Zon - Astral Projector

Zon - Astral Projector

Release date:1978

Genre: Progressive Rock

Zon was a Progressive Rock band formed in Toronto, Canada in the mid '70s by singer Denton Young (who'd previously played with Act Three), Gary Poplawski on guitar, bassist Rod Chappell and Patrick McGuire on drums. Before long though, Louis Mucilli replaced Poplawski on guitars, Jim Sampson became the new bass player and Kim Hunt (ex of Island and Bond) was the new drummer. They added Howard Helm on keyboards, who recommended Brian Miller for the vacant guitarist position when Mucilli left.
In 1978  released them debut album "Astral Projector" on blue vinyl and became an FM radio staple in the late '70's. The album garnered the band a 'Best New Group' Juno nomination.
The band would find themselves opening up gigs for the likes of The Tubes at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, and Styx at CNE Stadium getting opening slot encores on both occasions!

1. Put On The Show
2. Time For Your Love
3. Point Of View / Where To Spend My Dollar?
4. Man In The Mirror
5. Talkin About
6. Melody
7. On The Road
8. Astral Projector
9. Hollywood

• Denton Young - Lead Vocals
• Brian Miller - Guitar
• Howard Helm - Keyboards, Vocals
• Kim Hunt - Drums
• Jim Sampson - Bass

Troyka ‎– Troyka

Troyka ‎– Troyka

Release date:1970

Genre: Progressive Rock

Rather unconventional for Edmonton at the time, Troyka's experimentation into psychadelic rock first began in the early 1960s when guitarist Rob Edwards and bassist Ron Lukawitski were barely teens and starting "The Ortegas". A few years later, they added England native guitarist and singer Michael Richards (originally a piano student), and reinvented themselves as "The Royal Family", after adding drummer Larry Brown.
Deciding their fortunes lay east, they temporarily moved to Montreal, and for the next year or so made waves, playing the Expo 67 Fair and also spending a lot of time in New York. They moved back to Edmonton and Edwards took over on drums.
Now a threesome, and with Lewitski coming up with the clever name 'Roman', they dubbed themselves Troyka (a three-wheeled horse carriage) in honour of their shared Slavic heritage and started playing the prairies. They coninued to do live shows while recording their material in Edwards' own studio his father/manager had built, Round Sound.
In 1970 released  them debut and last album "Troyka". The album combines elements of Hard Rock, Psychedelia, Folk, Traditional Ukrainian Music, Progressive Rock, Funk and Even Polish Spoken-Word Bits--all delivered with a sense of humor.

1. Introduction
2. Natural
3. Early Morning
4. Life's O.K.
5. Burning Of The Witch
6. Rub-A-Dub-Dub Troyka In A Tub
7. Tryoka Lament
8. Troyka Solo
9. Rolling Down The Back Road
10. Berry Picking
11. Dear Margaret (Malgosia)
12. Go East Young Man Beautiful Eyes
13. Troyka Finale

• Ron Lukawietsky - Bass, Bongos, Vocals
• Robert Edwards - Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
• Mike Richards - Lead Vocals, Drums, Percussion

Max Webster ‎– Max Webster

Max Webster ‎– Max Webster

Release date:1976

Genre: Progressive Rock

Sarnia in the 1960's saw a young, ambitious Kim Mitchell sweating it out in various line-ups of the same band starting with the name The Grass Company, The Quotations, Big Al's Band and finally ZOOOM, who wound up in Toronto where cover-tunes ruled and original material went unnoticed.
Eventually all the members but Mitchell returned to Sarnia.
He was starving but getting work doing studio sessions, beer commercials, and playing the hotel and airport lounge circuit. He set off to the Greek island of Rhodes backing up a Greek Tom Jones. Six months later Mitchell invited poet and childhood buddy Pye Dubois (real name Paul Woods) to Greece to co-write some songs, they decided to make it a band project and set about recruiting a line-up.
Mitchell returned to Toronto and formed a band with Sarnia keyboardist Terry Watkinson, bassist Mike Tilka and drummer Paul Kersey.
Max Websters name came from Mike Tilka. He was in a band called 'Family At Macs' and they did a song called 'Webster'....we were looking for a Jethro Tull type name...a real human name but nobody in the band with that name...
In 1976 they released their debut album "Max Webster", and from the opening riffs of "Hangover" to the clever bridges and hooks in "Here Among The Cats" to the soothing melodies of "Blowing The Blues Away", it was quickly established that Max Webster was a unique Canadian treasure, versatile and tight, possibly not equalled in under-rated sheer musical brilliance since.
The album has been certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association.

