This weeks Tunesday artists actually got their start across the pond; singer Alan Frew and guitarist Al Connelly were born and raised in Scotland, emmigrating to Canada in the late 70s and together with Sam Reid on keyboards, Wayne Parker on bass and drummer Michael Hanson they formed "Tokyo". While paying their dues playing bars in Southern Ontario they caught the attention of Derek Sutton, then manager of the supergroup Styx, in 1984 and were quickly inked by Capitol records.

New contract in pocket the first thing to go was the name; execs found it funny that two boys from Scotland had picked "Tokyo" as their moniker. Hesitant at first Capital waved a couple of carrots in front of them; not only would their first album be produced by Jim Vallance, Bryan Adams' songwriting partner, they would also talk Mr. Adams into a guest spot on the debut disc.

They name went and THE THIN RED LINE was released in 1986.

They first single, "Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone" featured Adams doing back-up vocals; an instant hit It SOARED to #1 on the Charts here in Canada and reached the top ten on the Billboard Charts south of the 49th. The second single, "Someday" didnt make the same splash as the first but along with the Title Track helped the group win 3 Junos that year, including one for "Best New Artist".

After the new year the remaining singles, "You're What I Look For" and "I Will Be There" werre released and helped push sales to the four time Platinum mark in The Great White North and over 600,000 down in the US. Their seemingly instant success led to them opening for some of the biggest names in the industry, touring with the likes of The Moody Blues, Tina Turner and Journey.

They returned to the studio the following year and the result was DIAMOND SUN; despite the ENORMOUS success of their first album the group was struggling with their identity. Labeled nothing more than a "sophisticated kiddies' group" they came out of the studio with a heavier, more adult-oriented sound that definitly changed some views. Once again produced by Vallance, the disc still contained the clever hooks and slick sounds the fans had come to expect but the songs went a little deeper this time. "This Island Earth", was a conscienscious song about the fragile state of the planet and "Worlds Crumble" echoed that sentiment. But they didnt leave out the glam; the Title Song and "I'm Still Searching" helped earn them their second multi-platinum album.

As often happens success doesnt solve everything; philisophical differences led to the departure of Reid and Hanson who both left following the band's 1988 tour to pursue solo careers. Replaced by studio musicians UNBELIEVABLY the band still had scheduling problems and had to turn down the invite of the century...

To play at Wayne Gretzkys wedding!

With new drummer Tony Thompson on board they signed a new American deal with Manhattan Records and in the the spring of 1990 SIMPLE MISSION hit the record stores; semi-rock singles "Animal Heart" and "Rhythm Of Your Love" were well received but it was this weeks featured song that really struck a raspy chord with their fans.

The band hit the road in '91 with five singles on the board but audiences were thin; kids were taking more to the far-less sophisticated grunge sound of the early 90's and in the spring of 1992 the group packed it in to pursue outside projects.

In what was SUPPOSED to be a final tribute Capitol Records released AIR TIME - THE BEST OF THE BEST in 1993 to celebrate the short-lived, but very successful career of one of the country's most talented pop acts to come out in ages but a resurgance in interest in the group's music at the dawn of the new millinium, spurred on in part by AM Radio's airplay of a remixed "Someday", resulted in the group reforming that summer for a series of gigs across Canada that met with MORE than favorable reviews!

The band, in some form, is currently tieing up loose ends and should be returning to the studios to record a new album some time in the near future.

They Are

GLASS TIGER

and their hit song featuring the one and only Rod Stewart

AND the one I used to listen to when I was leaving B.C. (where I lived for two years) to return to....

MY HOMETOWN