Churls

Websites:  No
Origin: Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Canadian rock band formed 1967 in Toronto, Ontario by Bob O'Neill and Nick McCombie. By that summer they were one of the hottest bands on the Yorkville scene and they signed that winter to Glotzer and Katz Management, the same people who managed Blood Sweat & Tears. They were encouraged to play the US and spent much of early 1968 playing in New York as the houseband at both Cafe a Go-Go and The Scene, where they notably received encouragement from John Lennon and Paul McCartney and jammed onstage with Jimi Hendrix.

They then headed west to Hollywood and caught the attention of A&M Records, where they recorded their self-titled debut featuring cameos from The Tijuana Brass and Leigh Ashford keyboardist Newton Garwood. The album was released in the fall of 1968 and they toured for a few months on both sides of the border then returned to A&M's Hollywood studio to record their follow up album in the summer of '69. Garwood guested on the album again and this time also co-wrote some of the material but friction between the band and label ultimately resulted in A&M dropping them. The band returned to Toronto in early 1970 and continued touring for a few months before dissolving.

Bob Oneill and Nick McCombie the rhythm guitarist and songwriter was with the band over a year and toured with them until I had the unfortunate job of firing him as the manager on the rest of the band's instructions. Only then was Sam Hurrie hired as an 18 year old guitarist and he stayed till the band's breakup. I found the original lineup playing at Charlie Browns and became their manager at that time.
-Bill Riley, manager for The Churls

Bob Oneill: vocals
Nick McCombie: rhythm guitar (songwriter)
Sam Hurrie: guitar
Hal Ames: guitar
John Barr: bass
Brad Fowles: drums