So how about that, December has rolled around once again.  In my mind it seems as though I’ve mentioned this a thousand times, but music really makes me feel old.  A song comes on the radio, I get all jazzed up for it, it takes me back to last year of high school/first year of university, I begin to sing and then all of the sudden I realize that I’m singing along to a song that’s 15 years old.  Songs that don’t really seem that old are pretty much half of my age.  Crazy!

Just as a side note…..my sister is a teacher who likes to incorporate pop culture and music into her teaching.  On one specific project she had asked her grade 8 students to make a list of classic rock bands.  Right away my brain goes into the Pink Floyd, AC/DC world until she informs me that one of her students breaks out Blink 182.  WTF.  First off, Blink 182 are a punk/rock band not a classic rock band and second of all they haven’t been around that long…..until you realize that Dude Ranch came out in 1997.  Cue the bell to feel old once again…..ugghhhh.

So this weeks FNS is going to be dedicated to Canadian bands (most of the songs on the list make me feel old) that are no longer around that you might remember because you were a child of the 80’s….or maybe because they have just lived on thanks to frosh from coast to coast.

 

1 – The Odds – Someone Who’s Cool (1996)

I can still remember a few friends of mine in high school playing in a cover band, performing at local coffee houses and rocking the shit out of this song.  Such a crunchy power/pop sound.  Great track.

 

 

2 – Treble Charger – Friend of Mine (1996)

Another track from 1996.  You might remember Treble Charger as the band that sang that American Psycho song…or maybe as the band with the dude with the spiky hair that kind of discovered that other Canadian band with another dude with spiky hair (or Sum 41 to others).  Or maybe you have no idea who these guys are….it doesn’t really matter…this just allows for some sort of lead into the song.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YblKGWwRCI4

 

3 – Age Of Electric – Remote Control (1997)

Capitalizing on the on the pop/punk sound that dominated the airwaves in the late 90’s, this group from Saskatchewan had one of the biggest Canadian hits to come out of that era with this track.  A song about habits, drugs, the system and wanting to change….so pretty much like every other song during that era….

 

 

4 – Sandbox – Curious (1996)

How about some love for the East Coast of Canada.  This song put Sandbox on the map and essentially did them in….but with all of the music out in the world, I’m almost certain that there’s hundreds of bands that would love to be one hit wonders…..but I guess on the other hand those that are would probably like to trade that tag away….Let’s just say that this is the band that has Bubbles from the Trailer Park Boys in it!!

 

 

5 – The Waltons – Colder Than You (1992)

Bringing a little acoustic flavour to the list is Regina’s own The Waltons.  I really wasn’t old enough to get into this group back when they had their moment but I’ll always remember the first time hearing the band.  One day my uncle had landed at my folks place and had in his possession a CD (or cassette tape….who knows I was only 12) that had this album art that looked like it was drawn by a 5 year old.  The song came on, it sounded pretty awesome and was turned off just as quick.  Five years later (roughly) I came across this album in some bin outside of a local record store and bought it because of that drawing.  I don’t really listen to any other song on the album, but damn I do enjoy this one.