Joni Mitchell is a Canadian singer–songwriter who released nineteen studio albums between 1968 and 2007. She emerged with the Sixties North American folk revival that included singers Tom Rush, Judy Collins, and Buffy Sainte-Marie, who recorded Joni’s songs in advance of her debut album, Song to a Seagull. Her 1969–70 albums Clouds and Ladies of […]
Neil Young is a Canadian singer, guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader whose 1968–89 album sequence runs from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After the Gold Rush, and Harvest through Tonight’s the Night, Zuma, Rust Never Sleeps, Trans, and Freedom. His key songs from this period include “Cinnamon Girl,” “Down by the River,” “Only Love Can Break […]
Gino Vannelli is an Italian-Canadian vocalist and songwriter who released ten albums between 1973 and 1990 and scored hits with “I Just Wanna Stop” and “Living Inside Myself.” He rose to prominence with his 1974 singles “Powerful People” and “People Gotta Move,” theatrical hybrids of lounge-jazz and blue-eyed soul. His lavish orchestration culminated with the […]
Gordon Lightfoot (November 17, 1938 – May 1, 2023) was a Canadian singer/songwriter, best known for the songs “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown,” “Beautiful,” “Carefree Highway,” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” He released five studio albums between 1966 and 1970 on United Artists, followed by six-album runs on Reprise (1971–76) and […]
Dalbello — aka Lisa Dal Bello (born May 22, 1959) — is a Canadian vocalist and performer who released two albums on MCA and Talisman in 1977 and 1978, followed by three albums on Capitol between 1981 and 1987. Her first three albums bear her full name, after which she adopted the more recognized “Dalbello” […]
Bruce Cockburn (born May 27, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Ottawa, best known for a long string of albums on the True North label, starting in 1970. His biggest hits include “Wondering Where the Lions Are” and the politically-charged “If I Had a Rocket Launcher.” Background He was born in Ottawa, Ontario, the son […]
Triumph was a Canadian hard-rock band that released six albums on Attic Records between 1976 and 1983, followed by three further studio albums and a live double-LP through 1987 on MCA. They scored a stateside breakthrough with their 1981 album Allied Forces, which spawned the Billboard rock hits “Fight the Good Fight” and “Magic Power,” […]
April Wine is a Canadian hard-rock band from Halifax that released twelve studio albums and three live discs between 1971 and 1985 on Aquarius Records. They caught domestic wind with their 1972/73 albums On Record and Electric Jewels, charting with “You Could Have Been a Lady,” “Bad Side of the Moon,” and “Lady Run, Lady […]
Pat Travers (born April 12, 1954) is a Canadian guitarist, singer, and bandleader who released eight albums and a live disc between 1976 and 1984 on Polydor. His popularity peaked with the 1977/78 albums Makin’ Magic, Putting It Straight, and Heat in the Street, recorded with input by Glenn Hughes (Trapeze, Deep Purple), Pat Thrall […]
Corey Hart (born May 31, 1962) is a Canadian singer from Montreal that released five albums on Aquarius/EMI between 1983 and 1990. He rose to international fame with the 1984 hit “Sunglasses at Night,” followed by the chart-topping ballad “Never Surrender,” which became his signature song. His debut album First Offense (1983) and its follow-up […]
Chilliwack was a Canadian rock band from Vancouver that debuted with a 1970 self-titled album on Parrot, followed by an eponymous 1971 double-LP on A&M. After their 1972 A&M release All Over You, they shifted to Goldfish/Sire for the 1974/75 albums Riding High and Rockerbox, followed by the 1976–80 titles Dreams, Dreams, Dreams; Lights From […]
Jane Siberry is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who debuted with a 1981 folk-pop album on Street Records, followed by the 1984–89 art-pop titles No Borders Here, The Speckless Sky, The Walking, and Bound by the Beauty. Background Siberry was born Jane Stewart on October 15, 1955, and raised in Etobicoke, a former suburb […]
