Bob Segarini

Dubbed "The Nick Lowe of Canada," singer/songwriter Bob Segarini was a cult hero of the Great White North's power-pop underground. A West Coast native, Segarini initially fronted the short-lived Ratz, which also included future Quicksiver Messenger Service founder Gary Duncan. He first earned widespread notice as a member of the Family Tree, a psychedelic-era band he formed with one Mike Olsen, who later re-christened himself Lee Michaels; after the release of their 1968 LP Miss Butters, the group splintered, and Segarini next surfaced in Roxy, which issued a self-titled 1970 LP on Elektra before disbanding as well. The most successful of his early projects was the Wackers, which recorded three LPs -- 1971's Wackering Heights, 1972's Hot Wacks and 1973's Shredder -- before breaking up after Elektra's rejection of a fourth completed album, provisionally titled Wack 'n' Roll. With the Wackers, Segarini relocated from California to Montreal, Quebec; there he formed the Dudes, which also included alumni of the Family Tree and the Wackers as well as three of the future members of the band April Wine. In 1975 they issued an album on Columbia titled We're No Angels before dissolving. Segarini then signed as a solo artist to A&M, issuing a four-track EP before the label dropped him. At that point he began work on his acknowledged masterpiece, 1978's Gotta Have Pop; a cult classic, the LP was the victim of poor distribution and was long out-of-print prior to its 1996 reissue. Segarini issued three more solo albums -- 1980's Goodbye L.A. and On the Radio, and 1981's Vox Populi -- before halting his musical career to pursue sidelines as a disc jockey, a television producer, and voice-over actor. He also served as a producer for the Romantics. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide