Darkstar - Into the Heartland

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Intro (One More Time)	04:09
	2	Love Celebration
	3	Into the Heartland	03:24
	4	Hit and Run Lover	02:57
	5	Travelling Sad	03:47
	6	Get Away	03:26

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	One More Time	03:35
	2	Gonna Be a Fool	03:14
	3	Straw in the Wind	04:11
	4	Magical Girl	03:12
	5	The Good Fortune to Please	03:29
	6	Reprise (Into the Heartland)	01:19

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Information/Write-up

Darkstar & The Foxrun Band — The Chipman/Cassar Story

In the heart of Toronto’s vibrant 1970s music scene, guitarist-keyboardist Timothy Chipman joined forces with brothers James-Paul Cassar (bass) and Peter Cassar (drums) to carve out their own musical path. Like many groups of the era, they began small—playing bars, clubs, and shows around Ontario, refining their original songs and live presence under the name Darkstar.

By 1976, their ambitions took them beyond the local circuit. On a trip to New York, they connected with songwriter Al Munson. Impressed by Darkstar’s performances, Munson encouraged them to record two of his songs. This led to two singles on the Lifesong label, “Holy Roller / (You Can Have The) Best of Everything” and “Sweet Delight.” Neither achieved commercial breakthrough, so the band returned home with renewed determination.

Wanting more creative control, Darkstar established their own label, Ariel Records, in 1978. Under this banner they released their debut LP Into the Heartland, with singles like “Hit & Run Lover” and “Into the Heartland / One More Time”. The style was solidly in the rock-prog lineage: expansive songs, heavy rhythms, and guitar/keyboard interplay, but despite the strong musicianship, chart success eluded them.

In 1979 they rebranded themselves briefly as The Foxrun Band, bringing in saxophonist/vocalist Margo Davidson to enrich their sound. They recorded You’re Invited, an album that kept the core Darkstar DNA while aiming to widen their appeal. Yet again, success was modest. In 1980, they reverted to Darkstar and issued Escape Routines. A single from this album, “Postcard from Jamaica”, got some local chart traction and landed them more prominent gigs, though follow-ups didn’t build on that momentum.

As the years progressed the cycle of albums, name-changes, and singles continued: Foxrun’s Embrace (1981) brought back Davidson’s contributions; otherwise, the band oscillated between Darkstar and Foxrun identities, trying different styles and lineups. Their label Ariel also signed a handful of other artists, showing that Chipman and the Cassar brothers were invested not just in performing but in building a small scene around original Canadian work.

By 1984, original members were moving on; the Cassar brothers eventually left recording, and though Timothy Chipman tried new projects (notably The Play and Sierra Blue) and briefly revived the Foxrun name, none of the later releases managed to capture wide attention. The label folded, and the band gradually slipped from view.

Despite the lack of major hits, Darkstar / Foxrun left behind a body of work that reflects the ambitions, frustrations, and talents of a Canadian band navigating the post-CAN-CON era. Their albums remain artifacts of that time—deeply musical, carefully arranged, sometimes trying too hard to find a commercial edge, but always authentic in intent.
-Robert Williston

All songs written by Timothy Chipman
James Pael Cassar: bass, vocals
Peter Cassar: drums, vocals
Timothy Chipman: guitars, keyboards, vocals

Produced by Darkstar, John Watt and Fred Petersen
Engineered by Fred Petersen
Recorded at Knick Sound Studio, Toronto, Ontario

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