13 Engines

Formed in 1985 as The Ikons, the band consisted of four York University students: vocalist and songwriter John Critchley,{{Cite web|url=https://earofnewt.com/tag/john-critchley/|title=John Critchley Archives|date=24 August 2014 }} guitarist and songwriter Mike Robbins, bassist Jim Hughes and drummer Grant Ethier.{{cite web |last1=Hendra |first1=Peter |title=Always sharing and caring, Oct 18, 2017 |url=https://www.thewhig.com/2017/10/18/always-sharing-and-caring |website=thewhig.com |publisher=The Kingston Whig Standard |access-date=2021-09-03}} They released a self-titled independent cassette in 1986 before changing their name to 13 Engines. This name was a reference to the automobile industry in Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan, which were the first markets to embrace the band.{{cite web |title=13 Engines |url=https://canpopencyclopedia.home.blog/t/#13%20Engines |website=canpopencyclopedia.home.blog |date=14 March 2019 |publisher=The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia |access-date=2021-09-03}}{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/T/13_Engines.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115085507/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/T/13_Engines.html |archive-date=2013-01-15 |title=13 Engines |accessdate=2007-12-22 |encyclopedia=Canadian Pop Encyclopedia |url-status=dead |publisher=Canoe Inc. }}{{cite web |last1=Robbins |first1=Ira |title=13 Engines |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/13-engines/ |website=trouserpress.com |publisher=Trouser Press |access-date=1 January 2022}}

They spent a lot of time in Michigan and recorded their first two albums there--Before Our Time{{cite web |title=13 Engines - Before Our Time |url=https://www.discogs.com/13-Engines-Before-Our-Time/release/4726883 |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=2021-09-03}} in 1987 and Byram Lake Blues{{cite web |title=13 Engines - Byram Lake Blues |url=https://www.discogs.com/13-Engines-Byram-Lake-Blues/release/2369103 |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=2021-09-03}} in 1989; both were released by the UK label Nocturnal Records. One song from Byram Lake Blues, "Beached",{{cite web |title=13 Engines - Beached |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0yleoY7MjE |website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=1 January 2022}} became a college hit and, in 1990, the band was signed to SBK Records in the United States and EMI in Canada.

In 1991, 13 Engines released their major label debut, A Blur to Me Now, which was produced by David Briggs and John Hanlon.{{cite web |title=13 Engines – A Blur To Me Now |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/604582-13-Engines-A-Blur-To-Me-Now |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}{{cite web |title=13 Engines - A Blur to Me Now, Full Album |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCp0bndhKOA |website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2021-09-03}} The band received airplay for the album's singles "King of Saturday Night"{{cite web |title=King Of Saturday Night - 13 Engines |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_CKCPUfyoo |website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=1 January 2022}} and "Big Surprise".{{cite web |title=Big Surprise |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KofgDOIn1uo |website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=1 January 2022}} SBK dropped them soon afterward, although it did release an EP called Ignition which was the top singles from the band's next album.

That album was 1993's Perpetual Motion Machine,{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Perpetual Motion Machine |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/350451-13-Engines-Perpetual-Motion-Machine |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Gibson |first1=Kevin |title=A Clean Running Machine, March 1994 |url=http://www.louisvillemusicnews.net/webmanager/index.php?WEB_CAT_ID=50&storyid=12496&headline=13_Engines_Perpetual_Motion_Machine&issueid=61 |website=louisvillemusicnews.net |publisher=Louisville Music News |access-date=2021-09-04}} which was produced by Critchley and released on Atlantic Records.[http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,194666,00.html "ArtistDirect" review of Perpetual Motion Machine] This album was the band's breakthrough in Canada, spawning the hit singles "More",{{cite web |title=13 Engines – More |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/11772393-13-Engines-More |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}} "Bred in the Bone"{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Bred In The Bone |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/12871863-13-Engines-Bred-In-The-Bone |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}} and "Smoke & Ashes",{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Smoke & Ashes |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1491631-13-Engines-Smoke-Ashes |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}} and led to a spot on The Tragically Hip's Another Roadside Attraction tour."Now this is really Hip Another Roadside Attraction is speeding this way". Hamilton Spectator, July 22, 1993. The band also played festivals and toured with Blind Melon, The Watchmen, Moist and The Tea Party.{{cite web |title=13 Engines's Concert History |url=https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/13-engines |website=concertarchives.org |publisher=Concert Archives |access-date=1 January 2022}}

