00: Timeline

All performances occurred in Ontario, Canada unless noted….

PRE-SAUCER:

Jan. 1972 - June 1973

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Paul Collili: keyboards

Dave Byers: saxophone, electronics

Neil DeMerchant: drums, percussive violin, percussion

Rehearsal Sites: Concession Street apartments

see also http://www.theshangs.ca/ for more info on this period.

1973

SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver.1.0

May - June 1973 / Oct. 1973

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Paul Collili: keyboards

Dave Byers: saxophone, electronics

Neil DeMerchant: drums, percussive violin, percussion

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

John "Ping Romany" LaPlante: electronics, percussion

Rehearsal site: John Street loft, near King Street East

Simply Saucer moniker appears at this time, inspired by Pink Floyd’s A Saucerful of Secrets and the band Just Us.

Oct. 73: The band rents out 221 _ Kenilworth Street North in Hamilton as a rehearsal space for the next three years. "Illegal Bodies" is the first song to christen the space. Dubbed "The Office," it also becomes living quarters for leader Edgar Breau

SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver.2.0

Nov. 73 - Nov. 74

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Neil DeMerchant: drums, percussive violin, percussion

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

John "Ping Romany" LaPlante: electronics, percussion

1974

March: Rick Bissell assumes manager role

First professional gig:

Sat. June 22: St. Alban’s Church, Hamilton

July 14 - 15: Master Sound Recording Studio Sessions

Mixed July 24

Engineer: Bob Lanois

These would later make up Tracks 1 - 6 of Cyborgs Revisited.

Financed by manager Rick Bissell, the funds ran out before the final guitar overdub on "Bullet Proof Nothing" could be recorded. The missing guitar part can be heard on the second 1978 live version, included on the Cyborgs re-issue.

Aug. 8: Lloyd D Jackson Square, Hamilton

Sept. 11: Glendale Secondary School, Hamilton

Oct. 10: Club Galaxy "707" Oakville

Nov. 1: Elmira High School, Elmira

Nov. 7: Kernahan High School, St. Catharines

Nov. 13: Neil DeMerchant leaves group

SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver. 2.1

Nov. 74 - Feb. 75; Oct. 75 - Apr. 76; briefly in Sept. 76

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Don Cramer: drums, percussion

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

John "Ping Romany" LaPlante: electronics, percussion

Dec. 18: Sutton High School, Sutton

Dec. 20: Smith Fall’s District Collegiate Institute, Smith’s Falls

1975

Jan. 25: Hawksbury Dist. High School, Hawksbury

Feb. 15: Westdale Secondary School, Hamilton

Feb. 24: Don Cramer leaves group

March 24: John Miles joins group on drums; leaves after two weeks.

SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver. 2.2

April - Oct. 1975; April - Aug. 1976

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

John "Ping Romany" LaPlante: electronics, percussion

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

Tony Cutaia: drums

Tony is all of 15 at the time…

April 18: Trenton High School, Trenton

April 26: Carleton Arena, Carleton Place

May 16: Champlain High School, Pembroke

May 23: Etobicoke High School, Etobicoke

May 25: St. Patrick’s School, Hamilton

June 11: Grantham High School, St. Catharines

The cover of Cyborgs Revisited was shot at that gig. Following the show, the group’s van had its brake cables severed.

June 19: Burlington Fair, Burlington

A battle of the bands ...they lost!

June 28: Lloyd D. Jackson Square, Hamilton.

Part of the show is recorded on a two-track Tandberg machine, and ended up on Side Two of Cyborgs ("Cyborgs Pt Two," "Dance The Mutation," and "Illegal Bodies"). Pink Floyd, sans Syd Barrett, plays Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton the same day.

July 23: Rick Bissell resigns as manager

Aug. 9: Lloyd D. Jackson Square, Hamilton.

Sept 12 - 13: Downstairs John, McMaster Univ. Hamilton

The band has all of its guitars stolen after the second show. They are insured, but momentum is lost.

Oct. 11: Tony Cutaia leaves group

Oct. 19: Don Cramer returns to group (Ver. 2.1)

1976

No gigs this year;

Edgar begins writing material such as "Low Profile," "She’s A Dog," etc.

April 11: Don Cramer leaves group

April 23: Tony Cutaia returns to group (Ver. 2.2)

Aug. 7: Tony Cutaia leaves group permanently; would later own and operate restaurant in Hamilton’s Centre Mall.

Aug. 20: John "Ping Romany" LaPlante leaves group. Much of Edgar’s new material did not use the synth vocabulary of Ping; he becomes depressed and leaves. Ping would continue his association with the Saucer as a roadie right until the end.

Sept: Don Cramer returns

Sept. 30: Simply Saucer evicted from The Office; group disbands

1977

SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver. 3.0

Feb. - April 77:

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Don Cramer: drums, percussion

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

Group reforms as trio with a more song and guitar-focused sound; takes up rehearsal spot at the infamous - and now-demolished - "Saucer House" on Ferguson Street South.

SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver. 3.1

April - Nov. 77:

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Don Cramer: drums, percussion

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

Alex Pollington: guitar, vocals

Alex joins in early April, beginning of twin guitar era. The band takes in the 3D Show at the Ontario College of Art; meets Gary Pig Gold, who interviews Edgar for The Pig Paper #3 (the Kinks issue) on April 9 who begins managerial duties for the band. Band begins to test the nascent new wave scene for gigs.

