King Apparatus
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Ska music albums and performances |
King Apparatus was a Canadian band associated with the third wave ska movement, active during the early 1990s.[1] Originating in 1987 in London and later operating out of Toronto,[2] the group featured vocalist Chris Murray, guitarists Sam Tallo, Paul Ruston, J. C. Orr, and Paul McCulloch, bassist Mitch Girio, organ players Mark LeBourdais and Aleks Dmitrovic, conga percussionist Greg Clancy, saxophonist Bruno Hedman, along with drummers Brian Christopher, Dave Kennedy, and Mike Southern.[3] Their musical approach drew heavily from the late 1970s 2-Tone ska genre,[4] but incorporated a more aggressive guitar sound than traditional ska.[5]
Career
The band was established in London during the mid-1980s by college students Murray, Tallo, and Girio attending Fanshawe College and the University of Western Ontario. They eventually moved their base of operations to Toronto.[3]
Their initial release was the 1989 EP Loud Party, which marked the inaugural release for Raw Energy Records,[6] followed by their self-titled full-length album in 1990. Although distribution was limited mainly to downtown Toronto outlets, the album managed to sell over 5,000 copies. This success enabled Raw Energy to negotiate national distribution through A&M Records.[6]
The track "Made for TV" reached number one on Canada's modern rock radio charts in 1991,[7] while its accompanying video enjoyed frequent airplay on MuchMusic.[2] A distinctive feature of the video was the inclusion of a picture-in-picture sign language interpreter.[5] The band supported the album with a nationwide tour.[8]
King Apparatus earned consecutive CASBY Awards for Best Reggae/Ska Group in both 1991Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name and 1992.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Following underwhelming sales of their sophomore album Marbles, they parted ways with Raw Energy and signed with Cargo Records,[6] but disbanded before releasing another record.[9] The demanding schedule of twelve cross-country tours within five years contributed to internal strain.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name After the breakup, Murray joined the Toronto-based reggae group One,[9] and also pursued a solo career.[10] Mark LeBourdais transitioned into teaching at a high school in Delta, British Columbia. Mitch Girio continues his involvement in Toronto’s ska community as both a solo performer and a member of The King Kong 4. Sam Tallo played with indie rock outfit The Nines before moving to British Columbia, where he played a key role in organizing Victoria's inaugural Ska Festival.
In 2000, their catalog was re-released via Stomp Records[2], coinciding with reunion concerts including an online performance from Toronto’s Lee's Palace.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Discography
- Loud Party (released 1989)
- King Apparatus (released 1990)
- Hospital Waiting Room (released 1992)
- Marbles (released 1993)
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedkiely - ↑ Patrick Lejtenyi, "Ska-Boom and Ska-Bust". Exclaim!, February 2000.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbillboard - ↑ Chris O'Connor, "New ska squads have different ways to skank". Toronto Star, August 30, 1991.
- ↑ James Muretich, "King Apparatus approaches goal". Calgary Herald, October 24, 1991.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedburliuk - ↑ The Ruckus - Audio Interview with Chris Murray Archived 2010-02-17 at the Wayback Machine. rabble.ca, March 2009.