Canadian | Musicosity

Canadian

Jason Collett

The best songs don’t just tell a story set to music – they capture a moment, encapsulate a feeling and draw in the listener, in a way that’s at once singularly personal and completely universal. When Toronto singer-songwriter Jason Collett was mulling over titles for his new album, the by-turns effervescent and elegiac Here’s To Being Here, he stumbled across a line in an anthology of poetry by his friend Emily Haines’ (Metric) late father Paul, a well-known avant-garde jazz poet.

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Grimes

Grimes is the alias of Claire Boucher, a Montreal-based, Vancouver native, artist. Grimes fuses contemporary instrumentation with classical vocal practices from around the world. She recently released a cassette titled Geidi Primes on Arbutus. MySpace

The Planet Smashers

Formed in 1994 in Montreal, Quebec, the Planet Smashers’ infectious pop infused melodies, rippin’ horn licks and killer live shows, quickly established them as the city’s “Kings of Ska”. They released their first album (“Self-Titled”) on Planet Smasher’s founder Matt Collyer’s own label STOMP Records and hit the road. By 1997 they were no longer a local band, but a national phenomenon, headlining shows across Canada and pushing their second record, “Atttack of The Planet Smashers” which reached 2 on the national college radio charts for 2 months straight.

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The Kings

The Kings were formed in Vancouver, British Columbia and Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Original members were David Diamond, lead vocals, bass guitar and songwriter, Sonny Keyes, vocals, keyboards and songwriter, Max Styles, drums, and Mister Zero, guitar and songwriter. Visit http://www.thekingsarehere.com for up to date information on The Kings.

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Harlequin

There are (at least) three bands with this name: a Canadian classic rock band; a Swedish punk band; and a Medieval/Folk band from Tasmania. Canadian rock band: Harlequin was a Canadian rock band that formed in Winnipeg in 1975 and lasted until the mid-1980s. The original members of Harlequin were vocalist George Belanger, guitarist Glen Willows, keyboard player Gary Golden, drummer David Budzak and bassist Ralph James. Harlequin signed with Epic Records in 1979 and had a string of hit singles in Canada. Their biggest hit single is "Innocence" which topped Canada's charts.

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The Trews

The Trews are a Canadian rock group from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, consisting of vocalist Colin MacDonald, guitarist John-Angus MacDonald, bassist Jack Syperek, and drummer Sean Dalton. The band are currently based in Toronto, Ontario. The band started off with the name One I'd Trouser, before changing their name to Trouser and eventually The Trews. They released an EP as Trouser, and a second EP under the name "The Trews."

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Comeback Kid

Comeback Kid (CBK for short) is a hardcore band from Winnipeg, Canada, formed in 2002 by Andrew Neufeld and Jeremy Hiebert, who were both members of the band Figure Four, currently on hiatus. In 2003, Comeback Kid signed to California hardcore label Face Down Records, who released their debut album, Turn It Around. For their 2005 album Wake the Dead, they signed to Victory Records internationally, and to Smallman Records in Canada. Wake the Dead has now sold over 100,000 copies and was voted Alternative Press's 100 bands to know in 2005.

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Nickelback

Nickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta, formed in 1995. Founded by members Chad Kroeger, Mike Kroeger, Ryan Peake and then-drummer Brandon Kroeger. Nickelback is one of the most commercially successful Canadian groups, having sold 30 million records worldwide. Nickelback ranks as the 11th best selling music act of the 2000s, and places as the 2nd best selling foreign act in the US behind The Beatles for the 2000s.

d'Eon

Halifax, Nova Scotia native Chris d'Eon, who performs under his last name only, has a passion for music that started at an early age - he began mixing together his own tracks when his parents bought him some synthesizers and a sequencer at age four. D’Eon’s musical interests expanded when he started college and began studying Iranian, Arabic and Turkish music. This interest took him to northern India, where he lived in a monastery and studied with a Tibetan musician who taught him to play the dranyen, or Tibetan lute.

Northern Lights

Northern Lights can refer to at least six different groups: (1) American hip-hop group from Bridgeport, CT. (2) Canadian supergroup who were gathered by the music talent manager Bruce Allen in 1985 to record the single "Tears Are Not Enough". (3) A folk and baroque group "Northern Lights", released two CDs: "Northern Lights" and "Vanishing Borders" (founded by Harris Moore and Steve Coulter).

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