NO MORE

No More were a hardcore band from Hampton, New Brunswick in the early 1990's. I first heard them on a compilation cassette from Saint John, NB called No In-City Venue. They stood out on the comp for sounding much more on the hardcore side of things, rather than punk, which was very unusual in Atlantic Canada at the time. Until recently, I had never heard any other songs by them, but then I tracked down their demo tape from 1993 and posted it on YouTube. Then I found out about a second demo also from 1993 titled "Within" that I'll be posting for the first time today. I found out they played in Halifax and somehow I missed the show! I tracked down their singer Mark in Jan 2025 for this brief interview. You can also find all their recorded material on their Bandcamp HERE! 

Band pic from the early 90's

When did NO MORE start and who was in it?  Had any of you been in bands previous to this?

We started jamming as a group of friends in middle school in 1989/90 figuring out our instruments, piecing together a drum kit, finding a basement where we could jam, locating amps and microphones.  We would have various friends coming and going as the singer, bass player, guitar player at these sessions until we could really find out who was serious and could play as well. The band NO MORE was formed from this after school jam sessions in 1990/91 when we were 15 years old. The initial line up consisted of myself: Mark Marshall, vocals, Trevor Richard, guitar, Keith Whalen, bass guitar and Craig Jardine on drums. Chris Moore, who was 3 years older, had a driver’s license, access to a station wagon for gear, and could really play, joined the group as a second guitarist in 1993. No member of the band had really played with any other bands before we started NO MORE.  

You recorded 2 demo tapes.  Could you talk more about recording them.  How many copies did you make?

The first demo tape we recorded in 1992 when we finally had enough original material and a solid set to play live. We paid $50 to track the 8 songs on a 4-track recorder in the basement of engineer Rob Lavigne, who owned his own place at the time. It was cool to be able to sit around and drink a few beers and play some hardcore without worrying about one of the guy’s parents walking in on us.  Sounds funny now, but it was liberating feeling as a 16-year-old at the time. We laid down all the instruments live and overdubbed the vocals afterwards.  

The first demo, recorded in 1992, but released in 1993.

We recorded the second demo in 1993 after we added Chris as a second guitarist and had a new block of original songs. These recordings sound much better as engineer now had an 8-track recorder and we were able to separate the mixes a bit, plus we were also a better live band at that point as well. I don’t recall too much of this session other than we laid the musical tracks first and I cut class in grade 11 to record the vocals, as the engineer was working shift work and school day was the only time he was available.  

I think we made about 30 copies of the first demo and 50 copies of the second demo. I would make the demo from my Sony tape to tape component.  

Within demo tape from 1993

Did you ever play shows outside of New Brunswick? 

I also recall playing in Halifax at a venue on Barrington Street in Halifax called Café Ole.  I do not recall the other bands on the bill but we have a few pictures of the gig. I remember setting up and then sitting in the grass on Citadel Hill drinking a few beer in the dark before the show started. We had 5 guys loaded in a station wagon with all our gear for the trip to Nova Scotia. It was a tight squeeze, but I do recall it being a ton of fun.  

Flier from Sept 10, 1993 at Cafe Ole in Halifax!

I do remember our moms having a meeting to discuss if they were going to allow us to drive down and play the gig.  Five moms sitting around the kitchen table drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes debating if they should let their punk teens pile into a station wagon to play a hardcore show in a city 5 hours from their hometown. Of course they let us! 

Live at Cafe Ole in Halifax. Diggin that Gorilla Biscuits shirt!

Can you talk more about the scene in Hampton?  What was it about Hampton that there were so many bands from there, and not from right in Saint John? 

The scene in Hampton was fun.  All the kids in the area attended the same middle school and high school, and there was a big crowd of kids who were skaters (me included), listened to thrash metal or early Metallica, punk and hardcore music.  Any time there was an all-ages show most everyone attended. Bands like the Scapegoats, White Minority, NFA, Dead Corps, Lizard, anytime they would perform everyone would come out to support. Everyone wanted to be at the show and/or a part of the show, so bands started to pop up in Hampton, including No More, Unorthodox, Stay, and NYD.  Hampton seemed to be a breeding ground for punk/rock bands – we were all just having a blast hanging out and playing music.  

