By Divine Right

By Divine Right is a Canadian indie rock band led by guitarist and vocalist José Miguel Contreras.[1]

For the 1924 film, see By Divine Right (film).
By Divine Right
By Divine Right in May 2023
By Divine Right in May 2023
Background information
Also known asBDR
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresIndie rock
Years active1989 (1989)–present
LabelsNettwerk, spinART, Squirtgun Records, Linus, Kinetic, Hand Drawn Dracula, Headless Owl Records, Fortune Stellar Records
MembersJosé Miguel Contreras
Alysha Haugen
Colin White
Past membersMark Goldstein
Brendan Canning
Leslie Feist
Brian Borcherdt
John Hall
Dylan Hudecki
Darcy Rego
Cam Giroux
Loel Campbell
Derek Downham
Colleen Hixenbaugh
Michael Small
Jason Nunes
Stew Heyduk
Julien Beillard
Scott Maynard
Rob Carson
Rob Higgins
Cam Bull
Mitch Perkins
Elizabeth Teear
Rob Covens
Steve Berman
Michael Milosh
Dave Joseph
Geordie Dynes
Websitebydivineright.ca

History

The band was formed in 1989 by high school friends Contreras, drummer Mark Goldstein, bass guitarist Liz Teear and guitarist Steve Berman[2] while members were attending Thornlea Secondary School in Thornhill, Ontario. The band issued a number of independent releases before signing to Squirtgun Records for their 1997 album All Hail Discordia.[3]

Bassist Brendan Canning and guitarist Leslie Feist joined the band in 1998 in the run up to their 1999 release Bless This Mess, which was supported by a Canadian and American national tour opening for The Tragically Hip.[4] Canning and Feist later left the band, and co-founded Broken Social Scene.[5]

In 2001, the band released the album Good Morning Beautiful.[6] In 2003, By Divine Right was one of the only Canadian bands to do a concert tour of China.[7]

From 2001 to 2004, the band's line up consisted of Contreras, Colleen Hixenbaugh, Brian Borcherdt, John Hall and Dylan Hudecki.[8] In 2004, drummer John Hall was replaced by Cam Giroux (who played on Good Morning Beautiful), while Borcherdt and Hudecki both left the band.[9] Hudecki was replaced by Darcy Rego and then Michael Small, both of The Meligrove Band, for tours of the United States, Canada and Britain, supporting Sweet Confusion.[10] Filling in on drums for some dates was Loel Campbell of Wintersleep.

After these tours, the band's line-up changed again, to Contreras, Hixenbaugh and Small with drummer Derek Downham, followed by a September 2006 show at the Drake Hotel (Toronto) that saw the band perform all new songs with Rego, Small and Jason Nunes (The Meligrove Band) under the By Divine Right name.

By Divine Right's next live show was on December 31, 2007, at the Tranzac Club in Toronto, at which the band's new full-time line up of Contreras, Stew Heyduk (of The Golden Dogs) and Mitch Perkins (formerly of Rusty) appeared together for the first time.

In 2007, By Divine Right contributed a cover of Rheostatics' "Shaved Head" to the tribute album The Secret Sessions, with a line-up consisting only of Contreras and Julien Beillard of the band Wooden Stars.[11]

In May 2008, By Divine Right opened a show for The Golden Dogs at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto with yet another new line up, consisting of Contreras, Heyduk and Darcy Rego returning on drums.

In 2009, Mutant Message, the band's first album since 2004's Sweet Confusion, was released in Canada on the Toronto Arts imprint Hand Drawn Dracula. label[12] The album has José Contreras, Stew Heyduk and Darcy Rego with guest vocals by Jason Nunes and Lily Frost, and features "Que Paso", the first song Contreras wrote and sung in Spanish despite his longtime fluency in the language.[13] By Divine Right's first tours since 2005 followed, with a new drummer, David Joseph, and bass guitarist, Michael Milosh.[14] Music videos were released for the songs "I Love a Girl", "Cupid in Oilskins" and "I Will Hook You Up". The band's line up changed again after these tours, with Dylan Hudecki and Darcy Rego each filling in before Geordie Dynes and Alysha Haugen joined in late 2010.[15]

In 2013, By Divine Right released its ninth album, Organized Accidents.[16] In 2016 they released Speak & Spell, a track-for-track cover of Depeche Mode's 1981 album Speak & Spell.[17]

Contreras has also released two solo albums, José Contreras (2014)[18] and At the Slaughterhouse (2019).[19]

In 2022, By Divine Right released the single "St. Leons" from an upcoming album OTTO MOTTO. They also released a video for the song which features dashcam footage of a road-trip to the Yukon.

