The Horribly Awfuls

The Horribly Awfuls
Origin	Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Genres	Cowpunk
Years active	2002 – 2007
Labels	Grumpy Cloud
Associated acts	The Consumer Goods Cone Five
Past members	Gareth Williams Tyler Shipley Matt McLennan

The Horribly Awfuls were a Canadian cowpunk band formed in 2002 in Winnipeg.

History

In four years spanning 2002-2007, The Horribly Awfuls made four full-length records and one EP which is yet to be released. Led by songwriter Gareth Williams, the Awfuls were known for their loose and rough feel and for their witty and evocative lyrics.

Band members changed from project to project, as did their roles in the band. The core of the band was made up of Gareth Williams, Tyler Shipley (also of The Consumer Goods) and Matt McLennan (also of Cone Five). No album ever took longer than one studio session to record, and the musicians often improvised their parts. Ryan McVeigh, who produced four of their five records, was always credited as being part of the band, and his influence can be heard in most of their work.

The band was most noted for 2003's "We Fight Like the Crips and Bloods," which featured a cover of Madonna's 'Like a Virgin' and a lullabye for Kofi Annan. It was called "a clever tongue in cheek romp... played by serious musicians whose talent always seems to shine through." The same record was well reviewed by author Miriam Toews who mentioned the record in an interview with Flare magazine.

Though beginning with Conifera Records, Gareth later founded Grumpy Cloud Records which became the label for all of Gareth's projects as well as those by close friends and collaborators Tyler Shipley and Matt McLennan. The band is currently on hiatus, with Gareth having moved to Calgary, Alberta, and focusing his efforts on a new project called The Pantymelters. However, there are still plans to release their final EP in 2007.

Band members

• Gareth Williams - vocals, guitars, electric drill, power naps, screams, stink organ, sex tambourine
• Matt McLennan - guitars, drums, vocals, bass
• Tyler Shipley - bass, guitars, vocals, keyboards, harmonica, piano
• Ryan McVeigh - production, vocals, fingersnaps,
• Andrew Workman - drums, keyboards, vocals
• Mat Klachefsky - organ, ukelele, vocals
• Kirstie MacLean - keyboards, vocals
• Robin Hillman - drums, tambourine

Guest musicians included Chris Friesen, Breanna Duffill, Andrew McMillan and Craig Mackie.

Discography

• 2006 - The Untimely Death of... (unreleased)
• 2005 - If the Night don't Bite? (Grumpy Cloud)
• 2004 - Le Perve Calamity (Conifera)
• 2003 - We Fight Like the Crips and Bloods (Conifera)
• 2003 - Spring Has Sprung (Grumpy Cloud)