Sweeney Todd formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1975, and originally consisted of vocalist Nick Gilder, guitarist Jim McCulloch, bassist Budd Marr, keyboardist Dan Gaudin and drummer John Booth. Their first single, 'Roxy Roller', became a No. 1 hit in Canada, holding the top position in the RPM national singles chart for three weeks beginning on 26 June 1976, and winning a Juno Award for the band. After releasing their debut album, 'Sweeney Todd', in 1975, Gilder and McCulloch left the band to pursue solo careers, and Clark Perry was brought in to replace Gilder on vocals, with Skip Prest taking over from McCulloch on guitar. Though he did record a second version of 'Roxy Roller', which reached number 90 in the US charts, Perry didn't work out, and he was replaced within a few months by Bryan Adams, who was 16 at that time. With Adams the band re-recorded and released a third version of 'Roxy Roller', but this time it only scraped into the US charts at number 99, and both releases were ordered to be pulled from stores by Chrysalis Records, the label who had signed Sweeney Todd's original lead singer Nick Gilder, as Gilder had his own solo version of the song out concurrently with the Sweeney Todd re-recordings. Following the minor success of the Adam's sung version of the single, the band recorded their second album 'If Wishes Were Horses...' in 1977, with Adams billed as "Bryan Guy Adams" on vocals. The record was unsuccessful, and Adams left the band after less than a year, and although they attempted to carry on with Chris Booth (John Booth's younger brother) on vocals, and Grant Gislason replacing Prest on guitar in 1978, they broke up before recording any further albums. The band re-united in 2000 and began working on 'The Sweeney Todd LP', and in 2007 Sweeney Todd, along with ex-vocalist Nick Gilder, headlined the Golden Spike Days Festival in Port Moody, British Columbia. Despite Nick Gilder going on to have a very successful solo career, releasing acclaimed albums 'You Know Who You Are' in 1977 and 'City Nights' in 1978, and hitting the charts the same year with 'Hot Child In The City', Sweeney Todd will mostly be remembered as the starting point of Bryan Adams' Grammy award-winning career in music.
Track listing
01 If Wishes Were Horses
02 Tantalize
03 Until I Find You
04 Pushin' & Shovin'
05 #5243605-Smith
06 Song For A Star
07 Shut Up
08 All Of A Sudden
09 Wastin' Time
10 Say Hello Say Goodbye
11 Roxy Roller
12 Rue De Chance
