In a place like this...

The Payolas, also better known by the diminutive Payola $, is a Canadian band formed in 1978 in Vancouver and originally composed of Paul Hyde, Bob Rock, Ian Tiles and Marty Higgs.

The name 'Payolas' would be a reference to the various scandals which took place in the United States at the end of the 50s concerning record companies which paid radio stations so that they broadcast in priority the titles which they put to them. Payola being the contraction of 2 terms : ‘Pay’ and Victrola ’(one of the first readers of 33 Tours).

The group released their first single "China boys" in 1979, a single that will go somewhat unnoticed.

They will have to wait for 1981 and the release of their first album "In a place like this" to finally get people talking about them. Reviews are excellent but sales will unfortunately not follow behind.

New album "No stranger to danger" a year later in 1982, album from which the single "Eyes of a stranger" was to be extracted, a single which brought the group its first notorious success. Unfortunately, this success did not last long because the album "Hammer on a drum" which was released the following year in 1983 did not really meet the same fate as its predecessor.

A failure partly due to the fact that the group is confronted with a problem of size because the American radios boycott them because of their name which brings back too many bad memories to the Americans.

In order to stop this boycott which penalizes them at the highest point, the album "Here’s the world for ya" which was released in 1985 will be released with a completely different band name namely Paul Hyde and the Payolas. A change that has an immediate effect since the single "You’re the only love" finally arrives in the United States and offers the group a new major success.

From 1987, the group changed their name once again to Rock and Hyde. New album "Under the volcano" the same year, album from which the top hit "Dirty water" will be extracted mainly.

A great adventure that will end at the end of the decade when several members of the group decide to stand on their own feet.

To discover or rediscover...

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Discography (among others ...) :

70s Decade :

• China boys 1979

80s Decade :

• Jukebox 1981
• Eyes of a stranger 1982
• Soldier 1982
• Never said I love you 1983
• Where is this love 1983
• You’re the only love 1985
• Stuck in the rain 1985
• Here’s the world 1985
• It must be love 1985
• Dirty water 1987
• I will 1987
• Talk to me 1987

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