THE NYLONS: A Cappella Profile

Who would of thought that four actor friends, getting together in the back of a Toronto delicatessen to sing in late 1978, would be the beginning of one of the most enduring and important groups in the contemporary a cappella field? The four friends were Paul Cooper, Marc Connors, Claude Morrison and Dennis Simpson. By April 1979 the group graduated form singing for fun to the beginning of their professional career, but Dennis Simpson had gotten a gig in a musical and left the group. Ralph Cole, also a veteran of musical theater, became the bass singer. The interviews of the time provide this self-description of their music as a blend, "25 per cent Rayon (Marc Connors), 25 per cent Darvon (Ralph Cole), 25 per cent Fabulon (Claude Morrison) and 25 per cent Come on."

The rest of 1979 saw the group singing in clubs with great success and rave reviews. For example they had an unheard of 17 week run at a club called Basin Street. In the fall they made their debut on television which stimulated the formality of choosing a name. Marc and Paul came up with the Nylons in memory of the synthetic groups of the past such as the Orlons and the Chiffons. The group continued with increasing success, yet Ralph Cole retired and was replaced by Arnold Robinson who had sung and arranged for the Platters. This was the winning combination. They signed a deal with Attic Records and hit the big time with their first album which went gold in Canada in just two months! Big radio play hits from that one were "Up The Ladder To The Roof" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." Their second album, One Size Fits All, was distributed in the U.S. and became the foundation for their increasing fan base in this country.

In the overall history of a cappella it is important to remember just what was going on when they gained international attention. Not much. The Persuasions had an audience. Sweet Honey was growing but not yet recognized across the country beyond folk or civil rights groups. The Bobs were just beginning. The King's Singers had devoted fans, usually limited to the classical world. Ladysmith Black Mambazo was big in Africa, but effectively unknown here. Of course there were choirs and choral groups of significant local interest, some gospel and bluegrass activity, but it wasn't extensively appreciated. Therefore you can see that when the Nylons presented a cappella music and blew people away, in fact they were beginning something new. They have to be considered one of the main influences of the contemporary vocal bands.

In seven years the Nylons recorded six albums for Attic Records, constantly toured and were renown for their fabulous live shows. Marc Connors was the driving force behind the tight choreography, dramatic stage sets and quick costume changes which allowed the Nylons to be fabulous showmen. One serendipitous event was the origin of one of their performance trademarks. At the Ontario Palace in Toronto one night, the sound system failed during a show before 15,000 fans. They immediately began singing an unamplified "One Fine Day" to a crowd who became dead silent in order to hear, and then exploded into thunderous applause at the end of the song. If you're lucky you will catch them recreating that moment when you're in the audience of one of their shows. It's wonderful!

By 1990, Paul Cooper, who had been the most prolific writer and arranger in the group, retired. He was just plain exhausted from being on the road for ten years. His replacement was Micah Barnes. Then a big blow fell on the group. Marc Connors died in 1991. It would have been a devastating blow for many, but less than a month later, The Nylons were back on stage with R&B singer, Billy Newton-Davis. Not only did they have two new members, but they had a new Record Label, Scotti Brothers in Los Angeles. During their first recording, Live To Love, they tried some more instrumental accompaniment and rap/funk/R&B to appeal to a younger audience. The quartet soldiered on until Micah Barnes and Billy Newton-Davis wished to return to solo careers. Claude and Arnold searched and found Garth Mosbaugh who had both musical theater and TV experience, and Gavin Hope who had been a member of an a cappella group which had opened for The Nylons in the past. The new foursome returned to the studio to record, and went back toward the sound which had made them so popular, vocal with some percussion.

As the a cappella world has flourished in the 1990', in no small part because of the love of the music that the Nylons created, their career has once again become as strong as ever. In 1997 Gavin Hope left to pursue solo efforts and go on stage and they found a great replacement in Mark Cassius who had been one of Toronto's foremost musical theater performers. After twenty years the Nylons aren't just an oldies but goodies act, their performances are as dynamic as ever and their new music is better than ever.

Discography

Live in Tokyo

Of all the contemporary a cappella groups The Nylons have always put on one of the best shows, in great part because of their background in live theater. So this DVD of a historic concert shot in Japan in 1986 is a real treat and a must for all Nylons fans. The high production values shows the guys at their high-energy best and features Marc Connors, Claude Morrison, Paul Cooper and Arnold Robinson. As well as the thirteen song concert footage there are six bonus music videos that the group has shot over the years which helps makes this a most enjoyable watch!

