Numerous drummers came and went until June of 1986, when Don Schmid joined to make it a permanent quartet. With the help of friend and local booking agent Robert Hodgins, the band cut its teeth on the prairie bar circuit. The combination of exciting live performances, well-received indie albums, and the continuous stream of demos caught the ear of Doug Chappell, President of Virgin Records, Canada, and with the help of managers Fraser Hill and Ed Smeall, The Pikes signed to the label on December 19, 1986.
In January 1987, the band began sessions at Metal Works Studio in Toronto with producers Rick Hutt and Fraser Hill, and they finished mixing at McClear Place Studios for what would become its first Virgin album, titled 'Big Blue Sky'. It was released in June of '87 and featured the singles "Teenland" and "Things I Do For Money", introducing the band to a wider audience and expanding the touring range to all parts of Canada and the USA.
Spring of 1988 saw The Pikes at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, NY. and later in Le Studio, Morin Heights, Quebec for the recording and mixing of 'Secrets of the Alibi'. The sophomore album had a more "live off the floor" feel, and the heavy airplay of single "Wait For Me" and "Hopes Go Astray" kept the band on the road virtually non-stop across the continent until the summer of '89.
Up to this point, the primary singers and songwriters were Jay and Merl, with the exception of some group compositions and "Hopes" written by Bryan. The Pikes third album Snow In June saw the blossoming of Bryan as a singer and writer, most notably for the hit single "She Ain't Pretty". In addition the album featured other hits, "Girl With A Problem" and "Kiss Me You Fool", and featured a star-studded cast of additional musicians - Garth Hudson, Crystal Taliefero, John Sebastian and Stan Szelest, as well as mixes by acclaimed engineers Bob Clearmountain and Hugh Padgham. Recording again in Bearsville and mixing at A&M Studios in Los Angeles, the Pikes spent almost six months working on the album, considered by many to be their finest.
After almost two years of touring to support Snow In June, the band began work on Neptune in July of '92 at A&M Studios in LA with Rob Jaczko as co-producer. Subsequent sessions continued at Metal Works in Toronto and Blue Jay Studio in Boston. From start to finish the album took exactly two months to record, mix and master¤ the fastest turnaround since their indie days- Released in November, Neptune featured the keyboard work of Ross Nykiforuk, also a native of Saskatoon and an on-stage addition for the Snow In June tour. Also featured were two duets with Margo Timmins of "Cowboy Junkies", one of which¤ "Worlds Away"¤ made its way onto an episode of the TV series "Due South". The album featured the singles "Twister", "Believe" and "Everything", and in December saw the band fly from one end of Canada to the other on a whirlwind tour promoting the record.
The spring of '93 saw the last tour for The Pikes, and the fifth and final album gig, recorded live during concerts in Montreal and Toronto. It featured 13 songs and showcased the raw energy the band always exhibited onstage.
The Northern Pikes played their final concert of this first era on July 2, 1993 in Fort Frances, Ontario. Their unofficial final recording session took place July 9, '93 in Don's "Fresh Vibe North" studio where Jay, Bryan, Don and Ross laid down the original tracks for the theme song to "Due South" written by Jay and Bryan. Shortly afterwards, the band disbanded.
However, in 1999, the band reformed to build a Greatest Hits package, called "Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984-1993." On the subsequent tour to promote this album, the band decided to release a live work in 2000 ("Live"). This was followed by a studio album in 2001 ("Truest Inspiration"), and another in 2003 ("It's a Good Life"). A collaborative album with fellow Canadian artist Les Stroud followed-up in 2008. They've continued to tour over the past few years.
Hold On
The Northern Pikes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I dreamt I died last night
Dumb luck or premonition
I'm losing the will to fight
And I'll love her
'Til the day she comes back
Dressed tender in silky white
Hands held with dancing angels
Maybe our lives are just too long anyway
Maybe our lives tomorrow
Hold on to this song
It pumps the blood of your life
Embrace peace and you'll soon fall asleep
To the adoring beat of my dying heart
Somehow I know I'm going
I know I die tonight
No priests, laws or doctors
Can deny this hallowed right
Maybe our lives are just too long anyway
Maybe our lives tomorrow
Hold on to this song
It pumps the blood of your life
Embrace peace and you'll soon fall asleep
To the adoring beat of my dying heart
The lyrics of The Northern Pikes's song "Hold On" deal with themes of mortality, loss, and acceptance. The first stanza suggests that the singer may have had a premonition of their own death and is resigned to the idea. The second stanza proposes that perhaps life is too long, that death may bring a sort of peaceful release. The chorus encourages the listener to hold on to the song, which is described as life-giving, peaceful, and adoring.
The final stanza repeats the idea of the singer's imminent death, noting that no authority figure can prevent it. This language suggests a sense of facing death without fear, a sense of control over one's own destiny. The idea of falling asleep to the beat of the singer's dying heart is both peaceful and ominous, as if the listener is being encouraged to accept the inevitability of death.
Overall, the song's lyrics explore complicated emotions regarding death and mortality, with a mix of fear, acceptance, and even serenity. The message is ultimately one of finding peace in the face of life's difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
Somehow I know I'm going
I have a strong feeling that my time on earth is coming to an end
I dreamt I died last night
I had a dream where I died, which is making me feel uneasy
Dumb luck or premonition
I am unsure if this feeling is just by chance or if it is a premonition of my impending death
I'm losing the will to fight
I am feeling defeated and have no motivation to keep fighting
And I'll love her
Despite my impending death, my love for her will remain strong
'Til the day she comes back
I will continue to love her until we are reunited, even in death
Dressed tender in silky white
I imagine her being dressed beautifully and peacefully like an angel
Hands held with dancing angels
I picture her being surrounded by angels and being guided to the afterlife
My forehead, a kiss good-night
I imagine receiving a final kiss goodnight before departing from this world
Maybe our lives are just too long anyway
Perhaps our lives are too long and it is time to move on to the next phase
Maybe our lives tomorrow
Maybe our lives will end soon, whether we are ready for it or not
Hold on to this song
This song can be a source of comfort and strength during difficult times
It pumps the blood of your life
This song can give life and energy to a person
Embrace peace and you'll soon fall asleep
If you can find peace, you will be able to let go and pass away peacefully
To the adoring beat of my dying heart
This song is a representation of my love and passion, even in my dying moments
Contributed by William S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.