PHOENIX
10-31-2005, 03:06 PM
Toronto's Platinum Blonde chose their name as a sneer at the Hollywood glitter and pretentious images immortalized in the 1931 Columbia Pictures movie of the same name featuring Jean Harlow.
The band was conceived by Mansfield, England émigré Mark Holmes who dallied in commercial art in college, worked as an apprentice hairstylist, but was playing guitar in version one of Platinum Blonde as a Police tribute act while dabbling in punk. They released an indie single, "No Regrets", in 1980 and rattled around the bar and college circuit.
By 1982 Holmes decided to get serious, and had agent Bruce Barrow line up several university engagements, including a showcase at a downtown Toronto nightclub, owned by Tony Tsavdaris. (Both of these individuals would later become instrumental in Platinum Blondes' story as management company T.B.A.).
Holmes fired his existing band and their cover tunes and placed advertisements for new musicians. Drummer Chris Steffler was the first to answer, followed by mutual friend and architecture student Sergio Gali, who was also a guitarist. Within a week they stepped on stage as the new Platinum Blonde.
After recording a seven song demo in a friend's living room, the band's management sent the tape off to English producer David Tickle (Split Enz, Peter Gabriel, Red Rider). He called back saying he'd love to do the record but his schedule would mean starting immediately. On the following Monday, David Tickle flew to Toronto to begin recording.
The project immediately gained the commitment of CBS Records. The resulting mini-LP, 'Platinum Blonde', was finished in 16 days and was instantly added to radio across Canada in 1983. An additional four songs were added to the first six songs and became Platinum Blonde's debut album, 'Standing In The Dark', in 1984.
Platinum Blonde's rapid rise to stardom throughout Canada was fuelled by cross-country tours with Bryan Adams and Billy Idol and a pair of state-of-the-art videos by award-winning director, Robert Quartly.
The group skyrocketed from small clubs to headlining large arenas, climaxing with a summer celebration outdoors at Toronto's City Hall for 25,000 hysterical fans. The band became cover-story material and led a fashion revolution.
In February of 1985 it was time to record a follow up and so the band enlisted the help of British producer Eddy Offord (Yes, ELP, 10CC). 'Alien Shores' represented a change in musical direction for both parties involved. They also expanded the line-up from a three-piece to a four-piece with the addition of transplanted Scottish musician Kenny MacLean (The Deserters).
MacLean was an old friend of Steffler's; the two had played in high school together in The Suspects. That band eventually evolved into The Deserters. Originally a guitar player, MacLean was hired to play keyboards with Platinum Blonde for a special New Year's Eve show but was recruited to play bass, back-up vocals and keys as a permanent member starting with 'Alien Shore'. This freed up Holmes to focus on lead vocals.
'Alien Shore', featuring guest appearances by Dalbello and Alex Lifeson (Rush), witnessed the release of several singles including the #1 hit "Crying Over You" which in turn sent the album to #1 for a week of its 11-week run on the Canadian charts. The album went on to sell 400,000 copies.
After the mania of touring to thousands of screaming teenage girls, the band wished to get away from their teeny-bopper roots. The departure of founding member Steffler precipitated a change. The next album would find Tony Thompson (Power Station) filling in as drummer on the decidedly funkier outing 'Contact'.
Drummer Sasha was brought in to fill in full-time for the subsequent tour as the album began its ascent up the charts from singles like the title track and a remake of The Ohio Players' "Fire", complete with several Players on back-up vocals.
It soon became apparent, however, that Platinum Blonde was being stiffed by not only the record label for royalties but by management as well. Platinum Blonde begged out of renewing their record contract, changed their name to continue distancing themselves from their former image, and signed to Jeff Burns' Justin Records as The Blondes.
The new album, "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah", did nothing and the band folded. Mark Holmes sued Sony (formerly CBS) and won the right to own his compositions.
He later formed Breed in 1992 which failed to attract a record deal and went on to a new band, Vertigo, in 1996 with former Blondes drummer Sasha; Kenny MacLean continued with Justin Records' offshoot label, BEI, with his own solo album, 'Don't Look Back', in the early '90's. His most recent effort, 'Clear', features songs with his old bandmate Mark Holmes; Sergio Gali returned to his studies as architect and has become a success as an interior decorator.
