The Grapes of Wrath (band)
| The Grapes of Wrath | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada |
| Genres | Folk rock Alternative rock |
| Years active | 1983–1992 2000–2001 2009–present |
| Labels | Nettwerk |
| Associated acts | Ginger |
| Members | |
| Chris Hooper Tom Hooper Kevin Kane |
|
| Past members | |
| Vincent Jones | |
The Grapes of Wrath are a Canadian folk rock band, who were one of Canada's most successful pop bands in the late 1980s and early 1990s before disbanding in 1992. With the band name tied up in litigation, most of the band continued to record through the 1990s as Ginger. The Grapes of Wrath briefly reunited for one album in 2000, although not with their full original lineup. This same version of the band reunited again in 2009, and the original three members reunited in July 2010. They have gone on to play several concerts in various Canadian cities, and are once again active as a group.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
The Grapes of Wrath were formed in Kelowna, British Columbia in 1983 by Chris Hooper, Tom Hooper and Kevin Kane. They came up with the name for the band after looking at a movie guide—nobody in the band had seen the movie or read the book. In 1984, they signed to Nettwerk, releasing a self-titled EP that year. The following year, their debut album September Bowl of Green was released.
1987's Treehouse, produced by Tom Cochrane, was the band's initial Canadian breakthrough, yielding the hit single "Peace of Mind".
Their 1989 album, Now and Again, produced by Anton Fier, was the band's most successful. The band expanded to a four-piece with the addition of keyboardist Vincent Jones. Jones would later describe working with Fier as "like pulling teeth." [1] The band's tour to support this album was also notable for its opening act, a then-emerging singer/songwriter named Sarah McLachlan.
Produced by John Leckie, These Days, released in 1991, found the band experimenting with a harder rock sound, and while it sold well and spawned the hit singles "I Am Here" and "You May Be Right", it was to be the band's last effort for almost a decade. It received the 1992 CASBY Award for Favourite Album.
Kane then split from the other members of the band, who continued to perform and record together as Ginger. In 1999, Kane and Tom Hooper, the Grapes' main songwriting team, decided to work together again, and in 2000 released Field Trip under the Grapes of Wrath name. Neither Chris Hooper nor Vincent Jones participated in the reunion. Matt Brain was enlisted as the band's drummer, though he was not an official member of the group. After the tour for this album, Hooper and Kane said that they "had taken the reunion as far as they could take it"[citation needed] and deactivated the band in 2001.
In 2009, Kane and Hooper decided to play together again, as an acoustic duo.[2] Two concerts were scheduled in Western Canada, during which they were to play all their hit songs.[3]
On July 18, 2010, the three original members performed together at the Surrey Fusion Festival in Surrey, British Columbia. It was the first time the original trio had played together since 1992.[4] Dave Genn was brought in to fill Vince Jones' place on keyboards, and a small-scale series of Canadian dates followed throughout 2010.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
| Release Date | Title | Chart positions | Album |
| Canada RPM 100 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Misunderstanding" | September Bowl of Green | |
| 1985 | "Love Comes Around" | ||
| October 1987 | "Peace of Mind" | #56 | Treehouse |
| January 1988 | "O Lucky Man" | ||
| March 1988 | "Backward Town" | ||
| July 1989 | "All the Things I Wasn't" | #19 | Now and Again |
| October 1989 | "Do You Want to Tell Me?" | #50 | |
| January 1990 | "What Was Going Through My Head" | #33 | |
| May 1990 | "The Most" | ||
| July 1991 | "I Am Here" | #8 | These Days |
| October 1991 | "You May Be Right" | #7 | |
| February 1992 | "A Fishing Tale" | #60 |
[edit] Albums
- The Grapes of Wrath (1984)
- September Bowl of Green (1985)
- Treehouse (1987)
- Now and Again (1989)
- These Days (1991)
- Seems Like Fate 1984-1992 (1994)
- Field Trip (2000)
[edit] References
- ^ "B.C. group raring to go again," Toronto Star, June 28, 1992, p. C1.
- ^ Grapesofwrath.ca
- ^ BClocalnews.com
- ^ Adrian Mack (July 15, 2010). "Original Grapes of Wrath Regroup". Georgia Straight. http://www.straight.com/article-333768/vancouver/original-grapes-regroup. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
[edit] External links
- Grapes of Wrath official website
- Grapes of Wrath at Jam!
