Dyoxen

Dyoxen produced some of the hardest hitting sounds to emanate from Canada in the late-1980s. Formed by vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, Michael Scott Sanders, shortly after his departure from cover band KAOS in 1989, the Toronto-based group released one angst-driven album, First Among Equals and mounted two Canadian tours, as opening act for Anniliator, Anvil D.R.I., Zoetrope, Razor and Sacrifice, before burning out in late-1991. Initially a power trio, featuring Sanders, drummer/vocalist Derek Kerr and bassist Steve Sinclair, Dyoxen attracted worldwide attention with two self-produced demo tapes, Apocalyptic Dreams and A Foot From The Edge. Soon after replacing Sinclair with guitarist Alistair Hay and bassist Andy Morton, the group signed with Gabby Svoboda's Cargo Records label. With the departure of Hay and Morton, after work on First Among Equals was completed, their place in the band was assumed by guitarist Brett Stacey and the returning Sinclair. The group's best days were over, however. Dropped by Cargo for "poor record sales," they disbanded. Sanders, whose father sang and played piano, in the 1950s and ‘60s, for the Ink Spots, Cab Calloway, Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington, Chuck Berry, Count Basie, Chubby Checker and Frankie Lymon, went on to form a new metal/funk/percussive group, One Tribe. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide