Start

Websites:  No
Origin: Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:

The Start first got together in 1979 in Toronto. Drummer Andrew St. George and keyboard player Richard Rudolph got together with bass player Tony Blaise and guitarist Mark Valdez. Simon Slinger became the lead vocalist and harmonica player after he answered an ad in the Toronto Star newspaper. The Start rehearsed and recorded demos of original material in the basement of St. George's Toronto house. Later that year, the band began playing live shows around Toronto at such clubs as Lee's Palace, The Horseshoe, The Edge and Larry's Hideaway. After seeing one of their shows, Kim Kelly signed The Start to a management deal. Kelly also worked with other artists such as Goddo and Long John Baldry.

In 1980 Capitol Records decided to put The Start in the recording studio. Their album, entitled 'Hey You', was recorded at Grant Avenue Studios in Hamilton during the summer of 1980. The recordings were produced by Stacy Heydon and engineered by Daniel Lanois. The album, and the first single which was the title track "Hey You", were released by Capitol Records in 1980. In the summer of 1980 the band played at the Toronto outdoor festival called Heatwave. Also on the bill were The Pretenders, The Talking Heads, The B52s, Teenage Head, The Kings and Elvis Costello. Later in 1980 The Start opened for Gary Numan at the Forum in Montreal.

Despite airplay on CFNY in Toronto and video play with the title track "Hey You" on the short-lived 'All Night Show' on CFMT-TV, sales of the 'Hey You' album in Canada were poor. So in 1981 Tony Blaise and Simon Slinger reformed the band as a four-piece outfit with new members Reggie Steeler on guitar and Tracy Striker on drums. The new version of The Start recorded demos and played shows in Toronto from 1981 to 1984. They played shows at the El Mocambo and Upper Lip nightclub during this period. In 1984 the band folded and the members pursued other musical interests.
-Gary "Pig" Gold and Simon Slinger

Simon Slinger: lead vocals, harmonica
Mark Valdez (Mark Bajona - Mantis): lead guitar, vocals
Richard Rudolph: keyboards
Andrew St. George: drums
Reggie Steeler: guitar
Tracy Striker: drums