“We are family, get up everybody and sing”
If these relatives can stand seeing each other 24/7 on tour, you can too…well at least for one day. Here is a list of Canadian bands with bandmates you may or may not have known were related. Happy Family Day!
9. Arcade Fire
Not only does this iconic Montreal rock band include a husband and wife duo (Win Butler and Regine Chassagne), Win’s little brother William is also in the band. There’s nowhere easier to look for a loyal bandmate than your own flesh and blood.
8. Brave Shores
Don’t mistake this Toronto electro-pop duo as boyfriend and girlfriend like I did! Jay and Stefanie McCarrol are actually siblings.
7. The Dears
Musical couples are doing something right in Montreal as The Dears is the second husband and wife duo on this list. They’re led by singer-gutarist, Murray Lightburn and keyboardist, Natalia Yanchak.
6. Doomsquad
Siblings Trevor, Jaclyn and Allie Blumas are now known as Doomsquad however, did you know each one of them tried pursuing music careers on their own? They never intended on making music together but it looks like it turned out for the better.
5. Grand Analog
Two out of six members of this hip-hop, dub, R&B, funk genre-crossing band from Winnipeg are actually brothers. That’d be Odario Williams, lead vocalist and Ofield Williams, DJ, backing vocals and producer.
4. Mother Mother
We’re only halfway through the list and you can already tell there are many sibling bands. Guess it really is the easiest way to form a band. This indie rock group from Vancouver contains siblings Ryan and Molly Guldemond. They’ll also be touring Canada soon for their new album, No Culture.
3. Overnight
Originally part of girl group Plumtree, sisters Carla and Lynette Gillis moved around Canada changing their band name from Bontempi to SISTER and finally (for now) Overnight while residing in Toronto. Fun fact: when they were part of Plumtree their song “Scott Pilgrim” inspired comic book writer Bryan Lee O’Malley to create the series of the same name.
2. The Sadies
Brothers Dallas and Travis Good took that old saying “following in my father’s footsteps” seriously when they formed The Sadies. Father, Bruce Good is part of the legendary Canadian country band, The Good Brothers with his twin Brian and younger brother Larry.
1. Tegan and Sara
Who didn’t see this one coming? It’s hard to believe identical twins Tegan and Sara Quin have now released their 8th album, Love You To Death. On that note, we encourage you to love your family to death while you still can!(Ha, see what I did there…yeah no one said I was a comedian).
Honorable Non-Canadian Mention – Colony House
There are tons of non-Canadian bands I could’ve put here but I’ve been really feeling their new album, Only The Lonely so this was more of a selfish choice. Brothers Caleb and Will Chapman make up 2/3 of this indie rock Tennessee band but that’s not their only connection to the music industry. Their father, Steven Curtis Chapman is a Contemporary Christian Music singer/songwriter. Will’s wife is Christian singer Jillian Anita Edwards and her father was bass vocalist for country group 4 Runner. Definitely was a shocker to me. Colony House will also be playing a show at the Horseshoe Tavern this coming Saturday in Toronto, another fine reason this band falls under honorable mention.
