The Waltons (Canadian band)
Encyclopedia
The Waltons were a Canadian
alternative rock
band in the 1990s. Originally from Regina
, Saskatchewan
, the band was formed in 1987 by vocalist/guitarist Jason Plumb
, Bass guitarist Keith Nakonechny and drummer David Cooney.
' 89 Demonstrations and Demo Sandwich, in 1989 and 1990.
In 1992, with producer John Switzer, they released their debut album, Lik My Trakter
("like my tractor") independently. Also in 1991, they were nominated for two CFNY-FM
CASBY Award
s for 'Most Promising Band' and 'Best Western Canadian Band'. The following year, they signed to Warner Music Canada
, and toured as a supporting act for Barenaked Ladies
. Todd Lumley also joined the band that year, playing keyboards and accordion. The album became their commercial breakthrough, spawning the Top 40 hits "Colder Than You", "In the Meantime" and "The Naked Rain". The song "The Living Room" also received heavy airplay on many alternative stations around Canada.
In 1994, the band won a Juno Award
for Best New Group. Also that year they released the Simple Brain EP
, including the title track (which the band had written for the film soundtrack Naked in New York
), as well as covers of Simon and Garfunkel
's "The Boxer" and Weddings Parties Anything
's "Under the Clocks".
In 1995, the band followed up with Cock's Crow, produced by Michael Phillip Wojewoda
and including two songs co written with Spirit of the West
's John Mann
and Geoffrey Kelly
. That year, Cooney left the band to pursue other interests. He was replaced by Steve Pitkin. After the recording of Cock's Crow, Sean Bryson replaced Pitkin.
In 1998, the band released Empire Hotel. A live album, Liv, followed in 2001, after which the band broke up. Plumb went on to record his own solo music, though he still performs some Waltons songs in concert..
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...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band in the 1990s. Originally from Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, the band was formed in 1987 by vocalist/guitarist Jason Plumb
Jason Plumb
Jason Plumb is a Canadian singer-songwriter who was the lead singer and front man of The Waltons. He currently performs as a solo singer-songwriter with a backing band called The Willing....
, Bass guitarist Keith Nakonechny and drummer David Cooney.
History
The band was originally known as "Neurotic Paperboy", before changing to The Waltons. They released two independent demo cassettes,In 1992, with producer John Switzer, they released their debut album, Lik My Trakter
Lik My Trakter
Lik My Trakter was the first full-length album by The Waltons, released in 1992. Initially released independently, the album received a national release later the same year on Warner Music Canada.The album was produced by John Switzer...
("like my tractor") independently. Also in 1991, they were nominated for two 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...
CASBY Award
CASBY Award
The CASBY Award is a Canadian award for independent and alternative music, presented annually by Toronto, Ontario radio station CFNY, currently branded as 102.1 The Edge. The name CASBY stands for Canadian Artists Selected By You....
s for 'Most Promising Band' and 'Best Western Canadian Band'. The following year, they signed to Warner Music Canada
Warner Music Canada
Warner Music Canada is the Canadian division of Warner Music Group. The label previously operated as WEA Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of WEA International, which later changed its name to Warner Music International in 1990. It was founded in 1967 as Warner Reprise Canada Ltd...
, and toured as a supporting act for Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
. Todd Lumley also joined the band that year, playing keyboards and accordion. The album became their commercial breakthrough, spawning the Top 40 hits "Colder Than You", "In the Meantime" and "The Naked Rain". The song "The Living Room" also received heavy airplay on many alternative stations around Canada.
In 1994, the band 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 Best New Group. Also that year they released the Simple Brain EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, including the title track (which the band had written for the film soundtrack Naked in New York
Naked in New York
Naked in New York is a 1993 romantic drama film starring Eric Stoltz, Mary Louise Parker, Ralph Macchio, Jill Clayburgh, Tony Curtis, Timothy Dalton, and Kathleen Turner, and featuring multiple celebrity cameos, including William Styron listing all of his authored, penned and film work, Whoopi...
), as well as covers of Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel are an American duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the...
's "The Boxer" and Weddings Parties Anything
Weddings Parties Anything
Weddings Parties Anything were an Australian folk rock band formed in 1984 in Melbourne and continuing until 1998. Their name came from The Clash song and musicologist Billy Pinnell described their first album as the best Australian rock debut since Skyhooks' Living in the '70s.-Formation and...
's "Under the Clocks".
In 1995, the band followed up with Cock's Crow, produced by Michael Phillip Wojewoda
Michael Phillip Wojewoda
-External links:*...
and including two songs co written with Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West are a Canadian folk rock band, who were popular on the Canadian folk music scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock, Britpop, and Celtic folk influences which made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock acts in the 1990s.-Early years:The band began...
's John Mann
John Mann (musician)
John F. Mann is a Canadian rock musician and actor.-Music:He is the lead vocalist for the folk rock band Spirit of the West...
and Geoffrey Kelly
Geoffrey Kelly
Geoffrey Kelly is a Canadian rock musician.He plays guitars, flutes and bodhran for the folk rock band Spirit of the West, for whom he is also the lead vocalist on some songs. He and John Mann are the band's primary songwriters.Kelly is also a full time member of The Paperboys, and released a solo...
. That year, Cooney left the band to pursue other interests. He was replaced by Steve Pitkin. After the recording of Cock's Crow, Sean Bryson replaced Pitkin.
In 1998, the band released Empire Hotel. A live album, Liv, followed in 2001, after which the band broke up. Plumb went on to record his own solo music, though he still performs some Waltons songs in concert..
Discography
- 89 Demonstrations (1989, as "Neurotic Paperboy")
- Demo Sandwich (1990)
- Lik My TrakterLik My TrakterLik My Trakter was the first full-length album by The Waltons, released in 1992. Initially released independently, the album received a national release later the same year on Warner Music Canada.The album was produced by John Switzer...
(1992) - Simple Brain (1994)
- Cock's Crow (1995)
- Empire Hotel (1998)
- LivLivLiv is singer-songwriter Livingston Taylor's second album, released in 1971. Its eleven tracks include ten of Taylor's own compositions, and a cover version of "On Broadway".-Track listing:A#"Get Out of Bed" — 2:49...
(2001)