Slik Toxik

Any of you who were fans of hard rock and melodic metal have no doubt heard of the Canadian band Slik Toxik. They were a mainstay of Much Music's Power Hour video show and supposedly the next big thing to hit the American metal market. The lineup consisted of Nicholas 'Nick' Walsh (vocals) Rob Bruce (guitar) Kevin Gale (guitar) Pat Howarth (bass) Neal Busby (drums) and Dave Mercel (lyricist). They released the E.P.

The lineup consisted of Nicholas 'Nick' Walsh (vocals) Rob Bruce (guitar) Kevin Gale (guitar) Pat Howarth (bass) Neal Busby (drums) and Dave Mercel (lyricist). They released the E.P. Smooth and Deadly in 1991 on Capitol/EMI Records and followed that up with their debut full length CD Doin' The Nasty in 1992 (also on Capitol/EMI). They released videos for "Helluva Time", "White Lies, Black Truth" and "By The Fireside." With constant touring with the likes of Kim Mitchell and Yngwie Malmsteen they even managed to get their CD to go Gold In Canada.

It was at this time that metal was starting to fall out of commercial favor as grunge garbage was taking over the airwaves. Some of you may remember the infamous incident where a drunken Pat Howarth (bassist) smashed a limousine at the 1994 post-Juno Awards party. It was after this little fiasco that the label began questioning the stability of the band. EMI wanted to move Slik Toxik to a subsidiary label but the band decided to leave EMI and go the independent route. They released the impressive CD Irrelevant in 1994 with new bassist Adam Headland. They were now signed to the small indie label known as Strawberry. During this time metal was being drowned by the wave of whiny grunge bands and Slik Toxik didn't make it. The band folded. The fickle North American music industry and (mainstream) audience were not in favors of hard rock / metal any longer.

As for what they are doing now? Neal Busby reportedly teaches drums and spent some time in the Toronto death/extreme metal band Solus. Nick Walsh and Rob Bruce have been playing most recently in the band Raised On Mars who's "coming soon" website is at www.raisedonmars.com. We have no idea what this band is, what they play and even if it's metal or just some rock band?!?!