Life was a late 1960s to early 1970s Canadian musical group who had success with the top 20 hit, "Hands of the Clock". They also charted with a cover of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever".
Background Formed from the remnants of the popular mid-1960s Canadian group The Scene,Canadianbands.com - Lifecitizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music) - Life who had a hit in 1967 on the RPM chart,RPM Music Weekly, Volume 8 No. 14 Week Ending December 2nd. 1967 - Page 5 RPM Canadian Hits Life was made up of Michael Ship (Keyboards, Vocals), Marty Simon (Drums, Keyboards, Vocals), Danny Zimmerman (Bass,) Jean Pierre Lauzon (Guitar), and Barry Albert (Guitar). Lorri Zimmerman (Vocals) was with the group for a period of time. They recorded several singles and released an album. Their best success was with "Hands of the Clock". They also had some charting success with "Strawberry Fields Forever".ArtistInfo - Life
Neil Sheppard was a composer. He had the idea for "Hands of the Clock" which came into being one night while at Montreal's Winston Churchill pub. Recorded by Life and released as their debut single, it did well for them and became a hit, getting to the #19 spot.citizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music) - Life - ST They got second prize in the Best Beat category for the single.Cash Box, September 27, 1969 - Page 62 CashBox Canada
At some stage Barry Albert who was dissatisfied with the way things were progressing, and having possible issues with a new guitarist, Jean Pierre Lauzon, left to join the group Tapestry.citizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music) - Life - ST, Information/Write-up
Career The origins of Life go back to a group called The Scene who were a popular Montreal group.Canadianbands.com - Lifecitizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music) - Life Made up of Michael Ship on keyboards, Truly Noland on guitar, Danny Zimmerman on bass, and Marty Simon on drums, they released a single "Scenes (from Another World)" bw "You're In A Bad Way" on BT Puppy 533. The song got to #14 on the RPM Chart on December 2, 1967.HitHistory - SCENECanuckistan Music - The Scene Producer, songwriter Neil Sheppard was looking for a group to record his songs. The group Life which more or less came out of The Scene's leftovers was chosen to record for him.Canadianbands.com - Lifecitizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music) - Life
1969 "Hands of the Clock" The group's debut single, "Hands of the Clock" bw "Ain't I Told You Before" was released on Polydor 540.009 in 1969. Both sides were written by Neil Sheppard.Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series - Page 1977 1969, Sheppard, Neil.
By May 26, the single was in the Recommended Canadian Content section of RPM Weekly. It was also making progress in Montreal and Ontario.RPM Weekly, Volume 11 No. 13 Week of May 26th. 1969 - Page 18 Recommended Canadian ContentRPM Weekly, Volume 11 No. 13 Week of May 26th. 1969 - Page 23 RECORDS By June 9, it had entered the Canadian Content Chart at #9. It had also entered the RPM100 Chart at #100.RPM Weekly, Volume 11 No. 15 Week of June 9th, 1969 - Page 10 Canadian Content ChartRPM Weekly, Volume 11 No. 15 Week of June 9th, 1969 - Page 11 RPM100 The group made the front cover of the RPM Weekly, July 14 issue.RPM Weekly, Volume 11 No. 20 Week of July 14th, 1969 - Page 1 U.S. Release For Polydor's Life Their single was also at its second week at #4 on the RPM Canadian Content Chart,RPM Weekly, Volume 11 No. 20 Week of July 14th, 1969 - Page 4 RPM Canadian Content Chart and had moved up from #48 to #43 on the RPM100 Chart.RPM Weekly, Volume 11 No. 20 Week of July 14th, 1969 - Page 5 RPM100
It was noted by Billboard in the August 2 issue that "Hands of the Clock" by Life, "Laughing" by The Guess Who, and "When I Die" by Motherlode were three Canadian produced singles that were either in the Billboard "Hot Hundred" or "Bubbling Under".Billboard, August 2, 1969 - Page 57 Canadian News Report, Maple Leaf Network Helps Booming Canadian Talent By RITCHIE YORKE Following a strong response to the single in the US, it was noted in September that it would be released in England on Polydor.Billboard, September 6, 1969 - Page 102 International News Reports, Polydor to Issue 'Hands" In England
