The Kramdens
Encyclopedia
The Kramdens are a Canadian Indie rock
band formed in 1990 from Guelph
, Ontario
, Canada
.
(lead vocals, accordion, keyboards), Robert Leader (drums, percussion, vocals), Michael T Plater Findlay (guitar, lap steel, mandolin, vocals), Steve Knox (guitar, banjo, harmonica, vocals) and Will Kee (bass) have been together sixteen years and throughout that time have produced four records.
The band released their first record ..."semi-stylish" in 1997 which topped many campus radio charts and led to a national TV appearance on CTV
’s E-Now, as well as a showcase slot at the prestigious NXNE Music Festival. Their second record, "Radio For Now", was released in 1999 and garnered stunning reviews as well as gave the band its first airplay on commercial radio, including rotation at CHTZ-FM
and CHOM-FM
. 2001’s "Quiet Collision", was picked up by Sextant Records, a label with EMI
and gained airplay for both singles “Sometimes I Feel” and “Breakwall.” On this CD the band recorded a cover of the New Order
song "Love Vigilantes", to which a video
was produced by director Angus McLellan of Guerilla Force Films and Bleeding Apple
.
Appearances on Canada AM
, Open Mike with Mike Bullard
and a CASBY Awards nomination from CFNY-FM
, or Edge 102 for Favourite New Indie Release helped build the band’s national profile. Along with an extensive performing schedule, 2003 saw the Europe
an release of Quiet Collision by TB Records. The band has spent the past year working on two albums – one, a full-length follow-up to Quiet Collision, and the other a special limited-release fifteenth anniversary album released in Summer 2005.
November 4, 2008, the band released its fourth full-length album. This self-titled disc was released by SunnyLane Records, and features ten new songs. Recorded over an eighteen-month period in the band's own studio, this album showcases a greater depth in songwriting and instrumentation than previous releases. With songs ranging from the familiar roots sound the band has been known for ("More Than I Deserve", "Mary Phelan Hill"), to more introspective, piano and synthesizer coloured ballads ("Winter Lightning", "The Ballad of Charles Lawrence Hannah","Before it Starts"), to brooding and explosive guitar-driven songs ("The Talbot Trail", "Out On The Roman Line"), this album is a significant departure for the band.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band formed in 1990 from Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
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...
.
History
Craig NorrisCraig Norris
Craig Norris is a Canadian rock singer and radio personality. He is the lead singer for The Kramdens, and is also a host on CBC Radio 3, including the network's weekly record chart show The R3-30, as well as the CBC Radio One program Laugh Out Loud...
(lead vocals, accordion, keyboards), Robert Leader (drums, percussion, vocals), Michael T Plater Findlay (guitar, lap steel, mandolin, vocals), Steve Knox (guitar, banjo, harmonica, vocals) and Will Kee (bass) have been together sixteen years and throughout that time have produced four records.
The band released their first record ..."semi-stylish" in 1997 which topped many campus radio charts and led to a national TV appearance on CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
’s E-Now, as well as a showcase slot at the prestigious NXNE Music Festival. Their second record, "Radio For Now", was released in 1999 and garnered stunning reviews as well as gave the band its first airplay on commercial radio, including rotation at CHTZ-FM
CHTZ-FM
CHTZ-FM is a radio station in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The station airs at 97.7 on the FM dial, and broadcasts an active rock format with the brand name HTZ FM...
and CHOM-FM
CHOM-FM
CHOM-FM is an English language radio station located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Owned and operated by Astral Media, it broadcasts on 97.7 MHz from the Mount Royal candelabra tower, with an effective radiated power of 41,200 watts using an omnidirectional antenna.The station has a mainstream rock...
. 2001’s "Quiet Collision", was picked up by Sextant Records, a label with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and gained airplay for both singles “Sometimes I Feel” and “Breakwall.” On this CD the band recorded a cover of the New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
song "Love Vigilantes", to which a video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
was produced by director Angus McLellan of Guerilla Force Films and Bleeding Apple
Bleeding Apple
Bleeding Apple is a collective of film and video artists working out of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.-Formation and Description:Formed in 2008, Bleeding Apple is not a company, but an organized movement of artists working under one banner to collaborate on various forms of video and film projects,...
.
Appearances on Canada AM
Canada AM
Canada AM is a Canadian breakfast television news show, which has aired on the CTV Television Network since 1972. It is currently hosted by Beverly Thomson and Seamus O'Regan, with Marci Ien reporting from the headline news desk and Jeff Hutcheson presenting the weather forecast and sports...
, Open Mike with Mike Bullard
Open Mike with Mike Bullard
Open Mike with Mike Bullard was a Canadian late-night talk show which was broadcast live from 1997 to 2003 on CTV and on The Comedy Network in primetime. It was hosted by comedian Mike Bullard and initially taped at a studio at the back of Wayne Gretzky's restaurant in Toronto, Ontario before CTV...
and a CASBY Awards nomination from CFNY-FM
CFNY-FM
CFNY-FM, promoted under the branding 102.1 The Edge, is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.1 FM. The station rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s due to its freestyle DJing format and unique choice to play alternative music...
, or Edge 102 for Favourite New Indie Release helped build the band’s national profile. Along with an extensive performing schedule, 2003 saw the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an release of Quiet Collision by TB Records. The band has spent the past year working on two albums – one, a full-length follow-up to Quiet Collision, and the other a special limited-release fifteenth anniversary album released in Summer 2005.
November 4, 2008, the band released its fourth full-length album. This self-titled disc was released by SunnyLane Records, and features ten new songs. Recorded over an eighteen-month period in the band's own studio, this album showcases a greater depth in songwriting and instrumentation than previous releases. With songs ranging from the familiar roots sound the band has been known for ("More Than I Deserve", "Mary Phelan Hill"), to more introspective, piano and synthesizer coloured ballads ("Winter Lightning", "The Ballad of Charles Lawrence Hannah","Before it Starts"), to brooding and explosive guitar-driven songs ("The Talbot Trail", "Out On The Roman Line"), this album is a significant departure for the band.
Current
- Craig NorrisCraig NorrisCraig Norris is a Canadian rock singer and radio personality. He is the lead singer for The Kramdens, and is also a host on CBC Radio 3, including the network's weekly record chart show The R3-30, as well as the CBC Radio One program Laugh Out Loud...
(1990–present) - Robert Leader (1990–present)
- Michael T Plater Findlay (1990–present)
- Steve Knox (1990–present)
- Will Kee (1990–present)
Discography
- ..."semi-stylish" (1997)
- Radio For Now (1999)
- Quiet Collision (2001)
- The Kramdens (2008)
See also
- Music of CanadaMusic of CanadaThe music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
- Canadian rockCanadian rockCanadian rock describes a wide and diverse variety of music produced by Canadians, beginning with American style rock 'n' roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern popular music called rock...
- List of Canadian musicians
- List of bands from Canada
- :Category:Canadian musical groups