RADIUM KINGS:
The Radium Kings formed in late 2003 when four musicians, two from Ontario and two from Western Canada, met up in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories.
With guitarists Keith Morrison and Carl Cibart trading off lead vocal duties, the band developed two distinct personalities. Morrison penned sharp-edged, abrasive compositions sung with decidedly snotty distain, while Cibart's baritone eulogized the lonely characters of his dark, country-tinged tales. These disparate styles were sutured and lent a consistent sound by the incendiary rhythm section of John McKinnon (bass) and Dave Johnny (drums).
The Radium Kings played as a cohesive unit for about a year, releasing six Cibart originals as How the West Was Won (2004) and Two Times Lucky (2005) which featured six Morrison songs and two compositions by McKinnon; the rocker Greybeard and the eight-minute psychedelic freak-out Disassociated Space Amoeba. Both albums have been re-released as one CD, Totally Unstable (2006).
Since then, individual pursuits have led its members in different directions, though the Radium Kings never officially disbanded. Its members now live in Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Ontario, but the group continues to meet, gig and record sporadically. Their most recent gathering and live performances (Oct. 2006) keep the home fires burning, fuelling fans' hopes for new RK recordings. Now if they could just agree on a time zone to do it in...
