Wide Mouth Mason
Encyclopedia
Wide Mouth Mason is a Canadian blues
-based rock
band, consisting of Shaun Verreault (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Safwan Javed (Percussion, Backing Vocals), and Gordie Johnson
(Bass, Backing Vocals). Former bassist Earl Pereira was also co-founder of Wide Mouth Mason. The band hails from Saskatoon
, Saskatchewan
and has been active since 1995.
, and independently released its first album, The Nazarene in 1996. Although only 2,500 copies were pressed, it still drew interest from the major labels. The band would re-record much of The Nazarene at Greenhouse Studios
. The re-recorded tracks and new material attracted the attention of Warner Music Canada
, who signed the band to a record deal. The new album
would be the band's eponymous major-label debut; it was released in 1997 in Canada and the U.S., and a year later in Japan. It established the group's fusion of pop/rock/blues, and yielded the hit singles "Midnight Rain", "My Old Self", and "This Mourning". The album went Gold in Canada, and the band was nominated for Best New Group at the 1998 Juno Awards.
Wide Mouth Mason released a new album in 1999 with Where I Started
, a continuance of its prior sound, but adding elements of jazz and world music. The band returned to Greenhouse Studios to record and mix the album. Its lead single, "Why", backed with scratches and cuts from childhood friend and DJ Muchi Mambo, was a major hit in Canada, and was followed by two other hits, "Companion (Lay Me Down)" and "Sugarcane". The album, like its predecessor, attained Gold status in Canada.
In 2000, the band quickly followed up with the album Stew. It was more pop-oriented than the band's previous efforts, but also eclectic, hence the title of the album. The single "Smile" charted well in Canada, the follow-up "Change" was popular on MuchMusic, and the album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2001 Junos.
Wide Mouth Mason returned in 2002 with two albums. The first, Rained Out Parade, featured a heavier emphasis on the blues, a deliberate lo-fi production style, and the featured title track. It received a 2003 Juno nomination for Rock Album of the Year. The second album, Greatest Hits, was released exclusively in China.
When its contract with Warner expired, the band signed a license agreement with Curve Music
in 2004. The following year, the band would again release two albums, this time on the same day. One was The Essentials, a greatest-hits album, and the other was Shot Down Satellites, a new studio release featuring a hard rock
-centred style and the single "I Love Not Loving You". The disc was produced by the band and their former co-manager, Ross Damude.
In 2006, Shaun Verreault released his solo debut, The Daggerlip Sketches, focusing on acoustic-guitar-based material. It featured new songs and stripped-down versions of familiar material from his band. In early 2008, the Wide Mouth Mason's official website announced that Verreault was releasing a second solo album, titled Two Steel Strings, and that the full band was writing new material for a future release Since then, Earl Pereira left the band to concentrate on his own band, Mobadass, which he has fronted since 2005.
In 2010, Wide Mouth Mason supported ZZ Top
with Grady
/Big Sugar
front-man Gordie Johnson
on bass. In March 2011, the band announced that Johnson would be joining the band full time.
Wide Mouth Mason will be recording their first album in five years in late 2010 with Gordie Johnson
producing. The band has been playing many of these unrecorded songs live over the last year. The new album entitled "No Bad Days" will be released on July 12, 2011.
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
-based rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band, consisting of Shaun Verreault (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Safwan Javed (Percussion, Backing Vocals), and Gordie Johnson
Gordie Johnson
Gordie Johnson is a Canadian musician, best known as the front man for the reggae-rock band Big Sugar, and later southern rock band Grady.-Biography:...
(Bass, Backing Vocals). Former bassist Earl Pereira was also co-founder of Wide Mouth Mason. The band hails from Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and has been active since 1995.
Career
Wide Mouth Mason took its name from the jar of the same nameMason jar
A Mason jar is a glass jar used in canning to preserve food. They were invented and patented by John Landis Mason, a Philadelphia tinsmith in 1858. They are also called Ball jars, after Ball Corp., a popular and early manufacturer of the jars; fruit jars because they are often used to store...
, and independently released its first album, The Nazarene in 1996. Although only 2,500 copies were pressed, it still drew interest from the major labels. The band would re-record much of The Nazarene at Greenhouse Studios
Greenhouse Studios
Greenhouse Studios is a music recording facility founded by Bruce Levens in 1987. The facility has recorded over 1000 albums during the last 20 years. The studio was incorporated as Lions Gate Studios, subsequently changing its name to Vancouver Studios before finally settling on the Greenhouse...
. The re-recorded tracks and new material attracted the attention of Warner Music Canada
Warner Music Canada
Warner Music Canada is the Canadian division of Warner Music Group. The label previously operated as WEA Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of WEA International, which later changed its name to Warner Music International in 1990. It was founded in 1967 as Warner Reprise Canada Ltd...
, who signed the band to a record deal. The new album
Wide Mouth Mason (album)
Wide Mouth Mason is the eponymous second studio album by the Canadian blues-rock band Wide Mouth Mason and the first to be released on a major label. The band re-recorded most of their independent first album, The Nazarene, for inclusion on the album as well as the new song "This Mourning"...
would be the band's eponymous major-label debut; it was released in 1997 in Canada and the U.S., and a year later in Japan. It established the group's fusion of pop/rock/blues, and yielded the hit singles "Midnight Rain", "My Old Self", and "This Mourning". The album went Gold in Canada, and the band was nominated for Best New Group at the 1998 Juno Awards.
Wide Mouth Mason released a new album in 1999 with Where I Started
Where I Started
Where I Started is the third studio album by Canadian blues-rock band Wide Mouth Mason. The album produced four successful singles, "Why", "Companion ", "Sugarcane", and "Half A Chance"...
, a continuance of its prior sound, but adding elements of jazz and world music. The band returned to Greenhouse Studios to record and mix the album. Its lead single, "Why", backed with scratches and cuts from childhood friend and DJ Muchi Mambo, was a major hit in Canada, and was followed by two other hits, "Companion (Lay Me Down)" and "Sugarcane". The album, like its predecessor, attained Gold status in Canada.
In 2000, the band quickly followed up with the album Stew. It was more pop-oriented than the band's previous efforts, but also eclectic, hence the title of the album. The single "Smile" charted well in Canada, the follow-up "Change" was popular on MuchMusic, and the album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2001 Junos.
Wide Mouth Mason returned in 2002 with two albums. The first, Rained Out Parade, featured a heavier emphasis on the blues, a deliberate lo-fi production style, and the featured title track. It received a 2003 Juno nomination for Rock Album of the Year. The second album, Greatest Hits, was released exclusively in China.
When its contract with Warner expired, the band signed a license agreement with Curve Music
Curve Music
Curve Music is a Canadian independent record label based in Toronto. The roster includes Holly McNarland, The Dunes , Peter Katz, Wide Mouth Mason, Suzie McNeil, Johnny Favourite and many others.-About:Curve Music is a Canadian record label....
in 2004. The following year, the band would again release two albums, this time on the same day. One was The Essentials, a greatest-hits album, and the other was Shot Down Satellites, a new studio release featuring a 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...
-centred style and the single "I Love Not Loving You". The disc was produced by the band and their former co-manager, Ross Damude.
In 2006, Shaun Verreault released his solo debut, The Daggerlip Sketches, focusing on acoustic-guitar-based material. It featured new songs and stripped-down versions of familiar material from his band. In early 2008, the Wide Mouth Mason's official website announced that Verreault was releasing a second solo album, titled Two Steel Strings, and that the full band was writing new material for a future release Since then, Earl Pereira left the band to concentrate on his own band, Mobadass, which he has fronted since 2005.
In 2010, Wide Mouth Mason supported ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
with Grady
Grady (band)
Grady is a cowboy metal band based in Austin, Texas.-History:Grady originally consisted of Canadian vocalist and guitarist Gordie Johnson , Canadian bass guitarist "Big" Ben Richardson, and Chris Layton on drums...
/Big Sugar
Big Sugar
Big Sugar is a Canadian blues-rock band, they were active from 1991 to 2004 and again since April 2010. The band has sold more than half a million albums in Canada.-History:...
front-man Gordie Johnson
Gordie Johnson
Gordie Johnson is a Canadian musician, best known as the front man for the reggae-rock band Big Sugar, and later southern rock band Grady.-Biography:...
on bass. In March 2011, the band announced that Johnson would be joining the band full time.
Wide Mouth Mason will be recording their first album in five years in late 2010 with Gordie Johnson
Gordie Johnson
Gordie Johnson is a Canadian musician, best known as the front man for the reggae-rock band Big Sugar, and later southern rock band Grady.-Biography:...
producing. The band has been playing many of these unrecorded songs live over the last year. The new album entitled "No Bad Days" will be released on July 12, 2011.
Discography
- The Nazarene (1996)
- Wide Mouth MasonWide Mouth Mason (album)Wide Mouth Mason is the eponymous second studio album by the Canadian blues-rock band Wide Mouth Mason and the first to be released on a major label. The band re-recorded most of their independent first album, The Nazarene, for inclusion on the album as well as the new song "This Mourning"...
(1997) - Where I StartedWhere I StartedWhere I Started is the third studio album by Canadian blues-rock band Wide Mouth Mason. The album produced four successful singles, "Why", "Companion ", "Sugarcane", and "Half A Chance"...
(1999) - Stew (2000)
- Rained Out Parade (2002)
- Shot Down Satellites (2005)
- No Bad Days (2011)