Scratching Post (band)

Scratching Post was a Canadian alternative rock band from London, Ontario, active in the 1990s.[1]

The band was formed by vocalist and songwriter Nicole Hughes, its only consistent member, in 1992.[2] It did not have a stable lineup in its early years; its most noted lineup, including guitarist Mark Holman, drummer Jeff Depew and bassist Phil Zeller, came together for the band's second album.[3] Zeller remained with the band for most of its span but also played with side-project Dead Season in the late 1990s and Radio Holiday in the early 2000s.[4]

The band released a self-titled EP June 6, 1995, and then moved to Toronto[5] before following up with their full-length debut Flamethrower March 15, 1996 on Squirtgun Records.[6] The album led to a record deal with The Enclave in the United States, but the label folded before it could actually release the band's second album.[6] After getting back ownership of the album's masters, they released Destruction of the Universe on Squirtgun in 1998;[7] the band's most successful album, it spawned the Canadian alternative rock and campus radio hit "Bloodflame".[2] They supported the album with a cross-Canada tour as an opening act for Big Sugar.[8]

Their third and final album, This Time It's Personal, was produced by Chris and Drew Peters and released in 2000.[9]

  1. ^ "Scratching Post". AllMusic.
  2. ^ a b "Scratching Post: itching to leave their mark". Canadian Musician, November/December 1999.
  3. ^ "Grrrrrrl power; Scratching Post's Nicole Hughes redefines the female rock star". Waterloo Region Record, June 17, 1999.
  4. ^ Julien, Alexandre (September 30, 2014). "Dead Season Official Biography". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  5. ^ "Band's progress inspires another". Windsor Star, May 28, 1999.
  6. ^ a b "Rising like Phoenix; Label flame-out fails to single Scratching Post". Toronto Star, April 22, 1999.
  7. ^ Ben Rayner, "Scratching Post: Destruction of the Universe". Toronto Star, December 12, 1998.
  8. ^ "Scratching Post to headline Cambridge festival". Cambridge Reporter, August 17, 2000.
  9. ^ "Scratching Post itching to get Personal: Wake Up You're On Fire scary metal from Toronto band". Edmonton Journal, October 31, 2000.