Edwin (musician)
Encyclopedia
Edwin is a Canadian alternative rock
singer and solo artist from Toronto
, and former lead vocalist for I Mother Earth
. He was on the band's first two albums, and was also on the majority of the songs on Victor
, a 1996 side project from Alex Lifeson
of Rush
. He went solo in late 1997 and released three albums from 1999 to 2006. He is currently the lead singer for the newly formed Canadian super group Crash Karma
, as well as a bartender at Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto, Canada.
, who signed him in 1998. That summer, Edwin finally reappeared in public, appearing as a surprise guest with The Tea Party
at EdgeFest
'98 on July 1 in Barrie, Ontario
. Edwin contributed lead vocals in their Canada Day
rendition of David Bowie
's "I'm Afraid of Americans". Back in Toronto, Huizenga and company brought their instrumental talents to Edwin's debut solo album, as did several other session musicians (including IME percussionist Daniel Mansilla). Producer and ex-BTK
member Matt DeMatteo did the bulk of the production (at times assisted by Huizenga) and also played instruments. Huizenga, DeMatteo, David Martin, and half a dozen other songwriters collaborated with Edwin, who claimed to have written 75% of the album. The end result was Another Spin Around the Sun
, released in Spring 1999.
Edwin's first real foray into songwriting yielded his new musical direction - catchy, danceable, singalong pop-rock, complete with loops and samples and a much greater emphasis on Edwin's vocals than ever before. Initial singles "Trippin'" and "Hang Ten" focused on rock radio and became hits on that format, while third single "And You" was somewhat less successful. However, the fourth single "Alive" not only revived the album, but it changed its direction. The song managed to crack the mainstream Top 40 in Canada and became a staple on pop radio. Its video, directed by Rob Heydon
, won a Juno Award
in 2001 for Best Video and People's Choice Award at MuchMusic
's MMVAs
. A fifth single, "Rush", was released to capitalize on that success but was met with relatively little fanfare. All told, the album went Platinum in Canada, was nominated for a Juno in 2000 for Best Rock Album, and was released in the U.S. that year.
After the highly successful run, Edwin disappeared yet again, save for a cameo role in the indie film The Art of Woo
. He resurfaced in late 2001 to report that a new album was "99 percent" finished. Furthermore, he had recruited a full-time backup band, named The Pressure. Its members were his previous touring/session bassist Kenny Cunningham and guitarist Ron Bechard, and newcomers Mike K. (guitar) and Sekou Lumumba
(drums). However, they did not play on the actual album. Session musicians and songwriters played a role as before, and both Huizenga and Martin returned to make a few contributions, but overall the playing, collaboration, and production were dominated by Tawgs Salter, Steven Klasios, and Jeff "Diesel" Dalziel. Edwin himself played guitar on one track and programmed another, both firsts for him in the studio.
The album, titled Edwin & the Pressure, was released in Summer 2002. The album contained the catchy pop-rock of the previous album, but with a harder edge both musically and lyrically. The lead single written by Steven Klasios, "Superhoney", was given a lukewarm reception at first by the various rock media, but became a solid rock radio and video hit due to overwhelming support from the die-hard fan base. A second single, "Impossible", fared reasonably well on rock radio, but suffered from the lack of a supporting video. The third single, "Let's Dance", was backed by a video, but failed to receive any significant video or radio play. Eventually, due to poor record sales and creative disagreements, Edwin was dropped from Sony at his own request and disappeared yet again.
In 2005, Edwin signed with Linus Entertainment, at which time he began recording songs for a new release and a return to full solo status. Edwin's third album, Better Days, was released on October 10, 2006, featuring a softer sound and Edwin playing acoustic guitar on many of the tracks. The first single from the album, "Right Here", was well received but received limited radio airplay in major markets nationwide. Despite varying reports on the choice of a second single, one never materialized, and the album was abandoned after a short tour.
In 2008, Edwin announced that he, Mike Turner
(Our Lady Peace
) and Jeff Burrows
(The Tea Party) planned to record an album together. The band, named Crash Karma
, is rounded out by former Zygote bassist and lead singer Amir Epstein. Crash Karma released its debut album
, produced by Turner, in March 2010 and released it on E1 Music Canada. Edwin currently bartends at Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto and lives in Oshawa with his mother.
singer Edwin, released by Sony
on April 2, 2002 in Canada. Though technically his second solo album, Edwin himself considered it a debut for his then-new band.
The album continued the pop
-oriented, electronically flavored style of the previous album. However, the sound was heavier and more guitar-dominated, and the lyrics were more explicit than before.
Track listing
Note: The Pressure were prominently featured on and inside the album jacket, but did not actually play on the album.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
singer and solo artist from 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...
