The Nils are a
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
punk rock band formed in 1978 by
Alex Soria.
The Nils first gained local notoriety upon the 1982 release of a five-song demo entitled ''Now''. Their self-titled debut album was released to critical acclaim in 1987, and earned praise from
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
and contemporary punk rock bands, including
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü () was an American punk rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist/vocalist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. They first gained notabili ...
. The Nils disbanded and reformed on various occasions in the 1990s and early 2000s, until the death of Alex Soria in 2004. In 2010 Carlos Soria reformed the band, and in 2015 The Nils released ''Shadows and Ghosts'', their first album of new material in over 25 years.
Early Days
The Nils were formed in 1978 by
Alex Soria, only 12 years old at the time, and his older brother Carlos Soria. Carlos had become curious about the Montreal punk rock scene, and after bringing home albums by the
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
,
The Clash
The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...
, and
The Damned, the brothers decided to form their own punk band.
The Nils' first release was a five-song demo cassette in 1982, entitled ''Now''. In 1983, The Nils opened for both the
Ramones
The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
and
X for their Montreal dates at the
Spectrum
A spectrum (plural ''spectra'' or ''spectrums'') is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary, without gaps, across a continuum. The word was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of colors i ...
. Later that year, word about the Nils had spread to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, and
BYO Records
Better Youth Organization Records (BYO) is a Los Angeles, California based independent punk rock record label created by Shawn and Mark Stern, two of the three brothers of the California punk rock band Youth Brigade (the third being Adam Stern w ...
invited the group to contribute the track "Scratches and Needles" to the compilation album ''Something to Believe In''. In 1984, The Nils contributed "Call of the Wild" to ''Primitive Air Raid'', a compilation album of the early-80s Montreal punk scene.
Psyche Industry Records
Psyche Industry Records was the leading alternative, punk and hardcore independent record label in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the beginning of the 80's. The music label was established in 1984 on Cartier Street by show promoter Dan Webster and Ra ...
, the independent label that released ''Primitive Air Raid'', released The Nils' EP ''Sell Out Young!'' in 1985, and a second EP, ''Paisley'', was issued by Siegfried Records in 1986. The critical praise for the two EPs caught the attention of the hip-hop label
Profile Records
Profile Records was one of the earliest hip hop labels. As well as hip-hop they released disco, dance, and electro records.
History
In 1980, Cory Robbins, who was 23 at the time and had worked briefly for MCA, wanted to start a record label. ...
, who approached the band to sign with their subsidiary, Rock Hotel Records.
Success
In 1987, the Nils signed a lengthy record deal with Rock Hotel Records, who had recently signed other punk acts like
D.O.A.
DOA may refer to:
* Dead on arrival
* Dead or Alive (disambiguation)
Film
* ''D.O.A.'' (1949 film), a ''film noir''
* ''D.O.A.'' (1988 film), a remake of the 1949 film
* '' D.O.A.: A Rite of Passage'' (1980 film), a documentary on the gene ...
and
Cro-Mags
Cro-Mags are an American hardcore punk band from New York City. The band, which has a strong cult following, has released six studio albums, with the first two considered the most influential. With a Hare Krishna background, they were among th ...
. "In the contract with Rock Hotel, we were signed for seven albums and two options," said Carlos Soria.
"At the time it sounded like a great deal. It was almost a major, which a lot of bands were starting to sign with." The Nils, the group's first full-length album, was recorded at
Chung King Studios
Chung King Studios was a recording studio that operated in New York City under that name from 1986 to 2015. It was founded by producer John King and engineer Steve Ett with financial backing from the Etches brothers, occupying three different locat ...
in Manhattan, and was produced by
Chris Spedding
Christopher John Spedding (born Peter Robinson, 17 June 1944) is an English musician, singer, guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and record producer. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Spedding is best known for his st ...
, who had previously recorded the
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
.
''The Nils'' was distributed in the United States by
Profile Records
Profile Records was one of the earliest hip hop labels. As well as hip-hop they released disco, dance, and electro records.
History
In 1980, Cory Robbins, who was 23 at the time and had worked briefly for MCA, wanted to start a record label. ...
, one of the leading
hip-hop labels of the day. The album was acclaimed by critics, and rose to number eight on
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
's College Music chart, while artists such as
Bob Mould
Robert Arthur Mould (born October 16, 1960) is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.
Early years
Born in Malone, ...
, the
Meat Puppets
Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood (guitar/vocals), his brother Cris Kirkwood (bass guitar/vocals), and Derrick Bostrom (drums). The Kirkwood brothers ...
, and
Superchunk
Superchunk is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, consisting of singer-guitarist Mac McCaughan, guitarist Jim Wilbur, bassist Laura Ballance, and drummer Jon Wurster. Formed in 1989, they were one of the ...
were singing The Nils’ praises.
Despite the positive reviews and chart success, Rock Hotel Records did not support the album release with a significant budget for music videos or touring. "Instead of helping us, everything was a problem: from getting support to tour to getting money for a video," said Carlos Soria.
"And yet we were dominating the U.S. college charts and the reviews were amazing. But this record company ruined our career."
John Kastner
Jean-Guy "John" Kastner (born 12 August 1969) is a Canadian musician and composer born in Beaconsfield, Quebec. He is the singer for Montreal hardcore punk band the Asexuals as well as singer-guitarist for Montreal alternative band Doughboys an ...
of the
Doughboys
Doughboy was a popular nickname for the American infantryman during World War I. Though the origins of the term are not certain, the nickname was still in use as of the early 1940s. Examples include the 1942 song "Johnny Doughboy Found a Rose in ...
and
Asexuals has lamented that if the Nils had been from the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, they "probably would have been as big and influential as
The Replacements were."
Break Up
The Nils were halfway through a North American tour and writing material for their second album when Rock Hotel ran into serious financial problems and folded in 1988. While in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
, the band abruptly received notice that the rest of the tour was cancelled due to the bankruptcy of
Profile Records
Profile Records was one of the earliest hip hop labels. As well as hip-hop they released disco, dance, and electro records.
History
In 1980, Cory Robbins, who was 23 at the time and had worked briefly for MCA, wanted to start a record label. ...
. Although the label was bankrupt, The Nils could not release new material under their own name for another four years or sign with a different label. Without financial resources to tour and record The Nils splintered, with Carlos Soria leaving Montreal for California and
Alex Soria launching a new band, Los Patos and Chino. With The Nils on a forced hiatus, Alex began working menial jobs and playing occasional solo shows around Montreal.
Reunion
In 1992, free from their contract with
Profile Records
Profile Records was one of the earliest hip hop labels. As well as hip-hop they released disco, dance, and electro records.
History
In 1980, Cory Robbins, who was 23 at the time and had worked briefly for MCA, wanted to start a record label. ...
, Alex and Carlos re-formed The Nils, but after recording a handful of demos and some live work, the band stalled again in 1994. During this time, Alex accepted an offer to release a Nils a retrospective compilation by Woody Whelan of Mag Wheel records. The release was entitled ''Green Fields in Daylight''.
Alex Soria launched a new band, Chino, featuring Mark Donato (currently of The Nils). They released ''Mala Leche'', a collection of previously unrecorded Nils tracks and some new material before breaking up in 2002. After the demise of Chino, Alex, Carlos, and Mark revived The Nils again in 2003 and began writing new material. On December 13, 2004 the band halted when Alex tragically took his own life on a train track near his home.
In 2010, The Nils reformed with Carlos taking over from his brother on lead vocals. "It was hard because Alex wasn’t around, but at the same time it was my way to keep Alex around," said Carlos Soria.
"It was also hard because I didn't know how to be a lead singer." In 2015, The Nils released ''Shadows and Ghosts'', their first album of new material in 25 years. The album was critically acclaimed, receiving significant radio play and was followed up by high-profile performances, including at the
Amnesia Rockfest
Montebello Rock, formerly known as Amnesia Rockfest and Montebello Rockfest, is an annual outdoor Rock festival that takes place each June in Montebello, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 2005 by then 17-year-old local resident Alex Martel, it became ...
. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of ''The Nils'', the album was reissued in 2017 by Label Obscura.
Lineup
;Present
* Carlos Soria, Bass and Vocals
* Mark Donato, Guitars and Vocals
* Phil "Gravedigger" Psarakos, Guitars
* Emilien Catalano, Drums
;Past
* Alex Soria, Vocals and guitar
* Chico Fit, Bass
* Guy Caron, Bass
* Terry Lee Toner, Drums
* Eloi Bertholet, Drums
* Jean Lortie, Drums
* Yvan Doroshuk, Keyboards
* Colin Burnett, Drums
* Lonnie James, Drums
Discography
;LPs
* The Nils, Profile Records, 1987.
* It must be something, Real Big North Records, 2009.
* The title is the secret song, Real Big North Records, 2009.
* Shadows and Ghosts, 2015.
* Brand New Waves Session, Artoffact Records, 2017.
;EPs
* Now!, 1982.
* Sell out young, Psyche Industry Records, 1985.
* Paysley, Siegfried Records, 1986.
;Compilations
* Green Fields in Daylight, Mag Wheel Records, 1996.
References
External links
The Nils, Official WebsiteNow Toronto: ''Nils Part Two''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nils, The
Musical groups established in 1978
Musical groups disestablished in 1994
Musical groups from Montreal
Canadian punk rock groups