Back in '82 Headpins sounded a bit (a lot) like an aggressive offshoot of the band Chilliwack. Chilliwack had been around a long time - but really seemed to take things to another level as a trio comprised of Bill Henderson, Brian MacLeod and Ab Bryant. This line-up was at the top of their game. Brian's blistering guitar added a swagger to the band's sound, most notably on
Wanna Be a Star and
Opus X that was also released in '82. Whereas Chilliwack was very much Bill Henderson's band, Headpins were the manifestation of Brain "Too Loud" MacLeod. It was his band, although on the album the only credit listed is for Darby Mills as vocalist.
Who knows how all this came about. Maybe Brian felt the need to stretch out a little more, so he started Headpins as a side gig to unleash his hard rock side. To that end he eventually discovered a young Darby Mills who would handle the vocals, and the band dropped Turn it Loud in 1982. It was an album that got people's attention right from the opening track, "Turn it Loud" and the rest as they say is history.
Brian and Ab Bryant would eventually leave Chilliwack and along with drummer Bernie Aubin would release a couple more albums. It's a funny thing, as cool as this album was, and make no mistake it was cool ... I never got into it as much as I thought I would. I mean, seriously, this was really good and the combination of Darby's vocals, and Brian's guitar work and absolute swagger was right up my alley, except it was a dead end. It never really resonated with me. Oh, I still bought the two other albums they'd release: 1983's
Line of Fire, and then their final studio album
Head Over Heels from 1985. There were some great songs on their albums, but oddly I never really considered myself much of a fan. I'd end up with their
Greatest Hits in the late '80s on CD and that pretty much hit the high spots.
However, going back to where it all started was a lot of fun, and sitting and listening to the debut again after all this time was a little like going back in time. Considering there were only eight songs on the debut it was too short, but I guess the idea was to leave the fans wanting more. There are no duds, and each side closes out with an extended rocker. Side one featured "People" that was close to seven minutes, and features some absolutely blistering guitar, and a rare counter vocal from Brian MacLeod. Side two closes out with one of my favourite Headpins songs "Breakin' Down" that tips over seven minutes, and Brian puts it all in the mix. From volume swells to deep whammy bar dives where his strings are flopping on the pick ups.
The album was a big deal selling over 200,000 copies in Canada, and while I suspect each subsequent album sold less the band was forever solidified into the ranks of Canadian rock and roll.
Sadly Brian would succumb to cancer in 1992 when he was only 39 years old. Ab and Bernie are still out there doing the summer festival circuit with a new singer and a stalwart guitar player who manages to adeptly fill Brian's shoes. I saw them this past summer, and they were a great tribute band but it wasn't the same.
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