Helix is a Canadian hard rock band from Kitchener, Ontario. Formed in 1974, the group originally featured lead vocalist Brian Vollmer, guitarists Ron Watson and Rick "Minstrel" Trembley, bassist Keith "Bert" Zurbrigg, and drummer Bruce Arnold. By the time they recorded their debut album Breaking Loose in 1979, Vollmer and Zurbrigg were joined by guitarists Brent Doerner and Paul Hackman, and drummer Brian Doerner. The band's current lineup includes Vollmer alongside bassist Daryl Gray (from 1984 to 2002, and since 2009), and guitarists Gary Borden (from 1996 to 1998, and since 2019) and Chris Julke (since 2014).
Helix was formed in 1974 by Brian Vollmer, Ron Watson, Rick Trembley, Keith Zurbrigg, Bruce Arnold and Don Simmons. [1] The group was initially known as the Helix Field Band, before they brought in manager Bill Seip who encouraged the members to shorten the name. [2] Around the same time as Seip's arrival, roughly six months after the group formed, Trembley was fired by band leaders Arnold and Watson and was not replaced. [3] Watson left shortly thereafter, replaced by Brent "The Doctor" Doerner. [4] Helix began touring Canadian bars after Seip took over management, although early on both Arnold and Simmons left the band. [5] The pair were replaced by Doerner's brother Brian and Paul Hackman, respectively. [4] This lineup recorded and released the band's debut album Breaking Loose in 1979. [6]
After touring in promotion of Breaking Loose, Brian Doerner was replaced by Leo Niebudek; after recording one track for White Lace & Black Leather , Zurbrigg was also replaced by Mike Uzelac. [7] In 1982, Niebudek was replaced by former Starchild drummer Greg "Fritz" Hinz, who debuted on No Rest for the Wicked . [8] Just before a US tour to promote the album, bassist Uzelac became a born again Christian and left the band, replaced by touring member Pete Guy. [9] Uzelac briefly returned later in the summer, before Mark Rector took over until the end of the year, starting with a European tour supporting Kiss. [9] Daryl Gray took over as full-time bassist at the beginning of 1984 to record Walkin' the Razor's Edge . [10] This lineup also released Long Way to Heaven in 1985 and Wild in the Streets in 1987. [3]
After the touring cycle for Wild in the Streets, guitarist Brent Doerner departed from Helix in 1989. [11] The remaining four members recorded Back for Another Taste without a second guitarist. [12] For the album's tour starting the following summer, the group was joined by its first American member, guitarist Denny Balicki (later Blake). [13] On July 5, 1992, when the band was travelling back to Kitchener after a short local tour, a bus carrying Paul Hackman, Daryl Gray and two of Helix's road crew members crashed near the city of Kamloops, killing Hackman on impact. [14] Despite this tragedy, Helix continued later in the year, with Brent Doerner returning and Greg "Shredder" Fraser taking over from Hackman. [11] [15] The new lineup released It's a Business Doing Pleasure on Aquarius Records in 1993. [16]
Following the release of the album, Doerner left again and Helix toured with rotating part-time touring guitarists alongside Fraser, including Gary Borden, Rick Mead and Mark Chichkan. [17] When Fraser left in 1996, Borden took over as his official replacement; when drummer Greg Hinz left later the same year, Glen "Archie" Gamble took his place. [17] During this flexible period, the band recorded the bulk of the material for 1998's Half-Alive , which also included a handful of tracks recorded with Hackman before his death. [18] By 2000, Helix had returned to a more regular touring schedule and settled on a lineup of Vollmer, Gray and Gamble alongside guitarists Gerry Finn and Mike Hall. [19] In 2001, Harem Scarem drummer Darren Smith took over from Gerry Finn, who left to join David Usher's band. [20]
In early 2002, Vollmer and Gray fell out after a recording session and the bassist left the band. [21] He was replaced by Stan Miczek, also formerly of Harem Scarem, before all but Gamble were dismissed in the summer as the band relocated to London; the new lineup included guitarists Shawn Sanders and Dan Fawcett, and bassist Jeff "Stan" Fountain. [21] Before the new incarnation could record anything, however, Vollmer fired Fawcett in early 2004 and Sanders chose to leave. [22] In May the group released Rockin' in My Outer Space , which featured Rainer "Rhino" (lead guitar, keyboards) and Cindy Weichmann (backing vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboards); both musicians became official members of the band, and after the album's recording Jim Lawson was brought in on second lead guitar. [23]
On July 17, 2004, Helix marked its 30th anniversary with a special concert featuring a wide range of former band members, which was released as 30th Anniversary Concert . [24] Included were original members Ron Watson, Keith Zurbrigg, Bruce Arnold and Don Simmons, alongside numerous other performers. [25] The next February, it was announced that Gamble had left the band after nearly ten years to focus on his other group Popjoy, with Brian Doerner returning in his place. [26] The following spring, Vollmer decided to part with the Weichmanns and brought in Rick VanDyk as a new guitarist. [27] At the same time, Doerner departed again and was replaced by Brent "Ned" Niemi. [28] In March 2007, Fountain was replaced on bass by Paul Fonseca, a bandmate of both VanDyk and Niemi. [29]
Helix released The Power of Rock and Roll in 2007, although none of the current members besides Vollmer performed on the album. [30] This was followed the next year by A Heavy Mental Christmas , which featured all but Lawson. [31] In February 2009, it was announced that Crash Kelly's Sean Kelly had replaced Fonseca on bass. [32] The following month, Helix also revealed that Brent Doerner had replaced VanDyk for a third tenure in the band, while Rob MacEachern (who played drums on several recent Helix releases) had taken over from Niemi. [33] By August that year, a reunion of the 'classic' 1984–1989 lineup of Vollmer, Doerner, Daryl Gray and Greg Hinz had been announced for a tour starting in October; later, Kaleb "Duckman" Duck was announced as the group's second guitarist. [34]
In June 2012, Helix announced that Brent Doerner would be leaving the band for a third time in September. [35] He was replaced by John Claus. [36] By February 2014, Claus had been replaced by Chris Julke, who recorded the band's next album Bastard of the Blues . [37] This was followed in 2019 by Old School , before Duck left in November that year and was replaced briefly by former guitarist Mark Chichkan and then by Gary Borden. [38]
Original keyboardist Don Simmons passed away on July 25, 2021. Dan Fawcett, guitarist for Helix from 2002 to 2004, died on 6 November 2022 at age 52 after being stabbed in Gibbons Park, in London, Ontario. [39] Craig Allan, 48, was charged with second degree murder, [40] while Allana Lebars, 41, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after being originally charged with second-degree murder. [41]
Drummer Greg "Fritz" Hinz died on February 16, 2024.
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brian Vollmer | 1974–present |
| all Helix releases | |
Daryl Gray |
|
|
| |
Gary Borden |
|
| Half-Alive (1998) | |
Chris Julke | 2014–present |
|
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Keith "Bert" Zurbrigg | 1974–1980 |
|
| |
Bruce Arnold | 1974–1976 | drums | 30th Anniversary Concert (2004) – one track only | |
Don Simmons | 1974–1976 (died 2021) | keyboards | ||
Ron Watson | 1974–1976 (died 2019) | guitar | ||
Rick "Minstrel" Trembley | 1974–1975 | none | ||
Brent "The Doctor" Doerner |
|
|
| |
Paul Hackman | 1976–1992 (until his death) |
|
| |
Brian Doerner |
|
|
| |
Leo Niebudek | 1980–1982 | drums |
| |
Greg "Fritz" Hinz |
|
|
| |
Mike Uzelac |
|
|
| |
Pete Guy | 1983 | bass | none | |
Mark Rektor | ||||
Denny Balicki (later known as Denny Blake) | 1990–1992 |
| Half-Alive (1998) | |
Greg "Shredder" Fraser | 1992–1996 | It's a Business Doing Pleasure (1993) | ||
Mark Chichkan | 1993–1999 (part-time) | Half-Alive (1998) | ||
Rick Mead | 1993–1998 (part-time) | guitar | ||
Glen "Archie" Gamble | 1996–2005 | drums |
| |
Gerry Finn | 2000–2002 (part-time touring 1998–2000) |
| none | |
Mike Hall | 2000–2002 | |||
Darren Smith | 2001–2002 | |||
Stan Miczek | 2002 |
| ||
Jeff "Stan" Fountain | 2002–2007 | all Helix releases from Rockin' in My Outer Space (2004) to The Power of Rock and Roll (2007) | ||
Shawn Sanders | 2002–2004 |
| none | |
Dan Fawcett (died 2022) [42] | ||||
Rainer "Rhino" Wiechmann | 2004–2006 |
|
| |
Cindy Weichmann |
| |||
Jim Lawson | 2004–2009 (touring only) |
| 30th Anniversary Concert (2004) | |
Rick VanDyk | 2006–2009 | A Heavy Mental Christmas (2008) | ||
Brent "Ned" Niemi |
| |||
Paul Fonseca | 2007–2009 |
| ||
Sean Kelly | 2009 |
|
| |
Rob MacEachern |
|
| ||
Kaleb "Duckman" Duck | 2009–2019 |
