Young Canadians

{{short description|Canadian punk rock band}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Young Canadians

| image =

| caption =

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| background = group_or_band

| alias =

| origin = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

| genre = Punk, garage rock

| years_active = {{start date|1979}}–{{end date|1980}}

| label = Quintessence Records

| associated_acts =

| website =

| current_members = Art Bergmann
Jim Bescott
Barry Taylor

| past_members =

}}

Young Canadians (originally The K-Tels) were a Canadian punk rock band formed in Vancouver in 1978 and active for just under two years. The YC's were influenced not only by the other punk bands in town at that time such as D.O.A. and the Pointed Sticks, but also by the New York Dolls, the Stooges, and 1960s garage rock. Although the band only released a small amount of material before breaking up, their single "Hawaii" is one of the classic Canadian punk anthems.Michael Barclay, Ian A.D. Jack and Jason Schneider, Have Not Been the Same: The Can-Rock Renaissance 1985-1995. ECW Press. {{ISBN|978-1-55022-992-9}}.

The band's leader, songwriter and guitarist was Art Bergmann, who went on to become one of the key figures in Canadian alternative rock in the 1980s and 1990s."The resurrection of a lost Art". The Globe and Mail, February 18, 2009. The other band members were bassist Jim Bescott and drummer Barry Taylor.

Their first-ever recording was the song "I Hate Music", for the Vancouver Complication punk compilation album. Just before the release of "Hawaii", they were forced to change their name when threatened with legal action by the K-Tel corporation. The K-Tels supported the Boomtown Rats on a tour across Canada."Rock survivor". Victoria Times-Colonist, November 5, 1998.

Following their breakup, their two EPs and single, plus unreleased live tracks, were re-released in 1995 on the album No Escape, with liner notes written by Buck Cherry."Seeds of Punk: In the late '70s and early '80s, Vancouver was hot and Buck Cherry and the Modernettes were there". Calgary Herald, August 6, 1995. Joyride on the Western Front, a live album documenting a 1980 concert at Mabuhay Gardens, was released in 2001.[http://exclaim.ca/music/article/young_canadians-joyride_on_western_front "Young Canadians: Joyride on the Western Front"]. Exclaim!, September 1, 2001.

Founding member and bassist Jim Bescott died in an accident in Vancouver on August 31, 2005 at the age of 52."Jim Bescott, Singer-songwriter, 1953-2005". The Globe and Mail, October 7, 2005.