Flier from July 2, 1992 in Hampton, NB opening up for Random Killing

Most bands from New Brunswick were very punk influenced, or even early hardcore (Minor Threat, Bad Brains etc) but No More seemed to have more of an influence by second wave hardcore (Revelation Records bands) as evidence by your Youth of Today and Inside Out Covers.  Where did the influence come from?  How were you hearing stuff like that at the time.  Also I assume the band is named after a Youth of Today song!

NO MORE was heavily influenced by Revelation Record artists, like Youth of Today and the Gorilla Biscuits. I think it was the vibe and the messaging. We were not a straight edge band, like Youth of Today, but I know I personally liked the positive messages, stand up and unite around what you believe in no matter the cause. We were also influenced by bands like Agnostic Front and the Cro-Mags, the heavy edgy sound. Like most kids discovering music before the internet, we did it at your friend’s place listening to records or at the local independent record shop. My older cousin had a huge vinyl collection of everything from Black Flag, GBH, Agnostic Front, Exploited, early Iron Maiden, you name it he had a copy, and I would spend hours poring over his collection anytime I was at his place. Mail order was also huge. I would order many of the Revelation artists like Youth of Today, Inside Out, Judge directly through the Revelation Mail Order catalogue. Yes NO MORE band name was borrowed from a Youth of Today song.    

The drummer rockin a BOLD shirt at Cafe Ole in Halifax

When and why did the band break up?  Did members go on to play in any other bands after?

The band broke up in 1994 when the core of the group was its final year of high school. Girls, life, jobs, secondary education plans all kinds of different reasons, got in the way of the band continuing after everyone started to go their own way after high school. We never played a show after 1994 but most of us have remained friends over the last 30+ years and still communicate regularly, visit with each other, have stood up in each other’s wedding and all that fun stuff along the way.  

Thanks for allowing me to reflect on our short-lived hardcore career.  It was fun to dive back into the memory bank after all these years.  

Recent photo of the band!

Check out their 2 demo tapes on YouTube here:

DOWNLOAD THEIR DEMOS HERE!

KEARNEY LAKE RD

Kearney Lake Rd were a punk (ish?) band from Halifax that existed between 1987 and 1990. The band featured Chris Murphy on drums, Henri Sangalang on bass and Jay Ferguson on guitar. Of course Chris and Jay would go on to form Sloan after this band. There is sadly not much info about this band online and no live videos or photos that I could find. But here we have some questions and answers from Chris Murphy about the band and the general scene in Halifax at the time. Thanks to Ian Fraser for mp3s and Eric Boutilier-Brown for photos!!

Band pic!

live shot from Pub Flamingo (Photo by Eric Boutilier-Brown )

What were shows like when you first started going?

I remember being at an Asexuals show at St. Andrew’s School in 1985. Also on the bill were Halifax’s Ridge of Tears. There were punks and metal heads at the show and I thought there was going to be trouble. Mostly because I was nervous anyway. I had told my parents I was going to see The A’s because I didn’t want them to know I was seeing a band called Asexuals. I was also trying to spike my unspiked hair in the rain between bands so I wouldn’t get my ass kicked by punks and metal heads. Of course there was no violence, in my mind because the scene was too small too divide up that way. There were only a few dozen kids total at any given show. Punks were going to have to see metal bands and vice versa or they weren’t going to see many shows.

The aforementioned Asexuals show at St. Andrew's - May 27, 1985 

There were fights out in front of Backstreets where a car load of kids would circle around and fight punks but I didn’t exactly hang out at the arcade so I didn’t get into those fights. 

There was a skinhead named Elmo that came to town from somewhere (Montreal?) who seemed to enjoy causing trouble. Some friends and I rented a place at North and Robie where we held a few shows in 1988 and I remember Elmo smashing the rearview mirror off of a car with the cane he carried around. I certainly thought that was a drag.