May 20: ROCK SHOCK. Masonic Temple, Toronto (w/ Johnnie Lovesin and Teenage Head)

Aug. 27: Club David’s, Toronto (w/ The Poles)

Aug. 29 - 31: Club David’s, Toronto (w/ various other acts)

Sept. 1 - 4: held over at Club David’s, Toronto (w/ The Ugly)

Sept. 4: Jerry Lewis Telethon, Chelsea Inn, Toronto

Sept. 17: OUTRAGE. Masonic Temple, Toronto (w/ Battered Wives, Teenage Head, The Viletones and The Concordes)

Oct. 1: James Street YMCA, Hamilton (w/ The Headaches)

Oct. 29: James Street YMCA, Hamilton (w/ The Loved Ones)

Nov. 9: Alex Pollington leaves group due to musical differences, i.e. he couldn’t deal with "punk" rock.

SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver. 3.2

Nov. 77 - Aug. 79

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Don Cramer: drums, percussion

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

Steve "Sparky" Park: guitar, vocals

1978

Jan. 7: Ottawa Street YWCA, Hamilton

The first show with Sparky was also recorded with a hand-held cassette recorder. Three songs ("Yes I Do," "Bullet Proof Nothing," "Time For The Party") ended up on the bonus tracks for Cyborgs.

Jan. 21: Ottawa Street YWCA, Hamilton

The Forgotten Rebels made their live debut at this show, burning a Canadian flag onstage. This act prompted them to get banned at all YWCA venues. Joe Csontos, the current Saucer drummer, was in the audience that night. He thought the Rebels stunk. Ironically enough, he would become their drummer 4 years later. Life is funny that way.

Feb. 24: Ellis Avenue Kiwanis Club, Hamilton (paid $128)

March 18: McNab Street YWCA, Hamilton

April 1: The Pub, Hotel Isabella, Toronto

Opening for the Battered Wives. Live tapes of this set still circulate among traders.

April 10: Colonial Tavern, Toronto, opening for Teenage Head

April 13 - 15: The Pub, Hotel Isabella, Toronto

May 14 - 17: Recording sessions for the Pig Records 45 "She’s A Dog" / "I Can Change My Mind" at JB Sound, Hamilton

Mixed May 23

May 24: Pig-1 45 mastered at Just Another Mastering Facility, Toronto

June 8: Pig single released, 2000 copies pressed, thanks to various corn roasts held on the Hamilton Mountain. While not really representative of what the band was like live at the time, the single still manages to get picked by the UK Record Mirror as Single of the Week. Three years later, Gary Pig would hand CFMU-FM personality Bruce Mowat a copy.

June 23: CFMU-FM interview, McMaster University, Hamilton

July 27 - 29: Beverly Tavern, Toronto (paid $250)

Sept. 25, 26: Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (w/ The Scenics) (paid $30)

Oct. 19 - 21: Beverly Tavern, Toronto (paid $250)

Oct. 27 - 28: Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (w/ Nash The Slash and Pere Ubu)

1979

Jan. 24 - 27: Cedar Lounge, London

April 30: Larry’s Hideaway, Toronto

May 16 - 19: Cedar Lounge, London

June 2: Royal Hotel, Guelph

Joe Csontos, acting as de facto manager, books Saucer with a now forgotten identi-kit punk rock act called the Nasties. The Nasties badger and insult the band so much that Edgar ends up punching out their singer.

June 4 - 9: Schooner Hotel, St. Thomas

Saucer resorts to playing covers in small town bars. The beginning of the end…

July 24: Mississauga Belle, Mississauga

The last live performance…Sparky gives his notice after the show.

July 28: Kevin Christoff gives his notice, effectively ending this segment of Saucer history.

Edgar de-tunes his electric, puts the guitar in the closet, and - influenced by John Fahey - learns acoustic finger-picking styles.

2006

Reformed SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver. 1.0

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

Steve "Sparky" Park: guitar, vocals

Joe Csontos: drums

Sept. 16: RADIO X T-SHIRTS PUNK ROCK REVUE. Corktown Pub, Hamilton

(w/ Teenage Head, Forgotten Rebels, The Viletones, The Screwed, Raving Mojos)

Reformed SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver. 2.0

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

Joe Csontos: drums

Dan Winterman: theremin, guitar

Dr. Mike Daley: guitar, vocals

Dec. 28: Casbah Lounge, Hamilton (w/ Electroluminescent)

Reformed SIMPLY SAUCER, Ver. 2.1

Edgar Breau: guitar, vocals

Kevin Christoff: bass, vocals

Joe Csontos: drums

Dan Winterman: theremin, guitar

Steve Foster: guitar, vocals

2007

February - May: pre-production and rehearsals at Napier Park Studio, Dundas ON

April 13, 14: Ciao Edie, Toronto (w/ say Ah!, Electroluminescent)

May 20 - 24: Half Human recording begins at Catherine North Studios, Hamilton

May 27: CUIT-FM Equalizing-X-Distort performance and interview, University of Toronto

June 14: La Sala Rossa, Montreal, Quebec (w/ CPC Gangbangs, Plastic Crimewave Sound)

June 15: Babylon, Ottawa

June 23: Half Live recording, Catherine North Studios, Hamilton

Oct. 13: Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY (w/ Alan Vega, Oneida, Old Time Relijun)

First-ever show in U.S... First-ever show outside of Canada, in fact!