Soundcheck Sunday: Lesser known Canadian acts from the 1980s

So about a week ago I found myself humming a tune I hadn’t heard in years. It took me a day to place it — Kim Mitchell’s “America”:

You know Kim Mitchell, of course. Between “Go For Soda” and “Patio Laterns,” he’s been a staple of Canadian radio for — holy crap — almost three decades now. You also probably have a very specific image of him in your mind, and it’s likely this one:

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Prepare to have your mind blown. Kim doesn’t look like that anymore.

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Uh, yeah. What I want to know is, “Where did the OPP hat go?” ’cause that was kind of, you know, iconic. Anyway.


A lot of time has passed since the 1980s were with us. So herewith, a motley selection of some of my favorite tunes from that timeframe for your late-August listening pleasure.

Gowan, “Strange Animal”:

Luba, “Every Time I See Your Picture”:

Professor Paul Janz, “Every Little Tear” (CLICK THAT LINK I PROMISE IT’S WORTH IT):