I played a show with my band Wite Out at The Bible Society in April 1986 and I remember a punk kid (named Adam?) who, in a stage whisper was complaining about suburban posers so that I could hear. I suppose I wasn’t punk enough to put in the time (or the quarters) at the punk rock arcade or fight car loads of punk haters who drove around downtown but I went to every show I knew about and worked hard on being in a good band.

Sharon MacDonald was a real punk at my high school who was spit on and literally kicked in the face. She liked me so I didn’t worry about whether or not the downtown kids thought I was cool.

So after Spent did you start KLR right away? How did you hook up with Jay for that?

I had Spent and KLR happening at the same time in 1987/1988. KLR felt pretty un-punk. I felt goofy singing and my early efforts were extremely self-conscious. I put a sarcastic tone on my voice in case anyone thought I was trying too hard etc. KLR was pretty pop compared to Spent but I was forcing NoMeansNo type drumming over REM and 60’s riffs. I worked at the VG Hospital with Matt Murphy (later of the Super Friendz) who had known Jay since grade 1. Matt introduced me to Jay and Henri Sangalang. We were all at Kings or Dal. 

a very rare KLR shirt!

How many demos did you record with KLR? 

KLR had 3 cassettes. One was done at The Centre For Art Tapes with David Boyle in early 1988. It might have gone to CKDU. It definitely wasn’t for sale. One was done in the basement of a little cottage behind a house that I lived in with some friends out in Rockingham later in 1988. We put that one in a few stores in Halifax. We did sell the 2nd demo, so it makes sense that it can be found. 

Second demo tape - from 1988

The third, and best one was done in Fredericton with a guy named Lloyd Hansen. We intended for it to be an LP and had talked to Peter Rowan about releasing it on DTK Records. It had some re-records of some songs from the second tape. It was never released. I think at least some of those songs got played on CKDU. I was surprised the recording with Lloyd Hanson exists. I feel like we put a 4 song cassette of that session at CKDU and I do recognize the artwork on the YouTube page for Every Trip and Fall but I had forgotten about it. It suggests to me that we made a few and gave them to our friends. I suppose someone sold one. 

Insert from the third demo tape 1989

I remember seeing KLR at the Green Room at Dalhousie University when I first started going to shows. Did you play out much? Ever get out of the province?

One time we drove up to Montreal and played Fredericton on the way back and another time we went in the dead of winter to Montreal and Toronto with The Straightjackets and Hector’s Body (where we were interviewed by Erica Ehm). That’s it. 

I have sporadic notes about stuff from this time but from what I can recall...

Kearney Lake Rd played at a small club in Montreal in late August 1989. I’m not sure exactly what date but I know Jay and I went to see the Cure at the Forum and that was August 25/1989.

Kearney Lake Rd played in Fredericton on November 03/1989 at a place called Blue Zone (or Gallery Connexion)

I have no recollection of this.

We did a little tour with The Stratejakets and Hector’s Body in November/December 1989.

Nov 30 Montreal - The Stratejakets, Idees Noires, Kearney Lake Rd and Hector’s Body at Foufounes
Dec 01 Toronto - The Stratejakets, Kearney Lake Rd and Hector’s Body at The Rivoli
Dec 02 Ottawa - The Stratejakets, Kearney Lake Rd and Hector’s Body at Zaphod’s
Dec 03 Fredericton - The Stratejakets, Kearney Lake Rd and Hector’s Body at ???
Dec 06 Halifax - The Stratejakets, Kearney Lake Rd and Tetrus at the Flamingo

I was left behind locked outside the Foufounes while everyone else went to the Stratejakets’ place to party/shower. I had no phone or number for anyone. They didn’t realize I was missing for a long time. I stood where I was for many freezing cold miserable hours until they went looking for me. 

The drives were terrifying. It was white out conditions. It was awful. But we were interviewed by Erica Ehm for MuchMusic so it was all worth it. Ha. 

