What began as nothing more than a pretext for peddling T-shirts stamped with “Chixdiggit!” in garish metal lettering soon turned into an actual band. In 1991 Mark O’Flaherty (guitar), K.J. Jansen (vocals/guitar), and Michael Eggermont (bass) assembled without any musical background or knowledge of notation, intent on igniting Calgary and the wider Canadian scene. Over the next several years the lineup cycled through a succession of drummers before Jason Hirsch settled in the following year.
Equipped with a cheeky, Ramones-tinged pop style, they spent the ensuing period touring across Canada and the northwestern United States, issuing their debut album on Sub-Pop in 1996. Although the self-titled record drew widespread critical acclaim and global attention, its direction clashed with the label’s plans. After parting from Sub-Pop in 1997 they were swiftly picked up by Honest Don’s Records, which released Born on the First of July the next year. From Scene to Shining Scene followed in mid-2000. While remaining faithful to their pop-punk foundations, the band displayed signs of waning activity through the 2000s. Pink Razors surfaced in April 2005 on Fat Wreck after a five-year hiatus, and another extended break ended when they reconvened in 2011 for the Safeways Here We Come EP.
