April Wine guitarist Brian Greenway recently shared his perspective on the band’s legacy and place in Canadian rock history. He addressed questions about their underrated status in an interview with Guitar World.
The discussion centered around April Wine’s career trajectory and their potential for greater success, particularly in the American market.
When asked about how he views April Wine’s legacy through the lens of underrated Canadian rock bands, Greenway offered his candid assessment.
“I think we could have been bigger in the US – but who knows? There was a lot of competition,” Greenway said. “We could have toured more in the States, but we did very well during the time of those three albums, First Glance, Harder… Faster, and The Nature of the Beast.”
The guitarist also reflected on the broader evolution of rock music and guitar recording techniques over the years.
“Rock bands like us have survived all these years, and guitarists never went away,” he continued. “I think the invention of modeling made the guitar a lot more friendly in recording studios. Maybe that’s part of the reason why it came back, rather than how we used to have to turn things off to record. A lot of that became noise pollution. Modeling saved the guitar from being a victim of noise pollution.”
Greenway’s reflections come at a time when April Wine’s substantial contributions to Canadian rock are being reassessed by music historians and fans alike.
Wikipedia reported that the band formed in 1969 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They went on to sell over 10 million albums worldwide. Their breakthrough came with hits like “Bad Side of the Moon” and “You Could Have Been a Lady” from their 1972 album On Record. This established them as a major force in Canadian rock.
The band’s commitment to original material set them apart from many contemporaries. SOCAN Magazine noted that April Wine, led by the late Myles Goodwyn until his death in 2023, made an early decision to focus exclusively on original compositions. They avoided covers that many bands relied on during their formative years.
April Wine’s commercial success peaked with albums like Stand Back (1975), which achieved double-platinum status in Canada. The band’s official website stated that many consider Stand Back to be one of their greatest accomplishments. It provided hits like “Tonight Is A Wonderful Time To Fall In Love.”
The band’s legacy has been formally recognized through multiple hall of fame inductions. The Canadian Music Hall of Fame documented that April Wine was inducted in 2010, with their 1981 album The Nature of the Beast achieving platinum status in the United States. They also received the JUNO Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. This cemented their place in Canadian music history after four decades of performing.
