Hokus Pick (or Hokus Pick ) was a
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music that features lyrics focusing on matters of Christian faith, often with an emphasis on Jesus, typically performed by self-proclaimed Christian individuals. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Ch ...
band that was together from 1989 to 1999.
[Hokus Pick interview (1998)](_blank)
at Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved September 3, 2009. The four members of Hokus Pick met in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
.
Hokus Pick was well known for their quirky sense of
humour
Humour (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humorism, humoral medicine of the ancient Gre ...
, using
sarcasm,
satire
Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming ...
, and general silliness to convey a deeper message.
Hokus Pick toured extensively in Canada and the United States. The band opened for
Steve Taylor
Roland Stephen Taylor (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, music executive, film maker, assistant professor, and actor. A figure in what has come to be known as Christian alternative rock, Taylor enjoyed ...
's ''Squinternational'' tour in 1994
and played in Costa Rica in May 1998. The group released their final album in 1999, opting to spend more time with their families after more than a decade of recording and touring together. They have remained active in music ministry and the industry.
The ''Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music'' cites their song "I'm So Happy" as possibly the worst
CCM song of all time.
The song is a satire of simplistic lyrics often heard on Christian radio.
Ironically, it received heavy rotation on Christian stations.
In October 2007 Hokus Pick received a
Lifetime Achievement Award from the
Canadian Gospel Music Association at the 29th Annual
Covenant Awards in Calgary, Alberta. Hokus Pick then performed live and hosted the 30th Annual Covenant Awards on October 24, 2008.
Rumours abounded that Hokus Pick was planning a comeback into music, after having been spotted in a secluded warehouse jamming together. Filmmaking company Transposition Films, composed of legendary members itself, avoided questions regarding their involvement in filming a documentary about the process.
Members
* Russ Smith – lead vocals, guitar
* Matt Pierrot – guitar, vocals
* Dave Strilchuk – bass guitar, vocals
* Rick Colhoun – drums, vocals
Discography
* ''Hokus Pick '' (independent) (1988)
* ''Hey Man!'' (independent) (1989)
* ''Pick It Up'' (1992, review)
* ''The Independents'' (1993)
* ''Brothers from Different Mothers'' (1994, review)
* ''Brothers From Different Mothers'' (video) (1994)
* ''Bookaboom'' (1995)
* ''The B-Sides'' (1996)
* ''Snappy'' (1997, reviews)
* ''Greatest Picks'' (1998)
* ''Super Duper'' (1999, reviews
)
Songs in other projects
* "We Are the People" on ''Believe It'', Various Artists (Revival, 1999)
* ''
GMA Canada presents 30th Anniversary Collection'', "I'm So Happy" (CMC, 2008)
Further reading
*
References
External links
Hokus Pick discographyat ''Jesus Freak Hideout''
*
{{Authority control
Musical groups established in 1988
Musical groups from Vancouver
Canadian Christian rock groups
1988 establishments in British Columbia