By Steve Newton I loved Canadian rockers The Pursuit of Happiness back in the day. Their 1988 debut album, the Todd Rundgren-produced Love Junk, was jam-packed with catchy power-pop tunes. The band's 1990 followup, One-Sided Story, was also produced by Rundgren, and though not as consistently impressive as Love Junk, boasted some strong tracks as … Continue reading That time The Pursuit of Happiness’s Moe Berg told me how much of a Todd Rundgren fan he was
Tag: The Pursuit of Happiness
That time Todd Rundgren told me that one of the greatest recording experiences of his life was with TPOH
By Steve Newton Todd Rundgren has some amazing credits as a producer. He's helmed such influential and/or successful albums as Badfinger's Straight Up, the New York Dolls' selt-titled debut, Grand Funk's We're an American Band, and Meat Loaf's multiplatinum Bat Out of Hell. He also helmed an LP near and dear to the hearts of … Continue reading That time Todd Rundgren told me that one of the greatest recording experiences of his life was with TPOH
The Beat Farmers’ wildman drummer Country Dick Montana steals the show in Vancouver
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 2, 1988 By Steve Newton Picture this: you walk into 86 Street and the first thing you see on stage is a big, bearded mother of a biker-type in a long black coat and cowboy hat. During a raunched-up version of "Lucille", this crazy dude … Continue reading The Beat Farmers’ wildman drummer Country Dick Montana steals the show in Vancouver
The Beat Farmers’ Country Dick Montana offers tips for men and insight into The Pursuit of Happiness
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 6, 1987 By Steve Newton Devoted fans of serious music should make a point of being as far away as possible from the 86 Street Music Hall this Tuesday (November 10). However, those with less cultivated tastes--and a penchant for rowdy, party-time country rock with … Continue reading The Beat Farmers’ Country Dick Montana offers tips for men and insight into The Pursuit of Happiness
Sonny Greenwich Jr. thinks that Bootsauce’s Baculis is a better bassist than Flea
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 4, 1990 By Steve Newton Some rock critics will go to any lengths to describe the sound of a band as diverse as Montreal’s Bootsauce. Take Mike Marrone of the Hard Report, who came up with this hearty interpretation: “Captain Beefheart meets The The on Shriekback street beauty.” … Continue reading Sonny Greenwich Jr. thinks that Bootsauce’s Baculis is a better bassist than Flea
Moe Berg on leaving Edmonton, loving Rundgren, and the Pursuit of Happiness’s One Sided Story
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 12, 1990 By Steve Newton When Moe Berg left Edmonton for Toronto five years ago, the city of the Oilers didn’t exactly react like it was losing The Great One. There wasn’t a big hullabaloo in the press, nor were there many tears shed, either by Berg himself or the gaggle … Continue reading Moe Berg on leaving Edmonton, loving Rundgren, and the Pursuit of Happiness’s One Sided Story
Russian hockey stars and broken legs inspire Vancouver’s Noise Therapy
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 28, 1995 Besides beer and back bacon, there’s nothing more Canadian than guitar rock and hockey. The Pursuit of Happiness combined those two Canuck ideals recently in its tribute to the Great One, “Gretzky Rocks”. Now local hard rockers Noise Therapy have answered with a pucky anthem of … Continue reading Russian hockey stars and broken legs inspire Vancouver’s Noise Therapy
Moe Berg sings “Gretzy Rocks” but actually he likes the ‘Hawks
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 7, 1995 When The Pursuit of Happiness made a splash on the Canadian music scene with its 1988 Love Junk album, it was signed to Chrysalis Records. When 1993’s The Downward Road came out, the band had hooked up with the Mercury label. Now that the group’s new … Continue reading Moe Berg sings “Gretzy Rocks” but actually he likes the ‘Hawks
The Pursuit of Happiness leaves Todd Rundgren for The Downward Road
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 1, 1993 By Steve Newton Recalling the televised carnage of last year’s L.A. riots, it’s hard to believe that a happy-go-lucky Canadian band was simultaneously recording its breezy, good-time pop music within shooting distance of the scary stuff. A grungy thrash or hardcore rap band laying down a … Continue reading The Pursuit of Happiness leaves Todd Rundgren for The Downward Road