The Pursuit of Happiness
Encyclopedia
The Pursuit of Happiness is a Canadian
power pop
group best noted for their song "I'm An Adult Now."
, Alberta
singer/songwriter Moe Berg
, The Pursuit of Happiness were launched in 1985 when Berg and drummer Dave Gilby moved to Toronto
, Ontario
. They soon met bassist Johnny Sinclair and formed the band, adding sisters Tamara and Natasha Amabile as backing vocalists. Their debut single, "I'm an Adult Now," quickly became a smash hit across Canada in 1986, sparked by a low-budget video which made it onto the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic
.
The band signed with manager Jeff Rogers (Swell) in 1986. However, the band did not immediately sign to a record label, but instead released another independent single, "Killed by Love," in 1988. The Amabile sisters left the band that year, and were replaced by Kris Abbott and Leslie Stanwyck.
. Their debut album, Love Junk, was produced by Todd Rundgren
and released that year. "I'm an Adult Now" was re-recorded and released as a single again, making it to the charts a second time. In January 1989 the song peaked at #6 on the Billboard's Alternative songs chart. It was followed by "She's So Young" and "Hard To Laugh." The album sold over 100,000 copies in Canada, was certified platinum, and is considered one of the classics of Canadian rock.
Stanwyck and Sinclair left, going on to form Universal Honey
, after completing the band's follow-up with Rundgren, 1990's One Sided Story. That album, led by the hit singles "New Language" and "Two Girls in One," did not sell as well as Love Junk, but was still a significant hit for the band. Starting with the tour for the album, Brad Barker and Susan Murumets joined the lineup. Rachel Oldfield replaced Murumets in 1992.
for 1993's The Downward Road. Despite some success with the single "Cigarette Dangles" (the video appeared on Beavis and Butt-head
), label troubles continued, and the band recorded their next two albums for the now-defunct Canadian label Iron Music. Oldfield left the band in 1995, and was replaced by Jennifer Foster, who in turn left the following year and was replaced by Renee Suchy.
compilation. The most recent lineup has played a few concerts over the last few years, culminating in a series of shows over the last week of 2005 which ended with a New Year's Eve concert in London
, Ontario. In March 2006, they were inducted into the Canadian Indies Hall of Fame.
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...
power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
group best noted for their song "I'm An Adult Now."
Beginnings
Led by EdmontonEdmonton
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...
singer/songwriter Moe Berg
Moe Berg (musician)
Moe Berg is a Canadian singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer for the rock group The Pursuit of Happiness.-Biography:...
, The Pursuit of Happiness were launched in 1985 when Berg and drummer Dave Gilby moved to 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...
, 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....
. They soon met bassist Johnny Sinclair and formed the band, adding sisters Tamara and Natasha Amabile as backing vocalists. Their debut single, "I'm an Adult Now," quickly became a smash hit across Canada in 1986, sparked by a low-budget video which made it onto the Canadian music video channel 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:...
.
The band signed with manager Jeff Rogers (Swell) in 1986. However, the band did not immediately sign to a record label, but instead released another independent single, "Killed by Love," in 1988. The Amabile sisters left the band that year, and were replaced by Kris Abbott and Leslie Stanwyck.
Chrysalis Records
In 1988, they signed to Chrysalis RecordsChrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
. Their debut album, Love Junk, was produced by Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
and released that year. "I'm an Adult Now" was re-recorded and released as a single again, making it to the charts a second time. In January 1989 the song peaked at #6 on the Billboard's Alternative songs chart. It was followed by "She's So Young" and "Hard To Laugh." The album sold over 100,000 copies in Canada, was certified platinum, and is considered one of the classics of Canadian rock.
Stanwyck and Sinclair left, going on to form Universal Honey
Universal Honey
Universal Honey is a Canadian pop music group.The group was formed in 1992 by Johnny Sinclair and Leslie Stanwyck, both formerly of The Pursuit of Happiness.The band had moderate radio success in Canada in 1996 with the single "Any Road Back".-Discography:...
, after completing the band's follow-up with Rundgren, 1990's One Sided Story. That album, led by the hit singles "New Language" and "Two Girls in One," did not sell as well as Love Junk, but was still a significant hit for the band. Starting with the tour for the album, Brad Barker and Susan Murumets joined the lineup. Rachel Oldfield replaced Murumets in 1992.
Mercury Records
The band then went through difficulties with their record label, but signed to Mercury RecordsMercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
for 1993's The Downward Road. Despite some success with the single "Cigarette Dangles" (the video appeared on Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
), label troubles continued, and the band recorded their next two albums for the now-defunct Canadian label Iron Music. Oldfield left the band in 1995, and was replaced by Jennifer Foster, who in turn left the following year and was replaced by Renee Suchy.
Canadian Indies Hall of Fame
Although the group never officially disbanded, after 1996 they did not record as a unit until 2005, when they recorded two new tracks for a greatest hitsGreatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation. The most recent lineup has played a few concerts over the last few years, culminating in a series of shows over the last week of 2005 which ended with a New Year's Eve concert in London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Ontario. In March 2006, they were inducted into the Canadian Indies Hall of Fame.
Singles
| Release date | Title | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... RPM TOP 100 |
Australia | Album | ||
| September 1986 | "I'm An Adult Now" (Original recording) |
#35 | - | Non-LP singles Both later re-recorded for Love Junk Love Junk Love Junk was the debut album by Canadian college rockers The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1988. The album's biggest hit was "I'm An Adult Now", although "Hard to Laugh" and "She's So Young" were also notable singles.... |
| February 1988 | "Killed By Love" | - | - | |
| January 1989 | "She's So Young" | #20 | - | Love Junk Love Junk Love Junk was the debut album by Canadian college rockers The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1988. The album's biggest hit was "I'm An Adult Now", although "Hard to Laugh" and "She's So Young" were also notable singles.... |
| April 1989 | "Beautiful White" | #47 | - | |
| July 1989 | "Hard To Laugh" | - | - | |
| January 1990 | "I'm An Adult Now" (Re-recording) |
- | #39 | |
| May 1990 | "Two Girls In One" | #30 | - | One Sided Story One Sided Story One Sided Story was the second album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1990.-Track listing:All songs written by Moe Berg#"Food" #"Two Girls in One" #"New Language" #"Something Physical"... |
| August 1990 | "New Language" | #42 | - | |
| February 1993 | "Cigarette Dangles" | #51 | - | The Downward Road The Downward Road The Downward Road was the third album by Canadian power pop band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1993. The album cover has several versions with different coloured backgrounds .-Track listing:... |
| May 1993 | "Pressing Lips" | - | - | |
| July 1995 | "Young And In Love" | #77 | - | Where's the Bone? Where's the Bone? Where's the Bone? was the fourth album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1995.-Track listing:#Kalendar #Save The Whales #Glamorous Death #White Man #I Should Know... |
| August 1995 | "Gretzky Rocks" | - | - | |
| January 1996 | "Kalendar" | - | - | |
| April 1996 | "I Should Know" | #42 | - | |
| September 1996 | "She's The Devil" | #56 | - | The Wonderful World of The Wonderful World of the Pursuit of Happiness The Wonderful World of the Pursuit of Happiness was the fifth and, to date, last studio album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1996... The Pursuit of Happiness The Wonderful World of the Pursuit of Happiness The Wonderful World of the Pursuit of Happiness was the fifth and, to date, last studio album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1996... |
| January 1997 | "Carmalina" | #52 | - | |
| October 2005 | "When Doves Cry" | - | - | When We Ruled: The Best of When We Ruled: The Best of The Pursuit of Happiness When We Ruled: The Best of The Pursuit of Happiness is a greatest hits album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released by EMI Music Canada in 2005... The Pursuit of Happiness When We Ruled: The Best of The Pursuit of Happiness When We Ruled: The Best of The Pursuit of Happiness is a greatest hits album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released by EMI Music Canada in 2005... |
Albums
- Love JunkLove JunkLove Junk was the debut album by Canadian college rockers The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1988. The album's biggest hit was "I'm An Adult Now", although "Hard to Laugh" and "She's So Young" were also notable singles....
(1988) - One Sided StoryOne Sided StoryOne Sided Story was the second album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1990.-Track listing:All songs written by Moe Berg#"Food" #"Two Girls in One" #"New Language" #"Something Physical"...
(1990) - The Downward RoadThe Downward RoadThe Downward Road was the third album by Canadian power pop band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1993. The album cover has several versions with different coloured backgrounds .-Track listing:...
(1993) - Where's the Bone?Where's the Bone?Where's the Bone? was the fourth album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1995.-Track listing:#Kalendar #Save The Whales #Glamorous Death #White Man #I Should Know...
(1995) - The Wonderful World of the Pursuit of HappinessThe Wonderful World of the Pursuit of HappinessThe Wonderful World of the Pursuit of Happiness was the fifth and, to date, last studio album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 1996...
(1996) - Sex and Food: The Best of TPOHSex and Food: The Best of TPOHSex and Food: The Best of TPOH is a greatest hits album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released in 2000.-Track listing:#I'm An Adult Now#Cigarette Dangles#Two Girls In One#Ten Fingers#She's So Young#Pressing Lips #Kalendar...
(2000) - When We Ruled: The Best of The Pursuit of HappinessWhen We Ruled: The Best of The Pursuit of HappinessWhen We Ruled: The Best of The Pursuit of Happiness is a greatest hits album by Canadian college rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, released by EMI Music Canada in 2005...
(2005)
Featured on
- Beavis and Butt-Head Season 2, Episode 7 "Customers Suck" - Cigarette Dangles (Music Video)