By Divine Right
Encyclopedia
By Divine Right is a Canadian indie rock
band, led by guitar
ist and vocalist José Miguel Contreras.
Brendan Canning
and guitarist Leslie Feist
joined the band for their 1999 release Bless This Mess. Canning and Feist later left the band, and have both been involved with Broken Social Scene
.
In 2003 By Divine Right became one of the only Canadian bands to do a concert tour of China.
From 2001 to 2004, the band's lineup consisted of Contreras, Colleen Hixenbaugh, Brian Borcherdt, John Hall and Dylan Hudecki
. In 2004, drummer John Hall was replaced by Cam Giroux (who played on Good Morning Beautiful), while Borcherdt and Hudecki both left the band. Hudecki was replaced by Darcy Rego and then Michael Small, both of The Meligrove Band
, for tours of the United States, Canada and Britain supporting Sweet Confusion. Filling in on drums for some dates was Loel Campbell of Wintersleep
.
After these tours, the band's lineup changed again, to Contreras, Hixenbaugh and Small with drummer Derek Downham, followed by a September 2006 show at the Drake Hotel in Toronto that had the band performing all new songs with Rego, Small and Jason Nunes (the entire Meligrove Band) under the By Divine Right name.
By Divine Right's first live show since 2006 happened on December 31, 2007 at the Tranzac Club in Toronto – at which the band's new full-time lineup of Contreras, Stew Heyduk (of The Golden Dogs
) and Mitch Perkins (formerly of Rusty
) appeared together for the first time.
In 2007, By Divine Right contributed a cover of Rheostatics
' "Shaved Head" to the tribute album The Secret Sessions
, with a lineup consisting only of Contreras and Julien Beillard of the band Wooden Stars
.
In May 2008, By Divine Right opened a show for The Golden Dogs
at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern
with yet another new lineup, consisting of Contreras, Heyduk, and Darcy Rego returning on drums.
Mutant Message, the band's first album since 2004's Sweet Confusion, was released in Canada in 2009 on the Hand Drawn Dracula
label. The album features José Contreras, Stew Heyduk and Darcy Rego with guest vocals from Jason Nunes and Lily Frost
. By Divine Right's first tours since 2005 followed, with new drummer David Joseph, and bassist Michael Milosh. Music videos were released for the songs "I Love a Girl," "Cupid in Oilskins" and "I Will Hook You Up." The band's lineup shifted again after these tours, with Dylan Hudecki and Darcy Rego each filling in before current members Geordie Dynes and Alysha Haugen joined in late 2010.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band, led by guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist and vocalist José Miguel Contreras.
History
The band was formed in 1989 by high school friends Contreras, drummer Mark Goldstein, bassist Liz Teear and guitarist Steve Berman. They put out a number of independent releases before signing to Squirtgun Records for their 1997 album All Hail Discordia. This recording was then re-released by Squirtgun/Nettwerk. BassistBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Brendan Canning
Brendan Canning
Brendan Canning is a founding member of Broken Social Scene and a veteran indie rock performer who has been a member of various notable bands including By Divine Right, Blurtonia, Valley of the Giants, Len, and hHead....
and guitarist Leslie Feist
Leslie Feist
Leslie Feist , known professionally as simply Feist, is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, both as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene....
joined the band for their 1999 release Bless This Mess. Canning and Feist later left the band, and have both been involved with Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
.
In 2003 By Divine Right became one of the only Canadian bands to do a concert tour of China.
From 2001 to 2004, the band's lineup consisted of Contreras, Colleen Hixenbaugh, Brian Borcherdt, John Hall and Dylan Hudecki
Dylan Hudecki
Dylan Hudecki is a Canadian musician, who has been associated with the bands By Divine Right, Cowlick and Junior Blue. He has also recorded a solo cover of Rheostatics' "Satan is the Whistler" for the 2007 Rheostatics tribute album The Secret Sessions.-Family:His father, Bernie Hudecki, was a rock...
. In 2004, drummer John Hall was replaced by Cam Giroux (who played on Good Morning Beautiful), while Borcherdt and Hudecki both left the band. Hudecki was replaced by Darcy Rego and then Michael Small, both of The Meligrove Band
The Meligrove Band
The Meligrove Band is a Canadian indie rock band, based in Toronto, and consisting of Jason Nunes on vocals, guitar and piano, Darcy Rego on vocals and drums, Brian O'Reilly on guitar and synthesizer, and Michael Small on bass guitar.-History:...
, for tours of the United States, Canada and Britain supporting Sweet Confusion. Filling in on drums for some dates was Loel Campbell of Wintersleep
Wintersleep
Wintersleep is a Canadian indie rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia.-Background:Wintersleep formed in 2001 and released two albums with Dependent Music, a music label and artists' collective that began in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1994....
.
After these tours, the band's lineup changed again, to Contreras, Hixenbaugh and Small with drummer Derek Downham, followed by a September 2006 show at the Drake Hotel in Toronto that had the band performing all new songs with Rego, Small and Jason Nunes (the entire Meligrove Band) under the By Divine Right name.
By Divine Right's first live show since 2006 happened on December 31, 2007 at the Tranzac Club in Toronto – at which the band's new full-time lineup of Contreras, Stew Heyduk (of The Golden Dogs
The Golden Dogs
The Golden Dogs are a pop-rock band based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Formed in 2001, the band is known for their wild, energetic live shows and were labelled as one of the best live bands in Canada by Chart Magazine.-History:...
) and Mitch Perkins (formerly of Rusty
Rusty (band)
Rusty is a Canadian alternative rock band formed in 1994 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The band earned a 1996 Juno Award nomination in the category Best Alternative Album for Fluke.-History:...
) appeared together for the first time.
In 2007, By Divine Right contributed a cover of Rheostatics
Rheostatics
Rheostatics was a Genie Award-winning Canadian indie rock band, active from 1980 to 2007.Although they had only one Top 40 hit, "Claire" in 1995, they were simultaneously one of Canada's most influential and unconventional rock bands, a band whose eclectic take on pop and rock music has been...
' "Shaved Head" to the tribute album The Secret Sessions
The Secret Sessions
The Secret Sessions is a tribute album to Canadian indie rock band Rheostatics, released March 16, 2007 through the web label Zunior. The album was released to coincide with the band's farewell show scheduled for March 30, and features Canadian indie rock artists performing Rheostatics songs...
, with a lineup consisting only of Contreras and Julien Beillard of the band Wooden Stars
Wooden Stars
Wooden Stars are a Canadian indie rock band formed in the 1990s. The band, from Ottawa, consists of vocalist and guitarist Julien Beillard, guitarist Mike Feuerstack, bassists Josh Latour and Mathieu Beillard, and drummer Andrew McCormack.-Style:...
.
In May 2008, By Divine Right opened a show for The Golden Dogs
The Golden Dogs
The Golden Dogs are a pop-rock band based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Formed in 2001, the band is known for their wild, energetic live shows and were labelled as one of the best live bands in Canada by Chart Magazine.-History:...
at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern
Horseshoe Tavern
The Horseshoe Tavern is a concert venue located at 370 Queen Street West in downtown Toronto, and has been in operation since 1947. Owned by "JC", Ken Sprackman, Craig Laskey and Naomi Montpetit, the venue is a significant part of Canadian musical lore...
with yet another new lineup, consisting of Contreras, Heyduk, and Darcy Rego returning on drums.
Mutant Message, the band's first album since 2004's Sweet Confusion, was released in Canada in 2009 on the Hand Drawn Dracula
Hand Drawn Dracula
Hand Drawn Dracula is a Canadian independent record label.Artists who have released material on the label include Bad Tits, Bishop Morocco, Brian Borcherdt, By Divine Right, Contrived, Julie Fader, Off the International Radar, Postdata and Wintersleep....
label. The album features José Contreras, Stew Heyduk and Darcy Rego with guest vocals from Jason Nunes and Lily Frost
Lily Frost
Lily Frost is a Canadian independent singer-songwriter from British Columbia.Frost's fourth album, Cine-Magique, was released in 2006. It was produced by her husband, José Miguel Contreras, in Toronto....
