Treble Charger

Begun as nc-17, this Canadian alternative pop/rock group changed its name after an American band with the same moniker threatened to sue. Greig Nori (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Bill Priddle (guitar, vocals), and Rosie Martin (bass, keyboards) met in high school in Sault St. Marie, Ontario.

After partnering with indie label Sonic Unyon and re-releasing nc-17, the album became Canada’s best-selling indie record and the ballad “Red” received heavy play on college radio and Much Music. The following year, the band released the self-titled EP, which doubled as a CD-ROM zine dedicated to 30 of its favorite Canadian indie bands. The album was later released as Treble Charger in the U.S. and featured American indie bands. Treble Charger made its major-label debut with Maybe It’s Me on BMG’s Canadian imprint, Vik Records, in 1996. The album experimented with a full sound that included horns, keyboards, organs, Spanish guitar, and Mellotron.