Jay

Chris

Henri

Here are some more flyers of various shows the band played:

April 19, 1989. Unsure of the venue but looks to be related to NSCAD

Green Room at Dalhousie, opening for Montreal's Bliss. May 27, 1989

Again opening for Bliss, but at the North Street Church. Nov 11, 1989

Another Green Room show at Dal. Dec 17, 1989

Opening up for The Asexuals at the Pub Flamingo - Feb 10-11, 1990

Feb 16, 1990 at Kings College in Halifax. Probably one of the last shows they played.

After KLR, how did you get together with Patrick and Andrew to form Sloan? 

KLR ran from October 1987 to March 1990. After KLR broke up I was playing playing bass in Blackpool and also playing a bit with Andrew Scott and John Goodrich in a band called many things including: Cuddly, The Despots, Close Line, Right Arm and Furious George. I met Andrew at The Flamingo where he was the DJ. I knew John from Johnny and the Baptists from Sackville, NB.

My mom knew Cliff Gibb’s mom from work. He was in The Convulsions with Patrick. I saw them several times. They played a show at a venue (sometimes called Harmony House) on Robie St. that I rented with the Spent guys. I knew Patrick from Blowers Street Paper Chase where he worked. He also interviewed me about Spent for a school paper. 

early Sloan show at the Double Deuce 1992

You can download the 2 available demos here: 

KEARNEY LAKE RD DEMOS!

Or just listen here:

Discogs link: https://www.discogs.com/artist/7002108-Kearney-Lake-Rd

PUBLIC ENEMY

Public Enemy were a hardcore band from St. John's, Newfoundland in the mid 1980's. Obviously not to be confused with the hip hop group that came out a few years after. They released one demo tape and played a bunch of shows around St. John's. Members went on to be in Schizoid! Here is a quick interview with their guitar player Bob Average from Feb 2022.

When did Public Enemy start out and who was in the band? Did the lineup change over time?

We started in 1983 … me on guitar, Craig Murray on vocals, John Pastore on bass and David Clarke on drums. We played three cover songs at our high school talent nite as a first show. There is a jam tape floating around with two of our own uncollected songs. In April of 84 we opened for DOA .. all covers again and one was a REALLY OLD DOA song … pretty dumb but we did do a Slyme cover! 

For this show, Randy Mausokopf drummed. We had a different drummer every show except last going off.. Llew Thomas played twice and on the demo. We drifted apart with Craig and got Hardcore Tony to sing - on the demo tape and for two shows. He went on to start fanzine IRK in Toronto and partnered in some shows. And sang with Godcorp.

I forgot to mention Dave Sweetapple was in a band called the Riot which he quit to play second guitar with Public Enemy before Hardcore Tony joined. The Riot only had one original that never came out.

Newspaper clipping about the DOA/PE show!

Did you play shows outside of St John's?

Only played St John’s .. Schizoid started after Public Enemy.. Murray and I were friends with a guy named Rod in junior high through music. We all liked KISS, CHEAP TRICK … the first two Def Leppard records. And somehow some Sex Pistols as well. I can’t remember how we got Never Mind The Bollocks but I had a friend that came back from England with Swindle, PIL and the first AC/DC DIRTY DEEDS record… and we all taped off of him for sure. He had Maiden too of course. So anyway Rod and I drifted apart but I would see him now and then as his brother lives next door. One day we bumped into each other in the driveway. I had Animosity and he had Onslaught Power from Hell … we freaked out a bit and decided to start a band… I think we moved to Toronto after one jam or something.. in the dead of winter with typical running shoes and barely any money. Stayed at HAPPY HOUSE nearly froze in basement… but got to see Descendents in 85! We started fucking around and came up with song ideas … moved home and got serious with band.

We created the scene .. and I’m not bragging … but when u left there were three or four bands .. I heard later there were hundreds .. I booked one of our last shows .. Place was packed .. I looked around and I knew no one … I thought .. this is cool.. things are getting somewhere. We used to know EVERYONE!