Max Webster was a Canadian rock band that released five studio albums between 1976 and 1980 on Anthem Records. Guitarist/singer Kim Mitchell formed the band with keyboardist Terry Watkinson and bassist Mike Tilka, who appears on the first two albums, Max Webster and High Class in Borrowed Shoes. With bassist David Myles and drummer Gary McCracken, […]
Syrinx was a Canadian electronic/psych band from Toronto that released the 1970/71 True North albums Syrinx and Long Lost Relatives. They featured ex-Intersystems/Kensington Market keyboardist John Mills-Cockell, who issued multiple solo titles and soundtracks. Members: John Mills-Cockell (piano, organ), Doug Pringle (saxophone), Malcolm Tomlinson (drums, vocals), Allan Wells (percussion) Background Syrinx formed in Toronto in […]
Red Rider was a Canadian hard-rock band from Toronto that released seven albums on Capitol between 1980 and 1989, scoring a huge international hit with “Lunatic Fringe” from their 1981 release As Far as Siam. The final three albums give featured billing to frontman and once-and-future solo artist Tom Cochrane. Members: Tom Cochrane (vocals, guitar), […]
BB Gabor — aka Gabor Hegedus (1948 — Jan. 17, 1990) — was a Hungarian-born/Canada-based singer, guitarist, and songwriter who released two albums in 1980/81 on Anthem. Background BB Gabor was born Gabor Hegedus in 1948 in Hungary. The Hegedus family fled Hungary during the Soviet suppression of the 1956 uprising and settled in London. […]
Troyka was a Canadian blues-psych trio that released a self-titled album on Cotillion in 1970. Members: Robert Edwards (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Michael Richards (lead vocals, drums, percussion), Ron Lukawitski (bass, bongos, banjo) Background Troyka had its roots in The Ortegas, an early-Sixties Edmonton teen band with guitarist Rob Edwards and bassist Ron Lukawitski. As the […]
The Churls were a Canadian psych-rock band from Toronto that released the 1968–69 A&M albums The Churls and Send Me No Flowers. Members: Bob O’Neill (vocals), John Barr (bass), Brad Fowles (drums), Nick McCombie (guitar), Sam Hurrie (guitar), Harry Southworth Ames (guitar) Background The Churls formed in 1967 when singer Bob O’Neill and rhythm guitarist […]
Lighthouse was a Canadian brass-rock big band that released three albums on RCA Victor between 1968 and 1970, followed by six further titles on GRT between 1971 and 1974. Members: Skip Prokop (drums), Paul Hoffert (keyboards), Ralph Cole (guitar), Bob McBride (vocals), Russ Little (horns), Arnie Chycoski (horns), Freddy Stone (horns), Howard Shore (saxophone, flute), […]
Symphonic Slam was a Canadian maximalist rock trio that released a self-titled album on A&M in 1976. Two years later, frontman Timo Laine issued a solo album on Lady Records that bore the band’s nameplate. Members: Timo Laine (guitar, vocals), John Lowery (drums), David Stone (keyboards) Background Symphonic Slam was the brainchild of Timo Laine*, […]
The Collectors were a Canadian psychedelic rock band that released seven singles and the 1968–69 albums The Collectors and Grass and Wild Strawberries on Warner Bros.-Seven Arts. After the departure of single Howie Vickers, the others carried on as Chilliwack. Members: Ross Turney (drums), Howie Vickers (vocals), Claire Lawrence (saxophone, flute, keyboards), Glenn Miller (bass), […]
Christmas was a Canadian post-psych band from Ontario. In 1970, they held an in-studio jam that appeared (unauthorized) on Paragon, followed by the Daffodil release Heritage. In 1974, they resurfaced as The Spirit of Christmas with the ambitious concept album Lies to Live By. Members: Bob Bryden (vocals, guitar), Tyler Raizenne (bass), Rich Richter (drums), […]
Alpha Centauri was a symphonic|hard-rock band from Colorado that existed for twelve years (1971–83). They moved to Canada and released a 1977 self-titled album on Salt Records. Members: Kurt Smith (vocals, guitar), Jess Redmon (keyboards, vocals), Garth Hannum (bass, vocals, 1975-83), Randy Thompson (drums) Background Alpha Centauri sprung from Colorado, a psychedelic rock trio formed […]
