Cats Can Fly - ST

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Flippin' to the 'A' Side	03:41
	2	Lies Are Gonna Get Ya	03:51
	3	Cold Hands Warm Heart	04:54
	4	Crazy Fever	03:05
	5	Lookin' for Love	03:46

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	I Draw the Line	03:03
	2	Heavy Load	03:29
	3	Love You Like That	03:17
	4	Save it for the Next One	03:46
	5	One Way or the Other	04:04

Photos

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Information/Write-up

Cats Can Fly began as a school rock band called Ethos at Elia Junior High School (now Elia Middle School) in North York, Ontario in 1971. The original members were Jim Longmuir on guitar, Alan Frizell on guitar, Frank Miller on drums and Peter Steele (later [1]Peter Alexandre) on bass. It was formed under the supervision of School Board consultant Laura Lapedus. The following year Mitch James replaced Jim Longmuir, Alan left, David Ashley replaced Peter on bass and Peter switched to keyboards.

After a US-based band with the same name released an album the group changed its name to Scamp. Frank Miller eventually left the group and was replaced by Tom Davidson. Scamp toured Canada as a bar band and had limited success including touring with Burton Cummings, winning the CFTR Talent Search and appearing on Global at Noon. Ms. Lapedus eventually became the band's co-manager along with Wayne Baguley and Warren Keach.

In 1980 Scamp recorded an album with producer Jack Richardson of Guess Who, Bob Seger and Brecker Brothers fame. Distribution could not be established, however, and the record was never released.

After a series of drummers including Geoff Geddes, Phil Knipe and Bill Hibbs, Eddie Zeeman became the band's permanent drummer in 1982. Scamp changed its name to Cats Can Fly shortly thereafter. In its final form it consisted of vocalist-bassist David Ashley, guitarist Mitchell James, keyboardist Peter[2] Alexandre and vocalist-drummer Eddie Zeeman. One of the band's great strengths was the fact that all four members were talented vocalists. This allowed them to include strong vocal harmonies in their arrangements. They were signed after winning a cross-Canada talent search sponsored by a cigarette company, Craven A. (The same talent search also led to a recording contract for Belinda Metz.)

Their self-titled album, released on CBS Records, contained the Top 40 hits "Flipping to the A Side" and "Lies Are Gonna Get Ya". Despite their success, CBS dumped the band in a major housecleaning that preceded its 1988 takeover by Sony Music Entertainment. The band subsequently broke up.

1985 Craven A, the cigarette company, sponsored Talent Quest '85 which they hoped would lead to young music entities they could underwrite tours for that would hit the 18-24 youth market with their cigarette advertising. Two acts spring from this search that eventually wound up with record deals -- Belinda Metz and Cats Can Fly.

Cats Can Fly were originally formed in 1982 as a standard Top-40 cover band. With the Craven A contest helping them offset the expense of touring they were able to get bigger profile gigs at which time A & R reps were beginning to line up at the door.

They were recruited and groomed by CBS A & R guru David Bendeth and their self-titled debut album on Epic Records in 1986 was produced by Lou Pomanti and Lenny DeRose. The album boasted two successful synth-pop hits in "Flipping To The A-side" and "Lies Are Gonna Get Ya".

However, in a huge corporate house cleaning, many acts, including Cats Can Fly were dumped by CBS Records and the band soon split up.

Eddie Zeeman would find a steady job as part of Andy Curran's Soho 69.

Cats Can Fly was a Canadian synthpop band in the 1980s. They released one album in 1986.

The band formed in 1982, and consisted of vocalist-bassist David Ashley, guitarist Mitchell James, keyboardist Peter Alexandre and vocalist-drummer Eddie Zeeman. They were signed after winning a cross-Canada talent search sponsored by a cigarette company, Craven A. (The same talent search also led to a recording contract for Belinda Metz.)

Their self-titled album, released on CBS Records, contained the Top 40 hits "Flipping to the A Side" and "Lies Are Gonna Get Ya". However, despite their success, CBS dumped the band in a major housecleaning that preceded its 1988 takeover by Sony Music Entertainment. The band subsequently broke up.

Mitchell James: guitars, vocals, saxophone
David Ashley: bass, moog bass, lead vocals
Eddie Zeeman: drums, lead vocals
Peter Alexandre: keyboards, vocals
Lou Pomanti: kayboards (additional), programming

Produced and mixed by David Bendeth (track A1); Lenny De Rose, and Lou Pomanti

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