Glenn Forrester (bass)
Graham Greer (vox, rhythm guitar)
Al Morier (lead guitar)
Bobby Tamas (drums)
At age 14 Forrester and Tamas were living in Cornwall, Ontario, playing in The Edsels. By high school they recruited Greer and wanted to get into bars, so they started a little band called the Wallflowers. They drifted from Cornwall to Ottawa, but found their band much more interesting than classes. Greer became their principal songwriter and so they were able to methodically eliminate cover tunes. Morier joined in 1991.
However, at this time, Jakob Dylan's band of the same name made their first appearance so as to avoid confusion, they chose Barstool Prophets from a line in "Short And Curlies" from their indie CD called 'Deflowered'.
It sold 7,000 copies and led to opening slots for bands like 54-40, The Waltons, Odds and The Headstones. News of the band's exploits got around to Mercury/Polydor A&R rep Bryan Potvin who was solely impressed by any band that could sell out an Ottawa club in the middle of the season's worst snowstorm.
Produced by Marty Jones (Furnaceface) in Ottawa and mixed by Mr. Colson in Wisconsin, the Mercury/Polydor debut 'Crank' (August 1995) put Prophets favourites and new songs together in a crisp collection. "Paranoia" was the first radio single and was included on the soundtrack to Never Talk To Strangers. The band's catchy songs, head-turning videos, and energetic live shows ensured the Prophets gave them a strong fan-base in Canada and so 'Crank' was subsequently released in the USA in July 1996.
Their familiar routine of touring, hit singles and fans increasing exponentially was suddenly replaced by an uncommon silence. Greer's wife was pregnant and so the band took a break all the while writing new material. They then enlisted the help of veteran producer Joe Hardy (ZZ Top, Colin James) and the band drove to Memphis to get rolling on what would become 'Last Of The Big Game Hunters' (1997). The album spawned three singles including their biggest charting success "Friend Of Mine".
Though the band has never split up, Graham Greer has had a simultaneous separate solo career.
with notes from Ruth Greer.
Singles
1995 Mankindman Mercury/Polydor)
1995 Paranoia (Mercury/Polydor)
1995 Little Death (Oh Mary Mary) (Mercury/Polydor)
1997 Last Of The Big Game Hunters (Mercury/Polydor)
1997 Upsidedown (Mercury/Polydor)
1997 Friend Of Mine (Mercury/Polydor)
Albums
as THE WALLFLOWERS
1992 Birdman (independent)
as THE BARSTOOL PROPHETS
1993 Deflowered (independent)
1995 Crank (Mercury/Polydor)
1997 Last Of The Big Game Hunters (Mercury/Polydor)
Video
1995 Paranoia (Mercury/Polydor)
1995 Little Death (Oh Mary Mary) (Mercury/Polydor)
1997 Last Of The Big Game Hunters (Mercury/Polydor)
Compilation Tracks
1995 "Paranoia" on 'Never Talk To Strangers' (???)
Official Barstool Prophets Website
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