The Carnations
Encyclopedia
The Carnations were a Canadian
indie rock
band started in 1995 by Thomas D'Arcy
on lead vocals and bass
, and Steve Krecklo on vocals and guitar. It expanded in 1996 to include Nathan Rekker on guitar and vocals, and later Patrick Conan on drums.
. One song, "Bald Avenger," was selected for the CFNY
New Rock Search CD in Toronto
. D'Arcy was just sixteen years old, and Krecklo seventeen, not even old enough to play in a bar at the time, as the Canadian
legal drinking age is at least 18.
In 1998, the band released a split seven inch single on Sycamore Records in Barrie, Ontario
. The single was named one of the top 10 of the year by NOW Magazine
.
The Carnations' self-titled 2001 mini-CD was produced by Ian Blurton
(producer of The Weakerthans). A small deal with UK label Alphabetty Records saw the release of the single, "Scream & Yell." Record Collector Magazine
called it "Single Of The Month", and the entire limited run of 1,000 sold out in a year, almost entirely at live shows and through mail order.
At the time, new drummer Ian LeFeuvre kept his day job, D’Arcy joined All Systems Go!
(Bad Taste Records
), sharing singing and song-writing responsibilities with John Kastner (ex-Doughboys), and Krecklo became a member of Andy Stochansky
’s band (RCA Records
). The self-titled album was completed a few months later and ready for release on Toronto’s Ductape Records
, whose roster at the time included The Meligrove Band, Four Square, Dead Letter Dept., and The Moops.
In early February 2004, the band announced via their website that they would be dissolving, thanking their fans and stating that "unfortunately, all good things must come to an end eventually, so, this is the end." The band performed one last show on February 28, 2004 at Toronto's Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
, along with The Meligrove Band, The I-Spies and SS Cardiacs.
D'Arcy formed Small Sins
as a side project in 2000, another indie rock
act, which includes Stephen Krecklo in its live incarnation. He continues to perform under this moniker.
Nathan Rekker formed Sports: The Band
in 2007 with Shayne Cox, Robin Hatch and Michael Small of The Meligrove Band
.
and Sloan
. D'Arcy has stated: "Although I don't consider Elvis Costello
or The Pixies to be direct influences on our music, I can definitely see how one might draw that comparison. For what it's worth, my favourite band is the Beatles
."
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...
indie rock
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 started in 1995 by Thomas D'Arcy
Thomas D'Arcy
Thomas D'Arcy, is a Canadian singer and songwriter born in Guernsey, Channel Islands. He has been part of such bands and indie rock acts as The Carnations, All Systems Go!, Small Sins , Another Blue Door, The I-Spies and The Suspenders, among others.-Career:D'Arcy's family immigrated to Toronto,...
on lead vocals and bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and Steve Krecklo on vocals and guitar. It expanded in 1996 to include Nathan Rekker on guitar and vocals, and later Patrick Conan on drums.
History
The first album, Superluminal, was released in 1997 and received favourable reviews in Toronto's Eye Magazine and the Toronto StarToronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
. One song, "Bald Avenger," was selected for the CFNY
CFNY-FM
CFNY-FM, promoted under the branding 102.1 The Edge, is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.1 FM. The station rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s due to its freestyle DJing format and unique choice to play alternative music...
New Rock Search CD in Toronto
Toronto
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...
. D'Arcy was just sixteen years old, and Krecklo seventeen, not even old enough to play in a bar at the time, as the Canadian
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...
legal drinking age is at least 18.
In 1998, the band released a split seven inch single on Sycamore Records in Barrie, Ontario
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...
. The single was named one of the top 10 of the year by NOW Magazine
NOW (magazine)
Now is a free weekly newspaper in Toronto, Canada. It was first printed on September 10, 1981 by Michael Hollett and Alice Klein. Now is an alternative weekly mixing arts and entertainment news with political coverage....
.
The Carnations' self-titled 2001 mini-CD was produced by 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...
(producer of The Weakerthans). A small deal with UK label Alphabetty Records saw the release of the single, "Scream & Yell." Record Collector Magazine
Record Collector
Record Collector is the United Kingdom's longest-running monthly music magazine. It distributes both within the UK and worldwide. It started in 1979.-The early years:...
called it "Single Of The Month", and the entire limited run of 1,000 sold out in a year, almost entirely at live shows and through mail order.
