The Northern Pikes
The Northern Pikes began their career in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in early 1… Read Full Bio ↴The Northern Pikes began their career in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in early 1984. Over the next two years, the band recorded and released the independent EPs 'The Northern Pikes' and 'Scene In North America' with producer and pal Mitch Barnett. Both were recorded and mixed at Studio West in Saskatoon. Sharing a taste for jangly, tuneful songs mixing alternative rock with power pop and indie music, the original lineup was spawned from the ashes of three local groups, 'The Idols', 'Doris Daye', and '17 Envelope', and consisted of Jay Semko, Merl Bryck, Bryan Potvin and Glen Hollingshead, who left the band in 1985.
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.
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.
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The Northern Pikes Lyrics
All This Man Can Do One decides you make up your mind You get what…
Am I In Your Way Ya ever known a place where nothing ever changed A place…
Beautiful Summer You look so beautiful on a warm summer night And…
Believe Once depression walked through my door Open loving arms an…
Better Twice It was our first meeting over a year ago Girl…
Big Blue Sky (Blue sky, you have to walk away Never lose the…
Black Cat Well a black cat crossed my path He even turned…
Blood She Wants Is it blood she wants Is it blood she wants…
Chain of Flowers I wonder, where I went wrong with you girl Let…
Crocodile Tears I wore a red shirt when she blew into town…
Dancing In A Dance Club Here we all are standing in a lineup Waiting for…
Dancing In A Danceclub Here we all are standing in a lineup Waiting for…
Dream Away All you good-doers lay your weary heads Thorn filled pillows…
Due South High winds in northern sky will carry you away You know…
Echo Off The Beach Far from shore There's a shield out west There's an…
Everything Everything I had is gone and all I cared is…
Girl With A Problem She's a girl with a problem She's a girl with a…
Green Fields Green fields where I walked when I was young man,…
Hold On Somehow I know I'm going I dreamt I died last…
Hole In The Ground And they say to me stay out of trouble Before…
Hopes Go Astray Just write a letter and mail it to yourself Read it…
I Can't Compare For all the music that he makes That rings around inside…
Isn't It Lovely Lift up your sleeve and show the world your new…
Jackie T Jackie T - got a crush on you And I…
Julianna She's a collection of things She shouldn't have done All her…
Just Another Guy Do you really want me, or am I just some…
Kiss Me You Fool I know what I want to say to you, my…
Let's Pretend Let's pretend that Catholics and Protestants are friends L…
Lonely House When the sun goes down in the little town And…
Love and a Muscle She′s got a muscle, she's got a muscle She′s got a…
Love These Hands I love these hands so soft and strong I love these…
Love Will Break You Everything I do is always the same here Everything I…
Never Again Here in my lonely room I wait for conversation Here…
One Good Reason If you took all of the weapons And dumped them…
Out Of Love Last September I walked Out on what was the love…
Place That's Insane She works in a club downtown Got wrinkles on her…
Shadow of Doubt My eyes they see know My eyes they see know My eyes…
She Ain't Pretty I had two jobs, I had dishwater hands And on the…
She Ain't Pretty I had two jobs, I had dishwater hands And on the…
Shotgun Morning I am the patriotic son-in-law who raped the daughter of…
Snow In June My perfect life May deceive me tonight Realize Overcast s…
Somedays How have I deceived myself And if myself then others…
Straight Line There is a straight line from the womb to the…
Teenland Give me a kiss, give me a kiss I want to…
The Way You Are Hang on tight The worst has yet begun Crucified, crucifi…
Things I Do For Money The things I do for money, I'll never understand I used…
Tomorrow It was my dad maybe it's mother Aunt or uncle a…
Twister I save my ammunition for when I get back home…
Unimportant Pop and youth it’s always walked toward me It’s come to…
Wait For Me Sweet September rain Coming down hard on the roof of…
Walk Away Hate - more thoughtless than love More angry than sad…
Wasting Away Some women need roses Some men need a car But…
What It's Really About Smoother than skin like a wave on the ocean We…
What She Wants She said she’s tired of living on a string That…
Why Cry You hide your tears so well I can't tell if…
Worlds Away You and I are worlds away There's nothing we can…
You Sold the Farm What's that you say? I saw you looking my way…