The Grapes of Wrath
Fans of Canadian music from the late 1980s/early 1990s are likely familiar with The Grapes Of Wrath, whose 60s inspired harmonies were a staple on Canadian radio, Much Music and Musique Plus. Songs such as “Peace Of Mind”, “What Was Going Through My Head”, “You May Be Right”, Backward Town”, “I Am Here”, and “All The Things I Wasn’t” - along with relentless touring - helped the band earn a gold and 2 platinum album certifications. Formed in 1978 when Kevin and Tom - along with Tom’s brother Chris on drums - began playing together in the Hooper’s basement when Kevin and Chris were 13 and Tom was just 10. Between 1984 and 1992 the band released and EP and 4 albums, moving from first label Nettwerk Productions to an international deal with Capital/EMI.
The band disbanded in 1992, but Tom and Kevin revived the Grapes in the late 90s for the album “Field Trip” (2000) and welcomed Chris back to the fold in 2010, performing and occasionally recording ever since.
While the band still work together, Kevin and Tom have started performing as an acoustic duo, featuring reworked versions of the band’s hits, album deep cuts, and even a few new numbers to enthusiastic audiences eager to hear their old favourites and the stories behind the songs.
Kevin Kane first met Tom Hooper in 1977 (when they were aged 13 and 11) after Kevin and Tom’s older brother Chris bonded over a mutual love of The Beatles when the two had entered junior high school in Kelowna, BC. Kane started hanging out with the Hoopers in their basement for regular Friday night jam sessions, where they essentially learned to play their respective instruments together.
By 1983 - influenced in equal parts by the British Invasion of the 60s and the DIY attitudes and immediacy of punk and new wave - the trio took the name The Grapes Of Wrath and began working on the songs that would make up their debut EP (1984) and first album (“September Bowl Of Green”) in 1985, released by the fledgling Vancouver indie Nettwerk Productions. The band were soon signed by Capitol/EMI for the albums “Treehouse” (1987, with the breakout singles Peace Of Mind and Backward Town), “Now And Again” (1989, building on their successes with All The Things I Wasn’t and What Was Going Through My Head), and “These Days” (1991, featuring the hits I Am Here and You May Be Right). Thanks in no small part to the support of MuchMusic, The Grapes enjoyed gold and platinum sales and sold out shows at home in Canada, extensive radio play, and toured Europe twice in support of albums that also saw release in Japan, Australia, and South America. Then - with international success looming and for reasons no one is entirely clear on - the band disbanded in 1992.
Tom and Kevin resurrected the Grapes in the late 90s, releasing the album “Field Trip” (2000) on the Song Corp label, who folded immediately after it’s release. They came together again in the summer of 2009 for a series of acoustic duo shows around BC, celebrating their enduring friendship and the music they had created together. The following year, an offer from a festival for a full band reunion led to the return of drummer Chris, and the original three recorded “High Road” (2013 - named after the street the Hoopers lived on when they first started playing together as kids), their first album of new material in almost 22 years. They have been gigging regularly ever since and are arguably the longest-running and still-active “original lineup” in rock.
Now - and as they had done briefly in 2009 - Tom and Kevin will once again hit the road as a duo to perform The Grapes’ music in an intimate and unplugged setting - telling the stories behind the songs and putting the focus on the harmonies and melodies of their timeless music.
- 2018 - Inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame
- 1992 - CASBY award for Best Song, "I Am Here"
- 1992 - CASBY award for Favourite Album, "These Days"
- 1991 - Platinum record, "These Days"
- 1989 - Platinum record, "Now and Again"
- 1987 - Gold record, "Treehouse"
- Quebec and Maritimes Bonsound