They followed up in 1995 with Conquistador,{{cite web |title=13 Engines - Conquistador (Full Album) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU0SN737EHA |website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2021-09-04}} which gave them another hit, "Beneath My Hand".{{cite web |title=13 Engines--Beneath My Hand |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUpKwSnw9Cg |website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=1 January 2022}} While the album is considered to be 13 Engines' finest work, it did not do well commercially.[http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,229299,00.html "ArtistDirect" review of Conquistador]

In 1996, Nocturnal Records released the band's compilation album, Perfect Largeness: The Nocturnal Years.{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Perfect Largeness: The Nocturnal Years |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6629013-13-Engines-Perfect-Largeness-The-Nocturnal-Years |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}

In June 1997, the band performed during NXNE, performing songs from a finished album. However, the album was never released and the band broke up that year.

In 2017, the Canadian label Artoffact Records released some of the band's singles on an EP called Brave New Waves Session.{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Brave New Waves Session |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1240396-13-Engines-Brave-New-Waves-Session |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}

Following the break-up of 13 Engines, Critchley continued as a solo artist and, in 2000, recorded the album Crooked Mile.{{cite web |last1=Carruthers |first1=Sean |title=John Critchley - Crooked Mile |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/crooked-mile-mw0000699480 |website=allmusic.com |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=1 January 2022}} Critchley, Ethier{{cite web |title=Grant Ethier |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/1399702-Grant-Ethier |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}} and Hughes{{cite web |title=Jim Hughes |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jim-hughes-mn0001608102 |website=allmusic.com |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=1 January 2022}} went on to careers as producers.

• The Ikons (as The Ikons) (1986), Independent{{cite web |title=The Ikons – The Ikons |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/12491564-The-Ikons-The-Ikons |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}
• Before Our Time (1987), Nocturnal Records, Resonance (Europe)
• Byram Lake Blues (1989), Nocturnal Records
• A Blur to Me Now (1991), (SBK/Capitol)
• Perpetual Motion Machine (1993), Atlantic Records, SBK/Capitol, EMI Canada
• Conquistador (1995), EMI Canada, Nettwerk Records
• Perfect Largeness: The Nocturnal Years (Compilation) (1996), Nocturnal Records

• Ignition (1993), SBK/Capitol, EMI Canada{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Ignition |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1823546-13-Engines-Ignition |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}
• Brave New Waves Session (2017), Artoffact Records

• "Beached" (1989), Nocturnal Records
• "Big Surprise" (1991), SBK/Capitol
• "King Of Saturday Night" (1991), SBK/Capitol
• "More" (1993), EMI Canada, Atlantic Records
• "Smoke And Ashes" (1993), EMI Canada, Atlantic Records
• "Bred In The Bone" (1993), EMI Canada, Atlantic Records
• "Beneath My Hand" (1995), EMI Canada{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Beneath My Hand |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/4018425-13-Engines-Beneath-My-Hand |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}
• "Personal Golam" / "Waterfall (1995), EMI Canada{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Personal Golem / Waterfall |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/509485-13-Engines-Personal-Golem-Waterfall |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}
• "Tailpipe Blues" (1995), EMI Canada{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Tailpipe Blues |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/15126407-13-Engines-Tailpipe-Blues |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}
• "Slow" (1995), EMI Canada{{cite web |title=13 Engines – Slow |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/20624041-13-Engines-Slow |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}

• Scoop This (1993), EMI Canada{{cite web |title=Scoop This |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6450900-Various-Scoop-This |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}
• Heal It - A Canadian Compilation (1994), EMI Canada{{cite web |title=Heal It - A Canadian Compilation |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/13109500-Various-Heal-It-A-Canadian-Compilation |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}
• Have Not Been The Same: The CanRock Renaissance (2012), Pheromone Recordings{{cite web |title=Have Not Been The Same: The CanRock Renaissance |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6300660-Various-Have-Not-Been-The-Same-The-CanRock-Renaissance |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=1 January 2022}}
• For No Apparent Reason - Sweet Nothing (1987), X Records{{cite web |title=Compilation - For No Apparent Reason |url=https://citizenfreak.com/titles/319313-compilation-for-no-apparent-reason |website=Citizenfreak.com |access-date=29 May 2025}}

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Category:Canadian alternative rock groups

Category:Musical groups established in 1985

Category:Alternative rock groups from Toronto

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1997

Category:1985 establishments in Ontario

Category:1997 disestablishments in Ontario