northern pikes lead singer

The Pikes released some great music here. It wasnt long before the Pikes caught the attention of Doug Chappell, president of Virgin Records Canada who was intrigued by their multi-singer, multi-songwriter sound and signed the band in 1986. "I think it helps to maybe convey the message," he said. Mostly for the concerts, 28 years ago tonight Guns N Roses played BC Place Stadium in Vancouver. The song Beautiful Music from that album became a hit in Japan and The Pikes embarked on a short but intensive tour in the land of the rising sun in late June 2003, including a Canada Day concert at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. About one year after recording their successful debut album, the Northern Pikes returned to the studio in the Spring of 1988 to record the follow-up. We thought that just wasnt going to happen. The other guys in the band had no doubt Kane was the missing ingredient. Each one has a historic console that conjures up the spirit of some of rock and rolls most iconic figures. Don Schmid - Drums, Percussion. The demo version was very relaxed and rather melancholy. Amplify your inbox and be the first to receive news, updates, and special promotions. The combination of exciting live performances, well-received indie albums and the continuous stream of demos finally caught the ear of Doug Chappell, president of Virgin Records Canada and with the help of managers Fraser Hill and Ed Smeall, The Pikes signed to the label on December 18, 1986 at The Copa nightclub in Toronto. After recording its last studio album, Neptune, the band played its final gig on June 2, 1993, in Fort Frances, Ontario. The album hit the streets in June of 87 and featured the hit singles Teenland, Things I Do For Money and Dancing In A Danceclub, introducing the band to a wider audience and expanding the touring range to all parts of Canada and the USA. The band would tour extensively to support this album, including the opening spot for Robert Palmer's 1989 tour. The greatest hits package also led to a hugely successful Canadian tour in early 2000, some of which was recorded and resulted in the bands LP Live 2000. After 10 years of intense road life and non stop travelling, 8 Juno award nominations, 4 gold records and 1 double platinum record, the band elected to go on an indefinite hiatus. "Dream Away", a great lead off track by any rock band . The live rooms allow bands to capture live-off-the-floor performances with state-of-the-art equipment. 69th Lundar Fair kicks off Celebrate Summer. It's still about the music and the songs for The Northern Pikes, Florida man charged with murder of Ontario woman after police crack cold case from 1975, Fresh grief follows family of Tamra Keepness into anniversary event, Police find body of missing kayaker at Buffalo Pound Lake, Regina executive committee divided but passes along alcohol in parks bylaw, Briefly: Former Power Ranger among celebrity guests coming to Regina entertainment expo. Their personal tour back in November would have included a look at the three recording facilities. Adams. Being a band from Saskatchewan had its challenges in the pre-internet era. You can also show your support by making an online purchase from the NMC Gift Shop and getting your very own NMC merch delivered directly to your door. That vintage technique helped define Forest Of Love. Although this was their second album, the Pikes were nominated for "Most Promising Group" at the 1989 Juno Awards. A heritage band, living on the past? Anyway, I did play it for them and luckily they thought it was great. Time flies, Schmid said. His daughter and I were later married, but we were still dating at that time, and the Chappells were always super nice about having me stay at their house when I had some time off. If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is. It was just very natural, the most organic of all the records weve ever done., Then theres the epic title track, with a mysterious opening vibe that turns into the hardest, catchiest rocker the group has laid down arguably since Teenland back in 87. They failed to win either award. On September 30, 2012 The Northern Pikes were inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame in Regina, Saskatchewan as the highlight of the 2012 Western Canadian Music Awards. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. That opportunity happened after one of the Big Blue Sky gigs, at Canadas new National Music Centre in Calgary. Universal Music Saskatoon's The Northern Pikes' have released their ninth full-length studio album, Forest Of Love. This 2005 photo provided by Gary Pike shows singer Jim Pike in Sun Valley, Calif. Jim Pike, co-founder and lead singer of The Lettermen, whose lush vocal harmonies made the. Northern Pikes Lead Singer Jay Semko with Morning Host Gabrielle Ogilvie. They were from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Singer-guitarist Merl Bryck amicably bowed out due to the pressures of the road and was eventually replaced by the Grapes of Wraths Kane, whose band had a similar trajectory to the Pikes in the 1980s and 90s. The Northern Pikes are from Canada and were formed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in January 1984. The Northern Pikes were formed in 1984 in the Prairie city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, comprised originally of Jay Semko, Brian Potvin, Merl Bryck, and