Canada

 

Answering the age (atomic age) old question: "What ten records would you want to have if you were stranded on a desert island (if you had solar or electricity I assume)?"  Ten.  Hell, I'd want a crate full at least, but I know that either way, somethin' by The Nils would be included.

Alex Soria was a musician from the south-shore Montreal suburb of St-Hubert. Born in 1965, Alex was a mere 12 years old when along with his older brother Carlos, they formed the power pop/punk rock group The Nils.

 

 

 

The brothers experienced a trying childhood which fueled both Alex's personal demons as well as his lyric & songwriting abilities. Even at that early age he knew what he wanted to do…make music, as a salvation & as a means to build confidence & find purpose in life. Carlos played in several punk bands during the late 1970s prior to forming The Nils. He would bring home punk records by bands such as The Clash, Sex Pistols & Stiff Little Fingers. Alex was enamored by this then very new sound. Carlos bought Alex an $80 guitar & taught him 3 chords. Alex quickly excelled & in 1978 The Nils had formed & began playing live.

The Nils issued the five-song Now cassette in 1982.

The Nils – Now cassette, self-released, 1982.

Side A –

In an Instant

The Back Flow

Side B –

Scratches & Needles

The Gathering

Give Me Time

The Nils then recorded the song "Call of the Wild" for the Primitive Air Raid compilation on Psyche Industry Records. The label also agreed to release the band's first EP, Sell Out Young, that they recorded in 1985 using a $3,500 loan they got from Men Without Hats singer & founder Ivan Doroschuk. Doroschuk produced the record. 

 

Nils – Sell Out Young 12" EP 45rpm, Psyche Industry Records PIR 06, 1985.

Side A –

In Betweens

Freedom

Side B –

Daylight

Foundations

But without a proper manager to promote the band's obvious talent & in a city with an anemic indie infrastructure, the Nils found themselves going nowhere fast.  The only thing they could do was live gigs. The band began to tour extensively & still managed to deliver a seminal power pop/punk rock EP entitled Paisley in 1986.

 

The Nils – Paisley 12" EP 45rpm, Siegfried UR1226, 1986.

Side A –

I Am the Wolf
Tuesday High

Side B –

Up Turns to Down
Glory Daze

The band's releases & critical acclaim began to draw the attention of a few major labels. By the following year, The Nils accepted an offer from Rock Hotel, a subsidiary of Profile Records, to record the seminal self-titled LP produced by Chris Spedding. This album included updated versions of the songs "Daylight" & "In Betweens" from Sell Out Young, as well as eight other original songs. 

 

 

The Nils - The Nils, Profile Records – PRO 1245, 1987.

all decryption codes in comments

Side A –

River of Sadness

Truce

If Heaven Lies

When the Love Puts on a Sad Face

Wicked Politician

Side B

Bandito Callin'

In Betweens

But for Now

Young Man in Transit

Daylight

 

 

 

 

After the LP was released, the band set off on a second North American tour that was abruptly cancelled due to Rock Hotel's bankruptcy. Bound by their five year contract with the now defunct label & unable to release anything under The Nils name until the contract's expiration, the band broke up. Carlos joined MIA in Los Angeles as their guitarist. Without his band or older brother by his side Alex began to lose hope of seeing his dream of a music career come true.

Struggling to find solace, he began a lengthy battle with heroin addiction. Alex struck up a relationship with an older woman named Karen, who was once the girlfriend of Dave Rosenberg of The Chromosomes. Karen & Rosenberg were both junkies: it would only be a matter of time before Alex joined that dubious crowd.

Upon Carlos' return, he also picked up a heroin habit, purportedly to be closer to Alex. The sense of guilt Alex felt for this appeared to be great. He spirals even further out of control.

In 1994 The Nils released Green Fields in Daylight, a compilation of early recordings. The release included "Call of the Wild", the Nils demo tape Now, "Scratches & Needles", & the Sell Out Young & Paisley EPs. For this reason I am posting it but only mentioned the earlier material, as it is all here.

Track sources: track 1 - Primitive Air-Raid compilation; track 2 - recorded at the same session as 1; track 3 - Something to Believe In compilation; tracks 4 to 7 - Sell Out Young! EP; tracks 8 to 11 - Paisley EP; tracks 12 to 16 from Live in Chicago; tracks 17 to 23 from CBC's Brave New Waves session; tracks 24 to 28 – Now demo tape. Tracks 2, 15, 17, 21, & 23 previously unreleased.

 

 

The Nils - Green Fields in Daylight, Mag Wheel Records MAG012, 1994.

Tracklist –

Call of the Wild

Slip Away

Scratches and Needles

In Betweens

Fountains

Daylight

Freedom

I Am the Wolf

Tuesday High

Up Turns to Down

Glory Daze

Freedom Come, Freedom Go

Truce

Bandito Callin'

Sweet Dreams

Wicked Politician

Mary-Anne with the Shaky Hands

Young Man in Transit

River of Sadness

If Heaven Lies

Red Balloon

When the Love Puts on a Sad Face

Pop Goes the World

In an Instant

The Back Flow

Scratches and Needles

The Gathering

Give Me Time

Radio Interview

By late 1996, Alex broke up with Karen. He then kicked the heroin habit & formed Chino, without his brother. The band spends $2,500 to record the Mala Leche EP. Carlos then kicks his habit. As awkward as it was for both of them, Carlos becomes a roadie for Alex & Chino.

