The Lowest of the Low

The Lowest of the Lowis aCanadianalternative rockgroup formed in 1991 fromToronto,Ontario,Canada.They were one of the most influential bands on the Canadian alternative music scene in the early 1990s, garnering widespread critical acclaim and radio play. Their most successful album,Shakespeare My Butt,was later named one of the ten greatest albums in Canadian music history in three successive reader polls by the music magazineChart,as well as being ranked as the 84th greatest Canadian album of all time inBob Mersereau's bookThe Top 100 Canadian Albums.

The Lowest of the Low
The Lowest of the Low performing in 2018.
Background information
Origin	Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Genres	Alternative rock,Jangle pop
Years active	1991(1991)–1994, 2000–2007, 2010–present
Labels	1991-1994A&M 2002-2004MapleMusic Recordings 2017-2018Pheromone Recordings 2019-2021Warner Music Canada 2022Sonic Envy
Members	Ron Hawkins David Alexander Lawrence Nichols Greg Smith Michael McKenzie
Past members	Stephen Stanley John Arnott Dylan Parker Brian MacMillan
Website	lowestofthelow.com

History

The band was formed byRon Hawkins,Stephen Stanley and David Alexander, all members of the band Popular Front, as a side project at a time when their other band was going through internal tensions that eventually led to its breakup.While performing as a trio in folk clubs, they met John Arnott, who became the band's fourth member.The band's punk-inspiredjangle popquickly became a popular draw on theQueen Street Westclub circuit inToronto.They submitted the songs "Gamble" and "Motel 30", produced byBob Wiseman,to the $100,000CFNYDiscovery to Disc contest in 1991.

In 1991, they released their debut album,Shakespeare My Butt,onPage Publications.The album featured songs they had already performed and toured for several years as Popular Front. Hawkins's songs were filled with lyrics aboutMarxismand theSpanish Civil War,but also contained many references to Toronto landmarks like theDon River,Bathurst Street,and his local pub, "The Only" onDanforth Avenue.The album became one of the best-selling independent releases in Canadian history, selling just short ofgoldstatus,and was later named one of the ten greatest albums in Canadian music history by the music magazineChart.

However, the band also resisted some of the compromises and demands of the music industry; most notably, they played an early industry A&R show wearing T-shirts that read "Don't suck corporate cock" and "Corporate rock still sucks".

In 1993, the band signed a distribution deal with A&M Records,and releasedHallucigeniain 1994.They toured to support the album and had begun early preparations for their follow-up album, but creative and business tensions resulted in the band breaking up later the same year.Hawkins released a solo album,The Secret of My Excess,in 1996 before formingRon Hawkins and the Rusty Nails.

Reunions

In 2000, The Lowest of the Low reunited for a five-show tour, playing to sold-out venues in TorontoandBuffalo.In January 2002, the live albumNothing Short of a Bulletwas released. The album also featured a second disc with three new studio songs, including a cover of theBad Religionsong "Kerosene".

In 2002, bassist John Arnott left the band and was replaced by Dylan Parker. In 2004, the band signed withMapleMusic Recordings.The same year, the band releasedSordid Fiction,their first new studio album since 1994. Following the tour for that record, the band went on extended hiatus again.

In November 2007 the band announced that they were breaking up for good. They played two final shows, one on December 4, 2007, at theHorseshoe Tavernin Toronto and another on December 8, 2007, at Club Infinity inWilliamsville, New York.This concert was released by fans of the band as a DVD, incorporating several camcorder recordings of the show and a soundboard audio patch. The fan released DVD was entitledInto the Black,and can be downloaded on Ron Hawkins' web site.

In December 2010, the band reunited again for a Massey Hall sold-out show plus two nights atLee's Palacein Toronto to celebrate the release of a new remastered edition ofShakespeare My ButtonPheromone Recordings.They also announced plans for a tour in 2011 to mark the 20th anniversary of the album.

On December 6, 2011, the band performed a surprise set at the 30th anniversary party for The Only, the pub that inspired the song "Just About 'The Only' Blues" on their first album.

The Lowest of the Low made plans to record their fourth album in the fall of 2013, although the departure of founding member Stephen Stanley halted these plans.

In November 2015, they released two new songs, "The Kids Are All Wrong" and "In the Blink of an Eye", with new guitarist Brian Macmillan replacing Stanley. In 2017, they releasedDo the Right Now,their first album of new material since 2004'sSordid Fiction.

In 2018, the band released a career-spanning vinyl LP box set calledShakespeare...My Box.It re-released their 4 studio albums, as well as including a new collection of B-sides, live tracks, and remixes, calledThrifty, Thrifty, Thrifty.

Their most recent studio album,Agitpop,was released in 2019.In 2021 they followed up withTaverns and Palaces,a live album collecting recorded performances from Lee's Palace and the Horseshoe Tavern.

In 2023 they releasedWelcome to the Plunderdome,which was their first album in their entire career to be collectively self-produced by the band.

Influence

The Lowest of the Low have been cited as a major influence byThe Weakerthans,whose leaderJohn K. Samsonwas previously a member ofPropagandhiwhen the latter covered TLotL's song "Gamble". The Lowest of the Low have actually repaid the favour to The Weakerthans by singing about attending one of their concerts in the song "A Casual Overdose". Covers of Lowest of the Low songs by other artists include "Rosy and Grey" byWeddings Parties Anythingand "Bleed a Little While Tonight" byJeremy Fisher.

Members

• Ron Hawkins(vocals, guitar)
• Lawrence Nichols (keyboards, harmonica, vocals)
• David Alexander (drums)
• Greg Smith(bass)
• Michael McKenzie (guitar)

Past members

• John Arnott (bass)
• Stephen Stanley (guitar, vocals)
• Dylan Parker (bass)
• Brian MacMillan (guitar)

Discography

Albums

• Shakespeare My Butt(1991)
• Hallucigenia(1994)
• Nothing Short of a Bullet(2002)
• Sordid Fiction(2004)
• Do the Right Now(2017)
• Agitpop(2019)
• Taverns and Palaces(2021)
• Welcome to the Plunderdome(2023)

Collections

• Shakespeare My Box (Box Set) (2018)

Singles

• "Eternal Fatalist" (1993)
• "Salesmen, Cheats and Liars" (1993)
• "City Full of Cowards" b/w "Crying Like a Postcard", "Bit" (1993)
• "Gamble" b/w "Night of the Living Assholes" (1994)
• "Motel 30" b/w "The Unbearable Lightness of Jean", "Motel 30 (Live)" (1994)
• "(These are) The Lives and Times" (2001)
• "Kinda the Lonely One" [live] (2001)
• "New Westminster Taxi Squad" (2002)
• "The Kids Are All Wrong" b/w "In The Blink of An Eye" (2015)
• "Powerlines" (digital only) (2017)

See also

• Music of Canada
• Canadian rock
• List of Canadian musicians
• List of bands from Canada
• Category:Canadian musical groups

External links

• The Lowest of the Low