Vancouver Rocks!...The Story of Northwest Company and Vancouver Special...Show #234

This week I did a show focusing on music that has come from Vancouver, BC, in Canada. I played a mix of old and new music coming from this coastal city ranging from 60s garage rock groups, 70's punk/new wave, and more modern bands.


The band Northwest Company came from Vancouver in the late sixties. The band were known originally as The Bad Boys, but changed their name upon the suggestion of a local Vancouver radio DJ. The name Northwest Company came from a 19th Century Canadian fur trading company. The band consisted of Ray O'Toole (lead guitar/vocals), Vidor Skofteby (rhythm guitar), Gowan Jorgenson (bass), Richard Stepp (drums/vocals), and Rick McCartey on lead vocals. Coming from Hanley in Vancouver, the band were known for their raucous garage sound and their stage show. In 1967, the band recorded five songs that would be used as singles. The band recorded songs such as "Eight Hour Day", "Get Away From it All", and "Hard to Cry". These tracks were very raw and "Hard to Cry" even sounds fueled by the influence of The Kinks.

In 1971, Northwest Company recorded two more singles, one of them being "Rock N' Roll Lover Man". This song would be known as their signature song and has a Small Faces influence. Despite releasing several singles, the band did not get recognized on a larger scale. After releasing one more single, Northwest Company called it quits in 1983. Several of the bands songs have been featured on early Canadian garage rock compilations such as The History of Vancouver Rock and Roll. More Recently in 2003, Northwest Company released Eight Hour Day on Neptoon Records. The album is a collection of all of the bands material, including demos, unreleased recordings and live performances. It can be found on the Neptoon Website.

Play List:

1. Shades - New Clientelle
2. Active Dog - Nothing Holding You
3. Collectors - We Can Make it
4. Northwest Company - Hard To Cry
5. Northwest Company - Eight Hour Day
6. One Way Street - Listen To Me
7. William Tell & The Marksmen - Mary Jane
8. The Worst - I Don't Want You
9. Upper Crust - (We're the) Upper Crust
10. Exxotone - Big Shot
11. Young Canadians - I Hate Music
12. DOA - I Hate You
13. No Fun - Mindless Aggression
14. Private School - Rock & Roll Radio
15. Rude Norton - Sea Cruise
16. Dishrags - Past is Past
17. Wasted Lives - Wirehead
18. The Organ - Oh What A Feeling
19. Duotang - Broken Rule
20. New Town Animals - Three Steps Backwards
21. New Pornographers - Letter From An Occupant
22. Pluto - Cool Way To Feel
23. The Pack AD - Gold Rush
24. The Jolts - DXM
25. Smugglers - Barkerville
26. The Evaporators - You Got Me into This, Now You Get Me Out!
27. The Furies - What Do You Want Me To Be
28. Modernettes - Barbra
29. Pointed Sticks - Real Thing
30. Pointed Sticks - The Witch

* Note on "Broken Rule" by Duotang. The band Duotang recorded their first release for the Vancouver based label Mint Records, but the band originates from Winnipeg.

To download this week's show visit the CJAM archives and select the files 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM on February, 2nd 2009.

Northwest Video:

Rock and Roll Music

Next week I will be a show focusing on the early stages of The Clash. Leave a comment if there is any song you would like to hear. Also in addition to next weeks show, I will be doing a show focusing on the later stages of The Clash on February 17.