The Arrows (Canadian band)

The Arrows were formed in 1981 by vocalist Dean McTaggart, the group's only consistent member. They recorded a single ("Treat Her Right" b/w "Come On Up") in 1981. The following year, the group issued a 4 song mini-album called Misunderstood which was recorded at Grant Avenue Studios and produced by Daniel Lanois.

In 1984, the band landed a deal with A&M Records. With the help of producer David Tyson, who also became McTaggart's frequent writing partner, the Arrows' 1984 debut album Stand Back was a national success in Canada, providing a top 40 hit with "Meet Me in the Middle".^[1] The album sold well, and the band found themselves as the opening act on the UK leg of Chris de Burgh's 1984 tour.^{[citation needed]}

Upon returning home, they went back to the studio for work on their second album The Lines Are Open, which saw its release in October 1985.^[1] The singles "Heart of the City", "Talk Talk" and "Chains" all saw success in Canada, but pressures from management for a breakout hit were causing problems within the band, and following a cross-Canada tour, the group called it quits at the end of 1986.^[1]

In 1995, a CD compilation Talk Talk: The Best of The Arrows surfaced on a German import label that contained the majority of the tracks from their first two albums. Stand Back was re-issued on CD in 2011,^[2] and The Lines Are Open was re-issued in 2013.^[3]

McTaggart continued with his songwriting career, writing hit songs for artists such as "Heaven Help My Heart" by Wynonna, and, as co-writer, "Unsung Hero" by Terri Clark and several hits by Amanda Marshall, notably "Birmingham" and her Canadian AC No. 1 hit "Dark Horse", which also became a hit for Mila Mason.

This line-up recorded the 1981 debut single "Treat Her Right" b/w "Come On Up"

• Vocals - Dean McTaggart
• Drums and Percussion - Michael Sloski
• Keyboards - Gabor Szepesi
• Bass - Hendrik Rilk
• Guitars - Rusty McCarthy

This line-up recorded the 1982 4-song mini-album Misunderstood.

• Vocals - Dean McTaggart
• Drums and Percussion - Michael Sloski
• Keyboards - Rob Gusevs
• Bass - Hendrik Rilk
• Guitars - Rusty McCarthy
• Saxophone - Earl Seymour

This line recorded the 1984 album Stand Back.

• Vocals - Dean McTaggart
• Guitars - Doug Macaskill
• Keyboards - Rob Gusevs
• Saxophone - Earl Seymour

With session musicians:

• Bass - Peter Bleakney, Howard Ayee
• Drums - Michael Sloski, Gary Craig
• Percussion - Matt Zimbel
• Keyboards, Vocals – David Tyson
• Backing Vocals – Al Van Wart, Eddie Schwartz

This line recorded the 1985 album The Lines Are Open.

• Vocals - Dean McTaggart
• Keyboards - Rob Gusevs
• Saxophone - Earl Seymour
• Guitars - Doug Macaskill
• Bass - Glenn Olive
• Drums - Bobby Economou

With session musicians:

• Alto Saxophone - Vernon Dorge
• Backing Vocals - Charity Brown, David Blamires, John Rutledge, Sharon Lee Williams, David Tyson
• Percussion - Memo Acevedo
• Trumpet - Rick Waychesko, Steve McDade