What can you tell me about the demo you released

The artwork we used for the few we made and sent around was kinda like the "Life Is Not Worth Living" art” .. but if I remember correctly we called it “Wanted: Dead Or Alive” … that hand writing on “life’s not…” is mine. But I don’t remember writing something so stupid… the one you uploaded was official cuz I put that stupid dance stuff on it. We broke up by the time the tape came out.. so did my due diligence and sent it around a bit (including one that got reviewed in Maximum Rock N' Roll) … but that’s about it. A few orders trickled in and I traded with some bands and stuff… I wish I was more organized… I should know how many are out there! No one in town really knows it. I’d like to put it out again.

What can you tell me about recording the demo?

Recording the demo was kinda lame. Some cock rocker had a studio in his basement… we were in separate rooms and stuff playing along with bed tracks… should have been done more off floor. But it was good we did it. If it was a single, we would have made a pretty good mark for ourselves.

There is also a live set from Reg's Bar - what do you remember about this show?

Reg’s was out of desperation… we wanted shows with Tony before he moved. Not sure if John had decided on moving at that time. Ya we had to play a couple of sets and two nights or something … needed more than 15 mins of our own shit. 

I see you did lots of covers - Minor Threat , 7 Seconds, Asexuals, Raw Power, etc - where were you hearing those bands at the time. Could you buy those records in store in St John's in the time, or did you have to mailorder? Or was it tape trading?

We tape traded. Mail ordered as well, and got a ton of free records from making a zine called WABANA RIOT. We used to race to the mailbox … whoever’s there first got the random stuff ! Haaa! I always won !

The fact that we still did covers in 84 and 85 was terrible.. but our isolation was real .. I brought most of the music to town … mailorder … I would go to preppy parties of people I didn’t know and some punks would take over and I’d hear these mix tapes I made for somebody but the quality was fucked … obviously 16th generation but it made me feel relevant.

But Fred’s records sold some stuff .. just the old high price bullshit. Plus they only had DKs and maybe DOA - WAR ON 45. Me and Murray had a book called INTERNATIONAL GUIDE TO NEW WAVE … we called everywhere in that book .. even Jello once but he wasn’t home. We’d get a bag of chips and cokes and make long distance calls in Murray’s fathers office! Bad... I guess .. not sure if he cared. That’s where we made the zine too! He had a business so it was a full fledged office setting. 

Murray and me got all the pistols and clash boots and early DOA by calling used record stores in NY and Vancouver! We also called Shithead and booked that show … or maybe it was the manager .. Ken Lester I think . Oh our shitty FM station OZ was pretty cool back then and one midnite a DJ played some stuff that he just bought in Vancouver… he played Let’s Fuck by DOA .. I loved it .. my new fave band .. I hunted him down and he taped it for us. The rest was history … we loved those guys!

When did you first find out about Public Enemy - the hip hop group?  I think you were a couple years ahead of them!

Ya I bet ya it was '87 or something… we shoulda said something! Even the same logo …wonder if they really did steal it. It's probably impossible....

Was there a member of great big sea in the band at one point? I thought I heard that but maybe that was another band.

Bob Hallett  (of Great Big Sea) opened for the Reg’s shows with his band The Reckoning.… they were new to town …they played DKs and Black Flag covers. The Reckoning eventually became the band Dead Reckoning and had few releases of original music and even moved to Toronto at one point.

Why did PE break up and what have band members gone on to do?

PE broke up cuz John and Tony moved away and Dave Sweetapple left Public Enemy to go to school in Ontario. So Llew stayed in St John’s and has some sort of 9 to 5 I think. Hardcore Tony is doing his thing somewhere in southern Ontario. I just retired after 32 years at CN Rail. John is in Brooklyn and Dave is in VT. Dave has been tour managing, playing in Witch and SWEETAPPLE, working for Tee Pee … putting out tons of records on various labels currently Outer Battery. He also does some Land Rover club stuff in Vermont.

Musically John and Don and me were in Rise with some Fair Warning guys … Don is an engineer with own studio … and in a million bands. I was in a band called Soulstorm with Adam from Monster Voodoo Machine and I was in a band called WHITE TRASH COMPACTOR  with some friends from Newfoundland… one show, no release. 

