Pure (Canadian band)

Pure

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1991 in Vancouver, Canada
Headquarters	Vancouver , Canada
Products	Music albums, singles

Pure is a alternative rock group that originated in Vancouver in 1991. After being signed by Rob Cavallo and Michael Ostin to the Reprise label, the band achieved broader exposure when their track "Greedy" was included on the Songs from the Cool World soundtrack. Their 1993 single "Blast" climbed to No. 22 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart. In 2024, Jordy Birch recommenced releasing new music under the Pure moniker.

History

Jordy Birch and guitarist Todd Simko first connected during high school and subsequently formed Pure alongside bassist Dave Hadley and drummer Leigh Grant. In 1996, Jim Hobbs replaced Grant on drums. Keyboardist Mark R. Henning departed in 1994. Prior to Pure, Birch, Simko, and Grant were members of After All, which put out the album How High the Moon in 1988. Following vocalist Scott Acomba's exit in 1989, the remaining musicians continued under the name Pure.

Initially called "The Grin Factory," the band caught attention at Vancouver's Music West Conference in 1991 while presenting their demo recordings. Their showcase impressed industry insiders, leading to a contract with Warner/Reprise and the inclusion of "Greedy" in Ralph Bakshi's animated feature Cool World.

Pureafunalia

In 1992, adopting the name "Pure" inspired by one of their songs, the band released their first album, Pureafunalia, with production by Talking Heads keyboardist Jerry Harrison. The lead single "Blast" ascended to No. 1 on the RPM Canadian Content (Cancon) chart and reached No. 22 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart in 1993. Another single, "Blissful Kiss," also secured the top position on the Cancon chart. That year, Pure earned a nomination for a Juno Award as Most Promising Group of the Year. Additionally, the music video for "Blast" won Best Alternative Video at the 1993 Canadian Music Video Awards.

Generation 6 Pack

The album Generation 6 Pack, released in August 1994, featured "Denial" as its lead single. The band embarked on an extensive tour through late 1994 and appeared at Australia's Big Day Out festival in January 1995. After parting ways with Warner/Reprise, Pure founded their own label, Shag Records, through which they issued "The Hammock" and the Extra Purestrial EP in 1995. The single "Lemonade" achieved notable commercial success.

In 1996, Mammoth Records reissued the album under the title Generation Six-Pack, which found popularity on Canadian Campus charts propelled by singles like "Denial" and "Anna Is A Speed Freak".

Feverish

Pure’s third studio album, Feverish, was released on April 14, 1998. The song "Tennis Ball" from this album was featured in the movie BASEketball. The group disbanded in 2000 due to creative differences. Lead vocalist Jordy Birch then pursued a solo career; his single "Moola Moola" charted in Canada. In 2008, he formed Guilty About Girls and later established The Wivez in 2015 while continuing to release new material under Pure.

Guitarist Todd Simko contributed to Bif Naked's self-titled debut album (1995) and worked as a producer and engineer for artists such as Marcy Playground, Xavier Rudd, and The Organ. He passed away in 2012 at age 45.

Bassist Mark R. Henning went on to create Vancouver’s PowerPop trio Blisterene in 1995, releasing their album So I Have Them in 1997. By 2007, he co-founded Combine the Victorious with fashion designer Isabelle Dunlop; they independently released The World Over before signing with Boutique Empire label.

Singles

• "Blast" (Warner/Reprise, 1992)
• "Greedy" (The Morphine Mix) / "Laughing Like A Fiend" (The Mammoth Version) (Warner/Reprise, 1992)
• "Spiritual Pollution" (Warner/Reprise, 1993)
• "Blissful Kiss" (Warner/Reprise, 1993)
• "Pure" (Warner/Reprise, 1993)
• "Denial" (Warner/Reprise, 1994)
• "Anna Is A Speed Freak" (Warner/Reprise, 1994)
• "The Hammock" (Warner/Reprise, 1995)
• "Lemonade" (Shag/Outside, 1995)
• "Baba O'Riley" (Shag/Outside, 1995)
• "Chocolate Bar" (Mammoth, 1998)
• "Feverish" (Mammoth, 1998)
• "Swinger" (Mammoth, 1998)
• "Issues" (VanCityRecords)

Albums and EPs

• Greed (Reprise, 1992) – EP
• Pureafunalia (Reprise, 1992)
• Generation 6-Pack (Reprise, 1994)
• Generation Six-Pack (Mammoth, 1996)
• Extra Purestrial (Shag, 1995) – EP
• Feverish (Mammoth, 1998)