Artist description Four good-lookin', booty-shakin', fool-slayin', karate-kickin' gents playing the best damn Rock & Roll you've ever heard. All the way from 60's British Invasion mod to early 70's glam to classic PowerPop, these boys can do it all!

Music Style Mod Strut. Glam Flash. Maximum Rock & Roll!

Musical Influences The Who, The Beatles, The Jam, New York Dolls, David Bowie, MC5, You Am I, Thin Lizzy, T. Rex, Rolling Stones.

Similar Artists The Who, The Jam, Iggy & The Stooges, New York Dolls.

Artist History THE STORY:THE CANDIDATES began their long and arduous journey to ULTIMATE ROCK STARDOM in November of 1998 and quickly ingratiated themselves into burgeoning scenes in Toronto and Ottawa with their special brand of British Invasion/Glam Rock appeal. "LOOK GOOD, SOUND GOOD" is the motto of these young hipsters and so far it has stood them in mighty good stead indeed. These STYLISH STARS dress to impress, and their impeccable taste in clothes, along with their VINTAGE ROCK GEAR, form surely the perfect compliment to their unique mix of Old & New Rock Sounds. Yes, this band is influenced not only by such bands of yesteryear as THE WHO, THE JAM, NEW YORK DOLLS, THE STOOGES, SMALL FACES, KISS & THIN LIZZY, but also by such newer fare as YOU AM I, JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION, TRICKY WOO and the like, with whom they share a certain spiritual brotherhood. After a solid year of shows spent honing THE CANDIDATES sound, a year that took them to such exotic locales as Toronto, Ottawa, Kitchener, Hamilton, Montreal and Buffalo, NY, the boys decided to head into the HI-FI WAY RECORDING STUDIOS in their native Cambridge, Ontario, and, with the help of talented young producer Irvine Russell (Fat Cats, Quiverleg), lay down the MASSIVE ROCK SOUNDS that their eager fans so desperately desired to consume. And so, from February to June of THE YEAR 2000, THE CANDIDATES were hunkered down in their World Rock Headquarters furiously adding the thundering drums, the restless bass, the twin-guitar attack, the three lead voices and, of course, the handclaps, piano and tambourines to what would eventually become their stunning debut album, the brilliantly entitled "MEET THE CANIDATES". With artwork designed by the boys along with Sandy McIntosh of Sonic Unyon fame, the finished product is truly indicative of the endless potential embodied by these UNDERGROUND SUPERSTARS. The lads were determined that this release would neither sound nor look like a typical penny-pinching Indie release and one look and listen is enough to confirm that their mission has most certainly been accomplished. And so now the boys are back on the live scene to dazzle once more the believers and the skeptics alike with their finely crafted tunes, their phenomenal booty-shakin', fool-slayin', karate-kickin' live shows, and by the cut of their finely tailored suits. Join them won't you, it's sure to be a boss ride.THE SUPPORTING CAST: BANDS THAT THE CANDIDATES HAVE PLAYED WITH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:DANKO JONES, LOCAL RABBITS, THRUSH HERMIT, FLASHING LIGHTS, SCRATCHING POST, DAMN PERSONALS (BOSTON), GREEN HORNES (CINCINATTI), THE NUMBERS (DETROIT), DATSONS, THE SPY, NEIL LEYTON, BEAUTIFUL 2000, DANDY, CHRIS FIELD, THE POP SHOVE

Group Members VINCE WARDELL: LEAD DRUMS/DESTRUCTION NEIL MCDONALD: LEAD BASS/VOCALS STEVE PARKINSON: LEAD GUITARS/VOCALS ADAM THOMPSON: LEAD GUITARS/VOCALS

Instruments Electric Guitar, Electric Bass Guitar, Drums, Piano, Shakers, Tambourines

Albums 1. MEET THE CANDIDATES (2000) 2. FAME, FORTUNE & FREE DRINKS (2002)

Press Reviews THE REVIEWS"AN INCENDIARY LIVE SHOW THAT RIVALS THE LIKES OF DANKO JONES AND THE FLASHING LIGHTS?FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST FAITH IN ROCK 'N' ROLL, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE CANDIDATES TO HAVE IT RESTORED" - JASON SCHNEIDER, KITCHENER-WATERLOO RECORD"LIVE, AS WITH THEIR HIGH-OCTANE, ATTITUDE-FUELLED DEMO, THE FEARLESS FOURSOME RIP THROUGH RAVAGING, RETRO-TINGED RIFFS - THEY TEAR UP THE STAGE ON THEIR ASS-SHAKING ROCK 'N' ROLL BENDERS?CLAD IN MOD-SWANKY DUDS THESE GENTS LOOK THE PART, ABLE TO WHIP CROWDS INTO A FRENZY" - KAREN LAROCCA, CAPITAL CITY MAGAZINE (OTTAWA) "WITH ONSTAGE ANTICS TO KICK SLOAN'S 'MONEY CITY MANIACS' ASS, THE CANDIDATES DELIVER SCISSOR KICKS AND ROCK AND ROLL FACES WITH THE GREATEST OF EASE?THEIR SONGS ARE INFUSED WITH OVER-THE-TOP ROCK GOODNESS" - MELISSA WHEELER, HMMM FANZINE (OTTAWA)"(THE CANDIDATES) HAVE TAILORED THEIR RIFF-HEAVY ROCK AND ROLL TO BE AS TIGHT AND STYLISH AS THE SUITS THEY WEAR?THE CANDIDATES ARE OUT TO PILLAGE THE BEST ROCK 'N' ROLL HAS OFFERED IN THE PAST 30 YEARS AND MELD THE LOOTINGS INTO A SOUND THAT CAN'T BE OUTDONE" - STEVE SMITH, XPRESS MAGAZINE (OTTAWA) "SPORTING SUITS FOR AN AUTHENTIC 'MOD' LOOK AND A LOUD POP SOUND THAT RECALLS THE GLORY DAYS OF THE WHO AND THE JAM?(MEET THE CANDIDATES) REFLECTS THE HIGH ENERGY OF THE BAND'S ALWAYS IMPRESSIVE LIVE SHOW?RAUCOUS?HIGH VOLTAGE?" - ERIC VOLLMERS, CAMBRIDGE REPORTER"RETRO-FITTED ROCK, FROM THE EARLY STONES OF 'BARELY BRUISED' TO THE GUITAR HEAVY 70'S FEEL OF 'ON THE MAKE'?MAYBE IT'S THE VINTAGE GEAR, MAYBE IT'S THE CLOTHES. WHATEVER IT IS, IT WORKS" - BRENT HAGERMAN, ECHO W

Location Cambridge, Ontario - Canada

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