Mashmakhan was a Canadian psychedelic rock band from Montreal that released the 1970–71 Columbia–Epic albums Mashmakhan and The Family and scored an international hit with “As the Years Go By.” Drummer Jerry Mercer later joined Halifax stars April Wine. Members: Pierre Senecal (vocals, keyboards), Rayburn Blake (guitar), Jerry Mercer (drums, 1960-71), Trevor Payne (vocals), Brian […]
Jackal was a Canadian post-psychedelic hard-rock band that released the 1973 album Awake on Periwinkle Records. Members: Charlie Shannon (vocals), Steve Hayward, Chris Kellesis (organ), James Kellesis, Lois Mutton (drums), Dave Bernard (guitar, bass) Background Jackal formed in 1969 when organist Chris Kellesis and his bassist brother Jack teamed with singer and schoolmate Charlie Shannon. […]
Horn was a Canadian brass-rock band that released the album On the People’s Side on Special Records in 1972. Members: Wayne Jackson (trumpet), Dave deLaunay (keyboards), Bruce Burron (guitar, alto sax), Billy Bryans (drums), Les Clackett (lead vocals), and Tim Moxam (bass) Background Horn evolved out of Theodore’s Smokeshop, an earlier band of drummer Billy […]
Moxy was a Canadian hard-rock band that released four albums between 1975 and 1978 on Polydor|Mercury. They gained fame in Ontario and Texas, where import copies of their first album made them a regional phenomenon. Singer Buzz Shearman headed their first three albums: Moxy, Moxy II, and Ridin’ High. He cleared for Michael Rynoski on […]
Dillinger was a Canadian symphonic/hard-rock band from Toronto that released two albums on Daffodil between 1974 and 1976. Members: Jacques Harrison (keyboards, vocals, saxophone, flute, accordion), Robert Harrison (drums, percussion), Paul Cockburn (guitar), Terry Bramhall (bass) Background Dillinger formed in Toronto in 1973 when keyboardist and reedist Jacques Harrison and his percussionist brother Robert teamed […]
Spoons were a Canadian synthpop band that released three albums on Ready Records between 1981 and 1983, followed by two further albums on Anthem during the late 1980s. Members: Gordon Deppe (vocals, guitar), Sandy Horne (vocals, bass), Brett Wickens (keyboards, synthesizer, 1979-80), Peter Shepherd (drums, 1979), Derrick Ross (drums, 1980-86), Rob Preuss (keyboards, synthesizer, 1981-86), […]
Dr. Music was a Canadian jazz-rock/soul collective from Toronto that released three albums from 1972 through 1974 on GRT. Keyboardist Doug Riley led changing lineups through the 1977 Radio Canada International LP Transcription and the 1984 Canadian Talent Library mini-LP Circa ’84. Members: Doug Riley (keyboards), Laurel Ward (vocals), Rhonda Silver (vocals), Brenda Gordon (vocals), […]
Klaatu was a Canadian symphonic art-pop trio that issued four 1973–75 singles, compiled with further material on their 1976 Daffodil–Capitol album 3:47 E.S.T. Rumored to be The Beatles, Klaatu’s members retained their anonymity on the 1977–80 albums Hope, Sir Army Suit, and Endangered Species, then unmasked on their 1981 swan song Magentalane. Members: Terry Draper […]
Garfield was a Canadian art-rock band fronted by musician–songwriter Garfield French. They made the 1976 Mercury album Strange Streets and the 1977 Polydor title Out There Tonight. French continued the Garfield name for the 1979–81 Polydor albums Reason to Be and Flights of Fantasy. Members: Garfield French (lead vocals, piano, acoustic guitar, mandolin), Walter Lawrence […]
FM was a Canadian symphonic|space-rock band that released three albums between 1977 and 1980 on Passport, plus a special direct-to-disc instrumental LP on Labyrinth Records. A further round of activity during the mid-Eighties yielded two albums on Quality and Duke Street. The band’s first album, Black Noise, features phantom violinist–performer Nash the Slash, replaced on […]
Kensington Market was a Canadian psychedelic rock band from Toronto that released five singles and the 1968–69 Warner albums Avenue Road and Aardvark. Members: Luke Gibson (vocals), Keith McKie (guitar, vocals), Alex Darou (bass), Eugene Martynec (piano, guitar), John Mills-Cockell (keyboards, 1969), Jimmy Watson (drums) Background Kensington Market formed in May 1967 when singer–guitarist Keith […]
