Soul Kitchen

Band: Soul Kitchen
Home: Chatham
Circa: 1994
Genre: Rock cover band

Members:
Dan Holland –
Jason Moskaluk – Guitar
Scott Campbell – Vocals
Jay Myers –
Murray McCullough – Bass

Photo from: Comber Koa
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Lesser Known 1994 Demo

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Band: Lesser Known
Release: Bring an Open Mind
Year: 1994
Genre: Metal
Home: Tilbury Ontario
Format: CD Demo

Members:
Mike Davidson (Spaz) – Vocals
Cory Chauvin – Guitars
J.P. Caza – Guitar
Roger Beaudry – Bass
Paul Turgeon – Drums

Notes: Lesser Known was heading into the direction of Metal with strong hints of rap induced play. All bands could learn a thing or two about presentation from them. They were probably the best run indie band in Canada. Do It Yourself motto in full swing with great posters, band fanzines, website and studio blogs, posters, merch, media, great production, you name it. They had all that perfected 10 years before anyone else could spell check their own bio.
Back in the day, Spaz was a leading force with his emotional stage presence, sucking you in to the secret circle that was the Lesser Known Zone. He had mastered this with his previous band D.N.A. which also included some members from the current band.

Tracks:
01. Prestus Recordus
02. Weak Like You
03. Wa Zup
04. My Time
05. Come… In With The Dead
06. Sweat On Command
07. Freestyle Dis
08. Shattered Fantasy
09. Looking In My Brain
10. Getting Into It
11. Bring An Open Mind

Produced by Ron Skinner & Lesser Known

Click video below to hear samples from this demo.

If video does not appear, watch it here.

Ronnie Fray Band 1994

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Band: The Ronnie Fray Band
CD Release: Progressively Basic
Year: 1994
Genre: Country
Full Name: Ronnie Fray and the Panama Bandits.
Home: Sarnia

Chatham Connection: Tony Bandoni

  Tony Bandoni is fret board rippin’ lead guitarist. Being one of Canada’s hottest lead players, Tony has been nominated as Canada’s instrumentalist of the year on three separate occasions. His portfolio includes Michelle Wright, ‘Harvest’, and ‘Deborah Laurie and the Marble Heart Station Band’.

CD performance Notes:
Gary McCracken – drums
Tony Bandoni – guitars
Jim Lewis – bass
Al Weiss – saxophone
Michael “Woody” Woodhull – dobro guitar
“Dusty” Dale Thomas – electric guitar
Dale Rivard – pedal steel guitar
Gregg Chad and George Webber – keyboards
Billy Heater – harmony vocals.

Track Listing
1. Goin To New York (3:18)
2. I Thought About It (1:58)
3. So Goes Another Day (2:32)
4. Cedar Hills (2:40)
5. Louisiana Women (3:42)
6. Josie Anna Pine (1:52)
7. 53 Buick Blooze (4:39)
8. Dancing With Molly (4:09)
9. Life Gets Tedious (2:41)
10. A Yodeling Song (2:14)

Below is a video of  Tony’s great guitar talent. This video is from circa 2007.

If video does not appear, watch it here.

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Melody Ramblers Retire

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Melody Ramblers Retire

Band: Melody Ramblers
Home: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada
Year: 1994
Original line up formed in 1953
Style: Country Music

Line-Up
Rene Brosseau – Steel Guitar, Vocals
Dan St. Pierre – Lead Guitar
Larry St. Pierre – Drums
‘Gene’ Eugene Beaulieu – Bass, Vocals
Wendy Jenkins – Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Mark Buckwheat – Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

  The above photo was the last night they performed.  The Ramblers band officially retired …Dec 31 1994

  Who would have thought when Sherley St. Pierre and his wife Theresa formed a small country music band “The Melody Ramblers” in 1953, they started a country music tradition.

