Artist: The Diodes, Album: Tired Of Waking Up Tired: The Best Of The Diodes, Song: Tired Of Waking Up Tired

The Diodes were a punk band from Toronto that formed during the mid to late seventies.  They hold the status of being the first punk band from Canada to sign a record deal with a major label.  The band was signed to CBS Records and released their self titled debut in 1977.  Their first single was a cover of the sixties' hit, Red Rubber Ball, that was originally released by a band named, The Cyrkle, in 1966 and was penned by a very young Paul Simon.  The song did well and soon the band was playing bars like CBGB's and Max's Kansas City in New York.  They also toured with bands like The Ramones, The Dead Boys and The Runaways.  Their biggest single was the track, Tired Of Waking Up Tired, which they introduced to the public while touring in support of their debut release in 1978.  The favourable response to the song prompted it's quick release as a single and in 1979, it was included on their sophomore release entitled, Released.  The band would issue one more album before re-locating to London, England.  However, the band broke up shortly thereafter.  In the years following, an album of outtakes was released in 1982, a compilation through Sony Canada in 1998 and in 2010, a live album with Bongo Beat Records (http://bongobeat.com/diodes/).  The members have reformed in recent years to play the odd show or festival.  As circumstances would have it, they can lay claim to having produced one of our country's top singles ever yet were never awarded here in Canada for their achievements.  They have left an indelible imprint on alternative rock that may be more recognized abroad than at home.  British magazine, NME/Uncut, recently released a special collector's edition called, 501 Lost Songs.  In that edition, artist Bob Mould (Sugar, Husker Du), name dropped the band and one of their songs as one of his favourites of all time.  You can check out the song, Tired Of Waking Up Tired, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynFK5ylCbTM).  While their original sophomore release is a difficult and rare find today, you can find the song on their "Best Of" compilation which is available on Itunes.  Thanks for reading and enjoy!