The Smugglers are a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
band from
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, ...
. The band consists of vocalist
Grant Lawrence
Grant Lawrence (born July 30, 1971) is a Canadian broadcaster, musician and writer based in Vancouver, primarily associated with CBC Music and CBC Radio 3. Lawrence was also the vocalist for the indie rock group The Smugglers.Michael Barclay, Ian ...
, guitarists Nick Thomas and David Carswell, bassist Kevin "Beez" Beesley and drummer Graham Watson.
["Kings of the Party"]
''Soulshine'', May 20, 2004. Past members include Paul Preminger (drums, 1988-1991), Adam Woodall (harmonica and guitar, 1988-1990), Bryce Dunn (drums, 1991-1998), Danny Fazio (drums, 1997) and
John Collins (bass, 1997).
History
The Smugglers formed in 1988 when Lawrence, Carswell, Thomas, Woodall and Preminger were students at Vancouver's Hillside Secondary School.
["The Smugglers"]
''AllMusic'' biography by Jason Ankeny They started by playing covers of then popular songs at local events and venues, and went on a short tour to Alberta and Saskatchewan during March Break week.
["The Smugglers return to Amigos to help celebrate Saskatoon club's 30th anniversary"]
''CBC News'', Nov 24, 2018 The band's name was suggested by their friend and high school classmate Nardwuar the Human Serviette.
Over the course of their career, the band released material on a variety of record labels, including Nardwuar Records,
PopLlama, Radiation,
Mint
MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating system kernel for the Atari ST system and its successors. It is a multi-tasking alternative to TOS and MagiC. Together with the free system components fVDI device drivers, XaA ...
and
Lookout
A lookout or look-out is a person in charge of the observation of hazards. The term originally comes from a naval background, where lookouts would watch for other ships, land, and various dangers. The term has now passed into wider parlance.
...
.
In 1996, the Smugglers released their most successful album, ''
Selling the Sizzle!'', recorded at Sonic Iguana in Lafayette, Indiana, and produced by Mass Giorgini. It was the Smugglers first full-length release on Lookout Records.
In 1998 the band released a 10th anniversary album of live recordings, ''Growing Up Smuggler''. Soon after, Dunn left the band, and was replaced as drummer by Watson.
[
In 1999 the band performed in Toronto in support of their album ''Rosie''. A world tour for "Rosie" followed, taking the Smugglers across the USA with the Donnas, and then on their own tours to Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
Lawrence was also a frequent contributor to the ]CBC Radio 2
CBC Music (formerly known as CBC FM, CBC Stereo and CBC Radio 2) is a Canadian FM radio network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It used to concentrate on classical and jazz. In 2007 and 2008, the network transitioned towards a ...
programs ''Night Lines
''Night Lines'' was a Canadian radio series, which aired on CBC Stereo from 1984 to 1997.Michael Barclay, Ian A.D. Jack and Jason Schneider, '' Have Not Been the Same: The Can-Rock Renaissance 1985-1995''. ECW Press. . The show, which aired on Fr ...
'' and ''RadioSonic
''RadioSonic'' was a Canadian radio program, which aired on CBC Radio 2 from 1997 to 2003.Michael Barclay, Ian A.D. Jack and Jason Schneider, '' Have Not Been the Same: The Can-Rock Renaissance 1985-1995''. ECW Press. .
''RadioSonic'', which aired ...
'', recording audio diaries of his experiences on tour with the band;[Michael Barclay, Ian A.D. Jack and Jason Schneider, '' Have Not Been the Same: The Can-Rock Renaissance 1985-1995''. ]ECW Press
ECW Press is a Canadian book publisher located in Toronto, Ontario. It was founded by Jack David and Robert Lecker in 1974 as a Canadian literary magazine named ''Essays on Canadian Writing''. They started publishing trade and scholarly book ...
. . he became the host of ''RadioSonic'' in 2001.
The band continued performing their high energy live shows, and in 2004 released a CD, ''Mutiny in Stereo''.
After 2004 the band went into hiatus. Lawrence remains with the CBC as a host on CBC Radio
CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...
,[ Beesley was a co-owner of ]Mint Records Mint Records is a Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based independent record label founded in 1991, by friends and campus radio enthusiasts Randy Iwata and Bill Baker. Mint has put out over 150 releases, several of which have won Juno Awards.
His ...
, and Carswell and Collins are partners in JCDC, a recording studio in Vancouver. Carswell is a current member of Destroyer, and Thomas has gone on to play in similarly minded Vancouver garage-punk bands like the Vicious Cycles and the Tranzmitors.
In 2017, Lawrence published an award-winning memoir, ''Dirty Windshields'', based on the diaries he kept of the band's activities."Smugglers singer Grant Lawrence turned tour diaries into funny and poignant Dirty Windshields"
''Georgia Straight'', by Mike Usinger on May 11th, 2017 The Smugglers reformed for a series of reunion shows in Berkeley, Toronto, Ottawa, Seattle, and Vancouver, including one in Saskatoon at the Amigos, where they performed on their first tour.
The Smugglers reunion show in Vancouver in May 2017 was also notably the final live performance of the Muffs.