Glen Hollingshead. Snow in June, (an entirely plausible scenario in many parts of Canada, by the way) was released in 1990, and delivered the bands biggest hits. There is no other reason other than the music were all concert goers, too, and it is great to reminisce about the music, said Northern Pikes drummer Don Schmid in a recent telephone interview from his home in British Columbia. Xplore 5G Home Internet Connect to the Future Contest: Jesse Mousseau, Sotheran ready for next chapter with Philadelphia Flyers, City manager speaks on disrupted business due to Saskatchewan Avenue construction, Cranberry Portage RCMP respond to possible kidnapping. Home / Read / Origin Stories / Origin StoriesBryan Potvin on the Northern Pikes She Aint Pretty. Each day brought a new surprise. "It makes me feel good.". Youd think that one would sort of get tired of talking nostalgically to people, but it wasnt like thatit was lovely. "I think what would've helped me then was just having knowing that I'm not alone, and knowing there are many others that feel the same way as I do. Secrets of the Alibi is the second album by The Northern Pikes released in 1988. Id know of the Pikes, of course; they were renowned in the early 90s, but I knew them for that sort-of gimmicky tune, She Aint Pretty, and the rousing and soulful Girl With a Problem.. One woman said, Look at you. We toured a lot down there, recalls Semko. The band is scheduled to give a SOLD OUT performance at Studio Bell on Saturday, February 10. All 4 members Jay, Bryan, Merl & Don attended and got a chance to see an old friend Fraser Hill, the bands first manager. We covered most nooks and crannies of the U.S., and we developed good little pockets of popularity, but we could never kind of sew the whole thing together. The Northern Pikes' 1987 breakthrough album, "Big Blue Sky,". The current lineup is comprised of Schmid, Jay Semko (bass and vocals) and Bryan Potvin (guitar and vocals) is currently playing dates on its Power Trio tour. It also marked the addition of Kane to the band, although at first he was a hired gun to bring them up to full compliment on stage. At the first session for the reinvigorated Northern Pikes, the honour went to the new guy. They released Neptune in 1992, toured in support, and in July of 1993 announced their retirement as a band. Particularly if they were diehard aficionados of CanRock from the 1980s and 90s. I went. And for a little Canadian history and luck, Potvin & Kane used a vintage amp donated to the Centre by Neil Young. But even if the brainiacs at the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences didnt feel the Pikes deserved any hardware, the devoted fans who packed their gigs on extensive North American road trips thought otherwise. Thats how people think records are made, but that isnt how theyre made normally today, says Kane. Thats why my one regret is that we didnt actually go over to Europe, cause at one point there was sort of anot a demand, but there was definitely interest in us going over to play. Hollingshead soon departed, though, and in 1986 was replaced by Don Schmid. "Many of us deal with this and many of us know people that do. Being inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame was an amazing moment, said Schmid. But Semko and Potvin shared the lead vocal duties with Semko singing Things I Do For Money, Hopes Go Astray and Girl With A Problem while Potvin handled the lead vocals for Dream Away and She Aint Pretty. Later, one day while I was sitting at home, I took out my notebook, saw that line again, and it sort of jumped out at me. The concert is sold out. This successful reformation led to the decision to record The Pikes 7th LP in Toronto during the fall of 2000. He shared with us his journey which started as a young songwriter, then joining the Northern Pikes, their break-up, building a career scoring soundtracks for film and television and finally finding his heart and home in country music. The spring of 1993 saw the last tour of the decade for the Pikes and their LP gig. So we started every morning with acoustics and a vocal, whoever wrote the initial song, and wed craft it into a Pikes tune. Luckily, as is often the case in small, rural towns, a fledgling local rock scene emerged in Saskatoon. The Northern Pikes were formed in 1984 in the Prairie city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, comprised originally of Jay Semko, Brian Potvin, Merl Bryck, and Glen Hollingshead. Leading the way is the edgy first single King In His Castle, where nasty guitar verses meet a gorgeous, catchy chorus. When we went into the studio, I hadnt heard a single thing. We want to extend the deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who ever bought a Pikes record or a concert ticket and supported us on this amazing journey over the years. The Pikes performed 3 songs at the induction ceremony, much to the delight of the audience. Not a stitch, says Schmid. Teenland is a brilliant song that deserves greater recognition than it garners. Nominated for 3 Juno Awards in 1991 (Group of The Year, Single of The Year, and Best Video), the song ultimately became the biggest hit of the Pikes career. The afternoon he calls, his band still hasnt had its first rehearsal since the reunion tour was agreed upon. Youre going to want to see whats going on.. "They made us an offer we couldn't refuse, they were very accommodating," says Potvin. It