Thundermug was a Canadian hard-rock band that released the 1972–74 albums Strikes, Orbit, and Ta-Daa! on Axe Records. Members: Joe de Angelis (guitar, vocals), Bill Durst (keyboards, guitar), James Corbet (bass), Ed Pranskus (drums) Background Thundermug formed in 1970 in London, Ontario, when guitarist–singer Joe de Angelis and keyboardist–guitarist Bill Durst began garage rehearsals as […]
Ptarmigan was a Canadian symphonic-folk band from Duncan, BC, that released a 1974 self-titled album on Columbia. Members: Michael Bieling (congas, 1970-71), James Lithgow (guitar, 1970-71), Glen Dias (vocals, alto recorder, tenor recorder, bass recorder, percussion), Dennis Lelonde (alto saxophone, percussion, vocals, 1970-71), Monte Nordstrom (12-string guitar, vocals, 1970-74), Shawn Mullins (percussion, 1970-71), Peter Wheeler […]
Wireless was a Canadian hard-rock band that released a 1976 self-titled album on Atlantic, followed by the 1978–1980 Anthem titles Positively Human Relatively Sane and No Static, the latter produced by Geddy Lee. Members: Steve McMurray (guitar, vocals), Glenn Beatson (drums, 1975-77), Allan Marshall (bass, vocals), Mike Crawford (guitar, vocals), Laurie Delgrande (keyboards, 1975), Michael […]
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 […]
CANO — aka Coopérative des Artistes du Nouvel-Ontario — was a French-Canadian symphonic-folk collective from Sadbury in Northern-Ontario. They released four albums between 1976 and 1979 on A&M. After their 1981 effort under the pseudonym Masque, they reinstated CANO for a 1985 sixth album on Ready Records. Members: Marcel Aymar (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), David […]
Leggat was a Canadian symphonic/hard-rock band that released a 1982 self-titled double-album on Capitol. Members: Hughie Leggat (vocals, bass, guitar, electric mandolin, percussion), Gordon Leggat (guitar, 12-string guitar, backing vocals), Danny Taylor (drums, percussion), Rod Sagar (guitar, backing vocals), Phil Sullivan (keyboards, flute, bass pedals) Background Leggat formed in Toronto in 1981 when singer–bassist Hughie […]
Avalon was a Canadian symphonic/hard-rock band from Ottawa, Ontario, that issued a 1976 standalone single on local-press Snocan, followed by the 1977 album Voice of Life on London Records. Guitarist Brian Sim hailed from the prior year’s symphonic one-off Joker’s Memory. Frontman Myles Hunter resurfaced in the mid-1980s with a solo album and a self-named […]
Rose was a Canadian rock band from Barrie, Ont., that released the folk-pop/harmony album Hooked on a Rose on G.A.S. Records in 1973, followed with the children’s album Earth Air & Water on Young & Rubicam that same year. In 1977, the band released the Polydor hard-rock albums A Taste of Neptune and Judgement Day. […]
Zon was a Canadian symphonic/hard-rock band that released the 1978/79 Epic albums Astral Projector and Back Down to Earth, followed by the 1980 Falcon Records title I’m Worried About the Boys. Members: Roddi Chappell (guitar), Howard Helm (keyboards, vocals), Kim Hunt (drums, percussion), Pat McQuire (drums), Brian Miller (guitar, vocals), Jim Samson (bass), Denton Young […]
Small Wonder was a Canadian art-rock/pop band that released the 1976/77 Columbia albums Small Wonder and Growin’. Members: Jimmy Phillips (vocals, keyboards, Mellotron), Jerry Morin (vocals, guitars, bass, violin), Henry Small (vocals, electric violin, mandolin), Bill King (drums, ?-1976) Background Small Wonder formed in 1976 when singer–violinist Henry Small assembled keyboardist Jimmy Phillips, guitarist–bassist Jerry […]
Zylan was a Canadian brass-rock-soul band from Halifax behind the 1973 Columbia album Rainbows Dreams & Fantasies. They also made a French-sung version, La Différence, for the Québécois market. Members: Peter Fraser (keyboards), Donnie Hann (bass), Blaine Murphy (guitar), Helene Bolduc (vocals), Andy Davis (drums), Steve Annan (guitar), Dave Skinner (drums), Real Pelletier (vocals), Harold […]
Shawne Jackson is a Canadian soul singer who released three singles between 1974 and 1983 around her 1976 album on RCA Victor. Background Shawne Jackson was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, where she sang as a child in church choir. At fifteen, she held regular work on CBC-TV’s Music Hop. Jackson gained her first […]
