The Age Of Electric

In 1989 the alternative rock outfit Age of Electric, familiar to supporters as AOE, assembled in Lanigan, Saskatchewan. The lineup consisted of two brother pairs—guitarist Ryan Dahle with drummer Kurt Dahle, and guitarist Todd Kerns with bassist John Kerns—while vocals came from every member except John. After issuing several independent recordings, the group secured a contract with Mercury Records. During the 1990s they collected distinctions such as Best West Coast Independent Artist and earned nominations including Juno Awards consideration for Best New Group.

Toward the close of the 1980s the young members, scarcely past their teens, began performing their alternative pop/rock songs in area clubs under the shortened name Electric. By 1991 they had adopted Age of Electric, developed the start of a devoted audience, and produced a cassette of material that they sold at live shows. Also that year they finished and issued The Latest Plague on their own imprint, God's Teeth Ethel!.

Activity remained modest for the next few years until 1994, when they assembled the EP Ugly. A year later the full-length Untitled appeared, and the band performed at Vancouver's Music West. The appearance generated crucial attention that yielded a worldwide deal with Mercury Records, which retitled the album after the group and reissued it. Forward momentum brought Make a Pest a Pet two years afterward, along with three videos that year supporting the singles "I Don't Mind," "Remote Control," and "Don't Wreck It."

In 1997 Ryan and Kurt formed Limblifter even while remaining in Age of Electric, and Todd and John likewise started OO Complex. The parallel projects prompted speculation about the original quartet's future, accompanied by contradictory statements from the members about whether the band had ended. A Juno Award nomination for Best New Group followed in 1998. The next year the group undertook one more short tour, though no additional singles or albums materialized.