Toronto - Get It On Credit

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Break Down The Barricades	05:08
	2	Your Daddy Don't Know	03:17
	3	Start Tellin' the Truth	04:26
	4	You're a Mystery to Me	03:29
	5	Don't Walk Away	04:11

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Get It On Credit	03:19
	2	Sick n' Tired	02:59
	3	Ya Love Ta Love	04:08
	4	Why Can't We Talk?	03:33
	5	Run for Your Life	04:37

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Information/Write-up

Toronto was one of Canada’s defining hard-rock bands of the early 1980s, a group that blended glam-punk attitude with radio-ready rock hooks and the unmistakable voice of Annie “Holly” Woods. At a time when Canadian rock was beginning to hold its own against the international heavyweights, Toronto managed to carve out a sound that was both brash and melodic, streetwise yet polished, and always powered by Woods’s unrelenting, soulful roar.

The band took shape in 1979 when Woods, a San Francisco native who had migrated north, teamed up with guitarist Brian Allen. Alongside guitarist Sheron Alton, keyboardist Scott Kreyer, bassist Nick Costello, and drummer Jimmy Fox, the band christened itself after their adopted city. They quickly became known for their fierce live shows, Woods’s gritty stage presence, and a repertoire that mixed swagger with stadium-sized choruses.

Toronto’s debut album, Lookin’ for Trouble (1980), produced by Bill Henderson and Brian MacLeod of Chilliwack, immediately made an impact. The single “Even the Score” showcased their punchy, no-nonsense style and helped drive the record to platinum sales in Canada. Their follow-up, Head On (1981), worked under the experienced hand of Rush producer Terry Brown, and again achieved platinum success, cementing the band as one of the country’s hottest new acts.

The turning point came with Get It on Credit (1982), which featured new members Gary Lalonde on bass and Barry Connors on drums. The album produced the band’s signature anthem, “Your Daddy Don’t Know,” a song that stormed Canadian charts, broke into the U.S. Hot 100, and earned Juno Award recognition. Its mix of tough guitars, sleek keyboards, and Woods’s powerhouse delivery gave Toronto their widest exposure yet. Hidden within the same sessions was “What About Love,” a song co-written by Allen, Alton, and Jim Vallance that was shelved at the time but later resurfaced as a career-reviving international hit for Heart in 1985.

Though lineup changes continued—Mike Gingrich replacing Lalonde, and further departures in 1983—the band maintained momentum with Girls’ Night Out (1983), another platinum record driven by the title track, “All I Need,” and “Ready to Make Up.” Yet behind the scenes, exhaustion and creative differences began to fray the group’s chemistry. By 1984, Woods and Kreyer rebranded the outfit as Holly Woods & Toronto, releasing Assault & Flattery with the fiery single “New Romance.” Just as a new chapter seemed possible, their label Solid Gold Records collapsed, abruptly ending the band’s run.

In the years that followed, Toronto’s legacy endured. A Greatest Hits package appeared in 1984, and when it was reissued in 1988, fans were finally treated to the band’s original version of “What About Love.” Former members went on to new projects—Gary Lalonde joining Honeymoon Suite, Brian Allen moving into production and A&R, and Barry Connors playing with Coney Hatch and Lee Aaron—while Woods remained a commanding figure. She and Kreyer relocated to Atlanta, recording material that languished for decades before resurfacing in 2007 as Live It Up! on Cyclone Records. In later years Woods revived the name for festival appearances, keeping the flame alive for fans who never forgot the band’s raw power.

Toronto’s story is one of quick ascents, near misses, and enduring influence. They left behind a string of platinum records, unforgettable singles, and one of Canadian rock’s greatest “what-ifs” in “What About Love.” More than anything, they embodied the grit, resilience, and unpolished charm of their namesake city, with Holly Woods’s voice still echoing as one of the most commanding in Canadian rock history.
-Robert Williston

"Get It On Credit" was the third release for Toronto, a group whose founding members hailed from everywhere but that city. Guitarist and main songwriter Brian Allen came from Borden, an army base town 100km north of Toronto; second guitarist Sheron Alton emigrated from England to Canada's largest city; singer Holly Woods and keyboardist Scott Kreyer were both expatriate Americans from South Carolina and New York, respectively.

The release of "Get It On Credit" pushed Toronto to a higher level of album sales, radio play and concert touring due to the breakthrough success of "Your Daddy Don't Know", an obvious Top-40 and FM Rock hit song throughout North America. The production input of Steve Smith (who counted the legendary Free among his previous clients) gave the "Get It On Credit" sessions a hard-edged crunch combined with a sweet, bluesy melodicism propelled by the unearthly power-vocals of Holly Woods.

One of the most interesting aspects of the album was a song that didn't make the final cut. "What About Love" was written by Brian Allen, Sheron Alton and collaborator Jim Vallance during the writing sessions for "Get It On Credit", and was demoed by Toronto during the pre-production stage. Deemed unworthy of inclusion for Toronto's album, the demo circulated for a few years until it reached Ann and Nancy Wilson. The sisters recorded the song for their comeback 1986 "Heart" release, and the resulting smash hit was instrumental in putting Heart (the band) at the top of the heap. We'll never know if Toronto could have had the same results had they but included "What About Love" on "Get It On Credit".

Even so, "Get In On Credit" is as fine as 80's pop-rock gets. The passion in Holly's vocals, the fire and blister in Brian's guitaring, the taste and colours in Scott's keyboard parts and Sheron's strong supporting guitar and voice combined to achieve an archetype, perfect in itself and a pleasure to hear these many years later.
-Carl Dixon, 1995

Get It on Credit, Toronto's third album, was released in 1982. Both Nick Costello and Jim Fox left the band prior to this release, to be replaced by Gary LaLonde and Barry Connors, respectively. LaLonde later joined Honeymoon Suite, while Connors went on to work with Toronto-based quartet Coney Hatch.

The CD release features two bonus tracks that did not make the cut for the original album: "What About Love" and "Across the Border". "What About Love" was later recorded by Heart and would become a Top 10 hit on the Billboard charts.

Holly Woods: lead vocals
Sheron Alton: lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Brian Allen: lead and rhythm guitars, lead vocals
Scott Kreyer: keyboards, backing vocals
Gary Lalonde: bass
Barry Connors: drums

Produced by Steve Smith
Arranged by Toronto and Jim Vallance
Engineered by Jim Frank and Steve Smith, assisted by Mike Baskerville
Recorded at Eastern Sound, Toronto, Canada, 1982
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Mastering Studio
Digitally remastered by George Graves and Carl Dixon at Lacquer Channel Studios, Toronto

Art direction by John Barr
Cover concept by Mark Cryns
Photography by Fred Valentine
Re-design for LIRC by Stefan Schmidt-Bilkenroth

Special thanks to Carl Dixon, who compiled all materials for this release

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