The Grapes of Wrath are a Canadian folk rock band, who were one of Canada's most successful pop bands in the late 1980s and early 1990s before disbanding in 1992. With the band name tied up in litigation, most of the band continued to record through the 1990s as Ginger. The Grapes of Wrath then reunited in 2000, although not with their full original lineup.

The Grapes of Wrath were formed in Kelowna, British Columbia in 1983 by Chris Hooper , Tom Hooper and Kevin Kane. Keyboardist Vincent Jones joined the band later. They came up with the name for the band after looking at a movie guide--nobody in the band had seen the movie or read the book. In 1984, they signed to Nettwerk, releasing a self-titled EP that year. The following year, their debut album September Bowl of Green was released.

1987's Treehouse, produced by Tom Cochrane, was the band's Canadian breakthrough, yielding the hit singles "Peace of Mind" and "Backward Town". Now and Again, released in 1989, was the band's most successful album, however, and has come to be considered one of the classic albums in Canadian rock history. The band's tour to support this album was also notable for its opening act, a then-emerging singer/songwriter named Sarah McLachlan.

These Days, released in 1991, found the band experimenting with a harder rock sound, and while it sold well and spawned the hit singles "You May Be Right" and "I Am Here", it was to be the band's last effort for almost a decade. Citing creative differences, Kane left the band in 1992. The band's name and song catalogue were tied up in litigation for several years, forcing the remaining members to record under the name Ginger.

In 1999, Kane and Tom Hooper, the Grapes' main songwriting team, decided to work together again, and released Field Trip under the Grapes of Wrath name in 2000. However, neither Chris Hooper nor Vincent Jones participated in the reunion, and Matt Brain was enlisted as the band's new drummer.

Discography

• The Grapes of Wrath (1984)
• September Bowl of Green (1985)
• Treehouse (1987)
• Now and Again (1989)
• These Days (1991)
• Seems Like Fate 1984-1992 (1994)
• Field Trip (2000)

External Links

• Jam!'s Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia