While celebrating 40 years since their debut, Strange Advance sold out shows across the country — and now they're bringing the party to Toronto. The legendary Canadian prog-rock-pop group, a staple of 1980s MuchMusic, has announced a Toronto date to mark the 42nd anniversary of their breakout album Worlds Away. The record featured the hit singles “She Controls Me” and “Kiss in the Dark,” and earned the band a JUNO nomination for Most Promising Group of the Year in 1983.Tomas Mureika of AllMusic calls this album one of Canada's most underrated new wave debut releases.
Bridging the worlds of chart success and defying musical genre conventions is a rare superpower that only happens once in a blue moon. For example, when the core of Strange Advance was formed in Vancouver in 1979 by Drew Arnott, Darryl Kromm, and Paul Iverson. Emerging in a sea of radio rock and burgeoning music video-aimed pop, Strange Advance remained steadfastly a band with many influences resulting in their own singular style. Creating three strong as steel albums from their haunting 1982 album debut with Worlds Away, the brilliant 1985 follow-up with 2wo, and the infectious and whip smart third album, The Distance Between (1988), they managed to go gold and land on the Canadian charts with singles like “We Run” and “Love Becomes Electric.” Strange Advance 4 continues this musical journey.
youtube.com/channel/UChscmxxbfyhTCy0QvLA2Qpw/featured
Some have called them pop, synthpop, new wave, rock, or prog, but the only true descriptor is that they are Strange Advance and after a thirty-plus years hiatus, they are primed and ready to show the world that great and evocative music truly has no best-by date.
Leading this new chapter is founder, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Drew Arnott. Music is literally in his DNA, since his first professional gig was playing drums in his father’s dance band, The Baysiders, at the wee age of 14. In addition to being an integral part of Strange Advance, he has worked and helped guide younger artists, as well as delving into the new world of screenwriting.
For this new leg of the journey, Drew will be joined by the dream team of Ian Cameron, Ross Friesen, Rob Bailey, Sean Dillon and Alexander (A-Train) Boynton. With half of this current incarnation having roots in the 1980s era of the band, there’s a harmonious blend of roots and new blood. Speaking of...
In addition to playing guitar and violin with Strange Advance during the tour for 2wo, Ian Cameron has also worked with Jimi Jamison (Survivor and singers of the main theme, “I’m Always Here” for Baywatch), Shania Twain, and even once played for the King and Queen of Malaysia. On drums, Friesen’s pedigree includes playing for Attic Records ‘Body Electric’, the CBC ‘Rock Wars’ show and many top Vancouver club acts. Rob Bailey has played keyboards for artists ranging from Gino Vannelli to Alice Cooper, on top of working as a composer and software engineer for gaming giants Electronic Arts, Activision, and Rockstar Games. Bassist Alexander (A-Train) Boynton spent years with the Payola$ and worked with David Foster and Bob Rock amongst others. At one point, Sean Dillon was taken under the wing of famed producer Bruce Fairbairn (Loverboy, Aerosmith, Strange Advance). Sean comes from Winnipeg where he played in a cover band that used to cover…Strange Advance - so things have come full circle for him.
Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/artist/55GFnjvebYk37k4Hw8jp3J
The time is nigh for Strange Advance to re-emerge with their past, present, and future music. After all, there can never be too much music that is sincere, expressive, lush, and the sonic definition of sui generis.