The Hardship Post was a Canadian alternative rock band that formed in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in 1992. The band moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, during the Halifax Pop Explosion of the early 1990s."Hardship Post delivers lean sound". Ottawa Citizen, June 8, 1995.
The band originally consisted of vocalist and guitarist Sebastian Lippa, bassist Mike Kean and drummer Matt Clarke."Grungy Newfoundland trio poised to steal Christmas". Toronto Star, December 16, 1993. Initially signed to Murderecords,"Sloan tucks Thrush Hermit under wing". Ottawa Citizen, September 2, 1993. they released the EPs Mood Ring and Hack in 1993, and undertook their first cross-Canada tour to support the recordings."The Rock is a hard place for bands like Hardship Post; But young rockers still call Newfoundland home". Montreal Gazette, August 12, 1993. Mike Pick would replace Kean on bass in mid-1993.
In late 1994, they signed to Sub Pop,"Halifax new hothouse for hip bands". Ottawa Citizen, September 30, 1993. which released their full-length album Somebody Spoke in 1995."The Hardship begins: The Newfoundland trio in The Hardship Post have finished thinking about their future. Now, they're living it." Halifax Daily News, June 11, 1995. Around that time Clarke left the band, and was replaced by Alyson MacLeod of Jale."Crime seems to pay -- at least when it comes to copyrights". Halifax Daily News, August 18, 1995. This formation of the band would be known as "The New Hardship Post", which released one single on Squirtgun Records, in 1996. This iteration of the band provided a track on the various artists compilation Pet-kout-koy-ek: Songs For A River; the compilation was also released in 1996.
Hardship Post won as Best Alternative Band at the 1994 East Coast Music Awards,"Rankins dominate awards". Montreal Gazette, February 14, 1994. and were nominated for the same award in 1996."Nominees for the East Coast Music Awards". The Globe and Mail, February 8, 1996. At the Juno Awards of 1996, Somebody Spoke was a nominee for Best Alternative Album."Cheers and jeers for Juno nominees". Edmonton Journal, February 1, 1996.
Prior to the groups dissolution in 1997, the band recorded a second album for Sub Pop in 1996. It was recorded on 4-track in their rehearsal space. This album has never been released, or leaked.Sebastian Lippa interview; Let It All Fall, p.242, Mike Heffernan, 2023
The band broke up in 1997."Lippa abandons rock with `cathartic' show". Halifax Daily News, July 31, 1997.
Discography
Singles 1992: Sugarcane/Canopy (7" single) 1993: Mood Ring (EP) 1993: Hack (EP) 1994: Why Don't You and I Smooth Things Over (7" single) 1994: Won't You Come Home? (Flexi-disc single) 1994: Rock Is My Life (split 7" single w/ Randy Bachman) 1994: Slick Talking Jack/If I... (7" single) 1995: Watchin' You/Your Sunshine (7" single) 1996: No Time/Turn It Up (7" single) [as "The New Hardship Post"]
Studio albums 1995: Somebody Spoke
Compilations 2025: Hardship Post: 1992-1994 (2xLP, archival collection)
References