Biography
During the 1980s the Canadian new wave outfit Images in Vogue earned modest recognition through a synthesizer-driven pop approach that echoed the styles of Icehouse, Japan, and Depeche Mode. Yet unlike those acts the group never secured lasting commercial traction, even though college radio and live performances brought them some notice; their overt pursuit of mainstream success instead prompted several gifted members to exit and launch the influential shock-industrial projects Numb and Skinny Puppy. The band’s name existed before the musicians assembled, when guitarist Don Gordon and bassist Gary Smith, then performing locally with the Pinups, conceived an electronic project bearing the striking title Images in Vogue. In 1981 they placed a magazine advertisement seeking a keyboardist who owned equipment and cited Simple Minds, Japan, and Ultravox as reference points. The notice attracted Kevin Crompton on percussion and synthesizers, Joe Vizvary on keyboards and synthesizers, and Glen Nelson on keyboards and synthesizers, uniting them with Gordon, Smith, and Pinups vocalist Gary Johnson. Pooling funds, the six acquired fresh gear that included a Pro-1 synthesizer and a drum machine, then commenced songwriting and demo sessions.
Following the pattern of many independent Vancouver acts, Images in Vogue issued their earliest material themselves. A five-song demo appeared in 1981, followed by the band’s inaugural concert at a fashion event shared with fellow newcomers Moev. Heartened by audience reaction, they returned to the studio for a four-song EP, yet upon completion they concluded that vocalist Gary Johnson did not suit the desired sonic direction and therefore initiated a search for both a replacement singer and professional management.
A local club DJ had been spinning the demo tapes enthusiastically; that DJ, Kim Clarke Champniss, agreed to manage the group and promptly arranged a high-profile showcase before dismissing Johnson and launching the hunt for a successor. Student Dale Martindale, enrolled at Emily Carr College of Fine Art and lacking prior singing or performing experience, expressed interest in the role. Introduced because his appearance recalled Japan’s drummer, Martindale auditioned and was immediately recognized as the appropriate choice despite his inexperience; from that point onward he served as the ensemble’s principal vocalist and most visible frontman. Champniss booked a debut performance for the revised lineup at a modest Vancouver nightclub; the show drew substantial local coverage, was filmed for cable broadcast, and marked the first encounter between the musicians and aspiring engineer Dave Ogilvie, who would later produce the band extensively and contribute to the careers of Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails. Martindale’s subsequent outing came when Champniss secured the opening slot for Depeche Mode’s initial Vancouver appearance, and favorable notices solidified his position within the lineup.
Still unsigned, the group issued the limited pressing of 500 copies of their debut single “Breaking Up,” which earned playlist additions at college stations nationwide and provided the first taste of broader exposure. A cross-country trek with Glen Nelson supporting the dates led to his formal addition on guitar and keyboards, an expansion that disrupted internal equilibrium and precipitated Don Gordon’s departure to establish the industrial outfit Numb.
The 1982 EP Educated Man documented the updated roster and introduced the band’s first video for “Breaking Up.” Recognizing that labels would not travel to Vancouver, Champniss prioritized an extensive tour of eastern Canada to attract a contract. The strategy succeeded: interest mounted with each performance, and backstage at a Toronto concert again supporting Depeche Mode the musicians received an offer from WEA Canada, which they accepted on the spot while Champniss remained to finalize terms. Returning west, they opened for Roxy Music in two cities, yet the scale of those venues highlighted shortcomings in Martindale’s vocal delivery and generated internal friction.
Crompton, later known as cEvin Key, and Don Gordon shared an affinity for the European electronic underground exemplified by Throbbing Gristle, the Legendary Pink Dots, and Chris & Cosey, as well as the emerging harder industrial sounds of Portion Control, Einstürzende Neubauten, and Front 242. Disinclined toward the commercial new-romantic strain of electronic music, they pursued side projects while Champniss negotiated with WEA; the most notable of these experiments involved Crompton and vocalist Kevin Ogilvie, later Nivek Ogre, laying groundwork for Skinny Puppy and Hilt.
Once the WEA agreement was completed, the band recorded and released the Lust for Love EP that autumn, whose title track became their Canadian breakthrough. WEA funded a costly video, and the group embarked on major tours with Bryan Adams followed by Duran Duran. The latter routing reinforced their pop-new-wave image while obscuring experimental inclinations. Relations with the label deteriorated when Duran Duran requested the addition of Images in Vogue to U.S. dates and WEA denied support; tensions escalated further when the master for the scheduled single “Call It Love” was lost, and during subsequent remixing Don Gordon exited angrily, replaced by Ed Shaw of Strange Advance.
