Tricky Woo was a Canadian
garage punk
A garage is a covered structure built for the purpose of parking, storing, protecting, maintaining, and/or repairing vehicles. Specific applications include:
*Garage (residential), a building or part of a building for storing one or more vehicle ...
band, based in
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-pea ...
. The "classic lineup" of the band consisted of vocalist and
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
ist Andrew Dickson, guitarist Adrian Popovich,
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
ist Eric Larock and
drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...
mer Patrick Conan. Tricky Woo released music on Sonic Unyon,
Estrus Records
Estrus Records is an independent record label from Bellingham, Washington that makes Surf music, surf, Garage rock, garage and trash rock music.
They have released such bands as Mono Men, The Drags, The Mummies, Supercharger, Impala (band), Impa ...
,
TeePee Records,
Triple X Records
Triple X Records was a Los Angeles-based record company started by three former employees of the bankrupt Greenworld Distribution: Dean Naleway, Peter Heur and Charley Brown.
The label was known for "a fearlessly eclectic catalogue that broke away ...
, Mag Wheel,
Yeah Right! Records
Yeah Right! Records is an independent record label based in London, Ontario
London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 ...
and
Last Gang.
According to
Julian Cope
Julian David Cope (born 21 October 1957) is an English musician and author. He was the singer and songwriter in Liverpool post-punk band the Teardrop Explodes and has followed a solo career since 1983 in addition to working on musical side proj ...
's
Head Heritage
Julian David Cope (born 21 October 1957) is an English musician and author. He was the singer and songwriter in Liverpool post-punk band the Teardrop Explodes and has followed a solo career since 1983 in addition to working on musical side proj ...
site: "Unfortunately, the band became the victim of bad timing. They were doing pure unadulterated
MC5
MC5, also commonly called The MC5, is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1963. The original line-up consisted of Rob Tyner (vocals) Wayne Kramer (guitar), Fred "Sonic" Smith (guitar), Michael Davis (bass), and Dennis ...
/
Stooges style rock a few years before the press in the U.K. gave attention to bands like
The Datsuns
The Datsuns are a hard rock band from Cambridge, New Zealand, formed in 1998. Founding mainstays are Rudolf "Dolf" de Borst on vocals and bass guitar, and Christian Livingstone and Phil Somervell, both on guitar. They have released seven albu ...
and
The Hives
The Hives are a Swedish rock band that rose to prominence in the early 2000s during the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of the album ''Veni Vidi Vicious'', containing the single "Hate to Say I Told You So". T ...
in the early 2000s."
History
Originally formed in 1996 by Andrew Dickson,
Sasha Roiz
Sasha Roiz ( he, סשה רויז; born October 21, 1973) is an Israeli-born Canadian actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Sam Adama in the science-fiction TV series ''Caprica'' and Captain Sean Renard in the American fantasy TV series ' ...
(drums)
and Jon Fazakerley (bass),
the band released their debut album ''Rock and Roll Music, Part 1'' in 1997
on
VICE Magazine's SSG Records.
Adrian Popovich soon joined on second guitar and Eric Larock took over bass duties for their follow up album ''The Enemy is Real''. Pat Conan replaced Roiz on the drums for the band's critically acclaimed third album ''Sometimes I Cry''.
In 1999 the band performed in Toronto with Danko Jones and The New Meanies.
"Live Reviews: PW Long / Flashing Lights / Don Caballero / The New Meanies / Danko Jones / Tricky Woo March 6, 1999 The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON"
''Chart Attack'', review by Vanessa Lewis Their 1999 album ''Sometimes I Cry'' was a nominee for Best Alternative Album at the Juno Awards of 2000
The Juno Awards of 2000 were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the weekend of 11–12 March 2000.
The primary ceremonies were hosted by The Moffatts at the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) on 12 March 2000 and broadcast on CBC Television. This ...
.
Their song "Easy" was featured in the ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
'' episode "The Zeppo
"The Zeppo" is episode thirteen of season three of '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer''. It was written by Dan Vebber, directed by James Whitmore, Jr., and first broadcast on January 26, 1999. Feeling left out by the gang, Xander ends up accompanying a ...
".
After recording a self-titled EP, Popovich left the band in 2000, and the band released the more southern rock-oriented ''Les Sables Magiques'' in 2001 before breaking up in 2002. The band members subsequently participated in a new project, Soft Canyon, which also included former members of Local Rabbits
Local Rabbits were a Canadian alternative rock band based in Montreal, Quebec, active in the 1990s and early 2000s. The band consisted of vocalists and guitarists Peter Elkas and Ben Gunning, bassist Ryan Myshrall and drummer Jay Tustin.
Backgro ...
.
Dickson, Popovich and Larock reunited with new drummer Sayers in 2004 for a cross-Canada tour, and the band followed up with the NWOBHM
The new wave of British heavy metal (commonly abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a nationwide musical movement that started in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Journalist Geoff Barton coined the term i ...
-inspired album ''First Blush'' in 2005, with Alex Crowe replacing Larock who then joined Starvin Hungry
Starvin Hungry was a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto and later based in Montreal, Quebec.
History
Starvin Hungry was initially begun as a solo guitar and vocal act by John Milchem in 1995, performing original songs that drew inspiration ...
. Tricky Woo was actively recording music through 2006, producing at least two songs, "Disenchanted Angel", and "Tighten the Noose", which would remain unreleased until 2015.
"Tighten the Noose" would end up being the last song ever recorded by Tricky Woo, as the band entered a period of inactivity during which time Dickson formed the band Mongrels.
The Firsh Blush lineup consisting of Dickson, Popovich, Crowe, and Sayers reunited for two performances at Calgary's Sled Island music festival in 2009.
