6. The Guess Who: American Woman
The Guess Who were an immensely successful band in America, managing a fairly amazing 21 charting singles from 1969-1975. Yet, in Canada they were even bigger, the first real Canadian rock titans. "American Woman", from 1970 was the first of two #1 singles in the U.S., and it was an explicit message to the neighbor to the south: "I don't need your war machine/I don't need your ghetto scene/Colored lights can hypnotize/Sparkle someone else's eyes" Their classic period included Burton Cummings on vocals and keyboards and Randy Bachman on guitar. The band's history goes all the way back to 1965 when they were called the Expressions and had a fluke hit in both Canada and the U.S. with a cover of "Shakin' All Over"; as The Guess Who, they broke in America with "These Eyes" in 1969. Randy Bachman left in 1970 to form Brave Belt with original Guess Who vocalist Chad Allen; the band evolved into Bachman-Turner Overdrive. The Guess Who remained successful without him until they broke up in 1975. American Woman is their best LP, featuring the classic title track, "No Sugar Tonight" (which also hit #1), and "No Time".
7. Arcade Fire: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
The Arcade Fire was formed in Montreal in the summer of 2003 and rapidly gained notice for their brand of experimental post-rock. Their music is a peculiar mix of punk, bossa nova, classical, and other unpredictable influences. Their music is emotive and depressing, but shouldn't be considered emo; they avoid overt drama, preferring to let their musical textures speak for themselves. Funeral bears a passing resemblance to David Bowie's Heroes album; part of its concept involves lovers who are separated by a metaphorical tunnel linking their bedrooms. "Neighborhood #1" is the best place to start, since it opens this ambitious debut album, but it is hardly representative of the myriad of styles and textures on the album.
8. Bachman-Turner Overdrive: You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
BTO was formed by ex-Guess Who alumni Randy Bachman and Chad Allen in 1972, along with C.F. "Fred" Turner on bass, and Randy's brother Robbie on drums. Originally called Brave Belt, they released a pair of albums; Allen was replaced by another Bachman, Tim, and the band became Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Carrying on largely in the same tradition as the Guess Who, but with a sweatier, more pared-down sound, the band had six top-40 singles in America, two of them, including the good-time rocker "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" claiming the #1 position. Randy Bachman left the group in 1977, but they continued on until breaking up in 1979; a new version, led by Randy Bachman was formed in the 1980's, but they never charted again.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Mary K. Williams
Thanks for sharing the history (and geography!) behind some of the most popular songs and musicians of the last 50 years or so.
2 - Chas
These two came to mind:
Doug and the Slugs - Real Enough
Jane Siberry - Mimi on the Beach
3 - Chas
one more:
Martha and the Muffins - Echo Beach
4 - Paul Roy
Glad to see Rush at the top of this pretty comprehensive list of Cunucks, but you completely forgot Triumph.
5 - Cdn Cowboy
The Rheostatics are sorely missing from this list. They have produced the most "Canadian" music of every band you have listed.
6 - Aaman
What - no Celine Dion? May your iceberg melt!
7 - Victor Plenty
Yeah, no Celine Dion and no William Shatner either.
8 - El Bicho
How can you have no Neil Young on this list??
9 - uao
I left Neil Young off the list because he's been California based since the Buffalo Springfield days; I also left off Joni Mitchell for the same reason.
I also didn't include Alanis Morissette, although I probably should have.
Triumph would have been a good inclusion; I forgot Martha and the Muffins, and never heard any of Jane Siberry and Doug and the Slugs' stuff.
Sorry to the Celine Dion fans. Glad I'm not on an iceberg...
10 - EZ
And Sloan! Where's the Sloan??
11 - yyzyy
Rush is the best pick to be #1. But no Triumph? Or Saga?
But Rush...definetely a #1 in my books!
12 - Mark Saleski
Trooper - Raise A Little Hell
13 - Mark Saleski
Loverboy - Working For The Weekend
(sorry, it needed to be said)
14 - Mark Saleski
Saga - On The Loose
15 - uao
Thanks for the suggestions Mark, and everyone else.
Fact is, this list could be double its length, and I'm sure some deserving artists would be left out. I always cut my lists at twenty; otherwise, I'd never get any sleep at all...
;-)
However, for those who were hoping to find an exhaustively conclusive list of Canadian artists, here it is!
16 - Phil
Wow. Good picks...Rush is perfect at #1 even though i am biased b.c rush is my fav band....but ya arcade fire....i heard of em through my gf and they arent to shabby.. glad to see them up there!
17 - BADfan
how is it possible Bryan Adams is so low on the list? He's one of the (read THE) greatest Canadian musicians!
And where is Shania Twain?
this aint a good list!
18 - eEL
SKINNY PUPPY info is incorrrect ::
"Keyboardist Wilhelm Schroeder joined up in 1985"
it was Dwayne R. Goettel who joined up after the 1985 tour and "added dimension"... Bill Leeb didn't even know how to play a keyboard when he joined PUPPY, let alone "added dimension"...
19 - uao
Sorry, eEl, I morphed Schroeder and Goettel into the same guy--
Schroeder DID join in 85 and appeared on the Bites disc, but then Goettel replaced him.
Goettel is the one who had the impact.
Thanks for the correction.
20 - RockGeezer
Thanks for being one of the few to mention Max Webster.
They remain one of my all-time favorite groups (I'm also a big Rush fan) to this day. Don't think I'll ever get sick of listening to them!
21 - yvonne
Bryan Adams middle name is Guy..not Fawkes.
22 - uao
Thanks yvonne, that was just retarded typing on my part, I fixed it.
RockGeezer: I had never heard of Max Webster until a few years ago when a Canadian turned me on to them. They deserved a bigger audience
23 - Rob
Thanks for including Blue Rodeo on your list. They're one of Canada's gems. It was also nice to see Max Webster on there. I always thought they never got the respect they were due and were always forced to take a back seat to Rush by their record label. Kim Mitchell did go on to have a successful solo career in Canada and is now hosting the afternoon show on Q107 in Toronto.
24 - Gareth edwards
What an eclectic list. Some great sounds.
I also liked the Headpins, Toronto and Boys Brigade.
Gareth
25 - Tube
Uao, great post. No Sarah McLachlan?