# Semi-obscure mid-90s Canadian rock bands **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968 "2008-05-29T00:45:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gulo\_gulo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@Gulo\_gulo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gulo_gulo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/21 "2008-05-29T22:48:13Z")
Almost too late to the party but at least I can add [Bootsauce](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootsauce). I used to work with one of the guys from [Numb](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numb_%28band%29) but I’m not sure how much mainstream radio play they got. Same with [Skinny Puppy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinny_Puppy). ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/22 "2008-05-29T23:12:11Z")
[QUOTE=Anastasaeon] I Mother Earth Crash Test Dummies Eric’s Trip Local Rabbits Bif Naked Barenaked Ladies before they were “cool” Blue Rodeo 54-40 Moist [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > The Killjoys > By Divine Right > Gandharvas > Rheostatics > Matthew Good Band > Glueleg > Zuckerbaby > Big Wreck > Headstones > Rusty > Big Sugar > Econoline Crush > Gob > The Tea Party > Wide Mouth Mason > Thrush Hermit > Holly McNarland > The Watchmen > Limblifter > Age of Electric > Len > Pluto A few of these rang a bell. Pluto had a couple of tracks that I loved: “Paste” and “When She Was Happy.” I remember the Tea Party, the Gandharvas, and Bif Naked. The earliest Barenaked Ladies I remember is “Old Apartment” and “Brian Wilson.” Crash Test Dummies had that huge hit here in the US, but I don’t think I ever heard another song of theirs. Len’s “Steal My Sunshine” (love that song, btw) was pretty popular here IIRC. Econoline Crush and Limblifter both sound familiar. What were some of their singles from that time period? ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/23 "2008-05-29T23:40:31Z")
Limblifter’s biggest hit was _Tinfoil_. The first single off their second album received some radio play, _Ariel vs. Lotus_. Econoline Crush had a string of singles off their first album. _Surefire_, _Sparkle & Shine_, _Home_, _The Devil You Know_, and _All That You Are_. The only song that I recognize off the second album is _You Don’t Know What It’s Like_. ---
**Author:** ![JimmyFlair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@JimmyFlair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimmyFlair)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/24 "2008-05-30T00:11:56Z")
The Grapes of Wrath? The Doughboys? This is a very nostalgia inducing thread! ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/25 "2008-05-30T00:40:22Z")
[QUOTE=the Lady] You have absolutely no idea how happy you have made me. I love Me Mom & Morgentaler, and after searching in vain for years for a CD, I had resigned myself to the fact that unless I dug up my old tape, I would never hear them again. Just ordered their new CD. Happy, happy, happy. [/QUOTE] Somehow I didn’t buy any of their music in the 90s because almost everyone I knew had a CD or a tape. Eventually, though, I started getting nostalgic and tried looking for a CD only to discover that they were impossible to find. Not in new or used record stores, not on iTunes, not on Amazon, not even in auctions… As a matter of fact, when I found the sites I linked to, it was the first time in about 10 years that I’d heard them. ---
**Author:** ![PopTop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@PopTop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PopTop)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/26 "2008-05-30T02:19:36Z")
I spent one year in Toronto, 1994-95, and there I somehow discovered the East Coast Sound: Sloan, The Super Friendz (“Karate Man”!), Jale, The Hardship Post, Al Tuck and No Action, and Thrush Hermit. They’re all still in my CD case and I still listen to them a lot. Such good times, such good times. ---
**Author:** ![vitaminf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ecae2f/32.png) [@vitaminf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vitaminf)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/27 "2012-05-07T03:42:08Z")
Nice thread. Here are a few more bands, along with a link to a video clip that was banned from MuchMusic in 1995. 13 Engines Rymes With Orange Armed & Hammered [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gassGuf6uE&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gassGuf6uE&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/28 "2012-05-07T04:28:54Z")
The Nils - [I am the Wolf](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ysTpQrkwEc) [Bandito Calling](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLnzubu0WMo) Ok, this is more like an obscure 1980s Canadian band but they’re awesome. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/29 "2012-05-07T04:43:00Z")
Heard a lot of Rheostatics and old Honeymoon Suite (“There’s a New Girl Now” still seemed to get a lot of airplay) on radio stations in Buffalo during the 1990s. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/30 "2012-05-07T04:44:36Z")
ETA: OOPS! Just noticed the Zombie Status of this Thread. > [@some\_white\_dude](#): > > I think I’ve got The Tragically Hip and Our Lady Peace covered on my own. I came in just to see how long it would take someone to mention Our Lady Peace. A friend was a huge OLP fan when he was in high school, they were pretty much his favorite band. Not too long down the line, they had to replace their lead guitarist and my friend went from being an OLP fan to actually being the new OLP lead guitarist. Talk about a high school wet dream come true. He was a hired gun at first, but now is a full fledged band member. It really is the kind of thing that does not happen in real life. Yet it happened for him. ---
**Author:** ![vitaminf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ecae2f/32.png) [@vitaminf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vitaminf)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/31 "2012-05-07T05:17:51Z")
I remembered a few more. Good luck finding tracks for some of these artists! King Cobb Steelie Jet Set Satellite SNFU GrimSkunk Mudmen Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet Slowburn Huevos Rancheros hHead The Inbreds Chunk Shyne Factory ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/32 "2012-05-07T10:00:47Z")
I used to listen to The Pursuit of Happiness a lot in college. They put out a couple of really good albums back then. I saw Odds when they were Warren Zevon’s backing band in 1991. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet are probably best known for the Kids In The Hall theme song, _Having An Average Weekend_. Some friends of mine had a surf band and they used to cover that song. _Steal My Sunshine_ by Len is on my iPod. ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/33 "2012-05-07T10:50:21Z")
Not necessarily ‘good’, and not necessarily ‘mid-90s’, although they were active during that time (and still tour today), but Glass Tiger had a few big years in the late 80s and some top-10 hits in the early 90s. Although I suspect they only broke through because of the Bryan Adams connection (first album was produced by Jim Vallance, the songwriter partner for Adams). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/34 "2012-05-07T12:30:02Z")
I didn’t realize this was a zombie at first. I did want to come in and point everyone to [the CBC](http://music.cbc.ca/#/bands/) music site. Lots of great Canadian music there. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/35 "2012-05-07T18:34:56Z")
[Spirit of the West](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_of_the_West) I’ve never actually heard their music, but I had a Canadian pen pal (pre-internet) who was obsessed with this band. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/36 "2012-05-07T18:40:58Z")
[Colin James is working a lot with some guys from the Odds](http://www.colinjames.com/) - Colin James is a great representative of Canadian music from the 90’s (from the 80’s to current, actually). ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/37 "2012-05-07T18:52:05Z")
A few more from that time that I was moderately obsessed with: Sass Jordan Artificial Joy Club Wild Strawberries Lost & Profound Wide Mouth Mason ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/38 "2012-05-07T18:58:42Z")
Crash Vegas! ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/39 "2012-05-07T19:16:00Z")
Ashley MacIsaac’s celtic fusion hey day was in the 1990s with [Sleepy Maggie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoApELfgWcg). ---
**Author:** ![Yaxche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8dc957/32.png) [@Yaxche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yaxche)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968/40 "2012-05-07T20:48:52Z")
Besides the Hip, my two favorites have already been mentioned. Matthew Good Band and I Mother Earth. I guess Matthew Good is still kicking around doing solo records, but it lacks the wonderful bombast of those earlier records. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obscure-mid-90s-canadian-rock-bands/450968.md?page=3)