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Straight Lines - I've Got News For You (1981)

By Junos 2008 on Fri, 05/30/2008 - 21:37

Canadian band Straight Lines with their song "I've Got News For You", released in 1981 from the album "Run For Cover". Straight Lines are best known in Canada for their #5 single "Letting Go"

Bob Buckley (keyboards, saxophone, clarinet)
David Sinclair (guitar, lead vocals)
Daryl Burgess (drums, percussion, marimba)
Peter Clarke (bass, vocals)
Peter Padden (drums, percussion, vocals)
Geoff Eyre (drums; replaced Padden)

As seasoned studio musicians, Buckley and Sinclair originally gained popularity as Dogstar and attracted the attention of CBS Records in Toronto. The label loved the act (and the songs) but not the name so it was effectively changed to Straight Lines.

After a succession of songwriting episodes with Chilliwack's Howie Vickers, the band went into the studio with producers Martin Shaer (Sweeney Todd) and Jack Richardson (Guess Who) and engineer Bob Rock to lay down tracks for their self-titled debut which featured two singles - "Heads Are Gonna Roll" and "Roanne" (which made the RPM Top-100).

Bruce Allen management team sent them on the road in 1981 with another Bruce Allen act, Prism, and Klaatu across the prairies in the fall of that year.

Their second album, 1981's 'Run For Cover', faired a little better with the hit single "Letting Go" - making it all the way to the Top-10 in Canada. A second single, "There Are No Secrets", would scrape the RPM Top-40, but it was enough to land them a 'Composers Of The Year' Juno Award nomination. But management was unable to generate sufficient international interest and CBS dropped them resulting in Straight Lines disbanding.

The duo of Buckley and Sinclair carried on and managed to draft ex-Ironhorse/Union/Trooper keyboardist Frank Ludwig and drummer Ross Friesen. They landed a deal with Attic Records under the new name Body Electric; Daryl Burgess would have a brief solo career with MCA Records.

Author: mrbrian1965
Keywords: 80's canadian pop rock
Added: May 30, 2008