A Step Further Into The Blues

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Band: A Step Further Into The Blues
Circa: 1994
Home: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada

Members (L-R)
Jacek Marzalek – Bass, Vocals
Jeff Mifflin – Guitar, Vocals
Ray Whaling – Guitar, Vocals
Brent Delyzer – Drums

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Presto, The Rush Tribute Band (1994)

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Band: Presto
Circa: 1994
Style: Rush Tribute Band
Home: Chatham Kent Ontario

Members: (L-R)
Andy Vangaelen – Guitar
Ron McLaughlin – Bass, Keyboards, Vocal
Barry Coleman – Drums

Notes: The legendary Aberdeen hotel in Chatham is where this went down in true rock and roll fashion. I was in a band with drummer Barry’s brother in 1990, and I enjoyed going to hang out at his house. In the basement was where his drums were set up. Barry would come down and play the drums by himself for an hour as we watched him work his magic. Allot of talent in this band and it was always a good time to see them play live at the Ab.

If any info/spelling of names are incorrect, feel free to leave a reply below.

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The Shoeflies (1994)

Shoeflies 1996

 

Band: The Shoeflies
Music Release: Three Chords and the Truth
Home: Chatham and area.
Style: Christian Music
Year: 1994

  During the summer of 1994, The Shoeflies returned to Mud Creek studios to work with producer Greg Sabitz to record their first full-length album, Three Chords And The Truth. While Richard DeJonge played keyboards and Cory Dawe played electric and acoustic guitars on the recording, session musicians were brought in for the bass and drums. Of note, Richard’s brother David DeJonge (who was playing in the Toronto indie-band Janus at the time) made his debut with the Shoeflies on this project adding vocal harmonies. The album was much more serious than the 12-song recording 2 years prior, and had more of a Christian rock influence. This influence lead to an opening of a door into the Ontario Christian Rock scene, where the band became a household name for many years, and garnering radio airplay on Christian radio stations in Ontario, as well as other parts of the country.

   Shortly after the break-up of Janus in March 1995, David DeJonge (vocals/guitars) officially joined The Shoeflies. The addition of David to The Shoeflies had an immeasurable impact on the band as he brought strong songwriting and performance skills, a second lead vocalist role, plus adding vocal harmonies. The Shoeflies, now a trio, played a series of summer events culminating with the annual Rhubarb Festival in Sheddon, Ontario.

 
   The Shoeflies in 1996.With a desire to move into a more band-oriented direction, The Shoeflies relocated to Toronto, Ontario and added former Janus drummer Clark Allore and bass player Chris Brownrigg in January 1996. This band line-up played a series of shows throughout Ontario during the balance of 1996. The shows at this time were a mix of bar gigs, as well as Christian shows. Since The Shoeflies’ brand of Christian Rock music is much more subtle than mainstream Christian Rock acts, they were able to play in both music scenes without having to vastly change their song selection in their live shows. But while the band enjoyed various degrees of success as a cross-over act, there were rare moments of criticism from the Christian audience for “not being Christian enough” (the name “Jesus” only appears in one song in their entire catalog), or in one instance, they were told that they “can’t serve two masters”, perhaps suggesting The Shoeflies were hypocritical for engaging in both music scenes.
Notes from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shoeflies#Discography

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Ian And Sylvia – Long, Long Time (1994)

Artist: Ian And Sylvia
Release: Long, Long Time
Date: 1994
Sylvia is from Chatham. Born Sylvia Fricker.

  This is a compilation of songs from the five albums Ian & Sylvia recorded after they left Vanguard.

1. Hang on to a Dream
2. You Were on My Mind
3. Summer Wages
4. Lovin’ Sound
5. Stories He’d Tell
6. Trucker’s Cafe
7. Here’s to You
8. Reason to Believe
9. Joshua
10. Long Long Time to Get Old
11. Big River
12. Salmon in the Sea
13. Last Lonely Eagle
14. Crazy Arms
15. Windy Weather
16. Tears of Rage

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Square Root Of Margaret – Casual Man-Slayer (1994)

Artist: Square Root Of Margaret
Home: Chatham
Release Title: Casual Man-Slayer  (Cassette Only)
Music Style: hippy-surf-acid rock
Released: 1994
Formed: Oct. 1992
Disbanded: Oct. 2012.

