Quad
Quahogs
Quain, Kevin
Quarrington, Paul
Quarrington, Tony
Quarrington-Worthy
Quarter To Four
Quartette
Quasi Hands
Quattrin, Emily
Queazy
Queen City Kids
Queen St. Kings
Quest For Fire
Quickflight
Quid
Quidams, Les
Quiet Jungle
Quill, Greg
Quinton, David
Quinton, Gordon
Qwest
QUAD
Quad (effects) / P (vocals) / Bob Onyskiw (drums, percussion) / Darren Schwarz (bass) / Len Balas (bass) / Ken Davies (guitars)
From Toronto, Ontario. Featuring ex-members of Morbidox. [also see MORBIDOX]
Albums
1995 Bring It On (Rasta Eyeball) CDNV-495
QUAHOGS
Scott Tappen (vocals) / Todd Calder (guitar) / John Mackenzie (bass) / Gerard Watters (drums) / Leonard Woollet (guitar)
From Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Singles
1993 Glaze [4 song EP] (Cinnamon Toast) CT-003
Compilation Tracks
1992 “Back to the Nun” on ‘Cod Can’t Hear – The Halifax Independent Musical Festival 1992: Live from the Double Dance’ (DTK) KILCD-011
1994 “Them” on ‘Trim Crusts If Desired’ (Cinnamon Toast) CT-013B
QUAIN, Kevin
Kevin Quain has been holding a one-man cabaret (and occasionally performs with his backing band The Mad Bastards) residency at Toronto, Ontario’s Cameron House for 17 consecutive years. He describes his music/show as ‘garage jazz cabaret noir’. In the late 1990’s he wrote and produced his own musical entitled, ‘Tequila Vampire Matinee’ (a re-telling of the opera ‘Pagliacci’) which was initially showcased at Graffiti’s Bar in Kensington Market. He launched a proper production in Toronto at Theatre Passe Muraille in November 2003 with Ted Dykstra directing. The show received six Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations in the General Theatre category. Quain won the award for ‘Outstanding New Musical’ in 2004.
Albums
1999 Hangover Honeymoon
2000 Tequila Vampire Matinee (Fading Ways) FWM-017
2006 Dog Show Volume 1
2008 Winter in Babylon
Compilation Tracks
1997 “Catch You In the Rye” on ‘Music West 1997’
2002 “Devil Song” on ‘Driving In the Rain at 3 A.M. – Songs to Get Lost With (Ralph) BB-1960
QUARRINGTON, Paul
Born: Paul Lewis Quarrington on July 22, 1953 in Toronto, Ontario
Died: January 21, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario
Paul Quarrington was a renowned musician and novelist whose most recognized work was the book ‘Whale Music’ (and the movie made from it). He also wrote the screenplay for ‘Camilla’ (1994). Quarrington was a member of Quarrington-Worthy, Joe Hall and the Continental Drift and The Porkbelly Futures. His brother is jazz musician Tony Quarrington whose album ‘Top Ten Written All Over It’, Paul sang on. Paul Quarrington died of cancer January 21, 2010. Cordova Bay released a CD of Quarrington’s collection of solo songs in August of that year. [also see JOE HALL, THE PORKBELLY FUTURES]
Albums
2010 The Songs (Cordova Bay)
with JOE HALL & THE CONTINENTAL DRIFT
1977 Joe Hall & The Continental Drift (RCI) RCI-462
1979 On the Avenue (Posterity) PTR-13009
1980 Rah-n-cho Bah-nah-no (Posterity) PTR-13015
QUARRINGTON, Tony
Jazz guitarist and brother of Paul Quarrington.
Albums
1978 Top Ten Written All Over It (Posterity) PTR-13007
2000 One Bright Morning (Ragged Pup) CBR-0192
2001 Deep River (Cordova Bay)
with TONY QUARRINGTON AND FRIENDS
2002 Group of Seven Suite
with TONY QUARRINGTON & DENIS KELDIE
2003 Hammond Grits (Cordova Bay)
QUARRINGTON-WORTHY
Paul Quarrington (bass) / Martin Worthy (drums)
Quarrington/Worthy were an Ottawa based act who recorded for Ottawa label Posterity Records. Quarrington (brother of guitarist Tony Quarrington) was also a novelist best known for his book ‘Whale Music’. The duo’s association with Posterity led them to back fellow Ottawa performer Joe Hall, along with Tony Quarrington, as his backing band called The Continental Drift. They were also in the band Porkbelly Futures. Paul Quarrington passed away in 2010.
