The band is touring in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of their debut album, Love Junk.
On Thursday April 25th, TPOH (as they are affectionately known to their fans around the world) bring their live show to Overflow Brewing Company in Ottawa, ON. Tickets are on sale now at https://tpoh.brownpapertickets.com/.
In August 2018, Juno-Award winning, Canadian alternative power pop band The Pursuit of Happiness (TPOH) announced details of a remastered deluxe edition of their 1988 debut album, Love Junk in celebration of the 30th anniversary since its release. The album was released on September 21, 2018 through Universal Music Canada. The Love Junk Deluxe Edition is available on 2CD, 2LP Deluxe and digital versions.
The Pursuit of Happiness performs at Burlington Sound of Music Festival in 2018 – photo by Kayla Winkworth
Love Junk was originally produced by long-time collaborator Todd Rundgren and went on to be certified platinum in Canada. Today it is recognized as one of the Top 100 debut albums ever released, anywhere! The deluxe edition of the album includes unreleased demo and live versions, along with the original indie tracks that were recorded and released that landed the band their deal with Chrysalis Records in 1988. Along with the stand out track, “I’m An Adult Now”, the album is known for its alternative radio staples “Killed By Love”, “Hard to Laugh” and “She’s So Young”.
After many years of evolution, the band’s current line-up features original members, Moe Berg (lead vocals, lead guitar, songwriting) Kris Abbott (guitar, backing vocals), Dave Gilby (drums), and long-term additions, Brad Barker (bass, occasional live backing vocals) and Renee Suchy (backing vocals, live percussion).
Time changes many things — as Moe Berg wrote and sang in “I’m An Adult Now,” that is “no cliché — it’s the truth.” Yet even three decades later, Moe and all of the men and women who together made Love Junk what it was — and what it still is — often discuss their triumphant first album as the best kind of rock & roll dream.” The band’s extensive career and accomplishments are highlighted in the detailed timeline below.
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS TIMELINE:
1986 – The Pursuit of Happiness were launched in early 1986 when lead vocalist Moe Berg and drummer Dave Gilby moved from Edmonton to Toronto, Ontario. They soon met bassist Johnny Sinclair and formed the band, adding sisters Tamara and Natasha Amabile as backing vocalists.
1986 – September – Their debut single, “I’m an Adult Now” released independently became a smash hit across Canada in 1986, sparked by a low-budget video
1987 – Winner of the CASBY Awards Most Promising Group: The Pursuit of Happiness (Canadian awards ceremony for independent and alternative music, presented annually by Toronto, Ontario radio station CFNY, currently branded as 102.1 The Edge. CASBY is an acronym for Canadian Artists Selected By You)
1987 – Juno Award winner Best Video “I’m An Adult Now”
1988 – October – Signed to Chrysalis Records. Their debut album, Love Junk, was produced by Todd Rundgren and released on October 26 which included the following original band members; Moe Berg Vocals and Guitar / Kris Abbott Guitar and Vocals / Dave Gilby Drums / Johnny Sinclair Bass / Leslie Stanwick Vocals
1989 – January 1989 “I’m An Adult Now” was re-released as a single, making it to the charts a second time. The song peaked at No. 6 on Billboard’s alternative songs chart and was followed by “She’s So Young” and “Hard To Laugh”.
1989 – March 16 – ‘Love Junk’ certified GOLD in Canada
1989 – Juno Award winner for ‘Most Promising Group of the Year’
1990 – March 29 – ‘Love Junk’ certified PLATINUM in Canada for sales over 100,000 copies
1991 – Personnel change: Stanwyck and Sinclair leave after completing the band’s follow-up with Rundgren, 1990’s One Sided Story and are replaced by Brad Barker (bass) and Susan Murumets (backing vocals). Rachel Oldfield later replaces Murumets in 1992.
1991 – March 13 – ‘One Sided Story’ certified Gold In Canada
1993 – Signed to Mercury and released ‘The Downward Road’ that featured the single “Cigarette Dangles” (the video appeared on Beavis and Butt-head)
1995 – ‘Where’s The Bone’ the band’s 4th album released on Iron Music
1995 – Rachel Oldfield left the band in 1995, post ‘Where’s The Bone’ release and was replaced by Jennifer Foster, who in turn left the following year and was replaced by Renee Suchy, who still remains with the band today!
1996 – ‘The Wonderful World of The Pursuit Of Happiness’ the band’s 5th album is released
1997 – Moe Berg releases ‘Summer’s Over’ via Iron Music, his first and so far only solo release
2005 – Band record two new tracks for a greatest hits compilation ‘ When We Ruled: The Best of The Pursuit of Happiness’, a cover of Prince “When Doves Cry” along with an original “Hey Mary Anne”
2006 – March 2006, they were inducted into the Canadian Indies Hall of Fame.
2014 – December – The band reunited for the Q107 Jingle Ball on December 13, 2014, at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto
2016 – ‘Love Junk’ was # 28 on ‘Classic Rock Magazine (UK)’ list of “The Real 100 Greatest Albums of the 80s” and listed as one of the ‘Top 100 debuts of all time’
2017 – October – Performance at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on October 27, 2017 as part of the Horseshoe’s 70th anniversary series of shows.
2018 – Band current line-up features Moe Berg – lead vocals, lead guitar, songwriting / Kris Abbott – guitar, backing vocals / Brad Barker – bass, occasional live backing vocals / Dave Gilby – drums / Renee Suchy – backing vocals, live percussion
For more on TPOH visit them online at http://tpoh.net/
