Nuthin’ Pritty

Morphing out of a couple of garage bands, Winnipeg’s Nuthin’ Pritty was based around bassist Terry Smith, Rodney James Machovec on guitars, and drummer Keith Zedzora. They were writing some material when England native Joey Saltel joined as lead vocalist.

They played the local metal clubs, and eventually gained some momentum while growing in popularity. They’d ventured out and were regularly making the ‘b’ bar circuit throughout the prairies and into Ontario, when they signed with local indie label Impression Records.

Working with Ralph Watts (noted producer and ex guitarist for Winnipeg’s The Fifth and a few American acts incuding George McRae), they released their self-titled EP in early ’86. Recorded at local Century 21 Studio, it had a slick sound and along with the instrumental “Long ‘n Hard,” Smith wrote the lyrics to the metal barrage and Machovec’s fretwork earned comparisons to Randy Rhoads. The five-track album was quickly grabbed up by the crowds at the shows and in the local area stores.

Their popularity grew and they continued on the circuit, opening for Killer Dwarfs among others. But the band split up later that year amidst musical differences.

Saltell joined Lawsuit for a spell (long enough to make their resurrection album in 2003, STONED TO DEATH, then got out of the business after a handful of other projects over the years. Zedzora bounced around a few groups, including the ZZ Top styled Web. Machovec studied music at the University of Toronto, and later the Julliiard School of Music’s summer program, then followed in his parents’ footsteps and became a music teacher. Among others, his pupils included Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies. He also went on to record three classical solo CDs.