1. Hangover
2. Here Among The Cats
3. Blowing The Blues Away
4. Summer Turning Blue
5. Toronto Tontos
6. Coming Off The Moon
7. Only Your Nose Knows
8. Summer's Up
9. Lily

• Kim Mitchell - Guitars, Lead Vocals
• Paul Kersey - Drums, Percussion
• Mike Tilka - Bass, Vocals
• Terry Watkinson - Keyboards, Vocals

The Guess Who - Wheatfield Soul

The Guess Who - Wheatfield Soul

Release date:1968

Genre: Rock

The Guess Who was the most successful Canadian rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and Canada’s first rock superstars from Winnipeg, Manitoba.
In the late 1950s, Chad Allan formed a band called The Silvertones with other Winnipeg teenagers, including bassist Jim Kale. Randy Bachman and drummer Garry Peterson joined in 1962, when the group’s name was changed to Chad Allan & The Reflections. Keyboardist Bob Ashley rounded out the five-man lineup, which changed its name to Chad Allan & the Expressions in 1965.
When the band recorded a cover of the influential British hit “Shakin’ All Over” in 1965, Quality Records producer George Struth released it to radio stations under the name Guess Who? in the hope that DJs would bemore inclined to play a song by a mysterious new British band.
The success of “Shakin’ All Over” led the band, now known as The Guess Who?, to tour with The Kingsmen, The Belmonts and The Turtles in the summer of 1965. Burton Cummings replaced Ashley on keyboards in early 1966 and Allan left a few months later, which made the 18-year-old Cummings the group’s new lead singer.
In 1968 released their fourth studio album "Wheatfield Soul". Producer Jack Richardon had mortgaged his house to finance the recording of the album, which contained the smash ballad "These Eyes", which sold over a million units worldwide and reached #6 on Billboard's Top 100 - instantly making The Guess Who a household name.
This album is notable for being the first full-length "Guess Who" album to feature Burton Cummings on lead vocals and the first without original lead singer Chad Allan.

1. These Eyes
2. Pink Wine Sparkles In The Glass
3. I Found Her In A Star
4. Friends Of Mine
5. When You Touch Me
6. A Wednesday In Your Garden
7. Lightfoot
8. Love And A Yellow Rose
9. Maple Fudge
10. We're Coming To Dinner

• Randy Bachman – Guitar, Sitar, Background Vocals
• Burton Cummings – Lead Vocals, Organ, Harmonica, Piano, Guitar, Keyboards, Flute
• Jim Kale – Bass, Background Vocals
• Garry Peterson – Drums, Percussion, Tabla, Background Vocals

The Collectors - Grass And Wild Strawberries

The Collectors - Grass And Wild Strawberries

Release date:1969

Genre: Psychedelic Rock

The Collectors were formed in Vancouver, Canada in 1961 and they were originally known as the C-Fun Classics. The group were featured as the house band 'The Classics' on 'Let's Go', a weekly CBC TV show. The Classics remained in Canada and were next heard on a single released by DJ Fred Latremouille called 'Latromotion'.
With a slight name change to the Canadian Classics in 1966, they released a single on the Los Angeles based Vault record label called 'I Don't Know' b/w 'Gone Away'.
This became a minor success for the band and started getting their name known in the US market.
At this time in mid 1966, The Classics had a line-up of Howie Vickers (vocals), Terry Frewer (guitar), Claire Lawrence (saxophone), Brian Newcombe (bass), and Ross Turney (drums).
However, by the time New Syndrome showed an interest in The Classics, there was a further change in the group's line-up with Bill Henderson joining on guitar instead of Terry Frewer and Glenn Miller rejoining on bass instead of Brian Newcombe.
With the line-up change, the band reinvented themselves as "The Collectors" (although unnamed at this stage) in 1966.
In 1969 released their second and final album "Grass And Wild Strawberries".  A collaboration with the poet and playwrite George Ryga, the album was based on his stage play of the same name.
The songs were shorter, more plentiful, a little more toned down and slightly less out in left field, making them more palatable to the general public. The single "Early Morning" was on the stands early the next year and other cuts like the title track, "Teletype Click," and "Seventeenth Summer" showcased the band's development and maturity.