Crack of Dawn was a soul-funk band from Kingston, Jamaica, that settled in Toronto, Ontario, during the mid-1970s. In 1976, they released a self-titled album with accompanying singles on Canadian CBS, followed in 1981 by a second album on TTR. Members: Jackie Gabriel (vocals), Rupert “Ojiji” Harvey (rhythm guitar), Trevor Daley (trombone), Mark Smith (bass), […]
Airborne was a Canadian folk-rock band from Vancouver that released the album Songs for a City in 1977 on Ocean Records. Members: David Giddings (guitar, vocals), Darryl Bohn (guitar, vocals), Ron Hjorth (guitar, bass, vocals), Bruce Johnston (vocals), Lorne Fiedler (keyboards), Donn Tarris (bass, vocals), Gaymond Wong (keyboards), Lorne Davidson (bass, vocals), Pat Caird (saxophone), […]
Bighorn was a symphonic/hard-rock band from Seattle that self-released a 1974 standalone single and a 1978 self-titled album on CBS Canada. Members: Bob Andersen (drums), Steve Adamek (drums), Toby Bowen (guitar, vocals), Robb Clarke (vocals), Peter Davis (keyboards), Tom Erak (bass), Michael Ipsen (bass), Steve Isham (keyboards), Marv Jensen (keyboards), James Kenfield (bass), Norm Lombardo […]
Wanka was the Canadian hard-rock band behind The Orange Album, a 1977 release on Axe Records. Members: Chris Gibb (bass, vocals), Mike McConnell (drums), Mark Pickett (rhythm guitar, vocals), Howard Samuel (lead guitar, vocals), Doug Paul Smith (keyboards, vocals) Background Wanka emerged in early 1976 in Toronto, the adopted home of bassist Chris Gibb and […]
The Biz was a Canadian symphonic/hard-rock band from Vancouver that released the singular 1981 album A Matter of Time on small-press Bent Records. Members: Richard Loubert (bass), Ken Leckie (drums, vocals), Sandy Lawson (guitar, vocals), Tom Hogge (keyboards, lead vocals) Background The Biz formed in Vancouver in 1980 with keyboardist–singer Tom Hogge, guitarist–singer Sandy Lawson, bassist […]
Patsy Gallant (born August 15, 1948) is a Canadian singer from New Brunswick who moved from child-performer work with the Gallant Sisters into a bilingual solo career during the late 1960s. She first built her profile on Quebec television and French-language releases, then broke wider in the mid-1970s with the Canadian and UK hit “From […]
Saga are a Canadian rock band from Oakville, Ontario, formed in 1977. They achieved cult status with the 1978–80 Polydor albums Saga, Images at Twilight, and Silent Knight. Rupert Hine produced their 1981 international breakthrough Worlds Apart and its 1983 followup Heads or Tales. The classic five-piece splintered after 1985’s Behaviour. Their most popular songs […]
Warpig was a Canadian hard-rock band that released a self-titled album in 1972 on FontHill Records. Members: Terry Brett (bass), Rick Donmoyer (vocals, guitar), Terry Hook (drums), Dana Snitch (keyboards, vocals, guitar) Background Warpig evolved from Mass Destruction, a garage band in Woodstock, Ontario, with singer–guitarist Rick Donmoyer and bassist Terry Brett. Donmoyer played beforehand […]
Neil Merryweather (Dec. 27, 1945 — March 29, 2021) was a Canadian bassist, vocalist, and songwriter who emerged on the mid-’60s Toronto scene in a sequence of bands. After moving to Los Angeles, he fronted Merryweather for two 1969 albums on Capitol. Merryweather partnered with singer Lynn Carey for the 1970/71 projects Ivar Avenue Reunion […]
Strange Advance was a Canadian new wave band that released the 1982–85 Capitol albums Worlds Away and 2WO, followed by the 1988 Current release The Distance Between. Members: Darryl Kromm (vocals, guitar), Drew Arnott (keyboards, drums, vocals), Paul Iverson (bass, backing vocals, 1982-84) Formation They assembled in 1980 when singer–guitarist Darryl Kromm and keyboardist–drummer Drew […]
Rush was a Canadian maximalist hard-rock trio from Toronto, Ontario, that was active for nearly five decades, debuting on vinyl with a standalone single on Moon Records in 1973, followed by a self-titled album on the label in 1974. After a change of drummers, the lineup solidified around the trio of bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist […]
