Lions In The Street

For decades, the Vancouver band’s dedication to its craft made Lions in the Street obscure masters of Stonesy rockers and classic, country-rock ballads. 

LITS began by signing and then walking away from a couple of big label deals—TVT (NIN, Lil Jon, Pitbull) and 604 Records (Nickelback, Carly Rae Jepson)—after recording a would-be-classic debut in a famous L.A. studio, which earned them a spot on the music industry’s blacklist.

Yet despite experiencing the worst of the of old music business—just ask them about being on the wrong end of a dinner bill with Todd Rundgren, or how an A&R guy apparently almost got fired just for going to see them play—the band endured.  LITS released their On the Lam EP in 2013 on British legend Sandy Roberton's label.  Roberton ran Blue Horizon, the English label that launched the British Blues rock movement with John Mayall, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, and Rory Gallagher. 

The digital revolution has given Lions in the Street's music a new audience.  

Their most recent Black Ops EP demonstrates their trademark swing and swagger, mixed by Rick Parker (BRMC) and Mark Rains (Shooter Jennings, Rival Sons).  Produced by Shawn Cole and recorded live to tape on a Neve console. 

Jambase called LITS “worthy of Mick & Keith at their sticky fingered best.”  The Austinist.com asked, “What are you going to tell them, please be more rock'n'roll. This is the kind of band SXSW was made for.”