|
|
The group took their heavy approach to music into the studios and cut the independantly released ROUND ONE in the spring of '79. Raucous and raunchy, the band's sound was dominated by raw guitars with little studio-tampering. Produced by the Cheniers' brother Normand and done on the proverbial shoestring budget, the record failed to to gain the attention of radio execs. Held together by a tight drums/bass marriage, Eagan's keyboards rounded out what had become known live as one of Canada's most promising talents just the same. But with only a total of seven tracks, nothing from ROUND ONE was short enough to even be considered suitable for radio-play. Still, numbers like the lead-off "Too Late", The erie "Madness" and "Who Did You Love" showed the band's penchant for writing hard-driving, simple yet complex songs. Still, the album went unnoticed by the critics. Fist returned to the road and toured practically every corner of the eastern half of the continent for the next year. The band was signed to a deal with A & M in the summer of 1980 and quickly returned to the studios. They emerged from Toronto's Amber Studios that fall and released HOT SPIKES. The band hired George Semkiw to produce the album, and a refined, yet still heavy sound that grabbed you by the balls was the result. The only difference between HOT SPIKES and its predecessor was the new album caressed them gently as well. Backed by songs like the anthemic "Rock n Roll Suicide" and lead-off track "Money", a song about the hussle and bussle of society's drive for materialism, HOT SPIKES showed a maturity, harnessed by Semkiw's experience working with such acts as Streetheart, Queen City Kids, Rough Trade and Harlequin. Other noteable cuts included "Lord I Miss You" and "Teenage Love Affair". Chenier & Nystrom's shared vocal duties gave the sound some dimension, and was a critical fave. Semkiw's work was recognized with two Juno nominations that year for production work. The tours continued, with FIST seeing practically every province and state over the next year. However personnel problems caused the departure of Eagan shortly after tour's end, while the younger Chenier called it quits to pursue other interests. The band regrouped, and with new keyboardist Ivan Tessier and drummer Bob Patterson, released FLEET STREET in '81. The band's problems with A&M began here, when the album was released as THUNDER IN ROCK in the US and in the UK, with a different cover. And because there was already a new band from rural England making waves named Fist, Chenier and company were re-named Myofist. All this would cause no end of confusion in later years, and endless red tape when it came to re-releases.
Recorded in Toronto's Master's Workshop with a new studio team consisting of Steve Vaughn and Paul Massey the group hit paydirt with not one ... but two FM staples that summer. "Double Or Nothing" again showcased Chenier's talent for writing slick, driving guitar riffs, while "Thunder In Rock" was easily the year's best tune on the 'waves. With the clever addition of a sax solo, "Thunder" is probably most synonymous with Fist's music, if any song is at all. However, other killer cuts included "It's Late," "Open The Gates", the title track (complete with On ?????, John Chenier passed away from a brain-related illness which hemhorraged. Around this time, Ron Chenier was approached with a project that would've redefined the term 'duet', coupling his vocal prowess with that of another Canadian upstart, The Headpins' Darby Mills. "A&M asked if I would be interested in doing a couple of songs with Darby, because at that time A&M said that we were Canada’s Heaviest male and female rock voices and was interested enough for A&M to explore that avenue," Chenier remembered. "But I don’t know if they ever asked Darby or Darby’s manager at that time or not. Would've been interesting, tho." Featuring newcomer Dave MacDonald on vocals and guitars/keyboards, IN THE RED hit the shelves in February of '83. Produced by world renowned studio-guru Nick Blagona (Deep Purple, Rush) The single, “If I’m Not Loved”, along with the roaring lead-off "When I'm Bad I'm Better," "It Ain't Good" and "Street Fighting Heroes" all pushed the band on another series of major tours with Molly Hatchet again and ZZ Top. But unhappy with the label's 'big wigs', Fist left A&M the next year. Chenier took time off From Fist for his side project TKO, but by '85 resurfaced with Fist for DANGER ZONE on Cobra Records. With Chenier producing and engineered by Peter Burns, the title track, “Muscle Gun” and “Voices” were all released as singles, prompting another North American tour, this time reuniting with Motorhead, and Johnny Winter. An independant label which specialized in the metal genre, Cobra's signing Fist seemed a marriage made in heaven, but outside interests saw Chenier leave the group again a year later.
The band got back together in '91 for a series of dates on the Ontario '95 saw MaGaDa release LOUD LOUD LOUD, containing various studio-cuts from the band's illustrious career, including tracks featuring the late John Chenier, whose pounding backbeats were heard for the first time in over a decade. "The Loud album had some new songs and rehashed older songs I thought should be given a second chance," Chenier said. "Sometimes you get talked out of recording a song, for whatever reason. Years later, you come across old tapes in the basement, and you decide to give them some fresh air." Chenier spent the better part of the decade playing the occasional show with Fist, and dabbling in outside projects, including producing some Canadian country talents. Fist resurfaced in the spring of 2006 with BOLTED DOOR. Along with Laurie Curry on keyboards, drummer Kevin Radomsky and Nor Reinche on bass, the album brought back flashbacks of when rock and roll stood on its own merits. With Chenier behind the controls, the album was heavy with their trademark frantic fretwork and searing keyboard solos. Notable tracks included the anthemic lead-off "Pressure," "Time Is Running Out," "Right In It," and "Out Here On The Desert," a recounting of a friend's experiences in Kuwait during the Gulf War.
BOLTED DOOR CD Review: by Dan Brisebois
Ron Chenier formed Fist in the late 70's, and tore up the charts in the 80's with a pounding backbeat that served as catalyst for anthems like "Hot Spikes," "Double or Nothing," and "Thunder In Rock." They've toured with Molly Hatchet, Heart, Rush, Triumph and Motorhead, and are back with the independent BOLTED DOOR. This is nothing short of 12 gems where the first thing you think is that Chenier hasn't missed a step. With the lead-off "Pressure," the drum intro instantly brings back flashes of anthemic all-out head bangers, followed by simply one of the best rockers in EONS, "Right In It," then the driving force of "It Ain't Easy." The whole album is carefully riddled with Fist's trademark guitar solos traded off with heavy keyboard rhythms. "Out Here On The Desert" is easily the most personal of the tracks, penned by a friend of Chenier who served in the Gulf War, and the hazards war inevitably brings. Filled out with a heavy backbeat and slick production, "Nothing To Say," "Behind The Bolted Door," "Calm Before The Storm" and "Down The Drain," the album is testament that Fist was one of the heaviest, and haven't lost a step. |