Run Perry Run
The line up for this band is as follows Paul Harris (vocals)
The following account was written by Jonah Doran:
I think I may have been the person that introduced Paul Harris (lead singer/guitarist) to Buffalo Tom. And there was an American indy band out at about the same time called Run Westy Run (they were on the Twintone label out of Minneapolis, so I can guarantee that Harris had heard of them too).
Anyway, I can't give you the best account of this band's lineage, but I'll tell what I know (or can remember, or make up). In the mid-80's Brantford went through a Mod explosion. Any given day there could be 20 or more scooters lined up in any high school parking lot. I was a Punk so I wasn't privy to much of the Mod scene, but from what I can remember Empty Hours sprang out of that scene around 1985, with Paul Harris as their lead singer/guitarist. They became a pretty popular live band throughout Southern Ontario. They released a demo tape at some point that was produced by Mike White, who at the time was the drummer for the Chessman (another mod band ased in Hamilton). And they made it onto a couple of What Wave compilation albums. I played soccer with Paul this summer, I should grill him for more details of that ime. Regardless, the band stayed together for quite some time (they all went to McMaster together), but they never released an album (to my knowledge).At some point Empty Hours went bust. But if I'm not mistaken Run Perry Run was almost a continuation of the same enterprise.
Paul was moping around Brantford quite unhappy with his job prospects as a recent university graduate. So, I think to keep from going crazy Run Perry Run started playing gigs. I vaguely remember their demo tape. In fact I may have a copy (somewhere).They were a pretty fun live band. Every time I saw them play they had a good crowd. One gig in particular stands out. They were playing at the Tartan Gate and the opening band cancelled. The house was packed and getting restless, So Paul went on stage with an acoustic guitar and played a set of cover songs. I was getting pretty drunk and I remember saying something like "What's this, are you going to play some Billy Bragg or something?" So, as a 'fuck you' he finished the set with "Greetings to the New Brunette", saying, "This one's for Jonah." I was living in Hamilton or Toronto when they "broke up" or whatever. Since then Paul has been playing accoustic sets with Reuban Costa under the guise of Paul Reuban's Big Adventure and with yet another kinda pop-punk band, Wisconsin. Wisconsin came in second in some big battle of the bands thing last year (2002) (Q107 maybe) that gave them enough prize money and what-not to produce an album. You can probably pick it up at Sunrise. I think that Wisconsin is another continuation of the Empty Hours legacy. - Jonah Doran - November 21 2003
Run Perry Run had a track on the Brantford Vibe CD called "Barbie Doll"
They released a CD in 1995 called Hollowtree. The band members were Paul Harris (vocals, guitar), Chris Saldarelli (bass), Paul Chamberlain (guitar, vocals), and Len Hunt (drums)
Not everyone liked them as this article shows...
Humpin' In The Back Room 'Zine
Issue #5, December 1995
Run Perry Run - The Tartan Gate, Brantford
By Leon F. Wilson
Q: What's the difference between the drummer for Run Perry Run and a drum machine?
A: You only tell the drum machine once.
Q: What's the difference between Run Perry Run and Buffalo Tom?
A: Absolutely fuck all!
Entertainment Brantford?, Issue #2, March 1996
In Other News...
by Dan Walker
...I'm very interested... bands: we'd like to do reviews on your concerts and recordings, but we're poor. Send us some fee stuff?.. I want the new Run Perry Run album...
This is a poster from their Soundzone show June 28th 1996 with Y-Us, Tangled & Weaved and Pilate
Entertainment Brantford?, Issue #5, August 1996
Soundzone Throws Unbeatable Parties
by Dan Walker
...A winter outdoor show would likely be impossible, so the organization took their act indoors, having a dance party that just didn't do that well. They gave up on that idea and went for another show this year, as advertised in the last issue of "EB?" June 28th at the Harlequin Club in Brantford featured performances by the Pocket Faith Healers, Y-Us, Run Perry Run, Pilate and Tangled and Weaved. 750 people showed up and the party was excellent. Current plans were to hold a Soundzone on August 24th, but the show had to be cancelled at the last minute...
In Other News...
By Dan Walker
Run Perry Run has been doing very well for themselves recently, to say the least .The band has placed in the top 10 of talent searches by CFNY and Q107, and will appear on the Q compilation CD...
If anyone knows more about this band contact site administration.
last updated October 24th 2004