Moist (band)

This article is about the Canadian band. For the term meaning the presence of water, see moisture. For other uses, see Moist (disambiguation).

Moist

Moist was a five-piece Canadian alternative rock band that was popular in the mid-to-late-1990s. The band was led by lead singer David Usher, along with Mark Makoway (guitars), Jeff Pearce (bass), Kevin Young (keyboards) and Paul Wilcox (drums).

Biography

Moist formed in the early 1990s and eventually released an independent cassette in 1993. The cassette caught the attention of EMI, who released their first full-length studio CD, Silver, in 1994. The album went on to sell 400,000 copies in Canada on the strength of hard-hitting singles like "Push", "Silver" and "Believe Me".

In late 1996, Moist released their second album, Creature, to favourable reviews. The album included the hits "Leave It Alone", "Resurrection", "Tangerine", and "Gasoline", all which were placed on high rotation on MuchMusic. In addition to these, remixed versions of "Tangerine" also became hits both on radio and Muchmusic.

Following the band's second record, David Usher released his first solo album, Little Songs.

In early 1999, the band regrouped to record one more album, the melancholic and soft-toned Mercedes 5 and Dime. The album was released in the summer of 1999 in Canada and later in 2000 in the United States. Singles included "Breathe", "Underground", and "Comes and Goes". Mercedes 5 and Dime is Moist's last album to date.

David Usher has continued to record, releasing Morning Orbit in 2001, Hallucinations in 2003, If God Had Curves in 2005 and Strange Birds in 2007. Jeff Pearce formed the band RYE, which released its first record, Wolves, in 2004, and Mark Makoway published a guide to the music industry, called The Indie Band Bible.

While touring in support of their final album, drummer Paul Wilcox injured his back, causing him to miss the band's final performances. Moist are currently on an indefinite hiatus and show no signs of a reunion, though several band members have toured or recorded with David Usher in his solo endeavours.

A metal band based in Leeds, UK adopted the name Nordic Moist. The band's lead guitarist claims that the name is a nod both to the Canadian five-piece and the fact that he is of Nordic ancestry.

Discography

Albums

• Moist - 1993 (independent)
• Silver - 1994
• Creature - 1996
• Mercedes 5 and Dime - 1999 in Canada, 2000 in USA
• Machine Punch Through: The Singles Collection (Best Of) - 2001

Singles

• "Push" (1994)
• "Silver" (1994)
• "Believe Me" (1995)
• "Freaky Be Beautiful" (1995) UK release
• "Leave It Alone" (1996)
• "Resurrection" (1996)
• "Tangerine" (1997)
• "Gasoline" (1997)
• "Breathe" (1999)
• "Underground" (1999)
• "Comes and Goes" (1999)

Trivia

• Won an MMVA (MuchMusic Video Award) for Favorite Canadian Group in 1995.
• The video for Push is featured in an episode of Beavis and Butt-head. This appearance was included on the B&B Mike Judge Collection Volume 1 DVD
• The songs Push and Resurrection have both appeared on separate episodes of the Canadian television programme Due South.
• The song Resurrection appeared on the album for Canadian film Wrestling with Shadows.
• The video for the song Tangerine won Best Video, and Best Director at the (MuchMusic Video Awards) in 1997.
• The song Push can be heard in the movie In the Army Now.
• The song Breathe can be heard in the movie Stir Of Echoes.
• The song Leave It Alone appeared in and is on the soundtrack for the movie Brokedown Palace.
• Many alternate versions of songs were released. Tangerine spawned several remixes, while a live video of Resurrection aired often on Muchmusic in place of the music video. The radio version of Gasoline was a heavily remixed version of the album cut. Underground, Comes and Goes, and Push all saw re-recorded versions released in 2000, while the video for Breathe featured a shorter version of that song than was found on the album.

External links

• Official website
• Moist entry at JAM! Canadian Pop Encyclopedia