Chris Barry (vocals)
Pierre Major (guitar)
Richard Paul (guitar)
Joe Cerratto (bass)
Andre Gagne (drums)
At age 15 and still in Junior High School, singer Chris Barry started his music career by launching the Montreal band The 222's. After the release of two singles and an recording an aborted LP for a Montreal drug lord (who wanted the band to release a pop record), The 222's high tailed it out of Montreal to Toronto where they weren't able to sustain themselves.
Chris Barry headed to England where he would team up with ex-Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock but the two didn't see eye to eye and instead, with Barry living in squalor in vacant flats and the English tubeway system he joined the Southern Death Cult following Ian Astbury's departure.
The band was ill equipped and folded once Astbury decided to take part of their name and form The Cult. With Barry now unemployed and broke, he returned to North America and reformed the 222's in Montreal with former members Pierre Major and Joe Cerratto. With the addition of Gagne and Paul they became 39 Steps (after the movie of the same name).
In 1984, six months after their formation, they recorded and released a self-titled EP on Line Records. With a move to New York City instigated by ex-Montreal patriot and manager Steven Shipp (Bootsauce, Cycle Sluts From Hell), and in 1985 they answered a cattle call for a band to appear in Woody Allen's 'Hannah And Her Sisters'. They sent a tape and photo, auditioned for Allen and performed their song "Slip Into The Crowd" at CBGB's in the film.
After touring the EP and gaining MTV exposure, a full length album called 'Slip Into The Crowd' followed in 1987 on RCA Records out of New York.
They were soon dropped by RCA and then signed to Chrysalis in 1989, but Chrysalis wanted another Slaughter to add to their roster and 39 Steps took exception to the insult. Despite recording with Blondie's Chris Stein, no album released and a protracted 2 year battle ensued. 39 Steps decided to wait out the length of the contract.
In 1991, Joan Jett saw the band and became a fan. The group still had control over the Chris Stein material and headed back into the studio with Jett's producer John Alosa and engineer Glen Robinson (13 Engines, GWAR, VoiVod) to produce their long awaited follow up 'Neon Bible' in 1993.
"(All Roads Lead To) Babylon" was released as the single/video which received moderate rotation on MTV, but it seemed that 39 Steps aggro-rock had passed its prime with the onslaught of the grunge movement.
Chris Barry is currently with a new act called Acrylic.
With notes from Mary Lou
Singles
1986 Stay Faithless (Line)
1987 Slip Into The Crowd (RCA)
1993 (All Roads Lead To) Babylon (Blackheart/Cargo)
Albums
1984 39 Steps (Line)
1987 Slip Into The Crowd (RCA)
1993 Neon Bible (Blackheart/Cargo)
Video
1986 Stay Faithless
1987 Slip Into The Crowd
1993 (All Roads Lead To) Babylon
Compilation Tracks
1989 "City Of Vice" on 'Rodney Bingheniner Presents K-ROQ' (K-ROQ - US) - compilation
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