Pursuit of Happiness, The – Nostalgia Central

Canadian band The Pursuit of Happiness was formed in 1985 by frontman Moe Berg and drummer Dave Gilby, who were soon joined by bassist Johnny Sinclair and Winnipeg sisters Tam and Tasha Amabile on backing vocals.

Their debut single, I’m an Adult Now, quickly became a smash hit across Canada in 1986, thanks to a low-budget video that aired on the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic. The band followed it with another independent single, Killed by Love, in 1988.

The Amabile sisters left to concentrate on their own band, and were replaced by Kris Abbott (guitar and backing vocals) and Leslie Stanwyck (backing vocals) in early 1988.

Signing to Chrysalis Records, the group released their debut album, Love Junk (produced by Todd Rundgren), with a re-recorded version of I’m an Adult Now as a single, which peaked at #6 on Billboard’s alternative songs chart in January 1989.

It was followed by She’s So Young, which became their biggest hit single in Canada (and a minor hit in the UK) and Hard To Laugh.

The follow-up album, One Sided Story (1990), was also produced by Rundgren and featured the hit singles New Language and Two Girls in One.

Stanwyck and Sinclair left the band in 1990, with Brad Barker (bass) and Susan Murumets (backing vocals) joining the lineup. Murumets left in 1992 and was replaced by Rachel Oldfield.

The band followed Chrysalis president Mike Bone to Mercury Records in 1992 and released The Downward Road in 1993.

Despite some success with the single Cigarette Dangles, more label troubles ensued, and the band recorded their subsequent two albums for the now-defunct Canadian label Iron Music.

Oldfield left the band in 1995 and was replaced by Jennifer Foster, who left the following year and was replaced in turn by Renee Suchy.

Although the group never officially disbanded, they did not record again as a unit until 2005, when they provided two new tracks for a greatest hits compilation. They were inducted into the Canadian Indie Hall of Fame in March 2006 and continue to play selected festivals, events, and other dates.

Moe Berg
Vocals, guitar
Dave Gilby
Drums
Tamara Amabile
Vocals
Natasha Amabile
Vocals
Johnny Sinclair
Bass
Kris Abbott
Guitar, vocals
Leslie Stanwyck
Vocals
Brad Barker
Bass
Susan Murumets
Vocals
Rachel Oldfield
Vocals
Jennifer Foster
Vocals
Renee Suchy
Vocals