Doug Webster Music - The Allies

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First, Frank Manley's interest in Canadian punk drew the allies' story out of obscurity. Frank compiled the book "Smash the State, A Discography of Canadian Punk, 1977-92" as well as several compilation albums. Thank you Frank.

Doug Webster decided to create a band to perform his songs in 1979. The band was called "the allies".

Ed Goodine joined Doug right away. He was the first drummer that Doug talked to. The bass player was Rick. Guitarist Nick Mah showed up as a result of a posting at the Conservatory. His friends thought he should get involved in a new musical genre because it was so different than his classical guitar work.

In order to get gigs the band needed a tape. So the allies recorded one within a month of forming. The "Night in the City" single was released from this session.

Doug took the tape around and was able to get a weeknight show at The Edge. At the time, The Edge was one of Toronto's most well-known clubs. This was a big break for the band.

The band's rehearsal space was in the basement of the house Doug and Ed lived in. A place on Bloor Street in Toronto with a law office on the main floor. There was no one else living there at the time so they could rehearse as loudly as they wanted - at night.

A couple of days before the gig at The Edge, Doug went down to the basement rehearsal space. All of Rick's gear was gone and he'd left his keys. That was the last Doug ever heard of him.

Fortunately, Doug was able to get Bob MacDonald of Johnny and the G-Rays to fill in on short notice (with one rehearsal). And the show went on.

As for the missing bass player Rick, no one in the band knew what became of him and on the single the band listed him as Rickidity Split (it should have been rickety split - typo:-).

From 1979 and 1981, the allies played around Toronto's new wave scene at The Edge as well as at the Turning Point, Larry's Hideaway, the Horseshoe Tavern, the Beverly and the Cabana. The band also played in Montreal and Ottawa (joining up with The Bureaucrats - Doug's buddy Joe Frey was lead guitarist) and toured eastern Canada.