The Carnations were a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1995, featuring Thomas D'Arcy on lead vocals and bass, alongside Steve Krecklo on vocals and guitar. The lineup expanded in 1996 to include Nathan Rekker on guitar and vocals, and subsequently, Patrick Conan joined as the drummer.
The band’s journey has been marked by periods of activity and hiatus over the years. It began when Steve Krecklo taught Thomas D’Arcy to play the bass guitar, leading to the establishment of the first Carnations lineup within months. By 1996, the band was in the studio, and they released their debut album, Superluminal, in 1997. The album garnered positive reviews, and the track "Bald Avenger" was selected for inclusion in the CFNY New Rock Search CD in Toronto. At the time of recording, D’Arcy was just sixteen and Krecklo seventeen, which presented challenges as they were unable to perform in bars and faced difficulties in promoting themselves from their small hometown of Oshawa, Ontario.
In 1998, the Carnations released a split seven-inch single on Sycamore Records, which was named one of the top ten singles of the year by NOW Magazine. Critics noted similarities to bands such as Supergrass and The Buzzcocks. However, during the recording of their second album, A Return To Melody, the band faced a setback when their drummer suffered a severe injury, having his thumb severed by a bandsaw while at his factory job, necessitating another hiatus.
Following the accident, the Carnations began to perform more frequently across Ontario, building a reputation through their live shows. Notably, they were banned from a club in Oshawa after D’Arcy performed an encore in the nude. In another memorable incident in Windsor, the band jumped on the roof of their van after a gig before heading to a casino, where they gambled away their earnings on a single spin of roulette. Despite these escapades, they managed to save some funds to support the recording of their latest EP, produced by Ian Blurton, known for his work with The Weakerthans. They also secured a small deal with UK label Alphabetty Records, which released the single "Scream & Yell," earning the title of single of the month from Record Collector Magazine and selling out its limited run.
During this time, the band members also engaged in various high-profile gigs. Drummer Ian LeFeuvre continued with Starling, D’Arcy contributed to All Systems Go! under Bad Taste Records, collaborating with John Kastner (former member of Doughboys), and Krecklo joined Andy Stochansky's band (RCA Records).
Over the following six months, the Carnations completed their EP. The track "Sundays" was released as the lead single on the Grenadine Records compilation Syrup and Gasoline, which featured emerging Canadian artists, including The Dears. The self-titled EP was later finalized for release on Toronto's Ductape Records, which also represents bands such as The Meligrove Band, Four Square, Dead Letter Dept., and The Moops.
With Ian Blurton at the production helm, the six-track EP showcases the band's songwriting prowess, influenced by acts ranging from Television to The Pixies. With new material already recorded and newfound interest from major labels, the Carnations, with D’Arcy now 22, Krecklo 23, and Rekker 23, appear poised for success. Their latest CD-EP (DCD-007-2) is available in Canada on Ductape Records and in the United Kingdom on Alphabetty Records.
