Single flashback

Kim Mitchell - All We Are [1984]

When Kim Mitchell and his band Max Webster parted ways in 1981, the guitar slinger knew he wanted to go solo.

He also knew that we needed a few collaborators on his new journey.

Pye Dubois needed to come along. His relationship to MW was so strong that he was considered a member of the group while not performing on stage. Dubois has strong lyrical game and would be key for the next few Mitchell solo records. I mean, come on - the guy co-wrote Tom Sawyer and a number of other Rush tracks.

For a rhythm section he choose Robert Sinclair Wilson (bass) and Paul DeLong (drums). They served on Kim’s debut EP, as well as the next two albums.

The ringer was vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Peter Fredette. Having once fronted his own band - Butler - Fredette was now working as a session man. His talents are a major part of Akimbo Alogo and the follow-up Shakin’ Like A Human Being after providing backing vocals on the EP.

Go For Soda was the big single from Kim’s first LP, peaking at #22 in Canada and doing well in the States, too. But if you listen to rock radio north of the border, I guarantee you’ll hear these next two songs regularly.

All We Are, peaked #79 in 1984

In today’s music world, this might be attributed to Kim Mitchell feat. Peter Fredette, such is the strength of the latter’s presence on this track.

The vocal interchange with Mitchell is unbelievable. While Fredette’s role is usually high harmony, he gets promoted to the first line here and absolutely grabs the opportunity.

Here’s his part for when you’re ready to sing along:

Don’t ask me if I’m still in love
I’m hit by this love song I sing
Cause you made me feel
Such a long way away

I know now that love sometimes stings
I’ve waited for your telephone rings
Cause you made me feel
Such a long way away

Not sure if he’s responsible for that synth bass hook, but whoever it is also deserves kudos.

Did you know? Kim Mitchell ranked #14 on our CanCon Power Rankings.

Lager & Ale, B-side, did not chart

We have a longstanding tradition in Canada of this sort of Party Rawk™, and Mitchell is one of it’s top purveyors. Turn this one up!

Here we return to the fictional Bojar Grill where the server is giving Kim all the feelings. But maybe he’s imbibed too much to efficiently complete the pull?

Over to the jukebox I staggered
For a love song to scatter my body before her
Didn’t have change and I lost my damn brains
So I started humming in-a-godda-da-vida

Shoutout to the whole band here for laying down a solid platform for Mitchell to drop some tasty licks on old ‘Blue’, with Fredette delivering another solid vocal and some rhythm guitar for good measure.

All in all, a great single with an equally good B-side. Mitchell would chart seven more times in the 80s, but his partnership with Dubois ended during the Rockland sessions.

As for Fredette, he and Mitchell continued to work together as the years went on and he sang with a number of other CanCon artists like Strange Advance, One To One, and Alannah Myles.