Launched a mere twenty-five years ago on March 24, 1979, Ready Records was much like the artists of the time itself, as it offered listeners something groundbreaking and alternative. Sadly, as the Eighties wore on and the New Wave era came to a close, so did Ready Records.
In its six-year life span, Ready not only earned gold records in Canada, but managed to have several of its artists licensed in over eighteen countries around the world. Ready's diverse roster helped expose such emerging artists as The Spoons, Blue Peter, The Extras, The Demics, Steve Blimkie and The Reason, Manteca, Boyo, Fergus Hambleton, Santers, Michael Zee and Colin Linden; the label also became a needed home for acts such as The Guess Who, Teenage Head, and The Battered Wives.
The Best Of Ready Volume 1 & 2: provides a glimpse of a time when new music labels were flourishing; a time when radio took chances; and a time when "what's next" was actually the question on everyone's mind. The early Eighties also marked the introduction of music videos to the industry's culture, and Ready Records was a pioneer of this untried and expensive medium. In its efforts to push every button, Ready's videos featured visual metaphors, classic live performances, and even an industry "first" - cell animation.
Many of the Ready Records artists were known for their great live shows. It was their notoriety that landed several of them on tour, or in opening slots for such acts as The Police, Boy George and Culture Club, The Ramones, XTC, and many more. The Ready roster was recognized as "fresh and original" by many industry pundits who had witnessed a domestic industry that had previously produced imitators, for the most part. Manteca brought forth a Cuban sound, a decade prior to Ry Cooder's "discoveries". The Extras' "Circular Impression" found its way to Dr. Demento not because of squeaky voices, but because of clever lyrics. And in the Nineties, the Chart magazine named The Demics' "New York City" as the best Canadian single of all time (even though Rush and Mr. Lightfoot had never heard of them).
The Best Of Ready compilations captures the excitement and joy of what this incomparable independent record label had to offer. For any music fan, this collection is not so much about recollection as it is about appreciation.
Best Of Ready Records Volume 1
1.
DEMICS - New York City - “This song from the “Talk’s Cheap” EP immediately received airplay on alternative radio. High energy music for the pissed off, all laced with Keith’s sarcastic wit.” Robert Brent
2.
STEVE BLIMKIE - All I Want Is You Alone - “I remember trying to emulate a bit of a reggae feel with the drums. I had no idea what a reggae feel even sounded like, I think I came up with something unique” Dave Betts
3.
BLUE PETER - Same Old Place - “This was our declaration that it was time to move from the boredom of the suburbs into the punk clubs of downtown Toronto.” Chris Wardman
4.
THE EXTRAS - Circular Impression - “We were looking through Denis Keldie’s lyric book when I spotted this ditty. He claimed it was headed for the trash. Being a fan of novelty tunes, I thought it was genius.” Paul Armstrong
5.
COLIN LINDEN with The Group du Jour - Cardiac Arrest - “I wrote Cardiac Arrest with my friend Eileen Tobin, when I was 19 years old. Eileen is a nurse and she provided the medical terminology. Colin Linden
6.
SPOONS - Conventional Beliefs - “This is the one song on “Stick Figure Neighbourhood” that hints at the shape of things to come. The guitar solo at the end is still one of my favourites.” Gord Deppe
7.
SANTERS -You Turn Me On - “One night performing at the Vancouver Coliseum the power blew. After a few crazed minutes the power was back and so was the band, pounding out “You Turn Me On” along with the cheers of the crowd.” Rick Santers
8.
MANTECA - Ba Kome - “I wrote “Ba Kome” after my West African travels in 1974. The song’s philosophy guides me in my daily life. It is also fun to sing” Henry Heillig
9.
SPOONS - Nova Heart - “This is the first song I ever wrote on the keyboard. And I'm not a keyboard player. My fingers just kind of played that little intro melody all by themselves.” Gord Deppe
10.
BLUE PETER - Radio Silence - “I remember plunking out the riff on this dinky lawn-sale keyboard of no-fixed brand. The knobs had fallen off and any markings had been worn away. Any note could be its last. It was so bad that it was good” Paul Humprey
11.
THE EXTRAS - Turning It Out - “Leon and I ventured to a club in Yorkville that had phones at the tables. Long before the text message days we thought this could be a great way to meet some girls. I noticed a beautiful brunette that I thought was looking right at us and we were “getting the message”. Garnett Ford
12.
SPOONS - Arias & Symphonies - “I remember when Gord and Sandy came back from AIR Studios in London with the first mixes. I listened to “Arias & Symphonies” and really thought we had created something that sounded completely unique.” Rob Preuss
Best Of Ready Records Volume 2
1
BLUE PETER - Chinese Graffiti - “This song features Boys Brigade keyboardist, and soon to be producer, Malcolm Burn. It won a CASBY for Best Single and Paul won for Best Male Performer.” Chris Wardman
2
THE EXTRAS - I Never Told You, I Told You So - "A man and woman I knew become involved in a relationship, which was doomed from the start. If this was a country song I would have made up a fictitious happy ending, but in real life, it was just another train wreck.” Denis Keldie
3
STEVE BLIMKIE -You Can't Hold Me Anymore - “Shortly after producing this track for us Jack Richardson had a heart attack, probably brought on when he realized it was going to be played on “punk rock” radio stations! Jack recovered and survived (God bless him), but as for the band ........” Steve Blimkie
4
MANTECA - Stay - “Ready always asked us to record some tunes with vocals and we finally gave in. It was a pleasure! Written and arranged by the late Rick Tait and sung by Michael Thompson.” Matt Zimbel
5
BOYO - You're My World - “After 20 years listening to "You're My World" truly shows how far ahead Boyo and myself were thinking at the time. The sound is a true reggae pop sound” Carl Harvey
6
SPOONS - Old Emotions - “While waiting for Rob and Derrick to arrive for rehearsal, I played the melodic bass riff which became the missing piece in a song Gord was working on. The song was created by the time the guys got to there. Oh yeah, and the feathers from the pillow fight in the video nearly suffocated all of us!” Sandy Horne
7
BLUE PETER - Don't Walk Past - “Written on Jason's borrowed Roland Jupiter 8 and TR 808, I played bass live against the sequence onto a mono reel to reel.” Chris Wardman
8
SANTERS - Can't Shake You - “An early Ready bio on the band said, “In the spirit of rock 'n roll SANTERS delivers. Sleek, fast and loud. Hard hitting – hard rock. With “Can't Shake You” the band goes above and beyond the call of its rock and roll duty!” Rick Santers
9
FERGUS HAMBLETON - Steal This Girl - “My first attempt to write with a reggae feel. My fondest memory is of having Leroy Sibbles come in a do a little dub on the track.” Fergus Hambleton
10
THE EXTRAS - Can't Stand Still - “Denis and I were asked to compose a song for Long John Baldry. Long John turned it down so we recorded it ourselves.” Leon Stevenson
11
MICHAEL ZEE - I've Got News For You - “I actually got as many people as I could to call CKOC in Hamilton when this song was on the weekly Showdown. I eventually won enough times to get on their playlist. I'm pretty sure I was finally beaten by Rod Stewart. I mean, Rod Stewart? Absolutely!” Michael Zee
12
SPOONS - Romantic Traffic - “For a 'synth-pop' band, this song featured acoustic piano and acoustic guitar! I was inspired by Elton John’s 'Rocket Man' while recording the moving bass line in the pre-chorus.” Rob Preuss
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