ACTIVE/INACTIVE
CHRONOLOGICAL

DISCOGRAPHY
PRODUCTIONS
VENUES
PLACES
WRITINGS
CONTRIBUTORS/THANKS
SIGN / READ
GUESTBOOK
OLD GUESTBOOK
(1998-2000)
LINKS

LINE-UP:
Vocals (1998-1999) - Rob Turrenne
Vocals (1999-end) - Adam Patterson (Kings of Blood Distribution)
Guitar (1998-1999) - Jordan Armstrong
Guitar (1999-end) - Will Turner
Bass - Zach McLachlan
Drums - Tyler Feely

DISCOGRAPHY:
S/T CD-R (1999 - Self-Released)
V/A Riots in the Valley CD-R (1999 - Soundscape/Epilepsy Studios)
"We Want Harris Out the Door" Split Tape W/ Kato and Out of Step (1999 - K.A.T.O. Records)
? CD-R (1999 - Self-Released)

BIO
One day in the Fall of 1998, Jordan Armstrong was telling me and Neil about this new band him and some friends started. Just for fun, they pulled out a tape recorder and recorded the first couple practices. Well, Jordan gave me and Neil a copy of the tape to check out. We were floored.
This band was hard and fast and played music we had never heard in Sarnia before. It was similar to early hardcore. I remember driving around in Neil's parents' station wagon with him listening to this demo that was recorded with a mic hanging in the middle of a jam room thinking about how awesome it would be to see them perform.
I can't exactly remember the course of events, but two significant things happened: Red Lion recorded a CD and played their first show. Like I said, I can't remember what happened first, but I will tell about the first show right now.
My band Kato was scheduled to play a show at the Portugese Canadian Club set up by Pud. They booked us, themselves and SRB I think as well as a band called Chewy. It seemed to me that they were attempting to focus on bigger local bands. Well, it was my opinion that Chewy's popularity should not have entitled them a space in a punk rock show (Chewy was a Pearl Jam style alternative band). Well, it ended up that Chewy backed out at the last minute. Immediately, I thought of the possibility of asking this new band to fill the spot.
I consulted the Pud guy and he expressed hesitation. He was attempting to get a band from out of town to fill the spot. But luckily, this fell through as well. I insisted that Red Lion play and I eventually got them in.
The show was all and more than we expected. The band, consisting at this point of Jordan Armstrong (guitar), Zack McLaughlin (bass), Rob Turrenne (throat) and Tyler Feely (drums), blew the crowd away with their old school hc sounding originals and their covers of such songs as Louie Louie (a la Black Flag) which kicked off their set, and Egg Raid on Mojo by Beastie Boys.
They ruled, and unfortunately, my band had to go on after them!
Next, as far as I can remember, they went to Acoustic Image Studio (Dan Caraher) and recorded their original songs. The cd says it was recorded in Feb 1999, but this is confusing to me because I know I had a copy of it before Kato recorded our CD-r. Anyway...
The next show they played, if I'm not mistaken was the Roots of Rock (AKA Ripping Off Rebellion) battle of the bands show in March 1999. This show saw a slight change in the style of Rob's vocals to a more growly new hc sound while the music remained the same, although possibly a little faster. They rocked this show crazy style.
Between then and Summer, more changes took place in personel. Jordan Armstrong left the band and was replaced by Will Turner. They recorded two songs for the Riots in the Valley compilation and began recording another CD I did not have the chance to hear (if you have a copy, I wouldn't mind getting a burn of it from you). This CD had a more new hc sound to it.
By the late July 1999, Red Lion's sound had almost completely changed. They also had guest vocalist Adam Patterson for a couple originals plus a Hatebreed cover I believe.
I don't remember many details from the Fall of that year, but Red Lion put on shows themselves throughout the winter of 1999 and spring of 2000. By this time Adam Patterson had taken over vocal responsibilities and the only original members were Zack and Tyler. Their sound had developed into some pretty solid metallic/new hardcore type stuff.

- Stu