In 1999, plans were finally announced for a long-overdue compilation of Platinum Blonde's best material on CD, to be accompanied by an extensive promotional tour by Holmes.
The band was conceived by Mansfield, England émigré Mark Holmes who dallied in commercial art in college, worked as an apprentice hairstylist, but was playing guitar in version one of Platinum Blonde as a Police tribute act while dabbling in punk. They released an indie single, "No Regrets", in 1980 and rattled around the bar and college circuit.
By 1982 Holmes decided to get serious, and had agent Bruce Barrow line up several university engagements, including a showcase at a downtown Toronto nightclub, owned by Tony Tsavdaris. (Both of these individuals would later become instrumental in Platinum Blondes' story as management company T.B.A.).
Holmes fired his existing band and their cover tunes and placed advertisements for new musicians. Drummer Chris Steffler was the first to answer, followed by mutual friend and architecture student Sergio Gali, who was also a guitarist. Within a week they stepped on stage as the new Platinum Blonde.
After recording a seven song demo in a friend's living room, the band's management sent the tape off to English producer David Tickle (Split Enz, Peter Gabriel, Red Rider). He called back saying he'd love to do the record but his schedule would mean starting immediately. On the following Monday, David Tickle flew to Toronto to begin recording.
The project immediately gained the commitment of CBS Records. The resulting mini-LP, 'Platinum Blonde', was finished in 16 days and was instantly added to radio across Canada in 1983. An additional four songs were added to the first six songs and became Platinum Blonde's debut album, 'Standing In The Dark', in 1984.
Platinum Blonde's rapid rise to stardom throughout Canada was fuelled by cross-country tours with Bryan Adams and Billy Idol and a pair of state-of-the-art videos by award-winning director, Robert Quartly.
The group skyrocketed from small clubs to headlining large arenas, climaxing with a summer celebration outdoors at Toronto's City Hall for 25,000 hysterical fans. The band became cover-story material and led a fashion revolution.
In February of 1985 it was time to record a follow up and so the band enlisted the help of British producer Eddy Offord (Yes, ELP, 10CC). 'Alien Shores' represented a change in musical direction for both parties involved. They also expanded the line-up from a three-piece to a four-piece with the addition of transplanted Scottish musician Kenny MacLean (The Deserters).
MacLean was an old friend of Steffler's; the two had played in high school together in The Suspects. That band eventually evolved into The Deserters. Originally a guitar player, MacLean was hired to play keyboards with Platinum Blonde for a special New Year's Eve show but was recruited to play bass, back-up vocals and keys as a permanent member starting with 'Alien Shore'. This freed up Holmes to focus on lead vocals.
'Alien Shore', featuring guest appearances by Dalbello and Alex Lifeson (Rush), witnessed the release of several singles including the #1 hit "Crying Over You" which in turn sent the album to #1 for a week of its 11-week run on the Canadian charts. The album went on to sell 400,000 copies.
After the mania of touring to thousands of screaming teenage girls, the band wished to get away from their teeny-bopper roots. The departure of founding member Steffler precipitated a change. The next album would find Tony Thompson (Power Station) filling in as drummer on the decidedly funkier outing 'Contact'.
Drummer Sasha was brought in to fill in full-time for the subsequent tour as the album began its ascent up the charts from singles like the title track and a remake of The Ohio Players' "Fire", complete with several Players on back-up vocals.
It soon became apparent, however, that Platinum Blonde was being stiffed by not only the record label for royalties but by management as well. Platinum Blonde begged out of renewing their record contract, changed their name to continue distancing themselves from their former image, and signed to Jeff Burns' Justin Records as The Blondes.
The new album, "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah", did nothing and the band folded. Mark Holmes sued Sony (formerly CBS) and won the right to own his compositions.
He later formed Breed in 1992 which failed to attract a record deal and went on to a new band, Vertigo, in 1996 with former Blondes drummer Sasha; Kenny MacLean continued with Justin Records' offshoot label, BEI, with his own solo album, 'Don't Look Back', in the early '90's. His most recent effort, 'Clear', features songs with his old bandmate Mark Holmes; Sergio Gali returned to his studies as architect and has become a success as an interior decorator.
In 1999, plans were finally announced for a long-overdue compilation of Platinum Blonde's best material on CD, to be accompanied by an extensive promotional tour by Holmes.