Casper Skulls are a Canadian indie rock band from Toronto, Ontario.[1] They are most noted for receiving a SOCAN Songwriting Prize nomination in 2018 for their song "Lingua Franca".[2]

Casper Skulls
Casper Skulls performing in 2019
Casper Skulls performing in 2019
Background information
OriginSudbury and Toronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresIndie rock
Years active2015–present
MembersNeil Bednis
Melanie St-Pierre
Fraser McClean
Aurora Bangarth
Past membersChris Anthony

History

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Casper Skulls was formed in 2015 by Neil Bednis and Melanie St-Pierre, musicians and romantic partners from Sudbury[3] who moved to the Toronto area when St-Pierre started studying art and design at Sheridan College.[1] They added bassist Fraser McClean and drummer Chris Anthony,[1] and began performing in Toronto venues. In 2016 they signed with Buzz Records and released their debut EP Lips & Skull.[4][5]

In 2017, they released their debut full-length album, Mercy Works.[6][7] During their tour to support the album, they were involved in a vehicle collision en route to SXSW, and launched a crowdfunding campaign to assist in paying for a new tour van.[8] The band members themselves were uninjured, and were able to get to Austin to perform.[8]

In 2019, they went on tour as a supporting act for PUP, a punk rock group from Toronto, on their Morbid Stuff Tour-Pocalypse.[9]

The band released its second full-length album, Knows No Kindness, in 2021.[10]

Melanie St-Pierre has also released solo music under the name l'loop.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Toronto’s newest fuzzy, buzzy rock band, Casper Skulls, is ready to bust out". Toronto Star, December 6, 2017.
  2. ^ Sarah Murphy, "2018 SOCAN Songwriting Prize Nominees Revealed". Exclaim!, May 24, 2018.
  3. ^ "Love dawns for Casper Skulls founders at River & Sky". Northern Life, July 19, 2017.
  4. ^ Sudbury's Casper Skulls Are the Heroes Who Escaped the "Armpit of Ontario". Noisey, October 28, 2016.
  5. ^ "Your New Favourite Thing: Casper Skulls". Toronto Star, By Ben Rayner, June 11, 2016
  6. ^ "First Play: Casper Skulls, Mercy Works". CBC Music, October 26, 2017.
  7. ^ "Casper Skulls' Mercy Works connects big ideas to hooky post-punk". NOW Toronto, by Matt Williams, November 7, 2017
  8. ^ a b "Casper Skulls Launch Crowdfunding Campaign for New Tour Van After Car Crash". Exclaim!, March 26, 2018.
  9. ^ Russell, Scott (11 April 2019). "PUP Announce Massive Fall Tour in Support of Morbid Stuff". Paste. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  10. ^ Calum Slingerland, "Casper Skulls Detail Sophomore Album 'Knows No Kindness'". Exclaim!, August 26, 2021.
  11. ^ Matt Bobkin, "Casper Skulls' Melanie St-Pierre Shares Debut Song as l'loop". Exclaim!, October 15, 2019.
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