THE DOORS OF PERCEPTION

Judged more by what the industry perceived them to be rather than what they actually sounded like, Harem Scarem never achieved the degree of success that their music should have brought them. But they’re still knocking on the door.

- Words: Dave Ling

Outside of the very top strata of melodic hard rock acts there are few more popular and enduring names than Harem Scarem. Formed in Toronto, Canada by singer and guitarist Harry Hess and lead guitarist Pete Lesperance way back in 1987, they have since sold more than a million records worldwide. For reasons for that we'll get into, the band didn’t become as big or famous as the elite stadium-conquering American bands that preceded them — Foreigner, Journey, Toto, Boston, Survivor, Styx — but over the course of almost 40 years and 16 studio albums they have carved a career founded upon a different type of success.

In late April this year, Harem Scarem played a packed-out show at The Underworld in London. From start to finish and in sweltering conditions (the air-conditioning was broken) lyrics of songs including Hard To Love, Slowly Slipping Away, If There Was A Time and Sentimental Blvd were sung back at them at top volume by 500 word-perfect disciples who had travelled from far and wide to be there. It was an extremely moving spectacle.

Listen to a record like Mood Swings, Harem Scarem’s second album, from 1993, and it’s difficult to rationalise that this band didn’t become huge. Then again, all of their achievements were accomplished the hard way. Early momentum had brought the band a major-label contract with the Canadian arm of Warner Brothers which lasted 11 years, but in certain regards it proved more of a curse than a blessing.