The Chemicals

The Chemicals were a Montreal power-pop and new wave band active from 1984 to 1987. The group consisted of Donald Writh on guitar and vocals, Scott Jamieson on guitar, Robert Straker on bass and vocals, and Robert Dancik on drums and vocals.

The band performed primarily in the Montreal area and signed with the newly established VOT Records, an independent label also associated with the Listen compilation series. In 1985, VOT issued the Chemicals’ only contemporary single, ‘Out of My Mind’ backed with ‘Run and Hide’, under catalogue number VOT 85-01.

Both songs were written by Dancik and Writh. The single was produced by D. Mactavish and the Chemicals, engineered by Morris Apelbaum, and recorded at Silent Sound Studio. Issued in a plain white sleeve, the record received favourable reviews.

Encouraged by that response, the Chemicals began planning a full-length album, but the project never materialized. The band nevertheless recorded additional material, including ‘Break Time’, another Dancik–Writh composition that remained unreleased during the group’s original career.

The Chemicals continued performing locally before separating in 1987. Dancik later joined Angel and the Bad Boys.

Interest in the group revived many years later through the archival work of Pascal Pilote and the Montreal community-radio programme Mondo P.Q.. Their broadcasts helped trace the band and bring renewed attention to its recordings.

In 2014, Montreal’s Meanbean Records reissued ‘Out of My Mind’ and ‘Run and Hide’ as MB002. The limited edition consisted of 500 copies: 400 on black vinyl and 100 on white vinyl.

A third recording finally emerged in 2020 when ‘Break Time’ was included on the compilation Nome Noma – Québec Post-Punk et New Wave 1979–1987. Its appearance marked the song’s first commercial release and expanded the Chemicals’ known catalogue beyond the two sides of their 1985 single.

-Robert Williston