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John Shirreff (vocals)
Hugh Gladish (guitar)
Jonathan Strayer (bass)
Ken Jones (drums)
Jonathan Davies (drums; replaced Jones 1983)
Kevin Hunter (drums; replaced Davies)
Gary Quinn (bass; replaced Strayer)
Chris Wardman (guitar)
Breeding Ground was formed in Toronto in 1980 and subscribed to the cold wave mould of acts like New Order's school of rhythm. Their first release was an untitled 4 song 12" single in 1982 on Mannequin Records and featured original drummer Ken Jones.
They would receive notoriety with the independent 12" single "Reunion"/"Slaughter", produced by Jones's drumming replacement Davies (Kinetic Ideals) in 1983 on Fringe. It was quite successful at college radio stations and ended up selling out three pressings. Davies would leave in November 1984 to complete his degree at the University of Toronto. He was replaced by Hunter.
The follow-up EP, 1985's 'Tales Of Adventure', was produced by ex-Blue Peter guitarist Chris Wardman (who later joined the band) who enlisted the help of Alta Moda singer Molly Johnson and Jason Sniderman on keyboards. The record made it to No.1 on the campus charts and No.60 on CFNY's "Best 86 of '86" based on the success of the single and video for "Happy Now I Know".
After the release of the EP, bassist Jonathan Strayer quit and the band effectively disbanded. However, Wardman and Shirreff continued writing material in Wardman's basement along with bassist Gary Quinn and before long, the remainder of Breeding Ground was recruited back to the band for the 1986 line-up of Shirreff, Gladish, Quinn, Hunter and Wardman.
Bites began coming to the band from major labels but, alas, lawyer hassles prevented a deal from ever being struck even though another album had been recorded. Three years passed before Breeding Ground's next release,
Obscurity And Flair which once again featured Molly Johnson and Chalk Circle's Tad Winklarz adding saxophone.
Their version of David Essex's "Rock On" has never been released due to the flooding of the market with cover versions by Michael Damien, Bambi, and The Dave Howard Singers. Wardman claims that their version of the song, played by disc jockeys on a lark at the Silver Crown Tavern, was lifted by the members of Bambi who also frequented the club; Davies is now a writer/producer for The Great Adventure Motion Picture Co.
with notes from John Gladish and Jonathan Davies
Singles
1983 Reunion/Slaughter [12"] (Fringe Product) FPS-3011
1986 Happy Now I Know/This Time Tomorrow (Fringe Product) FPS-1735
1987 Reunion/Slaughter [re-issue] (Fringe)
1989 Ceremony Of Love (Fringe)
Albums
1982 Breeding Ground [4 song EP] (Mannequin) MANEP-3
1986 Tales Of Adventure [6 song EP] (Fringe Product) FPL-3022
[cassette contains bonus track]
1989 Obscurity And Flair (Fringe Product) FPL-3088
1994 Revisited (Fringe Product)
Video
1986 This Time Tomorrow
1986 Happy Now I Know
1989 Ceremony Of Love
Compilation Tracks
