Lowest of the Low

The Lowest of the Low were a Canadian alternative rock group in the early 1990s. Although they never broke through to the mainstream, they were one of the most influential bands on the Canadian alternative music scene.

Formed by Ron Hawkins, Steve Stanley, Dave Alexander and John Arnott in 1991, the Low's punk-inspired folk pop quickly became a popular draw on the Queen Street West club circuit in Toronto.

Also in 1991, they released their debut album, Shakespeare My Butt, which was actively supported by Toronto radio station CFNY, and quickly made the band a popular name across southern Ontario and western New York. The album became one of the best-selling independent releases in Canadian history (although it was eclipsed in the same year by Barenaked Ladies' Yellow Tape), and was later named one of the ten greatest albums in Canadian music history by the music magazine Chart.

In 1993, the band signed a distribution deal with A&M Records, and released Hallucigenia in 1994. Unfortunately, the band was riven with tensions, and broke up later the same year.

The Lowest of the Low reunited in 2000 to play some reunion shows. From their official page bio (http://www.lowestofthelow.com/bio.php):

"When the band decided to get together and play a few reunion shows, there was an absolutely enormous audience waiting for them. The success of these few shows led to two cross-Canada tours, and a live album called Nothing Short of a Bullet, released in 2002. Further accolades included the 102.1 The Edge/Now Magazine Hall of Fame award, Ron Hawkins being voted Toronto’s Favourite Songwriter in the Now Magazine readers’ poll, and their being rated as the best band at the 2002 NXNE festival by ChartAttack.

In the wake of their successful comeback, original members Ron Hawkins (vocals/guitar/piano), Stephen Stanley (vocals/guitar) and David Alexander (drums) added to their ranks longtime collaborator Lawrence Nichols (harmonica, keyboards, vocals, guitar) and bassist Dylan Parker to begin the process of moving forward with new music."

Their latest album 'Sordid Fiction' was released in 2004. Ron Hawkins will also be releasing his latest solo album 'Chemical Sounds' in 2007.