BIO

Boys Brigade came and went in 1982 with one critically acclaimed album on Capitol EMI Records and a well publicized relationship with Rush's Geddy Lee, who produced them. What made Boys Brigade stand out was their strong use of percussionists in a standard rock/new wave format. The band's only hit single in Canada, "The Passion of Love," came from the band's first and only disc.

Vocalist and keyboardist Malcolm Burn was the brainchild and leader of the band, but the real genius was the dual percussion work of David Porter and Jeff Packer and the drumming of Billie Brock. Credit should also be given to Tony Lester, who is an exceptional guitarist.

The reason Boys Brigade never flourished is because they never decided what kind of band they wanted to be. It was the early '80s and the dawn of MTV, so there was a bent to do programmed synth fills and drums, and Boy Brigade often mixed tech-driven new wave with more traditional rock stylings, though the blend didn't always work.

Of the members of Boys Brigade, Burn had the most post-band success. He went on to produce a diverse body of artists including Iggy Pop, Emmylou Harris, Midnight Oil, and Blue Rodeo.