, and former lead vocalist for 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:...
. He was on the band's first two albums, and was also on the majority of the songs on Victor
Victor (album)
Victor is a solo album by Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson under the name "Victor" released January 9, 1996 on Atlantic Records outside of Canada and Anthem Records within Canada...
, a 1996 side project from Alex Lifeson
Alex Lifeson
Aleksandar Živojinović, OC, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a second generation Serbian-Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In the summer of 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend, drummer John Rutsey...
of Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
. He went solo in late 1997 and released three albums from 1999 to 2006. He is currently the lead singer for the newly formed Canadian super group Crash Karma
Crash Karma
Crash Karma is a Canadian rock supergroup formed in 2008 consisting of Edwin , Mike Turner , Jeff Burrows , and Amir Epstein of Zygote. The band's first full live concert was held in Burlington, Ontario on June 20, 2009. Their first single "Awake" premiered on July 10, 2009...
, as well as a bartender at Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto, Canada.
Solo career
After leaving IME in late 1997, Edwin disappeared from the public eye. Under his low profile, Edwin met with members of the recently dissolved Glueleg, most notably Ruben Huizenga. He also met with Sony MusicSony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
, who signed him in 1998. That summer, Edwin finally reappeared in public, appearing as a surprise guest with The Tea Party
The Tea Party
The Tea Party is a Canadian rock band with blues, progressive rock, Indian and Middle Eastern influences, dubbed "Moroccan roll" by the media. Active throughout the 1990s up until 2005 when the band broke up, The Tea Party released eight albums on EMI Music Canada, selling 1.6 million records...
at EdgeFest
Edgefest
Edgefest, a yearly outdoor rock concert festival that primarily promotes Canadian rock music, began in 1987 as a thank-you gesture to the listeners of Toronto radio station 102.1 the Edge and as a birthday party to commemorate both the station's tenth birthday, and the coinciding Canada Day...
'98 on July 1 in Barrie, Ontario
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...
. Edwin contributed lead vocals in their Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
rendition of David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
's "I'm Afraid of Americans". Back in Toronto, Huizenga and company brought their instrumental talents to Edwin's debut solo album, as did several other session musicians (including IME percussionist Daniel Mansilla). Producer and ex-BTK
BTK
BTK may refer to:*Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway*Dennis Rader, a serial killer known as the "BTK killer"**"Bind Torture Kill", a song by the band Suffocation on its album Suffocation....
member Matt DeMatteo did the bulk of the production (at times assisted by Huizenga) and also played instruments. Huizenga, DeMatteo, David Martin, and half a dozen other songwriters collaborated with Edwin, who claimed to have written 75% of the album. The end result was Another Spin Around the Sun
Another Spin Around the Sun
Another Spin Around the Sun is the debut solo album by Canadian alternative rock musician Edwin. It was released on April 27, 1999 in Canada, and July 4, 2000 in the United States. The album marked a musical change in his career from his previous work with I Mother Earth, being more pop-oriented....
, released in Spring 1999.
Edwin's first real foray into songwriting yielded his new musical direction - catchy, danceable, singalong pop-rock, complete with loops and samples and a much greater emphasis on Edwin's vocals than ever before. Initial singles "Trippin'" and "Hang Ten" focused on rock radio and became hits on that format, while third single "And You" was somewhat less successful. However, the fourth single "Alive" not only revived the album, but it changed its direction. The song managed to crack the mainstream Top 40 in Canada and became a staple on pop radio. Its video, directed by Rob Heydon
Rob Heydon
Rob Heydon is an award winning Canadian film director who has shot music videos, feature films and documentaries....
, won a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
in 2001 for Best Video and People's Choice Award at MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
's MMVAs
MuchMusic Video Awards
The MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
. A fifth single, "Rush", was released to capitalize on that success but was met with relatively little fanfare. All told, the album went Platinum in Canada, was nominated for a Juno in 2000 for Best Rock Album, and was released in the U.S. that year.
After the highly successful run, Edwin disappeared yet again, save for a cameo role in the indie film The Art of Woo
The Art of Woo
The Art of Woo is a 2001 Canadian romantic comedy. Written and directed by Helen Lee, the film stars Sook-Yin Lee.- Plot :Alessa Woo , an art gallery employee, is caught up in trying to present a wealthy and powerful image for the sake of her career, but finds her plans unexpectedly complicated...
. He resurfaced in late 2001 to report that a new album was "99 percent" finished. Furthermore, he had recruited a full-time backup band, named The Pressure. Its members were his previous touring/session bassist Kenny Cunningham and guitarist Ron Bechard, and newcomers Mike K. (guitar) and Sekou Lumumba
Sekou Lumumba
Sekou Lumumba is a Canadian musician, based in Toronto, who has been drummer for such artists and groups as Thornley, Edwin & the Pressure, Goodbye Glory, Ivana Santilli, Kardinal Offishall, and Bedouin Soundclash....
