I Mother Earth is a Canadian band that formed sometime around 1990, when brothers Christian and Jagori Tanna joined forces with Edwin, whom they had met a year before through a mutual friend who owned a recording studio. Chris and Jag had already been playing together for a while, and when they met Edwin, he suggested forming a band. Edwin was an eager vocalist, and consequently Jag and Chris decided it was worth a shot.
After a few jam sessions, the three decided to stick with it and try their luck... problem was, they still needed a bassist! At the time, there was a band called Rocktopus that rehearsed in the same building, and was in the process of splitting up. The three asked the bassist, Bruce Gordon, in he wanted to join the group. Bruce agreed, and I Mother Earth was formed. Unfortunately, the band still didn't have a name. The problem was soon solved when Jagori thought of "I Mother Earth" completely out of the blue during a rehearsal session. At the time they just really needed an identity, and when Jag suggested it, everyone liked it and the name stuck.
In 1992, I Mother Earth hooked up with producer Mike Clink, and they temporarily relocated to L.A. to record their first album Dig. It was released in the summer of 1993, and by this time, the band had already toured across Canada, the U.S. East Coast, and the Southwest for the SXSW Music Festival. After Dig was released, they hit Europe for a three week long tour, touching down in major cities across the continent.
When they returned to North America, they traversed the region five times, and covered 200,000 miles with their tour bus, performing most of their U.S. dates alone. By this time, Dig had earned them a gold record in Canada, and a Juno Award for Best Hard Rock Album.
In January 1995, I Mother Earth wrapped up their Dig tour and started writing material for their next album. When Chris started writing new songs, he realized Edwin's vocals had changed so dramatically from their touring, and he knew their second album was going to be quite different from Dig.
It was around this time that they settled on their next producer, Paul Northfield, and decided that the second album was going to be a co-production between Paul and Jag. Pre-production started in August of 1995 in Toronto, and was relocated to Studio Morin Heights in Quebec, a studio that had already been home to bands like Rush and The Police.
I Mother Earth then finished recording their album in Toronto, also using a home studio and their own recording equipment so that they could work independently and at their own pace. Additional percussion for the album was provided by Luis Conte and Daniel Mansilla.
The album was then remixed by Paul Northfield at Studio Morin Heights again during November and December of 1995, and Scenery and Fish was released April 23, 1996. In May, the band started their second tour of North America, starting with a Canadian tour, then hitting the circuit in the States. The toured for a long time in the U.S., realizing they were getting more popular there, and at the same time they were already well-known by this time in Canada. They even managed a brief tour in Hawaii with Seven Mary Three, and evidently the band had a fabulous time there.
I Mother Earth also released four amazing videos for Scenery and Fish for all the singles, including One More Astronaut which was filmed in outside L.A. in California, Another Sunday, which was shot in a studio in L.A., Used to be Alright, filmed partially in New Orleans for all the outdoor scenes, and in Toronto in front of a bunch of crazy I Mother Earth fans for all the performance shots, and Raspberry, which was filmed in a men's bathroom!
On January 20, 1997, I Mother Earth kicked off another Canadian tour with headlining band Moist, but many fans are also going to their gigs mainly to see I Mother Earth. Also performing with Moist and I Mother Earth was Vancouver band Mudgirl for the western dates, and Glueleg for the eastern dates.
I Mother Earth were nominated for two Juno Awards on March 9, 1997, including the North Star Album of the Year for Scenery and Fish, and Band of the Year for their over-all achievement; however, they turned out empty-handed this time.
I Mother Earth was also featured in this year's touring Edgefest Concert with other reputable bands like Collective Soul, Our Lady Peace, The Tea Party, and many others. The tour was a smash and I Mother Earth and immense hit with fans across Canada.
Shortly before Edgefest, news leaked that lead singer Edwin was leaving the band to pursue a music career separated from the rest of the band due to "musical differences". Fans were devastated everywhere and abismal rumours of a band break-up ensued, but the three remaining members assured the public that they would continue as a band and look for a new lead singer. Edwin is now pursuing a solo-career, but no definite news about the former member has been confirmed.
The band's management has recently announced that - indeed - I Mother Earth have found a new singer! After a long period of sifitng through auditioning tapes, they decided on their new lead singer, yet they are still tight-lipped about his identity.
Currently the band is in the process of writing and recording new material for their third album. Release dates are not yet known, but it is assumed the record will be produced at Jagori's studio, Mothership Sound. Fans are eagerly awaiting their next release!
Source: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/3610/imebio.html