Singles
1979 Baby and the Blues/Mansion of the Wind (Posterity) PT-107
1980 Montego Bay/Wilfred (Posterity) PT-109
198- Jewel Eyes/Stay Awhile (Direction) 147
Albums
1976 Quarrington And Worthy (Radio Canada) LM-431
1979 Quarrington-Worthy (Posterity) PTR-13012
QUARTER TO FOUR
Aleasha Redmond (Low Alto) / Bob Hancock (Tenor) / Tricia Castanos (Second Soprano) / Tim Nussey (Top Bass) / Meghan Parnell (Top Soprano) / Matt Wilson (Bottom Bass) / Genevieve Hebert (Top Alto) / Andre James (piano) / Paul Winkley (drums)
Albums
1993 Subliminal Funk
QUARTETTE
Cindy Church (vocals) / Syliva Tyson (vocals) / Colleen Peterson (vocals) / Caitlin Hanford (vocals) / Gwen Swick (vocals; replaced Peterson in 1996)
Singles
1994 Red Hot Blues
1994 King Of The Cowboys
1995 Unabashedly Blue (Denon)
1995 O Canada (Denon) CANS-9025
1995 It Never Rains On Me (Denon)
1995 No Place Like Home (Denon)
1999 I Don’t Want To Cry
Albums
1994 Quartette (Denon) CAN-9016
1995 Work Of The Heart (Denon) CAN-9024
1996 It’s Christmas! (Denon) CAN-1225
1998 In the Beauty of the Day (Outside) 9-1029
2000 Down at the Fair (Outside) 233391
2002 I See A Star (Outside) 391073
2013 Rocks and Roses: 20 Years of Quartette
QUASI HANDS
Robert K. (bass) / John Paul Kemp (vocals) / Mike Taylor (keyboards) / Parag (guitar) / Mike Cramer (drums)
From Dundas, Ontario.
Albums
1985 Quasi Hands [4 song EP] (Canadian Custom) CCR-9070
Compilation Tracks
1987 “Burning Bridges” on ‘Q107 Homegrown Album Volume 9’ (Columbia) WPCC-80124
QUATTRIN, Emily
Emily Quattrin hails from Woodbridge, Ontario. When Ralph Cruickshank (Berandol Music) and Paul Zaza (Zaza Sound Productions) formed ZSP Records in 1972 she was the first artist signed at the age of seventeen. Her first single – “Running Circles” made no impact on the charts, but her follow-up, “Next Plane Back Home” debuted on the RPM Pop Singles chart on October 20, 1973 and peaked at No.71 on December 15, 1973.
Singles
as EMILY QUATTRIM
1972 Running Circles/In Your Life (ZSP) ZSP-1080M
as EMILY QUATTRIN
1973 Next Plane Back Home/Someone’s Gotta Make You Smile (ZSP) 1185MA
QUEAZY
Loungin’ Laura Lee Schultz (guitar, vocals) / Beatmaster Bina Berger (drums) / Lisa Roadkill Foster (bass)
All-female metal trio from Vancouver, British Columbia formed in 1994 when Schultz ran an ad for musicians to form a band. She was discouraged by all the egos and male bravado but did click with Bina Berger. The duo practiced together for nearly a year before bringing Foster on board in 1995. Within three weeks of joining they played their first show at The Town Pump in Vancouver opening for Pure.When it came time to record the trio ended up recording their debut album, ‘Hurk’, three times. They’d get to a point of completion and run out of money. They’d move on to another studio and do it again…each time getting better. The third and final time was with producer Mark Hensley. The album was released in 1996 and received favourite reviews. Queazy toured from Vancouver to Toronto opening shows for The Pursuit of Happiness in March of 1997 before ending up at Canadian Music Week; Schultz has been writing/producing/recording original music for over 15 years in bands such as Down the Lees, New Years Resolution, EP Island, The Skinjobs and Queazy. Having recorded and released 5 full length albums with some of Vancouver’s go-to engineers of the last two decades, she has engineered and co-produced much of her latest material at her own Off White House Studios. After receiving an Electronic Musician certificate from the Art Institute of Vancouver, she focused on scoring and editing films, including productions like ‘Alice and Martha’, ‘Hero of Our Time’, and her own directorial debut, ‘Chronicles of Daydude’. With notes from Laura Lee Schultz
Albums
1996 Hurk
QUEEN CITY KIDS
Alex Chuaqui (vocals, guitars, keys) / Kevin Fyhn (guitars, vocals) / John Donnelly (bass, vocals) / Jeff Germain (drums)
