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Infobox musical artist | | name = Great Big Sea| image = Great-big-sea.jpg| caption =| image_size = 250px| background = group_or_band| origin = St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's , Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada | genre = Celtic rock Folk-rock | years_active = 1993–present| label = Warner Music Canada Rounder Records|Rounder Records USA | website = http://www.greatbigsea.com www.greatbigsea.com| current_members = Alan Doyle Séan McCann Bob Hallett | Supporting_members = Murray Foster Kris Macfarlane | past_members = Darrell Power Great Big Sea is a Canada|Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador , best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanty|sea shanties , which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage. The band also performs original material.
History
Beginnings
The band played its first official gig on March 11, 1993, opening for the Irish Descendants at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's , Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland .cite web | title= CanadianBands| work=canadianbands.com|url= http://www.canadianbands.com Retrieved November 26, 2006 The founding band members included Alan Doyle (vocals, guitar , bouzouki , mandolin ), Séan McCann (musician)|Séan McCann (vocals, bodhrán , guitar, tin whistle ), Darrell Power (vocals, bass, guitar, Bones (instrument)|bones ), and Bob Hallett (vocals, fiddle , accordion , mandolin, concertina , bouzouki, whistles, bagpipes )
Power, McCann and Hallett had already been playing together with a woman named Jackie St. Croix in a band called "Rankin Street". The band found its name as original bassist Jeff Scott rented an apartment on Rankin Street, St. John's, where the members first met and discussed the formation of the band. In the winter of 1989 the band, a six piece with guitar, bass, fiddle, accordion and mandolin played its first ever gig, two songs, at the Memorial University's winter carnival talent show under the name "Newfoundland Republican Army" or NRA, and won first prize. The band's only other appearance as NRA was later that winter at the university "Grad House". The band then dropped the fiddler, accordion player and the name.
As a four piece, the band first appeared as "Rankin Street" at a little pub in downtown St. John's called "The Rose and Thistle", playing for $100 and beer. For the first gig the band played through Sean McCann's stereo system; this worked well for the band, as renting a PA would have cost more than the night's earnings. Susan Hickey (guitar and vocals) left the band months later to attend school in Halifax and was replaced by Darrell Power. The band gained much popularity playing such local pubs as Bridgettes and Greensleeves. In 1991 Jeff Scott was replaced by Jackie St. Croix on bass. The band released one recording on cassette titled "Rankin Street".
According to Doyle, Rankin Street owned a PA system and he owned a van, which made Great Big Sea "a match made in heaven."cite web | title=Canehdian| work=Canehdian.com |url= http://www.canehdian.com Retrieved November 26, 2006 They toured nearly constantly for the band's first several years, sometimes traveling as many as 300 days a year.
The 2000s
Power retired from Great Big Sea in 2003 to spend more time with his family and friends.cite web | title=The Canadian Encyclopedia| work=TheCanadian Encyclopedia.com|url= http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com Retrieved November 26, 2006 Supporting members of the band include Canadian freelance drummer Kris MacFarlane (2002) (drums, accordion, guitar, backing vocals) and Murray Foster (2003, formerly of the band Moxy Früvous ) (bass, backing vocals).
The band won the Entertainer of the Year award at the East Coast Music Awards for every year between 1996 and 2000.cite web | title= East Coast Music Awards inductees| work=ecma.ca|url= http://www.ecma.ca/s_51.asp Retrieved November 26, 2006 In 2001, they decided not to submit their name for nomination in order to allow other bands to compete. They have also been nominated for several Juno Award s,cite web | title= Juno Awards/Canadian Music Hall of Fame winner and nominations| work=juno-awards.ca|url= http://www.juno-awards.ca Retrieved November 26, 2006 including Group of the Year in 1998, 2005, 2009, and 2011.
In the Canadian federal election, 2000|2000 Canadian Federal Election , controversy occurred when Stockwell Day and the Canadian Alliance used the band's hit single, " Play (Great Big Sea album)|Ordinary Day ", at a rally without their permission. The band noted that this was a copyright violation and ordered that Day cease using the song for campaigning purposes.cite news| url= http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2000/10/24/sea001024.html | work=CBC News | title='Don't use our song,' Great Big Sea tells Day | date=October 24, 2000
Great Big Sea's first concert DVD and videos collection, the Great Big DVD , saw release in Canada and the United States in 2003 and Europe in 2004.
In late 2005, the band released its long-awaited "traditional" album, The Hard and the Easy , on which they recorded their favourite Newfoundland party songs. The title of the album comes from a line of the song "Tickle Cove Pond", one of two songs on the album about a horse falling through ice.
Also in late 2005, Great Big Sea released its first podcast, with clips of the band bantering back and forth in the studio mixed with various songs by them and other artists. They have since released several podcasts.
On February 9, 2006, the band's tour bus tipped on its side into a ditch on the Trans-Canada Highway about 80 kilometres east of Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver near Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford . Their driver suffered minor head injuries, but everyone in the band was unhurt. The band went on to continue their tour including their performance that evening at The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts just hours after the accident.cite web | title=Inside the Great Big Sea tour bus crash| work= Blogaholics.ca|url= http://www.blogaholics.ca/archives/2006/02/inside_the_grea.html Retrieved May 20, 2008
On November 21, 2006, the band released their second concert DVD, Courage & Patience & Grit , recorded in Belleville, Ontario . It is also the second release by the band to be titled by a line from their 2005 song, "Tickle Cove Pond".