. By Divine Right's first tours since 2005 followed, with new drummer David Joseph, and bassist Michael Milosh. Music videos were released for the songs "I Love a Girl," "Cupid in Oilskins" and "I Will Hook You Up." The band's lineup shifted again after these tours, with Dylan Hudecki and Darcy Rego each filling in before current members Geordie Dynes and Alysha Haugen joined in late 2010.
Discography
- Buffet of the Living Dead – 1992 (independent cassette)
- By Divine Right – 1995 (Kinetic)
- Some – 1996 (four-song EP cassette)
- All Hail DiscordiaAll Hail DiscordiaAll Hail Discordia is an album by Canadian indie rock band By Divine Right, released on Squirtgun/Nettwerk in 1997.The album was produced by Brenndan McGuire.-Track listing:# "I Love Everybody" # "Sofa Tour" # "Blind"...
– 1997 (Squirtgun/Nettwerk) - Bless This MessBless This MessBless This Mess is an album by Canadian indie rock band By Divine Right, released in 1999 on Nettwerk. The album features guitar and vocals by Leslie Feist, who later became an internationally successful solo artist....
– 1999 (Nettwerk) - Good Morning BeautifulGood Morning Beautiful (By Divine Right album)Good Morning Beautiful is an album by Canadian indie rock band By Divine Right, released in 2001 on Linus Entertainment.The album was produced by José Miguel Contreras, João Carvalho and Andy Magoffin.-Track listing:...
– 2001 (Linus) - Hybrid TV Genii – 2004 (Linus/spinART)
- Sweet Confusion – 2004 (Linus/spinART)
- Mutant MessageMutant MessageMutant Message is an album by Canadian indie rock band By Divine Right, released December 8, 2009 on Hand Drawn Dracula. It is the band's first album since 2004's Sweet Confusion.The album was produced by José Miguel Contreras...
– 2009 (Hand Drawn Dracula)
Current members
- José Miguel Contreras (1989–present)
- Geordie "Spaghetti Arms" Dynes (2010–present)
- Alysha Haugen (2010–present)
Former members
- Mark Goldstein (1989–2000)
- Steve Berman (1989–1991)
- Elizabeth Teear (1989–1993)
- Rob Carson (1992–1994)
- Scott Maynard (1993–1996)
- Cam Bull (1996–1997)
- Brendan CanningBrendan CanningBrendan Canning is a founding member of Broken Social Scene and a veteran indie rock performer who has been a member of various notable bands including By Divine Right, Blurtonia, Valley of the Giants, Len, and hHead....
(1999–2000) - Leslie FeistLeslie FeistLeslie Feist , known professionally as simply Feist, is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, both as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene....
(1999–2000) - Brian Borcherdt (2001–2004)
- Colleen Hixenbaugh (2001–2006)
- Dylan HudeckiDylan HudeckiDylan Hudecki is a Canadian musician, who has been associated with the bands By Divine Right, Cowlick and Junior Blue. He has also recorded a solo cover of Rheostatics' "Satan is the Whistler" for the 2007 Rheostatics tribute album The Secret Sessions.-Family:His father, Bernie Hudecki, was a rock...
(2001–2004, 2005, 2010) - John Hall (2001–2004)
- Cam Giroux (2001, 2004–2005)
- Michael Small (2004–2006)
- Darcy Rego (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010)
- Loel Campbell (2004)
- Derek Downham (2005–2006)
- Jason Nunes (2006)
- Julien Beillard (2007)
- Mitch Perkins (2007–2008)
- Stew Heyduk (2007–2008)
- Michael Milosh (2009–2010)
- Dave Joseph (2009–2010)
See also
- Canadian rockCanadian rockCanadian rock describes a wide and diverse variety of music produced by Canadians, beginning with American style rock 'n' roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern popular music called rock...
- List of bands from Canada
- List of Canadian musicians