The band then received two Canadian U-Know awards for Most Promising Band and Most Promising Male Singer. WEA supplied a short list of potential producers for a debut album, and former Spooky Tooth keyboardist Gary Wright, whose own hit “Dream Weaver” had reached the Top Ten, was selected. The choice proved unfortunate: Wright’s relaxed studio approach and limited facility with the group’s electronic instrumentation yielded recordings that leaned guitar-oriented and squarely dance-pop, overshadowing the band’s experimental ambitions. Most members emerged dissatisfied and urged WEA not to issue the album. Meanwhile side projects multiplied, with Crompton, deeply disenchanted, concentrating on the first Skinny Puppy EP while manager Champniss developed his own endeavor, DanceSpeak.
In late 1984 WEA, seeking to recover costs from the Wright sessions, issued the single and 12-inch Rituals featuring “Rescue Me.” The release failed commercially, although some stations aired the alternate track “Call It Love.” The poor reception and mounting internal discord left both the label and Champniss discouraged; Champniss eventually resigned to become a prominent MuchMusic personality, while Crompton prepared to launch Skinny Puppy on Nettwerk.
Nevertheless the remaining members persisted. Dave Ogilvie remixed “Call It Love” for WEA France, and a Canadian video drawn from a live performance generated renewed momentum. Additional radio adds prompted WEA to reconsider the earlier Wright recordings; the band re-recorded keyboard parts, remixed the material, and added the new song “King’s Service.” The resulting album appeared as In This House, marking Crompton’s final contribution.
A national tour coincided with multiple CASBY nominations, and “Call It Love” became the group’s highest-charting single to date. Stronger eastern Canadian support prompted a relocation to Toronto in search of new management and greater label commitment. They prepared the video and single “Save It,” yet shortly before the move Crompton announced his departure, citing the greater appeal of Skinny Puppy; he was replaced by Strange Advance drummer Derrick Gyles.
Toronto proved challenging. Substantial debt from the “Save It” video and recording, combined with the absence of a contract, forced reliance on live shows for income. A new manager secured a 12-inch, In the House, on Quality Records, produced by former Klaatu member Dee Long, who had also worked with Rational Youth. Sales and airplay remained modest, yet the record resonated with fans and earned two 1986 CASBY awards for Group of the Year and Single of the Year. The Toronto base yielded further dividends when Ray Danniels’ SRO Management, renowned for guiding Rush, signed the band to both management and the Anthem label.
Shifting public tastes away from synth-pop, together with persistent lineup instability, prompted consideration of a name change to the Spell. Discovering the name already taken by an Australian act, they retained Images in Vogue but omitted the band name from the cover of the 1988 album The Spell. Despite considerable MuchMusic exposure the record achieved neither radio success nor strong retail performance, leaving the group in debt and beset by ongoing conflicts. They disbanded, then reconvened for a farewell concert at Toronto’s Opera House in 1991. All members subsequently remained active in the Canadian music industry as performers or producers.
Revived interest in 1980s music prompted compilation releases in 2002 and 2004 that collected remixes, live recordings, and studio tracks. Positive reception led to reunion performances in Toronto and Vancouver in 2002 and 2004 respectively. The shows were warmly received, although no further performances or recordings were planned.
Following the pattern of many independent Vancouver acts, Images in Vogue issued their earliest material themselves. A five-song demo appeared in 1981, followed by the band’s inaugural concert at a fashion event shared with fellow newcomers Moev. Heartened by audience reaction, they returned to the studio for a four-song EP, yet upon completion they concluded that vocalist Gary Johnson did not suit the desired sonic direction and therefore initiated a search for both a replacement singer and professional management.
A local club DJ had been spinning the demo tapes enthusiastically; that DJ, Kim Clarke Champniss, agreed to manage the group and promptly arranged a high-profile showcase before dismissing Johnson and launching the hunt for a successor. Student Dale Martindale, enrolled at Emily Carr College of Fine Art and lacking prior singing or performing experience, expressed interest in the role. Introduced because his appearance recalled Japan’s drummer, Martindale auditioned and was immediately recognized as the appropriate choice despite his inexperience; from that point onward he served as the ensemble’s principal vocalist and most visible frontman. Champniss booked a debut performance for the revised lineup at a modest Vancouver nightclub; the show drew substantial local coverage, was filmed for cable broadcast, and marked the first encounter between the musicians and aspiring engineer Dave Ogilvie, who would later produce the band extensively and contribute to the careers of Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails. Martindale’s subsequent outing came when Champniss secured the opening slot for Depeche Mode’s initial Vancouver appearance, and favorable notices solidified his position within the lineup.
Still unsigned, the group issued the limited pressing of 500 copies of their debut single “Breaking Up,” which earned playlist additions at college stations nationwide and provided the first taste of broader exposure. A cross-country trek with Glen Nelson supporting the dates led to his formal addition on guitar and keyboards, an expansion that disrupted internal equilibrium and precipitated Don Gordon’s departure to establish the industrial outfit Numb.