The four members of QCK met while in high school in Regina, Saskatchewan, and formed their first band, Cambridge, in 1968. They were together as a bar band for 12 years before without a member change. While touring the prairies constantly they recorded a demo which grabbed the attention of Columbia Records. In 1980 they were signed to Columbia and recorded their eponymous debut with producer Gene Martynec (Kensington Market, Rough Trade). Recorded at Century Studios in Winnipeg, it was released in the summer of 1981 and the band once again hit the road. Regional spot tour in bars and small concert venues across the prairies and into the United States generated gold sales for the LP. They went back into the studio in late 1981 to record their second album, ‘Black Box’, with Rob Freeman producing. They used an abandoned bank building in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, to get the live feel they felt was lacking in their first effort. The album was released in 1982 and spawned a hit with “Dance”, the first single. They toured with the likes of April Wine, Ozzy Osborne, Streetheart, Joan Jett and Blue Oyster Cult. The title track and a third single, “Girls”, were heavy hitters on FM radio and drove the second record to gold status as well. More touring in the east and the US ensued, but their big US break failed to materialize. Despite their two back-to-back gold records, Columbia’s parent company, CBS was in turmoil and the band’s contract was not extended. Queen City Kids carried on briefly with road work but in early 1983 they called it quits. Chuaqui formed Straw Dogs; Germain and Donnelly formed Love Active with Models guitarist Larry Bourke and vocalist/guitarist Kim Albright; both bands played frequently in Saskatchewan and the west; Donnelly then moved on to the band Babyface who released one indie album called ‘In The Night’. CBS released ‘The Best of QCK’ on CD in 1989. At the turn of the millennium the band reunited for a show in Saskatchewan and since then have done occasional and well attended gigs in their hometown and surrounding areas.
Singles
1981 Down Again/Kids World (Columbia/CBS) C4-4281
1981 Follow You There/Empty Eyes (Columbia/CBS) C4-4282
1981 A Secret Smoke/Don’t Say You Didn’t Try (Columbia/CBS) DJC4-4292
1982 Dance/Black Box (Columbia/CBS) C4-4305
1982 Girls/Ripped Off (Columbia/CBS) C4-4317
Albums
1981 Queen City Kids (Columbia) 80050
1982 Black Box (Columbia) 80065
1989 The Best of Queen City Kids [CD] (Columbia/CBS)
Compilation Tracks
1982 “Follow You There” on ‘Street Hits’ (CBS Special Products) CSPS-1953
QUEEN ST. KINGS
From Nova Scotia.
Singles
1978 Lullabye Strut/Terminal Lunch (Rollin) RR-0003/4
QUEST FOR FIRE
Andrew Moszynski (guitar) / Chad Ross (guitar, vocals) / Mike Maxymuik (drums) / Josh Bauman (bass)
Quest For Fire was formed in Toronto, Ontario in 2007 by Moszynski and Ross after their previous act The Deadly Snakes self-destructed. The line-up was round out with Maxymuik (The Cursed) and Bauman (No No Zero).The band released their self-titled debut album in 2008 through Tee Pee Records. Their 2010 sophomore effort, ‘Lights from Paradise’ featured the single “Set Out Alone” which reached No. 1 on CBC Radio 3’s The R3-30 Charts in November 2010.
Singles
2010 In the Place of a Storm/[split w/NEBULA] (Tee Pee – US) TPE-116
Albums
2008 Quest For Fire (Tee Pee/Storyboard) SBL-008
2010 Lights From Paradise (Tee Pee – US) TPE-121
Compilation Tracks
2010 “Bison Eyes” on ‘Classic Rock Magazine Presents: Tee Pee Records’ (Future – UK) ROC-142TP
2011 “Psychic Seasons” on ‘Tee Pee: A Label Sampler’ (Tee Pee) ROC-158
QUICKFLIGHT
Ric deGroot / Dale Dirksen / Greg Johnson / Doug Giesbrecht (bass) / Gary Hendricks (drums) / Pete Cordalis
A synth-based new wave Christian act from Kelowna, British Columbia; deGroot would go on to join Strange Advance.
Albums
1980 Breakaway (Tunesmith) TS-6005
1983 Decent Beat (Star Song) SPCN-205187
QUID, The
Ron Rene (vocals) / Colin Palmer (guitar) / Bill Pavlik (lead guitar) / Morley Nickels (bass) / Leonardo Fidkalo (drums)
The band was formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1965 by former Vi-Counts members Palmer and Pavlik, and The Squires’ Fidkalo; Fidkalo went on to join The Luvin’ Kind; Rene joined The Fifth.
