Arguably Canada's first 'bad boys of rock' and one of the first groups to gain huge popularity mimmicking the British dark wave, The Ugly Ducklings caused a stir on the Yorkville circuit before anyone knew where it was.
They were formed in 1965 by vocalist Dave Byngham (misspelled as Bingham on the records), guitarists Roger Mayne and Glynn Bell, John Read on bass, and drummer Robin Boers. They all knew each other while attending Cedarbrae High School in Scarborough, and are generally considered Canada's first garage band. Originally a Rolling Stones cover band called The Strolling Bones, they adopted the look, sound, and attitude of The Stones, The Kinks, The Who, and the like, and instantaneously became hits throughout Toronto's bustling club scene. Bill Gilliland caught their act one night, and signed them to his upstart Yorktown Records.
After hearing the music they'd been writing on their own, he suggested a name change to reflect an attitude that 'if the parents hate you, the kids will love you.' Produced by Bill Huard, they released their first single, "Nothin'," b/w a cover of Bo Diddley's "I Can Tell" that spring. Taped on a measley $300 budget on a two track recorder, the raw, gritty sound oozed rebellion, considered one of Canada's first 'garage' records, if not the first. It was an instant staple on the Toronto airwaves, and won CHUM Radio's battle of the bands contest 13 weeks in a row. A second pressing of the 45 had to be done, and that June they were so hot they backed up The Stones at Maple Leaf Gardens. Mick Jagger later stated the Ugly Ducklings were his favourite Canadian band.
Quick to cash in on the new fad, the label rushed them to studios in New York and Toronto, with the end result being SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE on the store shelves and gone just as fast. Along with a cover of The Rascals' "Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore," "10:30 Train," and "Postman's Fancy," two more singles followed - "She Ain't No Use To Me" and "Just In Case You Wonder," also receiving great local airplay.
The band was a staple on the club circuit throughout Ontario, eastern Canada and the north eastern US for the remainder of 1966 and into '67. Two more singles were released that year - "Epilogue" b/w "I Know What To Say" and the number one hit throughout Toronto and in pockets out east, "Gaslight," b/w "Rimb Nugget." "Gaslight" was recorded in New York with only Bingham and Doc Severenson's Tonight Show Band. More touring ensued for the rest of the year, but personnel changes started when Howie Smith replaced Read on bass. Soon Mayne and Bell were replaced by Mike McKenna (Luke & The Apostles), who was in turn replaced less than a year later by Dave Kindred. In an attempt to broaden their sound, Ray Novack was added on keyboards. But by the time Yorkville re-released the band's debut album, they'd already self destructed and disbanded.
The songs made several compilation albums throughout the '70s and beyond while most of the members were off doing their own thing, or nothing at all. Mayne became a highly sought-after producer during the emergence of the punk revolution, working with The Viletones and Morrissey & Siouxsie, among others.
In late 1979 Byngham assembled a new cast, consisting of Mayne, ex-Diodes drummer John Hamilton (replacing Boers after one show), and Ron Cameron on bass. After a handful of live shows, they released OFF THE WALL a year later on Razor Records, which contained remakes of "Nothin'" and "Hey Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut," and were mixed with the single "The Pain Is Alright," and the other new songs "Just Another Rock n Roll Band," "The Band Played On," and "No Account Woman." Although it got lots of press and a sprinkling of live dates ensued, the album itself turned few heads.