Despite apparent indifference by U.S. record companies and radio stations, there's a lot more to Canadian rock than Bryan Adams, Neil Young and Rush, including a thriving underground punk-pop scene.
Among those still mired in the "underground" are Montreal's Doughboys, who, after signing to a major U.S. label (A&M) this year, remain largely unknown to U.S. audiences despite having a very "American" sound."We grew up listening to American bands, especially the Ramones, and that's bound to show up in our music," vocalist/guitarist John Kastner said in a telephone interview. "But we're not writing our songs with the intention of sounding like other bands. We're just guys in our 20s who were influenced by the music from 1976 to 1980."
The band began in the mid-'80s as a straightforward knockoff of Minneapolis pop/rock/punk act Husker Du, including having a singer/drummer and singer/gui-tarist (like Husker Du's Grant Hart and Bob Mould, respectively). From there, the band has grown to embrace the Southern California "emo-core" sound (blending '60s-style pop with hard-core punk rock), funk and even psychedelia (on 1990's "Happy Accidents"). But they've returned to their punk roots on this year's "Crush."
"This really is the way the band sound," Kastner said. "For a couple of years we've been kind of get- ting off the track, but we're back. I can honestly say that this is our best album."
For "Crush," the Doughboys enlisted producer Daniel Rey, best known recently for his work with New York's legendary Ramones.
"(Rey) was great to work with," Kastner said. "He made sure the pop was in the pop and the punk was is the punk. He basically made sure things were stripped down to guitar and drums, which is what we are live."
Speaking of live, as proud as the Doughboys are of the new album, they're even more proud of their live prowess.
"It's never really possible to duplicate your live sound when you record, because there are no fans to push you harder," Kastner said. "And our fans really push us to our limits, musically."
Salt Lake audiences will get their chance to push the Doughboys when they co-headline a Tuesday, Nov. 23 show with legendary English punk-popsters the Buzzcocks at Club DV8, 115 S. West Temple.
Opening the show will be Fudge, a Virginia act far more pop than the two other bands. Tickets for the show, which starts at 9 p.m., are $13 in advance, and are available at Modified in Salt Lake, Crandall Audio in Orem, Provo's Graywhale CD Exchange and Sonic Garden, as well as the club itself during business hours.