The Grapes of Wrath (band)

The Grapes of Wrath were formed in Kelowna, British Columbia, in 1983 by Chris Hooper, Tom Hooper and Kevin Kane.[3] All three had been members of the short-lived punk rock band Kill Pigs.[4] They came up with the new band name after looking at a movie guide—nobody in the band had seen the movie or read the book.[4]

In 1984, they signed to Nettwerk, and released a self-titled EP that year.[5] The following year, their debut album September Bowl of Green was released.[6]

Treehouse (1987), produced by Tom Cochrane, was the band's Canadian breakthrough, yielding the hit single "Peace of Mind".[7] Some songs on the album included keyboard parts by session musician Vincent Jones, who also toured with the band thereafter although he was not yet credited as a member.[6]

Their 1989 album, Now and Again, produced by Anton Fier, was the band's most successful.[8] Jones, officially a band member by this time, would later describe working with Fier as "like pulling teeth".[9] The band's tour to support this album was also notable for its opening act, a then-emerging singer/songwriter named Sarah McLachlan.[10]

Produced by John Leckie and mixed by Gareth Cousins, These Days, released in 1991, found the band experimenting with a harder rock sound,[11] and spawned the band's highest-charting singles, "I Am Here" and "You May Be Right". It received the 1992 CASBY Award for Favourite Album, and "I Am Here" won the CASBY for Best Song.[12]

These Days was, however, to be the band's last new album for almost a decade.[13] Kane then split from the other members of the band, who continued to perform and record together as Ginger.[13]

In 1999, Kane and Tom Hooper, the Grapes' main songwriting team, decided to work together again, and in 2000 released Field Trip under the Grapes of Wrath name.[14] Neither Chris Hooper nor Vincent Jones participated in the reunion. Matt Brain was enlisted as the band's drummer, though he was not a member of the group.

In 2009, Kane and Hooper decided to play together again as an acoustic duo.[15] Two concerts were scheduled in Western Canada, during which they were to play all their hit songs.[15]

On July 18, 2010, the three original members performed together at the Surrey Fusion Festival in Surrey, British Columbia.[16] It was the first time the original trio had played together since 1992.[17] Dave Genn was brought in to fill Vince Jones' place on keyboards, and a small-scale series of Canadian dates followed throughout 2010.

The trio of Hooper/Kane/Hooper continued to tour regularly thereafter, and the Grapes of Wrath announced that they were beginning work on a new album. Two newly recorded tracks from these sessions were issued on the band's 2012 compilation Singles (EMI).[18] To mark this release, the band was joined by guests Sam Roberts, Whitehorse, Ron Sexsmith, Hayden, Great Lake Swimmers and other notable Canadian musicians at Toronto's Mod Club.[18]

The band's latest album High Road was released in March 2013 through Aporia Records.[19]

• The Grapes of Wrath