1. Overture
2. Grass And Wild Strawberries
3. Things I Remember
4. Don’t Turn Away (From Me)
5. Teletype Click
6. Seventeenth Summer
7. The Long Rain
8. My Love Delights Me
9. Dream Of Desolation
10. Rainbow Of Fire
11. Early Morning
12. Sheep On The Hillside

• Bill Henderson - Guitar, Keyboards, Back Vocals
• Claire Lawrence - Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, Organ, Back Vocals
• Ross Turney - Drums, Percussion
• Glenn Miller - Bass, Back Vocals
• Howie Vickers - Lead Vocal

Jackson Hawke ‎– Forever

Jackson Hawke ‎– Forever
Release date:1976
Genre: Rock

 

 

Jackson Hawke formed in 1974, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario,high school friends Tim Ryan and Bob Yeomans had already been in and out of a number of Toronto bands for over a decade.
Later in 1973, the two re-teamed in Toronto where they gave it another shot as the band "Hero".
Nothing much became of the band after that and Ryan left to once again pursue his solo career.
With little effect on the music industry, Ryan packed up his solo career and emerged once more with Yeomans and Gene Falbo (ex of Aaron Space on bass) and Texas native Chris Castle on drums as a new version of "Hero".
They signed with Capitol Records in the spring of '76, and the band changed its name after Ryan's and Yeoman's grandfathers, Joe Jackson and Andy Hawke.
In 1976 they released the debut album  "Forever". While the first single, "You Can't Dance" was cracking the top 40 throughout Ontario, DJs got a surprise bonus when their cover of Van Morrison's "Into The Mystic" on the b-side also became a hit. With the exception of that song, all the tracks were written by Ryan and Yeomans. "She's The One" was released as the next single, and other noteable tracks included "She's Gonna Get Away," "Brazil Nuts," and the tender "The Night Music" and "No Sad Songs." The album featured session drummer Larrie Londin but with the need to tour and capitalize on a Juno Awards nomination in 1976, they brough Bob "The Crow" Clarke onboard as new drummer.

 

 

1. Into The Mystic
2. She's Gonna Get Away
3. Brazil Nut
4. Ain't No Cowboys
5. Forever
6. You Can't Dance
7. Fortune
8. The Nightmusic
9. She's The One
10. No Sad Songs

 

• Tim Ryan - Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals
• Bob Yeomans - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
• Gene Falbo - Bass, Vocals
• Chris Castle - Drums

 





April Wine - April Wine

April Wine - April Wine
Release date:September 1971
Genre: Hard Rock

 

 

It all began in Nova Scotia late in 1969. The Henman brothers, David and Ritchie, got together with their cousin Jim Henman and fellow musician Myles Goodwyn to form a band called April Wine, a name chosen simply because they were two words that sounded good together.
The band went through numerous configurations over the years, and Goodwyn—who was also the main songwriter—was the only consistent member.
By the spring of 1970 April Wine had relocated from Halifax to Montreal and released their debut album "April Wine" in September 1971.
This first album established Myles Goodwyn as a composer with "Fast Train" receiving much airplay throughout Canada and becoming the main reason April Wine was able to record a second album.
In the fall of 1971 Jim Henman left the band and was replaced by Montreal native Jim Clench.

 

 

1. Oceana
2. Can't Find The Town
3. Fast Train
4. Listen Mister
5. Page Five
6. Song For Mary
7. Wench
8. Time

 

• Jim Henman - Vvocals, Bass, Acoustic Guitar
• Ritchie Henman - Percussion, Keyboards
• David Henman - Vocals, Guitar, Sitar
• Myles Goodwyn - Vocals, Guitar





Doucette - Mama Let Him Play

Doucette - Mama Let Him Play

Release date:November 1977

Genre: Rock

 

 

Jerry Victor Doucette born in Montreal in 1952. As a youngster he would sit in on jam sessions with his father and Uncle Jim.

