Woodwork
Websites:
No
Origin:
Winnipeg, Manitoba, 🇨🇦
Biography:
In the vibrant early-1980s Winnipeg rock scene, Woodwork stood tall, both figuratively and literally. Founded by towering guitar virtuoso David Wood (6'3"), the band carved a name for themselves as one of the city's premier hard rock acts, electrifying pub audiences not only at home but across Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver.
Formed initially as a four-piece (with Stan Bedernjak on bass, Brad Meadmore on drums, and early keyboardist Kathy Brown, later replaced by Reg Mantel), Woodwork embodied a classic pub rock ethic, emphasizing tight musicianship, hard-hitting live performances, and a deep commitment to rock tradition. Their shows were dynamic affairs, fueled by Wood’s gymnastic stage antics - leaping, spinning, and charging through crowds while delivering screaming solos that paid homage to his heroes Clapton, Hendrix, and Beck.
By 1981, having built a strong regional following, Woodwork entered Winnipeg's Century 21 Studios and recorded their lone LP, Anyday Now, over the course of three days. Produced by Wood and engineered by Ralph Watts, the album features all original material primarily written by Wood and Bedernjak, capturing the band's fierce, sweaty live energy and songwriting maturity.
The album was self-released on their own Pear Records imprint: a cheeky homage to The Beatles’ Apple label. While Anyday Now didn't rocket them to national fame, it remains a remarkable snapshot of a hardworking prairie rock band poised on the brink of something bigger.
Highlights include punchy rockers like “Needed More” and “She’s a Rock N’ Roller,” along with the hook-laden title track “Anyday Now” and the riff-heavy closer “Dave’s Boogie.” The band's sound merges gritty 60s hard rock instincts with early 80s power and precision — a formula that resonated with bar crowds hungry for no-nonsense rock during a recession-era music scene.
True to their DIY spirit, the band even slipped a hidden Easter egg onto the back cover — a backward message that, when reversed, reads: “Play this album loud.”
Despite strong local support and healthy bar audiences, Anyday Now didn’t break Woodwork out of the pub circuit, something Wood candidly reflected on years later:
“We kind of thought having a record out would help propel us along further, maybe get us out of the pubs. It didn’t quite do that but it was what it was. There were some neat songs on that record.”
The album is also a personal artifact: Wood dedicated it to his mother, who supported his musical ambitions both emotionally and financially — even co-signing a loan for the band’s touring equipment.
As for the iconic (if awkward) front cover shot of the band standing in an emptied swimming pool surrounded by suspended guitars? Wood chuckles today, admitting it wasn’t exactly his vision:
“The photographer had this idea to hang guitars around us so we just went with it.”
Today, Anyday Now remains a cult classic among collectors and fans of Canadian independent rock, a testament to a scene where ambition, talent, and sweat equity were the true markers of success.
For anyone seeking a pure dose of early '80s prairie hard rock — infused with a heartland grit and an honest love of the form — Anyday Now is well worth tracking down and, as instructed, playing loud.
-Robert Williston
David Wood: all guitars, vocals
Stanley Bedernjak: lead vocals, bass, pedals, moog
Brad Meadmore: drums
