Sons of Freedom

Websites:  http://www.sonsoffreedom.ca/
Origin: Vancouver, British Columbia, 🇨🇦
Biography:

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 1987 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The band took their name from the Sons of Freedom, a controversial Doukhobor activist group first in Saskatchewan and later in British Columbia in the first half of the 20th century. Their self-titled 1988 debut album was emblazoned with a prominent slogan from Canadian social justice activist Nellie McClung, Never retract, never retreat, never apologise...get the thing done and let them howl. The band's 1991 album Gump debuted on the Canadian campus radio charts (see Chart) at #1, ahead of Nirvana's Nevermind, which debuted the same week at #2. The band broke up in 1993, although they briefly reunited in 1995 to tour in support of a rarities compilation, Tex. Binns, Short and Harrison subsequently joined with Lee Aaron in the band 2preciious. In 2008, Jim Newton took a new project called Rat Silo. The band currently includes Don Binns (bass), Finn Manniche (guitar), Dave Osborne (keyboards) and Sean Stubbs (drums).

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 Top Singles chart.

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 2007, Newton launched a new project called Rat Silo. The band consisted of Don Binns (bass), Finn Manniche (guitar), Dave "Oz" 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.