Cure for Pain

Cure for Pain is a Toronto-based alternative rock band. In the years since they first took their basement-honed chops live, Cure for Pain has played numerous shows at local Toronto venues such as Lee’s Palace and the El Mocambo. Their unique blend of guitar crunch, melodic songcraft, and smoky saxophone stylings gives their recently released EP, Learning to Love the Machine, an addictively original sound. The completion of their debut disc marks a new stage in the band’s ongoing mission to get people who don’t already know them to hear their stuff.

Cure for Pain grew out of the musical interests and songwriting talents of its three core members: Eugene Whyte (Vocals, Guitar), Dan Gold (Bass), and Samy Elias (Saxophone). Friends from high school, the band’s genesis came through bluesy jamming sessions and increasingly complex compositions. By the time the membership was rounded out with a drummer, Liz Caruana, in October of 2000, Cure for Pain had built up a sizeable repertoire of original material. Cure for Pain played its first live show at the El Mocambo in the summer of 2001, to rave reviews of family, friends and the people there to see the other bands.

That winter, Liz left Cure for Pain, amid a flurry of recriminations and restraining orders, proving the truth of the old saying ’don’t let your girlfriend be in the band’. She was replaced with Max Cherney, who contrary to rumours is not in the band. The next summer saw Cure for Pain playing more shows and recording the beginnings of what would become Learning to Love the Machine. The album was eventually released, amid well-deserved (if self-provided) fanfare on November 1, 2003. Since then, the band members have all received post-grad degrees, and have been engaged in flogging their stunningly awesome new album to all.

Currently Cure for Pain is writing a collection of new songs for their next album, which will include a blues EP along with the full size LP.