Comeback Kid, The Whispers, et Speedway

Named after a headline in a newspaper referring to hockey player Mario Lemieux who made a startling return to the NHL, Comeback Kid was formed in 2002 by friends Andrew Neufeld and Jeremy Hiebert. The two were in a band named Figure Four and intended CBK only to be a side-project, however with the addition of friends Scott Wade and Kyle Profeta the band released their debut album “Turn It Around” on Facedown Records in 2003.

In 2004 Comeback Kid signed with Victory Records who subsequently released all of the future CBK’s material. After touring across the U.S. and Europe Comeback Kid returned with their Sophomore album titled “Wake the Dead” in 2005. The album cemented the band’s proclivity for lightning quick guitar rhythms and violently fervent lyrics, and was produced by Bill Stevenson of Black Flag and Descendents fame. After extensive touring with the album, vocalist Scott Wade departed in 2006 and whose vocal responsibilities fell to Neufeld.

“Broadcasting…” released in 2007 was the band’s follow-up album and puts new singer Neufeld in control and adds a ferocity to the lyrics that wasn’t there before, he’s commanding and compelling, and compliments the battering-ram of percussion and guitar. The band subsequently toured across much of the world including South East Asia and Latin America.

A documentary about the band entitled “Through The Noise’ was released in 2007, documenting the the first six years of the band’s history. After a lengthy period of touring, writing and recording Comeback Kid released “Symptoms and Cures” their fourth studio album in 2010, and their fifth “Die Knowing” in 2014.

The Whispers came together in 1964, in California, and they were made up of twin brothers Wallace and Walter Scott. Wallace Scott was the voice of the band and was the lead singer on the vast majority of their hits. The Whispers were officially hit makers with the height of their fame being the 1970s and 1980s. Their first breakthrough into Top 40 was the song “Rock Steady”, which made it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it to number 7.

They are a band that originally started their career on a major label, but decided to downsize to a smaller label based in Los Angeles called Soul Clock. They were lead by Ron Carson, who became responsible for their huge hit, “Seem Like I Got To Do Wrong” in 1970. Moving again to a larger label called Janus, they decided to stick to working with Carson; however, during the height of their career the band was signed to SOLAR Records who were led by Dick Griffey. Much later in their career they started their own label called Satin Tie Productions, and released an album called “For Your Ears Only”.

They have been responsible for some very memorable performances indeed such as their performance of the National Anthem at the 1989 World Series.

It was in 2014, that The Whispers were inducted into The R&B Music Hall of Fame. The “And the Beat Goes On” singers still perform to this day.