Douglas Robert Elliott (born September 3, 1962) is a Canadian musician best known for his work in the alternative rock group
Odds
In probability theory, odds provide a measure of the probability of a particular outcome. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics. For example for an event that is 40% probable, one could say that the odds are or
When gambling, o ...
. As a child growing up in the Rocky Mountain town of Jasper, Alberta, he took piano lessons and later played trombone and then bass in the Jasper Jr-Sr High School band. At the age of 14 he was playing professionally in local bands. Upon graduating high school in 1980, Elliott went to Malaspina University-College for two years and then to New York city to live with, and be mentored by his cousin, renowned jazz bassist Rick Kilburn (who was at that time playing with
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool".
Baker earned much attention and ...
,
Dave Brubeck
David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrasti ...
and
Mose Allison
Mose John Allison Jr. (November 11, 1927 – November 15, 2016) was an American jazz and blues pianist, singer, and songwriter. He became notable for playing a unique mix of blues and modern jazz, both singing and playing piano. After moving to N ...
.). He then moved to Vancouver, B.C.
While in his first year at
Malaspina College Elliott met drummer
Pat Steward
Pat Steward (born May 4, 1962) is a Canadian drummer and singer who is a member of the band Odds, and has recorded and toured with Bryan Adams and Matthew Good, among many others.
Early life
Steward was born in Vancouver, British Columbia to Br ...
. The two struck up a working relationship that saw them perform as the rhythm section for several west coast bands before achieving some notoriety with the colourful Vancouver ska unit "Rubber Biscuit".
In 1984, Bryan Adams recruited Steward for drum duties and their band "Rubber Biscuit" soon fizzled.
Elliott worked in several local bands and did sessions. In 1987 he briefly toured as bassist with "
k.d. lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang (stylised in all lowercase), is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical pe ...
& the reclines" in support of her album ''
Angel with a Lariat''. Upon returning home to Vancouver he began writing and rehearsing with singer/guitarist Steven Drake and drummer
Paul Brennan in hopes of forming a new band. Brennan brought in singer/guitarist
Craig Northey
Craig Northey (born February 9, 1962) is a Canadian musician and film and TV composer. He is one of the founding members of the band Odds, which released four albums between 1991 and 1996. They were best known for the radio singles " It Falls Apa ...
and they made their live debut as "the
Odds
In probability theory, odds provide a measure of the probability of a particular outcome. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics. For example for an event that is 40% probable, one could say that the odds are or
When gambling, o ...
" in November 1987.
Odds eventually travelled to Los Angeles to make their mark and were signed by
Zoo Entertainment/
BMG. They released their debut album ''
Neopolitan'' in 1991. Odds released three more albums eventually achieving platinum success in their native Canada and critical success worldwide.
Odds broke up in 1999 and Elliott continued to work with Northey and Steward on various film and recording projects. He performed live and recorded on Northey's solo debut ''
Giddy Up'' and continued on with him for Northey Valenzuela (with
Gin Blossoms
Gin Blossoms is an American alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Tempe, Arizona. They rose to prominence following the 1992 release of their first major label album, '' New Miserable Experience'', and the first single released from that al ...
Jesse Valenzuela
Jesse Valenzuela (born May 22, 1962) is an American rock musician and singer who is perhaps best known as a member of the alternative rock band Gin Blossoms. He was originally the vocalist in Gin Blossoms when the band first formed in 1987.
In ...
) and
Stripper's Union (with
The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as the Hip, was a Canadian rock band formed in Kingston, Ontario in 1984, consisting of vocalist Gord Downie, guitarist Paul Langlois, guitarist Rob Baker (known as Bobby Baker until 1994), bassis ...
's Rob Baker). Elliott worked as live bassist for
Long John Baldry
John William "Long John" Baldry (12 January 1941 – 21 July 2005) was an English musician and actor. In the 1960s, he was one of the first British vocalists to sing the blues in clubs and shared the stage with many British musicians including ...
and
Jerry Doucette
Jerry Victor Doucette (9 September 1951 – 18 April 2022) was a Canadian guitarist and singer-songwriter. He was noted for his hit single "Mama Let Him Play", which made the ''Billboard'' Top 100. His band, Doucette, won the Juno Award for ...
in this period and recorded with Canadian alt rockers
Limblifter,
as well as
Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West were a Canadian folk rock band from North Vancouver, active from 1983 to 2016. They were popular on the Canadian folk music scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock, Britpop, and Celtic folk influences which m ...
