***THIS PLACE IS IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CONSTRUCTION...PATIENCE IS ESSENTIAL***
NEW CD "IGNITE" OUT January 15th, 2008!!!!!
Ever wondered what happened to Canadian industrial supergroup Econoline Crush? Trust me, you are not alone!!! My name is Matt and I have made this here page to try to help fellow EC fans find out...
What the...who are EC?
Taking their name from Crush, referring to disaster, and Econoline, a Ford-built van known for its reliability (reliable disaster), Econoline Crush are a band that constantly blur the boundaries between hard rock, industrial synthesis and pop music.
Contrary to popular belief, EC claims the name of the band is merely a coincidental reference to French novelist Euxebe Auxtry's book Jeu de Fountaine (in which Econoline Crush was a drug that gives the hopeless a sense of optimism).
Econoline Crush enjoyed fanatic support in its native Canada, and toured there extensively. EC also toured the US and Europe, opening for classic rock acts Kiss and Three Doors Down to name a few. But they as yet haven't made it to Australia!!! :(
As well as their success in North America, Econoline experienced top 20 success in the German charts and had a couple of number one hits in South Africa.
AFTER 5 LONG YEARS APART, ECONOLINE CRUSH ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A NEW ALBUM AS WE SPEAK!
TREVOR IS BACK AT THE HELM AND PLAYING SHOWS ACROSS CANADA SOON. ROCK ON!!!
History
Early in 1992, Tom Ferris (formerly of Moev) put an ad in a Seattle newspaper looking for a singer who could perform over a bed of electronic music. Singer Trevor Hurst answered the ad and the beginnings of Vancouver's Econoline Crush were born. A couple of months later they were played their first dates in Vancouver. Later Ferris would leave EC to persue other projects, putting Hurst squarely in the driver's seat.
The band's recording career began with the 1993 independant release of Purge. EC earned a Juno (Canadian grammy equivalent) nomination in the category of "Best New Hard Rock" for its work on this 6 track EP and tours across Canada were sold out with strong critical acceptance.
While in the studio for Purge, EC picked up a recording contract with EMI in Canada and in 1995 released its first full length album Affliction. This was released in America by Nettwerk, a company made by founding member Ferris to facilitate his Moev releases, and produced by Rhys Fulber. Positive critical and public response saw Econoline Crush tour Canada once again to rave reviews from across the board.
Support for the band reached fever pitch after the release of the immensely popular (among its fans in Canada at least) The Devil You Know album in 1997.
With this album came limited success internationally in the states. The single Home was released to a mixed response, and enjoyed sporadic airplay on US MTV. Similarly, the single Sparkle and Shine was released to a lukewarm reception from some alternative/dance radio circles, and the third single All That You Are (x3) was remixed to target that same audience, again with mixed results.
American acceptance and awareness of EC followed in the most part a support gig with fellow industrial band Stabbing Westward. Later John Haro would join the line-up of EC.
The band benefited greatly from the work of acclaimed producer Sylvia Massey on TDYK, whose previous works included Tool, RHCP and Prince. At this time the band had re-signed to an independant label, Restless.
However, the band went MIA from the recording studio for a period of time after TDYK to accommodate time for extensive touring both in its native Canada, and worldwide. By the time the band came back, it was with a new sound.
The band's most recent release, the album Brand New History from 2001, was again met with mixed support. Some called it an evolution for the band towards public acceptance. Others were shouting "sellout".
There were many influences on the final sound of EC's album, including "guest programmers" Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith, The Cult) and Steve Duda (Trent Reznor, NIN) and writing collaborations with Chris Vrenna (former drummer from NIN) among others.
The band finally disbanded at the end of 2001 after a largely unsuccessful MuchLoud tour of the US with metal band Godsmack and hip hop artist Kardinal Offishal. Fans in the main were there to support Godsmack, and were unappreciative of the other two acts to say the least.
Another frustrating experience saw the single Make It Right from Brand New History go top ten state-side...only for the label Restless to shut down leaving EC with no funding for another independent US tour. Ian Astley (lead singer of The Cult) also developed a staunch with EC after other members of The Cult helped with the production of Make It Right, and plans for EC to tour in support of The Cult were cancelled.
This excert from an article published in September 2001 provides a pre-cursor to the break up of the band.
In light of recent events (the MuchLoud tour), Hurst thinks the move may be towards heartland-values rock. And though it might surprise fans of EC, Hurst, too, may soon follow suit.
"I think you have to stay true to what you do," says Hurst, "(But) I do have -- and I have for some time -- had an interest in doing some sort of side-project.
"My parents are getting older and there's a side of me that would like to explore something (different)...I'd like to record some songs that they could relate to and that would cross the boundaries that younger kids could relate to...
"That's something that would be important to me."
Sometime after the split of EC, Trevor met up with ex Collective Soul guitarist Ross Childress (who he had previously met in Cleveland when both EC and CS were playing a gig there). Trevor had earlier joked with his manager that Ross could play and that if he ever needed a job, to have Ross give him a call. When Ross left Collective Soul, Trevor called up to organise a songwriting session and the beginnings of Early Moses were born.
In 2004 Trevor and Ross flew to Vancouver to record at John Wozniak's (of Marcy Playground fame) Mushroom Studios. Eight songs were canned and while in Vancouver Trevor and Ross met Nik Pesut, who joined the new band on the drums.