DOWNLOAD THE DEMO (plus live sets & a cover song) here:

PUBLIC ENEMY DISCOGRAPHY

Listen to the demo and live set from Reg's here:

THE NEW BREED

 Without a doubt, Halifax rockers The New Breed were one of the scene’s most prolific bands.

Over the span of two demos, one 7” EP, one CD EP and two full-length CD’s, they evolved from scrappy, no-frills punk rock to an expansive sound that added elements of folk, mod, indie and early rock’n’roll. They also became one of the city’s most formidable live acts, with their St Partick’s Day shows being particular highlights. 

The following is an interview with two of their key songwriters and long-serving members, bassist Brian Whalen and guitarist Dave Robertson.

Interview by Ian Dares

Live at Cafe Ole

1) How did The New Breed get started and what was your original line-up?

[BRIAN] Started towards the end of 1996. Spur of the moment, I suppose. A jam turns into two jams, then you find yourself on stage at Cafe Ole, as was the style at the time (ed. note – along with wearing an onion on your belt). Original lineup was: Jonny Stevens - vocals, Me - bass, Ryan (last name unknown) - guitar, Chris Meagher - drums.

[DAVE] I came in as a replacement for Ryan on guitar, a couple months after the band started jamming. They had not played any shows or anything by this point. Brian asked me if I wanted to play, I told him that I’d give it a shot. He & I sat down a few times, going over the few songs they had so far and off I went to “try out.” I kept showing up and nobody ever told me leave. The terrible band name was chosen before I arrived by the way...hahaha!

2) On your first demo, you guys had elements of 80’s hardcore and more aggro-style street punk. By the second demo, you seemed to be moving toward a more traditionally anthemic and rootsy sound. Was this a conscious choice?

[BRIAN] Not at all. You tend to gravitate towards what works for that band. I love old hardcore but it just didn't click with us.

[DAVE] That first demo was such a hot mess of songs and styles to be honest. I’m glad there are very few of those out there. By 1998, we had definitely grown as players and songwriters and the more consistent sound of the songs on the 2nd demo tape reflected that. The New Breed was essentially the first band for all of us - and the first for Chris playing drums - so we were all learning how to play and write songs as we went. We just ended up playing what sounded best for us. You’d almost never know it was the same band between the 2 demos that were released only a year apart.

3) You got to release a 4-song 7”, Blue Collar Blues, through the local label Subprofit Records. What was that experience like and how do you feel about that record now?

[DAVE] So, we had a good friend named Ian Dares (ed. note – aw, shucks). He asked us if we wanted to do a live set on his Saturday evening radio show, 7200 Sloppy Seconds, on CKDU 97.5FM. We said “Fuck yeah, that’ll be fun. Lets do it.” Shortly there after, late one Saturday evening, we were humping all our gear up the back stairs of the Dalhousie SUB building to the top floor to the radio station. We set up, had sort of a sound check, with various microphones set up around the main control room. We played some new songs that we had been working on. I’m not even sure if we had played all of them live or not yet at that point. It was a good time.

Couple days later Richard got in contact and asked if we wanted to do a 7” EP. We were like: “Us? You’re sure?” Richard said he liked the newer songs, wanted us to record them and he'd release them. So shortly after that we were in the studio, during the same time as The Wankin Family were recording their album, and we recorded 5 songs, 4 of which became the Blue Collar Blues EP. The 5th song was “The Times” which had appeared on the 2nd demo tape and has never been released. All in all, it was a great experience for me, personally.

Somehow a vinyl release always seems more permanent. It’s the only real release with what became the original band lineup of Jonny, Brian, myself and Chris playing.

[BRIAN] That one came together pretty quickly. I guess Richard liked what we were doing and offered to put it out. Experience was great; Richard did a lot for the Halifax scene. What punk band doesn't dream of putting out a 7"?

