54-40, in its original trio form, played its first gig on New Year's Eve 1981 at the Smilin' Buddha Cabaret on East Hastings Street in Vancouver. Neil sang and played guitar, Brad was on bass, and the cover charge of six bucks included a roast beef dinner. The audience was primarily composed of homeless people and kids who couldn't get into the sold-out D.O.A. show down the street.
54-40 is a rock band. The kind of rock music 54-40 plays may now be, and most likely and more acutely will be in the future, open to debate.