Driver were a Canadian hard-rock trio that released the album No Accident on A&M in 1977. Members: Peter Glinderman (vocals, guitar), Dennis Coats (bass), Stephen Roxford (drums) Prior to forming Driver, bassist Dennis Coats had notched songwriting credits on albums by Doyle Holly, The Original Caste, and Appleshine. Driver issued one album, No Accident, in […]
Annihilator was a Canadian metal band that self-released the 1985/86 demo-cassette EPs Welcome to Your Death and Phantasmagoria, followed by the 1989/90 Roadrunner albums Alice in Hell and Never, Neverland. Members: Jeff Waters (guitar, vocals, bass), Big John Bates (lead vocals, 1984-85), Dave Scott (bass, 1984-85), Paul Malek (drums, 1984-86), Ray Hartmann (drums, 1987-91, 1999-2001), […]
Nucleus was a Canadian psych-rock band behind a 1969 self-titled album on Mainstream Records. They evolved from garage-rockers Lords of London and spawned Seventies hard-rockers A Foot In Cold Water. Members: Greg Fitzpatrick (bass, vocals), Sebastian Agnello (keyboards), Bob Horne (keyboards), Hughie Leggat (bass, vocals), John Richardson (guitar, vocals), Danny Taylor (drums) For the English […]
Paul Zaza is a Canadian musician, producer, engineer, and film music composer. In 1977, he released three albums of instrumental jazz-funk on the Baby Grand label, plus an album each under the studio group names Just a Little Bit and Hot In Here. The track “Burbank Robber” (from Hot In Here) was used in an […]
David Roberts (born Sept. 13, 1958) is a Boston-born/Canadian-raised musician and songwriter who released the album All Dressed Up on Elektra in 1982. The album was produced by Jay Graydon and features appearances by Bill Champlin, David Foster, and members of Toto. Discography: All Dressed Up (1982) Better Late Than Never (2008) The Missing Years […]
Mannequin was a Canadian hard-rock band that released a 1982 self-titled album on small-press Back Roads. Members: Brian Malloney (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), Jim Huff (lead guitar, vocals), Steve Woods (drums, keyboards, percussion, lead vocals), John Wright (bass, lead vocals) Profile Mannequin formed in Toronto as a quartet of singer-guitarist-keyboardist Brian Malloney, lead guitarist Jim […]
Loverboy was a Canadian AOR band that released five albums on Columbia between 1980 and 1987. Their first album, Loverboy, spawned the hits “The Kid Is Hot Tonight,” “Lady of the ’80s,” and the early MTV staple “Turn Me Lose.” Videos for “Working for the Weekend” and “It’s Over” propelled their 1981 second album, Get […]
The Guess Who is a Canadian rock band that emerged from Chad Allan and the Expressions in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The group topped the Canadian chart with “Shakin’ All Over” in 1965 and reached the U.S. charts with “These Eyes,” “American Woman,” “No Time,” “Undun,” “Share the Land,” “Hand Me Down World,” and the medley “No Sugar […]
Martin Wall is a Canadian keyboardist and songwriter who self-released the 1977 album Metaphysical Facelift. That same year, he cut an album with local rockers Vehicle. In 1980, he resurfaced in the new wave/synthpop act Instructions. Background Martin Wall grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. His grandmother was a classical pianist. Wall studied at the Royal […]
Peter Tessier is a Canadian songwriter, arranger, producer, and recording engineer who released the album By Turning a Knob on Columbia in 1973. His production and technical credits include albums by Melchior Alias, Freedom North, Morse Code, and Kaméléon. Discography: By Turning a Knob (1973)
Earth, Roots & Water were a Canadian roots-reggae band behind the 1977 album Innocent Youths on Summer Records. Members: Adrian “Homer” Miller (vocals), Anthony “Base” Hibbert (bass), Colin “Zuba” Suban (drums), Matt Shelley (guitar), and Tony “KB” Moore (keyboards) Background Earth, Roots & Water formed in the mid-1970s in Malton, Ontario, when Jamaican producer Keith […]
Mort Garson (July 20, 1924 — Jan. 4, 2008) was a Canadian electronic musician and composer from Saint John, New Brunswick, who released a sting of Moog-psych albums on Elektra and A&M during the late 1960s, including a series of spoken word discs dedicated to the 12 signs of the zodiac. During the 1970s, he […]
