Barstool Prophets

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Barstool Prophets

| image =

| image_size =

| landscape =

| alt =

| caption =

| alias = Wallflowers

| origin = Cornwall, Ontario

| genre = Rock

| years_active = {{start date|1989}}–{{end date|1999}}

| label = Mercury Records

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|http://www.barstoolprophets.com/}}

| current_members =

| past_members = Glenn Forrester
Graham Greer
Al Morier
Bobby Tamas

}}

The Barstool Prophets were a rock band formed in Cornwall, Ontario, in 1989 and active throughout the 1990s. The members were bassist Glenn Forrester, singer/songwriter Graham Greer, guitarist Al Morier, and drummer Bobby Tamas. In 1995, The Georgia Straight called them "one of the best guitar-rock bands to emerge in Canada since The Tragically Hip."{{cite web |title=Barstool Prophets rile the censors, Aug 1995 |url=https://earofnewt.com/2014/05/30/barstool-prophets-rile-the-censors-at-the-nations-music-station/ |website=earofnewt.com |date=30 May 2014 |publisher=Ear of Newt, Georgia Straight |access-date=7 March 2022}}

History

Originally known as the 'Wallflowers', the band changed its name due to avoid confusion with the American band of the same name. They moved to Ottawa to attend university and, in 1992, independently released their first album, Deflowered. {{cite web |title=Barstool Prophets – Deflowered |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/7761411-Barstool-Prophets-Deflowered |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=7 March 2022}} They landed tours with Odds, 54-40, Moist, and The Age of Electric, then opened for Dave Matthews Band. Along the way, they sold 8,000 copies of the album and built a solid fan base.{{cite web |title=Barstool Prophets |url=https://www.canadianbands.com/Barstool-Prophets.html |website=canadianbands.com |publisher=Canadian Bands |access-date=7 March 2022}}

In 1994, the band was signed to Mercury Records and released Crank in 1995.{{cite web |title=Barstool Prophets – Crank |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/725408-Barstool-Prophets-Crank |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=7 March 2022}} This album initially produced two hit singles: "Mankindman" and "Paranoia", which charted in the top-10 in Canada.{{cite web |title=Barstool Prophets |url=https://www.canadianbands.com/Barstool-Prophets.html |website=canadianbands.com |publisher=Canadian Bands |access-date=7 March 2022}} The videos for both songs got heavy rotation on MuchMusic{{cite web |title=Barstool Prophets-Paranoia |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnxXkkWYTMs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/RnxXkkWYTMs |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2021-09-07}}{{cbignore}} and "Paranoia" was used in the soundtrack for the 1995 film Never Talk to Strangers.{{cite web |title=Original Soundtrack Never Talk to Strangers |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/never-talk-to-strangers-mw0000180866 |website=allmusic.com |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=7 March 2022}} They played the MuchMusic stage several times, toured with Junkhouse and Headstones, and landed a US distribution deal. A third single, "Little Death (Oh Mary Mary)" charted and sales hit 50,000, certifying the album gold.{{cite web |title=Barstool Prophets |url=https://www.canadianbands.com/Barstool-Prophets.html |website=canadianbands.com |publisher=Canadian Bands |access-date=7 March 2022}}

Barstool Prophets released the third album, Last of the Big Game Hunters, in 1997.{{cite web |title=Barstool Prophets – Last Of The Big Game Hunters |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1394262-Barstool-Prophets-Last-Of-The-Big-Game-Hunters |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=7 March 2022}} From this album, "Last of the Big Game Hunters",{{cite web |title=Last Of The Big Game Hunters |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahpImFiJ1y0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/ahpImFiJ1y0 |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2021-09-07}}{{cbignore}} "Upside Down" and "Friend of Mine"{{cite web |title=Friend of Mine |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLRNzo68OX8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/fLRNzo68OX8 |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|website=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2021-09-07}}{{cbignore}} all charted in the top-20. They spent the next two years touring, with I Mother Earth, The Tea Party, Our Lady Peace and Big Sugar.

Between non-stop touring and the turmoil of record label mergers and losses, the band members had had enough and broke up in 1999. Greer went on to produce two solo albums: Moonlight Graham and Graham Greer. Morier released three solo albums: Ensemble, Distance and Images.

In 2015, Barstool Prophets reunited to play a concert in Ottawa in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the release of their first album.{{cite web |last1=Saxberg |first1=Lynn |title=Crank it up: Barstool Prophets reunite, Fen 2015 |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/local-arts/crank-it-up-barstool-prophets-reunite-to-celebrate-20th-anniversary-of-album |website=ottawacitizen.com |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=7 March 2022}} They played another concert in 2016 and four in 2017. Their most recent show was in 2018.{{cite web |title=Tour Dates |url=https://www.barstoolprophets.com/tour |website=barstoolprophets.com |publisher=Barstool Prophets |access-date=7 March 2022}}

Discography

Albums

Birdman (1992, as 'Wallflowers'), Independent{{cite web |title=The Wallflowers – Birdman |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/17223118-The-Wallflowers-Birdman |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=7 March 2022}}
Deflowered (1993), Independent
Crank (1995), Mercury Records (#63 Canada {{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.2760.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Albums - September 18, 1995}})
Last of the Big Game Hunters (1997), Mercury Records
Greatest Hits (2015), Stool Sample Music{{cite web |title=Barstool Prophets – Greatest Hits |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/17944579-Barstool-Prophets-Greatest-Hits- |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=7 March 2022}}

=Singles=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"\| Year ! rowspan="2"\| Single ! colspan="1"\| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"\| Album
style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="40"\|CAN For "Mankind Man" / "Tell Me It's A Dream": {{cite web\|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.2794.pdf\| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - October 30, 1995}} For "Paranoia": {{cite web\|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.2864.pdf\| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - January 22, 1996}} For "Last of the Big Game Hunters": {{cite web\|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.3355.pdf\| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - October 13, 1997}} For "Friend of Mine": {{cite web\|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.7894.pdf\| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - July 27, 1998}}
rowspan=2\| 1995 \| "Mankind Man" / "Tell Me It's A Dream" \| align="center"\| 34 \| rowspan=2\|Crank
"Paranoia" \| align="center"\| 59
1997 \| "Last of the Big Game Hunters" \| align="center"\| 48 \| rowspan=2\|Last of the Big Game Hunters
1998 \| "Friend of Mine" \| align="center"\|30
colspan="5" style="font-size:8pt"\| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. "×" denotes periods where charts did not exist or were not archived.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Single

! colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2"| Album

style="font-size:smaller;"

! width="40"|CAN

For "Mankind Man" / "Tell Me It's A Dream": {{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.2794.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - October 30, 1995}}
For "Paranoia": {{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.2864.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - January 22, 1996}}
For "Last of the Big Game Hunters": {{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.3355.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - October 13, 1997}}
For "Friend of Mine": {{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.7894.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - July 27, 1998}}

rowspan=2| 1995

| "Mankind Man" / "Tell Me It's A Dream"

| align="center"| 34

| rowspan=2|Crank

"Paranoia"

| align="center"| 59

1997

| "Last of the Big Game Hunters"

| align="center"| 48

| rowspan=2|Last of the Big Game Hunters

1998

| "Friend of Mine"