(drums). However, they did not play on the actual album. Session musicians and songwriters played a role as before, and both Huizenga and Martin returned to make a few contributions, but overall the playing, collaboration, and production were dominated by Tawgs Salter, Steven Klasios, and Jeff "Diesel" Dalziel. Edwin himself played guitar on one track and programmed another, both firsts for him in the studio.
The album, titled Edwin & the Pressure, was released in Summer 2002. The album contained the catchy pop-rock of the previous album, but with a harder edge both musically and lyrically. The lead single written by Steven Klasios, "Superhoney", was given a lukewarm reception at first by the various rock media, but became a solid rock radio and video hit due to overwhelming support from the die-hard fan base. A second single, "Impossible", fared reasonably well on rock radio, but suffered from the lack of a supporting video. The third single, "Let's Dance", was backed by a video, but failed to receive any significant video or radio play. Eventually, due to poor record sales and creative disagreements, Edwin was dropped from Sony at his own request and disappeared yet again.
In 2005, Edwin signed with Linus Entertainment, at which time he began recording songs for a new release and a return to full solo status. Edwin's third album, Better Days, was released on October 10, 2006, featuring a softer sound and Edwin playing acoustic guitar on many of the tracks. The first single from the album, "Right Here", was well received but received limited radio airplay in major markets nationwide. Despite varying reports on the choice of a second single, one never materialized, and the album was abandoned after a short tour.
In 2008, Edwin announced that he, Mike Turner
Mike Turner (musician)
Mike A. Turner is a musician and producer. He is the former lead guitarist of the band Our Lady Peace. After his departure from OLP he began producing music and played guitar in the Canadian band Fair Ground, with Harem Scarem guitarist Pete Lesperance...
(Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace is a Canadian alternative rock band that formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Headed by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band additionally consists of Jeremy Taggart on percussion, Duncan Coutts on bass, and Steve Mazur as lead guitarist...
) and Jeff Burrows
Jeff Burrows
Jeffrey John Burrows is the drummer and percussionist for Canadian rock band Crash Karma, and formerly for The Tea Party....
(The Tea Party) planned to record an album together. The band, named Crash Karma
Crash Karma
Crash Karma is a Canadian rock supergroup formed in 2008 consisting of Edwin , Mike Turner , Jeff Burrows , and Amir Epstein of Zygote. The band's first full live concert was held in Burlington, Ontario on June 20, 2009. Their first single "Awake" premiered on July 10, 2009...
, is rounded out by former Zygote bassist and lead singer Amir Epstein. Crash Karma released its debut album
Crash Karma (album)
Crash Karma is the self-titled debut album by Canadian alternative rock band Crash Karma. It was released on March 16, 2010 through E1 Music. The world premiere of the album took place live on the internet on March 15. The first single from the album "Awake" was released on iTunes on November 12,...
, produced by Turner, in March 2010 and released it on E1 Music Canada. Edwin currently bartends at Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto and lives in Oshawa with his mother.
Edwin & the Pressure
Edwin & the Pressure is the second album by the Canadian alternative rockAlternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
singer Edwin, released by Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
on April 2, 2002 in Canada. Though technically his second solo album, Edwin himself considered it a debut for his then-new band.
The album continued the pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
-oriented, electronically flavored style of the previous album. However, the sound was heavier and more guitar-dominated, and the lyrics were more explicit than before.
Track listing
- "Superhoney" – 3:01
- "The One That Got Away" – 3:28
- "Impossible" – 3:02
- "High" – 4:07
- "Firecracker" – 3:02
- "Malibu Sunset" – 3:12
- "Painkiller" – 2:48
- "Let's Dance" – 3:27
- "Surround Me" – 3:45
- "Split The Atom" – 2:59
- "Close Your Eyes" – 2:50
Note: The Pressure were prominently featured on and inside the album jacket, but did not actually play on the album.
Discography
- Another Spin Around the SunAnother Spin Around the SunAnother Spin Around the Sun is the debut solo album by Canadian alternative rock musician Edwin. It was released on April 27, 1999 in Canada, and July 4, 2000 in the United States. The album marked a musical change in his career from his previous work with I Mother Earth, being more pop-oriented....
(1999) - Edwin & the Pressure (2002)
- Better DaysBetter DaysBetter Days is an album by American blues artist Susan Tedeschi, originally released in 1995, but later re-released in 1998 after she found national success with Just Won't Burn.-Track listing:#"It's up to You" – 4:19...
(2006)