Iron Works Presents: Ron Hawkins and The Do Good Assassins
Friday 28th Mar, 2014
As one of the members of Canada's legendary indie bands, LOWEST OF THE LOW, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist RON HAWKINS has enjoyed many accolades through the years. In 1996, 2000 and again in 2005, Chart Magazine honoured the group's 1991 debut album, Shakespeare My Butt, with spots in the top 10 of the Top 100 Canadian Albums of All Time, alongside Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and The Tragically Hip. After a second Low album in 1994, the band parted ways. Hawkins released a solo album and EP in the subsequent two years. Forming a fast-paced big band complete with a horn section, Hawkins created three more albums with his new group THE RUSTY NAILS between 1997-2001, one of which, Crackstatic, garnered them the Indie Album of the Year for 2000. In that same year Hawkins was voted Songwriter of the year by Now magazines readers poll and the LOWEST OF THE LOW reunited for a series of shows. A live album, a new studio album, and the awarding of the Edge 102.1s Lifetime Achievement Award followed.After the release of the Lows third studio album Sordid Fiction, tours of Canada and England, and the declaration of an indefinite hiatus, Hawkins started tinkering with some new songs in the Low rehearsal space, playing all the parts and laying down tracks that would eventually become his 3rd solo record, Chemical Sounds, which was released on January 19th, 2008. A tour of Australia followed along with performances in Canada and the U.S.In 2008 The Lowest of the Low was inducted into the Canadian Indie Rock Hall of Fame and awarded gold records for their first release, Shakespeare My Butt.In 2009 Hawkins released the country disc 10 Kinds Of Lonely, which he recorded and produced in his basement studio, 55 Below.Hawkins spent 2010 on tour in Canada the U.S., Australia and China.With the 20th anniversary of Shakespeare My Butt Hawkins and his old band mates in Lowest of the Low took to the road once again and completed a sold out spring 2011 tour culminating in a career highlight performance at Massey HallRons next solo disc Straitjacket Love (summer 2011) became his 12th release and continued where10 Kinds of Lonely left off a lyric based alt country outing that explored the pitfalls and the small victories of navigating life and its relationships.Summer 2011 also see the debut of his new live band Ron Hawkins and the Do Good Assassins. (Jesse Capon drums, Alex McMaster cello/keys, Derrick Brady bass, Steve Singh guitar).In April of 2012 the Do Good Assassins went into Revolution Recording in Toronto to begin their debut double disc Rome. The summer was spent doing overdubs and mixing at Hutch with fellow songwriter/guitarist/producer Steve Singh. The disc was released in November of 2012 with shows in Canada and the U.S. and was received as a strong new addition to his formidable catalogue.-about Rome:... a brave, soulful and sprawling release...... Beautiful brutality - Jeff Miers, The Buffalo NewsHawkins songwriting is as stark and beautiful as ever. Wildys WorldHawkins has been splitting his time between songwriting, performing, and making a living as a painter. He sells his work all over the world from an artist collective web site that he helped found, called VictimlessCapitalism.com.