The MRQ
Encyclopedia
The Modern Rock Quartet (MRQ) was a Canadian jazz-rock band put together by former Luke & The Apostles
keyboard player Peter Jermyn with several musicians who had played with Bruce Cockburn
in the final lineup of The Esquires
.
members Doug Orr (bass) and Robert Coulthart (drums), with whom Jermyn had become familiar while with the Apostles, and invited them to join he and Martin in a new group. (Heart continued with a new organist, Jack Arseneault.)
Formed in August 1968, Modern Rock Quartet and quickly attracted record company interest with their unique sound (a guitarless band was something of an oddity at the time). The band was approached by five US labels (including two major players) and in the end, signed with RCA, which invited them to New York to record material (most of which would remain unreleased).
Jermyn first took the band to Toronto in late 1968, where it played the El Patio (December 10–15). Though based in Ottawa, The MRQ returned to Toronto on numerous occasions throughout 1969 and 1970, playing at the Varsity Arena on June 22, 1969 with Edwin Starr
, Chuck Berry
and others, performing at the Toronto Rock Festival (also at Varsity) on March 25, 1970 with Canned Heat
, The Amboy Dukes
and others, and appearing at the Festival Express
show at the CNE Stadium on June 27–28, 1970 with The Band
, Janis Joplin
, The Grateful Dead and others.
), failed to chart. Both sides were also recorded in French and released by RCA as "Rue Plastique" / "Des Jeux". The group also recorded a couple of tracks that were never released, such as “Revolution” and “Lady of Pleasure”.
and Procol Harum
. The MRQ’s shows were highly ambitious and Jermyn’s keyboard skills were reportedly a big influence on Keith Emerson
. The bulk of the group’s material consisted of concertos by Jermyn and Bruce Cockburn songs, which the songwriter chose not to record himself. Jermyn’s pieces included “Opening Jam” and the live favourites “Happiness Is Majority” and “Cities Are Tight”.
Martin left after the single to be replaced by Bob Blyth, who was succeeded in turn by former Esquires singer Brian Lewicki. The group also added former 1910 Fruitgum Company
guitarist Pat Karwan, who soon left to form TCB.
, with Dr Hugh LeCaine from the National Research Council. He spent several years doing lecture tours demonstrating the instrument and did the theme tune for NBC TV’s children’s science programme, “Dr Wizard” using the Sackbut. During the Eighties and Nineties he did freelance TV work and wrote soundtracks for films, including the special effects for “Heavy Metal”. In recent years, he has joined The Apostles for a series of shows at Toronto bar, Blues on Bellair.
Luke & The Apostles
Luke & The Apostles was a 1960s blues group from Toronto known for their 1967 hit "Been Burnt". Band members included Canadian guitarist Mike McKenna, Luke Gibson, Peter Jermyn, Jim Jones, and Pat Little...
keyboard player Peter Jermyn with several musicians who had played with Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Douglas Cockburn OC is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. His most recent album was released in March 2011. He has written songs in styles ranging from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll.-Biography:...
in the final lineup of The Esquires
The Esquires (Canadian band)
The Esquires were a Canadian band, based in Ottawa, active from 1962 to 1967. The band is notable as the recipient of the first Juno Award in Canada, as well as being one of Canada's earlier pop music recording acts. The first Canadian music video ever made is said to be that of an Esquires song...
.
Origins
When the original Luke & The Apostles broke up in mid-August 1967, keyboard player Peter Jermyn (born on November 6, 1946 in Kingston, Ontario) moved to Ottawa where he joined the local band Heart, which was fronted by singer John Martin (Jean Martin). A short while later, Jermyn met former EsquiresThe Esquires (Canadian band)
The Esquires were a Canadian band, based in Ottawa, active from 1962 to 1967. The band is notable as the recipient of the first Juno Award in Canada, as well as being one of Canada's earlier pop music recording acts. The first Canadian music video ever made is said to be that of an Esquires song...
members Doug Orr (bass) and Robert Coulthart (drums), with whom Jermyn had become familiar while with the Apostles, and invited them to join he and Martin in a new group. (Heart continued with a new organist, Jack Arseneault.)
