Well, now I’m going backwards in to the ’70s. 1979 was a big year for Canadian rock, lots of big albums and plenty of forgotten gems.
I’ve chosen 15 (there was just so many records released in’79, and too many tough decisions), and I’ve also included a gallery of album covers that I didn’t include in my list (at end).
Feel free to drop your favorites or anything I’ve missed, in the comments.
APRIL WINE – Harder, Faster
The 8th album from April Wine, 2nd with the 3 guitar line up, released in October. Featured the hits “Say Hello” and “I Like To Rock”, as well as live favorites “Before The Dawn” (by Brian Greenway) and an epic cover of King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man”. The first of their’s to crack the UK top 40 (#34), while hitting #25 in Canada and 64 in the US.
HARLEQUIN – Victim Of A Song
The debut from Winnipeg’s Harlequin. Those first 2 Harlequin albums were my favorites from the band’s short catalogue, both being more guitar heavy & rockin’. Cool Hugnosis cover art. Jack Douglas, legendary for his involvement with Alice Cooper and Aerosmith, among other mixes this and is listed as Executive Producer.Included 3 singles, “You Are The Light”, “Survive” and “Sweet Things In Life”, as well as the heavy ballad title track, a cover of Billy Squier’s “Who Knows (What A Love Can Do)”, and cool rocker “Shame Shame”. Great album!
TRIUMPH – Just A Game
One of the band’s top 3 albums (IMO) with “Hold On” , “Lay It On The Line”, “Movin’ On” and the title track. Cool gatefold cover, came complete with a board-game inside, designed by bassist Mike Levine. Their first big album in the US, with “Hold On” making the US top 40.
TEAZE – One Night Stands
Windsor’s Teaze – their 3rd and arguably their best studio album. Featured their best known song – “Heartless World”. Plenty of rockers here like “Young And Restless”, “Back In Action”, “Reach Out”. Produced by Myles Goodwyn, who does an outstanding job here. This album should have done it for them, but wasn’t to be.
SAGA – Images At Twilight
Saga’s 2nd album, and one of their best (that 5 album run from the debut on is their greatest peiod, IMO). Released in, it features “See Them Smile”, You’re Not Alone”, “Take It Or Leave”, and “It’s Time (Chapter Three)”, and “Hot To Cold”. Cover illustration by Tony Roberts, who also illustrated the next Saga LP cover, as well as covers by John Verity and Robin Trower.
FRANK MARINO & MAHOGANY RUSH – Tales Of The Unexpected
The 3rd album as Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush. This one coming in the spring of that year features the first side of studio tracks, and the 2nd side live tracks! Killer guitar throughout, classic tracks like “Sister Change”, “Down Down Down”, “Woman”, as well as great covers of “All Along The Watchtower” and “Norwegian Wood”. Cool coverart by Joseph Malec.
GODDO – An Act Of
One of Toronto’s other classic trios; this is Goddo’s 3rd album. Features the classic opener (and used for stage intro) “Anacanapanacana”, which leads in to one of the band’s best known songs “So Walked On”. Also here is the ballad “Chantal”, and favorites like “Work It Out” and “Sign On The Line”, Produced by Thomas Morley Turner (aka Greg Godovitz!).
STAMPEDERS – Ballsy
The last from this band for years to come. By this point the only original member left was Ronnie King, who added his brother on bass, and 2 guitar players. The band relocated to Toronto, signed to MCA and released this one album in August. This is hard / blues rock album, featuring covers of blues standard “Mojo”, as well as Chuck Berry’s “Bye Bye Johnny”. There’s also some solid driving rock here, such as “We’re Here To Rock And Roll” and “How Does He Do It”. Closing track “If You Really Want To” is another gem here.
WIRELESS – Positively Human Relatively Sane
The 2nd album from Toronto’s Wireless. Plenty of cool guitar rock on here beyond the single “I Know You Know”, such as “Goodnight Ladies”, “The Hard Way”, and “Right To Beg”. This band featured Canadian and Australian members. Marty Morin (ex Goddo drummer) sang lead on this one and the next album. Their only album to get a US release.
MAX WEBSTER – A Million Vacations
The 4th studio album from Max Webster (name of the band!). Included 3 singles, “Paradise Skies”, “A Million Vacations”, and “Let Go The Line”, as well as the UK-only single “Night Flights”. A unique sounding band, with lots of different tracks throughout this.
STREETHEART – Under Heaven Over Hell
A solid album, though not as outstanding as the debut, but featured hits “Hollywood”, and “Here Comes The Night”, as well as just solid likeable rock tunes in “Fight To Survive”, “Baby’s Got A Gun”, and “Dreaded Dotted Line”. Closing track “Storyteller” ( a good track) would be replaced on later prints with the band’s version of “Under My Thumb”.
BTO – Rock N Roll Nights
The 8th album from BTO, and the 2nd to include Jim Clench (bass, lead vocals – on 6 tracks), as Randy Bachman had left 2 years before. This is not a bad album at all! Regardless of no Randy here, there’s plenty of good songs, with a few outside penned ones, such as “Jamaica”, which was a hit single in Canada, and a lesser hit in the US. That was penned by Jim Vallance (who also produced this record) and sang by Clench. There was also another minor hit in Fred Turner’s “Heartaches”. The title track is favorite, and this album includes “Rock and Roll Hell”(Vallance), which would be later re-done by Kiss. The last BTO album until 1984.
PRIVATE EYE – Private Eye
A 4 piece featuring Hughie Leggat (ex A Foot In Coldwater) on lead vocals & guitar. This LP was split into a ‘Hard side’ and a ‘Soft side’. The band signed to Capitol, got released in Canada and the US, and had 3 singles, notably the excellent hit “Your Place Or Mine”, as well as the softer “Changes”. A good album that never really took off. Hughie and Gord (on guitar here) went off to release Illuminations, under the Leggat name.
PRISM – Armageddon
Released in the summer of that year, Armageddon would be the Vancouver band’s 3rd and biggest selling album. It boasted 5 singles, including the hits “Virginia”, “Night To Remember”, the epic title track, as well as an early Bryan Adams’ penned track “Jealousy”. Produced by Bruce Fairbairn, who’d produced the band’s previous albums (his first production credits, prior to huge success with Loverboy and others).
TROOPER – Flying Colors
The band’s 5th album, and one of their better ones. Featured 3 hit singles, favorite being “3 Dressed Up As A Nine”, as well as “Good Clean Fun”, and “Janine” (Top 10). Other good tracks included “Mr Big” and a cover of The Kinks “All Day And All Of The Night”. This album reached #11 in Canada. Cover design and illustration by James O’Mara, who did other covers for Trooper, as well as Prism, BTO, and Loverboy.
