Fusing guitar-based hard rock, catchy melodies, powerhouse vocals and the poetry of passion and pain, Baby Oil are a distinctive voice on the Toronto music scene.

9 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Jam-band, POP: Power Pop



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BABYOIL - Biography

What do you get when you cross two veterans of the TO punk scene with a Russian guitar prodigy, a former Extreme Fighter and Greektown's answer to Jaco Pastorius?

BabyOil!

Fusing guitar-based hard rock, catchy melodies, powerhouse vocals and the poetry of passion and pain, BabyOil are a distinctive voice on the Toronto music scene. With influences ranging from Ian Hunter to Social Distortion to Roxy Music, the band's solid original compositions are brought to life by richly textured arrangements, stellar musicianship and a tight, cohesive sound.

BabyOil's second recording, The Invisible House, features nine original tunes destined to have stereos blaring and dance floors full. The release is available through their web site, www.babyoilmusic.com.

BabyOil's chief songwriter Barrie "The Bear" Farrell plunged into the music scene in 1977, as guitarist and songwriter in Toyz and The Existers, both fronted by legendary punk rock wildman, the late Stephen "Baby Oil" Hall. The Existers performed alongside punk icons Teenage Head, Johnny Thunders and The Troggs, and received airplay on Q107 and CFNY. Farrell's next project, Australia, was a blistering power trio who played regularly to packed houses at Larry's Hideaway and the Cabanna Room. Farrell is also remembered as host of the popular radio show "The Bear's Den" on CIUT FM. In addition to writing music and lyrics, he holds down the rhythm guitar chair in BabyOil.

Drummer George Burns Harrison graduated from his beginnings in a drum and bugle core into a fully-fledged rock and roller who was the backbone of Australia, Spike and The Wake. Counting Buddy Rich, John Bonham and Blondie's Clem Burke among his chief inspirations, Harrison strives to combine speed and dexterity with cool grooves, tasteful fills and thundering power.

Lead guitarist Alexei Akimov took up piano at age seven in his native Russia. Moving to Canada in 1997, he switched to guitar and connected with Hendrix-inspired Tony "Wild T" Springer. Influenced by everyone from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Kenny Burrell, Akimov combines the hard driving power of blues-rock with the subtle phrasing of jazz, resulting in a sound that is uniquely his. At age 23, Akimov is already a musical force to be reckoned with!

George Crecoukias started his musical life when he enrolled in music school for piano and theory in Athens, Greece. He switched to guitar a few years later after listening to a lot of Metallica, Maiden and Offspring. After meeting Akimov in college and Harrison on Toronto's jam circuit he was invited to join BabyOil as a bassist. George loves blues and progressive rock but brings bass lines from every genre to the band.

The band's secret weapon is vocalist Daniel Robert Felushko. A former Extreme Fighter and jazz drummer, in BabyOil Felushko moves into the spotlight, engaging audiences with his expressive, resonant voice and an inviting stage presence that belies his body-builder frame.