Bruce Gordon (musician)
Encyclopedia
Bruce Gordon is a Canadian rock musician, best known as the bassist for I Mother Earth
.
He was born to parents of Scottish
and German
heritage. He immigrated to Canada
with his family at the age of six. They first moved to Edmonton
, Alberta
but after only a year relocated to Oakville
, Ontario
, a suburb of Toronto
.
His exposure to bands such as the Dead Kennedys
, Black Flag
and Bad Brains
inspired him to pick up the bass guitar
at the age of fifteen. He quickly took to the instrument and within a few months had joined a Toronto punk band called Intensive Chaos. Primarily self taught, Gordon continued to play in a string of basement bands and soon graduated to the independent scene where he started playing local gigs with Jonathan Cummins (Bionic, Doughboys), and Cam and Brad Maclean in Circus Lupus.
After finishing high school, Gordon enrolled in the jazz program at Humber College
to further his musical knowledge. Around the same time the demise of Circus Lupus led him to join the newly formed Rocktopus. Rocktopus released several independent cassettes and an EP on Lone Wolf Records. The band toured regularly across Ontario and Quebec
and successfully completed two cross Canada and one North American tour before finally calling it quits.
In 1993, only one month after Rocktopus split, Gordon joined I Mother Earth
, who had already signed a worldwide deal with Capitol records. A few short weeks after he joined the band, they embarked on a pre-album release tour across the United states
. Gordon was credited with bass duty on 1993's Dig
, though he did not actually record it. However, he did record on 1996's Scenery and Fish
, 1999's Blue Green Orange
, and 2003's The Quicksilver Meat Dream
.
In 2003, the band parted ways to pursue different projects. Gordon expanded his teaching practice, both privately and at the Twelfth Fret, and began to explore new musical endeavors. He tried his hand at as many different musical styles as possible, including various jazz and blues artists, and for a year worked with songwriter Alison Maclean in her band Fourstar. He also performed with the funk improv band Hot Fo' Gandhi and the lo-fi jazz combo the Tiny Specks.
In early 2005, Gordon was hired by Blue Man Group
to help open up a new Toronto-based show. He continues to perform with the eclectic ensemble on a variety of instruments that include electric zither, chapman stick and talking drum.
Earlier this year, Gordon joined with fellow Blue Man musicians Dave Steele and Steve Ballstadt to form the instrumental spy-go-go-surf-noir trio Experiment In Terror. His newest project is the live electro groove collective called Ostrich.
I Mother Earth
I Mother Earth, or IME, was a Canadian alternative rock band. The band was at the peak of its popularity in the mid-to-late 1990s; its members have moved on to other projects.-Early years:...
.
He was born to parents of Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
and German
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
heritage. He immigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with his family at the age of six. They first moved to Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
but after only a year relocated to Oakville
Oakville, Ontario
Oakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, a suburb of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
His exposure to bands such as the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
and Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
inspired him to pick up the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
at the age of fifteen. He quickly took to the instrument and within a few months had joined a Toronto punk band called Intensive Chaos. Primarily self taught, Gordon continued to play in a string of basement bands and soon graduated to the independent scene where he started playing local gigs with Jonathan Cummins (Bionic, Doughboys), and Cam and Brad Maclean in Circus Lupus.
After finishing high school, Gordon enrolled in the jazz program at Humber College
Humber College
Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning is a polytechnic college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Humber offers more than 150 programs including: bachelor’s degree, diploma, certificate, post-graduate certificate and apprenticeship programs, across 40 fields of study. Humber serves...
to further his musical knowledge. Around the same time the demise of Circus Lupus led him to join the newly formed Rocktopus. Rocktopus released several independent cassettes and an EP on Lone Wolf Records. The band toured regularly across Ontario and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and successfully completed two cross Canada and one North American tour before finally calling it quits.
In 1993, only one month after Rocktopus split, Gordon joined I Mother Earth
I Mother Earth
I Mother Earth, or IME, was a Canadian alternative rock band. The band was at the peak of its popularity in the mid-to-late 1990s; its members have moved on to other projects.-Early years:...
, who had already signed a worldwide deal with Capitol records. A few short weeks after he joined the band, they embarked on a pre-album release tour across the United states
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Gordon was credited with bass duty on 1993's Dig
Dig (I Mother Earth album)
Dig is the debut album by the Canadian alternative rock band I Mother Earth, released by Capitol and EMI on August 10, 1993. It went gold in Canada in its initial run, and today stands at platinum in Canada...
, though he did not actually record it. However, he did record on 1996's Scenery and Fish
Scenery and Fish
Scenery and Fish is the second album by the Canadian alternative rock band I Mother Earth, released by Capitol and EMI on July 9, 1996. It was the band's most commercially successful work, going double platinum in Canada....
, 1999's Blue Green Orange
Blue Green Orange
Blue Green Orange is the third album by the Canadian alternative rock band I Mother Earth, released by Universal on July 13, 1999. Featuring album covers in blue, green, or orange, the album went gold in Canada....
, and 2003's The Quicksilver Meat Dream
The Quicksilver Meat Dream
The Quicksilver Meat Dream is officially the fourth album by the Canadian alternative rock band I Mother Earth, released by Universal on April 8, 2003. It is allegedly a concept album, though the details on the concept are left to the fans...
.
In 2003, the band parted ways to pursue different projects. Gordon expanded his teaching practice, both privately and at the Twelfth Fret, and began to explore new musical endeavors. He tried his hand at as many different musical styles as possible, including various jazz and blues artists, and for a year worked with songwriter Alison Maclean in her band Fourstar. He also performed with the funk improv band Hot Fo' Gandhi and the lo-fi jazz combo the Tiny Specks.
In early 2005, Gordon was hired by Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group is an organization founded by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton. The organization produces theatrical shows and concerts featuring popular music, comedy and multimedia; recorded music and scores for film and television; television appearances for shows such as The Tonight...
to help open up a new Toronto-based show. He continues to perform with the eclectic ensemble on a variety of instruments that include electric zither, chapman stick and talking drum.
Earlier this year, Gordon joined with fellow Blue Man musicians Dave Steele and Steve Ballstadt to form the instrumental spy-go-go-surf-noir trio Experiment In Terror. His newest project is the live electro groove collective called Ostrich.