At the time, new drummer Ian LeFeuvre kept his day job, D’Arcy joined All Systems Go!
All Systems Go!
All Systems Go! is a Canadian punk rock group, and features members of Big Drill Car, Doughboys, the Asexuals and The Carnations. The band was formed after Frank Daly and Mark Arnold's previous band Big Drill Car broke up in 1995 and John Kastner's and Peter Arsenault's previous band The Doughboys...
(Bad Taste Records
Bad Taste Records
Bad Taste Records is a record label based in Lund, Sweden.The record label was one of the first labels to establish in the Swedish punk rock and punk/hardcore scene in the early 1990s, together with Burning Heart Records. The name of the label originated from the movie Bad Taste by Peter...
), sharing singing and song-writing responsibilities with John Kastner (ex-Doughboys), and Krecklo became a member of Andy Stochansky
Andy Stochansky
Andy Stochansky is a songwriter living in Los Angeles who was once signed to RCA U.S. He first started out as one the most wanted drummers in the Canadian music scene. His popularity caught the attention of songstress Ani DiFranco. Living just south of the border in Buffalo, New York, she asked him...
’s band (RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
). The self-titled album was completed a few months later and ready for release on Toronto’s Ductape Records
Ductape Records
Ductape Records is a Toronto-based independent record label that was spawned from a magazine of the same name in 1997. The label's website was updated in 2007, stating that it was "on hiatus indefinitely, but some catalogue items are still available." Previously, it had not been updated since 2003...
, whose roster at the time included The Meligrove Band, Four Square, Dead Letter Dept., and The Moops.
In early February 2004, the band announced via their website that they would be dissolving, thanking their fans and stating that "unfortunately, all good things must come to an end eventually, so, this is the end." The band performed one last show on February 28, 2004 at Toronto's Legendary 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...
, along with The Meligrove Band, The I-Spies and SS Cardiacs.
D'Arcy formed Small Sins
Small Sins
Small Sins is the Toronto-based indie rock act of Thomas D'Arcy, former member of The Carnations. The Small Sins were once known as The Ladies and Gentlemen, but due to legal reasons they had to change their name...
as a side project in 2000, another indie rock
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...
act, which includes Stephen Krecklo in its live incarnation. He continues to perform under this moniker.
Nathan Rekker formed Sports: The Band
Sports: The Band
Sports is a Canadian indie rock band consisting of Nathan Rekker on vocals, guitar and synthesizer, Michael Small on bass, Shayne Cox on drums, and Pete Carmichael on guitar - current and former members of bands The Carnations, The Meligrove Band, By Divine Right, The Diableros, Detective Kalita...
in 2007 with Shayne Cox, Robin Hatch and Michael Small 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:...
.
Style
Their sound has been likened to other Canadian bands of the indie rock persuasion such as Thrush HermitThrush Hermit
-History:Thrush Hermit was formed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1992 by Joel Plaskett , Rob Benvie , Ian McGettigan , and Michael Catano...
and Sloan
Sloan (band)
Sloan is a Toronto-based alternative rock quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Throughout their 20-year tenure Sloan has released 10 LPs , two EPs, a live album, a "best of" collection and no less than thirty singles...
. D'Arcy has stated: "Although I don't consider Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
or The Pixies to be direct influences on our music, I can definitely see how one might draw that comparison. For what it's worth, my favourite band is the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
."
Personnel
- Thomas D'ArcyThomas D'ArcyThomas D'Arcy, is a Canadian singer and songwriter born in Guernsey, Channel Islands. He has been part of such bands and indie rock acts as The Carnations, All Systems Go!, Small Sins , Another Blue Door, The I-Spies and The Suspenders, among others.-Career:D'Arcy's family immigrated to Toronto,...
(1995—2004) - Nathan Rekker (1996—2004)
- Stephen Krecklo (1995—2004)
- Patrick Conan (2001–2004)
- Ian LeFeuvre
- Terrence Craig Toutant (1998–2001)
Albums
- 1997: Superluminal
- 1999: A Return to Melody
- 2001: The Carnations
- 2003: In Good Time
7" Singles
- 1998: The Carnations / The Persuasion Split single
- 2000: The Carnations / Nero Split single
Videography
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
- :Category:Canadian musical groups