Discography

Band members

Current members
  • José Miguel Contreras (1989–present)
  • Alysha Haugen (2010–present)
  • Colin White (2023-present)

Former members
  • Mark Goldstein (1989–2000)
  • Steve Berman (1989–1991)
  • Elizabeth Teear (1989–1993)
  • Rob Carson (1992–1994)
  • Scott Maynard (1993–1996)
  • Cam Bull (1996–1997)
  • Brendan Canning (1998–2000)
  • Leslie Feist (1998–2000)
  • Brian Borcherdt (2001–2004)
  • Colleen Hixenbaugh (2001–2006)
  • Dylan Hudecki (2001–2004, 2005, 2010)
  • John Hall (2001–2004)
  • Cam Giroux (2001, 2004–2005)
  • Darcy Rego (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010)
  • Loel Campbell (2004)
  • Derek Downham (2005–2006)
  • Jason Nunes (2006)
  • Julien Beillard (2007)
  • Mitch Perkins (2007–2008)
  • Stew Heyduk (2007–2008)
  • Michael Milosh (2009–2010)
  • Dave Joseph (2009–2010)
  • Geordie Dynes (2010-2023)

See also

References
  1. Joel Rubinoff, "Divine Right to non-conformity; Flaky but determined, Toronto rockers are slowly earning a fan base". Waterloo Region Record, March 21, 2002.
  2. Graham Rockingham, "Placing By Divine Right in the proper light". Hamilton Spectator, February 12, 2016.
  3. Nick Krewen, "Slow, sweet songs help By Divine Right". Waterloo Region Record, December 26, 1997.
  4. Finbarr O'Reilly, "Band in another fine mess: These `nobodies' are still amazed they were asked to open for The Tragically Hip". National Post, February 23, 1999.
  5. Carl Wilson, "A confession about music's social scene". The Globe and Mail, December 12, 2002.
  6. "CD REVIEWS: By Divine Right, Garbage, Machine Head and many more". Chart Attack, October 02, 2001
  7. Dave Bidini, Around the World in 57 1/2 Gigs. McClelland & Stewart, 2010. ISBN 9781551991498. p. 112.
  8. Maria Cranston, "The supernatural sounds of By Divine Right". Halifax Daily News, May 24, 2002.
  9. Dix, Noel (January 1, 2006). "By Divine Right's Fresh Faces Carry the Essence". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 2012-08-01.
  10. Mike Beggs, "Meligrove Band plans surprises; At Streetsville's Kinsmen Hall". Mississauga News, August 4, 2004.
  11. Michael Barclay, "Rheostatics Tribute: The Secret Sessions". Guelph Mercury, April 12, 2007.
  12. Nicole Villeneuve, "Sound Advice: Mutant Message by By Divine Right". Torontoist, December 8, 2009.
  13. Ian Gormely, "Mastermind of By Divine Right marks 25 years with a top 5". Toronto Star, July 1, 2015.
  14. Mike Doherty, "One-Man Band; By Divine Right has had 28 members over 20 years, but founder Jose Miguel Contreras keeps the course". National Post, December 8, 2009.
  15. Sandra Sperounes, "'High maintenance' Contreras brings latest band to Saskatoon". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, July 18, 2013.
  16. Natalie Zina Walschots, "Sound Advice: Organized Accidents by By Divine Right". Torontoist, July 31, 2013.
  17. Kate Robertson, "Album premiere: By Divine Right covers Depeche Mode’s Speak & Spell in its entirety". Now, May 26, 2016.
  18. Ken Kelley, "Jose Contreras, Jose Contreras (Aporia)". Here, July 17, 2014.
  19. Allie Gregory, "José Contreras of By Divine Right Announces New Solo LP 'At the Slaughterhouse'". Exclaim!, August 14, 2019.
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