By 1998, Alex is still staying straight & has Chino going good. He is happy & energetic once more. But things don't always go as planned. Chino can't get off the ground. The band goes nowhere, thanks to the same old story…no touring & poor distribution. More frustration  & heartbreak for Alex.

Fast-forward to 2004. Life is difficult for Alex: he has just come out of detox, but is feeling pressure that his family knows about his drug addiction. On December 13th, Alex & his girlfriend Debbie get into a terrible fight. One of his neighbors calls 911. Alex splits to cool off his head. He reportedly enters a nearby restaurant & goes into the restroom, "doing what, I'm not sure," according to friend & one-time roadie, Bill Moser.

When he returns to the apartment, he sees police at his door. He freaks out. Alex heads towards the train tracks. It's not known if he was high at the time, but it's clear that Alex Soria was not of sound mind when he went to the tracks. Apparently, he gives the conductor of an oncoming train a salute. He then throws himself into the path of the train. Alex Soria was only 39 years old.

& what of the legacy of the late Alex Soria? 

First, three months after his death, on March, 11, 2005 at Montreal's Main Hall, friends of Alex's held a tribute concert for him after his tragic & untimely death. In addition to Carlos Soria's inevitable involvement with the tribute show, several of the Nils peers, past & present offered significant contributions that evening, the highlight being a reshuffled lineup of The Nils fronted by John Kastner of Doughboys/Asexuals renown doing song like "Daylight", "River of Sadness" & "Call of the Wild". Two of Alex's lesser known post-Nils outfits, Chino & Los Patos also shared the bill.  Carlos sings "I Am the Wolf", a vintage nugget from the Nils' Paisley EP. 

 

 

Various - Alex Soria Tribute Concert March 11, 2005.

Tracklist –

Intro by Dan Webster
When the Love Puts on a Sad Face – Chris Page
Daylight – Jim Bryson

Losin' Ground
Belly Full of Heartache
When You're Not Around – Los Patos

Don't Be Denied (Neil Young)
Pink Turns to Blue (Husker Du)
Half a Song – Ian Blurton

Where Were You (Mekons)
What Do You Want?

White Girl (X)
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (Neil Young)
Mustard Sally
Uno Mas - Chino

I am the Wolf – Carlos Soria

Young Man in Transit
Daylight
Call of the Wild
River of Sadness
Don't Cry no Tears
Bandito Callin' – John Kastner & the Nils

 

 

In 2006 in honor of his younger brother, Carlos Soria released Next Of Kin. These are acoustic four-track recordings featuring Alex & Carlos. The album showcased Alex's naturally introspective nature, giving the world a glimpse into the heart & mind of an artist who was so notoriously shy & private.

 

 

Alex Soria – Next of Kin, M.P.G. Records MPG001, 2006.

Tracklist -

Mud
Sanchez

Standin’ on the Corner
Tell Me Something
Lonesome Rendez-Vous
Love To Hate
They Found Out
Easy
Cartridge

Another Day
Losin' Ground
Mud (Live)
Tell Me Something (Live)
Sanchez (Live)
Next Of Kin

Today, Alex Soria's legend lives on through his recordings that helped shape a sound so distinct.

Enjoy,

NØ

 

UPDATE:

 

While I was re-uploading the files here, I realized that I should add to the greatness of The Nils by including a few item I had not posted at the time or that came out after the original post.

 

I mentioned Alex's post-Nils band, Chino. Here is there only release, & a great one it is from start to finish.

 

 

Chino - Mala Leche, Mag Wheels Records MAG029, 1999.

Uno Mas
When You’re Not Around
Worlds Apart
Mustard Sally
Misbehavin’
Nine Yards

Next up is some unreleased material...

This is a compilation album of unreleased songs by The Nils. The title is Barcelona Slippers, the real name of track 13. As a note, some of the songs on here are not actually the Nils, but are demos from Alex's side-project Los Pados or the Chino song “When You’re Not Around”. You can easily figure out which are which here.

The Nils - The Title is the Secret Song, Real Big North Record 65436702186, 2009.

Double Chin
Buzz
Turning Channels
Changes (Donovan cover)
Liberty Lady
Rifles
What You’re Doing (Beatles cover)
Boracho
Wadda
When You're Not Around
Belly Full of Heartache
You!
???

Finally, something I mentioned when attributing source to songs on Green Feilds write-up...

 

The Nils - Brave New Wave Session, Artofact Records AOF317, 2017.

Side 1 -
Freedom
Mary Ane with the Shaky Hand (The Who cover)
Young Man in Transit
River of Sadness
If Heaven Lies

Side 2 -
Red Balloon (Small Faces cover)
When Love Puts on a Sad Face
Bandits Callin’
Pop Goes the World (Men Without Hats cover)

Here The Nils are: Alex Soria, Carlos Soria, & Jean Gravel (Lortie)

Enjoy,

NØ