Discography
Albums
* 1991: ''At Marineland'' (Nardwuar
John Ruskin (born July 5, 1968), better known as Nardwuar, or Nardwuar the Human Serviette, is a Canadian interviewer and musician from Vancouver, British Columbia.Doug Ward, "Trudeau rolled by Human Serviette", ''Vancouver Sun'', November 17, 1 ...
)
* 1992: ''Atlanta Whiskey Flats'' (PopLlama)
* 1993: ''In the Hall of Fame - All Time Great Golds'' (PopLlama)
* 1994: ''Wet Pants Club'' (Radiation)
* 1996: '' Selling the Sizzle!'' (Mint/Lookout)
* 1998: ''Growing Up Smuggler'' (Mint/Lookout, live, 10th anniversary)
* 2000: ''Rosie'' (Mint/Lookout)
* 2004: ''Mutiny in Stereo'' (Mint/Lookout/Screaming Apple)
EPs
* 1993: ''Wet Pants Club'' (Radiation, mini-LP)
* 1995: ''Senor Pantsdown'' (Rock and Roll Inc., EP)
* 1997: ''Buddy Holly Convention'' (Mint/Lookout, EP)
Singles
* 1990: "Up and Down" (Nardwuar, 7-inch)
* 1992: "At Germany" (Screaming Apple, 7-inch)
* 1994: "Gotta Gotta Gotta" (For Monsters, 7-inch, split with Hoods)
* 1994: "Party Party Party Pooper!" (Mint, 7-inch, 5 different covers)
* 1994: "Tattoo Dave" (Top Drawer, 7-inch, split with Bum)
* 1995: "Talkin 'bout You" (Pin Up, 7-inch)
* 1995: "Whiplash!" (1+2)
* 1996: "Summer Games" (Mint/Lookout, split with Hi-Fives
The Hi-Fives are an American rock music, rock band from the San Francisco Bay Area.
History
The band was formed in 1994 after drummer Al Sobrante (John Kiffmeyer) left the previous incarnations, The Ne'er Do Wells and Thee Shatners. Sobrante was ...
)
* 2001: "Smugglers/Mach Pelican" (Corduroy, split 7-inch)
* 2002: "Useless Rocker" (Supersonicrefridge, 7-inch picture disc)
Tracks on compilations
* 1989: "Revenge", ''Oh God, My Mom's on Channel Ten!''
* 1992: "Shes Got Everything", ''Clam Chowder and Ice Versus Big Macs and Bombers''
* 1995: "Amnesia", ''13 Soda Punx'' (Top Drawer/Munster)
* 1995: "Stop! Look! Listen!", ''Skookum Chief Powered Teenaged Zit Rock Angst'' (Nardwuar)
* 1995: "Supercar", ''R.A.F.R.'' (RAFR/Flipside)
* 1995: "What Do You Want Me To Do", ''Oh Canaduh'' (Lance Rock)
* 1995: "Whatd I Do Wrong", ''Upsalapalooza'' (WFMU, live track)
* 1996: "B.A.B.E.", ''En Guard for Thee'' (Au Go Go)
* 1996: "Especially You" and "Elite Manilla", ''Heide Sez'' (Lookout)
* 1996: "She's A Runaround", ''Here Comes the Summer: A Tribute to the Undertones'' (Squaretarget)
* 1996: "To Serve, Protect And Entertain", "She Ain't No Egyptian" and "Barkerville", ''Team Mint'' (Mint)
* 1997: "Cans Of Love", ''You're Only As Good As the Last Thing You Did'' (Lookout)
* 1997: "Keep On" and "Rock With The Smugglers Tonight!", ''More Bounce to the Ounce'' (Lookout)
* 1997: "Rock 'n' Roll Was Never This Fun", ''All Punk Rods Gearhead magazine'' (Gearhead/Lookout)
* 2000: "Alan Thicke", ''My So Called Punk Rock Life'' (Melted)
* 2000: "Flying Buttress Of Love", ''Lookout! Freakout'' (Lookout)
* 2001: "Buddy Holly Convention", "Rosie", "Rock n’ Roll Was Never This Fun", ''Team Mint 2'' (Mint)
* 2003: "Larry Where Are You", ''Lookout Freakout 3'' (Lookout)
* 2006: "B.A.B.E.", ''Mint Records Presents the CBC Radio 3 Sessions
''Mint Records Presents the CBC Radio 3 Sessions'' is a compilation album featuring live sessions from Canada's CBC Radio 3 network, as well as some from the 1990s CBC Radio 2 programs ''Night Lines'' and ''RadioSonic'' (programs which evolved i ...
'' (Mint)
References
External links
The Smugglers
at Mint Records Mint Records is a Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based independent record label founded in 1991, by friends and campus radio enthusiasts Randy Iwata and Bill Baker. Mint has put out over 150 releases, several of which have won Juno Awards.
His ...
.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smugglers, The
Musical groups established in 1988
Musical groups from Vancouver
Canadian indie rock groups
Mint Records artists
PopLlama Records artists
1988 establishments in British Columbia