It Came From Canada, Vol. 1

The five It Came From Canada compilation albums were released by Montreal's Og Music between 1985 and 1990. Showcasing (for the most part) indie, alternative and punk bands, these comps played a big role in establishing a countrywide music scene in Canada, and provided a number of influential bands (including Cowboy Junkies, Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet, The Gruesomes and Jerry Jerry & The Sons Of Rhythm Orchestra) with their first (relatively) wide exposure. Og folded in 1990, when the label's founders (Deja Voodoo's Gerard van Herk and Tony Dewald) turned 30 and left the music biz, and the It Came From Canada albums have never (to date) been reissued on CD.



Rock Island Line - Ray Condo & His Hardrock Goners

Ray Condo & His Hardrock Goners came together in Montreal in 1984. Known for their high-octane take on '50's country and rockabilly, The Goners consisted of Condo on vocals and acoustic guitar, Edgar Bridwell on fiddle, Clive Jackson on slap bass, Chris Dean on banjo, Eric Sandmark on electric guitar and Peter Sandmark on drums. This is their typically frenzied take on the country standard "Rock Island Line."

Yukon Buddy - Dusty Chaps

Edmonton's Dusty Chaps were drum-free country and western singers, and sounded (here I quote from the liner notes) "a bit like if Lorne Green or Sgt. Barry Sadler took MDA and sang about their dogs." The Chaps were "Reverend" Rollie Long (guitar), Mike Sinatra (guitar, vocals) and Dennis L (bass, vocals), and "Yukon Buddy" is a stirring paen to the bestest dog in Canada.

Surfin' On Heroin - Chris Houston

Chris Houston is best known as an early member of The Forgotten Rebels, arguably Canada's most infamous punk band. He also wrote one of their signature tunes, "Surfin' On Heroin," which he covers here in a bluesy, countrified version with a bit of jazz thrown in for good measure. Houston sings and plays bass, with Herb Spanier on trumpet, Jack deKeyzer on guitar and Terry Fury on drums.

For All I Care - The Gruesomes

Named after The Flintstones' Munster-like neighbours, Montreal's The Gruesomes (Bobby Beaton and Gerry Alvarez on guitar and vocals, John Davis on bass and vocals and Eric Davis on drums and vocals) were the city's "tyrants of teen trash" and part of a '60's revival scene that thrived there during the mid-'80's. "For All I Care" is three minutes of sneering garage rock, equal parts Dylan and The Stooges.

Antenna Dilemma - Terminal Sunglasses

Terminal Sunglasses, also from Montreal, were an "avant-garage" act made up of Lawrence Joseph on lead guitar, Chris Burns on vocals and rhythm guitar, Indrani Laroche on bass and Eric Altman on drums. The band's bio on the back cover states that they got their start backing up Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show before going on to "strongly influence" The Velvet Underground. This may or may not be true, but "Antenna Dilemma" (you can download the video, which was banned by MuchMusic, here) is a great mix of angular noise and goofy They Might be Giants-style novelty rock.

Note: These songs have been archived at It Came From Canada.