The Headpins

The Headpins emerged from the Vancouver rock scene as a hard-driving project led by guitarist and songwriter Brian MacLeod and bassist Ab Bryant, both already tied to major Canadian rock circles. With Darby Mills' raspy, high-powered vocals at the front, the band developed a loud, riff-heavy sound that balanced arena-rock muscle with bluesy hard rock swagger. Their debut album Turn It Loud became their defining statement, powered by songs such as "Don't It Make Ya Feel" and the title track, and helped make them one of Canada's most recognizable hard rock acts of the early 1980s. The follow-up Line of Fire kept the emphasis on big choruses, tough guitar tones, and Mills' commanding vocal presence. The band's identity has always rested on volume, groove, and stage energy rather than polish alone, giving their best-known material a durable bar-band-to-arena feel. Even through lineup changes and long gaps, The Headpins remain tied to Canadian hard rock's early-80s commercial peak.