Aporia Records is pleased to announce it has signed Canada’s beloved folk-rock trio, The Grapes of Wrath.
It’s been 21 years since original members Kevin Kane (vocalist, guitar) Tom Hooper (vocalist, bass) and Chris Hooper (drums) released an album together. But this spring, the three musicians will assemble at the private studio of producer Darryl Neudorf (Neko Case, Blue Rodeo) to record a full album of new material, set for a February 2013 release.
“Darryl was a big part of our formative years in Kelowna,” says Kevin, who now resides in Toronto. “In fact, the first time any of us played music in front of an audience, the band consisted of Chris, Tom, Darryl and myself performing at Tom’s Grade 7 graduation dance.”
The new album will feature tracks written by Kevin and Tom, both of whom have released acclaimed solo albums in the years since The Grapes of Wrath first disbanded in 1992.
“All The Things I Wasn’t” was one of my favourite songs in high school,” says Gord Dimitrieff, owner of Aporia Records. “So, as you can imagine, I am thrilled to now be working with The Grapes Of Wrath on their first new album in over 20 years.”
Label manager and west coast transplant, Shannon Martin, perhaps summed up Aporia’s excitement best: “I’m so super stoked.”
The band is equally enthused to be working with Aporia.
“Aporia has a great reputation for providing their artists with both freedom and support, which is everything we could ask for in a label,” Tom says.
The Grapes, as they’re affectionately known, formed in Kelowna, B.C. in 1983 and quickly became college radio favourites with their 1985 debut, September Bowl of Green.
The album introduced listeners to Tom and Kevin’s Byrdsian harmonies and catchy pop melodies, which they would hone and perfect over the next seven years.
In 1987, The Grapes of Wrath broke through to Canadian mainstream radio with the dazzling, jangly folk-pop of its critically lauded sophomore effort, Treehouse. The band enjoyed even more success with 1989’s Now and Again, which spawned three Top 50 singles, including the quietly haunting “What Was Going Through My Head”.
Following the release of 1991’s These Days – their second platinum album that spawned two top 10 hits “You May Be Right” and “I Am Here” – the band decided to call it a day. Kevin and Tom reunited briefly in 2000, but it wasn’t until a show at the Surrey Fusion Festival in the summer of 2010 that all three original members shared the stage again.
“We realized there was a special kind of chemistry between the three of us,” recalls Chris. “I guess because we’d grown up together and learned how to play our instruments together.”
In 2011, The Grapes of Wrath played several dates across Canada to appreciative fans and have already lined up shows for this year.
“It’s interesting how this has evolved from doing just a single reunion show to getting an agent and signing a new record deal – all on it’s own steam,” says Kevin. “It’s nice when things sort of come together of their own volition and don’t feel forced or contrived.”
-30-
