- Alternative rock band formed in 1988 from Scarborough Ontario Canada. The lineup during the 90s was Steven Page (lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, songwriting), Ed Robertson (lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, songwriting), Jim Creeggan (lead and backing vocals, bass guitar, occasional songwriting), Tyler Stewart (drums) and Kevin Hearn (lead and backing vocals, keyboards, occasional songwriting).
- Page and Robertson went to the same grade school, but they did not know one another until they met at a restaurant after both attended a Peter Gabriel concert. They discovered that they had similar tastes in music. They became closer when they were counsellors at a summer music camp. Page invited Robertson to a Bob Dylan concert and while there they invented fictional band names for Dylan’s band, including Barenaked Ladies. In 1988, Robertson’s cover band was scheduled to compete in a Battle of the Bands competition, but the group split up before the show. A week before the show, Robertson confirmed with the organizer that he was still competing, and he submitted the name of the band as Barenaked Ladies. Robertson then called Page and asked him to join him. They planned three rehersals and they missed them all. They improvised their show, and it was well received. Another band invited them to open for them at a local club, and they again improvised the show.
- They began to write together, and they recorded a demo tape titled Buck Naked in 1989. They gave the tape to a Canadian comedy group that they liked, and the comedy group asked Barenaked Ladies to open for them as they toured across Canada. They adopted a style of using comedy during their performances, and shows were often improvised. In late 1989, they invited two friends from the music camp – Jim and Andy Creeggan – to join them for a show. A demo tape of the show was released, titled Barenaked Lunch. Six months later, Andy left and drummer Tyler Stewart was invited to join. They won an award from YTV for Best Band, and they performed their song Be My Yoko Ono for a weekly video show that increased their exposure in Canada.
- Andy Creeggan returned to the group in 1991, taking over keyboards. They performed throughout Canada, and a demo tape titled The Yellow Tape was recorded. All Canadian record labels rejected it, but local record stores began to request it, as customers were asking to buy it. Sales grew, especially after they were kicked out of a New Year’s Eve concert by the mayor of Toronto, who objected to the name of the band. Eventually, it became the first ever indie record to achieve platinum status in Canada (sales of over 100,000 records).
- In the spring of 1992, they were signed to a recording contract. Their debut album Gordon was released that summer. It was a huge success in Canada, topping the album chart and receiving diamond status. Six singles charted in Canada, including Enid (peaking at #2), If I Had $1000000 (a signature song that reached #13 in Canada) and Brian Wilson (a tribute song to the Beach Boys’ co-founder that peaked at #18). Their Maybe You Should Drive album was released in 1994, with less success than their first album. It was their first to chart in the U.S., reaching #175 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The song Jane peaked at #3 in Canada. Andy Creeggan left in 1995, disillusioned with the direction of the group, and Robertson and Page struggled to work together.
- Their fortunes improved some with 1996’s Born On A Pirate Ship album. The single Shoe Box reached the top 10 in Canada, and The Old Apartment was their first to chart in the U.S., peaking at #88 on the Hot 100 and at #14 on the Canada singles chart. During their tour for the album, Kevin Hearn joined the group on keyboards.
- Their breakthrough came with their 1998 album Stunt. The album was certified 4x platinum in the U.S., thanks to their hit single One Week. The song topped the Hot 100 chart (for one week) and it reached #5 in the UK. Another single from the album, It’s All Been Done, topped the Canadian singles chart and it reached #6 on the U.S. Adult Alternative chart.
- After their 2000 album Maroon was released, the band took some time off. Three more albums were released between 2003 and 2007. In 2007, they wrote and recorded the theme song to the hit television series The Big Bang Theory. In 2009, Page left the group by mutual agreement, and he began a solo career. Barenaked Ladies recorded and performed as a quartet ever since, releasing five studio albums between 2010 and 2021.
- In 2018, the band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and Page returned for a one-time performance at the ceremony. The band has its own Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Flavor – it’s called “If I Had 1,000,000 Flavours.” Here’s the band’s video to their hit single One Week – a 90s indie classic!