Bleeker

Emerging from the Northern Ontario community of Orillia, Bleeker formed as a four-piece hard rock outfit fronted by siblings and defined by its swagger reminiscent of the Rolling Stones along with sweeping melodic hooks that echo the Black Keys, the Struts, Jet, and Royal Blood. The group first assembled in 2003 as Bleeker Ridge, built around vocal duties handled by Taylor Perkins, guitar work from his brother Cole Perkins, additional guitar from Dan Steinke, and drumming by Dustin Steinke. Seven years of live performances, recording sessions, and stylistic refinement preceded their 2009 signing with Roadrunner Records. Working alongside producer Bob Marlette, whose credits include Shinedown, Default, and Seether, the band completed its debut album Small Town Dead and issued the set the next year. Subsequent road work included dates alongside Airbourne, Buckcherry, My Darkest Days, and Papa Roach. The lead single “Last Cigarette” from the planned sophomore release Four surfaced in 2013. Two years later the quartet entered the studio with producer and Sixx: A.M. vocalist James Michael to lay down tracks for a third album. During those sessions Dustin Steinke received an invitation to tour with Sixx: A.M., prompting the band—now shortened by the removal of “Ridge” from its name—to recruit bassist Mike Van Dyk. The resulting project Erase You appeared in 2016 on the Eleven Seven imprint.