A BRIEF HISTORY

The band was called Tracer. Original line-up: Beej Owen: keyboards, bass guitar, vocals Dan Owen: drums Bruce Van Leeuwen: guitar, vocals Rich Crooks: guitar, bass guitar, vocals

All of our parents were very supportive and even helped co-sign a loan to purchase a band vehicle and equipment. Tracer made a recording of “Everything Else” and “Hard to Know”.

In June, rehearsals began and we picked up a used, grey Ford van. We picked it up on the 13th and it needs repairs by the 22nd. A peek at the future? July saw us at the first stop of our first professional tour - Invermere, BC. Even though it was a reasonably successful debut, both Rich and Beej lost their voices by mid-week. Both Beej and Rich spent much of week in the hot tub, breathing in the warm steam in a desperate bid to restore their voices.

Homesickness and doubts were settling in. Emotions in the band were running high, and the mood was dark. Some changes to the band line-up and sound-man happened. Lots of letters home and the death of the van - enter the “short bus”!

The band experienced more success in the bar, new songs and set lists were working better, band performance was improving, and confidence is rising!

Strange new bass player comes and goes, the big hair experiments begin (so much backcombing and hairspray!), and the band is re-named “Avenue Road”.

Long hours on the road. “Scraped together nickels and dimes to buy an eggroll with coffee, couldn’t charge our meals on Saturday”. Recorded “Lady Down” and “Avenue Road”.

The long weeks away have taken their toll. In a band meeting, Rich finally blurts out that he wants to quit, but will stay on until a replacement is found. “BJ will never forgive me and I guess if I was him I’d react the same. I guess I seem like I’m totally the villain, I’m deliberately ruining everyone’s life. I know what I’m doing is right for me, but I still feel like a piece of shit.” - Rich