The Distractions have their roots in the Halifax band Bark. In the Fall of 1996, principal songwriter for the group, Jeff Gay began writing material which he believed to be unsuitable for the band. Under the pseudonym Sergeant Sundae he released a double album box set. Wanting to further pusrsue his new material in a live forum he decided to form a backing band. For this he recruited close friends and ex-Mothership alumni; Curtis MacPhee on rhythm guitar and Sean Cameron on electric bass guitar. They recruited drummer Fabian Bennet to round out the line-up who was also bassist in another MacPhee band; The Missile Kids. Sergeant Sundae and the Distractions were formed.
This incarnation of the band lasted no more than a month. Bennet dropped out of the Missile Kids during the recording of their debut album which Gay was producing. His reasoning was that he was involved in too many bands, however he offered to remain as drummer for the Distractions. Seeing a clear conflict of interest, Bennet was removed from them as well and the group became a trio.
With no drummer, Gay chose to sit behind the kit and MacPhee became lead and only guitar. The band remained very low key during this period playing few select gigs. They also tried persistently but without avail to have local drummer Mark Malloy join the group. Also during this period Bark was dissolved and the Distractions became Gay's primary focus.
Finally, seeing no other alternative, the group extended the invitation to the old Bark drummer, Kris Moulton, to sit behind the kit. The reason Gay had been hesitant to do this before was for fear of too many comparisons to his old group. However the addition of Moulton did little to change the Distraction's trio attitude. Moulton was seen as an addition out of necessity more than anything. They frequently practiced without him and he was left out of many band activities and decisions.
By the end of the Summer of '96 however, Moulton was firmly entrenched in the line-up. Not directly corresponding with this event, Gay dropped the pseudonym and the group became known as Jeff Gay and the Distractions. The band chose to remain low key and gigs were few and far between. Tensions began increasing as MacPhee,Cameron and Moulton were becoming increasingly disillusioned with the direction and considered leaving. Things became worse when Gay began recording his next solo album, Live At The Palindrome. They didn't practice for months and right after it's release, he added Pat Williams on bassoon to the group without consulting the other Distractions. By this point MacPhee, Cameron and Moulton saw it as just a matter of time before the group's unavoidable disbandment. Gay and Cameron would both be leaving for university in a matter of months and it seemed ridiculous for the group to continue. But things were about to change drastically.
Jeff Gay and the Distractions began recording their full length debut album, As Of Now in March of 1997. Cameron and Moulton's interest in the group was rejuvenated and MacPhee's was temporarily. By the time Summer hit, the band was far behind schedule in recording. They were only about half finished and the album was supposed to have been completed by this point. MacPhee began missing practices and recording sessions. Tensions increased as a large divide was formed between MacPhee and the rest of the group.
As Of Now was finally released in mid-August. A week later the band was put on hiatus as the members left to attend their respective universities. They returned to Halifax Christmas break with a fresh outlook and a long coming decision was made. MacPhee parted ways with the band to pursue other interests. In his place were added Hatem Zayed on rhythm guitar and David Sutton on keyboards. The group spent the break practicng and adjusting to the line-up and dynamic.
The new line-up made its debut Spring Break playing a few gigs. The shows seemed to go relatively well and the band was very optimistic about the upcoming summer. However, things would not go nearly as well as the lads had hoped.
When Gay and Cameron returned, the expectations were very high. And in the beginning, things seemed to be going very well. By the end of May, they had already played the opening of the Pavillion and on ASN's Breakfast Television. But things were quickly souring for the quartet. (Sutton was off in the Yukon, so the group was operating without him.) The lads had at the very least, hoped to build a stable fan base in Halifax. But they seemed to be making no headway whatsoever. Bar managers seemed to be really into the group's material but the crowds weren't materializing. They were told groups couldn't build up fan bases in the summer, because all the university students had gone home and the crowds just weren't there.
The group's troubles were just beginning with the lack of interest though. Once again tensions were flaring up within the Distractions, mainly directed at Moulton. His drumming skill had detoriated vastly in recent months, as he refused to practice on his own. The Let-Down was frequently dropping his sticks and playing the wrong beats. The group was becoming despondent to say the least. Also they couldn't get As Of Now reviewed in the local papers due to problems with obtaining CD's.
By the end of the summer, the group had made the decision to break up. Quite simply, they were going nowhere fast. Burdened with a drummer who refused to practice, the lack of a substantial fan base, plus the difficulty of being separated eight months of the year, it seemed the only option.
Fans need not despair though. This doesn't mean the end exactly. The Distractions will carry on in a new form, just different from the one you remember. They'll always being starting a COMMOTION of some sort. Got me?
As Of Now, Jeff Gay and the Distractions.