Bio  

The Northern Pikes are one of a handful of acts that have a permanent footprint on the psyche of generations of Canadian rock and pop fans. Since first forming in Saskatoon in 1984, the group has had one platinum album with 1990’s Snow in June, four gold LPs, and eight hit singles that remain mainstays across the country. 

Its latest album, TIME to TIME, released June 9, 2023 across all digital platforms, and on LP and CD, finds the band taking a step back to reflect on and revisit the best-loved tracks from Snow in June. The Pikes have stripped the songs down to their essentials and created fresh acoustic arrangements of “Dream Away,” “Love These Hands,” “Kiss Me You Fool,” “She Ain't Pretty,” “Green Fields,” “Girl With a Problem,” and the title track. They’ve also included three new songs that seamlessly fit into flow with “Only a Lover's Dream,” “The Things You Saw in Me,” and “Taken.” All of the tunes feature The Pikes’ core trademarks, including gorgeous vocal harmonies, pulsing basslines, lush and piercing guitar, and kinetic, creative drumming. 

The band’s lineup includes vocalist and bassist Jay Semko, vocalist and lead guitarist Bryan Potvin, and drummer Don Schmid, who’ve been together as a working unit, on and off, since 1986. It also features vocalist and guitarist Kevin Kane, co-founder of the iconic Grapes of Wrath, who joined as a full-time member in 2017. In addition, the recording includes guest appearances from violinist Donald MacLennan and keyboardist Glenn Patscha. 

The original intention was to have TIME to TIME released to correspond with the 30th anniversary of Snow in June in 2020. The band began sessions in October 2019 and planned to continue in spring 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic left it unable to reconvene face-to-face until September 2021. At that point, The Pikes were finally able to spend several further weeks recording and mixing the album, together with co-producer John D.S. Adams, at Stonehouse Sound in Mahone Bay, NS.