80+ Bands that (probably) didn't record CIA - Part 2
... continued from Part 1
- Month of Sundays was a rock band from London, ON. This video of a performance at Call The Office from Dec 30, 1989, features a female lead vocalist (Darlene Sovran) and no synthesizer.
- My Pal Hoagy included Don Kerr (Discogs, Wikipedia). This podcast interview with Don Kerr includes a My Pal Hoagy song at about 25:33, which is a kind of new wave which incorporates more funk and reggae elements.
- A Neon Rome (Discogs / Can Pop Encyclopedia / Wikipedia) included Ian Blurton (Discogs / Wikipedia) on drums. Ian Blurton was previously contacted (Reddit post) and could not identify CIA. That rules out A Neon Rome.
- The Other One was a jam band fronted by Mark Thackway, as mentioned on Mark Thackway's website, which states "Before embracing life as a solo artist, Mark Thackway was best known as a pioneer within Canada’s jam band community, leading two of its most popular groups of the 1980s and ‘90s, The Other One and Days Of You." This listing from the March 18, 1988 edition of The Toronto Star advertises "a live tribute to the Grateful Dead with The Other One". Obviously, CIA is unlikely to have been made by a Grateful Dead style jam band.
- Paul Cram (Discogs) was a jazz composer, saxophonist and clarinetist (example - his 1981 album, Blue Tales in Time)
- Peer Pressure (Discogs) played more mainstream style rock, as can be heard on the song, Searchin' For Love, from the 1984 Q107 Homegrown compilation album (Discogs).
- The Republic (Discogs), based on their 1985 song, I'm Calling (Out To You), their style was closer to power pop than CIA's band seems to be.
- Richard Underhill Band, as seen in this live performance, was a jazz group. Richard Underhill (Discogs) is also the lead singer and played saxophone in The Shuffle Demons (Discogs / Can Pop Encyclopedia / Wikipedia / website)
- Rick Miller (Discogs) produced new age ambient instrumental music. (example - his 1987 album, Windhaven)
- The Romaniacs (Discogs / Wikipedia), also credited as The Romaniac Brothers played a blend of eastern European style Gypsy jazz and pop. (examples - The Ecstasy of the Martyr, Moscow Nights / Prototype #1)
- Rosi Fan Tutti played experimental jazz, as can be heard in these examples: So Magnetic and Unknown Title
- The Sattalites (Discogs / Can Pop Encyclopedia / Wikipedia) are a well known Toronto reggae group. (example - a live performance at BamBoo from Sep 19, 1986)
- Seven Minutes (Discogs / Can Pop Encyclopedia) played power pop. Their 1984 EP, Two Torn Apart (Discogs) is available here)
- Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet Discogs / Can Pop Encyclopedia / Wikipedia) are a well known Toronto surf rock band, most famous for providing the theme song to The Kids in the Hall, Having an Average Weekend.
- The Shuffle Demons (Discogs / Can Pop Encyclopedia / Wikipedia / website) are another well known Toronto band. The Shuffle Demons play jazz fusion, and are probably best known for their song, Spadina Bus. More of their music can be heard on their Bandcamp page.
- The Splatcats (Discogs) were a garage rock / punk band from Buffalo, NY. (example - their 1985 album, 5 Big Ones)
- Stark Naked & The Fleshtones (Discogs / Can Pop Encyclopedia played punk rock in the vein of The Ramones, Sex Pistols and Teenage Head (examples - Fast Cars, and several songs available via Bandcamp)
- Station Twang (Discogs / Can Pop Encyclopedia) is more minimal / experimental than CIA, and lacks CIA's rock elements (example - Secret Sides)
- The Subterraneans (Discogs), as detailed in this article from the September 17, 1986 edition of The Scarborough Mirror, began as a band called The Paisley Factor. The last advertised gig for The Paisley Factor appears in the January 17, 1985 edition of The Toronto Star, meaning The Subterraneans, specifically, formed after CIA most likely was aired on CFNY (late 1984). Therefore, The subterraneans are unlikely, but The Paisley Factor stay as "Inconclusive".
- Swedish Fish (Discogs) have their 1985 7" single available on Bandcamp. Those songs feature saxophone and no synthesizer. At some point Jamie Vernon joined Swedish Fish, although he is not credited on their first single. Jamie Vernon has been contacted about CIA and does not recognize it or its band.
- The Ten Commandments (Discogs / Can Pop Encyclopedia) were a fairly well known garage rock band (example - Eyes in the Back of Your Head)
- Third Man In is mentioned in this blog post as including Jaimie Vernon's uncle, John Vernon. The blog post alludes to John embracing the punk aesthetic. As mentioned above, Jamie Vernon has been asked about CIA and does not recognize it. It seems reasonable to assume that he would have recognized the song if it were recorded by his uncle's band.
- The Thought Rockets were a Toronto band that appear in ads for the Cabana Room, Cameron House, Ildiko's, and Lee's Palace from 1983 to 1987. An excerpt from an independently released cassette by the Thought Rockets appears in this ebay listing. In that excerpt, the Thought Rockets sound like jangle pop influenced alternative rock. That tape may become available in the not too distant future.
- Vector is described as jazz in this listing from the May 20, 1988 edition of The Toronto Star.
- Vertical Hold is also listed as jazz in this listing for a local tv show called, "Just Jazz", from the February 24, 1984 edition of the Evening Tribune (Welland, ON)
- Wes Wragget Quartet was led by Wes R. D. Wraggett (Discogs) who played jazz and electronic music. (example of one of his compositions, ...there is a Mountain, then...
- World International Fun Organization Toy Show appears in this ad from the Nov 22, 1985 edition of The Toronto Star. World International Fun Organization appears in this classified ad from the April 21, 1984 edition of the Toronto Star, in which a pianist is sought to play specifically not new wave music. It isn't clear if the Cabana Room ad is referring to a separate band called "Toy Show", or if "World International Fun Organization" became "World International Fun Organization Toy Show". I have not yet found a contemporary local band called "Toy Show". Either way, "World International Fun Organization" seems unlikely to be behind CIA due to their aversion to new wave music.
Posted Jan 7, 2026, 10:10 AM UTC
147