Teaze

{{Infobox musical artist | name = Teaze | image = | caption = | image_size = | landscape = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Windsor, Ontario, Canada | genre = Hard rock | years_active = 1975 (1975)-1981 (1981) | label = [[Force One Records (Canada), Aquarius Records (Canada), Capitol Records (USA), Heavy Metal America-EMI (UK), Teichiku Records (Japan), Rock Candy Records (UK) Unidisc Records (Canada) | associated_acts = | website = | current_members = | past_members = Brian Danter
Mark Bradac
Chuck Price
Mike Kozak

Teaze is a Canadian hard rock band formed in Windsor, Ontario in 1975. The band released four studio albums and a live album recorded in Japan. They only had one hit song in their whole career.

History

Early years

The band was formed in early 1975 when Brian Danter, looking to escape the local club circuit, approached Mike Kozak and Chuck Price with the idea of forming a new group. They struggled to find the fourth member until Mark Bradac appeared at the music store where they worked.The four connected and the line up was set. The group adopted the name "Ontario" after one of Danter's earlier local successes and began rehearsing in an old Windsor industrial building. By the end of summer they had assembled a 'fog and fire' rock show that they booked into several local high schools. A strong following developed quickly prompting Stan Whitcher, a musical instrument company rep with a background in the Stampeders/Mel Shaw organization to have a look. Impressed with what he saw, he approached Mel Shaw with a cassette tape recording of the band's cover of 'Love Hurts'(Nazareth version). Shaw decided immediately to get the group into a studio for demos. The band, which had only done cover material to this point, would begin writing songs for the session with Danter taking a lead role. The session took place at a studio called 'The Grange' in Ajax, Ontario. With only Danter having any experience in a recording studio, the group basically played all eight songs live until Shaw and Whitcher (producers) were satisfied. The entire process would be finished in roughly 17 hours. Shaw decided that the demos would become the bands debut album (on the newly formed London Records label, Force One) much to the surprise (and dismay) of the band. With the name of the group changed to 'Teaze', (courtesy of Stan's wife Dana) the group would move forward.

Aquarius years

 Bob Rags,Terry Flood, Donald Tarlton aka Donald K. Donald, and Aquarius Records of Montreal discovered and signed Teaze with Aquarius Records They first saw the group at the famed RPM convention in Toronto Canada. The group was then purchased from Force One Records, Mel Shaw and then personal manager Stan Whitcher. The band relocated to Montreal to record 'On The Loose' at Tempo Studios with producer George Lagios and engineer Bill Szawlowski....Their only hit single would come from this album.

It was a country style ballad called Sweet Misery. The song, while being the band's most successful single, was such a departure from the Teaze style that it was rarely included in the live set.

In 1977, they moved to Montreal permanently and starting touring all over Canada opening for the likes of Blue Oyster Cult, April Wine, Triumph and Toto among others. While touring heavily in Canada, the group was making huge gains in the Japanese market on the basis of their first album and 'On The Loose', which would earn the band a gold album. Demand warranted a headline tour which happened in Sept. of 1978, when they toured in Japan for ten days. The first shows were recorded for the album : Tour Of Japan. The album recorded in Tokyo by George Lagios and Bill Szawlowski and mixed in Montreal at Tempo studios, was as it happened, without overdubs etc.

When they returned to Canada, the band would begin work on 'One Night Stands' at Le Studio in Morin Heights, Quebec. Myles Goodwyn of April Wine was brought on to produce with Paul Northfield engineering. Goodwyn, who knew the band well as April Wine's First Glance tour openers, helped arrange and refine the songs which ultimately produced what most agree to be the best of the Teaze albums. The results were critically encouraging but commercially disappointing. It consequentially ended up being their only U.S./worldwide release on Capitol/Aquarius Records. Body Shots, the last record recorded by Teaze was produced by Nick Blagona at Le Studio in Morin Heights. With Myles Goodwyn unable to return due to April Wine commitments, the job was given to Blagona, a world class engineer who had not produced an act yet in his career. The band with no hits and a solid reputation as a live act was under pressure to create a hit. The band, in an effort to become more radio friendly gave the producer free rein and the result would be a much different sounding Teaze. One which would not gain many new fans and leave the old ones scratching their heads. Blagona has, fairly or unfairly, shouldered much of the blame for the failure of Body Shots.

As a consequence the last album "Body Shots" did not produce any hits, and with the band financially unable to move into new markets and the US record deal dead, the group stalled. Frustrated with the music business lifestyle, Brian Danter left the group to pursue his life long religious calling, Aquarius Records and the band failed to find a suitable replacement. Aquarius Records, after several attempts to get the band back to the studio, released the band from their contract. The band officially dissolved in 1981.

Aftermath

Two compilations would be released in the next few years to complete the Teaze catalogue: 'A Taste of Teaze' from the UK and 'The Best of Teaze' from Canada. Unidisc Records of Montreal would eventually acquire the catalogue and release the original recordings on cd in the mid 90's. The UK specialty label Rock Candy Records would release a remastered, deluxe edition of 'One Night Stands' in 2009 to positive reviews and a spot on Classic Rock Magazine's 'Best Reissues of 2009' list.

The song Heartless World from the album One Nights Stands was featured in the acclaimed 2014 Icelandic movie Málmhaus (aka Metalhead).

The song Heartless World was also featured in the films,"Twists of Terror" and 'Natural Enemy' starring Donald Sutherland.

Members

• Brian Danter - Bass guitar and vocals
• Mark Bradac - Guitar
• Chuck Price - Guitar
• Mike Kozak - Drums

Discography

Albums

• Teaze (1977)
• On The Loose (1978)
• Tour Of Japan (1979)
• One Night Stands (1979)
• Body Shots (1980)

Compilations

• A Taste Of Teaze (1984)
• Best Of Teaze (1990)