BIO

Brothers Tom and Chris Hooper met Kevin Kane in 1977 during their teens in Kelowna, British Columbia. Their first band was a punk combo called Kill Pigs which played faster than the singer could sing. From there, Kane and the Hoopers went on separate musical paths; Kane to art-rock group Empty Set and the Hoopers forming the hardcore punk band Gentlemen Of Horror. The Gentlemen were popular playing in and around Vancouver and released a now highly sought after 7″ single in 1980. During this time, Tom Hooper edited a local punk ‘zine called ‘Indecent Exposure’, to which Kane and Chris Hooper contributed.

In April of 1983, after putting together a one-off show as cover band Honda Civic, the trio decided to work together musically again. From the Hooper family garage they began rehearsals and gained enough confidence to open for acts in Seattle and Vancouver as the newly christened Grapes Of Wrath (from the classic movie of the same name).

By raising money at flea markets and garage sales the act was able to record 4 songs with up-and-coming producer/engineer Greg Reely in July and August 1984. Unbeknownst to the band, a cassette recording of the material was passed along to Terry McBride of the newly formed Nettwerk Records in Vancouver, which led to the band being signed and releasing the tracks as a self-titled EP in November 1984. The band played a farewell gig in hometown Kelowna, packed up Tom’s station wagon and the Grapes Of Wrath moved to Vancouver.

In late summer of 1985, Nettwerk released the first album ‘September Bowl Of Green’, which dented college and alternative radio. Their first two videos “Misunderstanding” and “A Dream (About You)” were heavily rotated by MUCHMusic. This attention led to Nettwerk’s negotiations with Capitol Records for a distribution deal and the band returned to the studio in May 1986 to remix “Misunderstanding” and “Love Comes Around” with Tom Cochrane. These remixes would be issued on the ‘September Bowl Of Green’ CD re-issue. The band continued playing live including a high profile show at the 2nd Annual Independent Music Festival in 1986.

Cochrane was sufficiently impressed enough to produce the band’s sophomore effort ‘Treehouse’ which was released in October 1987, resulting in their first gold album for sales in Canada and yielding a minor hit with the single “Peace of Mind” and fan favourite, “Backward Town”.

Ex-Pere Ubu and Lounge Lizard/Golden Palomino drummer Anton Fier produced ‘Now And Again’ in Woodstock, New York, where the band lived in isolation for the first half of 1989. They record in an old haunted Catholic church called Dreamland Studios.

Now And Again featured newly added keyboardist Vincent Jones. Jones had toured with the band during ‘Treehouse’ and worked so well personally and musically that the band decided to add him permanently. Jones’ contribution to the new album was augmented by legendary pedal steel player Sneeky Pete Kleinow (Flying Burrito Brothers) and keyboardist Chuck Leavell (Allman Brothers/Rolling Stones).

Now and Again, was the band’s big breakthrough. The singles “All The Things I Wasn’t” and then “What Was Going Through My Head” propelled the album to platinum status and soon the band went from playing bars to theaters and touring Europe, opening for Lloyd Cole. Their Canadian tour to support this album was also notable for it’s opening act, a then-emerging singer/songwriter named Sarah McLachlan.

Englishman John Leckie (XTC/Stone Roses/Posies) helmed ‘These Days’ which was recorded from December 1990 to January 1991 at Vancouver’s Mushroom Studios. In February 1991, the band travelled to London and spent 3 weeks mixing at Abbey Road studios. The Album spawned the hit singles “I Am Here” (#8, and peaking at #27 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in the U.S.) and “You May Be Right” (#7), again selling platinum and allowing the band to again tour Europe.

Musical and personal differences brought about the band’s demise in 1992 with the departure of Kevin Kane. The Grapes Of Wrath’s final show was Halloween 1992 in Vancouver.

In the summer of 2010, after 18 years, the original founding members joined together to play the Surrey B.C. Fusion Festival. Due to the show’s success, the band is once again touring Canada and in February 2012, signed with Aporia Records of Toronto to record a new album. This will be the first album of new music by the original members in over 20 years.

Posted by editor   @   10 May 2009

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26 Comments

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Sep 9, 2009
1:31 am
#1 Dan Donnelly :

PLEASE come to Massey Hall in Toronto or the Markham Theatre in Markham (Ontario)! In the meantime keep writing, recording and releasing your great music (band and solo)

Thank you for so much great music!

Dan Donnelly

Nov 20, 2009
11:22 pm
#2 Keith in Kansas City :

I’ve been a Grapes fan since I first picked up NOW AND AGAIN in 1989. I was at the cool local Record store (which thankfully still exists!) and thought the cover looked cool. I admit that back when I was discovering a lot of music in those days, sometimes the cover was enough, as bands like the Grapes weren’t getting radio play in my city (a TRAVESTY!) and awesome tools like MYSPACE, which is so crucial to bands these days, was way in the future. Hell, the Internet was still way off.

Anyway, the clerk at the store described the band’s music to me and it seemed to be right up my alley. I feel in love with NOW AND AGAIN and ended up buying just about everything the band released before and after, including the GINGER and Kevin Kane solo discs. I just want to convey that although I never got to see the band live, those records/tapes/discs/holographs/etc have really meant a lot to me and I was just listening to THESE DAYS a few hours ago, which reminded me to look the band up again.

It’s great to hear that Kevin and Tom are playing some shows and man, what a cool thing it would be to see some new music from the guys. FIELD TRIP was such a surprise when it appeared seemingly out of nowhere several years ago, and it sounded like you hadn’t even lost a step. So I know there are still some fans here in the U.S. and a ton of them up in our lovely neighbor to the North, who are happy that you guys are testing the waters, so to speak.

Anyway, before my endless ramble becomes tiresome, I do want to thank Kevin, Tom, Chris, and Vince for some really great and ridiculously under-acknowledged music. Your albums still sound fresh and solid today, and that says so much about your talent and to the care which you put into your brilliant albums. Good luck with anything you guys do and keep the music coming, be it solo, together, or if you guys decide to experiment and do an album of Norwegian Whaling songs, Gregorian Chant, or Death Metal, well, I might even be interested in THAT, as well.

All the best,

Keith, in Kansas City, Missouri

Oct 12, 2010
4:36 pm
#3 michael :

I’m a big fan of THE ALBUM THESE DAYS. Great tunes and lyrics! Love those catchy tunes. They are played quite often on rock 101.1
Any chance you guys may record a new album together. A grapes of wrath reunion album would be sweet!

Oct 22, 2010
12:46 pm
#4 cam :

Are you playing any shows in Alberta?

Oct 23, 2010
10:01 am
#5 Kirsti Wiren :

What about a show in Victoria?? Would be awesome:)

Nov 7, 2010
4:57 pm
#6 Mike :

You guys should come to the East Coast…Halifax! Love to hear these tunes live again!

Nov 9, 2010
12:29 pm
#7 Duane :

please come to Calgary, thank you for being out there touring again, we all love you

Nov 9, 2010
2:30 pm
#8 ulla :

Yes–come to the East Coast and please include Massachusetts in your travels….

Jul 23, 2011
6:50 pm
#9 Bryan Cederholm :

hey which one of the members are from Salmon Arm? My Dad says he remembers dating one of the band members sisters when the band was just starting up.

Bryan Cederholm

Jul 25, 2011
3:29 pm
#10 GOW :

Must be another band…We were all from Kelowna and had no sisters.

Aug 25, 2011
11:35 am
#11 CW :

Hello Tom, Chris, and Kevin,

I have heard the Bowel story, but can you explain the meaning/origin of the “September Bowl of Green” Title?
Always wondered.

Thanks,
CW

Aug 29, 2011
8:23 am
#12 GOW :

The title comes from a line in the book “The Grass Harp” by Truman Capote.

Aug 30, 2011
4:04 pm
#13 Jo-Anna Clark :

I am so excited about being able to see you guys in Courtenay BC in September. I had a chance to see you just before you broke up in 1991 in Halifax NS however the guy that I was going to go with took his sister instead (what’s up with that). I told him “oh no problem I will just see them in BC when I move there” and then you split up, that was a sad day indeed. Needless to say I did see Ginger at the Loft in Courtenay a number of years ago but that was just not the same and then you guys came to the Vancouver Island Music Fest and that was a very happy day for me. So I have just purchased my tickets and I will be sitting front center happy as a clam to see you once again. Thanks guys.

Sep 1, 2011
6:06 pm
#14 Bill Griffin :

I remember seeing the Grapes at Le Rendez Vous in Winnipeg about 1989. The backup was none other than Sarah McLachlan. I still remember being one of very few males in the audience that night and singing Peace of Mind at the top of my lungs. Ah the 80′s. I am looking forward to seeing Kevin at my daughter’s house on October 1. The band really should get to Winnipeg. I am sure you would draw an appreciative audience.

Sep 6, 2011
12:47 pm
#15 Shakey :

So…can we expect an album in the near future…also, do you have copies of These Days on vinyl?

Sep 12, 2011
8:07 am
#16 GOW :

No vinyl of ‘These Days’, sorry. Occasionally, we find some old stuff and sell it at our shows, but we haven’t had any for a while.
As for a new album, we’ve learned to never say never…

Sep 16, 2011
1:53 pm
#17 Shakey :

Thanks for the info. One last question…are there any reissue plans or deluxe version on the way? I know a lot of the rare/unreleased was covered on Seems Like Fate, but perhaps there are still hidden jems waiting to be released…

Sep 16, 2011
1:58 pm
#18 GOW :

No plans like that at the moment. That would most likely be up to EMI Canada, and they’re not exactly in a position to be releasing much these days.

Sep 16, 2011
6:29 pm
#19 Craig :

Please please please release some new material/ recordings. Even your last album in 2000 was great! How about a new ep on itunes?

Oct 13, 2011
12:16 pm
#20 Doug McIntosh :

Kevin/Tom/Chris: Saw you guys at the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay last month and it was like being in a time capsule – back to the Town Pump cica 1986-87 or Queen’s U. in 1989 where I interviewed you for the school paper, hung out back stage and drank your beer. The show last month was very impressive, both you guys and Odds were spot on and truly professional in every sense despite Mike and the girl with the titties. So glad you’re back playing together. Cheers, Doug

Nov 4, 2011
10:31 pm
#21 Chris Fournier :

Any chance of you guys coming to Toronto/Hamilton?
In the early 90′s my friends and I walked into a basement bar in Kitchener and, without seeing the band at first, said to each other “Man, they sound like the Grapes of Wrath”…lo and behold.
You guys put on a great performance. We were all singing away to your songs the entire night.

Jan 14, 2012
11:49 pm
#22 KvanH :

I love GOW. Great music, melodies, harmonies, love ‘em!
I wish we could have some new music from GOW this year.
(fingers crossed)

Feb 11, 2012
5:53 pm
#23 Paul :

Such beautiful melodies you guys have. I am listening to Travelin’ as I write this with goose bumps the size of grapes, no pun intended.
Cheers
Paul in UK

Feb 28, 2012
8:13 pm
#24 RobinL :

Growing up just outside of Kelowna (Winfeild), I also grew up with listening to ‘The Grapes’.
Your music will always bring me back to my childhood and ‘The Valley’ in my dreams.
Thank you for your gift and I hope to travel back to BC this spring to see you again!

May 16, 2012
8:11 pm
#25 Daz :

Saw you guy live 25 years ago in Victoria. I have always liked your sound. I was lucky to find your CD field trip which is very good. The one song I cannot seem to find is If I needed someone. You have deleted it from your catalogue. I heard it once when it was first released and thought who is this group with the cool version? Are you ever going to put it out on a compilation or is the copyright tied up in red tape?
Darren (Campbell River).

May 16, 2012
8:30 pm
#26 GOW :

HI, that song was on the “September Bowl of Green” Nettwerk version of the vinyl. If you can find an original copy, it’ll be there.
Cheers!

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