Early years The band was formed in
Montreal by
John Kastner in 1987 following his departure from
the Asexuals. That year the Doughboys released their debut album
Whatever on the Pipeline Records label. In 1996 and 2000
Chart magazine ranked
Whatever as the 28th greatest Canadian album of all time. Throughout their existence the band was characterized by frequent lineup changes. Original guitarist Scott McCullough went on to form
Rusty, so Kastner recruited
Jonathan Cummins from the punk band Circus Lupus after Cummins had moved to
Montreal from
Toronto. Jon Asencio (aka John Bondhead) played
bass and Brock Pytel was the band's drummer. The band began working with manager/producer Dan McConomy who was working for a film by producer
Robin Spry that needed a song for a skateboard scene. McConomy asked the band to re-record the guitar solos with Jonathan Cummins. Even though the original label Restless Records had gone bankrupt a deal was arranged so that Electric Distribution in Canada and
Malaco in the United States could release the album. The band opened for
Red Hot Chili Peppers on their Canadian tour after attaining the No. 1 spot on Independent Retail Sales and College Radio Chart. Their second album
Home Again was released in 1988 on Restless Records. Pytel left the band in 1990 and moved to
India to study meditation. He was replaced by Paul Newman on the band's third album,
Happy Accidents. After that album's release and tour Asencio left and was replaced by bassist John DesLauriers, who appeared on the subsequent 5-song EP
When Up Turns to Down that features a cover of
the B-52s "
Private Idaho". The EP was released as part of the contract buyout by Enigma/Restless.
Mainstream success DesLauriers left in 1992 and was replaced by Peter Arsenault, formerly of the band
Jellyfishbabies. Manager James MacLean arranged a buyout of the band's existing recording contract with the US label Restless/Enigma Records and the band signed with
A&M Records. They then recruited
Daniel Rey and
Dave Ogilvie to produce their major label debut,
Crush, which was released in August 1993. "Shine" was that album's lead single and became the band's biggest
Top 40 hit. Shine won a CASBY for best single in 1994. "Neighbourhood Villain" and "Fix Me" were also notable singles from the album.
Crush was certified gold in Canada in 1996. "Shine" meanwhile was voted in 2000 as the 26th "Top Canadian Single of All Time" by
Chart magazine, and was used by Canadian music video channel
Much Music as the theme song for their alternative rock show called "The Wedge." In 1996, the band released their final album to date,
Turn Me On. The album furthered the band's
pop punk style. It was coproduced by
Ted Niceley and Daniel Rey. The album spawned the singles "I Never Liked You" and "Everything and After", which peaked at #50 and #28 in Canada on the
RPM Top Singles chart, respectively. Cummins subsequently left the band, citing the band's "lack of edge" and commercial
sellout. He was replaced for the remainder of the band's tour by
Wiz, the former singer/guitarist for
Mega City Four. Wiz co-wrote two songs each on
Turn Me On and
Crush, including "Shine". However, following the end of that tour (as the opening act for
The Offspring) in 1997, the band broke up. In 2003 their first demo
La Majeure 1987 was released by Boss Tuneage, Does Everyone Stare, and Scamindy Records.
Post-breakup Kastner subsequently formed
All Systems Go! with Mark Arnold and Frank Daly of
Big Drill Car. He was married to
Nicole de Boer and lived in
Silverlake,
California. They have a daughter, Summer Lee. His first solo album entitled
Have You Seen Lucky was released in June 2006. He has also composed a number of film and TV soundtracks, including work on
Phil the Alien,
Universal Soldier and
B.R.A.T.S of the Lost Nebula. In 2000 Kastner along with Jon Bond Head made a guest appearance on Brock Pytel's solo album
Second Choice. In 2008 Kastner toured with
Bran Van 3000 and recorded an album with them. Cummins formed the band
Bionic. He also produced a number of albums, and also spent a six-month stint playing with the
Besnard Lakes. He writes a music column for
The Montreal Mirror. Wiz formed Serpico and Ipanema, but died in London, England on December 6, 2006 from a blood clot on the brain. Paul Newman worked as a road manager after the Doughboys broke up. Later he joined
The Forgotten Rebels. He currently plays in
Big Rude Jake's band Blue Mercury Coupe. Paul currently is one of the main stage techs for Coldplay tours worldwide. Brock Pytel currently plays guitar and fronts East Vancouver's SLIP~ons.
Reunion Doughboys reunited briefly in the summer of 2011 as support for the Canadian leg of a
Foo Fighters tour. No plans exist to extend the reunion beyond the tour or to create new music. == Discography ==