Helix is a Canadian hard rock and heavy metal band. They formed in 1974, and are best known for their 1984 single "Rock You". The original lineup was formed by drummer Bruce Arnold, and consisted of lead vocalist Brian Vollmer, guitarists Ron Watson and Rick "Minstrel" Trembley, keyboardist Don Simmons, and bassist Keith "Bert" Zurbrigg. However, their most well known lineup, and the one that recorded "Rock You", was the 1980s version of the band: Vollmer on vocals, accompanied by guitarists Brent "The Doctor" Doerner and Paul Hackman, bassist Daryl Gray, and drummer Greg "Fritz" Hinz. The history of the band has been marked by many lineup changes, with Vollmer being the sole constant member and only remaining member of the original lineup. Although Hackman was killed in a tour bus accident in 1992, the surviving members of the 1980s lineup reunited in 2009 for an album and have continued to tour since 2011. Watson died in 2019.
Sean Kelly is a Canadian musician living in Toronto, currently playing guitar with Nelly Furtado and Lee Aaron. He founded the Toronto-based glam rock band Crash Kelly, and is the band's lead singer and guitarist. Kelly was a member of Canadian rock band Helix, playing bass guitar. He stayed with them for most of 2009 at which time joined Furtado's band on guitar. He is also guitarist for the Toronto rock group 69 Duster, which he co-founded with the ex-singer for Images in Vogue, Dale Martindale. He has done session guitar work for other bands as well, including Neil Leyton's 2003 album, Midnight Sun, and was a member of Jeff Pearce's band Rye. Kelly has also collaborated with Gilby Clarke, Rough Trade, Rudy Sarzo, Coney Hatch, and Canadian Brass.
Long Way to Heaven is the fifth studio album by the Canadian heavy metal band Helix. This album was their third for Capitol Records, and there were bigger expectations from the band after the success of the previous Walkin' the Razor's Edge. The first single was "Deep Cuts the Knife", cowritten by Paul Hackman and Bob Halligan, Jr. The song received heavy airplay in the U.S., gaining "double breaker" status, and in Canada was added to heavy video play on MuchMusic. Q107 in Toronto had the song riding at #1 for several weeks on their "Top Ten at Ten". Their first tour to kick off the album was in Sweden where they became the first Canadian rock band ever to tour that country extensively. For this they achieved their first #1 album in that country.
Walkin' the Razor's Edge is the fourth studio album by the Canadian heavy metal band Helix. It was released on the Capitol Records label in 1984, reaching No. 27 on the Canadian RPM Album Chart, and selling 100,000 copies in Canada and 400,000 internationally.
Breaking Loose was the first independent album by the Canadian rock band Helix. It was released in 1979. Joe Anthony from KISS FM in San Antonio, Texas began playing "You're A Woman Now" which enabled the band to play there for the first time. It also featured "Billy Oxygen" written and sung by guitarist Brent "The Doctor" Doerner. The song mixed genres such as hard rock, metal, funk and progressive rock and garnered them some early Canadian airplay.
Back For Another Taste is the seventh Helix studio album and eighth album altogether. It was also their last album of their original Capitol Records contract. In a fall 1987 interview on MuchMusic with Erica Ehm, lead vocalist Brian Vollmer jokingly stated that this album would be titled Blood, Sweat & Beer.
The Early Years was the ninth Helix album and their second compilation album, issued in 1991. It reissued all the tracks from the band's first two independent albums, Breaking Loose (1979) and White Lace & Black Leather (1981), with new cover art. This was the first ever Compact Disc release of these two albums.
It's A Business Doing Pleasure was the eighth Helix studio album and tenth album altogether. It was their only release on Aquarius Records. It's A Business Doing Pleasure followed the death of lead guitarist Paul Hackman and the departure of temporary guitarist Denny Balicki. In their stead, guitarist Brent "The Doctor" Doerner returned to Helix after a 4-year absence, and Greg Fraser joined on guitar as well.
A Heavy Mental Christmas is a CD released by heavy metal band Helix in 2008. It is Helix' 11th full-length studio album and 20th album released overall. It is a Christmas album featuring both standards and original music. It was released in Walmart stores in Canada in October 2008 through Universal Music and GBS Records.
