Doug and the Slugs bring '80s party pop to the PNE with the VSO, August 30
The band’s career spans over 40 decades, six studio albums, and several top 40 hits
Doug and the Slugs in a 1980 photoshoot for their album Cognac and Bologna.
Doug and the Slugs performing live.
Doug and the Slugs with the VSO perform on the Chevrolet Stage at the PNE Amphitheatre on August 30 at 8:30 pm
POPULAR VANCOUVER ’80s pop-rock band Doug and the Slugs are “Making It Work” in an epic outdoor show this week, as part of the PNE’s Summer Night Concerts series.
The group is best known for their top 40 Canadiana hits including “Day by Day”, “Too Bad”, and “Tomcat Prowl”. They’ll be performing alongside the musicians of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for the upcoming concert, complementing their trademark upbeat, summery vibe with an instrumentally diverse backing.
Doug and the Slugs’ most popular tracks have an ’80s surf-rock sound—party pop with a hint of cheese—but their complete discography transcends genres, spanning reggae, boogie, R&B, and beyond.
While members have come and gone from the group over the decades since it was first formed in 1977, today their lineup consists of singer Ted Okos, guitarists Richard Baker and John Burton, bassist Steve Bosley, keyboardist Simon Kendall, and drummer Wally Watson.
Doug Bennett, the group’s original lovable frontman, passed away in 2004 at age 52 due to a long-standing illness. The band’s other founding members were Burton, bassist Dennis Henderson, keyboardist Drew Neville, and drummer Lawrence McGillveray.
In 1981, the group was nominated for three Juno Awards for their debut studio album Cognac and Bologna: Best Album Graphics, Composer of the Year, and Single of the Year for their song “Too Bad”. They were nominated for a fourth, Most Promising Group of the Year, in 1983.
Cognac and Bologna album cover. Photo by Hans Sipma
A feature documentary that shares the band’s decades-long story, titled Doug and the Slugs and Me, premiered at last year’s DOXA Documentary Film Festival. Told from filmmaker Teresa Alfeld’s point of view (who was in fact Bennett’s nextdoor neighbour when she was a kid), the flick chronicles the group’s quest for success, detailing their triumphs, drama, and personal battles.
To date, they have released six studio albums: Cognac and Bologna (1980), Wrap It! (1981), Music for the Hard of Thinking (1982), Popaganda (1984), Tomcat Prowl (1988), and Tales from Terminal City (1992).
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