featured 13 songs and showcased the raw energy the band always exhibited onstage. The Northern Pikes are better than ever with Forest Of Love, thank you very much. And these truly were new songs, never shared with the other group members before. "This is a great honour and we have our fans to thank for this. The album had a more live off the floor feel and the heavy airplay of the singles Wait For Me, Hopes Go Astray and Lets Pretend kept the band on the road virtually non-stop across the continent until the summer of 89. In those days, weeklong residencies at local bars were common. Built in 1975, the British console is one of only 13 ever made. It took them a second t. Bryan Potvin - Vocals, Guitar. Origin StoriesBryan Potvin on the Northern Pikes She Aint Pretty, Vivek Shraya Finds New Fun in Channelling Pop Idols, Randy Bachman: Every Guitar Tells a Story, Terri Clark: Her Road to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Trooper: Here for a Good Time and a Long Time, Its the Award Ive Always Wanted: April Wines Myles Goodwyn Validated by Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction, Record Rewind: The Watchmens Silent Radar Rejuvenated 25 Years Later. The album produced two additional singles, Things I Do For Money and Dancing at a Dance Club, and was eventually certified gold in Canada effectively launching the Pikes career. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. The Centre, which houses Canada's Music Hall Of Fame in the Studio Bell complex has a beautiful recording studio space along with some famous and classic recording equipment and instruments. We never really cracked the big U.S. market, but I dont really regret that, he emphasizes. Last Sunday, music fans taking the National Music Centres new Backstage Pass Tour at Studio Bell were treated to a nostalgic sight. Most populations of northern pike are north of latitude 40 degrees north. . The Pikes 5th LP Snow In June saw the blossoming of Bryan as a singer and writer, most notably for the wildly popular hit single She Ain . And Schmidwhom Semko credits with being the most vocal advocate of the reunionhas been running his own recording studio in Saskatoon, Fresh Vibe North. Bassist-vocalist Jay Semko, drummer Don Schmid and guitarist-vocalist Bryan Potvin, three-quarters of the original Northern Pikes, were hard at work in the studio with Kevin Kane, now a Pike but formerly the lead vocalist of the Grapes of Wrath. After 10 years of intense road life and non stop travelling, 8 Juno award nominations, 4 gold records and 1 double platinum record, the band elected to go on an indefinite hiatus. (LogOut/ We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. He seemed into the idea, Five years ago today my book about @gorddownieofficial and @thetragicallyhip was published. You kind of get vertigo when you get in there. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. Calgary, AB T2G 1R1 We encountered an issue signing you up. Semko wrote the theme toDue South, a beloved Canadian television series from the 90s, along with much of its incidental music. "It's an amazing facility, we've recorded in some pretty outstanding studios across North America in our 30 years and this one is right up there with them," says Potvin. Its the groups first new release since 2003, and the first to feature new group member Kevin Kane (The Grapes Of Wrath). In February 2003 the band began work on their 8th LP Its A Good Life in their hometown of Saskatoon, recorded, mixed and co-produced by Ross Nykiforuk at Cosmic Pad Studios. National Music Centre is a non-profit, non-governmental, registered charity that relies on donor support. So far, the band has not used too many of the estimated 300 vintage instruments available to musicians who record at the facility, although Semko said they likely will before their 10-day recording session finishes on Saturday. Thats where you bridge both worlds.. All songs written and performed by The Northern Pikes. The experience was really surreal, as kids we dreamt of that. ", Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. ! Released in November '92, Neptune featured the keyboard work of Ross Nykiforuk, also a native of Saskatoon and an onstage addition for the Snow In June tour. You get that great variety the band always brings, with rockers, smart ballads, and bright hooks and harmonies, thanks to the luxury of having three top-flight singer/songwriters on board. Secrets of the Alibi followed in 1988 with 1990s Snow In June garnering the most commercial success for the band. With the help of friend and local booking agent Robert Hodgins, the band cut its teeth for 2 years on the prairie bar circuit. This gave Potvin and fellow bandmates Jay Semko, Merl Bryck, and Don Schmidwho first met while they were members of various other local acts including The Idols, Doris Daye, and 17 Envelopethe opportunity to develop themselves into a well rounded live act. Amplify is the online digital platform of the National Music Centre (NMC). On a hot and humid weekend, Carla Hrycyna covered plenty on the first Lawn and Garden Journal of June! When the Pikes were inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame on Sept. 30, 2012, Bryck did attend the festivities and performed with the band at the Casino Regina Show Lounge. We are counting down the Huffington Posts 100 Best Canadian Songs Ever. We were lucky, because most of our albums got released all over the world, through Virgin. I love that. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Create a website or blog at WordPress.com, Britpop to Brexit: Popular music and the neoliberal project in the UK, To sing the blues: a light in the darkness, The folly of tyranny and the failure of absolute rule in Sophocles Antigone, Identity, memory and belonging: The agony and opportunity of identity in Rome, To each their own: Nature in the lives of Rousseau, the Utopians, and Werther, Money over morals: the corruption of people and place in first century Rome, To be themselves: Gender and justice in the ancient Greek canon. rjames@apa-agency.com Nothings more fun than having a whole crowd sing along to one of your songs. At #90 is Teenland from the beloved Canadian band, The Northern Pikes. It really hit me when we were touring the States for the first time, we were in Boston and the rock station there was playing Things I Do For Money. Weve sort of talked about [reuniting] off and on over the last couple of years, but not everybody could commit, and various things were goin on. You know, Ive been telling this story on the road quite a bit lately because these days there is as much yapping and storytelling as there is playing, says Potvin, but I actually came up with the hook for that song at Doug Chappells house. "It was a good challenge finding a list of stations that would play independent music in Canada and the USA" remembers Jay. Theres something really interesting in there. I kinda wish we would have now, but at that time we thought it was better to just concentrate on the U.S.. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. This was likely because no Juno Awards were presented in 1988, the year their debut album would have been up for nomination. And I think the more you are open about this, the more the stigma gets relieved.". 2023 Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Also featured were two duets with Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies, one of which, Worlds Away, made its way onto an episode of the TV series Due South. A lot of people have some very meaningful memories that took shape around our music, says Potvin. John Peter "Jay" Semko is a singer/songwriter and bassist with Canadian band, The Northern Pikes. Biography. Formed in 1984, the band signed with Virgin records in 1986. The Northern Pikes are currently recording a brand new album (their first in . Jay Semko said "I think this was a breakthrough for Bryan as a singer and a writer. I think we turned ourselves into a real band that first year.. In a big strokes kind of way, Potvin says the band is aware that they only have a certain amount of time left, but that while they still sound good and all kind of look decent, they plan to get out there and perform for their fans as much as they can. A sign marks the recording studio at Studio Bell where The Northern Pikes are spending 10 days recording their new album using the studios historic Trident A Range console. View all posts by Teresa. In February 2003 the band began work on their 8th LP Its A Good Life in their hometown of Saskatoon, recorded, mixed and co-produced by Ross Nykiforuk at Cosmic Pad Studios. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Tonally, it was an old sound, it sounded like an old rock record, and that was exciting to us. Hollingshead soon departed, though, and in 1986 was replaced by Don Schmid. 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I remember we were filming the video for that song and our manager told us we were going to be opening for David Bowie and Duran Duran at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. What could possibly be wrong with your life? And the other woman replied, Im not really beautiful, I just look that way., Well, I thought that was pretty funny, so I wrote it down in my little notebook and went to bed. The Northern Pikes are playing the Casino Regina Show Lounge on May 27. tap here to see other videos from our team. This is very much your award as well.". They made us an offer we couldnt refuse, they were very accommodating, says Potvin. Nobody had a clue. In addition the album featured other smash hits Girl With A Problem, Kiss Me You Fool, Dream Away, and featured a star-studded cast of additional musicians Garth Hudson, Crystal Taliefero, John Sebastian and Stan Szelest, as well as mixes by acclaimed engineers Bob Clearmountain and Hugh Padgham. 850 4 Street SE Wed go out there and play a bunch of songs by the Stones, the Beatles, and the Kinks, and then wed just blend our own stuff into the mix. I was in awe of the tune, and surprised that even my fairly learned pop-music friends couldnt identify it. Access articles from across Canada with one account. In the interim, Semko and Potvin carved respected solo careers. Two weeks later we were there playing in front of this massive outdoor crowd. The original lineup was spawned from the ashes of three local groups, The Idols, Doris Daye and 17 Envelope. Were just takin it one step at a time, taking baby steps to see what happens.. If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is. Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. Terms of Use. In the new era of social media and self promotion The Pikes ventured to film 3 music videos for Blame The Song, Underwater and It's A Good Life with Saskatoon filmographer George Hupka in March of '03, it had been 10 years since their last music video Everything from the Neptune album. What purists are looking for is that historic signal path that flows through the console that is totally unique to that particular console, said Jesse Moffatt, director of collections at the National Music Centre. Secrets of the Alibi is the second album by The Northern Pikes released in 1988. To get attention outside the province, the group came up with a strategy of making lots of demos andrecorded and released their first two independent LP's The Northern Pikes 1984 and Scene In North America 1985. We encountered an issue signing you up. It's A Good Life was a hit with Pikes fans everywhere and the band continued touring into the second decade of the new millennium, with all of the members pursuing various recording and film projects in addition to their work with the Pikes. It made a memorable event even more special for the band. I was on the right track), and b) The Northern Pikes. The guitarist for the opening act, the Brian May Band, signed my backstage pass #newspaperglorydays #backstagepast @brianmayforreal @gunsnroses, 30 years ago tonight at a Damn Yankees/Bad Company double-bill in Vancouver I gave Ted Nugent rabbit ears while eating a backstage apple. The Pikes released some great music here. Read more about cookies here. The Northern Pikes have been quietly working on a new studio album since October 2019, and are now in the final mixing stages after several COVID interruptions. The Northern Light Opera Company is holding auditions, virtually and in person, for its upcoming summer production of "Pippin." Video auditions may be sent to info@northernlightopera.org up to March 25 and should include a one-minute monologue and 16-32 bars of a song. The Saskatoon band, which formed in 1984 and found national success with albums such as 1987s Big Blue Sky and 1990s Snow in June, are recording new material for the first time in 15 years. Fans of the Northern Pikes must have been pleasantly surprised when they picked this paper up a couple of issues back and saw that the long-gone band was booked to play the Commodore Ballroom next Friday (January 28). In addition to the bands EPs, included in each package was a self-addressed stamped comment card. The record gained traction with listeners, especially on the strength of Teenland, which delivered the groups first major hit. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 28.8m members in the Music community. Big Blue Sky was released in 1987 with the singles Dancing In A Dance Club, Things I Do For Money and Teenland charting in Canada and receiving major radio airplay. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. We have enabled email notificationsyou will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. In the end, Forest Of Love featured a classic mix of Pikes tunes, three by each of the songwriters. Northern Pikes record new material for the first time in 15 years at the National Music Centre, Jason Kenney hired as senior advisor for Calgary tech company, Man charged with arson following Lake Louise fire that destroyed staff residence, displacing 165 people, New attractions at Calgary Stampede 2023 promising to deliver, Man went to Calgary hookah lounge, itching to shoot just anyone. But the best feature was the spacious Studio A itself, designed as a throwback to the great studios of rock n rolls past. The band's lineup includes vocalist and bassist Jay Semko, vocalist and lead guitarist Bryan Potvin, and drummer Don Schmid, who've been together as a working unit, on and off, since 1986. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. He stopped in part of a radio tour for his new album Sending Love, which marks his turn into a country singer/songwriter. It is the song for which the Pikes are best known. Of course, they were out of date, but we read them because it gave us an idea of what was going on not only in places like Toronto, Vancouver, and the rest of Canada, but across the ocean and in the U.S. as well.. Were gettin together to do a tour, lets put it that way, explains Northern Pikes singer-bassist and main songwriter Jay Semko, on the line from Toronto. Jay Semko doesn't want anyone to suffer alone like he did when he was in high school. On September 30, 2012 The Northern Pikes were inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame in Regina, Saskatchewan as the highlight of the 2012 Western Canadian Music Awards. The first track on the album is "Place That's Insane", apparently about a pretty waitress who works in a smokey bar, as the lyrics describe "The girl that works in the club downtown / Knows all about life, man, she's been around". A lot of the Pikes material was thanks to lead man Jay Semko, who went on to release a number of solo albums post the Pikes, again playing locally for events. That meeting saw the release of the Virgin LP Hits and Assorted Secrets, a collection of old favourites and buried treasures. That's when I told him that I'd like to see "Lager & Ale" as his next single. It wasnt planned that way. We had got used to driving to play. Its an amazing facility, weve recorded in some pretty outstanding studios across North America in our 30 years, and this one is right up there with them, says Potvin. I almost didnt play it for the guys because its kind of goofy and I think I was embarrassed by it back then. Walnut Creek Festival Today, Articles N