Molly Johnson (lead vocals)
Norman Orenstein (guitars)
Washington Savage (keyboards, vocals)
Jeff Jones (bass, vocals)
Owen Tennyson (drums, vocals)
Molly Johnson and Norman Orenstein had managed to release one album under the name Alta Moda in the late '80's which produced the hit "Julian". After the band's demise they continued writing with thoughts of other artists in mind.
Several tunes seemed appropriate for Ital-Canadian teen sensation Candi so a demo tape was submitted to the artist's record label IRS
Paul Orescan at the label was already a fan of Alta Moda and forwarded the songs to head office president Miles Copeland who was impressed enough to sign them to an 8 album deal.
Orenstein produced their self-titled debut which was essentially just him and Johnson and a group of established musical friends including bass by Etric Lyons (Alta Moda) and Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar), drums by Randy Cooke (Lee Aaron), keyboards by Glen Morrow (Chris DeBurgh, Chester), The Armin Quartet, and vocalists Billy Newton-Davis, Cindy Matthews, and Taborah Johnson.
The album and its two hit singles "100 Watt Bulb" and "Celebrate" met with critical acclaim and a national tour was set in motion with the formation of a live band including Washington Savage (Rational Youth) on keyboards, Owen Tennyson (Blue Peter, Rational Youth) on drums, and Jeff Jones (Red Rider, Ocean) on bass.
They spent all of 1991 and 1992 on the road pushing the album and then took a hiatus as Molly Johnson established and chaired the annual Kumbaya Festival in Toronto. The touring band returned intermittently to the studio but Savage had left to join the Jeff Healey Band and Jones returned to his steady gigs with Gowan and The Carpet Frogs.
When the album was finally finished in 1995, Copeland wanted the band to change its name due to the existence of another Infidels in the US. But Johnson and Orenstein refused sighting the large established following in the public's eye they already had.
Much infighting with the label occurred and IRS soon found itself in financial trouble. Copeland had prioritized the career of his newest act, Canada's Alannah Myles, which put the need for another female fronted act like Infidels in jeopardy.
Johnson decided to pack in the rock and roll life continuing her charity work on Kumbaya and getting married several years ago. She returned in September 2000 with a self-titled album of jazzy pop. She has released several critically acclaimed solo albums since; Orenstein produces bands out of his own recording studio and frequently co-writes including work with Infidels’ Jeff Jones on his solo material; Jones is still a member of The Carpet Frogs and Tom Cochrane & Red Rider and has two solo albums under his belt; Savage died in May 2007; Teenyson continues to do session work and performs live around Toronto.
Singles
1991 100 Watt Bulb (IRS) IRS-67067
1991 Celebrate [Radio Version]/Celebrate [Album Version] (IRS) IRS-67080
1992 Without Love (IRS)
Albums
1991 Infidels (IRS) X2-13110
Video
1991 100 Watt Bulb
1991 Celebrate
Compilation Tracks
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