Don Pyle
Encyclopedia
Don Pyle is a Canadian
record producer and musician, who has been a member of a number of bands.
His first, from 1979 to 1981, was a punk
band called Crash Kills Five. They released one EP in 1980, What Do You Do At Night?. It was in this four piece band that he first played with two members, Reid Diamond and Brian Connelly, who would later become Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
. The Shadowy Men were together for 11 years; during this time they recorded three LPs and thirteen EPs and became widely known when their song, "Having An Average Weekend", became the theme for The Kids in the Hall
TV show. In 1992, they won a Juno Award
for "Instrumental Artist of the Year".
During hiatus from the Shadowy Men, Pyle played with several other bands such as King Cobb Steelie
and Fifth Column. He also began producing recordings for other bands, including the debut single and LP by King Cobb Steelie and a record by Phleg Camp. After Shadowy Men broke up in 1994, he and Reid Diamond then formed the band Phono-Comb
with Dallas Good for the express purpose of playing and recording with Jad Fair
. After releasing one single and an LP, Fair returned to solo performing, and the trio released another single. Beverly Breckenridge
of Fifth Column then joined the group to play bass and the quartet recorded the LP Fresh Gasoline for Quarterstick/Touch and Go Records, with Steve Albini
producing.
After Phono-Comb came to an end, Don Pyle began a new musical project with Andrew Zealley called Greek Buck
. More experimental
than his previous outfits, the group are noted for their soundtrack compositions, such as those composed for the films of John Greyson
including The Law of Enclosures
(1999) and Proteus (2003), and for Sarah Polley
's film I Shout Love. However, Greek Buck are best known for the theme song of the series Queer As Folk.
In April 2007, Pyle launched his very successful "Trouble in the Camera Club" photography show at The Beaver cafe/ bar in Toronto. The extensive collection of photographs documented the birth of the punk music scene in Toronto clubs during 1976–1980. The photographs had never been seen before and remained in the form of negatives for as much as 30 years, before Pyle restored the images. An on-line version of the show continues to be accessible on his official home page.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
record producer and musician, who has been a member of a number of bands.
His first, from 1979 to 1981, was a punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band called Crash Kills Five. They released one EP in 1980, What Do You Do At Night?. It was in this four piece band that he first played with two members, Reid Diamond and Brian Connelly, who would later become Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet were a Juno Award-winning Canadian instrumental rock band, formed in 1984. They remain best-known for the track "Having an Average Weekend," which was used as the theme to the Canadian sketch comedy TV show The Kids in the Hall...
. The Shadowy Men were together for 11 years; during this time they recorded three LPs and thirteen EPs and became widely known when their song, "Having An Average Weekend", became the theme for The Kids in the Hall
The Kids in the Hall
The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States...
TV show. In 1992, they won a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for "Instrumental Artist of the Year".
During hiatus from the Shadowy Men, Pyle played with several other bands such as King Cobb Steelie
King Cobb Steelie
King Cobb Steelie is a Canadian Indie rock band formed in 1991 from Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The band's most successful single was 1997's "Rational", from the album Junior Relaxer. Their music fuses elements of punk, funk, jazz and dance.-History:...
and Fifth Column. He also began producing recordings for other bands, including the debut single and LP by King Cobb Steelie and a record by Phleg Camp. After Shadowy Men broke up in 1994, he and Reid Diamond then formed the band Phono-Comb
Phono-Comb
Phono-Comb was a Canadian instrumental/modern surf rock group that originated in Toronto, Ontario.-History:Phono-Comb first materialized when Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet played with Jad Fair when he was performing in Toronto to promote a film about his band Half Japanese...
with Dallas Good for the express purpose of playing and recording with Jad Fair
Jad Fair
Jad Fair is an American singer, guitarist and graphic artist, most famous for being a founding member of lo-fi alternative rock group Half Japanese.-Biography:In 1974, with his brother David, Jad Fair founded the lo-fi group Half Japanese...
. After releasing one single and an LP, Fair returned to solo performing, and the trio released another single. Beverly Breckenridge
Beverly Breckenridge
Beverly Breckenridge is a musician, composer, and actress from Toronto, Ontario. She played bass for the bands Fifth Column and Phono-Comb.In 1986, Beverly Breckenridge joined the post-punk experimental band Fifth Column...
of Fifth Column then joined the group to play bass and the quartet recorded the LP Fresh Gasoline for Quarterstick/Touch and Go Records, with Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
producing.
After Phono-Comb came to an end, Don Pyle began a new musical project with Andrew Zealley called Greek Buck
Greek Buck
Greek Buck were a Canadian musical duo, consisting of Don Pyle and Andrew Zealley. They are best known for "Spunk", the theme song to the American television series Queer as Folk...
. More experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
than his previous outfits, the group are noted for their soundtrack compositions, such as those composed for the films of John Greyson
John Greyson
John Greyson is a Canadian filmmaker, whose work frequently deals with gay themes. Greyson is also a video artist, writer and activist; he is currently a professor at York University, where he teaches film and video theory and film production and editing.-Background:Greyson was born the son of...
including The Law of Enclosures
The Law of Enclosures (film)
The Law of Enclosures is a Canadian drama film, released in 1999. The film was written and directed by John Greyson, and based on the novel The Law of Enclosures by Dale Peck....
(1999) and Proteus (2003), and for Sarah Polley
Sarah Polley
Sarah Polley is a Canadian actress, singer, film director, and screenwriter. Polley first attained notice in her role as Sara Stanley in the Canadian television series, Road to Avonlea...
's film I Shout Love. However, Greek Buck are best known for the theme song of the series Queer As Folk.
In April 2007, Pyle launched his very successful "Trouble in the Camera Club" photography show at The Beaver cafe/ bar in Toronto. The extensive collection of photographs documented the birth of the punk music scene in Toronto clubs during 1976–1980. The photographs had never been seen before and remained in the form of negatives for as much as 30 years, before Pyle restored the images. An on-line version of the show continues to be accessible on his official home page.
External links
- www.DonPyle.com (Official home page)
- The Shadowy Site On A Shadowy Web (Unofficial Shadowy Men Home Page)
- Canuckistan Music review of Crash Kills Five EP