For the past 15 years, we’ve been in the privileged position of capturing some of Toronto’s most esteemed musical ambassadors at that crucial moment before word-of-mouth turns into worldwide buzz. Eye Weekly was the first publication to feature the following artists as a cover subject — consider this review our nice little way of saying, “We told you so.”
	WHO Hayden WHEN Dec. 15, 1994 WHAT THEY SAID “I play way harder than I should on that acoustic guitar — it’s gonna snap in half someday.” WHAT HAPPENED Released Can-indie classic Everything I Long For in 1995; continues to release records for his own Hardwood Records label.

	WHO Danko Jones WHEN May 28, 1998 WHAT THEY SAID “I don’t understand why people think I’m a badass.” — The Mango Kid WHAT HAPPENED Though still a club-sized draw on their native soil, Danko Jones are bona fide, festival-sized rock gods in Europe. Have opened for everyone from The Rolling Stones to Nickelback to The Hives.

	WHO The Deadly Snakes WHEN Oct. 1, 1998 WHAT THEY SAID “The garage scene [in America] is just goofy people who live in the suburbs. It actually made me appreciate Toronto.” — Andre St. Clair WHAT HAPPENED Evolved from teen garage-punk brats into sophisticated goth-soul crooners. Celebrated recent nomination for Polaris Music Prize by breaking up.

	WHO Peaches WHEN March 16, 2000 WHAT THEY SAID “I’m in my thirties, at my sexual peak, and I’m totally feeling it.” WHAT HAPPENED Moved to Berlin; recorded with Iggy Pop; has Madonna on speed-dial.

	WHO Constantines WHEN March 29, 2001 WHAT THEY SAID “We make rock-and-roll music. Come out, shake your ass, get reckless. Young hearts, be free tonight.” WHAT HAPPENED Signed to Sub Pop Records; invited by Modest Mouse to play the All Tomorrows Parties Festival in 2004.

WHO Metric WHEN Feb. 28, 2002 WHAT THEY SAID “I appreciate Toronto way more when I come and go. It’s like the last 10 minutes of the party — as soon as you decide to leave, you start seeing the people you want to see.” — Emily Haines WHAT HAPPENED Moved to LA, recorded 2003’s breakthrough Old World Underground Where Are You Now? Moved back to Toronto in 2004 to record Live It Out; sold out a record four nights at Mod Club in 2005, and then two nights at Kool Haus this year.

	WHO Broken Social Scene WHEN Dec. 12, 2002 WHAT THEY SAID ”We’re cleaning the slate. It’s the last time you’re going to hear us do a lot of those songs here.” — Kevin Drew WHAT HAPPENED It was not the last time we heard “those songs,” thanks to over 200,000 records sold, two Junos, appearances on Letterman, Conan and at every major music festival around the world.

	WHO Feist WHEN June 10, 2004 WHAT THEY SAID “I spent so much time touring other people’s music. But if you’re going to be exhausted and broke, you might as well be that way with your own seed in the ground.” WHAT HAPPENED Two Junos; duets with Jane Birkin; no longer broke.

WHO Death from Above 1979 WHEN Aug. 5, 2004 WHAT THEY SAID “My goal is to have a big house with no neighbours and a piano in my kitchen and a dog and some babies and a fucking horse.” — Sebastien Grainger WHAT HAPPENED Capped a year of non-stop touring by opening for Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age’s fall 2005 arena tour. And then they broke up. Bassist Jesse Keeler now makes dance music in MSTRKRFT.

	WHO K’Naan WHEN Feb. 10, 2005 WHAT THEY SAID “I was frightened to be in front of people, doing rap in my own way, [but] it was immediately like, ‘Man, that’s fresh! You sound good! Your voice is crazy unique.’” WHAT HAPPENED Nominated for Polaris Music Prize and Juno Award for Best Rap Recording; was the only hip-hop artist to appear at the Ontario edition of Live8.