The Jarvis Street Revue -

Jarvis Street Revue was a Canadian psychedelic rock band that released the 1970 album Mr. Oil Man on Columbia. Their music fused heavy acid guitar, protest lyrics, and psych-era studio effects in a sound shaped by their geographical isolation and countercultural ethos.

Members: Tom Cruickshank (drums), Wayne Faulconer (guitar), Tom “Tommy” Horricks (vocals), George Stevenson (bass)

Background

Jarvis Street Revue formed in 1970 in Thunder Bay, a remote town in northwestern Ontario and a routine stopover for Canadian bands crossing the vast interior. The core lineup—Tom Horricks (vocals, sax, guitar), Wayne Faulconer (guitar), George Stevenson (bass), and Tom Cruickshank (drums)—coalesced into Jarvis Street Revue during a period of increasing social awareness and musical experimentation.

Prior to adopting the Jarvis Street Revue name (a reference to their hometown’s central thoroughfare), the group performed extensively as the Bonnvilles and later as the Plague, playing high schools, college coffee houses, and large halls like Fort William Gardens.

Despite regional constraints, JSR gained a loyal following, drawing record crowds at venues like the Spike Coffeehouse. They spent Sundays over the course of several weeks tracking and bouncing layers at DMG Sound Studio in Thunder Bay. The material—fueled by their environmental and anti-corporate views—was eventually leased to Columbia Canada, who issued their sole album the following year.

Mr. Oil Man

Jarvis Street Revue released their singular album, Mr. Oil Man, in May 1971 on Columbia. It became a cult staple of Canadian underground psych for its militant lyrics, experimental textures, and distorted heaviness.

The album opens with “Mr. Business Man,” a concise, guitar-snarled denunciation of capitalist greed delivered in a ragged, acidic tone. The 13-minute title track shifts through tempo changes, spoken passages, aquatic effects, and feedback-driven sections, with lyrics decrying oil spills and ecological destruction. “20 Years,” recorded with the Marijuana Brass, addresses consumer accountability atop a lighter psych-pop backing. “Sally’s Hymn (Smoker’s Funeral Song)” mixes mournful harmonies and winding melodic figures in a dirge-like lament. Side B ends with two shorter numbers: “300-South,” a tambourine-laced throwback, and “Heidi-Ho (Let Her Go),” a brisk, slightly glam-tinged rocker.

A1. “Mr. Business Man” (2:38)
A2. “Mr. Oil Man” (13:10)

B1. “20 Years” (3:05)
B2. “Sally’s Hymn (Smoker’s Funeral Song)” (4:42)
B3. “300-South” (2:41)
B4. “Heidi-Ho (Let Her Go)” (3:27)

Sessions took place at DMG Sound Studio in Thunder Bay, with Brian Biesenthal as engineer and production by High Rush Productions. Columbia pressed the LP through their Canadian branch with a cover designed by Neil Fedun.

Mr. Oil Man was preceded by the Columbia single “20 Years” (b/w “Heidi-Ho”), followed by two more: “Tambourine” (b/w “Intermission”) and “I Believe in Freedom” (b/w “Magic Man”), plus the independent Gaiety release “Mister Rock” (b/w “Uncle Benny”).

Post-Split

Following lineup changes and a brief rebrand as the Rock ‘n’ Roll Revue, Jarvis Street Revue folded in the early 1970s. Horricks continued performing, eventually reuniting with bassist George Stevenson and original drummer Tom Cruickshank for a one-off revival in 1999. Guitarist Wayne Faulconer later performed with groups such as the Wayne Faulconer Band and Fabulous Rocker Brothers.

Jarvis Street Revue’s music has since been reassessed as a singular Northern Canadian entry in the psychedelic protest canon, noted for its raw production and environmentally conscious lyrics. In 2014, Lion Productions compiled the singles and unreleased second album tracks as Mr. Oil Man + Singles (and More).

Discography: