Change of Heart (band)
Encyclopedia
Change of Heart was a Canadian
alternative rock
band. They had one Top 40 hit, "There You Go" in 1992, as well as several hits on Canada's modern rock
charts, including "Trigger" and "Little Kingdoms".
, Ontario
, and achieved moderate domestic success in the mid-1990s during the grunge
/alternative rock heyday of that decade. Videos for the singles "Little Kingdoms" and "Grifter's Plow", from their 1997 album Steelteeth, received substantial airplay on MuchMusic
's alternative showcase program The Wedge.
Over the course of the group's lifespan there were numerous personnel changes, with vocalist Ian Blurton
being the one mainstay. Other members included drummers Ron Duffy, Glenn Milchem and John Richardson, bassists Rob Taylor, John Borra and Rob Higgins, percussionist Mike Armstrong and keyboardist Bernard Maiezza.
The band had a diverse, genre-defying sound, with the songs on their albums crossing from pop to hard rock
to something almost akin to punk
.
Change of Heart broke up in 1997 after their tour to support Steelteeth. Blurton, the band's singer and main songwriter, went on to form the bands Blurtonia
and C'Mon, as well as becoming a record producer. The band's Steelteeth lineup, consisting of Blurton, Richardson, Higgins and Maiezza, reformed for a one-off show at the Horseshoe Tavern
in Toronto on June 20, 2009.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band. They had one Top 40 hit, "There You Go" in 1992, as well as several hits on Canada's modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
charts, including "Trigger" and "Little Kingdoms".
History
The band was formed in 1982 in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and achieved moderate domestic success in the mid-1990s during the grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
/alternative rock heyday of that decade. Videos for the singles "Little Kingdoms" and "Grifter's Plow", from their 1997 album Steelteeth, received substantial airplay on 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:...
's alternative showcase program The Wedge.
Over the course of the group's lifespan there were numerous personnel changes, with vocalist Ian Blurton
Ian Blurton
Ian Blurton is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was born in Chicago in 1965, and moved to Toronto in the mid 1970s.He has been a part of Toronto's indie music scene since the early 1980s, playing drums in the original line-ups for Cowboy Junkies and A Neon Rome before becoming the lead...
being the one mainstay. Other members included drummers Ron Duffy, Glenn Milchem and John Richardson, bassists Rob Taylor, John Borra and Rob Higgins, percussionist Mike Armstrong and keyboardist Bernard Maiezza.
The band had a diverse, genre-defying sound, with the songs on their albums crossing from pop to hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
to something almost akin to punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
.
Change of Heart broke up in 1997 after their tour to support Steelteeth. Blurton, the band's singer and main songwriter, went on to form the bands Blurtonia
Blurtonia
Blurtonia was a Canadian indie rock group, formed in May 1999 to play live shows in support of the well-received self-released debut Adventures in the Kingdom of Blurtonia, co-produced by Daryl Smith whose credits include Sloan, Tricky Woo, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.In addition to Adventures,...
and C'Mon, as well as becoming a record producer. The band's Steelteeth lineup, consisting of Blurton, Richardson, Higgins and Maiezza, reformed for a one-off show at the 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...
in Toronto on June 20, 2009.
Discography
- 50 Ft. Up (1986)
- Slowdance (1987)
- Soapbox (1989)
- Smile (1992)
- Tummysuckle (1995)
- Steelteeth (1997)