Born: Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa born Bob Bryden was transplanted to Oshawa, Ontario where he was a member of such bands as The Outcasts and The Christopher Columbus Discovery of New Lands Band. With much original material under his belt the Christopher Columbus band - featuring Helge 'Rich' Richter and Lynda Squires - became Reign Ghost who released an eponymous debut to no effect in 1968.
In 1969 they recorded a second LP which was held back until 1970 and released simultaneously with the debut album of the band they mutated into - Christmas. From 1970 to 1974 Christmas (later dubbed Spirit Of Christmas) saw Bryden write and record two more LP's - 'Heritage' and 'Lies To Live By'. Both of these albums were received very well by the critical community but were considered too eclectic even for Canadian FM radio and so Spirit Of Chistmas disbanded in 1975.
In 1978 Bryden was offered the job of managing a franchise store of the Star Records chain and headed up their independent record label as well. Through the label he was able to produce material for the likes of The Forgotten Rebels and Durango '95.
In 1981 Bryden returned to his own recordings and 'See This Brick', a self-produced solo LP, was released on his own Limited Availability label.
Out of the broken pieces of 'See This Brick' sessions came a new band called Benzene Jag. Together for over 4 years, Benzene Jag released one highly controversial single, recorded a six-song EP and toured southern Ontario.
In 1985, Benzene Jag gave way to yet another band - the "progressive-Euro-pop" group, Age Of Mirrors. Singing and writing under the pseudonym Simon De Beaupre, Bryden released the 'Mirage' LP and found himself playlisted, incognito, on some of Toronto's major radio stations. Reaction to the LP was unanimously good - but independent distribution slowed momentum.
Meanwhile, Bryden began taking his religion a little more seriously and ended up recording with a fellow church goer - Belma (Diana) Vardy - and together they released 'In One Spirit'. Age Of Mirrors went on to release a second album called 'Screenplay' in 1987 before Bryden decided to once again focus on his own material.
Ten years after his first solo release Bryden released 'Theatre Like This'. He has also supervised the CD re-issues of both Reign Ghost albums and two Christmas records by Laser's Edge in New Jersey and the release of a Christmas live album through Zapp Records in Hamilton.
Bryden's third solo album, 'Polaroid Verite', was released in 2007.
Singles
with REIGN GHOST
1970 Long Day Journey/Pudsy's Parable (Paragon) PA 1020
with CHRISTMAS
1970 Don't Give it Away/Farewell Sweet Lovin' (Daffodil/Capitol) DFS-1002
1971 Point Blank/Goin' to Oklahoma (Daffodil/Capitol) DFS-1008
1971 I'm A Song, Sing Me/A Part of Our Heritage (Daffodil/Capitol) DFS-1010
with SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
1974 Graveyard Face/Stay Dead Lazarus (Daffodil/Capitol) DIL-1056
with BENZENE JAG
1983 F...k Off 1984/Love Recession (Star) SRS-002
Albums
as BOB BRYDEN
1981 See This Brick (Limited Availability) LA-1
1987 Ditties For Kiddies [cassette] (independent)
1991 Theatre Like This [cassette] (independent)
2007 Polaroid Verite (independent)
with REIGN GHOST
1969 Reign Ghost (Allied) 12
1970 Reign Ghost featuring Lynda Squires (Paragon) 19
1991 Reign Ghost [re-issue] (Laser's Edge - US) LE-1004
with CHRISTMAS
1970 Christmas (Paragon) 18
1970 Heritage (Daffodil/Capitol) SBA-16002
1987 Live At Massey Hall [cassette] (independent)
1990 Christmas Live 1971 [vinyl LP] (Remember The Alamo)
1993 Heritage [re-issue] (Laser's Edge - US) LE-1009
1998 Heritage [re-issue] (Unidisc) AGEK-2166
1998 Live At Massey Hall [re-issue] (Unidisc) AGEK-2167
with SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
1974 Lies To Live By... (Daffodil/Capitol) DAF-10047
1991 Lies To Live By... [re-issue] (Laser's Edge - US) LE-1001
1998 Lies To Live By... [re-issue] (Unidisc) AGEK-2168
with BENZENE JAG
1983 The January Demo [cassette] (independent)
with AGE OF MIRRORS
1985 Mirage (A Major Record Label) MRL-8001
1987 Screenplay (A Major Record Label) MRL-8003
with BELMA AND BOB
1987 In One Spirit [cassette] (independent)
Video
Compilation Tracks
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