If you were living in Canada in the 1980s, and were a big fan of the post-punk/new wave/electro-pop movement, there was little to covet in the Canadian music scene. For a while, the only bands we had to be proud of were the Viletones and DOA. Cool as they were, it wasn’t enough to fill the void. As a result, us alternative music lovers turned to European bands for our fill of good music: Depeche Mode, The Cure, The Smiths, Siouxsie & the Banshees.

Canadian musicians? Paul Anka and Anne Murray were the biggest names we had. A sad state of affairs indeed.

Then along came Images In Vogue (IIV).

IIV was the band that defined synth-pop in Canada. Unwittingly, they began a revolution in Canadian music in the 1980s that gave way to other great artists like Strange Advance, Skinny Puppy, Blue Peter, and The Spoons.

IIV was born out of Vancouver's post-punk period in 1981. Don Gordon and Gary Smith first planted the seeds of IIV, along with Kevin Crompton and Joe Vizvary. The music was heavy on the synthesizers and took its cue from the amazing stuff coming out of England at the time. It resulted in a unique sound, thanks to their wide variety of musical influences.

“The Smiths, Psychedelic Furs, The Cure,” Dale Martindale- vocals
“Yes, Queen, Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream,” Gary Smith- bass guitar, synthesizer.
“Ultra Vox, Killing Joke,” Don Gordon- Guitar
“XTC, Cabaret Voltaire, Roxy Music,” Joe Vizvary- synthesizer and piano

A strange and wonderful mix-- one that helped define the band. And perhaps even a sign that they would disagree heavily on musical direction down the road.

It didn’t take long for them to come into their own. Within five months, IIV had released two 5-song demos that made the airwaves of college radio stations. They were quickly gaining a cult following on the Vancouver music scene.

But what the band needed was another lead singer. IIV found its new front man in Dale Martindale. At the time he was attending art school in Vancouver and hung out at the local clubs. He never looked at music as a career. But the offer to be a lead singer was tempting to the 20-year-old.

“I didn't have a lot of money, being in school. So I thought, ‘hey this will be a great summer job.’ Was I ever naïve. I didn't expect it to be an actual career.”

Naïve, but charming. And it was that charm and charisma, not to mention his unique voice, that sealed his fate as the front man for IIV. Martindale re-recorded the tracks and IIV released “Prerelease” and “Educated Man.”

Art school was put aside for Martindale as IIV set off to tour in pubs across the country. The band gained a sizable following and a reputation for strong live performances.

Then it was the big time. IIV added keyboardist Glen Nelson and recorded what would become one of their biggest hits- “Lust for Love.” In 1983, the band started on a national tour, opening for the likes of Depeche Mode and Roxy Music. By the end of the year, “Lust For Love” was one of the most requested singles in Canada. The video, which depicts a murder, was banned on some US television stations because of the “dark content.” But there’s no such thing as bad publicity. People were scrambling to see this so-called “disturbing video.” And the band’s popularity grew.

Then along came the biggest band on the planet at the time-- Duran Duran. IIV was the opening act for the “Seven & The Ragged Tiger” tour. The band performed for a number of Canadian and US dates. But it was cut short. Work permits and a management decision put an end to their North American tour with Duran Duran.

“This was a huge opportunity, as Duran Duran were at their peek at the time and could have given IIV the foothold we needed to gain exposure in the all-important US market,“ Don Gordon explains. “However, when asked to provide some tour support the label refused.”

The band decided to move to Toronto in 1985. However, Kevin Crompton's side project, Skinny Puppy, was beginning to take precedent. He stayed in Vancouver and became cEvin Key. Don, another founding member, stayed behind as well to pursue other musical interests. He could see IIV moving in a different direction.

“I would have liked to see the band stick more to its electronic/experimental roots rather than starting to chase the holy grail of pop,” Don says.

What all the band members shared in the beginning was a passion for the keyboard and electronic sound that was still unexplored and immensely innovative at the time. It was what defined them.

“In its earlier stages, IIV’s sound was a hybrid of electronic experimentation with a decidedly melodic orientation. We saw synthesizers and drum machines as tools which allowed musicians to work with a completely new palette of sound that had never existed before,” Don explains.

But this is also where the band began to dissolve. Some members wanted to stick with the electro-synth sound, while others wanted to have more of a guitar influence. “In The House,” their first full-length album, produced by Gary Wright, has a decidedly more pop sound than their first few EPs. While fans flocked to the record stores, the band was not happy with the results. In fact, they were so dissatisfied with the album, they raised more money and re-recorded some songs before releasing it. It was an improvement, but they were not 100% satisfied.

“The introduction of guitars changed the direction of the group’s sound from electronic to pop rock. We should never have agreed to work with Gary Wright. It was the beginning of the end,” says founder Gary Smith.

IIV garnered several CASBY and Juno awards and nominations. But by 1988, the band was slowly falling apart.

“It was almost like a marriage,” Dale Martindale remembers. “Our relationship didn’t end suddenly. It petered out slowly over time. There were fights, finger pointing, musical differences. Finally it was just all over.”

It was a feat that IIV lasted for as long as it did. The band gave its final performance at The Opera House in 1991. From line-up changes (10 different members), to lack of support from record labels, and questionable management decisions, it was a tumultuous 10 years for the band. But what they left behind on the Canadian music landscape was indelible.

And their fans remembered. After years of requests for a reunion concert, members of IIV patched up their differences and performed more than a decade later. In October 2002, the band packed the Opera House in Toronto. And they performed as though they had never been apart.

“The best part was the rehearsals, being together again after so many years. The performance itself was fun because the audience was so enthusiastic,” Joe Vizvary says. “It’s amazing how most of the songs were still fresh in our minds.”

“We have a sound, an energy, something when we perform live together. It just can’t be captured in the studio when we record,” Dale explains. “I always wished during some of the performances that we could just tape them and sell them instead of recording in studio.”

IIV just released “Collection Version 2.0- Chronology”-- a greatest hits album spanning the band’s history. And on August 20th, IIV members Dale, Gary, Glen, Joe, and Ed Shaw will go back to where it all began-- in Vancouver-- for a show they are headlining with The Spoons.

But Toronto is still close to the band’s heart.

“God, I can remember walking through the street and these girls would start running after us screaming. It was surreal,” Dale says with a chuckle.

He also fondly remembers girls camping out in front of their apartment in the Church and Wellesley area.

Ah, to be a rock star.

So, for the sake of all those groupies, can we expect an IIV show in Toronto anytime soon? I was virtually begging for the answer to be yes.

“We will just have to find a way to do a show out there sometime in '05,” Gary says.

So we wait, hopefully and anxiously, for the day they return to T.O. My calendar is wide open. You can “Call It Love”, if you want to.

For more information on Images In Vogue and their Vancouver concert you can check out www.imagesinvogue.com.