Sebastian, Ian - Rays of the Sun

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Back in Love Again	02:35
	2	Love Time	02:02
	3	Elaine	02:24
	4	Passages	05:06
	5	Smile a Little	02:46
	6	Be What You Are	03:33

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Jubilation	02:15
	2	Through With Our Love	03:10
	3	Rays of the Sun	12:00
	4	Now That It's Over	03:18

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Information/Write-up

Back in Love Again: The Ian Sebastian Story
Ian Sebastian (born Ian Russell on March 12, 1948, in London, England) grew up in a musical household before emigrating with his family to Montréal in 1958. By age twelve he had picked up the guitar and was already forming bands with school friends. The timing could not have been better—just as he was coming of age, the British Invasion was sweeping across North America, inspiring countless teenagers to start groups of their own.

In 1965 Sebastian co-founded The Westend 22 with guitarist Joe Gray (Grajcer), guitarist Larry Caine (Cohen), and drummer Pete Russell. Sebastian handled bass and vocals, and the band quickly became a fixture on Montréal’s club circuit. Their energy caught the ear of RCA, which released the Joe Gray-penned single The Joke’s on You / You’re No Longer Mine in August 1966. It enjoyed modest regional airplay in Montréal, Ottawa, and Toronto before fading, and the group soon dissolved. RCA even tried a French-language version, issued under the shadow name Les Annonceurs, but it fared no better.

After Westend 22 ended, Sebastian soldiered on as a solo act, briefly joining local outfits like Sea-Poop and the St-Marc Street Band. In late 1968 he attracted the attention of Apex Records, thanks in part to A&R man Ron Dykhof (formerly of The Sceptres). Apex steered him toward the francophone market, issuing two singles in 1969 under the spelling “Sabastien.” J’ai Peur (Dizzy) / Ce N’Est Pas Facile D’aimer and Hélène / Un Petit Peu D’Amour both charted modestly in Quebec, giving him enough momentum for a short provincial tour.

When he returned, Sebastian pushed to record in English. Apex relented, releasing Elaine / Now That It’s Over in late 1969, produced by Peter Tessier. The single gained traction and was followed by Back in Love Again / Smile a Little in early 1970. With his star rising, Apex backed a full album. Recorded that summer and issued in September, the self-titled LP combined folk-rock introspection with psychedelic touches, echoing Donovan, Dylan, Cream, and Hendrix. It included his earlier singles alongside new originals, and although it never broke wide, it has since earned cult status among collectors, fetching high prices before being reissued decades later.

That same year, Sebastian was cast in Montréal’s bilingual production of Hair, joining a countercultural ensemble that included François Guy, Jay Boivin, Erica Pomerance, Sharon Lee Williams, and Richard Groulx. He appeared in both the English and French versions, but the run was cut short by the October Crisis and the War Measures Act, which overshadowed the city’s arts scene.

The exposure from Hair nonetheless opened new doors. Sebastian was offered a role in the film Fortune and Men’s Eyes, but instead chose to join the European touring cast of Hair in 1971. Upon returning to Montréal, he cut the single Money Money / Mr. Peabody for Columbia under his full name. The record went nowhere, and in 1972 Sebastian decamped to New Orleans. There he spent three years performing, recording, and even working as an engineer and A&R man, with appearances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival adding to his résumé.

Back in Montréal by 1975, he signed with WAM Records, releasing Gimme Gimme Time / Way Up High (also issued on Polydor in the U.S.) and, the following year, Cuchi-Cuchi. Neither release found an audience, and by 1976 Sebastian had stepped away from the music industry.

Though his career never yielded mainstream fame, Ian Sebastian left behind an intriguing body of work: the early pop of The Westend 22, the French-language singles of “Sabastien,” his lone 1970 LP that now stands as a psych-folk cult classic, and scattered singles that reveal a restless and searching artist. His journey—from London to Montréal, from psych-folk poet to stage actor in Hair, from Canadian studios to New Orleans clubs—captures the spirit of a musician determined to leave his mark, even if only rediscovered decades later.
-Robert Williston

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