Chilliwack (band)
| Chilliwack | |
|---|---|
 Bill Henderson, guitarist and vocalist | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Genres | Rock, progressive rock |
| Years active | 1970–1988, 1997–present |
| Labels | Parrot, A&M, Goldfish, Casino, Sire, Mushroom Records, Solid Gold, Millenium[1] |
| Associated acts | Classics (1964), Collectors (1966), Headpins |
| Members |
Bill Henderson Ed Henderson Doug Edwards Jerry Adolphe |
| Past members |
Andy Thoma Ross Turney Claire Lawrence Glenn Miller Howie Vickers Brian MacLeod Howard Froese Ab Bryant Bucky Berger Rick Taylor John Roles |
Chilliwack is a Canadian rock bandactive centered around the singer and guitarist Bill Henderson. They were active from 1970 to 1988, while Henderson reformed the band in 1997. They are perhaps best remembered for their six biggest songs "My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)", "I Believe", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Fly At Night", "Crazy Talk", and "Lonesome Mary". The band's lineup has changed numerous times while they have continued to tour across Canada.[2]
History
The band originated in Vancouver, British Columbia out of the remnants of the C-Span Classics,[3] that changed its name to The Collectors when Henderson joined in 1966.[4] Their psychedelic self-titled debut album yielded the minor hit "Lydia Purple".[5] Their second album was based on the musical score written by the band for a stage play by Canadian playwright George Ryga, Grass and Wild Strawberries.[6]
Chilliwack effectively began with the departure of vocalist Howie Vickers from the Collectors in 1969; however, the band didn't change their name until 1970,[7] to Chilliwack, a Salish term meaning "going back up" and the name of a city east of Vancouver in the Fraser River valley. With lead guitarist Bill Henderson now providing most of the vocals and doing most of the composing, the band released several records that were moderately successful in Canada. Hit singles in Canada included "Lonesome Mary", which entered Cashbox January 22, 1972 [8] "Crazy Talk" and "Fly at Night". The album track "Rain-o", a blues-based composition that appeared in different versions on the Chilliwack debut album and the later Dreams, Dreams, Dreams, was a well-known concert favourite.
Their album Riding High on Goldfish Records (Terry Jacks' Label) contained one of their biggest hits, "Crazy Talk", which was produced by Terry Jacks.
However, Chilliwack had a difficult time sustaining any success because of their constant label changes. The two Collectors albums were on Warner Brothers, and Chilliwack's first five albums were on four different labels in Canada: Parrot, A&M, Goldfish, and Casino Records. When the band finally found relative stability and success with Vancouver's Mushroom Records, with distribution throughout North America, the label went bankrupt so abruptly in 1979 that Chilliwack's third album for the label, Breakdown in Paradise, was barely released.
In 1978, Brian MacLeod (guitar, drums, keyboards) joined the band for the Lights from the Valley album, and Ab Bryant (bass) joined the band for Breakdown in Paradise, with the other members except for Henderson departing. Chilliwack then signed with Solid Gold Records in Canada and Millennium Records in the U.S. as a trio and enjoyed its greatest success with this new lineup, releasing the albums Wanna Be a Star and Opus X. The singles "My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)" (1981), "I Believe" (1982), and "Whatcha Gonna Do (When I'm Gone)" (1982) were popular both in Canada and in the U.S.[9] Rolling Stone Magazine wrote:
"At their best, Chilliwack was the finest Canadian rock band, outrocking BTO and outwriting Burton Cummings. But a lack of consistency kept it from international success."
Henderson and MacLeod received a Best Producer Juno Award in 1982 for Opus X. However, echoing the Mushroom problems, Millennium Records then collapsed. MacLeod and Bryant left the band soon after, and Chilliwack's last new studio recording was released in 1984 with Henderson as the only continuing member. Henderson continued to tour as Chilliwack with other players until December 1988. In 1989 Henderson went on to form the folk-rock supergroup UHF. Henderson also continued touring with Chilliwack, releasing a new live album in 2003.
2005 saw Chilliwack play Voyageur Days Festival in Mattawa, Ontario, Canada (near North Bay) with other Canadian bands Moxy, Toronto, Trooper, Goddo, Killer Dwarfs and Ray Lyell for the thirtieth anniversary for release of the debut album by Moxy.
Bass player Ab Bryant's son Matt Bryant is the singer/songwriter and founding member of Canadian roots/folk band Headwater.
Headpins
As a side project MacLeod and the band (minus Henderson) in the early 1980s performed as The Headpins with first Denise McCann, and then Darby Mills as lead vocalist.
