Tim Shia,
Drew Birston,
Chris Gale,
Leo37,
Adrean Farrugia,
Dafydd Hughes,
Honorary members:
Kelly Jefferson,
Rich Brown,
Christine Bougie,
Kevin Barrett,
Steve Zsirai,
Marcel Aucoin
Influences
Radiohead, Miles Davis, Kurt Rosenwinkle, E.S.T., Bjork, Ben Allison, Michael Blake, Deerhoof, Craig Taborn, Brian Blade, Mark Turner, the Bad Plus, Dave Douglas, Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Avishai Cohen, Brad Mehldau, Wayne Shorter, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Level 42, Brand New Heavies, the Roots, Michael Jackson, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Charlie Mingus, Keith Jarrett, John Scofield, Medeski, Martin, Wood, Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, D'angelo, Peter Gabriel, Sting, the Police, Led Zepplin, Joanna Newsom, Branford Marsalis, Bela Bartok, Arvo Part, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Kung Fu Movies, Jeff Ballard, Larry Grenadier, Prince, Dave Holland, Pino Palladino, Wong Faye, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Miwa Yoshida, Arto Lindsay, Johnny Cash, Daniel Lanois, Jon Brion, Cannonball Adderly, Joe Zawinul, James Brown, Josh Whedon, Veronica Marrs, Ricky Gervais
The Worst Pop Band Ever is a Toronto based group that tries to amicably reconcile their love of Improvisational Jazz and “Pop” music. It's been described as the ugly love child of Miles Davis and Radiohead.
Individually, the band’s members (Chris Gale-sax, Drew Birston-bass, Dafydd Hughes-keys, Leo37-turntables and Tim Shia-drums and now Adrean Farrugia- keys) have worked with the who’s who of the Canadian music scene including: Feist, the Shuffle Demons, Rich Underhill, Elizabeth Shepherd, Ron Sexsmith, Laila Biali, Chantal Kreviazuk, Ron Davis, Blue Rodeo, Dione Taylor, Suzie McNeil, Esthero, the Undesireables, Julie Crochetiere,Tyler Yarema, Milosh, Julie Michels, Brian MacMillan, Shanon Butcher, Reg Schwager, Kelly Jefferson and Lori Cullen just to name a few.
Together, whether it be blending acoustic bass with turntables or analog synths with the saxophone, the WPBE sets out to twist and bend both originals and covers, straddling genres and butting heads with expectation.
They have played festivals and clubs throughout North America and
have shared stages/ toured with the Bad Plus, Happy Apple, Jeff Parker of Tortoise, Rich Brown, Rich Underhill, Shannon Butcher and Kelly Jefferson.
Most recently they performed at IAJE, NXNE and the TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival. This summer they will be playing Confederation Park on Canada Day and at the NAC the following night as part of the Ottawa Jazz Festival. They will also be touring Western Canada this fall, promoting their new album, Dost Thou Believeth in Science?.
Their debut CD, "Thanks for Coming Out" was released in spring 2006 to critical acclaim and popular support: aside from being featured on National Radio Stations (CBC radio 2, Jazz FM 91.1, CIUT), the album reached 7 on the College Music charts.
In addition, their music has been featured in award winning films and PSAs including for the United Nations’, the Grand Prix winner at the 2007 Tokyo Anime Fair, “Flutter” by Howie Shia (National Film Board/PPF Multimedia), the Governor General Awards, CBC, Teletoon and Omni Television.
The CD, ( featuring 4 live tracks recorded at the Downtown Toronto Jazz Festival 20th Anniversary celebration) is available online at -- htttp://www.ppfhouse.com. -- http://wpbe.bandcamp.com and Soundscape Records. Some tracks are also available on itunes.
"This may be one of the worst band names ever... but the jazz on its seven tunes ....is intriguing, well-calibrated and focused in a very contemporary, accessible fashion...The music's fresh, may appeal to pop lovers but assuredly to jazzers keen on a kind of driven fluency as genre stylings are examined, discarded and reworked. When turntablist LEO37 intervenes with Fender doodling, as on "Those Crazy Hens," the bang-up-to-date attitude is reinforced but the best here is Hughes' slo-mo "Giant Things By The Side Of The Highway" and the rambunctious take on Björk's "Army Of Me." Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star, May 4, 2006
“…it becomes apparent that PPF (home of the WPBE) has one of the most original sounds in Canada.” Omar Mouallem, Exclaim Magazine,Sept. 2007
"The CD is really cool...Lots of surprises and turns and fascinating layers, both in the arrangements and the 'atmospherics' (is that even a word?)." Andy Sheppard, CBC Radio After Hours
"A unique band very much of its time with lots of subtlety and musicianship, exploring and playing what they find interesting." Joyce Humbert, livemusicreport.com April 19, 2006
"The Worst Pop Band Ever is a rare vintage that delivers some of the
most unique and delightful flavours in the Toronto music scene. Theirs
is a creative, refreshing sound, (seemingly) effortlessly performed
with a truly gentle touch."
Andy Frank, CIUT 89.5 FM, Toronto
"This is great music - and I'm not just saying that because they play one of my songs." Michael Blake (Ben Allison, Blake Tartare)
yeah yeah yeah...i'll have to check it out...hey, maybe even do my own cover of it....i miss soundgarden....there should be a soundgarden tribute band....hey maybe....ah, no....got enuff on my plate!
