You Say Party (formerly You Say Party! We Say Die!) is a Canadian
dance-punk
Dance-punk (also known as disco-punk) is a post-punk subgenre that emerged in the late 1970s, and is closely associated with the disco, post-disco and new wave movements.Rip It Up and Start Again: Post Punk 1978-1984. Simon Reynolds.Faber an ...
new-wave band from Abbotsford, British Columbia.
Their first album '' Hit the Floor!'' was released in September 2005, and the band completed their second Canadian tour, an appearance at
South by Southwest
South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
and a tour of the United States, before touring the United Kingdom and Germany. Their second album '' Lose All Time'' was released in Canada on March 20, 2007, and in the United States on August 18, 2007, on
Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label, artist management company, and music publishing company founded in 2002 and based in Toronto.
History
The label was created to focus on the Toronto-area indie rock music scene. Initial si ...
, in the United Kingdom on June 18, 2007, on
Fierce Panda Records
Fierce Panda Records is a London-based independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-s ...
and in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on August 17, 2007, on PIAS. Their third album '' XXXX'' was released on September 29, 2009, in Canada, February 9, 2010, in the US and May 17, 2010, in the UK. The band's fourth album, ''You Say Party'', was released on February 12, 2016.
History
Formation and ''danskwad'' (2003–2004)
You Say Party! We Say Die! was conceived by Stephen O'Shea, Becky Ninkovic and Krista Loewen in November 2003. The band was birthed out of a bike gang known as The Smoking Spokes. December was too cold to ride bikes, so they started jamming in Ninkovic's parents' basement.
You Say Party! We Say Die! played their debut show in April 2004, and gained some instant notoriety for their "willingness to play anything, anywhere, anytime." Their first show was played in a church basement in Abbotsford opening for Fun 100. That year, they independently released their first EP, ''danskwad'' (pronounced "Dance Squad"), which is, according to different sources, a reference to the people who came to their shows, a name considered early on for the band, or the name of a more or less unrelated earlier band.
''Hit the Floor'' and ''Lose All Time'' (2005–2007)
In 2005, the band began receiving press as the five members toured Canada, opening for acts such as The Blood Brothers and
Pretty Girls Make Graves
Pretty Girls Make Graves is a post-hardcore band formed in Seattle in 2001, named after The Smiths' song of the same name (which itself was named after a quote from Jack Kerouac's ''The Dharma Bums''). Andrea Zollo and Derek Fudesco had played ...
. They released a full-length album, entitled '' Hit the Floor!'', in September, received some positive reviews, and performed at
Pop Montreal
POP Montreal is an annual List of music festivals, music festival occurring in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in the early fall, usually at the end of September or the beginning of October. More than 400 bands are scheduled to play in more than 50 ve ...
.
In 2006,
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
-based record label Reluctant Recordings released ''Hit the Floor'' on vinyl, as You Say Party toured Canada for the second time. The group appeared at SXSW and was interviewed on
MuchMusic
Much is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults. It is headquartered at 299 Queen Street West in what was o ...
, as they received funding for a video of "The Gap (Between the Rich and the Poor)" from
VideoFACT
MuchFACT was a Canadian fund that provided grants to Canadian recording artists to help them produce music videos. FACT stands for Foundation To Assist Canadian Talent. MuchFACT was funded entirely by television cable channel Much (formerly MuchM ...
. You Say Party toured the United Kingdom and Germany in May/June 2006, then continental Europe with a focus on the UK in August 2006, released a single for "The Gap" on UK label Cheesedream, and one for "You Did It!" on UK label Sink & Stove.
In October 2006, You Say Party was heading to the United States for a major tour; however, they did not have the proper visas to be able to perform in the United States. Since band member Stephen O'Shea was banned from performing in the United States for five years, the band could not perform there until 2011 with O'Shea.
In January 2007, after months of speculation, You Say Party signed an album deal with Toronto-based
Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label, artist management company, and music publishing company founded in 2002 and based in Toronto.
History
The label was created to focus on the Toronto-area indie rock music scene. Initial si ...
label. The label features such artists as Uncut and
Tokyo Police Club
Tokyo Police Club was an indie rock band from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2005, it consisted of vocalist and bassist Dave Monks, keyboardist Graham Wright, guitarist Josh Hook, and drummer Greg Alsop. The band found early success with ...
. The band released their new album, '' Lose All Time'', on March 20, 2007, in Canada. '' Lose All Time'' has been released by
Fierce Panda Records
Fierce Panda Records is a London-based independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-s ...
in the United Kingdom and PIAS in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
''Remik's Cube'' and ''XXXX'' (2008–2009)
On August 26, 2008, You Say Party released ''
Remik's Cube
''Remik's Cube'' is the third album by You Say Party (formerly You Say Party! We Say Die!), released digital-only on Paper Bag Digital on August 26, 2008. ''Remik's Cube'' is a reworking of their previous album '' Lose All Time''.Lose All Time''. The digital-only release was put out on Paper Bag Digital, the online imprint of
Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label, artist management company, and music publishing company founded in 2002 and based in Toronto.
History
The label was created to focus on the Toronto-area indie rock music scene. Initial si ...
.
After relentless touring, members began paying attention to their personal lives again, pursuing artistic endeavours and meaningful employment. They provided supportive care for adults living with disabilities, aid to the poor in developing countries, and services for the homeless in Vancouver's Downtown East Side and the message was put forth that "the loving is the everything."
The rest of 2008 was spent creating the songs that grew to become their third album, '' XXXX''. Collaborating with producer
Howard Redekopp
Howard Redekopp is a Canadian Juno Award-winning record producer, mixer, writer, musician, and recording engineer best known for his work with Tegan and Sara and La Gusana Ciega.
Redekopp's production work has received two Grammy Award nominat ...
(
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara () are a Canadian indie pop duo formed in 1998 in Calgary, Alberta. The band is led by identical twin sisters, Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin (born September 19, 1980). Both musicians are songwriters and multi-instrumentali ...
,
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers are a Canadian indie rock band, formed in 1997 in Vancouver. Presented as a musical collective and supergroup of singer-songwriters and musicians from multiple projects, the band currently consists of Carl Newman (vocals, ...
), ''XXXX'' was recorded between January and August 2009.
''XXXX'' was released to critical acclaim, and reached No. 1 on Canadian campus radio charts in only its second week on the charts, remaining at No. 1 for six weeks straight. Additionally, ''XXXX'''s lead single, "Laura Palmer's Prom", reached No. 1 on CBC Radio 3's ''
The R3-30
CBC Radio 3 is a Canadian digital radio station operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which plays a relatively freeform mix of indie rock, indie pop, alternative hip hop, folk, country and electronic music.
The service, which laun ...
'' chart the week of November 28, 2009 and the band was asked to perform on
CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One is the English-language news and information radio network of the publicly owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial-free and offers local and national programming. It is available on AM and FM to 98 percent o ...
's morning show '' Q''. You Say Party! We Say Die! played two shows for the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, BC. In November 2009, Aux brought Becky Ninkovic together with one of her idols, Martha Johnson of
Martha and the Muffins
Martha and the Muffins are a Canadian rock band, active from 1977 to the present. Although they only had one major international hit single "Echo Beach" under their original band name, they had a number of hits in their native Canada, and the ...
, for a cross-generational interview.
Death of Devon Clifford, name change and ''REMIXXXX'' (2010–2011)
On April 16, 2010, just after the band had finished touring the U.S. and Western Canada, drummer Devon Clifford collapsed on stage during the band's set at The Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver. He died on April 18, reportedly as a result of complications from a sudden
brain hemorrhage
The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...
The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...
'', April 18, 2010.
The band subsequently announced that they were officially dropping "We Say Die" from their name, "out of respect for
lifford
Lifford (, historically anglicised as ''Liffer'') is the county town of County Donegal, Ireland, the administrative centre of the county and the seat of Donegal County Council, although the town of Letterkenny is often mistaken as holding this ...
and the evolution of life"."To all of our fans and supporters..." yousayparty.com, retrieved July 26, 2010. It was also announced that Krista Loewen had left the band, while Robert Andow and Bobby Siadat of Vancouver band Gang Violence had joined, taking over keyboards and drums, respectively. On July 29, the band performed an outdoor show at Jubilee Park in their hometown of Abbotsford, their first live show since Clifford's death. Siadat subsequently decided not to remain with the band, and was replaced by Al Boyle of the band Hard Feelings.
In July 2010 the band unveiled the track listing for their new remix album, titled ''REMIXXXX'', which was released on September 21, 2010."You Say Party Unveil REMIXXXX Album, Announce European Tour and BC Dates" . ''Exclaim!'', July 21, 2010. Concurrently, the band announced a rescheduled series of concert dates in the United Kingdom and Ireland for fall 2010.
In September 2010, XXXX won a
Western Canadian Music Award
The ''Western Canadian Music Awards'' (WCMAs) is an annual awards event for music in the western portion of Canada. The awards are provided by the Western Canada Music Alliance, which consists of six member music industry organizations from Brit ...
for Best Rock Album of the year. The album was also included on the long list for the Polaris Prize.