Musicians:
Bryan Cadotte – guitar, vocals
Dennis Reisner – Bass
Todd Clarke – Drums

Track Listing.
1. Angry Sex Meat
2. You’ll Never Get Out Of Your Diapers If You Don’t Stop Shiting
3. White Sox
4. Population Party for 2
5. Lusty Shadows

I love this band. Josh was my neighbor, Po played with me in my first band, & Dennis jammed on bass with us in the early days. All this happened before S.R.O.M. met.
S.R.O.M. were a cult in themselves and it was like the inner circle wished the world away. They remain to be one of the longest running bands from Chatham still in 2009 when this little edit was written.  These guys have plenty of hidden gems in their massive catalogue so it is worth poking through it,.

Listen to them here, here, or there.
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Whaling (1994)

Artist : Whaling
Home : Chatham
Release Title : 3 Pieces
Music Style : Classic Guitar Rock (70’s Influenced)
Date : 1994    (no date on inlay, but I believe it was between 1992-94)

Musicians :
Ray Whaling – Lead Vocals, Guitars
Terry Allen – Drums, Backing Vocals
Dan Beaulieu – Bass, Backing Vocals

The Demo :
Recorded @ Rick Neufelds place on 8 track, Wallaceburg Ontario.
Whaling is a veteran of the local music scene & brings his music inspired by the guitar legends of the 70’s. This demo show cases these influences in a perfect way with Ray’s own twist of originality and unbelievable passion for playing.
 During this era (90’s) The whaling went through several line-up changes, the band played originals, did the tribute band to Guitar legends, did an amazing Neil Young, & even did solo 1 man acoustic shows in pubs through out the area.

Additional Musicians : Jeff Mifflin – Slide Guitar, Rick Neufeld – Percussion & harmony , Rick Murphy – Keys
Track Listing.
Side A : Reason Why, Empty Blue Box, Strange Attraction, Little Girl World
Side B : Change Of Times, Cryin Over You, Fools Game, Girl Next Door, Island

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Michelle Wright – The Reasons Why (1994)

Artist: Michelle Wright
Release : The Reasons Why  ( Arista/BMG )
Year: 1994
Genre: Country music
Home: Originally from Merlin/Chatham-Kent.

The Scoop:
* This record went Platinum in Canada, She has toured extensively for the past 4 years in Canada, U.S. and Europe;
* Hon. Chairperson, Operation C.T. Scan St. Joseph’s Hosp. (Chatham, Ont.)
* 1993; Awards: Acad. of Country Music: Top New Female Vocalist 1992; Big Country Awards (RPM Mag.):
* Top Female Vocalist 1989, ’91, ’92, ’93, ’94, ’95,
* Artist of the Year 1991, ’93, Top Country Album 1993, Top Country Single 1993; Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA): * Entertainer of the Year 1993, 1995; Female Vocalist of the Year 1990, ’91, ’92, ’93, Single of the Year 1991, ’92, ’93,
* Album of the Year 1991, Video of the Year 1992, ’93, Country Music Person of the Year 1992;
* Juno Award: Country Female Vocalist of the Year 1993; has had 2 TV specials;
* awarded Commemorative Medal for 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada 1993; Nashville, Tenn. 37203.
* In 1994, came “The Reasons Why.” The opening single, “One Good Man,” only reached number 48. Arista decided to delay the album in hopes of creating some momentum.

Track Listing.
One Good Man  – Steve Bogard, Rick Giles
Safe in the Arms of Love –  Pat Bunch, Mary Ann Kennedy, Paam Rose
We’ve Tried Everything Else –  Bob DiPiero, Steve Seskin, Pam Tillis
Cold Kisses  – Chapin Hartford, Pam Tillis
The Reasons Why I’m Gone –  Chuck Cannon, Gary Loyd
Try Getting Over You – Paul Nelson, Craig Wiseman
Where Do We Go From Here  – Jill Colucci, Randy Sharp, Michelle Wright
Tell Me More  – Chuck Jones, Cactus Moser
The Wall – Steve Bogard, Rick Giles
The Old Song and Dance –  Laying Martime,Jr., Kent Robbins
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* Watch the CD Preview below.

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