Leslie Spit Treeo
Encyclopedia
Leslie Spit Treeo were a Canadian
folk-rock band in the 1980s and 1990s. The band took its name from the Leslie Street Spit
area of Toronto Harbour
.
, guitarist Pat Langner, guitarist Jack Nicholsen and mascot
Tag, a dog who was also listed as the band's official manager.
They began as a street busking
collective, sometimes with Graeme Kirkland
contributing on drums, and won a role in Bruce McDonald's 1989 film Roadkill, playing buskers in a field performing their song "The Sound". They signed to Capitol Records
and released their debut album Don't Cry Too Hard in 1990, garnerning significant airplay on rock
radio stations with a cover of John Prine
's "Angel From Montgomery
" and with their own original song "UFO/Catch The Highway". They subsequently won a Juno Award
for Most Promising Group in 1991.
For their follow up album, 1992's Book of Rejection, the band brought in guests Jason Sniderman
on keyboards, Frank Randazzo on bass and Joel Anderson
on drums. That album included the band's biggest hit, "In Your Eyes", a Top 20 hit in the fall of 1992 which featured Randy Bachman
on guitar. But they felt that they lost creative control of the recording process, and broke their 7-album recording contract.
Nicholsen left the band in 1993 to pursue an acting career. Also that year, the band appeared in another McDonald film, Dance Me Outside
, again playing themselves in concert.
With the core of the band now down to the duo of Langner and Hubert, their 1994 indie album Hell's Kitchen was initially credited to The Spits since the band were no longer a "treeo", but when initial sales were slower than expected, it was rereleased under the band's original name.
In 1996, the band released the double album Chocolate Chip Cookies in a cookie bag package that closely resembled Chips Ahoy!
packaging; after Nabisco
threatened the band with a lawsuit, the band burned all the packaging in a bonfire in Toronto's High Park
and created a new cookie bag that did not resemble Chips Ahoy!. They rereleased the album the following year in a conventional jewel case. For that album's supporting tour, Langner and Hubert were joined by guitarist Jason Reed, bassist Shaun Noronha and drummer Vince Montago.
Chocolate Chip Cookies was the band's last album. Hubert has released three solo jazz
recordings and is a fixture on the Toronto jazz scene. Langner is a writer living in Edmonton. Nicholsen continues to act and sings with The Cameron Family Singers
. Tag, the dog, died in 2000.
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...
folk-rock band in the 1980s and 1990s. The band took its name from the Leslie Street Spit
Leslie Street Spit
The Leslie Street Spit, or officially the Outer Harbour East Headland, is a man-made headland in Toronto, Ontario, extending from the city's east end in a roughly southwesterly direction into Lake Ontario. It is about 5 km long....
area of Toronto Harbour
Toronto Harbour
Toronto Harbour or Toronto Bay is a bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a natural harbour, protected from Lake Ontario waves by the Toronto Islands. It is a commercial port on the Great Lakes as well as a recreational harbour...
.
History
The band originally consisted of vocalist Laura HubertLaura Hubert
Laura Hubert is a Canadian rock and jazz singer. She was the lead vocalist for the alternative rock group Leslie Spit Treeo in the 1980s and 1990s, and has subsequently released three solo jazz CDs.-External links:*...
, guitarist Pat Langner, guitarist Jack Nicholsen and mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
Tag, a dog who was also listed as the band's official manager.
They began as a street busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
collective, sometimes with Graeme Kirkland
Graeme Kirkland
Graeme Kirkland was a producer, composer, musician, and performance artist during the late 1980s and 1990s. He was probably best known for his street drumming using overturned buckets and other available surfaces for his performance...
contributing on drums, and won a role in Bruce McDonald's 1989 film Roadkill, playing buskers in a field performing their song "The Sound". They signed to Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
and released their debut album Don't Cry Too Hard in 1990, garnerning significant airplay on rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
radio stations with a cover of John Prine
John Prine
John Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
's "Angel From Montgomery
Angel from Montgomery
"Angel from Montgomery" is a country song written by John Prine, originally appearing on his self-titled 1971 album John Prine.-Background:...
" and with their own original song "UFO/Catch The Highway". They subsequently won a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for Most Promising Group in 1991.
