Bodega (Canadian band)
Canadian alternative rock band, Juno-nominated for debut album.
Bodega was a Canadian alternative rock group from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Their debut album, *Bring Yourself Up*, earned a Juno Award nomination for Best Alternative Album at the 1999 Juno Awards.
The band formed in Montreal in 1996 when Andrew Rodriguez and Sam Goldberg joined forces. They brought in drummer Kim Temple, relocated to Toronto, and recorded *Bring Yourself Up*, which came out in 1997 on the independent label Vibra Cobra Records. After signing with London Records, the album was remixed and re-released internationally in 1998, leading to its Juno nomination. When Vibra Cobra was bought by Universal Music Group in 1998, the band received little promotion during the transition. They turned down an offer to move to Sire Records. Instead, they wrote new songs and played them around Toronto, including a show at the Rivoli in 1999.
Their second and final album, *Without a Plan*, was released in 2001 on the independent Brobdingnagian Records and produced by Dave Fridmann. Goldberg and Temple then left the group. Rodriguez continued with a changing lineup, which at times included guitarist Leslie Feist for live shows. Eventually, Rodriguez retired the band name. In 2007, he released *Here Comes the Light* as a solo project rather than a third Bodega album.
- field
- Alternative rock
- nationality
- Canadian
- years_active
- 1996–2007 (band name retired)
- known_for
- Juno-nominated debut album Bring Yourself Up
- origin
- Montreal, Canada
Lore & Background
Bodega was formed in Montreal in 1996 by Andrew Rodriguez and Sam Goldberg. The duo recruited drummer Kim Temple and moved to Toronto to record Bring Yourself Up, which was released in 1997 on independent label Vibra Cobra Records. The band then signed to London Records, which remixed and rereleased Bring Yourself Up internationally in 1998. This album was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Alternative Album.
Following Vibra Cobra's 1998 acquisition by Universal Music Group, the band were left largely unpromoted in the upheaval; they were offered the opportunity to move to Sire Records, but declined. The band began working on new material, performing it around Toronto, including at the Rivoli in 1999. The band released its second and final album, Without a Plan, in 2001 on the independent Brobdingnagian Records, produced by Dave Fridmann. Goldberg and Temple then left the band, and Rodriguez carried on with a rotating lineup of musicians, including Leslie Feist as a guitarist in some live performances. Rodriguez subsequently opted to retire the band name, releasing Here Comes the Light in 2007 as a solo album rather than a third Bodega album.
Reader's Guide
Bodega's significance lies in their brief but notable presence in the Canadian alternative rock scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Their debut album Bring Yourself Up earned a Juno Award nomination, marking a high point for the band. However, corporate upheaval following Vibra Cobra Records' acquisition by Universal Music Group hindered their momentum, and they declined an offer to move to Sire Records. Their second album Without a Plan, produced by Dave Fridmann, failed to achieve similar recognition. The band's dissolution and Rodriguez's eventual retirement of the name underscore the challenges independent acts faced during the consolidation of the music industry. Their legacy is primarily tied to that Juno nomination and the cult status of their two albums among fans of late-90s Canadian alternative rock.
Did You Know?
- Bodega's debut album Bring Yourself Up was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Alternative Album in 1999.
- The band declined an offer to move to Sire Records after their label was acquired by Universal Music Group.
- Leslie Feist performed as a guitarist in some live shows with Bodega after Goldberg and Temple left.
- Andrew Rodriguez released Here Comes the Light as a solo album in 2007 rather than as a third Bodega album.
More in Alternative rock groups from Toronto 1-24
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