What's the name of the song used as the theme for The Kids In The Hall?

"Having An Average Weekend". It's on Savvy Show Stoppers, although the album version is a different, longer, and better version than the one used on the show. Don't worry, it's cool. If you want the version used on the show, pick up Television's Greatest Hits Volume 7: Cable Ready.

Do you have tabs for "Having An Average Weekend"?

Yep. Two guitar tabs and one bass tab: guitar, guitar, bass.

If you're looking for tabs, be sure to also check out the Shadowy Men Tabs and Phono-Comb Tabs pages.

Did TVO (TV Ontario) use "Farbs" and "Reid's Situation" during between-show promos?

Yep. Don Pyle told me that they licensed the songs at essentially no cost for TVO's "Kidspace" programming as a way to support public broadcasting. And hey - TVO was nice enough to actually ask first!

Thanks to Joseph Ching for pointing this out, and to Don Pyle for the answer.

Has anyone ever pointed out that "Having An Average Weekend" is very similar to "It's Not Enough" by Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers?

Why, yes (in fact, that's why this question is here). I checked with Don Pyle about this. He's definitely familiar with the song (all three S Men are/were big fans of Johnny Thunders), and hears the similarity too, but it wasn't anything planned. The real inspiration for the song came when Don was trying to learn how to play a song by The Dils called "Poor Woman". According to Don, you'd never hear the similarity between "Poor Woman" and "Having An Average Weekend". He couldn't get that song down, but in playing around trying to figure it out, he came up with the main part of "Having An Average Weekend".

By the way, "It's Not Enough" is on the Heartbreakers album L.A.M.F. (and the remixed version L.A.M.F. Revisited). However, "Poor Woman" doesn't seem to be on any of The Dils' official releases.

Thanks to Andrew Alexander for pointing this out, and to Don Pyle for the answer.

Hear it on YouTube: "It's Not Enough"

Has anyone ever pointed out that "Running Meredith" is very similar to "As The Years Go By" by Mashmakhan?

I checked with Don Pyle about this one too and he denies all knowledge and legal responsibility. But he's definitely familiar with this song too.

Thanks to Matt Collins for pointing this one out, and to Don Pyle for the answer.

Hear it on YouTube: "As The Years Go By" (cued up to the right spot)

Has anyone ever pointed out that "Chain Lightning" by Rush is very similar to "Our Weapons Are Useless"?

Yep. When Shadowy Men announced an upcoming show at Pearson Airport, I asked Don if Shadowy Men would work in a bit of Rush's instrumental "YYZ" (named after Pearson's airport code) and Don replied with an example of Rush playing a Shadowy Men song! Listen to "Chain Lightning" from Presto. The first part of the riff that shows up in the first 30 seconds sounds just like "Our Weapons Are Useless". Right after that is a bit that kinda-sorta reminds me of "Zombie Compromise" (although that one's kind of stretching it).

Thanks to Don Pyle for the info.

Hear it on YouTube: "Chain Lightning" (cued up to the right spot)

Has anyone ever pointed out that "I Want You" by The Connection is very similar to "Having An Average Weekend"?

Yep. It's especially noticable in the intro guitar and bass parts. Kinda can't miss it.

Thanks to Ted James for the info.

Hear it on YouTube: "I Want You"

I've seen a song by Shadowy Men called "13" listed on some websites, but I don't see it on any album or single. Does it exist?

Yes, but "13" is the wrong title - the real title is "Mecca", and it's track #13 on Sport Fishin'. "Mecca" isn't listed on the back cover, and at the beginning of the song, you hear what sounds like the recording of an elevator hitting the 13th floor complete with a voice saying "13", hence the confusion. "Mecca" also shows up on the Dog & Squeegie single, and it's credited there.

Is the Kids In The Hall link music representative of the Shadowy Men's sound?

Absolutely. If you like "Having An Average Weekend" and the song fragments between sketches, you'll like the albums.

On the Soundtracks page, there's a detailed listing of Shadowy Men music used in the show.

How do the other bands on this page compare to the Shadowy Men, sound-wise?

Phono-Comb, Heatseekers and Atomic 7 will remind you of Shadowy Men. It's not the same sound, but it's in the same vein. You'll like 'em. Have I ever lied to you?

Crash Kills Five is pretty much a straight punk rock band with no "Shadowy" feel.

Greek Buck is … well, tough to describe. They do a little of everything: A little pop, a little dance music, a little experimentation. I doubt you'd ever guess one of the Shadowy Men was in the band. There's a quote on the Comatonse web page that takes a shot at describing Greek Buck …

"Negativland through rose colored glasses. If 'mice are from Mars,' Greek Buck is from Venus."
          - Terre Thaemlitz

Black Heel Marks live in the intersection between electronic music and punk rock.

Two Greek Buck songs, "Spunk" and "Minimal Peach", have been used on the television show Queer As Folk. Are these songs available?

Yes. The theme song, "Spunk", is available on the Queer As Folk soundtrack album. "Minimal Peach" is available on the most recent Greek Buck CD, Buckquiem.

Which albums and singles are still available?

All three Shadowy Men albums are available at most online CD retailers, and reissues are coming from Yep Roc records. None of the singles are available as far as I know. I got my singles from the band via mail-order. I've never seen 'em in any stores, but I have seen 'em on eBay. The Shadowy Men tribute CD, Better Than The Average Weekend, is available directly from Deep Eddy Records as well as the Shadowy Web's Shopping page.

I believe both of Phono-Comb's CDs are in print. You should be able to order them online or from stores that will order indies. Don't know about the singles.

Greek Buck's LP and CD are available from Comatonse Records. The Barely Pink tape and single (as well as the Greek Buck album and CD) are available from Art Metropole.

Original copies of the Crash Kills Five single are long out-of-print. However, it's been reissued by Ugly Pop and is currently available on Ugly Pop's web site. It's limited, so don't wait!

The Heatseekers single is incredibly tough to find. I don't know if it's officially in print, but I would suspect not.

The Atomic 7 albums (and the single) are available from their website Atomic 7 Brand Ladies Shoes.

Which albums and singles are worth getting?

I'm a fanatic, so I want 'em all. However, keeping in mind that not everybody is quite as obsessed, I've put together a Buyer's Guide page to help you out. Hopefully that'll help.

I'm having trouble finding Shadowy Men (and Shadowy-related) CDs and such. Can you help?

Sure. If you want the Shadowy Men related CDs and albums that are still in print and can't find 'em where you are, hit the web. Amazon still has the in-print CDs in stock.

If you want out-of-print Shadowy Men stuff (singles and the like), they crop up fairly regularly on eBay.

Are there any official web sites for any of the Shadowy Men?

Yep, there sure are.

Shadowy Men have official pages on Facebook and Bandcamp, and a channel on YouTube.

Atomic 7's website is Atomic 7 Brand Ladies Shoes.

Another handy site is Comatonse Records site for Greek Buck. You can order Messin' With Greek Buck and Bucquiem from that site.

So what are the S Men doing now?

They're doing shows! Don and Brian have drafted in Dallas Good on bass. See the Shadowy News or the 2012 … and beyond pages for the latest.

Does Owen (your Shadowy Webmaster) have any connection to the band?

No official connection. However, I've been running this unofficial site for quite a while and been in touch with Don frequently over the years. Also emailed a bit with Brian, but calling that a "connection" would be stretching it. If you want to know more about me, there's the "Your Shadowy Webmaster" page.