So we're talking about Canadian punk bands that either weathered the eighties synth shit-storm or were withered by it. (See HERE and HERE and even HERE) but don't ask me to explain this particular jag.) During such a discussion it would be negligent of me to ignore 39 Steps, some of whom began life as Montreal's teen garage-punks The 222's before moving to Toronto and forming the slightly more polished 39 Steps. The band's mixture of glam, punk, goth, pop and metal (à la Lords of the New Church) helped them get noticed far beyond their local scene.
In a weird turn of the events that could only happen in the eighties, the band got to be a punch line in Woody Allen's Academy-Award winning film, Hannah and her Sisters. Allan probably hated the band as much as his screen character (such as it is) did but he must've loved the fact that the band that named themselves after Hitchcock's classic 1935 film.
As for me, back in '85 I played "Slip
Into the Crowd" for anyone I could (and I obsessed over forcing people to hear great
songs in high school the way some of my peers obsessed over
basketball or dope-smoking). "Sex in Miami" and "Freak Show" were also
pretty cool goth-pop songs but not in the same league, alas.
Bass – Joe Ceratto
Drums – André Gagné
Guitar – Pierre Major, Richard Paul
Vocals – Chris Barry
39 Steps - Producer
Update Chris from the 222's said:
If anyone thinks they might be in Montreal over the weekend of Dec 9-10, 2011, the recently resurrected 222s are gonna be doing a rare gig at le Cabaret Mile End on the 9th, and the following day I'm gonna unleash my new "solo" band on the world at Cafe Campus, Chris Barry's Shaken Babies. The 222s will be doing, uh, strictly 222s material while the Shaken Babies live set is a mix of old 39 Steps and Pillbox [NYC] songs along with some new stuff from my/our forthcoming record. So if you think you're gonna be in Montreal that weekend please come on out to one or both of these gigs.
So now that I've forced "Slip Into the Crowd" on you, oh far more world-savvy audience, let me know your reaction in the COMMENTS section (which is where you'll find the 39 Steps S/T EP link).
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http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?qzetfrbhdso233b
I would love to believe my 1987-self would have been smart enough to glom onto the awesomeness that is "Slip Into The Crowd" but I guess we'll never know. However, my 2011-self thanks you very much for the intro at this late date!
ReplyDeleteHey Jeffen
ReplyDeleteThanks.I have all these tunes from 39 Steps 'Slip Into The Crowd'(1987) that I bought on iTunes.I will compare versions to see if the 1985 versions were different.
The 222's single released in 1979 is quite good.
Doug
i only count 38 . . . thanks
ReplyDeleteSaw them open up for The Cult in 1985 and I havn't heard Slip since so thanks for the share.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, I knew the words to 'Slip Into the Crowd', but have no memory of the 39 Steps. Did anyone cover it?
ReplyDeleteThe only band I know of who ever covered Slip into the Crowd were the Black Halos and their offshoot Black Market Babies project. I'm really surprised nobody else has done it yet 'cuz it's a real classic.
ReplyDeleteI loved "Slip Into The Crowd" and had totally forgotten about it. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteCPJ
ReplyDeleteA great song survives,doesn't it?
Doug
I should pot up an iTunes link, thanks for the heads up.
Anon
!
Jus
An opening slot for the Cult was very fitting for this band.
Zak
Welcome!
Bio/Anon
The song does have a certain automatic-familiarity, I just wish there was a good-sounding cover to make it more well-known.
DG
As you surely know, we here love doing that 'reminding' thing.
The more reminding the better for this great song.
DeleteI read somewhere that singer Chris Barry replaced Ian Astbury in the Southern Death Cult for a very brief time. That might explain why 39 Steps were touring with the Cult in 1985. This is a great song though. I really love their Neon Bible record too. I wonder if Arcade Fire were paying props to their Montreal elders when they took the name for their own record. Does anybody know if this is true?
ReplyDeleteAnon
ReplyDeleteChris? I know you were by on the 222's post, so of you want to respond to either of these rumours (Ian Astbury replacement, Arcade Fire inspiration) let us know....
Thanks for the attention as well as the kind words, tout le monde. Um, I've no idea if Arcade Fire called their record Neon Bible in reference to my band or not but suspect they probably got the title from the same source that i did. Funny, 'cuz I never liked that album title very much but simply couldn't think of anything better at the time, you know? As for my time up in Bradford with the Southern Death Cult after Ian split, yeah, we had the same UK manager back then and I did go up there for a bit to try and do something with those guys - who were all nice, cool guys who I already knew from back in London. I knew Ian then too and we'd hit it off immediately not only because we were the only two people in England at the time who could talk about the Forgotten Rebels and Teenage Head [at least, enthusiastically] but also 'cuz he had this whole Native American trip happenin' which everyone took seriously but that I could only kinda roll my eyes and giggle about. So I used to tease him about it and call him Hiawatha, which, to his credit, he knew was kinda funny - which given his pious image at the time, and how serious those "positive punks" - or whatever the fuck they were calling themselves - took themselves, said a lot about the guy, who as long as i knew him was always profoundly chill and a genuinely nice, fun person to hang with. Billy too. All the core Cult guys, really. But once i started working on songs and shit with the remains of his old band it became way apparent we were from very different musical worlds, me still with my heart in the Detroit sound and those guys more into stuff like Psychic TV. And, with all due respect, without Ian they didn't really have that much to offer anyone, in my humble opinion at least. Ultimately, after i went back to London they found another guy, [Buzz maybe?] who came to them via that Genesis Orridge [or whatever his name was/is] weirdo dude and made a record as Getting the Fear. I haven't been in touch with any of them since - which if i remember correctly was 1982 or '83.
ReplyDeleteChris
ReplyDeleteThanks for the infor re: Neon Bible and the SDC history. And it's good to know that someone who would know a bit better ribbed him about Ian A. about his whole 'Native American trip' and that he took it with grace speaks well for the man.
P.S. I was planning on posting 'Neon Bible'
at some point, if you're okay with the idea.
Of course. Feel more than free to post "the Bible".
DeleteCB
Thanks. After I watch MTL Punk, I'll re-post this and add to it.
DeleteP.S. The preview of the movie looked great and I assume they're gonna need to make use of all that great 222's footage.
"Slip into the crowd" is a great song, unfortunately the link is broken.
ReplyDeleteYEAH!!!!
ReplyDeleteI saw them on the Cult's Love tour too. Solid act live. Would love a re-up.
ReplyDeleteDid you ever post your review of Neon Bible? I don't see it anywhere here but I'm really interested in learning more about it. So far the only songs I've heard are what's posted on Youtube, All Roads Lead To Babylon, City of Vice and Rubber Prick, all great songs IMHO, but I haven't been able to find out very much about the CD besides those songs and that Joan Jett was a flong time 39 Steps fan who released the album on her own Blackheart Records. Do you have any more information about Chris Barry and the 39 Steps you could share? Thanks, Bill
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