On October 25, 2010, You Say Party! released a split 7-inch with The Duloks on Club.The Mammoth Records.
Hiatus
On April 14, 2011, You Say Party! announced "the immediate cease to activity as YSP", according to a statement released by the band. Bassist Stephen O'Shea wrote: "Becky inkovic, vocals Derek dam, guitarand I are announcing the immediate cease to activity as YSP. Call it a hiatus. Call it a break. Call it whatever you want. It's been a hard year for us. Not a bad year. We've experienced wonderful support from people. But you gotta listen to your body and your mind when it begins to revolt against what you think it is you have to do. So we're gonna stop for a while, and we're gonna work on who we are as people. We know that everyone understands exactly why and where we're coming from. Thanks for the support over the years."
Ninkovic subsequently appeared as a guest vocalist on recordings by Beta Frontiers,
Rich Aucoin
Richard Aucoin (born September 15, 1983) is a Canadian musician, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In July 2012, the band announced they had reunited, with Loewen returning to the lineup for the first time since 2010. The band's first concert since reforming was the tenth-anniversary concert of
Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label, artist management company, and music publishing company founded in 2002 and based in Toronto.
History
The label was created to focus on the Toronto-area indie rock music scene. Initial si ...
on September 29, 2012. The band has opted not to replace Clifford with another drummer, and instead utilize drum machines for percussion."You Say Party return with new song, lay out future plans" ''
Exclaim!
''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly ''Exclaim!'' print magazine publishes seven ...
''. January 16, 2013. In January 2013, the band released a new single in tribute to Clifford, entitled "Friend".
In April 2014, the band celebrated their 10th anniversary by releasing the ''DECENNIUM'' EP.
The band released their self-titled fourth album on February 12, 2016.
Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label, artist management company, and music publishing company founded in 2002 and based in Toronto.
History
The label was created to focus on the Toronto-area indie rock music scene. Initial si ...
Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label, artist management company, and music publishing company founded in 2002 and based in Toronto.
History
The label was created to focus on the Toronto-area indie rock music scene. Initial si ...
* 2016 – ''You Say Party'' – CD / LP
Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label, artist management company, and music publishing company founded in 2002 and based in Toronto.
History
The label was created to focus on the Toronto-area indie rock music scene. Initial si ...
Remix albums
* 2008 – ''
Remik's Cube
''Remik's Cube'' is the third album by You Say Party (formerly You Say Party! We Say Die!), released digital-only on Paper Bag Digital on August 26, 2008. ''Remik's Cube'' is a reworking of their previous album '' Lose All Time''.Paper Bag Digital
* 2010 – ''REMIXXXX'' – Digital
Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label, artist management company, and music publishing company founded in 2002 and based in Toronto.
History
The label was created to focus on the Toronto-area indie rock music scene. Initial si ...
EPs
* 2004 – ''Danskwad'' EP – CD (400 copies) band self-released
* 2010 – ''YSP/DULOKS'' EP – 7" (500 copies) Club.The.Mammoth – Split 7" between You Say Party! and the Duloks
* 2014 – ''DECENNIUM'' EP – Digital
Singles
*2006 – "The Gap" and "Stockholm Syndrome Parts I and II" – 7" Cheesedream Records
*2006 – "You Did It!" and "Love in the New Millennium" – 7" Sink and Stove Records
*2006 – "You Say Party! We Say Die!/The Victorian English Gentlemen's Club – Split 7"
Fantastic Plastic Records
Fantastic Plastic Records is an independent record label based in London and Brighton.
Fantastic Plastic was formed by lifelong music fan Darrin Robson in a County Down attic. Originally specialising in mail-order only rare and collectible reco ...
*2007 – "Monster" –
Fierce Panda Records
Fierce Panda Records is a London-based independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-s ...
*2007 – "Like I Give a Care" and "Opportunity" – 7"
Fierce Panda Records
Fierce Panda Records is a London-based independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-s ...
*2010 – "Laura Palmer's Prom" – virtual 7" Paper Bag Digital
*2010 – "Dark Days" – virtual 7" Paper Bag Digital
*2010 – "There Is XXXX (Within My Heart)" – virtual 7" Paper Bag Digital
*2011 – "Lonely's Lunch" – Paper Bag Digital
*2011 – "Laura Palmer's Prom" – Paper Bag Digital
*2013 – "Friend" – Self-released
*2013 – "The Misunderstanding"
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic music, electronic band formed in Meols, Merseyside in 1978 by Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboards, vocals). Regarded as pioneers of electronic musi ...
List of bands from Canada
This is a list of bands from Canada. Only bands appear here; individual musicians are listed at list of Canadian musicians.
0-9
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
* X-Quisite (2002– ...