For their follow up album, 1992's Book of Rejection, the band brought in guests Jason Sniderman
Jason Sniderman
Jason Sniderman is a Canadian musician and businessman. He was one of the chief executives of Sam the Record Man, which was established by his father, Sam Sniderman.-Music career:...
on keyboards, Frank Randazzo on bass and Joel Anderson
Joel Anderson
Joel Anderson is a California politician and Republican member of the California State Senate in the 36th Senate District. Before his election to the State Senate he was a member of the California Assembly representing the 77th Assembly District, and he also served on the Padre Dam Municipal Water...
on drums. That album included the band's biggest hit, "In Your Eyes", a Top 20 hit in the fall of 1992 which featured Randy Bachman
Randy Bachman
Randolph Charles "Randy" Bachman, OC, OM is a Canadian musician best known as lead guitarist, songwriter and a founding member for both the 1960s–70s rock band The Guess Who, and the 1970s rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive...
on guitar. But they felt that they lost creative control of the recording process, and broke their 7-album recording contract.
Nicholsen left the band in 1993 to pursue an acting career. Also that year, the band appeared in another McDonald film, Dance Me Outside
Dance Me Outside
Dance Me Outside is a 1995 drama film directed and co-written by Bruce McDonald. It was based on a book by W.P. Kinsella,-Plot:Set on the Kidabanesee reserve in Northern Ontario. Silas Crow is a young man confused about his direction in life; he wants to take an automobile mechanic's course in...
, again playing themselves in concert.
With the core of the band now down to the duo of Langner and Hubert, their 1994 indie album Hell's Kitchen was initially credited to The Spits since the band were no longer a "treeo", but when initial sales were slower than expected, it was rereleased under the band's original name.
In 1996, the band released the double album Chocolate Chip Cookies in a cookie bag package that closely resembled Chips Ahoy!
Chips Ahoy!
Chips Ahoy! is a brand of chocolate chip cookies made by Nabisco, that debuted in 1963. They are widely sold in the United States, Latin America , South Africa, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Portugal and Australia...
packaging; after Nabisco
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
threatened the band with a lawsuit, the band burned all the packaging in a bonfire in Toronto's High Park
High Park
High Park is a municipal park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It spans , and is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state, with a rare oak savannah ecology...
and created a new cookie bag that did not resemble Chips Ahoy!. They rereleased the album the following year in a conventional jewel case. For that album's supporting tour, Langner and Hubert were joined by guitarist Jason Reed, bassist Shaun Noronha and drummer Vince Montago.
Chocolate Chip Cookies was the band's last album. Hubert has released three solo jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
recordings and is a fixture on the Toronto jazz scene. Langner is a writer living in Edmonton. Nicholsen continues to act and sings with The Cameron Family Singers
The Cameron Family Singers
The Cameron Family Singers are a Canadian country music band, who play weekly shows as the house band at the Cameron Public House, a major live music venue in Toronto, Ontario....
. Tag, the dog, died in 2000.
Discography
- Don't Cry Too HardDon't Cry Too HardDon't Cry Too Hard was the debut album by Canadian folk rock band Leslie Spit Treeo, released in 1990. The album's primary single on radio was a cover of John Prine's "Angel from Montgomery", although the songs "Heat" and "The Sound" also garnered radio airplay.-Track listing:# Separate# Like...
(1990) - Book of RejectionBook of RejectionBook of Rejection was the second album by Canadian folk rock group Leslie Spit Treeo, released in 1992 on Capitol-EMI Canada.The album's two main singles were "In Your Eyes" and "People Say"...
(1992) - Hell's Kitchen (1994)
- Chocolate Chip CookiesChocolate Chip Cookies (album)Chocolate Chip Cookies was the fourth and final album by Canadian folk rock band Leslie Spit Treeo, released in 1996.A double album, Chocolate Chip Cookies was originally released in a unique paper bag package similar to a cookie bag, with labelling that closely resembled the design of a Chips...
(1996)
Film Appearances
- Roadkill (film), a 1989 film
- Dance Me OutsideDance Me OutsideDance Me Outside is a 1995 drama film directed and co-written by Bruce McDonald. It was based on a book by W.P. Kinsella,-Plot:Set on the Kidabanesee reserve in Northern Ontario. Silas Crow is a young man confused about his direction in life; he wants to take an automobile mechanic's course in...
, a 1995 film