The Jitters

The Jitters were a Toronto pop-rock band formed in 1981 by singer, guitarist, and songwriter Blair Packham, guitarist Danny Levy, and bassist Matthew Greenberg. Packham and Levy had known each other since their days at Jarvis Collegiate and had already worked together in earlier Toronto-area groups, including Black Slacks, before deciding to focus on original material. Greenberg joined after Packham and Levy encountered him playing bass in an R&B cover band, and the first version of The Jitters performed at Toronto’s Hotel Isabella on October 6, 1981 with David Taylor on drums and Lee Whalen on vocals. Soon after, Whalen departed and Glenn Martin joined on drums, helping define the band’s early club sound.

Throughout the first half of the 1980s, The Jitters became a fixture on the Toronto live circuit, building their reputation through regular appearances at venues such as the Isabella, Larry’s Hideaway, the Jarvis House, the Upper Lip, Branko’s, Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven, the Gasworks, the El Mocambo, and the Horseshoe Tavern. Packham’s work at Comfort Sound gave the group access to studio time, and the band recorded a large number of demos during this period. Their early recordings brought them into contact with producer Bob Segarini, who produced initial demos including ‘Take Me As I Am’, ‘Back Where You Belong’, and ‘What About Me’. The band also attracted the attention of Bob Ezrin, whose involvement helped sharpen their songwriting and arranging ambitions, though it did not immediately lead to a recording contract.

The band’s breakthrough began with the 1984 independent video for ‘Take Me As I Am’. Made on a modest VideoFACT-supported budget and filmed partly on the rooftop of 26 Soho Street in Toronto, the clip arrived just as MuchMusic was becoming a national force. Its humour, low-budget charm, and anti-image-business concept helped the band reach audiences beyond Toronto. Capitol Records of Canada took notice and funded unreleased sessions at Metalworks with producer Stefan Gelfas, followed by additional work with producer Alfie Agius. During the same period, the group’s lineup shifted, with David Quinton replacing Glenn Martin for stretches, while Vic D’Arsie added Hammond organ to the band’s guitar-driven live sound.

Manager Evan Adelman became an important figure in the band’s next stage. Under his guidance, The Jitters intensified their Toronto presence, gained exposure through Q107, and placed in the station’s 1986 Homegrown competition with ‘Last of the Red Hot Fools’. That same year, they opened for Huey Lewis and the News at the Canadian National Exhibition before an audience of roughly 24,000, a major leap from the club circuit that had sustained them for years. Rock Express writer Dianne Collins described the group at the time as one of Toronto’s most promising local bands, noting both their humour and their increasingly sharp pop instincts.

The Jitters’ self-titled debut album was recorded in 1987 at Phase One Studios with producer Paul Gross. Capitol Records-EMI of Canada signed the band during the sessions, and the album appeared later that year. Although the group had long functioned as a four-piece, Capitol wanted to market them visually as a classic five-piece rock band; the album cover therefore included non-performing figures, including Paul Greenberg and David Quinton, a bit of inside humour that later became part of the band’s lore. The record featured Blair Packham, Danny Levy, Matthew Greenberg, Randy Cooke, and Vic D’Arsie, with additional contributions from musicians including Rob Preuss, Lou Pomanti, Paul DeLong, Kurt Schefter, and Tamara and Tasha Amabile.

The debut produced the band’s signature hit, ‘Last of the Red Hot Fools’, a smart, melodic pop-rock single that became a national radio success and helped make The Jitters one of the more visible Canadian bands of the late 1980s. ‘Closer Every Day’ also became strongly associated with the group, and the band’s videos received significant MuchMusic exposure. With road manager Bruce Duncan, the group toured extensively across Canada, sharing bills with Blue Rodeo, The Northern Pikes, Andrew Cash, Frozen Ghost, The Pursuit of Happiness, Colin Linden, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, and The Kinks. They were nominated for a Juno Award for Most Promising Group of the Year, with the award ultimately going to Barney Bentall & The Legendary Hearts.

In 1988, The Jitters expanded their reach internationally when they toured the United Kingdom as support for Heart. The tour included dates in Scotland and England and concluded with three nights at Wembley Arena. ‘Last of the Red Hot Fools’ also entered the BBC Top 100, giving the band a foothold outside Canada. By this point, The Jitters had the ingredients of a major breakthrough: a radio hit, national touring experience, strong video exposure, a major label, and a reputation as an engaging live act.

The band’s second album, Louder Than Words, took much longer to complete. After an extended period of writing and internal tension over songwriting direction, The Jitters began working with American songwriter and producer Jules Shear. Packham, Levy, Shear, and eventually Greenberg developed the album material through writing sessions in Toronto and Northampton, Massachusetts. The album was recorded at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga with additional recording at Sounds Interchange in Toronto, then mixed largely in New York at Platinum Island and the Power Station. Released in 1990 by Capitol Records-EMI of Canada, Louder Than Words presented a more mature and serious version of the band, with Peter Nunn now part of the lineup on keyboards and backing vocals.

The single ‘Til the Fever Breaks’ became the album’s best-known track and its video climbed high on the MuchMusic countdown. The group toured again across Canada, including theatre dates opening for Colin James, and won a Toronto Music Award for Best Rising Star. Despite the continued exposure, The Jitters were facing serious challenges: Adelman had left management before the album’s release, the gap between albums had cooled some of their momentum, and the band’s years of club touring had taken a toll. Capitol eventually dropped the group after both albums had sold modestly but respectably, and by the end of 1991 The Jitters had effectively come to an end.

After the breakup, the members remained active in music and related fields. Blair Packham continued as a solo artist, songwriter, composer, producer, broadcaster, and educator. Danny Levy continued playing guitar and writing songs. Matthew Greenberg remained active as a bassist in the Toronto area. Glenn Martin continued drumming while also working in computers. David Quinton became an entertainment lawyer while still playing drums. Peter Nunn went on to perform with other Canadian acts, including Honeymoon Suite.

The Jitters’ story remains one of persistence, sharp songwriting, and near-breakthrough momentum in the Canadian major-label pop-rock world of the 1980s. They were too witty and self-aware to be treated as a simple radio-pop act, yet too melodic and accessible to be confined to the alternative margins. Their best-known songs, especially ‘Last of the Red Hot Fools’, ‘Closer Every Day’, ‘Take Me As I Am’, and ‘Til the Fever Breaks’, preserve a distinctly Toronto chapter of Canadian pop-rock history: club-hardened, MuchMusic-era, funny, polished, and just a little nervous.

-Robert Williston