QUEEN CITY KIDS – Black Box ’82 [remastered reissue 2026] *HQ*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2

Finally one of the little gems from the Canadian early ’80s rock scene gets reissued / remastered for the first time: QUEEN CITY KIDS 1982’s second and final LP ”Black Box”. The remaster is fabulous, featuring the US cover art, the local Canadian was different.
Queen City Kids (QCK) originated in Regina, Saskatchewan, in the very late Sixties, and later based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where played the club circuit. The band’s writing matured quickly and they scraped together even pennies to make some demos, and had gained enough of a reputation that they opened for Rush on more than one tour, while still only 16. Their sound was getting heavier, and they played covers of Blue Oyster Cult, Deep Purple, and Foghat.
They continued shopping their demos around to no avail, when they decided to take matters into their own hands and release a record on their own. But when CBS heard reputed Gene Martynec was going to produce it, label execs changed their tune and signed QUEEN CITY KIDS to a multi-album deal. The self titled QCK was released 1981.
The album sold well and regional tours in bars and small gigs all across the western provinces and into the US were followed by cross-Canada jaunts, including the coveted opening slots for Ozzy Osbourne, April Wine, Streetheart, Blue Oyster Cult, and Joan Jett.
But iwas with sophomore effort ”Black Box” when QUEEN CITY KIDS scored a number of hits including “Girls”, “Dance”, and title track “Black Box.” This was a much more edgy rocking record, mixing hard rock with melody and a radio-friendly approach.

To appease the American leg of CBS, the record’s jacket was different Stateside than the Canadian version. More tight guitar trade-offs between guitarists Alex Chuaqui (also lead vocals) and Kevin Fyhn, with John L. Donnelly (bass, vocals) & Jeff Germain (drums) holding the backbeat was the concept. The “just gotta make your feet move” single “Dance” and the title track helped circulate the group’s message of straight-forward rock and roll.

“Girls” was also heavy on the FM playlists that summer as the third single helped break new ground, showing they were capable of the tender power ballad as well as the guitar crunching sound paved with the first record.
Another series of extensive and exhaustive tours ensued the day of its launch, taking them across the country and deep into the American market for the better part of the next year.

But run ragged from the constant touring, with barely two nickels to rub together, and frustrated with what they saw as a lack of interest from management or the label, the band called it quits in late ’82 after 13 years.
They each went on to do their own thing, with Donnelly and Germain teaming up to form the band Love Active. Chuaqui formed Straw Dog, and Fyhn wandered around with different groups, including Kenny Shields of Streetheart. Donnelly later joined Babyface, a Vancouver-based group that enjoyed success with the independent “In The Night” in 1985.

They band reformed every now and then for the next two decades, while the members were each off doing their own thing. In October 2007, QCK was inducted into the Western Canada Music Hall of Fame, while still driving home their message the old fashioned way – with the amps turned up to 11.
Still in demand even on a part-time basis, the band continued playing, and released 1981 LIVE in 2015. Initially taped for a Vancouver radio station broadcast, the album also featured a couple of new tracks, as well as a few remastered hits.
Highly Recommended

01 – Dance
02 – Girls
03 – In Your Eyes
04 – Chains
05 – Crazy In Love
06 – Black Box
07 – Ripped Off
08 – Looking For You
09 – Rock ‘n’ Roll Junkie
10 – Bangin’ On The Door

Alex Chuaqui (vocals, guitars, keys)
Kevin Fyhn (guitars, vocals)
John L. Donnelly (bass, vocals)
Jeff Germain (drums)

BUY
tinyurl.com/QCK1982