Spice (Canadian band)


Spice was a Canadian pop and folk band based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, active during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

History

The band was first known as Sugar 'n' Spice. They were signed to Franklin, an independent label in Winnipeg.
The band was in 1967 founded by its manager, Michael Gillespie. Original band members were guitarist Phil O'Connell, bassist Larry Mahler, drummer Kenn Richard, guitarist John MacInnes and singer Geoff Marin, along with singers Kathleen, Maureen and Aileen Murphy. The band soon recorded two singles, "Not to Return" and "Day by Day".
The group had a hit in 1969 with "Cruel War", which sold 23,000 copies and topped the RPM Canadian Content Chart in March that year, rising to #31 on the RPM Top Singles Chart. The record was produced by Bob Burns, who hosted the Winnipeg television program Teen Dance Party. The band performed on the show. They also performed the song on the CJAY television show Young As You Are. Later that year the band released another charting single, "Something to Believe". The band headlined at the Manitoba's first rock festival the Niverville Pop Festival in the summer of 1970.
In 1972 the band released another single, "Sweet Talking Woman''. However, by February of 1973, the group had disbanded.