Formed in August 1968, Modern Rock Quartet and quickly attracted record company interest with their unique sound (a guitarless band was something of an oddity at the time). The band was approached by five US labels (including two major players) and in the end, signed with RCA, which invited them to New York to record material (most of which would remain unreleased).
Jermyn first took the band to Toronto in late 1968, where it played the El Patio (December 10–15). Though based in Ottawa, The MRQ returned to Toronto on numerous occasions throughout 1969 and 1970, playing at the Varsity Arena on June 22, 1969 with Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr was an American soul music singer. Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield produced singles of the 1970s, most notably the number one hit "War".-Biography:...
, Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
and others, performing at the Toronto Rock Festival (also at Varsity) on March 25, 1970 with Canned Heat
Canned Heat
Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...
, The Amboy Dukes
The Amboy Dukes
The Amboy Dukes were an American rock music band of the late 1960s and early 1970s from Detroit, Michigan, best remembered for their hit single "Journey to the Center of the Mind", and for launching the career of Ted Nugent...
and others, and appearing at the Festival Express
Festival Express
Festival Express is a 2003 documentary film about the eponymous 1970 train tour across Canada taken by some of North America's most popular rock bands, including The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band and Delaney & Bonnie & Friends...
show at the CNE Stadium on June 27–28, 1970 with The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
, Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
, The Grateful Dead and others.
Bruce Cockburn
The group’s lone single, Jermyn’s “Plastic Street”, backed by “Games”, written by Bruce Cockburn and Michael Ferry (Lee Jackson from Jon and Lee & The CheckmatesJon and Lee & The Checkmates
Jon and Lee & The Checkmates are an Canadian music group, best known for containing future members of Elektra band Rhinoceros. Together with Mandala, they spearheaded Toronto's R&B scene during the mid 1960s. As the Jon-Lee Group, the band released a lone single for ABC Records before splitting up...
), failed to chart. Both sides were also recorded in French and released by RCA as "Rue Plastique" / "Des Jeux". The group also recorded a couple of tracks that were never released, such as “Revolution” and “Lady of Pleasure”.
Ahead of its time
During 1969, The MRQ supported The WhoThe Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and Procol Harum
Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
. The MRQ’s shows were highly ambitious and Jermyn’s keyboard skills were reportedly a big influence on Keith Emerson
Keith Emerson
Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
. The bulk of the group’s material consisted of concertos by Jermyn and Bruce Cockburn songs, which the songwriter chose not to record himself. Jermyn’s pieces included “Opening Jam” and the live favourites “Happiness Is Majority” and “Cities Are Tight”.
Martin left after the single to be replaced by Bob Blyth, who was succeeded in turn by former Esquires singer Brian Lewicki. The group also added former 1910 Fruitgum Company
1910 Fruitgum Company
The 1910 Fruitgum Company is an American bubblegum pop band of the 1960s. The group's biggest hits included "Simon Says," "1, 2, 3, Red Light," "May I Take A Giant Step," "Special Delivery," "Goody Goody Gumdrops," and "Indian Giver." Guitarist Frank Jeckell claimed to have adopted the name from a...
guitarist Pat Karwan, who soon left to form TCB.
Peter Jermyn leaves
Jermyn lost interest with Lewicki’s arrival and following a prestigious appearance at Expo’ 70 in Japan, he left the band. (Jermyn didn’t want to play the bar scene as he thought it was a regressive move.) Drew King from the group, White, replaced Jermyn but the band split up a short while later.The Sackbut
In the early Seventies Jermyn helped to design a new musical instrument, the Electronic SackbutElectronic Sackbut
The Electronic Sackbut is an electronic instrument designed by Hugh Le Caine beginning in the 1940s.The Sackbut had a feature which resembles what has become the modulation wheel on today's synthesizers: The player used the left hand to modify the sound while the right hand was used to play the...
, with Dr Hugh LeCaine from the National Research Council. He spent several years doing lecture tours demonstrating the instrument and did the theme tune for NBC TV’s children’s science programme, “Dr Wizard” using the Sackbut. During the Eighties and Nineties he did freelance TV work and wrote soundtracks for films, including the special effects for “Heavy Metal”. In recent years, he has joined The Apostles for a series of shows at Toronto bar, Blues on Bellair.