April Wine (Official Thread)

Flower

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April Wine Official Website

Flower's brackground info--
Again, I'm lifting the opening from Wikipedia ~

April Wine

Albums:


1971 April Wine
1972 On Record
1973 Electric Jewels
1975 Stand Back
1976 The Whole World's Goin' Crazy
1977 Forever for Now
1978 First Glance
1979 Harder ... Faster
1981 The Nature of the Beast
1982 Power Play
1984 Animal Grace
1985 Walking Through Fire
1993 Attitude
1994 Frigate
2001 Back to the Mansion
2006 Roughly Speaking




April Wine is a Canadian rock band formed in 1969. According to the band, they chose the name 'April Wine' simply because members thought the two words sounded good together. The band went on to release more than twenty albums and forge a live performance reputation that still sees them drawing devoted crowds across Canada and around the world more than forty years after taking their first steps into the hard rock spotlight.

The early years

April Wine began in late 1969 in Waverley, Nova Scotia (a suburb of Halifax). The original members were brothers David Henman on guitar and Ritchie Henman on drums. Their cousin Jim Henman joined in on bass, and Myles Goodwyn completed the sound on lead vocals and guitar. In early 1970 the band relocated to Montreal. Shortly after arriving in their new home the band was signed by Aquarius Records. They recorded and released their debut self-titled album April Wine in 1971. The album spawned their first single, "Fast Train", which received fairly steady airplay on radio stations across Canada and established Myles Goodwyn as the band's main songwriter. The single's success gave the band's label confidence and work began on a second album, but not before a change in the line-up (the first of many over the course of the band's career). Jim Henman left the band in the fall of 1971, and was replaced by Jim Clench.

Mainstream success begins

Under the guidance of producer Ralph Murphy, April Wine recorded their second album, titled On Record. The first single from the album was to be a cover version of the song "You Could Have Been a Lady", originally by the band Hot Chocolate. The song would prove to be a tremendous success. It would hit number 1 on radio stations all across Canada, as well as cracking the Billboard Top 30 chart in the United States where it would stay for eleven weeks. Following quick on its heels, April Wine released their second single from On Record, titled "Bad Side of the Moon". This song, originally by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, would also find success on Canadian radio stations and was a minor hit in the U.S. as well. Both tracks remain staples on Classic rock radio stations in Canada to this day. On Record was certified Gold in Canada and the band and Murphy hit the studio to cash in on the promotional momentum generated by their second release.

During recording of the band's third album, yet another line-up change would take place. Before the album's completion, brothers David and Ritchie Henman left April Wine leaving Myles Goodwyn as the only remaining original member. Goodwyn and Clench decided to carry on and began auditions for replacements for the Henmans. Eventually drummer Jerry Mercer (formerly of the Canadian band Mashmakhan) and guitarist Gary Moffet would be chosen. The addition of the two new members unified April Wine as a tight, powerful touring band. Together they finished recording the band's third album, entitled Electric Jewels. The album was met with instant favour from the band's ever growing fan base. It contained songs such as "Weeping Widow", "Just Like That" and "Lady Run, Lady Hide" which would stay in April Wine's concert set lists for many years. The tour (called the Electric Adventure, to support the new album) was a huge success and featured a massive lighting and pyrotechnic show that dazzled fans from coast to coast.

And LG's--
Another of my childhood favorites April Wine, formed in 1969 by Myles Goodwyn and the 3 Henman brothers in Halifax. Realizing that they needed a bigger stage they moved to Montreal and recorded their self-titled debut in 1972 which started their career. Within a couple of years the three Henman brothers left and were replaced by Jim Clench, Gary Moffet and Jerry Mercer.

My brother gave me a copy of "Live" the 3rd album after Electric Jewels for Christmas in 1974, and I wore that sucker out. It was my first live recording ever of my own, and I fell in love with every song, and the sound quality was very good, it would stand up even now if it were ever released on CD.

Hep's not going to like this part, but I went looking for a copy on e-bay a few years ago, and no luck at all, except for a vinyl album some collector had in Germany,,,and he wanted $50.00, and that didn't include shipping etc., so I passed on it. Anyway a few weeks later using some of my "Black Ops" sources I located a copy of the cassette version that some nice soul had converted and uploaded in FLAC, took a while but I finally got a copy. The quality is just a little below the vinyl record, but it still sounds great to me.

Anyway I like these guys, but only have about 6 of their albums, kind of hit or miss with me, either I like the album a lot or just pass on them.


Just Like That, from Electric Jewels.





Here's the front cover, the back the writing is so small you can't read it.

 
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0000

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Re: April Wine

I like the band, some good rock n roll, and totally agree about the hit and miss thing you said, I like April Wine, On Record, The Whole World's Going Crazy, Forever For Now, and Harder...Faster, the other just don't stand up to the quality of these, they sound almost... um... generic is a good word to describe them, they sound very generic for the times they were released, but over all a good rock n roll band, you actually turned me onto the song Could Have Been A Lady, LG, off their first album, which is what made me get their first, I only have digital copies of the albums I listed, I don't have them on vinyl, but probably will at some point =)
 

LG

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Re: April Wine

That is a great song, yeah they were nothing if not inconsistent...but on every album there are one or two decent songs, I have a 2 CD compilation of theirs that fills in the gaps.

You are quite knowledgeable about all these old bands EB, I am impressed. I'm off for now see you tomorrow.:grinthumb
 

0000

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Re: April Wine

That is a great song, yeah they were nothing if not inconsistent...but on every album there are one or two decent songs, I have a 2 CD compilation of theirs that fills in the gaps.

You are quite knowledgeable about all these old bands EB, I am impressed. I'm off for now see you tomorrow.:grinthumb

Its what I'm into lol, ask me about a new band I won't know a thing, probably won't even know who they are... well that's not entirely true, I've been giving some newer bands a chance, my ears are hating me, but might as well keep an open mine :heheh:
have a good night:cheers:
 

METALPRIEST

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Re: April Wine

I Have TWO CD's by these guys. A big memory for me is my old singer (when I used to be a drummer) and later vocal coach Lenny (R.I.P. bro!) would trip me out singing Lessons by Rush and Just Between You And Me by April Wine.

One of those songs that would come on the radio and you would turn it up. Didn't matter that it was a ballad! What a great song.

Now on CD I still turn it up.

Here is a cool live version!

:phones:

 

taha

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Re: April Wine

Saw them in the 80's, no super stage, just a few lights, they let their playing kick the peoples assssss. no bombs, fireworks or bullschit, just ROCK AND ROLL !!!!

oh they rocked
 

Magic

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Re: April Wine

My fave album:

album-harderfaster.jpg


I love the funky beat to this song, and the guitar solo is nothing to sneeze at:



I saw them in 1980 in North Carolina, in this huge bar/nightclub called "Thunderbird", they played a 2 hour set to a packed house. I remember seeing this song live and going "nuts" :D
 

taha

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Re: April Wine

Say Hello is one of my favs too, the beat is cool !
 

Slip'nn2Darkness

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Re: April Wine

Wow!! I'm surprised no one has brought up the song by them..
Roller


Or Hot On the Wheels of Love


Love these guys..:grinthumb
 
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