The Jitters
Encyclopedia
The Jitters were a Canadian
band formed in Toronto
in 1981 by Blair Packham
, Danny Levy and Matthew Greenberg. Five years of constant performing established them as one of the premier club bands in the Greater Toronto Area
.
They caught the attention of producer Bob Ezrin
in 1982, but studio sessions with him did not produce any results. An independent video in 1984 for the song "Take Me As I Am" brought them limited national exposure, though the song never appeared on any full length release.
1986 saw The Jitters in an opening slot for Huey Lewis and the News
at the Canadian National Exhibition
, and tying for third place in Q107
's Homegrown Contest with the song "Last of the Red Hot Fools". These two events helped open doors with Capitol Records
who proceeded to sign the band.
The Jitters had several songs that were ready for release, and after spending some extra time in the studio with producer Paul Gross, released their eponymous debut in 1987. "Last Of The Red Hot Fools" was the first single and became a radio hit throughout the country, and they were nominated at the 1989 Juno Awards
in the category of Most Promising Group of the Year.
In 1988, they played support for Heart on their UK tour.
Three years later, The Jitters released their second and final album Louder Than Words. The result of a collaboration with American songwriter/producer Jules Shear
, Louder Than Words was the last effort for the group who split in 1991 due to the pressures of constant club tours.
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...
band formed in 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...
in 1981 by Blair Packham
Blair Packham
Blair Packham is a Canadian singer/songwriter. He was a guitar and lead vocalist for The Jitters in the 1980s and has released material as solo singer/songwriter since 2000. He has also written for numerous films and television programs and is a co-host for CFRB 1010's Rock Talk...
, Danny Levy and Matthew Greenberg. Five years of constant performing established them as one of the premier club bands in the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
.
They caught the attention of producer Bob Ezrin
Bob Ezrin
Robert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
in 1982, but studio sessions with him did not produce any results. An independent video in 1984 for the song "Take Me As I Am" brought them limited national exposure, though the song never appeared on any full length release.
1986 saw The Jitters in an opening slot for Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
at the Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...
, and tying for third place in Q107
CILQ-FM
CILQ-FM is a radio station, broadcasting at 107.1 FM in Toronto, Ontario. The station broadcasts a classic rock format branded as Q107 and is also available through streaming audio....
's Homegrown Contest with the song "Last of the Red Hot Fools". These two events helped open doors with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
who proceeded to sign the band.
The Jitters had several songs that were ready for release, and after spending some extra time in the studio with producer Paul Gross, released their eponymous debut in 1987. "Last Of The Red Hot Fools" was the first single and became a radio hit throughout the country, and they were nominated at the 1989 Juno Awards
Juno Awards of 1989
The Juno Awards of 1989, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 12 March 1989 in Toronto at a ceremony in the O'Keefe Centre. André-Philippe Gagnon was the host for the ceremonies, which were broadcast on CBC Television.Blue Rodeo won in three of its...
in the category of Most Promising Group of the Year.
In 1988, they played support for Heart on their UK tour.
Three years later, The Jitters released their second and final album Louder Than Words. The result of a collaboration with American songwriter/producer Jules Shear
Jules Shear
Jules Mark Shear is a US singer, songwriter, and guitarist born in Pittsburgh in 1952. Although he has had only one minor hit as a performer , he has recorded almost 20 albums to date...
, Louder Than Words was the last effort for the group who split in 1991 due to the pressures of constant club tours.