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Once described as having been to “punk what Big Star are to pop music”, the Canadian group the Nils were one of the most influential, but also most under-rated punk/post punk groups of the 1980’s. The 29 track “Green Fields in Daylight’ is the definitive Nils album. Featuring the early compilation tracks from “Primitive Air Raid”, and BYO’s “Something to Believe In”, plus both the “Sell Out Young” and “Paisley” EPs in their entirety. Its also includes-perhaps best of all for collectors-the five tracks from the “Now” demo cassette from 1982. There are also a dozen live songs from a CBC Radio Sessions, and an excerpt from a 1988 Chicago concert, (includes previously unreleased covers of the Who’s ’Mary-Anne with the Shaky Hands’ , Tim Hardin’s ‘Red Balloon’ and Men Without Hats ‘Pop Goes the World’).
The Nils
were formed in the Montreal suburbs in 1978 by twelve year old Alex Soria,
shortly after his older brother Carlos brought home a collection of early punk
albums, including the Damned’s ‘Damned, Damned, Damned’, the Sex
Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks’ and the Clash’s eponymous debut LP.
Over the next ten years the Nils would fluctuate between being a three piece and
a quartet, with the other members of the group being drafted in by the Soria
brothers essentially as session musicians.
The group
played its first gig in 1980 when Alex was fourteen, and put out its first
release in 1982, a five song self-released demo tape ‘Now’, which limited to 300
copies, it used to circulate around record labels and local radio stations. The
five songs on ‘Now’ were impressive enough to attract the interest of BYO,
a Los Angeles punk label, who sent the Nils the money to record one of the songs
from it, ‘Scratches and Needles’, for ‘Something to Believe In’, a
compilation LP that came out in 1983. The following year the Nils recorded
another song ‘Call of the Wild’ for another compilation,
‘Primitive Air-Raid’, which, serving as a showcase for Montreal bands,
was released on a local label Psyche Industry. On the back of this, the Nils
released, again on Psyche Industry, their debut EP, the four song 12”
‘Sell It Young’, in 1985. Another four song 12” EP , the rare ‘The Nils’,
which came out on BYO and which is better known as the ‘Paisley EP’
because of its garish paisley-patterned sleeve, quickly followed in 1986 when
the Nils were offered free studio time,
The Nils, and the ‘Sell Out Young’ EP in particular ,had by now attracted the
attention of Rock Hotel/Profile Records, a large-sized independent New
York label, who offered the band a deal. Both Soria brothers thought this was a
joke, until a 42 page contract arrived in the mail. The group’s eponymous debut
album followed in 1987.
The band toured Canada and the United States with the album, and a second LP was
planned, but the writing was already on the wall for the group.
Rock Hotel was in financial
trouble, and folded in 88'. Then Carlos left Montreal to go to California to
work with his father. Alex formed Los Patos, and started
recording some demos, but the band never really got off the ground. Upon Carlos'
return to Montreal in the early 90's, the Nils reformed, started playing live
shows, and recorded 14 demos. Sadly, they called it quits in 1994. Alex went on
to form Chino in 1998, and they released a 6 song CDep, and
played shows up until they disbanded in 2002. The Nils did a few reunion shows
in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto in the Spring of 2003, but again Alex disbanded
the group and began focusing on solo acoustic recordings. Alex Soria passed away
on Mon. Dec. 13th in Montreal when he was accidently hit by a train.
"This is an excellent
window into a lost fragment of punk history, and a fitting testimony to the Nils
strength and glory."
CMJ
“…like their projenitors The Jam, The Who, and Stiff Little Fingers, The Nils live and die by the strength of their guitar riffs. This collection cements the Nils reputation as legends.” Your Flesh Jeffrey Hermann
“With better production, more ambition, and more recording sessions, they could have been Canada’s Replacements. Buy this CD!” Big Takeover Jack Rabid
Discography:
“Paisley” 4 song 12” EP Siefried Records 1986
“S/T” CD/LP Rock Hotel/Profile Records 1987
“Green Fields in Daylight” CD Mag Wheel 1997