par'iah, n. Member of a low caste; (fig.) social outcast; ~-dog, yellow vagabond dog of low breed in India. - The Concise Oxford Dictionary.
ChartAttack 20th Anniversary article: http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2007/10/1701.cfm
THE PARIAHS TURN 20!!
INDIE ROCK VETS CELEBRATE TWO DECADES OF
BLOODY LOUD MAYHEM
Twenty years ago, fueled by alcohol, testosterone and no small amount of attitude,
The Pariahs were born – and the Canadian music scene has never quite recovered.
The intervening two decades have done nothing to civilize the Pariahs. These musical miscreants have survived grunge, metal, rap-rock and emo - mostly by drowning them all out. One has lost teeth in an onstage collision, another lost fingers to a table saw and a third has twice been mistaken for a homeless person.
In spite - or because - of all this, the band has become a mainstay of Toronto's indie-rock scene. Their eccentric marriage of balls-to-the-wall punk and arena-rock histrionics makes them a favourite in the city's most elite grungy dives. Their shows are always tight, packed, loud and beer-soaked.
Over the twenty years, The Pariahs have also managed to make a ton of friends and fans beyond the confines of their beloved Toronto haunts. They willingly subjected themselves to two bruising yet successful UK tours, occupy central status on the European-based imprint Fading Ways, and have enjoyed tons of supporting slots for the likes of The Ramones, The Tragically Hip, The Deftones, Therapy?, Teenage Head, The Forgotten Rebels, The Sinisters, The Headstones and, well, probably every single other Canadian rock and shock act ever to rumble across this fair land.
Over the course of their career, the Pariahs have been at the centre of, and outlived, countless Toronto club scenes. They can probably spin almost as many in-the-trenches yarns as William New (hello Elvis Mondays) and the notorious Dan Burke.
The Pariahs will celebrate their 20th anniversary in Toronto with two back-to-back shows at the legendary Bovine Sex Club – their current home away from home. You can catch them on October 18th or 19th. Better yet, catch them on October 18th AND 19th. Local support, so far, includes the likes of Troy Sinister, Romeo Liquor Store, Snowblower, and Days Left. True, blue rock and roll DJ’ing before, between and after the live rock and roll spectacle will be supplied by Rue Morgue Radio mainstay Tomb Dragomir on Thursday night, and none other than Sloan’s Patrick Pentland on Friday.
Bars will be surfed, fans will be soaked, ears will be rung and fingers will be bloodied – another typical night for one of Canada's most atypical (and long lived) rock and roll confabs. Come out, come out wherever you are!
Twenty years – that's gotta count for something in this ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ world.
You bet your sweet ass it does.
Contact info & praise:
'Grizzled vets of the Toronto bar circuit, The Pariahs are a gang of filthy, Ramones-lovin' malcontents who never met three chords they didn't like…they're at their finest when they're at their roughest.' Chart Magazine
'Their soul-tinged, boot-boy punk rock sound is all about energy, passion and huge hooks; the ramshackle fury of The Saints welded brutishly to the feral bite of The Bronx. They also have a song called 'Joan Jett' which is about as cool as it gets.' Kerrang
'The songs do all the talking, in a language derived from The Wildhearts, Ramones and Teenage Head.' Rock Sound
'There's an old SCTV commercial spoof about a roadhouse diner called Beef and Booze, where a nerdy Dave Thomas gets his ass kicked and called a faggot for ordering a salad. Were the place real, The Pariahs would have a weekly residency.' Eye Weekly
'A beer-spilling rock 'n' roll experience not for the faint of heart.' Now Magazine
Listen and Learn:
For more information, and to hear some classic Pariahs numbers, go to www.myspace.com/thepariahs or www.thepariahs.com .
Shoot The Proverbial:
Media inquires and interview requests can be directed to Tina Siegel at [email protected]. You can also contact Pariah Mike directly at [email protected] or [email protected] .
