Were
it not for The Sex Pistols, this might
not have happened at all…import
copies of Anarchy In The UK and God
Save The Queen were almost
contraband at the local Sam The Record
Man in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada in
1977…and four high school students,
with different motives and agendas, were
trying to sort it all out. And so Strobic
Axe was born in the halls of Adam Scott
C.V.I.. A David Bowie freak, an Ace
Frehley wannabe, and two Rush
–aholics, who all shared an ambition
to be rock stars, and fit more power
chords, bass notes and drums fills within
a bar of music than might be decently
possible. It was a stirring underground
noise…
In
February 1979, Strobic Axe came out of
the basement. Michael Bell/vocals, John
Crown/drums, Rick Kemp/bass and Alex
Stangl/guitar played a raucous set of
original songs, peppered with just enough
Cheap Trick and David Bowie to mesmerize
a captive audience at an assembly in the
school gymnasium. The boys were hooked.
From that gig until their last in
December of 1981, the band played the
bars and outdoor summer festivals of
Southern Ontario.
In
February 1981, Strobic Axe, managed by
Rob Franke, released a 11 song vinyl LP
titled Hor Einmal Zu!. (You
can listen to a digitally remixed version
of the album in the mp3 player).
They were turbulent musical times. John
Lennon was tragically taken from the
world. Somewhere in their minds the boys
felt history and the universe were
positioning them for world dominance. It
never happened. Or did it? In many ways
they achieved a lasting and convincing
cult status. During their 3 years
together, the band developed a devoted
following that recorded their many live
shows and rehearsals. Each gig was an
event. A life altering experience…so
they say...
As
1981 came to a close, the band played one
last midnight dance in Hastings, Ontario
to a packed pavilion. Drugs, underage
drinking, unrestrained egos and
manic-depressive illness were shutting
down the dream, whatever it was. The
Strobic Axe story was over. Or was it?
Through
the years there would be many from the
society of Strobic Axe revivalists that
would attempt to coerce the band into
another show, but the issues of old would
resurface. And the legend in the minds of
many would loom even larger.
Michael
Bell went on to publish an underground
leftist entertainment magazine; John
Crown became a drum teacher, session
musician and producer; Rick Kemp became a
newspaper editor; Alex Stangl navigated
the world of mania and depression on a
steady diet of lithium pills, though he
continued to write and produce songs in a
poorly lit basement, making ends meet by
driving a taxi. Their paths did cross on
occasion, but there was always too much
baggage from the past along for the ride.
In
2004, Michael Bell and Alex Stangl did
manage a semi-Axe-reunion of sorts. They
got together and re-recorded 10 old
Strobic Axe songs, which were never
"officially released". The
resulting CD, titled 12:34, was
released under a new "band"
name; the project was dubbed N.O.W. &
THE-N. How Strobic Axe might have sounded
30 years after the release of Hor
Einmal Zu!? What might have been...
Between February 1979 and December 1981, Strobic Axe
performed 69 shows in 24 venues. In those 3 years the
band produced over 40 original songs. In its brief
inception, the band enjoyed a devoted cult following.
Strobic Axe is certainly worthy of a footnote in the
secret history of the 20th century.
All
for the record - as best to confirm it
all happened - long ago & far away.
Update
2012 : The album Hor
Einmal Zu! has been been digitally
remixed and remastered. The new,
"handmade", limited edition CD
is titled Left Holding The Gold.
Also included on the CD are 3 bonus
tracks - a live version of High
Toronto, and two songs taken from
the infamous Cinema Sessions, Force and
Left Holding The Gold. The songs
in the mp3 player are the newly remixed
versions. Dig it..the album Is also
available in mp3 format atSoundClick.com -
Also - why not check out---
