The Black Halos
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Billy Hopeless, Rich Jones |
| Headquarters | Vancouver , Canada |
| Products | Punk rock music albums and singles |
The Black Halos are a punk rock ensemble from Vancouver, British Columbia, whose sound incorporates elements of glam rock.
History
Established in 1993 by vocalist Billy Hopeless and guitarist Rich Jones, the group was originally called The Black Market Babies. The lineup was later completed with Matt Camirand, Jay Millette, and Rob Zgaljic, leading to the release of their first album, Black Halos, in 1999. They embarked on tours throughout the United States, performing alongside artists such as Nikki Sudden, L7, and The Hellacopters.
Their 2001 album, The Violent Years, was launched under Sub Pop Records. Following this release, they toured extensively across Canada with bands including The Offspring and Millencolin, and appeared at prominent festivals like Edgefest and the Warped Tour. Notably, the song "No Tomorrow Girls" from this album was incorporated into the Xbox 360-exclusive title Forza Motorsport 3 in 2009.
After some personnel shifts—Camirand moving on to Blood Meridian and Jones joining Amen—Adam Becvare and Denyss McKnight took over guitar and bass duties respectively. In 2005, the band signed with Liquor & Poker Music, releasing Alive Without Control and completing a European tour consisting of 40 shows.
By 2007, now signed to History Music, they unveiled their fourth studio album, We Are Not Alone (2008). This lineup featured Hopeless, Zgaljic, Becvare, Johnny Stewart, and Jahmeel "JR" Russell. They performed at Canadian Music Week and toured with Social Distortion. Unfortunately, later that year their van and equipment were stolen during a tour, prompting the band to disband.
In 2016, The Black Halos reassembled with original members Hopeless and Jones along with new musicians. They resumed live performances, including sold-out appearances at Toronto's Bovine Sex Club during Canadian Music Week 2019. Among their recent singles is 2020’s "Ain’t No Good Time to Say Goodbye," which pays tribute to punk legend Ken Chinn. The current roster includes founding members Billy Hopeless, Jay Millette, and Rich Jones alongside Danni Action and John Kerns.
In 2020, they independently issued F.F.T.S. - Demos & Rarities, a compilation featuring 17 tracks dating back to 1996. This was followed by the EP Uncommonwealth in 2021. Their first full-length album since 2008, titled How the Darkness Doubled, was released in November 2022.
Band members
- Current
- Billy Hopeless – vocals
- Rich Jones – guitar
- Jay Millette – guitar
- Danni Action – drums
- John Kerns – bass
- Former
- Adam Becvare – guitar
- Johnny Stewart – guitar
- Jahmeel "JR" Russell – bass
- Rob Zgaljic – drums
- Denyss McKnight – bass
- Matt Camirand – bass
- C.C. Voltage – bass
- Davey French – guitar
- Robbie Hunter – bass
- Make Up Mike aka M.U.M. – drums
Discography
Albums
- The Black Halos (1999), Die Young Stay Pretty Records
- The Violent Years (2001), Sub-Pop Records
- Alive Without Control (2005), Liquor and Poker Music, People Like You Records
- The Violent Years (2007, compilation), People Like You Records
- We Are Not Alone (2008), History Music, People Like You Records
- F.F.T.S. - Demos & Rarities (2020), Independent
- How the Darkness Doubled (2022), Stomp Records
EPs
- XMas 2001 EP (2001, split with Bubble), Basement Boys Records
- Uncommonwealth (2021), Cursed Blessing Records
Singles
- "Retro World" / "1010" (1999), Devil Doll Records
- "Jane Doe" / "Russian Roulette" (2000), Sub-Pop Records
- "Sell Out Love" / "It's Over For You" (2000), Safety Pin Records
- "Homeless For Christmas" / "You Better Know By Now What I Want For Christmas" (2000), Sympathy for the Record Industry
- "Fossil Fuel" / "Geisterbahn II" (2016), Independent
- "Geisterbahn II" / "Tandem Drown" (2019), Yeah Right!
- "Ain't No Good Time To Say Goodbye" / "Rusty Rake" (2020), Yeah Right!