Recent career
On June 13, 2007, the band announced they would return to the studio with producer Hawksley Workman . On March 14, 2008, the band announced that the title of the new album would be '' Fortune's Favour '', borrowing a phrase from one of the songs on the album, "England". Prior to the release, a few of the songs that were eventually included on the album were played at live concerts, including "Love Me Tonight", "Walk on the Moon" "The Rocks of Merasheen Island|Merasheen ", "Straight To Hell", and "Oh Yeah". On April 17, 2008, the band's website announced that the first single from Fortune's Favour would be "Walk on the Moon". People who pre-ordered the album from the band's official website were also treated to exclusive digital downloads of the songs "Belong (A Capella)" and "Gallow's Pole". The album was officially released on June 24, 2008 across all of North America.
On February 23, 2010, band member Séan McCann released his debut solo album Lullabies for Bloodshot Eyes to pleasing critical success. The nine track collection was recorded over the course of several months earlier this year at GreatBigStudio in St. John's.cite web | title=SEAN'S "LULLABIES FOR BLOODSHOT EYES" COMING IN FEBRUARY!| work=GreatBigSea.com|url= http://www.greatbigsea.com/news/news_archive.aspx Retrieved July 21, 2010
On July 13, 2010 Great Big Sea released their new album Safe Upon the Shore in North America. Alan's "From the Road" blog on the band's website, originally confirmed its production in an April posting, speaking also of the album's subsequent release in July.cite web | title=TOUR DIARY - JULY 16, 2010 ST. JOHN’S, NL (REPUBLIC OF DOYLE SET)| work=Alan's From the Road|url= http://www.greatbigsea.com/about/GBS_AlansFTR.aspx Retrieved July 21, 2010 "Nothing But A Song" is the first single off the bands' ninth studio recording, with a subsequent tour kicking off at the end of the summer 2010.
The Canadian television series Republic of Doyle uses Great Big Sea's "Oh Yeah" as its theme song .
Ships and Dip
The band joined three fan cruises called "Ships and Dip III" January 27 - February 1, 2008, "Ships and Dip V" February 1–6, 2009, and "Ships and Dip 4" February 6–11, 2011, all hosted by Barenaked Ladies . The artists on Ships and Dip remain onboard for the duration of the cruise (other than shore days), in contrast to some cruises where the artist or artists travel separately to one of the cruise destinations and perform there, or join the cruise for only a portion of the trip. Band members enjoy other artists' shows and the ship's amenities freely with the other guests. Great Big Sea performs several full shows on each cruise.
Other artists who performed on for "Ships and Dip V" include The New Odds , Sloan (band)|Sloan , Butterfly Boucher , The Weakerthans , Gaelic Storm , Boothby Graffoe , The Brothers Creeggan , Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle and The Vanity Project . The ship also features stand-up comedy from The Kids in the Hall members Dave Foley , and Kevin McDonald .
Discography
Studio albums
Year
Album details
Peak chart positions
Certifications ( List of music recording sales certifications
CAN
US
US Heat
1993
Great Big Sea (album)
Release date: March 13, 1993
Label: NRA Productions
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—
—
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Canadian Recording Industry Association|CAN : Gold
1995
Up (Great Big Sea album)
Release date: September 12, 1995
Label: Warner Music Canada
45
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CAN: 4× Platinum
1997
Play (Great Big Sea album)
Release date: May 20, 1997
Label: Warner Music Canada
9
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CAN: 3× Platinum
1999
Turn (Great Big Sea album)
Release date: June 22, 1999
Label: Warner Music Canada
9
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CAN: Platinum
2002
Sea of No Cares
Release date: February 19, 2002
Label: Warner Music Canada
1
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CAN: Platinum
2004
Something Beautiful*
Release date: February 24, 2004
Label: Warner Music Canada
4
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CAN: Gold
2005
The Hard and the Easy
Release date: October 11, 2005
Label: Warner Music Canada
3
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CAN: Gold
2008
' Fortune's Favour
Release date: June 24, 2008
Label: Warner Music Canada
5
—
49
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CAN: Gold
2010
Safe Upon the Shore
Release date: July 13, 2010
Label: Warner Music Canada
2
159
4
Other albums
Year
Album details
Peak positions
Certifications ( List of music recording sales certifications
CAN
1998
Rant and Roar (US only)
Release date: June 2, 1998
Label: Sire Records
—
2000
Road Rage (album)
Release date: October 31, 2000
Label: Warner Music Canada
9
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CAN: Goldcite web |url= http://www.cria.ca/gold/0301_g.php |title=Gold & Platinum Certification – March 2001 |publisher= Canadian Recording Industry Association |accessdate=2010-08-17
2004
Great Big DVD and CD (live)
Release date: October 12, 2004
Label: Zoë Records
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2006
Courage & Patience & Grit (live)
Release date: November 21, 2006
Label: Warner Music Canada
52
Singles
Year
Single
Peak positions
Album
CAN AC
CAN
1995
" Run Runaway "
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—
Up
1996
"Fast as I Can"
46
40
"Mari-Mac"
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"Goin' Up"
53
70
1997
" When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down) "
13
6
Play
" Ordinary Day (Great Big Sea song)
3
30
1998
" It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
http://www.greatbigsea.com The official website of Great Big Sea
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm? PgNm=TCE& Params=A1ARTU0004061 An article on the Canadian band Great Big Sea from the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada
http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/agbs.htm Artist Listing Page for Great Big Sea at GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador
Great Big Sea Category:Canadian folk rock groups Category:Celtic fusion groups Category:Musical groups established in 1993 Category:Musical groups from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Category:Great Big Sea|
cs:Great Big Sea de:Great Big Sea fr:Great Big Sea pt:Great Big Sea sv:Great Big Sea
