Information/Write-up
George Randall is a Canadian singer-songwriter and independent rock artist born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in London, Ontario. Emerging from the city’s thriving late-1980s studio scene, Randall recorded a small but distinctive body of work that reflected the DIY ethos of the era and the growing sophistication of London’s recording community. Working through his own label, Macrorock Music Inc., Randall wrote, performed, and co-produced a series of independently released 45s that combined humor, social satire, and tightly arranged rock musicianship. His debut single, I’ll Be a Pit Bull for Your Love b/w 1000 Radio Stations (1987), was recorded live at Recording Studio 107 and EMAC Recording Studios, engineered by Paul Venesoen with assistance from EMAC co-founder Rob Nation—both established figures in London’s recording scene who, along with Joe Vaughan, had built EMAC into a creative hub since its founding in 1979. The single featured guitarist Peter Schaefer, bassist John Chryssoulakis, drummer Jeff Stevens, and keyboardist Patrick Dubois, with backing vocals by Jane Colligan and Lorraine Murray.
Randall followed in 1988 with Your Love Sick Pup b/w Time Catches All (The Keys to Forever), produced by Stacy Heydon, the noted Canadian guitarist and producer who had toured with David Bowie during the Station to Station era and later worked with Iggy Pop. Recorded again at EMAC, the single showcased a more polished pop-rock sound, augmented by fiddle player Johnny Givens, keyboardist Duncan Grant, programmer Derek Black, and choir vocals from students at the London Waldorf School. Each release displayed Randall’s meticulous attention to credits, artwork, and local collaboration, often listing every musician, studio, and even participating school by name—a level of transparency rare among independent artists of the period.
Performing occasionally under the tongue-in-cheek moniker “Rev. George Randall,” he projected a self-aware mix of rock theatrics and blue-collar storytelling that resonated with Southwestern Ontario audiences. RPM Magazine noted his activity on regional radio as early as 1988, and later cited his continued work in the mid-1990s, including the CD single Love Cannot Wait and the album Small Town Promises released on Stress Records in 1994. These later efforts confirmed Randall’s persistence into the digital era while maintaining ties to London’s independent production network.
Though his releases were pressed in limited numbers and never reached national charts, Randall’s records remain prized among collectors of Canadian private-press rock for their authentic local flavor, richly documented liner notes, and connection to one of Ontario’s most creative studio communities.
-Robert Williston
Your Love Sick Pup:
George Randall: lead vocals
Peter Schaefer: guitars
Jeff Stevens: drums
John Chryssoulakis: bass
Duncan Grant: keyboards
Johnny Givens: fiddle
Derek Black: keyboard and effects programming
Written and performed by Rev. George Randall
Produced by Stacy Heydon (and maracas too)
Pre-production by Paul Venesoen at Studio 107, London
Recorded at EMAC Studios, London, Ontario
Engineered by Joe Vaughan (with thanks to Rob Nation)
Mixed at Studio #9, Toronto, Ontario
Special thanks: The New Yorker Cinema and friends who filled it; Brian Howe & Wayne Izumi
Cover model: Florence Morisson (Sasha), Dennis Gooder & Star
Cover concept by George Randall
Photography and graphic design by Bizart (Jym Campbell)
© 1988 Macrock Music Inc., London, Ontario
Registered CAPAC Ltd.
Time Catches All:
George Randall: lead vocals
Peter Schaefer: guitars
Jeff Stevens: drums
John Chryssoulakis: bass
Duncan Grant: keyboards
Derek Black: keyboard and effects programming
Written and performed by George Randall
Produced by Stacy Heydon (and tambourine too)
Pre-production by Paul Venesoen at Studio 107, London
Recorded at EMAC Studios, London, Ontario
Engineered by Joe Vaughan (with thanks to Rob Nation)
Mixed at Studio #9, Toronto, Ontario
Cover model: Florence Morisson (Sasha) and a hitchhiker picked up on the way to the studio
Cover concept by George Randall
Photography and graphic design by Bizart (Jym Campbell)
Special thanks: David Hadden, Merwin Lewis, and the London Waldorf School for providing grade 7 & 8 singers — Caroline Anderson, Jennifer Shepard, Michaela Devine, Erin Doyle, April Smith, Billy Barnwell-Wise, Pen Davies, Chris Bull, Jeffrey Bull, and Susan Doyle
Additional thanks to Brian Howe & Wayne Izumi
© 1988 Macrock Music Inc., London, Ontario
Registered CAPAC Ltd.
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