Staggered Crossing
| Company type | Independent (after 2001) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 in Toronto, Canada |
| Founder | Julian Taylor, David E.G. Marshall, Dan Black, Jeremy Elliott |
| Defunct | 2007-08-29 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Rock music, albums, singles |
Staggered Crossing, occasionally referred to as StagX, was a rock group originating from Canada, formed in 1996 in Toronto.
Formation and Initial Phase
Established in 1996 by high school acquaintances Julian Taylor (JT), David E.G. Marshall, Dan Black, and Jeremy Elliott, the band rapidly gained a local fan base through regular live shows. That same year, they produced their debut EP with Toronto-based producer Darrell O'Dea.
In 1997, following David Marshall's departure to pursue studies at the University of Montreal, the lineup expanded with producer Darrell O'Dea joining and guitarist Bruce Adamson coming on board. Staggered Crossing enhanced their presence in Toronto's music scene, performing at venues like Lee's Palace and the Horseshoe Tavern.
Also in 1997, after hearing their EP, Frank Davies—president of The Music Publisher (TMP) and a producer/publisher—signed the band. Throughout the period from 1997 to 1999, they composed and recorded close to 40 tracks under this agreement.
Warner Music Era (1999–2001)
In 1999, Staggered Crossing secured a contract with Warner Music Canada and enlisted management from Larry Wanagas, founder of Bumstead Records. Their eponymous debut album was launched on February 27, 2001. The lead single "Further Again" climbed to #7 on Canadian rock charts and ranked among the most frequently played rock songs that year. Other singles included "A Million Works of Art" and "Old Man." SoundScan reported sales of 15,000 units in Canada for the album.
The band toured extensively throughout Canada alongside groups such as Big Sugar, Blue Rodeo, Nickelback, and The Guess Who. They made an appearance on Open Mike with Mike Bullard, and their album received the "Best Contemporary Music Recording of the Year" award from the Canadian Organization of Campus Activities in 2001.
In 2001, Bruce Adamson left to focus on publishing and legal pursuits. To revisit their original sound, the band parted ways with producer and member Darrell O'Dea and ended their contract with Warner Music Canada due to creative disagreements, opting instead to form an independent label.
Independent Label Period
Following the creation of their own publishing firm and record label Bent Penny Records, former guitarist David Marshall rejoined Staggered Crossing in 2001. Their album Last Summer When We Were Famous, produced by Jay Bennett of Wilco, was released in August 2002.
In 2004, they issued Burgundy & Blue, featuring the single "Perfect Prize," which reached #17 on Canada's Rock chart.
Disbandment
After completing sessions titled "1978," Staggered Crossing officially declared their dissolution on August 29, 2007. They stressed that the separation was friendly and attributed it to limited time and energy rather than artistic conflicts or disputes:
... While it would certainly be more fun to announce a break up because of 'creative differences' or because of some monumental and catastrophic fight between bandmates, neither is the case. We simply cannot continue to commit the time, energy and enthusiasm to this band that we love so much. We are still great friends and this change is not the end of our musical collaborations.
Their final performance occurred at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on November 2, 2007. Since then, they have reunited occasionally for informal events including a tribute concert for producer Jay Bennett on July 9, 2009. This event featured Bruce Adamson, Dan Black, Julian Taylor, David Marshall, and Jeremy Elliott. A tribute single titled 'Pull You Through,' written by Bennett’s former group Titanic Love Affair, was released to Canadian radio.
They also served as an opening act for Blue Rodeo at Nepean National Equestrian Park on August 21, 2010, with Ben Spivak on keyboards, and performed at The Horseshoe Tavern during the 'StagXmas Bash' on December 3, 2011.
Bruce Adamson passed away on December 15, 2015.
Currently, drummer Jeremy Elliott and vocalist/guitarist Julian Taylor perform together as the Julian Taylor Band, releasing albums such as 'Tech Noir' (2014) and 'Desert Star' (2016) through Aporia Records.
On April 20, 2020, surviving members reunited for a one-night show at Lee's Palace in support of J. Englishman’s 20th anniversary album celebration.
Members
- Julian Taylor – vocals and guitar
- Dan Black – bass guitar
- Jeremy Elliott – drums
- David E.G. Marshall – guitar (original member; departed in 1997, rejoined in 2001)
- Darrell O'Dea – keyboards, guitars, vocals (1997–2001)
- Bruce Adamson – lead guitar (1997–2001; deceased 2015)
Studio albums
- Mold (1997)
- 4-Song EP (2000)
- Staggered Crossing (2001)
- Last Summer When We Were Famous (2002)
- Burgundy & Blue (2004)
Music videos
- "Further Again" (2001)
- "A Million Works of Art" (2001)
- "Felony" (2002)
- "Business As Usual" (2003)
Singles
- "Further Again" (2001) – achieved Top 10 status
- "Million Works of Art" (2001) – reached Top 40
- "Old Man" (2001)
- "Felony" (2002)
- "Business as Usual" (2003) – entered Top 100
- "Everyone Says" (2003)
- "Grow" (2004)
- "Perfect Prize" (2005) – attained Top 20 ranking
- "Don't Get Me Started" (2005) – placed in Top 100
- "Pull You Through" (2009)