Years active 1986-1994 | Origin Vancouver, Canada (1987) | |
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Associated acts Black Eye Buddha, 2preciious, Jakalope, Rat Silo Past members James Newton
Don Harrison
Don Short
Don Binns Albums Gump, Tex, Sons of Freedom Genres Alternative rock, Funk rock Record labels Chrysalis Records, MCA Records, Slash Records Nominations Juno Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year Similar 2preciious, John Albani, Lee Aaron, Art Bergmann, Jakalope | ||
Sons of Freedom were a Canadian alternative rock band of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band, consisting of vocalist James Newton, guitarist Don Harrison, bassist Don Binns and drummer Don Short, formed in 1986 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
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Although sharing the same name as the Sons of Freedom, a controversial Doukhobor activist group, the band chose their name before learning of the existence of the Doukhobor group and briefly deliberated changing it. Because three of the four band members had the first name Don, the band was also sometimes jokingly nicknamed "Dons of Freedom".
Career
Their self-titled debut album was released in 1988 on Slash Records, and was supported by a cross-Canada concert tour. The album was marked by a hybrid rock-funk style which was described by critics as a cross between Led Zeppelin and Gang of Four. They won the CASBY Award for Most Promising Group in 1989, and were shortlisted for the Juno Award for Most Promising Group at the Juno Awards of 1990.
The band's second album Gump was released in 1991 on MCA Records in Canada and Chrysalis Records in the United States. The album debuted at #1 on Chart, Canada's campus radio charts, and spawned "You're No Good", the band's only single to chart in the RPM Hot 100.
After being dropped from their record labels, the band broke up in 1993. Harrison, Binns and Short initially joined with singer Jen Wilson under the new band name Black Eye Buddha, although Sons of Freedom briefly reunited in 1995 to tour in support of a rarities compilation, Tex.
Later work
Binns, Short and Harrison subsequently joined with Lee Aaron in the band 2preciious, and with Dave "Rave" Ogilvie in the project Jakalope.
In 2008, Newton launched a new project called Rat Silo. The band consisted of Don Binns (bass), Finn Manniche (guitar), Dave Osborne (keyboards) and Sean Stubbs (drums).
On October 4, 2014 the four original members performed a reunion show to a sold out crowd at Vancouver's Imperial Lounge.
Sons of Freedom (1988)
Track listing:
Gump (1991)
Track listing:
Tex (1995)
Track listing:
Songs
The CriminalSons of Freedom · 1988
Super Cool WagonSons of Freedom · 1988
Dead Dog on the HighwaySons of Freedom · 1988