Denise McCann (lead vocals)
Brian MacLeod (guitars)
Matt Frenette (drums)
Ab Bryant (bass)
Darby Mills (lead vocals; replaced McCann)
Scott Reid
Dave Reimer (bass)
Bernie Aubin (drums; replaced Frenette)
Dary McDonald (keyboards; 1983-1986)
Chrissy Steele (vocals)
Alfie Galpin (guitar)
Tony Dellacroce (guitar)

During their tenure in pop act Chilliwack in the late 1970's, Ab Bryant and Brian MacLeod decided to moonlight in a pick-up act they dubbed The Headpins -- a deliberate spoonerism of the word Pinheads.

The group also featured Randy Bachman's wife, Denise McCann, on vocals during a transitional period while she tried to re-evaluate her career as a 'disco queen' and on sabbatical from her other rock act the Dead Marines.

When Frenette left shortly after their inauguration as a performing act to do full duty in his other successful act, Loverboy, Bernie Aubin was brought in on drums. And when McCann quit to join former Prism member Rocket Norton in Night Train, Bryant and MacLeod brought in Streetback vocalist Darby Mills (a former figure skater turned vocalist).

Bryant and MacLeod didn't want to use their status as stars with Chilliwack to sway the industry so they took the root of all bands trying to 'make it', and entered a 'Battle Of The Bands' contest with CFOX-FM in Vancouver. Two of their songs, "Breakin' It Down' and a remake of 'When A Man Loves A Woman' landed on the station's compilation album 'Vancouver Seeds' in 1981.

Despite the anonymity, The Headpins and their main act, Chilliwack, were both signed to Solid Gold Records out of Toronto in 1981. The deal was mirrored in the US on Atco and their debut album, 'Turn It Loud', which was well received and went on to sell 200,000 copies.

Their second album, 'Line Of Fire', also did well in 1983 as they toured with new keyboardist Darcy McDonald. That is, until their label, Solid Gold declared bankruptcy leaving the band's recording options hanging in the lurch. By 1985 the red-tape had been resolved and with Chilliwack out of business, Bryant and MacLeod were able to focus on the band full-time.

For 1985's 'Head Over Heels' album failed to pick-up from the momentum they had lost and the band languished until 1986 after which they split up.

Darby Mills decided to try her hand at a solo career in the early '80's and MacLeod attempted to revive The Headpins with new singer Chrissy Steele, but after MacLeod finished the recording of the album his health began to fail and it was decided that Steel should release the album as a solo record.

MacLeod eventually succumbed to cancer in the mid-90's.

with notes from Warren Mcdonald.


Singles
1982 Don't It Make Ya Feel/Keep Walkin' Away (Solid Gold) SGS-720
1982 Winnin'/You Can't Have Me (Solid Gold) SGS-727
1982 Breakin' Down/Don't Ya Ever Leave Me (Solid Gold) SGS-731
1983 Mine All Mine/Celebration (Solid Gold) SGS-741
1984 Just One More Time/I've Heard It All Before (Solid Gold) SGS-746
1985 Staying All Night/Burnin' At Both Ends (MCA) 52689

Albums
1982 Turn It Loud (Solid Gold) SGR-1010
1983 Line Of Fire (Solid Gold) SGR-1017
1985 Head Over Heels (MCA) MCA-5630
1987 Anthology (One Way/MCA) MCAD-22155
1988 Greatest Hits (Columbia) 80130
2002 The Complete Greatest Hits (Solid Gold) 410122

Video


Compilation Tracks
1981 "Break It Down" and "When A Man Loves A Woman" on 'Vancouver Seeds' (CFOX) - compilation