Photo by: Cindy Friesen

Strange Advance

Prog-Pop from Vancouver BC

About

Strange Advance

since 1980
In 2021 photo from left,

Ian Cameron (guitar, violin)
Alexander (A-Train) Boynton (bass)
Rob Bailey (keyboards)
Drew Arnott (keyboards, vocals)
Sean Dillon (vocals, guitar)
Ross Friesen (drums, vocals)


Darryl Kromm and Drew Arnott played together from 1974 to 1977 in a group called Slan. Later, while writing original music together, Kromm played in the band Remote Control. While touring with Bryan Adams, Kromm gave him a demo tape of the tunes he and Arnott were working on. Adams liked what he heard and passed it on to producer Bruce Fairbairn. Fairbairn also liked what he heard, did a quick remix then played it for Deane Cameron, who was the Canadian A&R rep for Capitol Records L.A. The band, originally known as Metropolis, were then signed to Capitol Records in Los Angeles.

Singles
1982 She Controls Me/Lost In Your Eyes (Capitol-EMI) 72896
1982 Kiss In The Dark/Prisoner (Capitol-EMI) 72907
1982 The Second That I Saw You/One Chance In A Million (Capitol-EMI) 72968
1982 Worlds Away/Prisoner (Capitol-EMI) B-5232
1982 Love Games (Dance Remix)/Kiss In The Dark [12"] (Capitol-EMI) 75032
1985 We Run/Nor Crystal Tears (Capitol-EMI) 72960
1985 We Run (Extended Mix)//We Run (Single Version)/We Run (Dub Mix) [12"] (Capitol-EMI) V-75089
1985 Running Away [Remix]/Home Of The Brave (Capitol-EMI) 72982
1988 Love Becomes Electric/This Island Earth (Current/Capitol-EMI) B-73041
1988 Till The Stars Fall Wild Blue (Current/Capitol-EMI) B-73056

Albums
1982 Worlds Away (Capitol) ST-12232
1982 AOR Sampler [3 song 12" EP] (Capitol) SPRO-217
1985 2WO (Capitol-EMI) ST-12349
1987 Over 60 Minutes With...Strange Advance (Capitol-EMI) 746887-2
1988 The Distance Between (Current/Capitol-EMI) CLT-48550
1996 Worlds Away: The Very Best Of Strange Advance (EMI Canada)
2021 '4' (Strange Sounds Records) SS-1001
Available for Shows/Gigs

Audio Samples

Community Events

Current Lineup

Drew Arnott
Keyboards/Drums
1980 - present
Ian Cameron
Guitar
1985 - present
Rob Bailey
Keyboards
2019 - present
Sean Dillon
Lead Vocals
2019 - present
Howard Ayee
Bass
2019 - present
Ross Friesen
Drums/Vocals
2021 - present

Past Members

Darryl Kromm
Synth Guitar/Guitar
1980 - 1985
Paul Iverson
Bass/Vocals
1980 - 1984
David Quinton
Drums
1985 - 2021
Rick DeGroote
Keyboards
1985
Joey Alvaro
Bass/Vocals
1985
Will Chapman
Drums
2019 - 2021