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Stick Figure Neighbourhood

by Spoons

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Remastered and first time on CD.

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1.
2.
3.
Red Light 04:44
4.
For Tran 03:45
5.
Capitol Hill 04:37
6.
Ice Age 04:08
7.
8.
9.
10.
Annita 04:21

about

The Spoons began with the coming of the 1980's; a modest group of four suburban kids from Burlington, Ontario, who became the country's new wave/techno-pop sweethearts.

The four founding members of the band were Gordon Deppe, Sandy Horne, Peter Shepherd and Brett Wickens who formed the band in high school in 1979.

Shepherd left the band before the Spoons recorded their first single "After The Institution/My Job" in 1980. The song was released on the Mannequin label, which was created by Paul Abrahams (the band's manager) and Wickens. Shepherd was later replaced by Derek Ross.

Wickens was then replaced by Rob Preuss just prior to the recording of their first album for Ready Records a new Toronto based indie label that had been started by two young college graduates (Andy Crosbie and Angus MacKay). The album was entitled ‘Stick Figure Neighbourhood' and was recorded in Hamilton, Ontario with a then unknown engineer by the name of Daniel Lanois at his Grant Avenue studios.

The album attracted the attention of college radio and garnered rave press reviews. Their follow-up was the widely acclaimed 'Arias & Symphonies' (also on Ready). It was produced by John Punter who had been working with Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry and was an engineer at George Martin's famous Air Studios in London. John came to know of the band while on a trip to Canada to do sound for Japan at their Ryerson Theatre shows. ‘Arias and Symphonies' spawned the single "Nova Heart". This prompted the band's first music video which led to major T.V. exposure (mostly on MuchMusic which launched in that same year). Commercial radio success followed and the band soon saw themselves opening for such acts as The Police, Culture Club and Simple Minds.

Over the next two years they would be nominated for two Juno Awards, win group of the year at the 1982 U-Know Awards (now known as The Casby's) and be presented with a gold record for the sale of over 50,000 copies of their sophomoric album.

In 1983, Ready Records decided to pull out all the stops and hire Nile Rogers (Chic, David Bowie) to produce their follow-up album called 'Talkback'. More radio hits emerged, "Tell No Lies", "Old Emotions" and "Romantic Traffic".

During this period, Deppe, Horne and Preuss recorded the soundtrack to the Ron Mann movie, 'Listen To The City'. By this time Ready Records folded, leaving the band without a recording contract and two less members. Derek Ross left to pursue a career in the music business and Rob Preuss went on to work with Perfect World and Honeymoon Suite before moving to New York where he is currently associate music director/keyboardist for Mama Mia on Broadway.

Deppe and Horne continued on with the new line-up of Steve Kendry (drums) and Scott Macdonald (vocals/keyboards) to release 'Bridges Over Borders' on Rush's Anthem label. By 1988 the band was receiving notable airplay with 'Vertigo Tango'.
The band continued to play periodically over the years with Deppe, Horne and Kendry remaining and Steve Sweeney joining on keyboards.

1994 saw the release of MCA/Universal's package called 'Collectible Spoons' and when that title was deleted many years later Angus MacKay at Ready Records created a new "best of" CD called ‘Limited Edition' [2008] and also re-released ‘TalkBack' in 2010 via Sparks/Ready Records/EMI.

Winding forward to 2012 Sparks Music and Ready Records celebrated the 30th Anniversary of two of the bands most successful releases; Nova Heart EP and a special 30th Anniversary version of the ‘Arias and Symphonies'.

A remastered version of the debut full length album,"Stick Figure Neighbourhood" is now available on CD and Digital format for the first time ever!

credits

released June 25, 2013

All Songs Written by Gord Deppe except Tracks #2 & 6 Written by G. Deppe & S. Horne
All Lyrics Written by G. Deppe

© Neutron Songs/Spoons Music Inc. (SOCAN)
©1981 Ready Records & ℗ 2013 Ready Records. A Division of Ultra Planet Incorporated
Manufactured & Marketed by Ready Records/Sparks Music.

Originally Produced by Graeme Pole
Recorded by Daniel Lanois
at Grant Avenue Studios, Hamilton, Canada


2013 Digital Remaster by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel, Toronto ON.

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Sparks Music Toronto, Ontario

Sparks Music is built around a diverse roster of artists and music which includes releases from JF Robitaille, Brad Fillatre, Papermaps, Yes Nice and many more artists.

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