Culture Shock

Culture Shock (1980-1982)

Brian Maitland (vocals)
Steve Quinn (guitar)
Gord Badanic (bass)
Rob Tomkow (drums)

A Vancouver (...well, actually, Burnaby) -based pop/punk group that played mostly original material, peppered with an energetic mixture of contemporary covers (Pointed Sticks, Undertones, Buzzcocks, Agent Orange & Stiff Little Fingers), and sixties covers (The Kinks, The Who, more Kinks, more Who). The group was comprised of four neat guys who went to Burnaby South High School together.

Despite the fact that the drummer was 15 and the bass player 16, Culture Shock still somehow managed to play licensed venues such as The Smilin’ Buddha and Gary Taylor’s Rock Room. In 1982 they recorded six original songs: two were released (coinciding with the band’s demise) as a 7” single (“Forever and Ever” b/w “Thought You Were A Friend”); one other (“Stay Away”) appeared some years later on a local compilation cassette tape (Vancouver Undergrowth, 1986); and the remaining three songs have inexplicably become the stuff of legend. In 1984, Steve, Gord and Rob went on to play in Go Four 3.

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