Discography
Albums
As The Collectors (Pre-Chilliwack}
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1967 | The Collectors |
| 1968 | Grass and Wild Strawberries |
Chilliwack
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [10] |
US [11] |
CRIA [12] | ||
| 1970 | Chilliwack | 63 | - | |
| 1971 | Chilliwack | 10 | - | |
| 1972 | All Over You | 40 | - | |
| 1974 | Riding High | 63 | - | |
| 1975 | Rockerbox | 64 | - | |
| 1977 | Dreams, Dreams, Dreams | 13 | 142 | Platinum |
| 1978 | Lights from the Valley | 37 | 191 | Platinum |
| 1979 | Breakdown in Paradise | 52 | - | |
| 1981 | Wanna Be a Star | 19 | 78 | Platinum |
| 1982 | Opus X | 12 | 112 | Platinum |
| 1983 | Segue (compilation) | 79 | - | Gold |
| 1984 | Look In Look Out | 68 | - | |
| Greatest Hits | - | - | Gold | |
| 2003 | There and Back - Live | - | - | |
Singles
| Year | Song | CAN | CHUM | US Billboard | US Cash Box | US Main |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | "Looking at a Baby" as The Collectors | 23 | 4 | — | — | — |
| 1968 | "Lydia Purple" as The Collectors | 55 | — | — | — | — |
| 1969 | "Early Morning" as The Collectors | 84 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | "I Must Have Been Blind" as The Collectors | 56 | 20 | — | — | — |
| "Sometimes We're Up" as The Collectors | 63 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Chain Train" | 67 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1971 | "Rain-O" | 70 | — | — | — | — |
| 1972 | "Sundown" | 54 | — | — | — | — |
| 1973 | "Lonesome Mary" | 9 | — | 75 | — | — |
| 1974 | "Groundhog" | 41 | — | — | — | — |
| "Crazy Talk" | 10 | 13 | 98 | — | — | |
| 1975 | "There's Something I Like About That" | 85 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | "Last Day Of December" | — | — | 109 | — | — |
| 1976 | "Come on Over" | 54 | 12 | — | — | — |
| 1977 | "California Girl" | 19 | — | — | — | — |
| "Fly at Night" | 7 | 16 | 75 | — | — | |
| 1978 | "Something Better" | 56 | — | — | — | — |
| "Baby Blue" | 78 | — | 110 | — | — | |
| "Arms of Mary" | 32 | — | 67 | — | — | |
| 1979 | "Never Be The Same" | 59 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | "Communication Breakdown" | 86 | — | — | — | — |
| 1981 | "My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)" | 3 | 6 | 22 | 19 | 16 |
| 1982 | "I Believe" | 7 | 11 | 33 | 29 | — |
| "Whatcha Gonna Do (When I'm Gone)" | 9 | 10 | 41 | 32 | 29 | |
| "Don't it Make You Feel Good" | — | — | — | — | 48 | |
| 1983 | "Don't Stop" | 46 | — | — | — | — |
| 1983 | "Secret Information" | — | — | 110 | — | — |
| Singles | CAN | CHUM | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Hits | 23 | 8 | 7 |
| Top 40 Hits | 8 | 8 | 2 |
See also
- Canadian rock
- Music of Canada
- Music of Vancouver
- List of bands from British Columbia
- Delbrook Senior Secondary School
References
- ↑ "Chilliwack". canadianbands.com. 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-16.
- ↑ Bill Henderson (2007). "Live Dates". Official website. Archived from the original on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2007-08-16.
- ↑ "The Collectors Web Page". shadwell.tripod.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
- ↑ "Canadian Bands.com - Collectors". www.canadianbands.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
- ↑ "Lydia Purple". Retrieved 2008-07-28.
- ↑ "The Collectors (4) - Grass And Wild Strawberries". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
- ↑ McIntosh, Andrew (2015-06-18). "Chilliwack". The Canadian Encyclopedia (online ed.). Historica Canada. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ↑ Cashbox Jan 22, 1971
- ↑ Adam White & Fred Bronson (1988). The Billboard Book of Hits. Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-8285-7.
- ↑ Peak positions for Chilliwack's albums on Canadian Albums Chart:
- For "Chilliwack (1970 album)" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 14, No. 14, November 21, 1970". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Chilliwack (1971 album)" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 16, No. 26, February 12, 1972". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "All Over You" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 19, No. 10, April 21, 1973". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Riding High" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 22, No. 25, February 15, 1975". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Rockerbox" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 24, No. 20, February 14, 1976". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Dreams, Dreams, Dreams" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 27, No. 14, July 02 1977". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Lights from the Valley" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 30, No. 3, October 14, 1978". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Breakdown in Paradise" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 32, No. 24, March 08 1980". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Wanna Be a Star" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 35, No. 16, November 14, 1981". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Opus X" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 37, No. 20, January 15, 1983". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Segue" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 39, No. 17, December 24, 1983". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- For "Look In Look Out" "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 40, No. 21, July 28, 1984". RPM. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- ↑ "Chilliwack - Billboard Albums". allmusic. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- ↑ "Gold Platinum Database: Chilliwack". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2012-04-17.
External links
- Bill Henderson's website
- Chilliwack page at Canadian Encyclopedia
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