Doucette's family moved to Hamilton, Ontario, when he was 4 years old, and two years later he got his first guitar. Lessons soon followed at age 8 and he joined his first band, The Reefers, at age 11. He remained with the group for five years then moved to Toronto, playing in various bands like Tribe, Brutus, Abernathy Shagnaster, and Homestead.
In November 1977 he released him debut album "Mama Let Him Play", which quickly went Platinum in Canada. The album is surprisingly consistent and is carried by two strong singles, "Down the Road" and "Mama Let Him Play". Opening for the likes of Bob Welch and Meatloaf, Doucette quickly made a name for himself south of the border, touring The United States for most of 1978.

 

 

1. Down The Road
2. Back Off
3. When She Loves Me
4. People Say
5. All I Wanna Do
6. Mama Let Him Play
7. What's Your Excuse?
8. It's Gonna Hurt So Bad
9. Keep On Running
10. Love Is Gonna Find You

 

• Duris Maxwell - Drums, Percussion
• Don Cummings - Bass
• Brent Shindell - Rhythm Guitars, Acoustic Guitars
• Robbie King - Keyboards
• Jerry Doucette - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Vocals

 



 

 



Sweeney Todd - If Wishes Were Horses

Sweeney Todd - If Wishes Were Horses
Release date: 1977
Genre: Glam Rock

 

 

Sweeney Todd is a Glam Rock band formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1975 by lead vocalist Nick Gilder, guitarist Jim McCulloch, drummer John Booth, Bud Marr on bass and keyboardist Dan Gaudin. Their name inspired by the Stephen Sondheim play of the same name.
Sweeney Todd had # 1 on the Canadian charts in 1975 with their Juno-award winning hit "Roxy Roller" from their self-titled debut album. 
In 1977 released the second album of Sweeney Todd "If Wishes Were Horses".
With three tracks co-written by 16 year old Bryan Adams, the album took a decidely different approach than the debut, though "Tantalize" and "Say Hello Say Goodbye", complete with Irving Berlin finale, were actually written by Gilder and McCulloch.
Although Adams did a decent job of mimicking Gilder's style, the band's pop/glam persona was going more of a 'straight pop' direction, with an 'artsy' detour here and there.
Bryan Adams left the band after less than a year.

 

 

1. If Wishes Were Horses
2. Tantalize
3. Until I Find You
4. Pushin' & Shovin'
5. # 5243605 Smith
6. Song For A Star
7. Shut Up
8. All Of A Sudden
9. Wastin' Time
10. Say Hello Say Goodbye

 

• Bryan Adams - Lead Vocals
• Skip Prest - Guitar
• Dan Gaudin - Keyboards
• Budd Marr - Bass
• John Booth - Drums

 





Pat Travers - Pat Travers

Pat Travers - Pat Travers
Release date:1976
Genre: Blues Rock

 

 

Patrick Henry Travers (Pat Travers) was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario on April 12, 1954.
Was inspired to play guitar after seeing Jimi Hendrix in Ottawa, along with other influences of the day that included the likes of Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.
He joined his first band while still in his early teens, and while on tour in Quebec with Merge, he was noticed by the legendary Ronnie Hawkins in the early '70s. At age 20, Travers moved to London, where he recorded some low-cost, low-production demos which eventually caught the attention of Polydor Records, who signed him to a recording deal early in 1975.
In April 1976 released his debut album "Pat Travers". The album featured a mix of original tracks and covers of rock and roll standards, including JJ Cale's "Magnolia," Stan Lewis' "Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights), Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" and "Hot Rod Lincoln" by Charles Ryan.
A short series of mid-Canadian/US dates ensued, followed by a tour of England. Travers became quickly identified overseas while he wore red and white jumpsuits, and draped in a Canadian flag.
It's around this time that he also became known for giving out cardboard replicas of his Telecaster and doing concerts barefoot. His connection with the fans went even further, as it wasn't uncommon at his shows to see fans air guitaring on stage with him.
His early success culminated later that year when he was asked to play at the Reading Music Festival.

 

 

1. Stop And Smile
2. Feelin Right
3. Magnolia
4. Makes No Difference
5. Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)
6. Mabellene
7. Hot Rod Lincoln
8. As My Life Flies
9. Medley, Parts 1&2

 

• Peter 'Mars' Cowling - Bass
• Roy Dyke - Drums
• Pat Travers - Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals