Album Notes

Who would think that four guys from the Maritimes would hook up in Toronto and be on their way to breaking new musical ground in 2002!!

Well that in a nutshell is the story behind SMEER.

As childhood friends guitarist Deny Boucher and bass player Bryan Cote could not have foreseen that over 20 years later they would still be the best of friends and lucky enough to play in the same band, sharing their passion for music. Add to the mix singer Ryan Leclair, a teenage friend of Bryan's when they attended John Caldwell High School in Grand Falls New Brunswick and you've got the start of their beginning.

What makes their story even more interesting is that although they came from the same small town and spent most of their lives together growing up, none of these three played in bands with each other during their adolescent years.

The idea of hooking up musically didn't hit until bassist Bryan Cote decided to move to Toronto in 1991 and he got back in touch with Ryan, who had flown the coop 3 years prior to hang out in Hogtown. They played throughout the early 90's in a few bands - including a Metallica tribute called "Blackened" - but as time passed, things got quiet musically as both decided to pursue other things life had to offer (yes, there are other things!).

In 1997 guitarist Deny Boucher, decides its his time to 'hit the big city' and he too heads for Toronto after getting in touch with Bryan to help him get set up. As if by fate, shortly after Deny's arrival, the music bug bites again and they find themselves joining a band that needs a guitar and bass player, that band was SMEER. Before long, SMEER is looking for a new lead vocalist - can you see where this is going? Ryan joined SMEER in 1998 to complete the reunion of the Grand Falls trio.

So is that the end of the story? Not quite - by the summer of 2000 the only remaining original member of SMEER was the drummer. An ad in NOW Magazine caught the attention of Niall Mellors, and a couple of auditions later he became the final link in the chain that is now SMEER.

Since late summer 2000 SMEER has been steadily playing the Southern Ontario circuit and receiving warm welcomes wherever they play. They took their show on the road last summer to the boy's hometown of Grand Falls to headline the annual Potato Festival. Making them the first and only band to be invited to play the festival two years running! Since then SMEER has returned to the Southern Ontario area and continue to play local venues while concentrating on songwriting. Now a cohesive unit, the band is excited about reaching their full potential and feel 2002 is their "breakout" year!