Sterling

A twenty five year retrospective featuring a collection of many of their hits plus unreleased tracks, rehearsal tapes and two new bonus tracks - "Secret Part of Me" and "Eli's Coming".

Play On

The veteran male quartet the Nylons, who wowed the West Coast Summit audience not long ago, show us once again the innovative, driving arrangements, tight harmonies, soaring leads, rhythm and soul that has made them a favorite of ours for years! There's non-vocal percussion on just about every cut, but the emphasis remains on the amazing vocals. The song selection is typically well-chosen and fearless: Sting's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," Garth Mosbaugh's "Play" and "Wrong and Right," Kenny Loggins' "This Is It," the lovely Whitney Houston hit, "Feel Like Making Love," "Loving You," "Good Enough to Love," James Taylor's "Only One," "Could've Been You," "Hey There," Paul Simon's "Late in the Evening" and "One More Lonely Night." Every cut is excellent, and some, like "Late in the Evening," the guys just flat out nail! The Nylons are one of the best in the business, and "Play On" is their strongest, most soulful CD to date!

Illustrious

The Nylons have long been one of our favorite groups, most recently wowing the audience at the West Coast Summit. What we love about them is that they don't just cover a song, they "vocally sculpture" it, giving it a new dimension from the original. "Illustrious" is a "best of" collection from The Nylons' many CDs and huge number of live performances, and it's a treat! 13 songs: the live cuts "Duke of Earl" and "Chain Gang," "Love Potion #9/Spooky," the quintessential version of"The Lion Sleeps Tonight," "Up On The Roof," "Silhouettes," "Town Without Pity," "Remember," "Kiss Him Goodbye"…the hits just keep on coming. The Nylons simply sing and perform rings around most Doo-Wop groups, and never was this fact so evident as it is on "Illustrious." Great stuff!

6996 CD $14.95

Rockapella

A high-energy recording that includes such popular songs as: "Love This is Love," "Drift Away," "(All I Have To Do Is) Dream," and "Poison Ivy."

Seamless

The oft-imitated "Lion Sleeps Tonight" leads off this 1984 recording. Other memorable tunes include "This Boy," "Perpetual Emotion," and "Stepping Stone."

Hits of the 60's A Cappella Style

Scotti Brothers released this compilation of tunes in 1997. The Nylons had recorded them while on that label and all have been released on other cds. On it are arrangements which vary from live performance sung unaccompanied by even their patented percussion track ("One Fine Day," "Up On The Roof" and "Kiss Him Goodbye") to the instrumentally enhanced tracks found on the cd Because ("The Time Of The Season" and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?"). If you aren't a collector this release gives you a fine survey of their mid-careeer period.

Fabric of Life

After fifteen years with Scotti Brothers and Attic Records, the Nylons continued their recording career on Primarily A Cappella with a collection of tunes superbly produced by Ian Prince who also wrote six of the songs, three in collaboration with Garth Mosbaugh. The heavily R&B album even treats the covers of "Ruby Baby," "Let It Be," "Ain't No Sunshine" and Hall and Oates' "I Can't Go For That" to an R&B make over. Don't get caught by by the orchestration which sounds synthesized until a great fiddle break on "I Can't Go For That." Surprise!

Perfect Fit

Attic Records has been working with Windham Hill Records to rerelease the Nylons' "Attic years". Perfect Fit is a collection of favorites from the previous releases, The Nylons, One Size Fits All, Seamless, Happy Together, and Rockapella. This release is a grand survey of the early Nylons giving us, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," "Happy Together," "Kiss Him Goodbye," "Love Potion #9/Spooky," "Silhouettes," "Chain Gang," "Poison Ivy," "Drift Away," "All I Have To Do Is Dream," "Up On The Roof," "This Boy" and three more.

2412 CD $11.95

Best of

In 1993 Attic Records and Windham Hill Records put out their first collection, entitled Best Of..., which, like the later compilation Perfect Fit is a fine survey of the four Nylons whom most consider the originals, Marc Connors, Paul Cooper, Arnold Robinson and Claude Morrison. Many of the signature tunes are found on both releases but uniquely on Best Of... are "That Kind Of Man," "Up The Ladder To The Roof," "Please," "Stepping Stone," "Bop Till You Drop," "Combat Zone," "Wildfire" and "The Stars Are Ours."

2407 CD $12.95

The Nylons

This is the one that began the most enduring career of any modern vocal group. The self titled album went gold in Canada in two months with huge radio hits of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," and "Up On The Roof" which are among their signature tunes to this day. "Duke Of Earl" was recorded live in Vancouver before a wildly cheering audience, the only live track. For the "purist" a cappella fan, "A Million Ways," "Somethin' Bout Cha," "Duke Of Earl," "Rock & Roll Lullaby" and "Up On The Roof" are accompanied by only finger snaps or hand claps.

