FM (Canadian band)

FM is a Canadian progressive rock music group formed in 1976 in Toronto. The band existed from 1976 to 1996 and their music has been categorized as space rock, and lyrics are dominated by science fiction themes. In November 2011, Cameron Hawkins reformed the band with two new players.

The band's original lineup featured lead singer Cameron Hawkins and Nash the Slash, a mysterious figure in dark clothes lurking in the shadows. The group first recorded in July 1976 when they performed live in the studio, an event which was videotaped for TVOntario's Night Music Concert TV show. FM's first public performance took place in November 1976 at the A Space art gallery in Toronto shortly after the TV show first aired.

In February 1977, the group became a trio when they added Martin Deller on drums. After appearing on the CBC TV variety show Who's New, FM were approached by the CBC to make an album, Black Noise, which the group presumed would be distributed in stores like a normal release. But the CBC chose to sell it by mail order, and only announced its availability during several radio shows.

In late 1977, Nash the Slash left the group for a solo career and he was replaced by Ben Mink. Their first record was Direct to Disc (also released as Head Room, or Headroom).

In 1978, the group re-released Black Noise in stores for the first time. The single from the album, "Phasors on Stun" helped to promote the album, for which the group were presented a gold record award.

Black Noise was followed by Surveillance in the summer of 1979, the first widely released album with the group's then-current lineup. In 1980, FM released another album, City of Fear. Ben Mink left FM in 1983.

In 1983, Nash rejoined the band and, in 1985, Con-Test was released. In 1986, FM replaced Deller with Greg Critchley on drums, and added Simon Brierley on guitars. They would released the album Tonight for Duke on green vinyl and on CD, with five bonus tracks from Con-Test, followed by a CD edition of the earlier album. Five songs were also used in the horror film Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood.

In 1989, FM consisted of Hawkins and Brierly, augmented by the new members Martin Shaw on mandolin and violin and drummer Paul Marangoni. By the early 1990s, the band disbanded.

In 1994, Hawkins purchased the rights to Black Noise and reissued the album on CD along with RetroActive, a new live CD after the group reformed for a series of concerts from 1994 to 1996.

In 2001, Nash the Slash compiled unreleased and live FM recordings from the 1970s and 1980s on a CD, Lost in Space. In 2006, FM reformed again for a live performance at NEARfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA on June 24, and also gave a concert prior to this in Toronto on June 16.

Since 2011, Cameron Hawkins has worked on material with a new incarnation of FM. On May 12, 2014, Nash the Slash died at age 66.

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