Get Up! is a CD released by heavy metal band Helix in 2006. It was Helix' first official EP, and their 18th official release. It was released independently by Brian Vollmer's Dirty Dog Records. All 7 tracks would be re-released internationally on the 2007 full-length album The Power of Rock and Roll.
half-ALIVE was the first official live album by Canadian heavy metal band Helix, following the promotional-only Live At The Marquee. It was also their 11th album altogether and featured five new studio songs. It was their only release on DeROCK Records and was recorded at various gigs throughout the 1990s.
When Pigs Fly is a solo album by Brian Vollmer, lead vocalist of the Canadian heavy metal band Helix. It was released in 1999 and features ex-Helix and current Saga/My Wicked Twin drummer Brian Doerner. It was released under the band name Vollmer and is Brian Vollmer's only solo release to date. It was Vollmer's first studio album since Helix's 1993 release It's a Business Doing Pleasure. There would be a five-year gap between When Pigs Fly and Vollmer's next studio release, Helix's Rockin' in My Outer Space from 2004.
Brian Vollmer is the lead singer and only remaining original member of Canadian hard rock group Helix. Since the band's inception in 1974, Vollmer had gone from lead singer to de facto leader of the band, weathering numerous lineup changes. Vollmer was born in Listowel, Ontario before relocating to Kitchener. He currently resides in London, Ontario with his wife, Lynda.
"Rock You" is a hard rock song written by Bob Halligan, Jr., and the first track from Helix's 1984 album Walkin' the Razor's Edge. It is best known for its call and response refrain of "Gimme an R, O, C, K." It peaked at number 27 on the RPM Pop Chart in Canada, although it received much higher levels of play on Canadian rock radio stations, but no national rock track chart exists for Canada for this time period.
B-Sides is a compilation album by the Canadian hard rock band Helix. It is their 13th official release, and their fourth compilation album. Despite the title, it actually consists of no b-sides. It was released in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of Helix, and featured a reunion of surviving members of the "classic" 1980s lineup on three tracks. It also compiled previously unreleased tracks from 1989 to 1998. As a bonus, it included two unreleased songs from the Helix independent years.
Live! in Buffalo is a live album by Canadian hard rock/heavy metal band Helix. It was recorded on September 29, 1983 in Buffalo, New York. It is their 14th official release. It includes several songs that were road-tested versions of new tracks that were written for 1984's Walkin' the Razor's Edge, but were yet to be recorded. It also features the song "Hot on the Heels of Love" that has never been released in any other form.
Rockin' in My Outer Space is a CD released by hard rock/heavy metal band Helix on May 24, 2004. It is Helix' 9th full-length studio album, and 15th official album release. It is also their first studio album since 1993's It's a Business Doing Pleasure, an 11-year gap and the longest gap between studio albums in Helix history.
30th Anniversary Concert is a DVD release by Canadian hard rock band Helix. It is a live concert recorded on July 17, 2004 at the Brantford, Ontario Sanderson Centre. It is a complete concert and it features appearances from band members past and present to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band. The concert is interspersed with interviews, studio recordings and photo montages.
Paul Wayne Hackman was a Canadian guitarist who performed with the rock band Helix from 1976 until his death in a road accident. Among the hits which contain his playing are the #32 Canadian single "Rock You" and the #20 mainstream Canadian rock single "Deep Cuts the Knife", which he co-wrote with Bob Halligan Jr..
Smash Hits...Unplugged! is an acoustic studio album by the heavy metal band Helix. It was released in November 2010 via the band's official site and at shows, with a wider release via EMI in January 2011. It is composed of acoustic versions of Helix hits from albums past as well as a new cover version of "Touch Of Magic" by the late Canadian singer, James Leroy. It is the first studio recording by the current Helix lineup of vocalist Brian Vollmer, guitarists Brent Doerner and Kaleb Duck, bassist Daryl Gray and drummer Greg Hinz. It also features guitar performances by ex-member and co-producer Sean Kelly. It is Helix' 13th full-length studio album and 22nd album released overall.
