Inferno 5 Plus 1 - I Can Take It b/w Fays Gig

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	I Can Take It	03:40

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Fays Gig	02:41

Photos

Videos

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Information/Write-up

Inferno 5 Plus 1 – Sudbury’s Garage Rock Torchbearers
Inferno 5 Plus 1 emerged from the vibrant music scene of Sudbury, Ontario in the mid-1960s, cutting their teeth as the house band at The Inferno Club, tucked behind Durham Street. Originally known simply as Inferno 5, the band added the “Plus 1” when guitarist Randy LaRocque joined the lineup, which also included Lance Whitman (lead guitar), John Bell (vocals), Wayne Wallace (bass), Les Maki (drums), and Dave Powers (keyboards/vocals).

In 1967, the band recorded the garage rock scorcher “I Can Take It” at CHNO Radio during off-hours, produced by local DJ and Arc Sound A&R rep John Loweth. Powered by insistent drumming, repetitive guitar riffs, and raw vocal energy, the track was released on the Villa label, backed with the instrumental “Fay’s Gig.” The single’s dry, no-frills production only magnified its garage punk urgency.

Both songs were featured in the now-lost B-movie “Attack of the Brain Demon”, a 16mm black-and-white cult film made by 19-year-old Sudbury high schooler Larry Zazelenchuck. The film sold out its local premiere and added mystique to the band’s rising status. “I Can Take It” received heavy airplay throughout Northern Ontario and sold over 4,000 copies, a remarkable feat in the region.

After the single's success, Inferno 5 Plus 1 evolved into The East African Fair, shifting toward a lighter pop-rock sound. Their 1968 follow-up, “Lovin’ Every Little Thing You Do,” hit #21 on the CHNO charts, and the band relocated to Toronto’s Yorkville scene. They caught the attention of CTV’s After Four, who planned to feature them as the house band — but internal tensions and financial struggles saw the group dissolve before fame could materialize. Guitarist Randy LaRocque later found success in Atlanta, while John Loweth founded Mayfair Music, drawing on lessons from his time with the band.

Inferno 5 Plus 1’s “I Can Take It” remains a high-water mark of Canadian garage rock — an unfiltered blast of 60s teen rebellion, sought after by collectors and celebrated by connoisseurs of raw, authentic psych-garage energy.
-Robert Williston

Mike Duhaime: vocals
Lance Whitman: lead guitar
Dwight Snell: rhythm guitar
Lloyd Duhaime: bass
Wayne Carriere: drums

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