The song eventually got to #19 on Canada's RPM chart.citizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music) - Life - ST Further activities In June, they appeared at the Montreal Forum which hosted the First Montreal Bi-Cultural Pop Festival which was headlined by Steppenwolf. Other acts to appear were Triangle and Robert Charlebois.ArtistInfo - Life
Life was booked to appear at the "Freak Out" festival. A 72-hour event that ran on the Labor Day period from August 29 to September 1, held at Rock Hill, 16 miles north of Orangeville. Other acts booked to appear were The Brass Union, Brutus, Lighthouse, Motherlode, The Guess Who, and Buckstone Hardware, among others.Billboard, August 16, 1969 - Page 71 Canadian News Report, 'Freak Out' In Toronto
By November 22, their song "Sweet Lovin'" was showing signs of being a national breakout.RPM WEEKLY, Volume 12 No. 14 November 22nd, 1969 - Page 11 Polydor Hits Hard With Canadian Discs The following week on November 29, it was seeing action at CFNB Fredericton. A photo of the group was included on page 6.RPM WEEKLY, Volume 12 No. 15 November 29th. 1969 - Page 6 RPM Action Centres By December 6, it was seeing action at CFNB Radio, Atlantic, and Radio Mutuel.''RPM WEEKLY, Volume 12 No. 16 December 6th. 1970 - Page 6 RPM Action Centres It was announced in the December 13 issue that the single had been released. They had recently headlined the CJMS Starovan Underground event, playing to a crowd of 9,000, at the Paul Sauvé Arena. Booked solidly to play in Montreal during December, their agency Donald K. Donald Productions had planned an Eastern Canada tour for them in January.RPM WEEKLY, Volume 12 No. 17 December, 13th. 1969 - Page 2 NEW LIFE RELEASE
Before 1969 was out, Marty Simon had left Life, relocating to Los Angeles to work with a new group.ArtistInfo - Life
1970 A song from the group's album, "Strawberry Fields" was selected for release as a single. Polydor's ad chief, Allan Katz, and label chief Frank Gould saw potential in the song. They believed it could become a hit for Life. Running at over 4 minutes, the song was edited down to 3:28. Katz took the single to Diane Jefford, CJMS's librarian. She listened to the record and within a period of minutes, the song was being played on air. Roger Fox of G-Fox was impressed and Dave Marsden of CKGM referred to it as a "helluva thing". Katz was also arranging a huge tie-in promotion for its release.RPM Weekly, Volume 13 No. 10 April 25th. 1970 - Page 2 New Lease For Life Backed with Come Into My Life", it was released on Polydor 2065 005.45Cat - Life (Canada) - Discography By April 25, it had entered the Canadian Content Chart at #36.RPM Weekly, Volume 13 No. 10 April 25th. 1970 - Page 3 RPM CANADIAN CONTENT CHART It was noted by Billboard in the May 30 issue that according to Frank Gould, the single had been picked up by the Maple Leaf System.Billboard, May 30, 1970 - Canadian News Report, From The Music Capitals of the World, TORONTO
The single "Needing You" bw "Lovin' Time" was released on Polydor 2065 017.45Cat - Life (Canada) - Discography In July, Billboard reported that it was making some headway for Polydor.Billboard, July 25, 1970 - 56 Canadian News Report, From The Music Capitals of the World, TORONTO Break up Having carried on without Marty Simon as After Life, the band broke up some time in 1970.ArtistInfo - Life
Discography + Singles Release Catalogue Year Notes "Hands Of The Clock" / "Ain't I Told You Before" Polydor 540.009 1969 citizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music) - Life "Sweet Lovin'" / "Desire" Polydor 540.013 1969 RPM WEEKLY, Volume 12 No. 15 November 29th. 1969 - Page 6 RPM Action Centres "Strawberry Fields Forever" / "Come into Me" Polydor 2065 005 1970 "Needing You" / "Lovin' Time" Polydor 2065 017 1970 citizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music) - Life
+ Album Release Catalogue Year Notes Life Polydor 1970 Life 2016 Japanese (unmarked) reissue, off master tapes with 2 bonus tracksDiscogs - Life (35), Albums
Further reading citizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music): Life Every RPM Canadian Content #1 single discussion thread 1964-2000, 1) Life Every RPM Canadian Content #1 single discussion thread 1964-2000, 2) Life Every RPM Canadian Content #1 single discussion thread 1964-2000, 3) Life
References
External links
Garage Hangover: Life Canuckistan Music: Life Canadian Bands: Life