Information/Write-up
The Canadian V.I.P.’s emerged from South Vancouver’s early 1960s teen-dance circuit, a polished young group whose mix of sharp presentation and driving rock and roll quickly set them apart from the dozens of neighbourhood bands competing for Friday-night halls. Several members attended Killarney Secondary, and the group built its reputation in school gyms, youth centres and community events, often arriving in tuxedos and a hired limousine to heighten their stage presence. The original lineup featured brothers Dave Trainor on guitar and Pat Trainor on drums, with Norm Hanson on bass and Louis Petrie on piano and organ, supported behind the scenes by songwriter and manager Jeff Aitken.
In 1964 the group recorded their debut single for Vancouver’s Aragon label, pairing the instrumental “Monsoon” with a pounding version of “Lucille.” The A-side captured their onstage sound well, built around a tight rhythm section, echo-laden guitar figures and Petrie’s prominent piano lines. “Monsoon” earned regional exposure and appeared briefly on the Canadian content singles listings, marking the V.I.P.’s as one of the first Vancouver bands to secure consistent radio play during the city’s early rock years.
By late 1964 Aitken expanded the group’s possibilities by introducing Burnaby vocalist Patty Surbey. With Surbey out front, the V.I.P.’s shifted seamlessly into pop-rock backing duties, supporting her on the Beatlemania-themed “(I Want) A Beatle For Christmas” and its garage-tinged flip, “Christmas All Year ’Round.” Surbey’s follow-up, “Hey Boy,” recorded the next year, showcased an even tougher edge. The session was cut in Seattle at Audio Recording under engineer Kearney Barton, placing the group within the same studio environment that shaped much of the Pacific Northwest’s most distinctive rock sound. Though the track may have initially circulated in a short Aragon pressing, the master was ultimately leased to Sparton for broader release.
Aitken co-wrote Surbey’s material and managed both the singer and the V.I.P.’s, guiding them through a productive stretch that included regional television appearances and a steady run of local performances. Archival recordings and later anthologies reveal the band’s range, from energetic Little Richard covers to instrumentals that leaned toward surf and Northwest rock styles. Their clean stage image contrasted playfully with the raw drive of their playing, a combination that helped them stand out in an increasingly crowded scene.
The group’s surviving recordings, including their Aragon single and the collaborations with Patty Surbey, were later revived on the Real Gone Aragon compilation, bringing overdue attention to a band whose role in Vancouver’s first wave of homegrown rock remains both influential and deeply representative of the era.
-Robert Williston
Lineup
Dave Trainor: guitar
Pat Trainor: drums
Louis Petrie: keyboards
Norm Hanson: bass
Jim Bach: bass
Wayne Dahl: vocals
Patty Surbey: vocals (featured collaborator, 1964–65)
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