the Waking Eyes

The band formed after the break-up of two other Manitoba bands, The Pets from Steinbach and Novillero from Winnipeg.[https://www.straight.com/article/waking-eyes-ditches-the-psychedelia-for-riffage "Waking Eyes Ditches The Psychedelia For Riffage"]. Georgia Straight, by Shawn Conner on December 2, 2004 In 2002 The Waking Eyes released a full-length album, Combing the Clouds.[http://exclaim.ca/music/article/waking_eyes-combing_clouds "Waking Eyes Combing the Clouds"]. Exclaim!, By Chuck Molgat, Feb 01, 2002

In 2004 The Waking Eyes followed up with a second album, Video Sound.[https://newspaperarchive.com/winnipeg-free-press-sep-04-2004-p-29/ "If rock 'n' roll is a sin, call Waking Eyes guilty"]. Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, September 4, 2004, page 29 The album won a 2005 Western Canada Music Award.[https://newspaperarchive.com/winnipeg-free-press-oct-24-2005-p-33/ "Local acts shine at WCMA"]. Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. October 24, 2005, page 33 Shortly before the album was released, bassist Russ Dufault left the band, temporarily replaced by The Meligrove Band's Michael Small (for a short tour and the "Watch Your Money" music video), before Joey Penner was introduced.

The band went on several tours, traveling across Canada, as well as into the United States and to overseas locations including Germany for POPKOMM's "Kick it like Canada". In 2005 the group was nominated for a Juno Award for New Group of the Year but lost to Alexisonfire.{{cite magazine|author=Larry LeBlanc|title=Coalition Entertainment manages Canadian success|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PhQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA57|date=5 March 2005|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=56–57|issn=0006-2510}}

The Waking Eyes spent the better part of 2006 holed-up in their Winnipeg jam space, writing and demoing songs for an album. Pre-production took place in Winnipeg during February 2007.

The band recorded the follow-up to Video Sound in a Winnipeg studio in May 2007 with producer/engineer John Paul Peters (formerly of The Undecided).

The Waking Eyes' record, Holding on to Whatever It Is, was released digitally via iTunes in July, 2008. The band released the record on vinyl in September, and CD copies became available in November.[https://www.straight.com/article-201914/waking-eyes-sing-praises-vinyl "The Waking Eyes sing the praises of vinyl"]. Georgia Straight, February 18th, 2009. by John Lucas The album won a Western Canada Music Award for best independent album.[https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/doc-walker-s-beautiful-life-tops-wcma-event-1.863893 "Doc Walker's Beautiful Life tops WCMA event"]. CBC News, Sep 21, 2009

In July 2010, The Waking Eyes went on hiatus, allowing the members of the band to concentrate on other musical projects. Matyas formed a soul-pop band, Imaginary Cities, with Winnipeg singer Marti Sarbit;[http://exclaim.ca/music/article/waking_eyes_offshoot_imaginary_cities_set_up_for_nxne "Waking Eyes Offshoot Imaginary Cities Set Up for NXNE"]. Exclaim!, Alex Hudson. Jun 15, 2010[https://www.straight.com/article-403481/vancouver/indie-rock-and-motown-meet-imaginary-cities "Indie rock and Motown meet in Imaginary Cities"]. Georgia Straight, by Alex Hudson on July 13th, 2011 he also performed solo as Terrier and with Ewan Currie as The Mothers Brothers Band.

Peters' 2010 album by his band, Royal Canoe, titled "Co-Op Mode," included collaborations, co-writes and performances with all of the members of The Waking Eyes. Peters continues writing, recording and/or producing in the Winnipeg area for/with The Liptonians, Slattern, Demetra, Ruth Moody,[https://www.straight.com/article-356120/vancouver/timing-was-right-ruth-moodys-solo-debut "The timing was right for Ruth Moody's solo debut"]. Georgia Straight, by Tony Montague on November 3rd, 2010 This Hisses and Triunfo do Gato. Milk is a joke hip-hop act featuring Matyas and Peters, and Racket (pronounced "Racket in Brackets" is a Ratatat-like dance act fronted by Peters.

• Combing the Clouds (2002)
• Video Sound (2004)
• Holding On to Whatever It Is (2008)

• "Watch Your Money"
• "The Beginning"
• "On a Train"
• "But I Already Have It"
• "Taking the Hard Way" (With scenes showing their live shows)
• "All Empires Fall"
• "Wolves at the Door"

• "Watch Your Money"
• "Beginning"
• "On a Train"
• "If You Know Why"
• "All Empires Fall"

• List of bands from Canada

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.thewakingeyes.com}}
• [http://www.uniter.ca/view.php?aid=39187 "From the Ground Up" – A November 2006 article about The Waking Eyes]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081019193425/http://www.pastthepages.ca/081015/arts1.html Interview with Matt Peters] – October 15, 2008

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Category:Musical groups established in 2002

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2010

Category:Musical groups from Winnipeg

Category:Canadian indie rock groups

Category:2002 establishments in Manitoba

Category:2010 disestablishments in Manitoba

Category:Mennonite musicians