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Band: Nexus
Year: 1970
Style: local original rock music
Note: Popular local band of the time.
Members:
Mark Tremblay – Organ
Byron Stoehr – Bass
Raymond Violot – Vocals, Harmonica
Rick Chrysler – Drums
Tom Lockwood – Gibson Guitar
Article: Jan.31st 1970, By Doug Waite, CDN.
There’s a musical group in our town, which, if dedication and perseverance is any indication, will eventually make it to the top.
The Quintet comprised of Mark Tremblay – Organ, Byron Stoehr – Bass, Raymond Violot – Vocals, Harmonica, Rick Chrysler – Drums, Tom Lockwood – Gibson Guitar call themselves Nexus. This name of Latin origin means “bond and unity”.
And bond and unity is just what these young fellows have displayed in their endeavor to create a sound that will give Nexus an individuality instantly recognized as all their own.
They played at the Thames Theatre Laugh-In last Saturday night and judging by the number of people – young people in particular – who crowded into the art gallery to dance and listen to the style they are in the process of perfecting, is “going well”.
On January 31 The Nexus are producing their own concert and dance at the Thames Theatre. Three bands will be featured in the production. Besides The Nexus, the New Set will be there from London and another Chatham based group. Refugee will perform in addition to the concert, a dance will be held simultaneously in the art gallery for those who like to dance. According to the members of The Nexus the event will be the best of its kind ever held in the area.
The Nexus have an unusual history and many people would like to know why the group took steps to separate themselves from the outside world. In explanation it is interesting to know that the boys, about seven months ago, moved to the wide open spaces near Erieau and secured a big house where they could practice to their heart’s content without complaint from any unsympathetic public.
Actually, explained a spokesman for the group, the band had been together about 18 months. Most of that time was marked by doing other people’s songs with other people’s arrangements.
The spokesman said the band never had the time to develop anything substantial on their own because of commitments to school, jobs, and inadequate rehearsal facilities.
“Finally” he said, “in spite of these obstacles we arrived at a point where we either had to take the necessary steps to develop our own music or settle for another run-of-the-mill rock group”.
With this in mind four of the five members of the band severed practically all connections with “normal” school, work and social life in Chatham and moved to the house near Erieau. The other member, who was unable to come because of commitments at home, joins his confreres whenever possible.
There, with almost unlimited rehearsal time, they were finally able to concentrate on the music they wanted to produce. This explained the spokesman, involves more time than at first appears.
“To develop a band that is really distinctive,” he elaborated, “the members must not only be talented musically, they must be able to work together, sacrifice their own egos for the overall sound and have the insight to recognize the strength and weaknesses of the other members of the band and be able to compensate for them.”
While arrangements are, of course, part of the music the Nexus play, improvisation is the thing. That’s the most important part of their music.
The ability to create music and communicate emotions with ideas invented on the spur of the moment is a valuable gift and to all intents and purposes, the Nexus have made more than moderate success
Everything is not peaches and cream however, and to play music such as theirs the Nexus must have the perseverance to be able to accept the setbacks and criticisms that are part of the progress pattern.
The idea is not peculiar, but, according to the youthful spokesman, “No band in this area and very few in Canada have tried to carry the idea of musical improvisation and arranging to the extent we have.”
It is to their credit they have been able to go through many changes and still remain original membership.
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Chatham Music Archive 