King Apparatus

ByLets Go Punk
King Apparatus formed in Ontario in 1987

King Apparatus was a Canadian ska band that formed in 1987 in London, Ontario, later based in Toronto, and stayed active through the early 1990s before returning briefly for reunion activity in 2000.

Where they came from

The band began in London in the mid 1980s while founding members Chris Murray, Sam Tallo, and Mitch Girio were students at Fanshawe College or the University of Western Ontario, and they later moved to Toronto. Over the band’s lifetime, the lineup shifted and included multiple guitarists, drummers, and keyboard players.

Sound and approach

King Apparatus drew heavily from late 1970s 2 Tone ska, while pushing a heavier guitar approach than traditional ska.

First releases on Raw Energy

The band’s debut EP, Loud Party (1989), was the first release on Raw Energy Records. They followed it with the self titled full length King Apparatus in 1990. With distribution limited to a handful of downtown Toronto record stores, the album still sold over 5,000 copies, which helped Raw Energy secure a national distribution deal with A&M Records.

“Made for TV” and the national push

The band’s best known single, “Made for TV,” became a modern rock radio hit in Canada in 1991. It reached No. 1 on CFNY FM and topped the national campus radio charts, and its video received heavy rotation on MuchMusic. A standout detail from the video was a picture in picture box featuring a sign language interpreter signing the lyrics. The band supported the release with a national tour.

Awards and constant touring

King Apparatus won two CASBY Awards for Best Reggae and Ska Group, in 1991 and 1992. Touring was a major part of the band’s pace, and by 1994 they had completed twelve cross Canada tours in five years.

Later label move and the breakup

After disappointing sales of their second album Marbles, the band left Raw Energy for Cargo Records, but they broke up before recording another album.

What members did afterward

Chris Murray joined the Toronto reggae band One immediately after the breakup and continued on with a solo music career. Mark LeBourdais, the grandson of historian D. M. LeBourdais and journalist Isabel LeBourdais, later worked as a high school teacher in Delta, British Columbia. Mitch Girio remained active in Toronto ska, including as a solo artist and as lead singer and guitarist for The King Kong 4. Sam Tallo played in the indie rock band The Nines with Steve Eggars and Paul McCulloch, then moved to Nanaimo and later Victoria, British Columbia, where he stayed involved in local music and helped organize Victoria’s first Ska Festival.

Reissues and reunion shows in 2000

The band reissued its albums on Stomp Records in 2000 and played a number of reunion shows that year. Their March 24, 2000 show at Lee’s Palace in Toronto was webcast by primeticket.net.

Members

  • Chris Murray, vocals
  • Sam Tallo, guitar
  • Paul Ruston, guitar
  • J. C. Orr, guitar
  • Paul McCulloch, guitar
  • Mitch Girio, bass
  • Mark LeBourdais, organ
  • Aleks Dmitrovic, organ
  • Greg Clancy, congas
  • Bruno Hedman, saxophone
  • Brian Christopher, drums
  • Dave Kennedy, drums
  • Mike Southern, drums
  • Craig Lapsley

Discography

  • Loud Party (1989)
  • King Apparatus (1990)
  • Hospital Waiting Room (1992)
  • Marbles (1993)

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