Young Saints
Young Saints | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Newfoundland, Canada |
| Genres | hard rock |
| Labels | Polygram Records |
| Past members | Robin Cook Darren 'Dirt' Churchill Ian Roe Alex MacFarlane> Rob Power> |
Young Saints were a Canadian hard rock band of the early 1990s.[1] Although they recorded only one album before breaking up, they are most noted for garnering a Juno Award nomination for Most Promising Group at the Juno Awards of 1992[2] and for being only the second band from Newfoundland — and the first in a mainstream popular music genre, as their only predecessor was the traditional Newfoundland folk music band Figgy Duff — ever to sign a deal with a major record label.[3]
Originally known as Crisis, the band consisted of vocalist and guitarist Robin Cook, guitarist Ian Roe, bassist Darren 'Dirt' Churchill and drummer Alex MacFarlane.[4] After regularly touring the province but struggling to break out, they moved to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1989,[1] where they landed a new manager and scored an early break as an opening act for Sue Medley.[4]
After Medley talked the band up to her record label,[4] they signed to Polygram Records in 1990.[5] In January 1991, they entered the studio to begin recording their debut album on the same day the United States entered the Gulf War; the situation inspired the song "My God Is Bigger Than Your God", which was written during the recording sessions.[6]
Their self-titled album was released on Polygram in 1991, and included the singles "Weight of the World", "Live for Today" and "New Solution".[4] "Weight of the World" linked here at the #30 position, eventually peaked at #6 in the RPM100 singles chart,[7] and "Live for Today", which included a guest performance by Randy Bachman, peaked at #58.[8] The album peaked at #60 in the RPM album charts.[9]
At the Juno Awards in 1992, the band garnered a nomination for Most Promising Group,[2] and designer Robert Leboeuf was nominated for Best Album Design for the album's artwork.[4] Despite their Juno nominations and chart success, however, the band broke up before recording another album.[4] Cook and MacFarlane formed the new band Soul Candy, which pursued a more alternative rock direction than Young Saints, but did not attain significant success outside of the local Vancouver market.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "From puddle to the pond band finds success west". Halifax Daily News, August 2, 1991.
- ^ a b "Adams, Cochrane tilt for Junos amid puzzling omissions". Vancouver Sun, February 13, 1992.
- ^ "Newfoundland's rock export can't shake the influence of home". Ottawa Citizen, August 22, 1991.
- ^ a b c d e f Young Saints at Jam!'s Canadian Pop Encyclopedia.
- ^ "Abandoned Youth takes battle of bands' B.C. finals". The Province, December 2, 1990.
- ^ "Young Saints growing up rapidly". The Province, May 30, 1991.
- ^ RPM100: Hit Tracks. RPM, July 20, 1991.
- ^ RPM100: Hit Tracks. RPM, November 2, 1991.
- ^ RPM100: Albums. RPM, July 27, 1991.