The 1982 EP Educated Man documented the updated roster and introduced the band’s first video for “Breaking Up.” Recognizing that labels would not travel to Vancouver, Champniss prioritized an extensive tour of eastern Canada to attract a contract. The strategy succeeded: interest mounted with each performance, and backstage at a Toronto concert again supporting Depeche Mode the musicians received an offer from WEA Canada, which they accepted on the spot while Champniss remained to finalize terms. Returning west, they opened for Roxy Music in two cities, yet the scale of those venues highlighted shortcomings in Martindale’s vocal delivery and generated internal friction.
Crompton, later known as cEvin Key, and Don Gordon shared an affinity for the European electronic underground exemplified by Throbbing Gristle, the Legendary Pink Dots, and Chris & Cosey, as well as the emerging harder industrial sounds of Portion Control, Einstürzende Neubauten, and Front 242. Disinclined toward the commercial new-romantic strain of electronic music, they pursued side projects while Champniss negotiated with WEA; the most notable of these experiments involved Crompton and vocalist Kevin Ogilvie, later Nivek Ogre, laying groundwork for Skinny Puppy and Hilt.
Once the WEA agreement was completed, the band recorded and released the Lust for Love EP that autumn, whose title track became their Canadian breakthrough. WEA funded a costly video, and the group embarked on major tours with Bryan Adams followed by Duran Duran. The latter routing reinforced their pop-new-wave image while obscuring experimental inclinations. Relations with the label deteriorated when Duran Duran requested the addition of Images in Vogue to U.S. dates and WEA denied support; tensions escalated further when the master for the scheduled single “Call It Love” was lost, and during subsequent remixing Don Gordon exited angrily, replaced by Ed Shaw of Strange Advance.
The band then received two Canadian U-Know awards for Most Promising Band and Most Promising Male Singer. WEA supplied a short list of potential producers for a debut album, and former Spooky Tooth keyboardist Gary Wright, whose own hit “Dream Weaver” had reached the Top Ten, was selected. The choice proved unfortunate: Wright’s relaxed studio approach and limited facility with the group’s electronic instrumentation yielded recordings that leaned guitar-oriented and squarely dance-pop, overshadowing the band’s experimental ambitions. Most members emerged dissatisfied and urged WEA not to issue the album. Meanwhile side projects multiplied, with Crompton, deeply disenchanted, concentrating on the first Skinny Puppy EP while manager Champniss developed his own endeavor, DanceSpeak.
In late 1984 WEA, seeking to recover costs from the Wright sessions, issued the single and 12-inch Rituals featuring “Rescue Me.” The release failed commercially, although some stations aired the alternate track “Call It Love.” The poor reception and mounting internal discord left both the label and Champniss discouraged; Champniss eventually resigned to become a prominent MuchMusic personality, while Crompton prepared to launch Skinny Puppy on Nettwerk.
Nevertheless the remaining members persisted. Dave Ogilvie remixed “Call It Love” for WEA France, and a Canadian video drawn from a live performance generated renewed momentum. Additional radio adds prompted WEA to reconsider the earlier Wright recordings; the band re-recorded keyboard parts, remixed the material, and added the new song “King’s Service.” The resulting album appeared as In This House, marking Crompton’s final contribution.
A national tour coincided with multiple CASBY nominations, and “Call It Love” became the group’s highest-charting single to date. Stronger eastern Canadian support prompted a relocation to Toronto in search of new management and greater label commitment. They prepared the video and single “Save It,” yet shortly before the move Crompton announced his departure, citing the greater appeal of Skinny Puppy; he was replaced by Strange Advance drummer Derrick Gyles.
Toronto proved challenging. Substantial debt from the “Save It” video and recording, combined with the absence of a contract, forced reliance on live shows for income. A new manager secured a 12-inch, In the House, on Quality Records, produced by former Klaatu member Dee Long, who had also worked with Rational Youth. Sales and airplay remained modest, yet the record resonated with fans and earned two 1986 CASBY awards for Group of the Year and Single of the Year. The Toronto base yielded further dividends when Ray Danniels’ SRO Management, renowned for guiding Rush, signed the band to both management and the Anthem label.
Shifting public tastes away from synth-pop, together with persistent lineup instability, prompted consideration of a name change to the Spell. Discovering the name already taken by an Australian act, they retained Images in Vogue but omitted the band name from the cover of the 1988 album The Spell. Despite considerable MuchMusic exposure the record achieved neither radio success nor strong retail performance, leaving the group in debt and beset by ongoing conflicts. They disbanded, then reconvened for a farewell concert at Toronto’s Opera House in 1991. All members subsequently remained active in the Canadian music industry as performers or producers.
Revived interest in 1980s music prompted compilation releases in 2002 and 2004 that collected remixes, live recordings, and studio tracks. Positive reception led to reunion performances in Toronto and Vancouver in 2002 and 2004 respectively. The shows were warmly received, although no further performances or recordings were planned.
Albums
Live