Singles
1966 Crazy Things/Mersey Side (Eagle) 116
1966 Lover Lover/She (Eagle) 119
QUIDAMS, Les
Jean-Pierre Bérubé (vocals, guitar) / Pierre Lepage (bass) / Marcel Gamache (drums)
Short live Ye Ye band from Matane, Québec formed in 1965. After releasing “C’est par principe” for Trans-Canada in 1965, the band split up about a year later.
Singles
1965 C’est par principe/Le ciel, la mer et moi (Trans-Canada) TC-3144
QUIET JUNGLE
Doug Rankine (vocals, guitar) / Bob Mark (guitar) / Henry S. Thaler [aka Taylor] (electric piano) / Mike Woodruff (bass) / Rick Felstead (drums)
Originally known as The Bob Mark Six, this Toronto band was signed to Arc Records and became The Secrets. They released “Crying Over Her” on ARC Records which helped raise their profile and get them better live bookings. While playing at the Toronto Pressmen’s Club, CBC TV’s Brian MacFarland introduced himself to the ban and wanted the band to record a song he’d written for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ defenseman Eddie Shack called “Clear The Track (Here Comes Shack)”. The band agreed under the assumption that the recording was a gift for McFarland’s hockey playing friend. However, much to their surprise, and that of their label ARC Records, the song was released nationally under the name Douglas Rankine With The Secrets on RCA’s Canadian International label. The band was embarrassed by the release and tried to distance themselves from it despite reaching #1 on the CHUM Chart in February 1966 and managing No.56 on the national charts by April of 1966 for total run of nine weeks radio play. Now signed to Arc’s Yorkville Records imprint, the Secrets wanted to distance themselves from being pigeon-holed as a “novelty act” and soon changed their name to The Quiet Jungle. Their first single, “Ship Of Dreams”, was released in early 1967, and reached No.31 on the CHUM chart (and No.43 nationally) by February. The record achieved the desired effect in leaving the previous single a memory and gave the band a renewed spirit. However, booking for the band meant the focus of everyone’s interest at shows soon turned to the inevitable requests to play “Clear The Track”. As young musicians with dreams of stardom, this was bitter sweet as bookings and the band’s pay were getting bigger but they couldn’t shake the monkey from their back. Their next single for Yorkville, “Too Much In Love”, failed to chart. Quiet Jungle was also used as a house-band for the label and they released two albums of cover tunes including a Monkees’ tribute album and ‘The Story of Snoopy’s Christmas’. It should be noted that despite mythology to the contrary, Quiet Jungle was not the backing band on Arc’s other bargain remake LP “Let’s Spend The Night Together” featuring all Rolling Stones cover tunes. Rankine’s photo graces the cover, but the band did not appear on it. They even appeared on the TV show ‘After Four’ and its spin-off compilation album under yet another pseudonym – the Scarlet Ribbon. After four years playing and being on the road, Woodruff departed the group leaving them as a four-piece. But a year after that, Rankine felt he had climaxed as a vocalist and was aware that he would never become the world’s greatest singer and soon left the band. The remaining three members brought in Rising Sons member Ron Canning and a new vocalist (name unknown). The group lasted less than a year after that. Mark is a retired teacher and lives in Haliburton ; Felstead lives in the Oshawa region working in the cable TV business; Woodruff still lives in Toronto and was last working in the private investigation business; Thalor still performs and has been in a Doors tribute band; Rankine created a Scarborough, Ontario video distribution company designated for “mature” audiences. His company was cited in an Edmonton obscenity trial in 1985 after the Towne Cinema Theatre was charged with breaking obscenity laws under the criminal code; Doug Rankine died June 9, 2018. with notes from Keith Fraser, Doug Rankine, Bob Mark, Greg Simpson, and Chas Kit. [also see THE SECRETS (1)]
Singles
1967 Ship Of Dreams/Everything (Yorkville/Arc) YV-45004
1967 Too Much In Love/Make Up Your Mind (Yorkville/Arc) YV-45008
Albums
1967 The Quiet Jungle Play The Monkees (ARC) A-719
[uncredited]
1968 The Story of Snoopy’s Christmas and Other Favourite Children’s Songs (ARC) ACS-21
Compilation Tracks
1968 “Ship of Dreams” on ‘Yorkville Evolution’ (Yorkville) YVM-33001
as SCARLET RIBBON
1969 “Four In the Morning” on ‘CTV’s After Four Presents The Great Groups’ (Yorkville) YVM-33003
Compilation Tracks
1968 “Ship of Dreams” on ‘Yorkville Evolution’ (Yorkville) YVM-33001
1984 “Everything” on ‘The Midwest Vs. Canada Vol.2’ (Unlimited Productions – USA) UPLP1002
as SCARLET RIBBON
1969 “Four In the Morning” on ‘CTV’s After Four Presents The Great Groups’ (Yorkville) YVM-33003
QUILL, Greg
Born: 1947 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;
Died: Hamilton, Ontario May 5, 2013
Singer-songwriter Greg Quill was well established in the late 1960’s on the Sydney, Australia folk scene as both a solo performer and proprietor of Narrabeen, Northern Beaches venue The Shack. In 1969 Quill was signed to Gus McNeil’s Cellar Music publishing company. McNeil would then produce Quill’s debut album on EMI entitled ‘Fleetwood Plain’ and the single of the same name in 1970. Quill assembled a touring band called Country Radio which was initially a five-piece acoustic folk act during their initial 1970 thru 1971 tour. But on the advent of electric folk finally reaching broader appeal with releases by The Band, The Byrds and Bob Dylan, the group’s style evolved into an early country-rock hybrid. After several line-up changes, the group was eventually signed to Festival’s Infinity label in October 1971. Their debut single, “Listen To the Children”, was released a month later but failed to chart. In January 1972 the band shifted members again but a crucial addition was Kerryn Tolhurst who immediately clicked as a songwriting partner with Quill. Unable to book adequate studio time to record a full album between live engagements, Country Radio recorded their debut LP, ‘Country Radio Live’, in one evening in front of an invited studio audience at Melbourne’s TCS Studios on October 4, 1972. On the invitation of fellow Australian act Flying Circus, Country Radio made the first of several touring trips to Canada. Upon their return they made a successful appearance at the 1973 Sunbury Festival. However, Tolhurst left the band immediately after the event to form his own band and soon other members of Country Radio abandoned ship as well. Undaunted, Quill kept the name and built a brand new version of Country Radio and in May 1973 recorded their next single “Bound For South Australia” b/w “I Need Women”. Following its release in August of 1973 it did not chart and by December 1973 Quill finally dissolved the band. Quill set out to record his debut solo album, ‘The Outlaw’s Reply’, in 1974 and, ironically, featured most of the former members of Country Radio as sidemen. The album was produced by John Sayers and spawned two singles – “She Do It To Me” and “Blackmail”. That year Country Radio’s former label, Festival, released a compilation album entitled ‘Gypsy Queen’ under the name Greg Quill & Country Radio. Quill would be one of the first Australian rock musicians to be awarded an Arts Council grant which enabled him to travel overseas and eventually move to Canada part-time beginning in the summer of 1975. In 1977 he assembled a new backing band called Southern Cross which included Tony Bolton, Chris Stockley (Cam-Pact, The Dingoes) plus Sam See (Sherbet, Flying Circus, Fraternity) and Bruce Worrall (also ex-Sherbet) who had already relocated to Canada with their respective bands years earlier. Southern Cross were signed to Elektra records and released the single “Been So Long” b/w “I Wonder Why” which featured additional help from Canadian Ian Thomas and his band mates Steve Hogg (bass), and Hugh Syme (keyboards). The record was released in October 1978 but the group split after a tour of Australia. In 1979 Quill gave up playing professionally and settled, permanently in Canada. He would enjoy a second career as a journalist and music writer. He has written books about Michael Jackson (1988) and The Rolling Stones (1989). In 1999 Quill returned to Australia to visit his family and discovered that his song “Gypsy Queen” had been covered by country singer Adam Harvey. With a visit to Melbourne, he had a four-day reunion with former band mates Kerryn Tolhurst and Chris Stockley. Tolhurst introduced Quill to another young country-rock artist, Cyndi Boste, and discovered that she had been playing Quill’s “Wintersong” in her live set for years. Quill soon found he still wanted to make music – even if it was a part-time hobby. Between 2000 and 2003 Quill and Tolhurst kept in touch and began assembling a new batch of songs. In early 2003 they released the Quill-Tolhurst album ‘So Rudely Interrupted’ and in October of that year did an album release show at C’est What? in Toronto, Ontario. They had a full backing band that also included The Band’s Garth Hudson on accordion and piano. The show was taped and rebroadcast on both Bravo! and CITY-TV. A reciprocal show was booked in Australia where fans got to see the two musicians perform together for the first time since 1973. Several members of Country Radio also stopped by to sit in with the duo. Following years as a prominent TV and print journalist, Quill continued as the senior arts correspondent for the Toronto Star newspaper. Quill died at his home in Hamilton May 5, 2013 at the age of 66 due to complications from pneumonia. with notes from Greg Quill.