2400 CD $10.95

That Kind of Man
Silhouettes
Town Without Pity
Prince of Darkness
Romance (If I Can Get It)
Up the Ladder to the Roof
Heavenly Bodies
Bop 'til You Drop
Please
So Long

The Nylons released two albums in 1982, a solid gold year in Nylondom. On it is the perennial audience favorite, "Up The Ladder To The Roof." Additionally in the US "Silhouettes (On The Shade)" gained considerable air play which helped establish The Nylons as one of the premier popular vocal groups. Other notable tunes on this defining album are "That Kind Of Man," "Town Without Pity" which has a wonderful wah-wah introduction, "Bop Till You Drop," "Romance (If I Can Get It)" and a moving rendition of their original "Please."

Listen to "Silhouettes" in Real Audio.

2405 CD $10.95

Good Old A Cappella
Dream
Wildfire
Up On The Roof
Chain Gang
Heavenly Bodies
(I Love It When You) Call My Name
It's Lonely At The Top
One Fine Day
Drift Away
Eli's Coming
Amazon
Kiss Him Goodbye

In reading about The Nylons some one said that this is a live album for those who don't like live albums. It's true! Recorded in 1990 at The Markham Theater in Canada before a wildly enthusiastic audience it is the last recording before Marc Connors' death to whom the album was dedicated. Additionally it is the first recording to feature Micah Barnes who replaced Paul Cooper. For those who consider themselves a cappella purists half the tracks have no percussion track accompaniment at all. Though half of the songs are familiar "One Fine Day," "Eli's Coming" and "Good Old Acappella," are among the new arrangements.

Listen to "Good Old A Cappella" in Real Audio.

2403 CD $14.95

Happy Together
Dance of Love
It's What They Call Magic
Chain Gang
This Island Earth
Face in the Crowd
Grown Man Cry
Crazy in Love (Morning Comes Early)
A Touch of Your Hand
Kiss Him Goodbye

Classic Nylons! Here we have the archetypical fabulous vocal harmony accompanied by rhythm tracks. As Happy Together was released in 1987 it can be said to be in the prime of the early Nylons. Though the best known tunes from this recording are "Happy Together" and "Kiss Him Goodbye," this reviewer finds "It's What They Call Magic," "This Island Earth" and the soaring falsetto on "Grown Man Cry" particularly memorable though perhaps less AM Radio worthy. Additional notable arrangements are "Chain Gang" and "A Touch Of Your Hand."

Listen to "Happy Together" in Real Audio.

2401 CD $10.95

Harmony, The Christmas Songs

The Nylons are one of the original contemporary a cappella groups. Their many years of experience have produced a vast playbook of stylistic variations, along with consistently excellent musicianship. This subtly-accompanied 1994 release reflects this abundance. The arrangements are generally simple, and the songlist contains the Christmas standards - "Silent Night," "The Christmas Song," "I'll Be Home For Christmas" etc. - plus a Nylons original, "What Does Christmas Mean To Me." The emphasis is on the quality of the voices, as the group members are gifted singers individually as well as collectively, and are able to convey the sentiment of this special time of year with heartfelt feeling. Founding members Arnold Robinson and Claude Morrison are joined by Gavin Hope and Garth Mosbaugh.

A Wish For You

The second Nylons Christmas CD, comprising ten tracks, half written by the group. Those familiar with the Nylons' sound know that they have used rhythm tracks on past recordings. Well, the percussion on "A Wish For You" is vocal, with Wes Carroll of the House Jacks guesting on two songs. The Nylons are one of the original contemporary a cappella groups, who have continued to perform and tour, write and record for over twenty years. The group has only gotten better with time, displaying heart and integrity that inspire audiences from their native Canada, and throughout the world. Produced by Ian Prince.

Watch the videos

The Nylons:
Take Me Yo Your Heart

The guys look groovy in this 80's music video (3.34)

The Nylons:
Ain't No Sunshine

We actually produced this video ourselves back in 1997 (3.50)

The Nylons:
Busy Tonight

They really do seem to be very busy.. (3.50)

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The Nylons

Discography

Live in Tokyo

Live in Tokyo

Sterling

Sterling

Play On

Play On

Illustrious

Rockapella

Seamless

Hits of the 60's A Cappella Style

Fabric of Life

Perfect Fit

Best of

The Nylons

One Size Fits All

Four on the Floor

Happy Together

Harmony, The Christmas Songs

A Wish For You

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