Boize (band)
Encyclopedia
Boize were a heavy metal band from Montreal
, Quebec founded by Robert Kourie (Floyd Harem) on guitar and Stephane Fania (Zany Shultz) on bass in 1988 following the break-up of their band Alter-Ego. After auditioning 30 to 40 vocalist during a few months, Perry Blainey (Fiya Powers, an Ozzy Osbourne
type) was chosen as the frontman in April 1989. In the late summer they went to Studio Works to record five songs for their first demo (The Bug), which was released in October 1989, on which Steph also did the keyboards and drum machine. After shopping around the demo, they landed their first TV interview in late 1989.
In January 1990, Boize held auditions to find a drummer and Scott MacDonald came into the band. It wasn't long before they played their first show at L’Intro, and this was followed by weekly shows. Their first attempt at expanding to a second guitarist was for a show at L'Intro on May 26th 1990 where rhythm guitarist Pascal joined. By that time Imagination Records had already signed them to a recording contract and an album release contract. The label took them to Cherry Studios that summer to record nine songs for their first full-length album. However in November, the label’s plans for the band had changed, and Boize legally broke their contract with them.
They were picked up by Bill Hill Productions in February 1991, and immediately went to Frank Marino
’s studio to attempt to remix and remaster some of the Cherry Studios recordings. The music was poorly recorded, so they decided to simply re-record 4 of the songs, and use it as a promo tape demo (I’ll Still Love You) to send out to labels. They got the Sherwood brothers (Kim and Dorian) to feature choir vocals on “In Too Deep”. In March Steve Berger (Steve Bahr, aka Minou) joined as permanent second guitarist. At the same time, Boize was interviewed at CHOM-FM
for the show “Made in Canada
”, on which the entire second demo was played. That summer, Bill Hill Productions attempted to make a single out of the song “In Too Deep”, with a music video and a CD single pressing to shop to radio stations, but it never happened and instead they began working on a massive plan for an EP.
In January 1992, Boize went to Mo-tel Studio to record for the fourth time, this time for their first officially distributed album, the self-titled Boize EP. Bill Hill Productions was not going in the same direction as the band, so they once again broke ties, and formed their own record label, U-Iliot Records, and continued using their publishing company, Klink Publishing, which had been in use since early 1991. To promote the release, which would be pressed on 5000 cassettes and 500 CDs, they created posters (pressed in 5000 units), t-shirts, hats and stickers and also shot a music video for “Get a Life” at Backstreet (their most frequently played venue), with a huge crowd, that was aired on Musique Plus and MuchMusic
. The album release concert took place at Sam's Rock Bar on April 21st, 1992 and was an immediate hit in for the local scene. That May they played with National Velvet
at Backstreet, and from there, national distribution deals started being offered (including a serious offer from Aquarius Records
), and they were booked almost constantly all around Montreal clubs all summer long. On August 15th and 16th 1992, Boize was invited to headline the Montmagny Festival
(Festival Des Oies) on its last two dates of the week long concert. Whatever was left of the merchandise pressed for the EP was sold out during those shows.
At the tail end of 1992, Perry left the band and was replaced by Carlos (a Bruce Dickinson
type). To celebrate his joining, Boize went to play "Run to the Hills
" at a local club that night, and the fans approved of the new vocalist. After recording a rehearsal demo that winter, Steve left the band to go live in Gaspesie
. The four-piece continued on to play shows, including a 3-night stint at bar L’Enfer in Sherbrooke
, where they were begged to keep coming back. Carlos left in February 1993, and as they already had a shows lined up for March and April, they found a temporary replacement. The March 20th 1993 show ended up being the last Boize show because Scott would quit in April, and the temporary vocalist would be let go. The original founding members, Steph and Rob, were once again back to basics, and after finding Rjeen (Xavier Briand), decided to name the new line-up "Emissary". Emissary would be active from 1993 to 1996 until it would change name to "Breaking Violet".
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec founded by Robert Kourie (Floyd Harem) on guitar and Stephane Fania (Zany Shultz) on bass in 1988 following the break-up of their band Alter-Ego. After auditioning 30 to 40 vocalist during a few months, Perry Blainey (Fiya Powers, an Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
type) was chosen as the frontman in April 1989. In the late summer they went to Studio Works to record five songs for their first demo (The Bug), which was released in October 1989, on which Steph also did the keyboards and drum machine. After shopping around the demo, they landed their first TV interview in late 1989.
In January 1990, Boize held auditions to find a drummer and Scott MacDonald came into the band. It wasn't long before they played their first show at L’Intro, and this was followed by weekly shows. Their first attempt at expanding to a second guitarist was for a show at L'Intro on May 26th 1990 where rhythm guitarist Pascal joined. By that time Imagination Records had already signed them to a recording contract and an album release contract. The label took them to Cherry Studios that summer to record nine songs for their first full-length album. However in November, the label’s plans for the band had changed, and Boize legally broke their contract with them.
They were picked up by Bill Hill Productions in February 1991, and immediately went to Frank Marino
Frank Marino
Frank Marino , born November 20, 1954, in Montreal, is the guitarist and leader of Canadian hard rock band Mahogany Rush. Often compared to Jimi Hendrix, he is acknowledged as one of the best and most underrated guitarists of the 1970s.-Biography and career:After playing drums since he was five,...
’s studio to attempt to remix and remaster some of the Cherry Studios recordings. The music was poorly recorded, so they decided to simply re-record 4 of the songs, and use it as a promo tape demo (I’ll Still Love You) to send out to labels. They got the Sherwood brothers (Kim and Dorian) to feature choir vocals on “In Too Deep”. In March Steve Berger (Steve Bahr, aka Minou) joined as permanent second guitarist. At the same time, Boize was interviewed at CHOM-FM
CHOM-FM
CHOM-FM is an English language radio station located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Owned and operated by Astral Media, it broadcasts on 97.7 MHz from the Mount Royal candelabra tower, with an effective radiated power of 41,200 watts using an omnidirectional antenna.The station has a mainstream rock...
for the show “Made in Canada
Made in Canada
Made in Canada is a Canadian television situation comedy which aired on CBC Television from 1998 to 2003. Rick Mercer co-created the program and starred as mercenary TV producer Richard Strong....
”, on which the entire second demo was played. That summer, Bill Hill Productions attempted to make a single out of the song “In Too Deep”, with a music video and a CD single pressing to shop to radio stations, but it never happened and instead they began working on a massive plan for an EP.
In January 1992, Boize went to Mo-tel Studio to record for the fourth time, this time for their first officially distributed album, the self-titled Boize EP. Bill Hill Productions was not going in the same direction as the band, so they once again broke ties, and formed their own record label, U-Iliot Records, and continued using their publishing company, Klink Publishing, which had been in use since early 1991. To promote the release, which would be pressed on 5000 cassettes and 500 CDs, they created posters (pressed in 5000 units), t-shirts, hats and stickers and also shot a music video for “Get a Life” at Backstreet (their most frequently played venue), with a huge crowd, that was aired on Musique Plus and MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
. The album release concert took place at Sam's Rock Bar on April 21st, 1992 and was an immediate hit in for the local scene. That May they played with National Velvet
National Velvet
National Velvet is a novel by Enid Bagnold , first published in 1935.-Plot summary:"National Velvet" is the story of a 14-year-old girl named Velvet Brown, who rides her horse to victory in the Grand National steeplechase...
at Backstreet, and from there, national distribution deals started being offered (including a serious offer from Aquarius Records
Aquarius Records
Aquarius Records is an independent record label founded in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1969. The first president was Terry Flood and the other founding owners were Donald Tarlton, Bob Lemm, Dan Lazare and Jack Lazare. Originally the label was distributed by London Records of Canada.Among the first...
), and they were booked almost constantly all around Montreal clubs all summer long. On August 15th and 16th 1992, Boize was invited to headline the Montmagny Festival
Montmagny, Quebec
-External links:*...
(Festival Des Oies) on its last two dates of the week long concert. Whatever was left of the merchandise pressed for the EP was sold out during those shows.
At the tail end of 1992, Perry left the band and was replaced by Carlos (a Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
type). To celebrate his joining, Boize went to play "Run to the Hills
Run to the Hills
"Run to the Hills" was Iron Maiden's sixth single and the first single from their 1982 album The Number of the Beast. The lyrics clearly discuss the violence visited upon Native Americans in the Nineteenth Century. Several lines appear to address the Sioux Wars, a conflict between the Lakota...
" at a local club that night, and the fans approved of the new vocalist. After recording a rehearsal demo that winter, Steve left the band to go live in Gaspesie
Gaspé Peninsula
The Gaspésie , or Gaspé Peninsula or the Gaspé, is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, extending into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
. The four-piece continued on to play shows, including a 3-night stint at bar L’Enfer in Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke, Quebec
Sherbrooke is a Canadian city in southern Quebec. Sherbrooke is situated at the confluence of the Saint-François and Magog rivers in the heart of the Estrie administrative region. Sherbrooke is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality and census division of...
, where they were begged to keep coming back. Carlos left in February 1993, and as they already had a shows lined up for March and April, they found a temporary replacement. The March 20th 1993 show ended up being the last Boize show because Scott would quit in April, and the temporary vocalist would be let go. The original founding members, Steph and Rob, were once again back to basics, and after finding Rjeen (Xavier Briand), decided to name the new line-up "Emissary". Emissary would be active from 1993 to 1996 until it would change name to "Breaking Violet".
Members
- Robert Kourie (Floyd Harem): Guitar (1988-May 1993)
- Stephane Fania (Zany Shultz): Bass, keyboards, drum machine (1988-May 1993)
- Perry Blainey (Fyia Powers): Vocals (April 1989–November 1992)
- Scott MacDonald: Drums (January 1990-April 1993)
- Pascal: Guitar, keyboards (May 1990)
- Steve Berger (Steve Bahr): Guitar (March 1991-January 1993)
- Carlos: Vocals (December 1992-February 1993)
Discography
- The Bug (First demo, October 1989)
- I'll Still Love You (Second demo, February 1991)
- Boize (EP, April 1992)