Singles
1975 She Do It to Me/Terry’s Tune (Festival/Infinity – AUS) K-5878
1975 Blackmail/The Outlaw’s Reply (Festival/Infinity – AUS) K-6069
with GREG QUILL & COUNTRY RADIO
1970 Fleetwood Plain/Song To David (Columbia – AUS) DO-9081
1971 Listen To the Children/Last Time Around (Festival/Infinity – AUS) INK-4427
with COUNTRY RADIO
1972 Gypsy Queen/Radio Rag (Festival/Infinity – AUS) INK-4720
1972 Gypsy Queen/Radio Rag (Sweet Plum) 9902
1972 Wintersong/Observations From a Second Storey Window (Festival/Infinity – AUS) INK-4908
1973 Bound for South Australia/I Need Women (Festival/Infinity K-5167 – AUS
with GREG QUILL & SOUTHERN CROSS
1978 Been So Long/I Wonder Why (WEA) 79115
Albums
1974 The Outlaw’s Reply (Festival/Infinity – AUS) L-35472
with GREG QUILL & COUNTRY RADIO
1971 Fleetwood Plain (Harvest/EMI – AUS) SHVL-602
1972 Country Radio Live (Festival/Infinity – AUS) INL-34726
1974 Gypsy Queen (Festival/Infinity/Harlequin – AUS) L-25113
1992 Wintersongs: The Festival File
with QUILL – TOLHURST
2003 So Rudely Interrupted (True North) TND-309
QUINTON, David
Born: David Steinberg in December 31, 1961 in Toronto, Ontario
Toronto multi-instrumentalist David Quinton first came to the attention of Canadians in 1978 as the manic drummer for Toronto band The Mods. In his own words, he “peaked” during his phase with Stiv Bators where he served as a member of Bators’ band and a later version of the Dead Boys (). However, his involvement in music dated back to 1976, where as a 15 year old, he joined forces with James Gray (later of Blue Rodeo) and Mitch Starkman (later of Zappacosta) to form an original progressive rock group called Syndrome. By late 1976, Quinton became consumed by the emergence of punk rock and joined Toronto band The Androids in 1977 with Sally Cato and Bart Lewis. While rehearsing with The Androids in an abandoned Philips Electronics factory building (an infamous Toronto punk rehearsal space also used by The Diodes and The Ugly), Quinton first met The Mods in the summer of 1978. He soon left The Androids and became their drummer. For twenty-two months through 1978 and 1979, The Mods played throughout Canada and toured the east coast and mid-western United States (sometimes with Teenage Head from Hamilton, Ontario). Aside from being a regular headliner at clubs like The Horseshoe and The Edge, they also opened for The Police, Ultravox, Squeeze and The Specials at larger venues. The Mods released one single in 1978 (“Step Out Tonight”) and during that same year appeared in Colin Brunton’s movie ‘The Last Pogo’ – a filmed document of the Toronto punk scene. Although the band recorded a full-length album in 1979, the release became mired in a haze of failed expectations and legal difficulties involving a major record label. Their final gig was at The Music Hall in Toronto and simulcast live on CFNY-FM. Dead Boys’ lead singer Stiv Bators discovered Quinton while he was playing with The Mods and in the summer of 1979, Bator invited the 18 year old to Los Angeles to play on some of his solo recordings. Following that summer, The Mods disintegrated and Quinton moved to the U.S. to join The Stiv Bators Band on a permanent basis. Quinton toured the U.S. with The Stiv Bators Band until 1981 (where he replaced original drummer and Bowery stabbing victim Johnny Blitz). Quinton worked on Bator’s solo album ‘Disconnected’ and recorded a number of other tracks, all of which have been released on various singles and albums over the years. He wrote songs for Bators, played some piano and added his unique drumming style to the mix. In early 1981, former The Damned lead guitarist Brian James came over from London to join Bators’ band. After a handful of gigs in 1980-81, Quinton’s tenure with Bators and James came to an end. The group re-located to London and morphed into Lords of The New Church. Stiv Bators was tragically killed in France after being hit by a car in 1990. After returning to Toronto, Quinton secured a solo recording deal with Bomb Records and recorded his 1981 self-titled debut solo album with producer/guitarist Stan Meissner. Quinton immediately toured the album – sometimes as lead singer only; other times also playing the drums at the front of the stage – in the same dingy clubs he had played in as a teenager in Ontario and