The Horribly Awfuls

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Please improve this article if you can. (November 2006)

"We Fight Like the Crips and Bloods," 2003

"Le Perve Calamity," 2004

"If The Night Don't Bite?," 2005

The Horribly Awfuls are a cowpunk indie pop band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. In four years spanning 2002-2006, they made four full-length records and one EP which is yet to be released. Led by gifted songwriter Gareth Williams, the Awfuls were arguably the most creative under-the-radar act in Winnipeg's diverse and talented music scene, noted for their loose and rough feel and for Gareth's sweet, witty and evocative lyrics.

Band members changed from project to project, as did their roles in the band, contributing to the always fresh and spontaneous sound that became the Awfuls' calling card. However, the core of the band was made up of Gareth Williams, Tyler Shipley (also of The Consumer Goods) and Matt McLennan (also of Cone Five.) No album ever took longer than one studio session to record, and the musicians often wrote their parts on the fly, following Gareth's lead. Ryan McVeigh, who produced four of their five records, was always credited as being part of the band, and his influence can be heard in most of their work, whether literally - his voice urging the band to 'persevere' - or through his unobtrusively sparkling production.

The band was most noted for 2003's "We Fight Like the Crips and Bloods," which featured an ironic cover of Madonna's 'Like a Virgin' and a raucous lullabye for Kofi Annan. It was called "a clever tongue in cheek romp... played by serious musicians whose talent always seems to shine through." 1 The same record was endorsed by award-winning author Miriam Toews who mentioned the record in an interview with Flare Magazine. 2

Though beginning with the Conifera Records collective, Gareth later founded Grumpy Cloud Records which became the vehicle of choice for all of Gareth's projects as well as those by close friends and collaborators Tyler Shipley and Matt McLennan. The band is currently on hiatus, with Gareth having moved to Calgary, Alberta, and focusing his efforts on a new project called The Pantymelters. However, there are still plans to release their final EP in 2007.

[edit] Band Members

Gareth Williams - vocals, guitars, electric drill, power naps, screams, stink organ, sex tambourine
Matt McLennan - guitars, drums, vocals, bass
Tyler Shipley - bass, guitars, vocals, keyboards, harmonica, piano
Ryan McVeigh - production, vocals, fingersnaps,
Andrew Workman - drums, keyboards, vocals
Mat Klachefsky - organ, ukelele, vocals
Kirstie MacLean - keyboards, vocals
Robin Hillman - drums, tambourine

Guest musicians included Chris Friesen, Breanna Duffill, Andrew McMillan, Andrew Donen, and Craig Mackie.