Dowtown Sasquatch
For those of you not familiar with melodramatic Canadian teen TV shows, there’s no bigger name in the business than Degrassi. The first Degrassi series aired in 1979 with The Kids of Degrassi Street, but it wasn’t until the late 80’s with Degrassi Junior High that the brain child of TV writer Linda Schuyler developed a cult following. Today’s incarnation of Degrassi, Degrassi: The Next Generation, is currently nearing the end of its eighth season. Over the years, the series has covered just about every possible horrible thing that could ever happen to you as a teenager. Through all the trials and tribulations there was one thing Degrassi characters could always rely on to get them through the tough times —music! Degrassi bands like The Zit Remedy and Downtown Sasquatch provided much needed relief to all the endless drama. It’s no surprise then that some of the actors on the show have begun to forge careers in the music industry.
Cassie Steele, known for playing the role of Manny Santos, recently released her sophomore album Destructo Doll. The single, “Mr. Colson” is a rock tune with a lot of heartache and soul.
Cast newcomer Ray Ablack, who plays heartthrob Sav Bhandari, spent three years studying Vocal Music at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts in Toronto. When he’s not taping Degrassi, he spends time singing in his band KIAI and working on his own material.
Drake
Currently, Aubrey Graham — the actor who played Jimmy Brooks—is taking the hip hop world by storm under the stage name Drake. Fresh from signing a lucrative $2 million dollar record deal with Aspire/Young Money/Cash Money Records, Drake is gearing up to release his first commercial album after generating a great deal of buzz with his popular So Far Gone mixtape. It also doesn’t hurt him to have Lil’ Wayne as his personal mentor.
The three avid Degrassi fans in the OurStage office were more than delighted to find out that one of the bands on OurStage featured a bona fide Degrassi actress in their music video. Actress Amanda Septo, who plays fan favorite “Spike,” did the guys in Toronto’s Pizzamind a favor by showing up to their video shoot for “My Baby’s Got it Going On.” Check it out!
