Street Pharmacy

Street Pharmacy is a Canadian four piece reggae rock band formed in Welland in 2006. The group strives for a fresh reggae sound while combining the influences of hip hop and 90s Alt Rock.^[1]

Their second album, Free Delivery, was independently produced and has sold over 5000 copies to date. The band has received international attention in print,^[2] on radio,^[3] and on television,^[4] where they are currently finalists on the second season of MuchMusic's disBAND.^[5]

The band is represented by agent Jeff Craib^[6] (The Tragically Hip, Hedley, Matt Good), and lawyer Chris Taylor, who is the co-founder of Last Gang Records and credited with discovering Metric, Nelly Furtado, and Sum 41.^[5]

Current members

• Ryan Guay (lead vocals, guitar) (2006–present)
• Jesse Robitaille (bass) (2009–present)
• Isaac Thomson (drums) (2012 - present)

Former Members

• Brandon Adam Ventresca (bass) (2006–2010)
• Adam Webster (lead guitar, congas, vocals) (2009–2010)
• Dan Fretz (drums) (2006–2012)
• Nate Triano (guitar) (2006–2011)

History

Inspiration & Influences

The band's driving force and creative front-man Ryan Guay contrived the band's name and concept in late 2005, when he experienced symptoms of swelling of the brain and was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. After being admitted to several mental hospitals in Ontario, he travelled to the United States, where an MRI confirmed that his condition was encephalitis, caused by the chicken pox virus. This experience, including the combined side effects of brain swelling and hospital-induced anti-psychotic medication, resulted in Guay's creative horizon rapidly expanding.^[7]

Street Pharmacy's influences include: Smashing Pumpkins, Sublime, Souls of Mischief, Pearl Jam, The Pharcyde, Incubus, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Doors, and Wu Tang Clan.

Cuba & the Concept Album

In 2008, lead singer Guay travelled to Cuba in search for an authentic Reggae sound to incorporate into the band's concept album titled The Legacy of Rudy. The work chronicles the adventures of a Cuban named Rudy, who is seen as the original Rude boy and whose life experiences are described in individual tracks on the album. Featured sounds include Cuban musicians playing horns and bongos, as well as a children's choir.^[8][9]

disBAND

Street Pharmacy were featured on MuchMusic's disBAND on December 9, 2009.^[10] The show centered around professionally recording and performing their single "Stone Bricks and Mortar" in the MuchMusic environment.^[5] The band thoroughly impressed their mentor, producer and musician Greig Nori (of Treble Charger and Bunk Rock Entertainment), who stated in the episode that he would quit disBAND if the band was unsuccessful on the show.^[11] The group had their photos taken by renowned celebrity photographer Matt Barnes, and were also scoped out by multiple agents and labels during a concert with illscarlet.^[11][12] They performed live in front of a panel of judges^[13] including Colin Lewis (The Agency Group), Mark Spicoluk (Universal Music Canada), and Chase Parsons (Chris Smith Management),^[14] who unanimously agreed that the band showed great potential (especially lead singer, Guay). They became the first band of the season to be inducted into the show's finale.

In late 2009, Adam Webster (lead guitar, congas, vocals) serendipitously became part of the group during their time on disBAND.^[15]

Street Pharmacy's appearance on disBAND evolved into an alliance with Greig Nori, who is producing their new album (Divorice) and redistributing the band's previous album, The Legacy of Rudy, in a deal with Bunk Rock Entertainment.^[16]

Discography

References