's
John Mann. From 2002 to 2011, Elliott worked as bassist in the
Colin James
Colin James (born Colin James Munn; August 17, 1964) is a Canadian blues rock singer and songwriter. James has been very successful in Canada, having attained seven Gold-certified albums in Canada during his career, including four Platinum alb ...
Band, and rejoined Odds upon their reformation in 2008.
On February 21, 2013, Odds released an EP called "the Most Beautiful Place on Earth"
Discography
Albums
*1991: Odds:
Neopolitan
*1993: Odds:
Bedbugs
*1995: Odds:
Good Weird Feeling
*1996: Odds:
Nest
A nest is a structure built for certain animals to hold Egg (biology), eggs or young. Although nests are most closely associated with birds, members of all classes of vertebrates and some invertebrates construct nests. They may be composed of ...
*1996:
k.d. lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang (stylised in all lowercase), is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical pe ...
/Various Artists:
Best of Austin City Limits: Country Music's Finest Hour
*1996:
Kim Stockwood
Kim Stockwood (born 11 November 1965) is a Canadian pop musician, singer and composer originally from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. She has recorded as a solo artist and also as a member of Atlanti ...
:
Bonavista
*1999: Sharkskin:
Sharkskin
Sharkskin, or grisaille (from French ''gris'', meaning grey) describes a specific woven or warp-knitted fabric with a distinctive sheen. Sharkskin is a twill weave fabric created using acetate, rayon, worsted wool, lycra, and other plastic fi ...
*2000:
Limblifter:
Bellaclava
*2002:
John Mann:
Acoustic Kitty
*2002:
Bruce McCulloch
Bruce Ian McCulloch (born May 12, 1961) is a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, musician and film director. McCulloch is best known for his work as a member of the comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, including starring in the TV series of the s ...
:
Drunk Baby Project
*2002: Various Artists:
Women & Songs 6
*2002: Camille Miller: She Knows
*2003:
Northey Valenzuela Northey may refer to:
Surname
*Alfred Northey (1838–1911), English clergyman and cricketer
*Andy Northey (born 1972), English rugby league and rugby union player
*Benjamin Northey (born 1970), Australian conductor
*Bill Northey (born 1959), Iowan ...
:
Northey Valenzuela Northey may refer to:
Surname
*Alfred Northey (1838–1911), English clergyman and cricketer
*Andy Northey (born 1972), English rugby league and rugby union player
*Benjamin Northey (born 1970), Australian conductor
*Bill Northey (born 1959), Iowan ...
*2005:
Colin James
Colin James (born Colin James Munn; August 17, 1964) is a Canadian blues rock singer and songwriter. James has been very successful in Canada, having attained seven Gold-certified albums in Canada during his career, including four Platinum alb ...
:
Limelight
Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a non-electric type of stage lighting that was once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illum ...
*2005:
Stripper's Union:
Stripper's Union Local 518
*2009: Odds:
Cheerleader
Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ent ...
*2010:
Swan
Swans are birds of the genus ''Cygnus'' within the family Anatidae. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe (biology) ...
:
Salt March
The Salt march, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March, and the Dandi Satyagraha, was an act of Non violence, non violent civil disobedience in British Raj, colonial India, led by Mahatma Gandhi. The 24-day march lasted from 12 March 19 ...
*2011:
Stripper's Union: The Deuce
*2011: Gerry Barnum:
Step On It
*2013:
Odds
In probability theory, odds provide a measure of the probability of a particular outcome. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics. For example for an event that is 40% probable, one could say that the odds are or
When gambling, o ...
:
the Most Beautiful Place on Earth
Film and television
See also
*
Canadian Rock
Rock music of Canada is a wide and diverse part of the general music of Canada, beginning with American and British style rock and roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern po ...
*
Canadian blues
Canadian blues is the blues and blues-related music (e.g., blues rock) performed by blues bands and performers in Canada. Canadian blues artists include singers, players of the main blues instruments: guitar (acoustic guitar, acoustic and electr ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elliott, Doug
1962 births
Living people
Canadian bass guitarists
Canadian male singers
Canadian rock singers
Musicians from Edmonton
Alternative rock bass guitarists
Canadian alternative rock singers
Canadian male bass guitarists
Singers from Alberta
Odds (band) members