Karroll Brothers - Baby Get Down

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Won't You Be My Girl	03:19
	2	Sweet Lorraine	02:55
	3	Gotta Love Tonight	03:21
	4	If I Can Fall In Love	04:30
	5	Janice	02:42

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Stay Here For The Night	04:26
	2	Baby Get Down	03:26
	3	Baby Baby-Girl Girl	02:38
	4	Pushing So Hard	04:09
	5	Hell & Back	02:53

Photos

Videos

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Information/Write-up

The Karroll Brothers emerged from Calgary in the 1970s with a fierce energy and a determination to do things their own way. Led by siblings Peter, Paul, and John Karroll, and joined early on by keyboardist Steven Balison, the group quickly developed a reputation across Western Canada for their high-intensity live shows, professional stagecraft, and powerful blend of hard rock and progressive influences. Dressed in leather and armbands, with a sound that fused muscular guitar riffs and soaring keyboards, they were unlike anything else on the circuit from Winnipeg to Vancouver.

Their first vinyl appearances came in 1976 on the small Top Hat label, issuing two scorching hard rock singles: Magic Kingdom b/w White Line Fever (T.H. 101) and The Wizard b/w Goin’ Down Town (T.H. 102). Both captured the raw club energy of the band and have since become highly prized by collectors, with The Wizard especially valued.

In 1979 the Karroll Brothers launched their own KB Records imprint and released their self-titled debut LP (Karroll Brothers, KB 1001). Issued alongside the album were two singles from the same sessions: Morning Light b/w Need Your Love and She Was Made For The Night, the latter presented in both short and long versions. Together, these releases marked the band’s most ambitious statement yet—songs like “Battlestar Dream” and “Morning Light” revealed a flair for dramatic arrangements, complex interplay, and tight harmonies, while “Need Your Love” brought a more immediate rock punch. Their live takes of “Need Your Love” and “If I Can Fall In Love” even appeared on CFOX’s Vancouver Seeds compilation, helping spread their name beyond the bar circuit and onto the radios of the West Coast.

By 1980 the band had signed with Rio Records and introduced Frank Cooper on keyboards. Their second album, Baby Get Down, leaned toward a more accessible rock sound without losing the adventurous streak that defined them. The title track, along with “Won’t You Be My Girl,” combined radio-friendly hooks with their trademark instrumental interplay. At the same time, they weren’t afraid to draw from their influences, cutting covers like Uriah Heep’s “Sweet Lorraine” and “The Wizard,” which stood comfortably alongside their originals. Singles such as “Magic Kingdom,” “White Line Fever,” and “Goin’ Down Town” kept their name visible across FM playlists, and video clips like “Shakin’” and “My Kingdom” gained traction on Canadian music television at a time when few independent acts were breaking through.

Though the band’s momentum slowed by the early 1980s, they resurfaced under the name Warriors with a heavier, guitar-driven sound, issuing the single “Easier Said Than Done” before stepping back from the road. In 1995 they reappeared with Wild On, a compilation that combined remastered versions of earlier tracks with new material, reintroducing their catalogue to a fresh generation of listeners and reminding long-time fans of the fire that once lit up Western Canada’s clubs.

The Karroll Brothers’ story did not end with the band. Peter transitioned into a successful career in production and management, working closely with Canadian artists including Bif Naked, while Paul and John also remained involved in music and media. The family legacy has extended to the next generation, with Peter’s daughter Britt making her mark as a member of LiveonRelease and later as a solo artist under the name Britt Black, and Paul’s son Johnny pursuing his own career in The Flu.

For many who saw them in their prime, the Karroll Brothers were one of Western Canada’s premier progressive hard rock acts—an independent force with a vision that combined musical ambition, on-stage spectacle, and a determination to succeed on their own terms. Their influence and family legacy continue to ripple outward, ensuring that the Karroll name remains part of the country’s rock history.
-Robert Williston

Peter Karroll: lead guitar, vocals
Paul Karroll: bass guitar, vocals
John Karroll: drums
Frank Cooper: keyboards, vocals

Produced and arranged by Peter Karroll and Paul Karroll
All songs written by Peter, Paul, and John Karroll
Published by Karroll Songs P.R.O.
Recorded at Pinewood Studios, Vancouver
Engineered by Alan Perkins, assisted by Paul MacDonald
Mixed at Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver
Mixdown engineer: Bob Rock
Assistant engineer: Michael Fraser
Keyboard arrangements by Frank Cooper (“Son of Alice”)

Album cover concept, design, and photography by Jonathan Rogers

Special thanks to Bob Stone and the people at Listening House International

This album was almost a year in the making and was over budget—but who cares.

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