big they needed to be where the action was, and headed to Toronto. Not long after landing in the Big Smoke they added a new bassist and, like The Jitters, entered the annual Q107 Homegrown competition. The band won the 1987 Homegrown contest and also managed a CFNY-FM CASBY Award for 'Best Non-Recording Act'. The Q107 contest brought them $12,000 in equipment, $5000 cash, a video shoot, and a single courtesy of Metalworks studio. They signed with Risque Disque Records and recorded their debut album "Sweet Panic!" with producer Terry Brown (Rush, Max Webster, Blue Rodeo). "Things Are Done" is a previously unreleased track from these sessions.
At the opposite end of the musical spectrum, Richard Underhill's Shuffle Demons were the epitome of cool in an era where credentials were often bought and not earned. The Demons came about their hip status honestly -- working tireless hours on stages trying to exist in an industry where record deals were few and far between...especially for acts that defied the mainstream. A modern band playing beatnik jazz with saxophones as their driving force was a hard sell. Well, everywhere except Queen Street where such sounds and sights were the norm. Self-produced records about the "Spadina Bus" and a trèno free trade s-cool rendition of the former "Hockey Night In Canada" theme song and tracks like "NO Free Trade" (featured here as an unreleased rare live track with Micah Barnes, Mendelson Joe, Kurt Swinghammer, Bratty, and more adding vocals) firmly established Shuffle Demons as innovators, all of the members continuing as some of Canada's best players.
Micah Barnes also tread a similarly non-commercial road with The Micah Barnes Trio (featuring his brother Daniel) who had established themselves by playing to packed houses in the top Jazz and Cabaret rooms of Toronto such as The Bamboo, The Rivoli and The Horseshoe. They eventually became The Micah Barnes Band sharing stages nationally with Jane Siberry, Carole Pope and The Parachute Club, as well as joining established jazz acts like Holly Cole and Molly Johnson in concert. Much Music, the CBC and the national press corps helped create a huge buzz about the band, resulting in opening gigs for international acts like Nic Kershaw at Massey Hall and Natalie Cole at The O'Keefe Centre. Eventually Micah would join world-renowned a cappella act The Nylons. But before all that came "Speak My Language" - featured here, produced by songwriters Eddie Schwarz ("Hit Me With Your Best Shot") and Dave Tyson ("Black Velvet").
Toronto was also ripe with original reggae acts that had learned their trade from transplanted islanders only a generation before, like the 20th Century Rebels and Messenjah. Sun Force was one of a series of collectives/bands - organized by Nigel Murray in Kensington Market - who were on the periphery of this movement, and songs like this live version of "Stop Them!" focused on political messages. Many of the members of Sun Force and other incarnations are still active musicians; many of them, such as Meiron Kelly and Howard Moore, can be seen around Toronto in the jazz scene.
In other parts of the scene there was still the tried and true four-man guitar power pop movement buried amongst the multi-genre musical transitions in Toronto. The Grottybeats were just such an act - making hummable, three-minute pop songs that were all the rage stateside. They had started off as a Beatles tribute band and quickly developed their own sound, becoming one of Toronto's most popular party bands, and playing typical Toronto venues like El Mocambo, Gasworks, and clubs outside of Toronto proper including The Knob Hill, BJ Cuddles, Subway, The Nag's Head, The Black Hawk Motor Inn, etc. They did manage to release one 7" single called "Love Games" before taking a bow. Included here is a rare studio outtake called "Moonlight Beach".
To that extent, British Invasion was still a much in-demand stylistic preference amongst the old guard trying to make sense out of all the new music coming out of the woodwork. Like Grottybeats, The Blushing Brides had started their career as a tribute act -- their specialty being The Rolling Stones. Vocalist Maurice Raymond was Mick Jagger to guitarist Paul Martin's Keith Richards. But they were also adept at writing balls-to-the-wall pub rock in the Stones style and managed to secure a record deal with RCA Records in Canada. "Poison Touch" is an overlooked gem from that time period that shows The Brides' mastery of songwriting and style. They have continued playing together to this day.
The new music scene in Toronto in the '80s also allowed for the continued support and growth of past veterans. Early '70s folk icon Ronney Abramson, best known for the hits "Your Love Gets Me Around", "S.T.O. Please" and "Light Up Your Love", was able to successfully make the transition into the modern era as a songwriter and recording artist long after her Yorkville coffee house days and brush with early fame on both Capitol and True North Records. Having never followed trends, her world-friendly musical vision allowed her to seamlessly incorporate songs like this collection's previously unreleased "I'm Waiting", which was engineered by pre-fame producer Daniel Lanois at Grant Avenue Studio in Hamilton, and produced by Stacy Heydon, who was also working with David Bowie at the time.
*******************We hope you've enjoyed what's been uncovered on Volume 1 "Into The 80s: GREAT Toronto Bands" so that we might bring you more of this great music from our not-so-distant past. Stay tuned for Volume 2, "More Into the 80s: Toronto Punk/New Wave" and Volume 3, "Absolutely Into the 80s: Unique Toronto Voices".
Jaime Vernon,
Author of The Canadian Music Encyclopedia
http://www.bullseyesongs.com/encyclopedia.html
June 2010