Québec. Quinton temporarily gave up solo pursuits to join a new act in the early 80’s called The Jitters with singer-songwriter/guitarist Blair Packham. With a solo development deal in hand from EMI, Quinton then began in earnest to record a follow-up solo album and did some session work with EMI recording act Rational Youth on their ‘Heredity’ album which featured Quinton’s old punk acquaintance Tracy Howe (ex-Heaven 17). Executives then stalled his sophomore album and requested that Quinton become the touring drummer for another EMI recording act Strange Advance through 1985. He met the band after they had completed their second album, ‘2WO’, on which with the drums were primarily handled by a computer. Some highlights from the Strange Advance tours were four nights at the old Ontario Place forum in the summer of 1985, headlining the Red River Exhibition in Winnipeg and the Spectrum in Montréal where the band was filmed for a Much Music Big Ticket Special. They also opened several hockey arena dates for Tina Turner throughout Canada. In a rather bizarre twist, Quinton would rejoin The Jitters after completing his last tour with Strange Advance. As the band got set to sign a record deal with EMI Records, Quinton was forced out of the band when he attempted to unsuccessfully juggle his music career with law school. Due to the timing of his departure, Quinton actually managed to appear on The Jitters’ debut album cover, in promo photos and the first video for “Last of the Red Hot Fools” though he never played on the record. Although he half-heartedly attempted to stay active in music, a hellish schedule together with an increasing non-organic reliance on electronics in live music led Quinton to hang up the drumsticks permanently. His follow-up solo album never materialized. After quitting the music business, he became a successful entertainment lawyer. However, he still managed to ignite a new spark in the early ’90’s by playing part time with the duo Lost & Profound. He then negotiated a record deal for the band with Polygram Records and played drums on their debut album. In 2001, Bullseye Records released a retrospective of Quinton’s solo material entitled ‘Bombs and Lullabies’ which included recordings from his first album, his abandoned second album and other previously unreleased tracks. Quinton also jumped back into his past by compiling masters from his archives and writing liner notes for the 25th anniversary editions of the Stiv Bators albums ‘Disconnected’ and ‘L.A., L.A.’ (under the name ‘LA Confidential’). He also recorded a track with the remaining Bators/Dead Boys alumni in early 2005 for a tribute album dedicated to the late Bomp Records owner Greg Shaw who passed away in 2004. Since 2006, Quinton has played a number of reunion shows with The Mods and The Jitters. Most recently, he has also been playing with original 1977 Toronto punk band Arson; In 2019 Secret Mission Records released a collection of David Quinton rarities – including alternate takes, previous unreleased tracks, and live recordings. with notes from David Quinton-Steinberg. [also see THE MODS, THE JITTERS, RATIONAL YOUTH, ARSON, LOST AND PROFOUND]
Singles
1981 Rescue Attempt/Rescue Attempt (Bomb) 5037
1981 Through My Eyes/Through My Eyes (Bomb) 5038
with STIV BATORS
1979 Circumstantial Evidence/Not That Way Anymore (Bomp!) BOMP-128
1980 I’ll Be Alright/I Stand Accused (Bomp!)
1980 Make Up Your Mind/Too Much to Dream [12″] (Bomp)!
Albums
1981 David Quinton (Bomb) BOMB-7035
2001 Bombs and Lullabies: 1981 – 1988 (Bullseye) BLR-CD-4035
2019 Overlook Road (Secret Mission) SMR-028
with STIV BATORS
1981 Disconnected (Bomp!) BLP-4015
1983 Stiv Bators/The Dead Boys (Revenge – France) MIG-16/18
1983 The Lord And The New Creatures (Lolita – France)
with STIV BATORS AND THE DEAD BOYS
1980 Live C.A. 1980!!!! [EP]
with ANTON EVANS
1994 Eye (Henge) Henge-001
Compilation Tracks
2003 “Does It Matter To You?” on ‘Home Runs/Rare Powerpop Compilation: Songs That’ll Take You All The Way – Volume 1’ (Sound Asleep – Sweden)
200- “Make Up Your Mind” on ‘Powerpearls – Volume 10’ (Japan)
2007 “When Lullabyes End (2007)” on ‘Unsigned, Sealed & Delivered – In Pop We Trust: V2.2’ (Bullseye/Frontline) FL-804130
with STIV BATORS
1980 “A Million Miles Away” on ‘Experiments In Destiny’ (Bomp!)