| all Helix releases from Smash Hits... Unplugged! (2010) to Old School (2019) | |
John Claus | 2012–2014 |
| none |
Period | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
1974–1975 (as the Helix Field Band) |
| none |
1975–1976 |
| |
1976 |
| |
1976–1980 |
|
|
1980 |
|
|
1980–1982 |
| |
1982–1983 |
|
|
June – July 1983 |
| none |
August – September 1983 |
|
|
October – December 1983 |
| none |
December 1983 – fall 1989 |
|
|
Fall 1989 – summer 1990 |
|
|
Summer 1990 – July 1992 |
|
|
Fall 1992 – summer 1993 |
| |
1993–1996 (rotating touring lineup) |
| none |
1996 (rotating touring lineup) |
|
|
1996–1998 (rotating touring lineup) |
| |
1998–1999 (part-time touring lineup) |
| none |
2000–2001 |
| |
2001–2002 |
| |
Early – summer 2002 |
| |
Fall 2002 – early 2004 |
| |
Early – spring 2004 |
|
|
Summer 2004 – February 2005 |
|
|
February 2005 – March 2006 |
| none |
April 2006 – March 2007 |
|
|
March 2007 – February 2009 |
|
|
February – August 2009 |
|
|
August – October 2009 |
| |
October 2009 – September 2012 |
|
|
October 2012 – February 2014 |
| none |
February 2014 – November 2019 |
|
|
November 2019 – February 2024 |
| none as yet |
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. Simmons died in 2021. Hinz died in 2024.
Wild in the Streets was the sixth album by the rock band Helix, released in 1987.
Long Way to Heaven is the fifth studio album by the Canadian hard rock/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", co-written 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 number 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 number 1 album in that country.
No Rest for the Wicked is the third studio album by the Canadian hard rock/heavy metal band Helix. It is also their major label debut, on Capitol Records.
White Lace & Black Leather is the second studio album by Canadian hard rock band Helix. Recorded at Springfield Sound in Aylmer, Ontario with producer Lachlan MacFadyen, it was released in 1981 on the band's own label H&S Records. The release was the group's first to feature bassist Mike Uzelac and their only to feature drummer Leo Niebudek, the pair of whom replaced Keith "Bert" Zurbrigg and drummer Brian Doerner, respectively.
Breaking Loose is the debut studio album by Canadian hard rock band Helix. Recorded primarily at Springfield Sound in Aylmer, Ontario with producer R.A. "Bob" Morten, it was released in 1979 on the band's own label H&S Records. The album features all original material, written by the band's frontman Brian Vollmer, and two guitarists Paul Hackman and Brent Doerner. It was supported by the release of Hackman's "Don't Hide Your Love" and Doerner's "Billy Oxygen" as singles.
My Wicked Twin are a Canadian hard rock band from Kitchener, Ontario that formed in 2008. They have their genesis in an earlier band called Brent Doerner's Decibel. Revamped as My Wicked Twin, they now consist of Brent Doerner of Helix and his twin brother Brian Doerner. Brent and Brian Doerner have been playing music together since the age of 8. My Wicked Twin's first album Decibel Music released 2016 with 9 songs. In 2018 the band released Twin Turbo with 8 songs. New in 2020 the band released 3 Engines with 10 songs.
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.
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.
Vagabond Bones is a studio album by heavy metal band Helix, released on November 17, 2009. It is Helix' 12th full-length studio album and 21st album released overall. It contains performances from members of the 1980s Helix lineup: Brian Vollmer, Brent Doerner, Daryl Gray and Greg Hinz, as well as former member and co-producer Sean Kelly. Kelly departed Helix during the production of Vagabond Bones, prompting the reunion of the 1980s band. Kelly remained on hand to finish the record before leaving to tour with Nelly Furtado.
Brian Joseph 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.
Deep Cuts is a compilation album by the Canadian hard rock band Helix. It is their 12th official release, and their third compilation album. It collects music from both their early indi career as well as their catalogue with Capitol Records and rare tracks.
"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.
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.
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.
Bastard Of The Blues is the thirteenth studio album by Canadian band Helix, released May 5, 2014.
Old School is an album of unreleased material by Canadian rock band Helix, released in June 2019.