The Northern Pikes
Encyclopedia
The Northern Pikes are a Canadian
rock
band formed in Saskatoon
, Saskatchewan
in 1984. The original members were Bryan Potvin
, Jay Semko
, Merl Bryck and Glen Hollingshead. Hollingshead left the band in 1985, and was replaced by Don Schmid in 1986. The band was active until 1993 and subsequently reunited in 1999.
s before being signed to Virgin Records in 1986, "The Northern Pikes" (1984) and "Scene in North America" (1985). Their first album for the label, Big Blue Sky, included the Semko-penned "Teenland", the band's first significant hit. The follow-up album Secrets of the Alibi
contained two more minor Canadian hits, "Wait for Me" and "Let's Pretend" (both by Semko), as well as the slightly bigger hit "Hope Go Astray", written by Potvin.
Their 1990 album, Snow in June became their biggest seller in Canada and the US
. That album's lead single, "She Ain't Pretty
", was the band's biggest hit, and was written by Potvin. An innovative music video
for that song received heavy play on MuchMusic
and was nominated for a Juno Award
. Overall, the band has been nominated for 5 Juno Awards, but have yet to record a win.
In 1992, the band released Neptune. The album's biggest hit, "Believe", was again written by Potvin. After touring to support the album, they announced their retirement as a group in July 1993.
In 1999, Virgin Records asked the band members for their input on a "greatest hits" package. The band decided to do a short promotional tour following the release of Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984-1993
, but found themselves enjoying the more relaxed independence of making their own schedule that they continued touring. They have since released three independent albums, including Truest Inspiration
(2001) and It's a Good Life
(2003), as well as the aptly titled Live
(2000).
In 2005, the band struck up a musical collaboration with Les Stroud
. Throughout 2005 and 2006 they performed together live several times, but a promised collaborative album never materialized.
In 2006, the band was expected to release a hybrid collection of songs from Truest Inspiration
and It's a Good Life
under the name Beautiful Music. It was to include a bonus DVD of footage from the recording of Truest Inspiration
and some promo clips from It's a Good Life
. However, this has yet to see the light of day. In 2011, the band released its first two independent EPs digitally via iTunes.
Bryck left the band in 2007, and long-time auxiliary keyboard player Ross Nykiforuk was promoted to full membership in his stead. The band's website currently promises a new studio release for 2012.
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...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
in 1984. The original members were Bryan Potvin
Bryan Potvin
Bryan Potvin is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist, who is a band member of The Northern Pikes. With fellow band member Jay Semko, he co-wrote the theme for the television series Due South....
, Jay Semko
Jay Semko
Jay Semko is a singer/songwriter and bassist with Canadian band, The Northern Pikes. He is also a music composer for numerous film and television productions, most notably the successful Canadian television series Due South...
, Merl Bryck and Glen Hollingshead. Hollingshead left the band in 1985, and was replaced by Don Schmid in 1986. The band was active until 1993 and subsequently reunited in 1999.
History
The Northern Pikes released two independent EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s before being signed to Virgin Records in 1986, "The Northern Pikes" (1984) and "Scene in North America" (1985). Their first album for the label, Big Blue Sky, included the Semko-penned "Teenland", the band's first significant hit. The follow-up album Secrets of the Alibi
Secrets of the Alibi
Secrets of the Alibi is the second album by The Northern Pikes released in 1988. It featured two hit Canadian singles - "Wait for Me" and "Hopes Go Astray"....
contained two more minor Canadian hits, "Wait for Me" and "Let's Pretend" (both by Semko), as well as the slightly bigger hit "Hope Go Astray", written by Potvin.
Their 1990 album, Snow in June became their biggest seller in Canada and the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. That album's lead single, "She Ain't Pretty
She Ain't Pretty
She Ain't Pretty is a single by Canadian rock band The Northern Pikes, from their 1990 album Snow in June. It is the song for which the Pikes are best known.Pretty was written by Bryan Potvin...