1980 “Make Up Your Mind” on ‘Roots of Powerpop’ (Bomp!) BCD-4060
QUINTON, Gordon
Born: Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland
Coming from a musical family of accordion and fiddle players, Quinton was drawn to the acoustic guitar at a very early age after seeing one in a store window and hearing his brother Doug and his friends playing popular and country songs on their guitars. Influenced by the traditional accordion playing of his grandmother, and country music on the radio, he soon taught himself to play a variety of instrumental tunes. After much dedicated practice, Quinton debuted in public on a local live CBC radio show called ‘Time Out For Teens.’ More public exposure followed with performances at wedding receptions for friends and family. After moving to St. John’s in the mid-1960s, Quinton became lead guitarist of the local bands The Krystals and The Mountain Men. Returning to the acoustic guitar a few years later, he performed at coffeehouses and met Mary McKim, John Lacey, and Boyd Norman. The formed the band Country Dream along with Dennis Browne and Neil Rosenberg. By 1970, Quinton, Norman, and Lacey had a trio called Ward 6. They were invited by producer Tom Cahill to be the house band for a season on CBC-TV’s ‘All Around The Circle.’ Ward Six released an eponymous, nationally distributed album in 1971 to wide acclaim. Gordon Quinton has since produced nine instrumental guitar recordings – seven of which were on his own Woodnight Records label. He has also contributed musically on several recordings by local artists including John White, John Lane, Doug Lane, Johnny Cameron, Phyllis Morrissey, Shirley Montague, John Lacey, Craig Young and Larry Foley. Gordon was awarded Instrumental Artist by the Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (MusicNL) in 1997. He was honoured with MusicNL’s 2007 Instrumental Artist/Group of the Year award and was nominated for a 2007 Canadian Folk Music Award in the Instrumental-Solo category for his recording, ‘The Yellow Sky.’ In 2013, Gordon received the Instrumental Artist/Group of the Year award from MusicNL for ‘A Guitar’s Story.’
[also see WARD 6]
Singles
with JOHN LACEY & GORDON QUINTON
1982 Brand New Tennessee Waltz/Tall Drinks And Solitude (Pigeon Inlet) PIP-7310
Albums
1979 Guitar Songs (Quay) CS-7933
1982 Woodnight Moon (Pigeon Inlet) PIP-739
1986 Wildwood Flower (Woodnight) ACR-7067
1988 Sea-Winds (Woodnight) WNMR-001
2001 Molly Bawn A Guitar Memoir (Woodnight) wnmcd-002
2005 From A Christmas Guitar (Woodnight) wnmcd-003
2006 The Yellow Sky (Woodnight) WNMCD-004
QWEST
Shelly Gellner (guitar, vocals) / Barry Gellner (bass, vocals) / Greg Gunhold (guitar, vocals) / Jim Symchych (drums) / Ted Alexander (keyboards, vocals)
Brothers Shelly and Barry Gellner formed the band Shelbar Ryly in the late 1970s and became a fixture in Calgary, Alberta music scene writing and recording original material and making appearances on local cable access shows to expand their fan base. In 1980 they were taken under the wing of Dan Lowe (49th Parallel, Painter, Hammersmith, 451 Degrees) who produced an album’s worth of material with them that year. They also changed their name to Qwest. The resulting recording session was deemed unusable so the band went to former Stampeders manager Mel Shaw who put the band through the star making machine. As a team, they recorded the album ‘Tampico Gold’ in 1981 which was released on Shaw’s own Music World Creations (MWC) label – home to the Stampeders. Though the album produced the radio single “Goin’ Down”, which did well in the mid-West, it did little to break the band nationally. However, they pounded the pavement and landed a new record deal with Quality after which they invited Lowe back to have another crack at producing them. The result was a change in style for 1984’s ‘Dream Zone’. The album still did nothing to raise Qwest’s public profile – even with the radio singles “Never Forget” and “We Need Love” – causing the band to finally succumb to defeat; Both albums were re-mastered and re-released through Pacemaker Entertainment in Canada (1996) and Razor & Tie in Europe (1997); Gunhold now fronts his own rhythm ‘n’ blues act GUNN along with Brock Gillis (keyboards), Danny Zane (bass), Sally Chappus (drums) and Corinne Buschmeyer (vocals). with notes from Greg Gunhold and Brock Gillis.
Singles
1981 Goin’ Down/Harder All the Time (MWC) MWC-8201
1984 Never Forget/Nothing To Lose (Quality) Q2437X
1984 We Need Love/Dreamer (Quality) Q2443X
Albums
1981 Tampico Gold (MWC/Rio) MWC-8201
1984 Dream Zone (Quality) SV-2130
1996 Tampico Gold [CD re-issue w/bonus tracks] (Pacemaker) PACE-013
1996 Dream Zone [CD re-issue] (Pacemaker) PACE-014
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