[DAVE| Richard is such a great guy. Not only for giving us the opportunity to put out our first real release, just in general. Without Richard the Halifax scene in the 90’s, would have been a lot different. There is a dude that should get interviewed sometime.

4) You had the opportunity to put out your next release, Day To Day, on Blind Beggar Records. What was it like to work with them? Looking back at that album now, would it be accurate to say that it was a transitional period for The New Breed?

[DAVE] “Difficult” would be how to describe working with Blind Beggar, if my memory serves me correctly. I didn't have to deal with them really, that fell more toward Brian & Jonny.

[BRIAN] Beyond trading some emails, we honestly had little contact before and after with Blind Beggar. They were a pain in the ass to work with.

[DAVE] Most of those songs were ones we had written once Chris had left the band and Alec replaced him on drums. Alec was a stronger, more comfortable and established drummer, as he had played in a number of bands before joining us. The songs changed with his playing, influence and song input.

[BRIAN] Transition was the constant thread through our history. Luckily, for the better, I think.

5) Lionel Stanley is on the Day To Day CD cover but did he actually appear on it?

[BRIAN] He did not. To say I'm jealous is an understatement.

[DAVE] I believe he is listed as not played on the CD liner notes. It’s been a long time since I’ve dug that out. So I could be mistaken as well. But, Lionel had joined the band, just as we were finishing up recording/mixing of that album. Sadly, that’s only me playing on that one and I don’t know if Lionel could have made that one any better. Overall, I’ve always found that album kinda “meh.”

Live at The Attic

6) The Port City Rebels album was released through Thorp Records. Were you looking to specifically work with another label after Blind Beggar? How did you end up with them?

[BRIAN] Definitely wasn't keen on more with Blind Beggar. I don't think they were happy with the record and I can't blame them a bit. It stinks for the most part. As for Thorp, I believe we started with them releasing Port City Rebels in the States, as it was originally on Longshot Records in Canada. Great guys, nothing but good things to say about them.

[DAVE] We really weren’t happy with Blind Beggar and we all knew we’d never put out anything with them again. The distribution wasn’t great at all and if I remember correctly, it was even hard for us to even get copies of the CD from them for us to sell at shows. We actually ended up on Thorp Records the old fashioned way, I guess. We recorded the album, then we mailed out burned CD’s to record labels, seeing if they were interested in putting it out for us. Lots of rejection letters. Luckily, Thorp responded, and a contract of some sorts was done up and it got released. The final album (Off The Braten Path) was released by them as well. We joined Thorp just as they were a growing, up-and-coming label. Until that point they were mainly a hardcore label. Andy & Duane from Thorp were great guys.

7) Port City Rebels showcases a large step forward both stylistically and artistically. Was your shift in sound purposeful and what would you attribute to the band’s maturity? (Ed. note – Anybody that knows these guys understands that I only use the word “maturity” to describe their music.)

[BRIAN] None of the evolutions in sounds were conscious at all. We just played together for a long time. Most people are smart enough to let their shitty first bands fade away with no record and start new ones. For some reason we just kept going; so you get a bunch of recordings that sound like different bands.

[DAVE] The songs were more polished and just better overall than anything we had done previously. We were still growing musically up until that point. With just me previously at the helm of the guitar playing, there was only so far the songs could go. Lionel added new ideas and talent that we used to expand our song writing. We also played and practiced a lot between those two albums. Really, it was the foundation what became our sound, once we became a five piece and the writing and playing did mature.

[BRIAN] As for maturity, that Dal interviewer probably summed it up best: "Interviewing this

band was like interviewing Beavis and Butthead."

Live at The Seahorse on Argyle St

8) You guys did some touring for both Day To Day and Port City Rebels. What were those tours like? Any particular highlights?