John Mills-Cockell (born May 19, 1943) is a Canadian electronic musician who recorded three albums with the experimental combo Intersystems in 1967/68, followed by a brief stint with psych-rockers Kensington Market. He then formed the electronic trio Syrinx, which issued two albums in 1970/71 on True North. As a solo artist, he released two albums […]
Kenny Wheeler (Jan. 14, 1930 — Sept. 18, 2014) was a Canadian-born composer, trumpeter, and flugelhornist, active on the U.K. jazz scene for five decades. Between 1963 and 1975, he played on albums by Georgie Fame, John Surman, Tony Oxley, Tubby Hayes, Michael Gibbs, Alan Skidmore, Bob Downes, Norma Winstone, Anthony Reebop Kwaku Baah, Mike […]
Instructions were a Canadian new wave/synthpop band behind a 1980 self-titled album on Quality Records, followed by a 1982 standalone single on Chameleon. The album features guitarist Domenic Troiano on several tracks. The band’s proper guitarist, Dave Beatty, played on Robert Connolly‘s 1978 symphonic opus Plateau. Keyboardist Martin Wall released the 1977 album Metaphysical Facelift […]
Fosterchild was a Canadian hard-rock band behind the 1977/78 Columbia albums Fosterchild and Troubled Child, followed by the 1980 release On the Prowl on Vera Cruz, a division of CBS. Members: Barry Boothman (bass), Jim Foster (guitar, vocals), Doug Johnson (keyboards), Peter Sweetzir (keyboards), Gerry Wand (drums), Vern Wills (guitar, vocals) Background Fosterchild formed in […]
Fludd was a Canadian pop-rock band from Toronto that released a self-titled album on Warner Bros. in 1971, followed by an album apiece on Daffodil and Attic between 1972 and 1975. Members: Edmund “Ed” Pilling (vocals), Brian Pilling (guitar), Mick Walsh (guitar), Greg Godovitz (bass), Jorn “JJ” Andersen [aka John Andersen] (drums), Mick Hopkins (guitar), […]
Exciter was a Canadian hard-rock/metal trio behind the 1983 album Heavy Metal Maniac on Shrapnel Records, followed by the 1984 Megaforce release Violence & Force. They reappeared on Combat with the 1985/86 albums Long Live the Loud and Unveiling the Wicked, succeeded by a self-titled 1988 release on Maze Music. Six further albums appeared across […]
Everest were a Canadian melodic-rock band from Toronto that released a self-titled album on Epic in 1984. The band recorded a second album in 1985 that was ultimately released 10 years after the fact on the German Long Island label. Members: Ric McDonald (vocals, bass), Frank Reid (vocals, keyboards), Don Gaze (guitar), Jim MacLellan (drums) […]
Estiban Lindsay is a Canadian soul singer from Mississauga, Ont., who released the album L.A. Walk on self-press EL Records in 1980. Discography: L.A. Walk (1980)
Dan Thiessen is a Canadian songwriter and arranger who released the 1978 album Whippoorwill on Custom Craft Records. Background Dan Thiessen attended Kelowna Secondary School in Kelowna, British Columbia. In 1975, he entered the Full Gospel Bible Institute in Eston, Saskatchewan, where he studied pastoral ministry. Thiessen pursued music alongside his studies as a singer-songwriter […]
Prism was a Canadian hard-rock band from Vancouver that released two albums on GRT/Ariola in 1977/78, followed by four albums on Capitol between 1979 and 1983. Members: Lindsay Mitchell (guitar, 1977-82, 1987-2005), John Hall (keyboards, vocals, 1977-81), Ron Tabak (lead vocals, 1977-81), Tom Lavin (guitar, 1977-78), Jim Vallance (drums, keyboards, 1977-78, 1987-88), Allen Harlow (guitar, […]
Cinema Face were a Canadian hard-rock band from Ontario that released a self-titled album on Red Sun Records in 1983. A second album appeared during the 1990s on Pacemaker Entertainment. Members: Frank La Magna (guitar, vocals), Armin Hart (keyboards, vocals), Randy Infuso (drums, vocals), Darryl Peterson (bass, vocals) Discography: Cinema Face (1983)
The Hunt was a Canadian hard-rock band formed in Toronto from the breakup of Dillinger. They made the 1977–82 Daffodil albums The Hunt, Back on the Hunt, and The Thrill of the Kill and scored a local FM hit with “Little Miss Perfection.” Members: Brian Gagnon (lead vocals, bass, guitar), Gerry Mosby (vocals, bass, keyboards), […]
