Crash Vegas

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Crash Vegas was a noted Canadian folk rock band in the 1990s.

The band was formed by Michelle McAdorey and Colin Cripps, initially as a vehicle for songs McAdorey had written with Greg Keelor of the band Blue Rodeo. The band also included Jocelyne Lanois and Ambrose Pottie.

They released their debut album, Red Earth, on Risque Disque in 1990. They had several notable hits on Canadian radio ("Inside Out", "Sky" and "Smoke"), and seemed poised for success. However, Risque Disque soon went bankrupt, leaving the band in limbo. In 1992, they signed a new deal with London/Polygram.

Lanois left the band, and was replaced by Darren Watson for the band's second album. That album, Stone, also included contributions from John Porter and Butch Vig. However, Crash Vegas had a rocky relationship with Polygram, and they subsequently moved to Sony Records after contributing a cover of "Pocahontas" to that label's Neil Young tribute album Borrowed Tunes.

In 1995, the band, now down to the core duo of Cripps and McAdorey, released their third album, Aurora. They were supported by John Borra and Mike Sloski on the album, and by Gavin Brown and Eric Chenaux on tour. The single "On and On (Lodestar)" garnered significant radio airplay in Canada, but the album sold poorly after its initial push.

In 1996, the band broke up. Cripps went on to join Junkhouse, and McAdorey pursued a solo career.