[DAVE] Lots of laughs, high jinx, drinking, boredom, and getting on everyone’s nerves at some point. We also met lots of cool people, saw some great bands and terrible ones as well. We played some shows with The Class Assassins from Toronto; we always had fun shows with those guys. We also got introduced to Lemmy from Mötörhead at a private after hours party we got invited too by the club owner. Sleeping in the van and waking up with it snowing. Lionel walking down the street in St. Catherines in only a towel and sun glasses (which of course one of those things went missing). Crazy fun shows in St John’s, where at one point it seemed to be raining glass and beer, from people flying around. Or a sketchy show in Connecticut where we were playing with Blitz and riot police with dogs barged in - for something that was happening outside the venue - and shut down the show. (Blitz were on stage setting up. They never played)

[BRIAN] Lots of different experiences. Forget most, remember some. Mostly playing to very small crowds in various small towns, much boredom, and living on an extremely tight budget. Met a ton of great people, many of whom were kind enough to offer a couch or floor for the evening. Lots of laughs and funny stories. I mean who wouldn't want to play music with their best friends night after night and be away from their soul crushing jobs for awhile? Highlights for me were probably the shows with Class Assassins. Love those dudes! Playing with Blitz in Connecticut and only seeing them tune up before a riot broke out was definitely THE lowlight.

9) Your final release, Off The Beaten Path, featured a video for “Streets Of Gold.” What was it like to film that and be able to work with John Dunsworth?

[BRIAN] Boring, tedious and phony was my experience, can't speak for anyone else. John Dunsworth was the only highlight; he was a crack-up and a lovely human being. I've no doubt that anyone that knew him or worked with him would say the same.

[DAVE] John Dunsworth was such a nice dude. It was very generous of him to take the time to do the shooting of our video. I’d like to think he had fun basically doing what he wanted. I was only able to be there for a few days; the stage shots of us playing, of course, and the bowling scene. (We played many games that day.) We received a FACTOR grant to make it and that was the only way it was possible for it to be made.

10) The New Breed called it quits not too long after the release of Off The Beaten Path. On Jonny’s AllMusic page, it states that “(f)eeling constrained by the New Breed's street punk image and writing more overtly folk-influenced songs, Stevens broke up the New Breed in 2005 to embark on a solo career.” Does this accurately describe how the band ended? Do you regret not continuing?

[BRIAN] Well that's his perspective, I guess. Let it never be said that I impeded anyone's career with my street punk image.

[DAVE] I feel this album is the strongest material that we ever did. There were, in fact, three extra songs we recorded at the end of that session. We didn’t put them on the album because they were going to be used for an EP but they were lost due to a hard drive failure. I never did get to hear them. No, we never got to hit the road for a few weeks to tour behind it. Having the CD released so late in the year didn't help. The last listed "Last Show"; I have from the old web site files was on August 27, 2005 at The Seahorse Tavern – with The Sinkin' Ships. I'd say shortly after that, Jonny made his final decision to leave in late 2005. He really just was losing interest in what we were doing over those final few months in 2005 and wanted to focus on his new solo band that he had started.

[BRIAN] Most people don't know that we continued on for a year after with the remaining four of us, we just never found a permanent singer. Much rawer material - definitely another transition and a very tight band.

[DAVE] We did keep writing new material; just practice recordings exist of some of the tunes. It was a slight change again, the songs were a bit “heavier” shall we say? We did try briefly to get a replacement vocalist early on. A couple of people came in to try out on some of the new stuff we were doing but nothing became of it. So, after almost a year, as a 4 piece instrumental punk band jamming a couple times a month, we called it quits some time in 2006. The only regrets for me: I really would have liked to hear what the new songs we had been working on would have turned into, if they had been fully developed into another album. Also, we never got to play an “official last show.” We just kind of disappeared.

Live at The Seahorse

12) Finally, would you say that “Erica Wilson Attacks” is The New Breed’s greatest artistic achievement?

[DAVE] I have no idea to this day who Erica Wilson was - or is - and exactly what it is she attacked to inspire that classic song.

[BRIAN] Can't say we ever topped that one. If Ms. Wilson only knew how much her spirit embiggened such a small band.

DOWNLOAD MP3s of everything but the 1st demo: HERE

Demo 2

Blue Collar Blues 7"

Day To Day CD

Port City Rebels CD

Off The Beaten Path CD