", was the band's biggest hit, and was written by Potvin. An innovative music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for that song received heavy play on 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:...
and was nominated for 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...
. Overall, the band has been nominated for 5 Juno Awards, but have yet to record a win.
In 1992, the band released Neptune. The album's biggest hit, "Believe", was again written by Potvin. After touring to support the album, they announced their retirement as a group in July 1993.
In 1999, Virgin Records asked the band members for their input on a "greatest hits" package. The band decided to do a short promotional tour following the release of Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984-1993
Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984-1993
Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984–1993 is a Greatest Hits album by The Northern Pikes released in 1999. Along with some of the band's biggest hits, the album included 3 previously unreleased tracks....
, but found themselves enjoying the more relaxed independence of making their own schedule that they continued touring. They have since released three independent albums, including Truest Inspiration
Truest Inspiration
Truest Inspiration is the sixth studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2001. This was their first album of new music since they reformed in 1999 after a 6 year break....
(2001) and It's a Good Life
It's a Good Life (Northern Pikes album)
It's A Good Life is the seventh studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2003. Like their previous studio album, it was released independently.The first single from the album was "It's a Good Life" in 2003, followed by "Underwater" in 2004...
(2003), as well as the aptly titled Live
Live (Northern Pikes album)
Live is the second live album by The Northern Pikes released in 2000. The album was released independently.In 1999, Virgin Records asked the band members for their input on a "greatest hits" package...
(2000).
In 2005, the band struck up a musical collaboration with Les Stroud
Les Stroud
Les Stroud is a Canadian musician, filmmaker, and survival expert best known as the creator, writer, producer, director, cameraman and host of the television series Survivorman...
. Throughout 2005 and 2006 they performed together live several times, but a promised collaborative album never materialized.
In 2006, the band was expected to release a hybrid collection of songs from Truest Inspiration
Truest Inspiration
Truest Inspiration is the sixth studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2001. This was their first album of new music since they reformed in 1999 after a 6 year break....
and It's a Good Life
It's a Good Life (Northern Pikes album)
It's A Good Life is the seventh studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2003. Like their previous studio album, it was released independently.The first single from the album was "It's a Good Life" in 2003, followed by "Underwater" in 2004...
under the name Beautiful Music. It was to include a bonus DVD of footage from the recording of Truest Inspiration
Truest Inspiration
Truest Inspiration is the sixth studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2001. This was their first album of new music since they reformed in 1999 after a 6 year break....
and some promo clips from It's a Good Life
It's a Good Life (Northern Pikes album)
It's A Good Life is the seventh studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2003. Like their previous studio album, it was released independently.The first single from the album was "It's a Good Life" in 2003, followed by "Underwater" in 2004...
. However, this has yet to see the light of day. In 2011, the band released its first two independent EPs digitally via iTunes.
Bryck left the band in 2007, and long-time auxiliary keyboard player Ross Nykiforuk was promoted to full membership in his stead. The band's website currently promises a new studio release for 2012.
Singles
| Release date | Title | Chart peak | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN 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... |
US | |||
| June 1987 | "Teenland" (Semko) | 29 | Big Blue Sky Big Blue Sky Big Blue Sky is the first major label album by The Northern Pikes released in 1987. It featured two hit Canadian singles - "Teenland" and "Things I Do for Money"... |
|
| October 1987 | "Things I Do For Money" (Semko) | 85 | ||
| January 1988 | "Dancing In A Dance Club" (Semko) | |||
| August 1988 | "Wait For Me" (Semko) | 58 | Secrets of the Alibi Secrets of the Alibi Secrets of the Alibi is the second album by The Northern Pikes released in 1988. It featured two hit Canadian singles - "Wait for Me" and "Hopes Go Astray".... |
|
| November 1988 | "Hopes Go Astray" (Potvin) | 45 | ||
| April 1989 | "Let's Pretend" (Semko) | 66 | ||
| May 1990 | "She Ain't Pretty She Ain't Pretty She Ain't Pretty is a single by Canadian rock band The Northern Pikes, from their 1990 album Snow in June. It is the song for which the Pikes are best known.Pretty was written by Bryan Potvin... " (Potvin) |
6 | 86 | Snow in June Snow in June Snow In June is the third major label album by The Northern Pikes released in 1990. It featured three hit singles - "Kiss Me You Fool", "She Ain't Pretty", and "Girl With a Problem".... |
| August 1990 | "Girl With A Problem" (Semko) | 8 | ||
| November 1990 | "Kiss Me You Fool" (Bryck/Semko) | 12 | ||
| March 1991 | "Dream Away" (Potvin) | 47 | ||
| October 1992 | "Twister" (Semko/Potvin) | 25 | Neptune Neptune (Northern Pikes album) Neptune is the fourth album by The Northern Pikes released in 1992. This was the band's last studio album until they reformed in 1999.Although "Twister" and "Everything" were released as proper singles, with "Twister becoming a moderate hit. The song "Believe" was released as a promotional single,... |
|
| February 1993 | "Believe" (Potvin) | 17 | ||
| April 1993 | "Worlds Away" (Semko) | 40 | ||
| 2001 | "Echo Off The Beach" (Potvin) | Truest Inspiration Truest Inspiration Truest Inspiration is the sixth studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2001. This was their first album of new music since they reformed in 1999 after a 6 year break.... |
||
| 2001 | "Colour Into Colour" (Bryck) | |||
| 2003 | "It's A Good Life" (Semko) | It's a Good Life It's a Good Life (Northern Pikes album) It's A Good Life is the seventh studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2003. Like their previous studio album, it was released independently.The first single from the album was "It's a Good Life" in 2003, followed by "Underwater" in 2004... |
||
| 2003 | "Underwater" (Bryck) | |||
Independently-released EPs
- 1984 - The Northern Pikes
- 1985 - Scene in North America
Studio albums
- 1987 - Big Blue SkyBig Blue SkyBig Blue Sky is the first major label album by The Northern Pikes released in 1987. It featured two hit Canadian singles - "Teenland" and "Things I Do for Money"...
- 1988 - Secrets of the AlibiSecrets of the AlibiSecrets of the Alibi is the second album by The Northern Pikes released in 1988. It featured two hit Canadian singles - "Wait for Me" and "Hopes Go Astray"....
- 1990 - Snow in JuneSnow in JuneSnow In June is the third major label album by The Northern Pikes released in 1990. It featured three hit singles - "Kiss Me You Fool", "She Ain't Pretty", and "Girl With a Problem"....
- 1992 - NeptuneNeptune (Northern Pikes album)Neptune is the fourth album by The Northern Pikes released in 1992. This was the band's last studio album until they reformed in 1999.Although "Twister" and "Everything" were released as proper singles, with "Twister becoming a moderate hit. The song "Believe" was released as a promotional single,...
- 2001 - Truest InspirationTruest InspirationTruest Inspiration is the sixth studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2001. This was their first album of new music since they reformed in 1999 after a 6 year break....
- 2003 - It's a Good LifeIt's a Good Life (Northern Pikes album)It's A Good Life is the seventh studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2003. Like their previous studio album, it was released independently.The first single from the album was "It's a Good Life" in 2003, followed by "Underwater" in 2004...
Live albums
- 1993 - GigGig (Northern Pikes album)Gig is the first live by The Northern Pikes released in 1993. This album was recorded over two nights during the tour to support Neptune. Following the tour, the band would dissolve until reforming in 1999....
- 2000 - LiveLive (Northern Pikes album)Live is the second live album by The Northern Pikes released in 2000. The album was released independently.In 1999, Virgin Records asked the band members for their input on a "greatest hits" package...
External links
- - The Northern Pikes Official Site
- - The Northern Pikes MySpace Page
- Northern Pikes - JAM! Canadian Pop Encyclopedia entry
- Innerviews interview with Jay Semko discussing The Northern Pikes