13 Engines Explained

13 Engines
Origin:Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genre:Alternative rock
Years Active:1985–1997
Label:SBK/Capitol, EMI, Atlantic, Nocturnal Records
Past Members:John Critchley
Grant Ethier
Jim Hughes
Mike Robbins

13 Engines was a Canadian alternative rock band active in the 1980s and 1990s.

Overview

Formed in 1985 as The Ikons, the band consisted of four York University students: vocalist and songwriter John Critchley,[1] guitarist and songwriter Mike Robbins, bassist Jim Hughes and drummer Grant Ethier.[2] They released a self-titled independent cassette in 1986 before changing their name to 13 Engines. This name was a reference to the automobile industry in Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan, which were the first markets to embrace the band.[3] [4] [5]

They spent a lot of time in Michigan and recorded their first two albums there--Before Our Time[6] in 1987 and Byram Lake Blues[7] in 1989; both were released by the UK label Nocturnal Records. One song from Byram Lake Blues, "Beached",[8] became a college hit and, in 1990, the band was signed to SBK Records in the United States and EMI in Canada.

In 1991, 13 Engines released their major label debut, A Blur to Me Now, which was produced by David Briggs and John Hanlon.[9] [10] The band received airplay for the album's singles "King of Saturday Night"[11] and "Big Surprise".[12] SBK dropped them soon afterward, although it did release an EP called Ignition which was the top singles from the band's next album.

That album was 1993's Perpetual Motion Machine,[13] [14] which was produced by Critchley and released on Atlantic Records.[15] This album was the band's breakthrough in Canada, spawning the hit singles "More",[16] "Bred in the Bone"[17] and "Smoke & Ashes",[18] and led to a spot on The Tragically Hip's Another Roadside Attraction tour.[19] The band also played festivals and toured with Blind Melon, The Watchmen, Moist and The Tea Party.[20]

They followed up in 1995 with Conquistador,[21] which gave them another hit, "Beneath My Hand".[22] While the album is considered to be 13 Engines' finest work, it did not do well commercially.[23]

In 1996, Nocturnal Records released the band's compilation album, Perfect Largeness: The Nocturnal Years.[24]

In June 1997, the band performed during NXNE, performing songs from a finished album. However, the album was never released and the band broke up that year. In 2017, the Canadian label Artoffact Records released some of the band's singles on an EP called Brave New Waves Session.[25]

Post-breakup

Following the break-up of 13 Engines, Critchley continued as a solo artist and, in 2000, recorded the album Crooked Mile.[26] Critchley, Ethier[27] and Hughes[28] went on to careers as producers.

Discography

Albums

EPs

EPs & Singles

Compilation Inclusions

Notes and References

  1. Web site: John Critchley Archives. 24 August 2014 .
  2. Web site: Hendra . Peter . Always sharing and caring, Oct 18, 2017 . thewhig.com . The Kingston Whig Standard . 2021-09-03.
  3. Web site: 13 Engines . canpopencyclopedia.home.blog . 14 March 2019 . The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia . 2021-09-03.
  4. Encyclopedia: 13 Engines . https://archive.today/20130115085507/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/T/13_Engines.html . 2013-01-15 . 2007-12-22 . Canadian Pop Encyclopedia . dead . Canoe Inc. .
  5. Web site: Robbins . Ira . 13 Engines . trouserpress.com . Trouser Press . 1 January 2022.
  6. Web site: 13 Engines - Before Our Time . discogs.com . Discogs . 2021-09-03.
  7. Web site: 13 Engines - Byram Lake Blues . discogs.com . Discogs . 2021-09-03.
  8. Web site: 13 Engines - Beached . youtube.com . YouTube . 1 January 2022.
  9. Web site: 13 Engines – A Blur To Me Now . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  10. Web site: 13 Engines - A Blur to Me Now, Full Album . youtube.com . YouTube . 2021-09-03.
  11. Web site: King Of Saturday Night - 13 Engines . youtube.com . YouTube . 1 January 2022.
  12. Web site: Big Surprise . youtube.com . YouTube . 1 January 2022.
  13. Web site: 13 Engines – Perpetual Motion Machine . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  14. Web site: Gibson . Kevin . A Clean Running Machine, March 1994 . louisvillemusicnews.net . Louisville Music News . 2021-09-04.
  15. http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,194666,00.html "ArtistDirect" review of Perpetual Motion Machine
  16. Web site: 13 Engines – More . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  17. Web site: 13 Engines – Bred In The Bone . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  18. Web site: 13 Engines – Smoke & Ashes . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  19. "Now this is really Hip Another Roadside Attraction is speeding this way". Hamilton Spectator, July 22, 1993.
  20. Web site: 13 Engines's Concert History . concertarchives.org . Concert Archives . 1 January 2022.
  21. Web site: 13 Engines - Conquistador (Full Album) . youtube.com . YouTube . 2021-09-04.
  22. Web site: 13 Engines--Beneath My Hand . youtube.com . YouTube . 1 January 2022.
  23. http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,229299,00.html "ArtistDirect" review of Conquistador
  24. Web site: 13 Engines – Perfect Largeness: The Nocturnal Years . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  25. Web site: 13 Engines – Brave New Waves Session . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  26. Web site: Carruthers . Sean . John Critchley - Crooked Mile . allmusic.com . AllMusic . 1 January 2022.
  27. Web site: Grant Ethier . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  28. Web site: Jim Hughes . allmusic.com . AllMusic . 1 January 2022.
  29. Web site: The Ikons – The Ikons . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  30. Web site: 13 Engines – Ignition . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  31. Web site: 13 Engines – Beneath My Hand . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  32. Web site: 13 Engines – Personal Golem / Waterfall . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  33. Web site: 13 Engines – Tailpipe Blues . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  34. Web site: 13 Engines – Slow . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  35. Web site: Scoop This . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  36. Web site: Heal It - A Canadian Compilation . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.
  37. Web site: Have Not Been The Same: The CanRock Renaissance . discogs.com . Discogs . 1 January 2022.

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