Biography
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Born In
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Charles Spearin is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist from Toronto, Ontario, primarily known as a founding member of indie rock bands Do Make Say Think and Broken Social Scene.
In the mid-1990s, he became friends with Kevin Drew. For a short time, they played in a band called Djula, but grew dissatisfied with performing. In 1998, they released their first album under the name KC Accidental. This collaboration grew to include many musicians who went on to form Broken Social Scene.
Also, in the mid-1990s he began playing with Do Make Say Think, a Canadian instrumental band formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 1995.
In 2002, Spearin teamed with members of Broken Social Scene, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Silver Mt. Zion, Do Make Say Think, Shalabi Effect and Strawberry to make the supergroup Valley of the Giants. This project resulted in a self-titled album, released in 2004.
In addition to his collaborative work, Spearin has toured extensively as a part of Feist's band. He played bass for Gord Downie's Secret Path album and subsequent tour.
Spearin's debut solo album, The Happiness Project, was released on February 14, 2009, on the Arts & Crafts label. This album includes contributions from Do Make Say Think alumni Julie Penner, Kevin Drew, Ohad Benchetrit and Broken Social Scene alumni Leon Kingstone and Evan Cranley. The concept for The Happiness Project, making music out of ordinary speech, is influenced by his early life with a blind father and his own Buddhist studies. On April 17, 2010, Spearin won a Juno Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album for The Happiness Project.
On August 28, 2020, Spearin and Swedish violinist Josefin Runsteen released Thank God the Plague is Over. The album, titled just before the COVID-19 pandemic began, is a series of classical improvisations, featuring Runsteen on violin and Spearin on nyckelharpa.
Spearin has achieved seven Juno Awards from his various collaborations, including Alternative Album of the Year 2003 (Broken Social Scene, You Forgot it in People), Alternative Album of the Year 2006 (Broken Social Scene, Broken Social Scene), Recording Package of the Year 2011 (Broken Social Scene, Forgiveness Rock Record), Adult Alternative Album of the Year 2017 (Gord Downie, Secret Path) and Instrumental Album of the Year 2018 (Do Make Say Think, Stubborn Persistent Illusions).
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