Gaining management in the form of Julian Gruhl from Coalition (who also manages famous Canadian acts such as Simple Plan and Our Lady Peace), Hurst then set out to find a bass player. His search led him to Winnipeg, where DJ St Germain signed on to lay the bottom end.
The first Early Moses gig was played on July 21st 2004 in an Irish pub in Cambridge, Ontario.
The name of Early Moses had to be abandoned for legal reasons. The band name was simply changed to Trevor's last name HURST, despite Trevor originally being against having the band named after him.
Much like EC, the band HURST had many line-up changes over a short space of time, starting with Ross Childress no longer wanting to play but instead manage. Then bassist DJ St Germain left the band, as did replacement guitarist Derreck Gottfried.
Eventually, HURST disbanded after releasing only one EP, 2005's Wanderlust. The songs were a big departure from what many EC fans had come to expect from Trevor, but existed in their own right and the single Not Broken became moderately popular on Canadian radio.
Listen to samples of HURST songs here
In order, they are 1. Clear Blue 2. Not Broken 3. Tin Cup (all found on the EP Wanderlust) and 4. Sell Me Out (which was un-released)
In a May 2007 interview, Trevor describes how HURST came to end, and how he eventually came about reviving Econoline Crush:
"We really wanted to follow that (the band HURST) through. Songs for me, they're like little entities and I can't see them die. I wanted to see them get performed and get recorded and finised, so we did that. But we went back in to write as HURST and a couple of the guys didn't want to keep going, so I was just writing with Mark Gomulinski who played bass in HURST.
"The two of us had been working on stuff and jamming away and we had been talking with Dan (Yaremko) and sending him stuff. I'd been talking to all the guys, right to Rob Morfitt and Ziggy and Johnny Haro. And even though Rob can't play guitar anymore because he broke his wrist in a million places, and Ziggy's teaching hot yoga in LA, and Johnny's playing in this band called The Dreaming, all of us talked and there was all this nostalgia around the band and I got everybody's blessing to continue on."
NEW CD "IGNITE" OUT January 15th, 2008!!!!!
WHERE ARE THEY NOW???
David (Ziggy) Sigmund tried his hand at running a band called Sigmond. This project was however short-lived. Recently he joined Canadian band UCHU (formerly GG Dartray) and they released a self-titled album. Ziggy has now left the band UCHU along with the group's drummer and bass guitarist.
Trevor makes mention in a recent interview (see quote above) that Ziggy is busy "teaching hot yoga in LA".
Dan Yaremko is a journeyman to say the least. Before Econoline Crush he was active in the Canadian punk scene, playing for bands such as Dirt. He played for fellow Canadian band Bif Naked while with EC. He joined long-running Canadian punk band DOA, who recently went on a 25-year reunion tour. Dan returned to playing bass with Bif Naked for a short time, but he has now left her also.
Dan did play with the new EC lineup for a few shows around the new year but has not signed on to become a permanent fixture of the band.
John Haro has rejoined his fellow Stabbing Westward bandmate, lead singer Chris Hall to form the new band The Dreaming. Most recently they have made a song for the Elektra sountrack called Beautiful. Their 4-song self-titled EP can be purchased online on the official site.
Robbie Morfitt joined another Canadian band Morning Maker shortly after his departure from EC. As Morning Maker, Robbie and company released the single Are You Ready Now?
They have also now disbanded. Robbie now makes independent music videos (www.fckdfilms.com) and has recently moved down to sunny California. He is also recently married. Congratulations Robbie!
Robert Wagner has recently joined Vancouver-based band Tourist (which includes former Morning Maker members Greg Whitbeck and Mark Radloff), and they have released their debut album The Relevance of Motion.
Rhys Fulber has played and produced for many bands, most notably of Frontline Assembly and Delerium with Bill Leeb, as well as Fear Factory. After leaving FLA in 1997 he has been persuing a solo project called Conjure One.
Tom Ferris went on to produce the Canadian outfit Waiting For God and also collaborated with Michael Balch (Frontline Assembly) to create Blacklands. He also revived Moev for a short time in 2000 but I think they also have disbanded (for now). He is now fronting the new electronica project Lazarazu.
More info to come at a later stage...
Updated 19th December @ 9pm
(sorry for the lag!!!)
By Matt in Brisbane, QLD, Australia
THANKS WILL
Econoline Crush (1992-2001, 2006- ) They're BAAACK!!!
"Rock and Roll can change the world, slowly, one person at a time" - Trevor Hurst
In Support of Three Days Grace and Seether
January 11th - @ Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ottawa ON
January 14th - @ Metropolis, Montreal QC
January 17th/18th - @ Kool Haus, Toronto ON
January 19th - @ GM Centre, Oshawa ON
January 21st/22nd - @ Elements, Kitchener ON
January 24th - @ Steelback Centre, Sault Ste Marie, ON
January 27th - @ MTS Centre, Winnipeg MB
January 29th - @ Stampede Corral, Calgary AB
January 30th - @ Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton AB
February 1st/2nd - @ Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver BC
February 4th - @ CN Centre, Prince George BC
February 6th - @ Ryly's, Saskatoon, SK
February 7th - @ Enmax Centre, Lethbridge AB
February 8th - @ Brandt Centre, Regina SK
From L to R: John Haro, David (Ziggy) Sigmund, Trevor Hurst (nice jacket :P), Dan Yaremko
(From L to R) Dan Yaremko, Gregg Leask, Trevor Hurst and Robbie Morfitt