The Arrows (Canadian band)

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The Arrows
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresNew wave
Years active1981–1986
LabelsA&M Records, Avion Records, El Mocambo Records, Spontaneous Records
MembersDean McTaggart
Michael Sloski
Gabor Szepesi
Hendrik Rilk
Rusty McCarthy
Rob Gusevs
Earl Seymour
Doug Macaskill
Glenn Olive
Bobby Economou

The Arrows was a Canadian new wave band active during the 1980s (and not to be confused with the British band Arrows.

Biography[edit]

The Arrows were formed in 1981 by vocalist Dean McTaggart, the group's only consistent member. They recorded a single ("Treat Her Right" b/w "Come On Up") in 1981.[1] The following year, the group issued a 4 song mini-album called Misunderstood which was recorded at Grant Avenue Studios and produced by Daniel Lanois.[2]

In 1984, the band landed a deal with A&M Records. With the help of producer David Tyson, who also became McTaggart's frequent writing partner, the Arrows' 1984 debut album Stand Back was a national success in Canada, providing a top 40 hit with "Meet Me in the Middle".[3][4][5] The album sold well, and the band found themselves as the opening act on the UK leg of Chris de Burgh's 1984 tour.[citation needed]

Upon returning home, they went back to the studio for work on their second album The Lines Are Open, which saw its release in October 1985.[6][5] The singles "Heart of the City", "Talk Talk" and "Chains" all saw success in Canada, but pressures from management for a breakout hit were causing problems within the band, and following a cross-Canada tour, the group called it quits at the end of 1986.[5]

In 1995, a CD compilation Talk Talk: The Best of The Arrows surfaced on a German import label that contained the majority of the tracks from their first two albums.[7] Stand Back were re-issued on CD in 2011,[8] and The Lines Are Open was re-issued in 2013.[9]

McTaggart continued with his songwriting career, writing hit songs for artists such as "Heaven Help My Heart" by Wynonna,[10] and, as co-writer, "Unsung Hero" by Terri Clark[11] and several hits by Amanda Marshall, notably "Birmingham"[12] and her Canadian AC No. 1 hit "Dark Horse", which also became a hit for Mila Mason.

1981 line-up[edit]

This line-up recorded the 1981 debut single "Treat Her Right" b/w "Come On Up"

  • Vocals - Dean McTaggart
  • Drums and Percussion - Michael Sloski
  • Keyboards - Gabor Szepesi
  • Bass - Hendrik Rilk
  • Guitars - Rusty McCarthy

1982 line-up[edit]

This line-up recorded the 1982 4-song mini-album Misunderstood.

  • Vocals - Dean McTaggart
  • Drums and Percussion - Michael Sloski
  • Keyboards - Rob Gusevs
  • Bass - Hendrik Rilk
  • Guitars - Rusty McCarthy
  • Saxophone - Earl Seymour

1984 line-up[edit]

This line recorded the 1984 album Stand Back.

  • Vocals - Dean McTaggart
  • Guitars - Doug Macaskill
  • Keyboards - Rob Gusevs
  • Saxophone - Earl Seymour
With session musicians:
  • Bass - Peter Bleakney, Howard Ayee
  • Drums - Michael Sloski, Gary Craig
  • Percussion - Matt Zimbel
  • Keyboards, Vocals – David Tyson
  • Backing Vocals – Al Van Wart, Eddie Schwartz

1985 line-up[edit]

This line recorded the 1985 album The Lines Are Open.

  • Vocals - Dean McTaggart
  • Keyboards - Rob Gusevs
  • Saxophone - Earl Seymour
  • Guitars - Doug Macaskill
  • Bass - Glenn Olive
  • Drums - Bobby Economou
With session musicians:
  • Alto Saxophone - Vernon Dorge
  • Backing Vocals - Charity Brown, David Blamires, John Rutledge, Sharon Lee Williams, David Tyson
  • Percussion - Memo Acevedo
  • Trumpet - Rick Waychesko, Steve McDade

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

Compilation albums[edit]

  • Talk Talk: The Best of The Arrows (1995), Long Island Records

EPs[edit]

  • Misunderstood (1982), Spontaneous Records

Singles[edit]

  • "Treat Her Right" (1981), El Mocambo Records
  • "Come On Up" (1981), El Mocambo Records[13]
  • "Lovelight" (1982), Spontaneous Records[14]
  • "If It's Love" (1982), Spontaneous Records[15]
  • "Meet Me in the Middle" (1984), A&M Records - Canada #30
  • "Say It Isn't True" (1984), A&M Records[16]
  • "Never Be Another One" (1984), A&M Records[17]
  • "Girl in 313" (1984), A&M Records[18]
  • "Talk Talk" (1985), A&M Records - Canada #47[19]
  • "Easy Street" (1985), A&M Records[20]
  • "I Owe You" (1985), A&M Records[21]
  • "Heart of the City" (1986), A&M Records - Canada #57[22]
  • "Tell It To My Heart" (1986), A&M Records[23]
  • "Chains" (1986), A&M Records - Canada #93[24]
  • "Wild One" (1986), A&M Records[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Arrows – Treat Her Right". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  2. ^ "The Arrows – Misunderstood". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  3. ^ "The Arrows – Stand Back". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  4. ^ "The Arrows – Meet Me In The Middle/Girl In 313". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 30/1. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
  6. ^ "The Arrows – The Lines Are Open". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  7. ^ "The Arrows – Talk Talk: The Best Of The Arrows". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Yesterrock Releases Arrows, The - Stand Back". Shop.strato.de. 2013.
  9. ^ "Arrows, The - The Lines Are Open". Shop.strato.de. 2013.
  10. ^ "Wynonna – Heaven Help My Heart". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Terri Clark – Unsung Hero". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Amanda Marshall – Birmingham". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Arrows – Treat Her Right". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  14. ^ "The Arrows – Lovelight". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  15. ^ "The Arrows – Lovelight". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  16. ^ "The Arrows – Say It Isn't True". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  17. ^ "The Arrows – Never Be Another One/Girl In 313". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  18. ^ "The Arrows – Never Be Another One/Girl In 313". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  19. ^ "The Arrows – Talk Talk". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  20. ^ "The Arrows – Talk Talk". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  21. ^ "The Arrows – I Owe You". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  22. ^ "The Arrows – Heart Of The City". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  23. ^ "The Arrows – Heart Of The City". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  24. ^ "The Arrows – Chains / Wild One". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  25. ^ "The Arrows – Chains / Wild One". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2022.

External links[edit]

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