These are 2 Canadian bands that I've never really paid much attention to, though I've had The Nature of the Beast from April Wine forever. Digging into the back catalog of both bands now, and was wondering what some folks here think of these two acts and what some of your favorite albums are by them?
Journey to the stars-rock and roll guitars!
Max Webster gets discussed to death here so I'll leave that one alone other than to say I like them, and as a border rat, these Canadian acts were the same as American acts to us, growing up. They were played on the radio here even if they weren't played on the radio anywhere else in the USA, and played all the local clubs.
April Wine, all I have is the same album you have, but I hear their singles a lot, still, on Canadian radio stations. I've been meaning to see if there's a decent compilation around.
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
BGO remastered a bunch of the April Wine albums and put them on 2 fer CD sets, so I've been picking up a few of these, and also ordered a couple of their early albums. So far I really like what I'm hearing! I can totally picture much of their material being played on the radio in Canada, and it's a shame that the US didn't catch on till "Just Between You and Me".Originally Posted by ItalProgRules
Cool, I bet the price is right too. I'll add one or two of the two-fers to my next Amazon order!
Weren't "I Like to Rock" (where I got the quote from) and "Sign of the Gypsy Queen" hits in the US? They got played to death here in WNY but I was too young to know what was a local hit and what was a national hit.
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
April Wine still to this day has the honor of coming up with the greatest song title ever:
Also dug these songs:
Sign of the Gypsy Queen, Roller, Just Between You and Me, Enough is Enough, and a later song that is escaping all got played on FM radio here.
I had Harder, Faster by AW... I remember thinking it was awightNow Max, of course, is fully awesome.
"Roller"...that's the other one I was trying to remember!
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
I grew up 50 odd miles south of the border so I heard plenty of April Wine growing up. I remember when they used to end shows with the trio "All Over Town", "One More Time" and "Roller", smashing it home with that three guitar lineup. It was nothing short of being at the blast center of the bomb.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
i used to love the tune "roller" by April Wine they played on bay area radio back in the day. killer tune. although i had some of their stuff they were very good i just didn't keep them since over time to me they were prertty avaerage and really had nothing unique .prolly just me .
max webster on the other hand was a really good heavy (pop-quirky) rock band with some good players and songs. to me they were more interesting but again i only got like one or two of theys rekkids.
Max Webster - Get Squareheads (no album name - Hangover is a great tune), High Classed in Borrowed Shoes (Diamonds, Diamonds), Mutiny Up My Leave (with the wonderful Astonish Me). Max may be discussed a lot here but for good reason, one of Canada's best kept secrets. They often played on the same bill as Rush but I thought Max Webster had a much better live show.
April Whine - they never did anything for me although they were omnipresent in Canada in the '70s. I would say, however, that their version of KC's 21st C S Man is quite good.
What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)
April Wine are both a rock and ballads (commercial ?) facets. For me Nature of the Beast is their best album. Seems like they are now billed as Myles Goodwyn and April Wine. I'd rather hear the solo albums Kim Mitchell of Max Webster did after MW ended than April Wine.
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
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The first three Max Webster albums would be of interest to many prog fans. The last two studio recorders were more straight-ahead rock. Kim may not like me saying that, but...
"The woods would be very silent if the only birds that sang were those who sang best..." - Henry David Thoreau
It's been alluded to but AW and Max are two entirely different creates, like Kenny Rogers and Miles Davis. Max were one of the most powerful live bands I've ever witnessed, power, humour, odd meters, and wicked melodies - oh yeah, amazing musicianship. We, as teens, mostly scoffed at April Wine, save for their later day Crim cover, that rocks. Max rocks too but straddled progressive rock in a big way.
What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)
Hey Pete, both are great bands. Have listened to both since the '70s and they put on excellent live shows. In fact, going to see April Wine next week!
Favourite albums:
April Wine - Electric Jewels ("Weeping Widow" is my favourite of the band), Stand Back ("Don't Push Me Around", "Oowatanite" and "Cum Hear the Band" are excellent) and Forever For Now (love the title track)
Max Webster - High Class In Borrowed Shoes (highlights for me are the title track and "In Context Of The Moon"), Mutiny Up My Sleeve ("The Party" is an excellent 'party' song) and A Million Vacations (stands out for me are the title track, "Moon Voices" and "Sun Voices").
Regards,
Jon
I've seen both bands, and I love Max Webster, but this has to be the worst album cover of all time...
Who knows what this guy was thinkin' when he put on that outfit.
I still maintain the last word in bad album covers is Queen Sheer Heart Attack.I've seen both bands, and I love Max Webster, but this has to be the worst album cover of all time...
Who knows what this guy was thinkin' when he put on that outfit.
I heard "sign of the gypsy queen" at my gym last summer I think and wondered who it was. I looked it up and was not too surprised to find out it was April Wine. I never heard anything by them at all on the radio growing up(either in NY or PA). However, I did have a K-tel cassette when I was about 13 that had "just between you and me" by April Wine on it. That was the first time I ever heard of them. Max Webster I still don't really know but probably first heard about them from a biography on Rush that I had in the early 90's where they were mentioned.
The first three (and even four) Webster albums are must-haves... they were one of my fave bands in High School... often very inventive, sometimes ala Queen or 10 CC
However, if I did buy AW used vinyls, I think none of them ever stayed for more than one year on my shelves... I still have an XL-IIS compilation of them... and it's all I'll ever need... unless comes a compilation CD picking up the traccks I had selected on tape
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
I've said it before and I'll say it again- Live Magnetic Air is the great, essential Max album. I would never suggest it in place of having all the early studio albums but I think its the best starting place for a newbie...
I'd probably take this statement back. AW did an amazing job with the Crim song so they're obviously talented. What I should have said is AW is straight ahead rock while MW is quirky/at times progressive. If you like progressive music, the first three MW albums. Those who like straight ahead rock like later day MW that is clearly much much more mainstream.
What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)
ah the '70s; stoned at the Civic Centre watching Max stealing the show....great times.
[QUOTE=fictionmusic;72451ah the '70s; stoned at the Civic Centre watching Max stealing the show....great times.[/QUOTE]
I was there David and smoke definitely dominated in the air! I think it's cool you also thought Max stole the show.
What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)
Myles Goodwin lives in Hudson Quebec and is a member of the same golf club as my boss. April Wine is a Montreal-based band that I have never seen live, yet they used to play around here all the time.
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
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