The Cheer

The Cheer were one of Winnipeg’s most successful independent bands of the 1980s, emerging in the fall of 1982 with an original lineup of Lloyd Peterson, Chris Maxfield, Randy Hadubiak, and Stan Lee Sandblaste. The group played their first show at Wellington’s and quickly established themselves on the local scene with a sound that blended sharp pop instincts, new wave energy, and a distinctly offbeat sense of humour that carried through both their music and presentation.

In 1985, The Cheer released their lone album, Swimming To Work, a smart and quirky full-length that captured the band at their creative peak. Issued on Winnipeg’s Rotifer Records, the album featured nine original songs including ‘Don’t Even Know What I Want,’ ‘That’s My Heart,’ ‘Sense of Direction,’ and ‘Last Quarter Mile.’ Recorded at Century 21 Studios in Winnipeg in January and February 1985, the album was produced and arranged by the band, engineered by Ralph “The Brat” Watts, and mixed by Watts and The Cheer. Its back cover credits reflect the group’s playful personality, most memorably in Randy Hadubiak’s tongue-in-cheek listing for “bass, trout, whistle, voice.”

By the time of their 1986 promotional photos, the lineup had shifted, with Chris Brett appearing alongside Lloyd Peterson, Chris Maxfield, and Randy Hadubiak, while another period photo identifies Darren Sandmoen on guitar. That same year, The Cheer followed Swimming To Work with the single ‘Shot With Our Own Guns,’ their only known 45 release after the album. Although their recorded output was limited, the band remained an active and respected presence on the Winnipeg circuit throughout the decade.

The Cheer played their final show at the West End Cultural Centre in 1989, closing the chapter on a band that left behind a small but memorable catalogue from one of the most vibrant periods in Winnipeg independent music. With just one album and one follow-up single, The Cheer remain a cult favourite of Manitoba’s 1980s underground—an inventive, distinctly local group whose wit, musicianship, and individuality still stand out.
-Robert Williston