Glass Tiger biography

 

Glass Tiger. Pop group, formed as Tokyo in Newmarket, near Toronto, in the early 1980s. It brought together former members of Onyx and The End - Alan Frew (vocals), Al Connelly (guitar), Sam Reid (keyboards), Wayne Parker (bass guitar) and Michael Hanson (drums).

 

Adopting the name Glass Tiger in 1985, the band moved quickly to the forefront of Canadian pop music on the strength of its first LP, The Thin Red Line, released in 1986, the album sold more than 400,000 copies domestically and 500,000 in the USA. It included two international hits, 'Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)' and 'Someday,' as well as 'The Thin Red Line,' 'What I Look For' and 'I'll Be There,' which were all popular in Canada.

 

This early success brought Glass Tiger Juno awards in 1986 for single ('Don't Forget Me') and album of the year, and as most promising group. In 1987, it received a Juno for single of the year ('Someday') and a (US) Grammy nomination as best new artist. A second LP, Diamond Sun, issued in 1988, included the Canadian hits 'I'm Still Searching,' 'Diamond Sun,' 'My Song,' 'Send Your Love,' and '(Watching) Worlds Crumble'. Canadian sales exceeded 200,000.

 

Hanson left Glass Tiger in 1988, his place taken on tour by Randall Coryell and on record by other drummers. A third album, Simple Mission, issued in 1991, revealed a more aggressive rock style and included the hits 'Animal Heart,' 'Rhythm of Your Love,' and 'My Town'. As fronted by Frew (b Coatbridge, Scotland, 8 Nov 1958), Glass Tiger has been especially popular with teenaged audiences and in 1988 won a Juno in the entertainer of the year category as selected by write-in ballot.

 

In addition to its concerts in Canada, the band has appeared in the USA (1986, opening for Journey ) and in Europe (in 1987 opening for Tina Turner, and in 1991 opening for Roxette).