Octavian - Simple Kinda People

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Hold Me Touch Me	02:23
	2	Magic	03:07
	3	Sun In Your Eyes	03:22
	4	Round And Round	03:17
	5	In Trouble Again	02:11
	6	Work It Out Together	02:45

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Good Feeling (To Know)	02:24
	2	Desperate Man	02:26
	3	Good Times	02:39
	4	Tell Me Why	02:21
	5	Johnny Lightning	02:37
	6	Simple Kinda People	02:43

Photos

Videos

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Information/Write-up

Ottawa's 7-piece band, Octavian, was formed as Octavius during the members' formative years in high school of 1969.

Or first engagement was on December 20, 1969 at The Green Door, Chaudiere Club, Aylmer, Quebec with Satan’s Choice bikers attending. In spite of our light material at the time which included The Hollies, The Beach Boys and The Association, Satan’s Choice loved us at our first gig, and got up on stage with us to sing and play.

The original lineup was 8 members, inspiring the original name "Octavius", thanks to bassist Don Thompson. We liked the name because it was a symbol of power and strength, and there was an analogy with the musical term 'octave'. The name changed quickly to "Octavian" after seeing the name misspelled on the marquis of a club in Woodstock Ontario. Six years of touring and beating a path around the Canadian east coast finally landed them a deal with MCA Records in Toronto.

Their 1974 debut single, "Good Feeling (To Know)" made the Top 10 in many major markets in Canada (Ottawa, Vancouver, Winnipeg), was #8 in the Steed Report's Top 100 for the year and received a "Pick Of The Week" in Billboard in the US, but failed to climb the Billboard chart. 1975 saw the release of their only album, 'Simple Kinda People', and launched another single "Hold Me, Touch Me" which did slightly better but still didn't put the band on the music map.

They sold out large stadium shows all over the country including Ontario Place. Shortly after their cross-Canada tour with Tanya Tucker (1977), and Bob Deeks replaced both Bill Gauvreau (guitar) & Darryl Alguire (vocals). Through internal business strife the band fell apart in 1979.

Several members moved to Toronto and went on to form Chain Reaction.

Recorded at Eastern Sound, Toronto
PERSONNEL:
John Pulkkinen (aka Alexander): lead vocals
Rob McDonald: keyboards
Darryl Alguire: vocals
Warren Barbour: guitars, vocals
Ray Lessard: bass, vocals
Kirk Dorrow: drums
Bill Gauvreau: lead guitar
Bob Deeks: guitar, vocals; replaced Gauvreau & Alguire
Michael Hicks: keyboards, vocals; replaced McDonald
John Livingston: drums; replaced Dorrow

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