Acid Test (band)
Canadian alternative band from Toronto, active since 1990.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Acid Test, a Toronto-based Canadian alternative band, came together in 1990. The lineup features Lucy Di Santo on vocals and bass, guitarist Steve Fall, keyboardist Atom Percy, and drummer Tim van de Ven.
The group started by releasing a cassette on their own in 1991, followed by the EP *Trip on This* on Eggplant Records in 1992. That same year, guitarist Steve Fall landed a role in Bruce McDonald’s film *Highway 61*, and the band contributed two tracks—“Mr. Skin” and “Dance”—to its soundtrack. In 1993, Sire Records (part of Warner Music Group) signed Acid Test, and the band put out the album *Drop*, which also featured Geoff Bennett on percussion and Jeff Dalziel on programming. They then toured the United States.
Acid Test opened for acts including Nine Inch Nails, Grace Jones, Snow, 54-40, The Ocean Blue, and The Sugarcubes (for that band’s final live show in Toronto). They performed across the US, Canada, and the UK. Beyond *Highway 61*, the band contributed to the soundtrack of the 1991 documentary *Talk 16*, and their song “Shake” appeared in Daniel Algrant’s 1993 film *Naked in New York*.
The band went on hiatus in 1994. They reformed in 2012 to work on a third studio recording at Atom Percy’s home studio in British Columbia, and in 2018 they released the independent EP *Jus Rite*.
- notable_releases
- Trip on This (1992), Drop (1993), Jus Rite (2018)
Lore & Background
Acid Test formed in Toronto in 1990. They independently released a cassette in 1991 and put out an EP, Trip on This, on Eggplant Records in 1992. After guitarist Steve Fall was asked to play a role in the 1992 movie Highway 61, directed by Bruce McDonald, the group composed two tracks on the movie's soundtrack: 'Mr. Skin' and 'Dance'.
Sire Records (Warner Music Group) signed the band in 1993, and they released the album Drop that year, which featured Geoff Bennett on percussion and Jeff Dalziel on programming. The band performed in the US and served as the opening act for Nine Inch Nails, Grace Jones, Snow, 54-40, The Ocean Blue, and for the last live performance, in Toronto, of The Sugarcubes. They also played across the US, Canada, and the UK.
Acid Test contributed to the soundtrack for the 1991 documentary Talk 16, and their song 'Shake' was used in Daniel Algrant's 1993 film Naked in New York. The band went on a hiatus in 1994, reforming in 2012 to work on a third studio recording at Atom Percy's home recording studio in British Columbia. In 2018, they released the EP Jus Rite.
Reader's Guide
Acid Test holds a modest but notable place in early 1990s Canadian alternative music. Their independent beginnings, including a 1991 cassette and the 1992 album Trip on This on Eggplant Records, reflect the DIY ethos of the era. Their signing to Sire Records in 1993 and the release of Drop marked a brief major-label period, during which they toured extensively, opening for prominent acts such as Nine Inch Nails, Grace Jones, and The Sugarcubes. Their soundtrack contributions—particularly to Bruce McDonald's Highway 61 and Martin Scorsese's Naked in New York—demonstrate their reach beyond the album format. After a long hiatus from 1994, the band reformed in 2012 and released the EP Jus Rite in 2018, showing continued creative activity. While not a household name, Acid Test represents a cross-section of Canadian indie rock intersecting with film and major-label distribution in the 1990s.
Did You Know?
- Acid Test's song 'Shake' was used in Daniel Algrant's 1993 film Naked in New York.
- The band opened for the last live performance of The Sugarcubes in Toronto.
- Guitarist Steve Fall played a role in the 1992 movie Highway 61.
- The band went on hiatus in 1994 and reformed in 2012.
More in Alternative rock groups from Toronto 1-24
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