Information/Write-up
One Blood were a Toronto, Ontario hardcore punk band active at the turn of the 1990s, emerging from the city’s underground with a sound and message rooted in political confrontation and collective resistance. The group’s core lineup included Stephen “The Wizard of Willowdale” Perry on vocals, Adam Payne and Omar Sheriff on guitars, Jim Ware on bass, and Paul Abrash on drums, with early recordings also featuring vocal contributions from Melanie Aguila.
The band first appeared in 1990 with a self-released demo cassette titled One Blood. Circulated through shows, zines, and personal networks, the tape documented the group’s earliest material, pairing fast, aggressive hardcore with political themes that would carry through their later releases.
Later that year, One Blood made their vinyl debut with a self-titled 7-inch EP on Lobotomy Exchange Records. Recorded in Toronto, the EP was issued in a foldover lyrics sleeve and packed more than fifteen minutes of music onto a single disc.
In 1991, One Blood released the LP Building a World of Prosperity With…The Efficiency of the Free Enterprise System on the New York–based label Gern Blandsten. The album opens with a spoken-word passage reflecting on the Canadian government’s treatment of First Nations people and the persistence of colonial violence and dehumanization, framing the record’s political intent before the music begins. Recorded at Peter Hudson Studios and Harlow Studios, the LP sharpened the band’s critique of capitalism, colonialism, nationalism, and state power, grounding its politics in contemporary global events. Issued with an extensive booklet containing lyrics, political statements, photographs, and illustrations, the album expanded the scope of the band’s work beyond earlier releases.
Closely connected to Toronto’s underground hardcore scene, One Blood were active within the city’s network of bands, zines, and community radio, including CHRY-FM and CKLN-FM. Though short-lived, the band’s demo, EP, and LP together document a clearly defined moment in early-1990s Toronto hardcore.
-Robert Williston
Musicians
Stephen Perry: vocals
Adam Payne: guitar
Omar Sheriff: guitar
Jim Ware: bass
Paul Abrash: drums
Production
Recorded by Peter Hudson
Recorded at Peter Hudson Studios
Recorded at Harlow Studios
Lacquer cut at Nashville Record Productions (NR 18911)
Notes
24-page booklet with lyrics, political statements, photos and illustrations included
If you’re big enough to start a war,
you should be big enough to show it
Few incidents in history can equal what the allied forces did on the 38 kilometer “Highway to Hell,” between Kuwait City and Basra. A seven mile long, five lane wide column of bumper-to-bumper traffic was halted in place by bombing the gigantic caravan’s beginning and end. Then every vehicle and every person in between was burned to a crisp by more endless, merciless bombing.
The photo on the cover of this album shows the results of this merciless and unnecessary destruction. Most people didn’t get to see it during the war; it wasn’t shown in the mainstream media, which presented the bombing as one big computer game.
We can fight wars, but supposedly we ought not to look at them.
This is the message in our News World Order.
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