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The Band
At age ten the musical path began for Wizard Oz when he played his first guitar, an AGS 6-string acoustic. When only twelve years old, Wizard Oz formed his first band "Blue Mist", a three piece project featuring himself on guitar. Two years later, Wizard Oz co-formed the four piece band "Destroyer" featuring himself on co/lead guitar. The following year, Wizard Oz formed "Hellbent", a four piece band featuring the Wizard Oz on lead guitar. At eighteen Wizard Oz co-formed "Justin Eyeball", with himself on lead guitar. The following year Wizard Oz moved to Liverpool, England and co-formed "Crowded", a four piece band featuring himself on guitar.
With the burning desire to form a permanent, working band and to record and tour behind an original CD, Wizard OZ set out to form yet another band. Based ace again on a four piece band with Wizard Oz on all guitars, a local music paper ad in Vancouver was sent out.
In the winter of 1996, only a few weeks of publication, Mark Sandquist a bassist formerly of "Anesthesia", responded to the ad and met with Wizard Oz. The two collaborated on previously written solo material.
After a few rehearsals, they took their musical creations to Dublin Rehearsal Space where Adam, the owner/engineer, successfully played the drums. This three piece lineup recorded a six song demo tape. This demo tape consisted of three songs which were to be later released on Snake Eyes' debut CD "The Journey Begins"...(Dream Girl, That's Life and Mind Full of Guilt)
The result of Adams' engineering schedule caused him to be replaced in the winter of 1997 by Abe Michaud, formerly of "Sally Bash" with (Paul Lecornte on vocals), later he joined "Dragline" and recorded the CD "Visions From a Bullet Proof Head" followed with a European tour.
In the winter of 1997, a four song demo tape was recorded (including "Make My Day" and "Mind Full of Guilt") by the lineup of Wizard Oz, Mark Sandquist and Abe Michaud with James Chang (former bassist/vocalist of "Sacred Blade") on vocals. A heavy work schedule and extra studies forced James and Snakebite to part ways.
Rehearsals continued at Dublin Rehearsal Space with Snakebite remaining a three piece band with Wizard Oz and Mark Sandquist singing lead vocals on their own songs. In August 1998, Paul LeComte joined the band, taking over the lead vocal duties and completing the lineup of "Snakebite". The initial rehearsals were shortly followed by pre-recording sessions.
In September 1998, the band changed their name to "Snake Eyes", due to a copyright conflict.
Only two months later, the bed tracks were laid down for "The Journey Begins" followed by recording through the winter of 1998 and the beginning of 1999. Mixing took place in the spring of 1999, with the completed CD being shipped to Quebec for production by July 1999.
August 6th 1999 marked the release of "Snake Eyes" debut CD "The Journey Begins" in select stores throughout British Columbia and across Canada.
On September 5th 1999, "The Journey Begins..." was on the shelves of music stores in Dublin, Ireland.
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