A compilation of b-sides and rarities titled "The Children Of" was released on yellow vinyl by Yeah Right! Records in 2015.
On September 27th, 2018 "Sometimes I Cry" producer Ian Blurton
Ian Blurton (born 1965) is a Canadian musician and record producer.
Early life
He was born in Champaign, Illinois in 1965, and moved to Toronto in 1973.
Musical career
He has been a part of Toronto's indie music scene since the early 1980s. He ...
tweeted, "Had a great time last night doing a "Behind The Music" style doc for Tricky Woo Sometimes I Cry reissue that's coming down the pipeline." sparking rumours that a reissue would be released in 2019, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the record, however nothing surfaced.
In June 2020, a previously unreleased song titled "Who's Got The Bombs" was released on Yeah Right! Records' Black Lives Matter compilation. All proceeds from the release were donated to Black Lives Matter charities.
"Who's Got The Bombs" is one of the earliest recorded Tricky Woo songs, dating back to their rare 1996 demo tape.
On August 31st, 2021 a surprise announcement was made, that the bands first three albums, "Rock and Roll Music, Part One", "The Enemy is Real", and "Sometimes I Cry" were to be reissued on vinyl by Bonsound and Blow the Fuse, marking the first time their debut and sophomore albums would be issued on the format.
Several hours later, the trailer for the documentary Blurton had tweeted about in 2018 was released on YouTube. Along with Blurton, Sebastien Grainger
Sebastien Alexandre Grainger (born 11 April 1979) is a Canadian singer and musician, best known as drummer and singer of the alternative rock duo Death from Above and the singer and guitarist for his band Sebastien Grainger and The Mountains. H ...
and Jesse F. Keeler of the band Death From Above 1979
Death from Above 1979 (also known as Death from Above) is a Canadian rock duo consisting of bassist Jesse F. Keeler and drummer and vocalist Sebastien Grainger from Toronto, Ontario, formed in 2001. The band released their debut album, '' You're ...
will appear in the film, as well as Billy Talent
Billy Talent is a Canadian Rock music, rock band from Mississauga, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with lead vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D'Sa, bassist Jonathan Gallant, and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk. There have been no lineup change ...
guitarist Ian D'Sa
Ian D'Sa is a Canadian guitarist and producer best known as a member of the rock band Billy Talent.
Early life and career
Ian was born in the suburb of Southall, London. He is of Goan background. His family moved to Canada when he was three ...
, Danko Jones
Danko Jones is a Canadian hard rock trio from Toronto. The band consists of Danko Jones (vocals/guitar), John 'JC' Calabrese (bass), and Rich Knox (drums).[The Dears
The Dears are a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec. The band is led by the husband-and-wife duo of singer-guitarist Murray Lightburn and keyboardist Natalia Yanchak.
History
The band formed in 1995 and released their first album, ...]
' Murray Lightburn, and George Stroumboulopoulos
George Mark Paul Stroumboulopoulos (; Greek: Γεώργιος Μάρκος Παύλος Στρουμπουλόπουλος; born August 16, 1972) is a Canadian media personality. He is one of Canada's most popular broadcasters and best known as fo ...
.
Despite a promised release of October 2021, as of February 2022 the film remains unreleased.
Discography
* ''The Claw'' (1996, 7" EP, Mag Wheel Records)
* ''Rock and Roll Music, Part One'' (1997, CD, SSG Records)
* ''The Enemy is Real'' (1998, CD, Sonic Unyon Records
Sonic Unyon Recording Company is an independent record label based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Their former retail store was located on Wilson Street near James Street North. The label has put out releases by bands including Tristan Psioni ...
)
* ''Ten Tons'' (1999, 7" EP, Grenadine Records
Grenadine Records was an independent record label based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The music label was founded in 1997 by Eric Y. Lapointe and Alex Megelas who met at Bishop's University's radio station CJMQ-FM.
The label, initially named B ...
)
* ''Sometimes I Cry'' (1999, CD, Sonic Unyon Records
Sonic Unyon Recording Company is an independent record label based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Their former retail store was located on Wilson Street near James Street North. The label has put out releases by bands including Tristan Psioni ...
/LP No Tomorrow Records)
* ''Trouble/Rock & Roll Gypsy'' (2000, 7", Estrus Records
Estrus Records is an independent record label from Bellingham, Washington that makes Surf music, surf, Garage rock, garage and trash rock music.
They have released such bands as Mono Men, The Drags, The Mummies, Supercharger, Impala (band), Impa ...
)
* ''Tricky Woo'' (2000, 10" EP, Mag Wheel Records)
* ''Les Sables Magiques'' (2001, CD, Sonic Unyon Records
Sonic Unyon Recording Company is an independent record label based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Their former retail store was located on Wilson Street near James Street North. The label has put out releases by bands including Tristan Psioni ...
, TeePee Records)
* ''First Blush'' (2005, CD, Last Gang Records
Last Gang Records is a record label formed by Canadian music industry lawyer Chris Taylor (businessman), Chris Taylor and concert promoter Donald K. Tarlton in the Fall of 2003 at the Pop Montreal Music Festival. Last Gang was nominated as Indepe ...
)
* ''The Children of Tricky Woo'' (2015, Vinyl, Yeah Right! Records
Yeah Right! Records is an independent record label based in London, Ontario
London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 ...
)
See also
* List of garage rock bands
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tricky Woo
Musical groups established in 1996
Musical groups disestablished in 2002
Musical groups reestablished in 2004
Musical groups from Montreal
Canadian garage rock groups
English-language musical groups from Quebec
Canadian punk rock groups
Sonic Unyon artists