Boulevard

Origin: Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

BOULEVARD

Randy Burgess - Andrew Johns - David Forbes - Mark Holden - Randy Gould

Andrew Johns - Randall Stoll - Randy Gould - David Forbes - Mark Holden - Tom Christiansen

Discography:

st - 1988 (with lyrics)
Into the street - 1990 (with lyrics)

Notes:

- In 1983, Mark Holden, co founder of the new Thunder Road Studio in Calgary, Alberta. Shortly thereafter, he started a studio project called Modern Minds using studio players in Calgary at the time. In 1984 he asked Andrew Johns to join as Keyboard player/ lead vocalist while redoing some of the old demos. Meanwhile an offer from CBS records in Germany signed the band. The band then travelled to Germany to make a video for the first single "Rainy Day In London", and perform on 'Ronny's Pop Show' and 'Bananas' both widely viewed TV shows. "Rainy Day in London" topped out at #45 on the Billboard Charts in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The band was then assembled which included Randy Gould on guitar, Randall Stoll on drums, Hans Sahlen on bass and Andrew Johns on keyboards and lead vocals. The group remained in Calgary until it ended up inking a deal with MCA records in 1988 and consequently moved to Vancouver Canada to procure management with the Bruce Allen talent agency where Randy Burgess replaced Hans on bass and vocals.

Their self-titled debut album was recorded at Ocean Sound in Vancouver by producer Pierre 'Baz' Bazinet and was mixed by notable rock producers Bob Rock and Mike Fraser. The album produced four singles with videos for "Never Give Up" and "Far From Over", and the band had good exposure by touring Canada opening for Glass Tiger. The band also opened for BOSTON on its final leg of the Third Stage tour… ending up in Seattle WA, the home of new lead singer David Forbes. David had crossed paths with both Mark Holden and Andrew Johns in unrelated circles and was a great fit for the band and brought his powerful voice to the "already vocal heavy" band. All members sang "live". In day of samplers and tape it was a surprise to hear this "studio" band actually sound better "live"..

By 1990, Boulevard had revised their lineup with Thom Christiansen on bass (formerly of Idle Eyes, later to play with Econoline Crush, Josh Kelly) and Randall Stoll on drums.(Randall later moving on to play with k.d. lang and Tom Cochrane. They recorded Into the Street at Venture Studios in Vancouver with John Punter and released two singles in Canada. The band broke up by 1991.

In 2013 singer David Forbes came back in the music scene taking part as guest to "Charming Grace", an AOR all star project founded by members of Shining Line and Wheels Of Fire, officially released the same year by Avenue Of Allies Music.

The band has currently been asked to get back together to perform in Nottingham England at Firefest this Oct / 2014. -

(Notes by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulevard_(band))

- Holden had been working in a recording studio in Frankfurt, Germany and an offer to open a new, multi-million dollar recording studio in Calgary gave him reason to return to Canada. While working there, he and Gould formed BLVD with American violinist/vocalist David Forbes (who had recorded a beer jingle which Holden engineered). They recorded continuously and released several singles on CBS Germany, one which charted, but it wasn't practical to tour there or get a reciprocal deal in North America. 

When the studio finally closed in 1985, the band relocated to Vancouver. John Alexander at MCA Records expressed interest at the time and encouraged them to keep improving their demos and helped cultivate the act. They soon signed on with Rock Headquarters Management (Bruce Allen, Lou Blair, Cliff Jones) and a record deal was secured with MCA in 1987.

Producer Pierre Bazinet (Luba, Sass Jordan) was brought in to record the debut album, but the group had no 'sound'; they hadn't even performed together as a band or road tested any of the songs. The record was mixed by Mike Fraser, Bob Rock and Humberto Gatica. 

In 1988 MCA released the band's eponymous debut and their first single, "In The Twilight", followed as did three other singles. BLVD headed out on the road opening first for Glass Tiger and then with Boston. As crowds began to warm to the band, especially in Quebec City and Windsor, the album had sold 45,000 copies. 

By writing while on the road, they were able to return to the studio with John Punter (Roxy Music, Spoons) and lay down the 'live' feeling 'In The Streets' album. The record was released in 1990 under the full-blown Boulevard name because the band had been getting complaints that they didn't understand the abbreviation. 

In 1990 Randall Stoll quit the band, but the group disbanded shortly after the release of the "Crazy Life" single. 

Holden is co-owner of HipDigital in Vancouver along with Dan Lowe (49th Parallel/Hammersmith) and former Universal/EMI label executive Peter Diemer. - 

(Notes from Greg Simpson: http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/BLVD.html)