1988-Steven PageGuitar, vocals1988-2009
Ed RobertsonGuitar, vocals
Tyler StewartDrums
Andrew CreegganKeyboards1988-1994
Jim CreegganBass
Kevin HearnKeyboards1994-
Many of their songs have really goofy lyrics which they often change in concert, sometimes making them up as they go along.
The band is from a town/city on the outskirts of Toronto called Scarborough, but the boys often call it "Scar-beria" referring to the desolate wasteland of Siberia. They had success in Canada a few years before they broke in America.
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Suggestion credit:
Cory - Olds, AB
Fellow Canadian Jason Priestley, who is a big fan, got them a guest spot on Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1996. This was a big career boost for them in the US.
They spent years playing radio station events in the US. They were usually on a bill with a few other artists and got to play 3 or 4 songs, always their hits. They didn't get paid for these events, but it gave them a lot of exposure and more airplay.
When they played smaller venues, fans would pelt them with macaroni and cheese during "
If I Had $1000000." They threw it when the lyrics mention Kraft dinners.
The name "Barenaked Ladies" came about when Robertson and Page were the only members and they had to have a name to play at a venue. They made it up just to freak out the people running the concert.
Hearn had leukemia and got a bone marrow transplant from his brother to save his life in 1997.
Robertson was employee of the month at Wendy's in June of 1985, as mentioned in the song "Never Is Enough."
They made an appearance on the TV show Two Guys, A Girl, And A Pizza Place as random guys singing bits of the plot of one episode.
They wrote and performed the theme song for the long-running Canadian sketch comedy
Royal Canadian Air Farce.
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Suggestion credit:
Brett - Edmonton, Canada
For a while, they closed every concert the same way: "If I Had A Million Dollars" and then a big rap number taking lyrics from a handful of popular songs and beatboxing along with some interesting late-'80s hip hop choreography.
On their second album, Maybe You Should Drive, the men on the cover both had guest appearances on the original Star Trek series.
They played the Opening Ceremonies at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Their live album,
Rock Spectacle, is pronounced Rock Speck-Tack, which is essentially just the French pronunciation of the English word Spectacle - or, "a really big deal."
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Suggestion credit:
Cory - Olds, AB
Tyler is a self-confessed Neil Diamond fan.
The band's fan club is called "The Ladies Room" and sends out a CD to members every Christmas.
They appeared on fellow Canadian Anne Murray's Christmas Special and sang "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." Then Anne came out and joined them to sing "Santa Claus Is Comin To Town."
They covered "Grim Grinning Ghosts" (the song from Disneyland's Haunted Mansion) for an album of covers of Disney standards.
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Suggestion credit:
Kelly - Portland, OR for above 8
The band performs the theme song for the sitcom
The Big Bang Theory and were mentioned in an episode during Season 2.
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Suggestion credit:
Cory - Olds, AB
In 2008, Page was sentenced to 6 months probation for cocaine possession. He left the band in February 2009 to pursue a solo career.
Robertson's brother Doug died in a motorcycle accident in 1993. His death inspired several songs, including "Am I The Only One" from
Maybe You Should Drive, "
Leave," from
Stunt, and "Tonight Is The Night I Fell Asleep At The Wheel" from
Maroon.
Robertson is a licensed pilot. In 2008, he and his wife, along with two other passengers, were involved in a small-plane crash while he was attempting to take off from Lake Baptiste in Bancroft, Ontario. Thankfully, no one was injured.
