Artist: The Smugglers, Album: Mutiny In Stereo, Song: Shock The Shanker!

"What's the state, what's the state I'm in, I need a rock n' roll fix.  I'm headed east to the capital city to hear familiar licks.  Oh there's dancin' and kissin' and fuckin' around."  The Smugglers were a punk band from Vancouver, British Columbia.  They were Grant Lawrence, David Carswell, Beez, Nicholas Thomas and Graham Watson.  They met in high school and released their first independent album in 1991.  They released 8 albums over their 15 year career as a band and played shows all over the world.  They were signed to a number of independent labels to help their distribution which included Vancouver based, Mint Records as well as U.S. label, Lookout Records.  The band was known for their wildly energetic stage presence and often had audience participation activities like dance contests.  Mutiny In Stereo, was their final album in 2004 and a very good one.  Shock The Shanker! is perhaps one of the coolest three minute rock tunes ever made.  I absolutely love this song and could listen to it over and over again.  I would also recommend this tune to any fan of AC/DC.  Front man, Grant Lawrence, is likely more well known today for his work as a radio personality for the CBC as well as a published author.  He is also married to Canadian songstress, Jill Barber.  You can follow him at http://grantlawrence.ca/.  Guitarist, David Carswell, produced the album and runs his own studio called, JC/DC (http://jcdc.ca/), in Vancouver.  He has worked on some very successful releases by The New Pornographers as well as Tegan and Sara (see blog 9/15/10).  He also played guitar with another popular Vancouver punk band called, The Evaporators, which included Nardwuar The Human Serviette.  You can purchase the album, Mutiny In Stereo, from Itunes and you can hear a song sample of Shock The Shanker! there as well.  Thanks for reading and enjoy!