Paul Hyde - Hyde Out of The Payola$ (1989 - 2002)

2002)

In 1988, with Murray McLauchlan and Tom Cochrane, Hyde recorded a benefit single and video for UNICEF called "Let the Good Guys Win."

In 1989, Hyde's solo single "America is Sexy" reached No. 28 on the RPM 100 Singles chart of October 23–28. That December, the song was ranked as No. 23 of the top 25 Cancon songs of the year. The single was from Hyde's debut solo album, Turtle Island. Some of the album's other songs were co-written with his then-wife, Myriam Nelson. In spite of the respectable chart success of the song, there was to be an eleven-year gap between Turtle Island and Hyde's next major label album. During this interval, he completed an album for the small Broken Records label: Love and the Great Depression was released in 1996. The album escaped the notice of anyone not specifically looking for it. A prominent figure in Canadian pop in the 1980s, Hyde had become obscure.

Always remaining good friends with Hyde, Rock generously gave of his time to produce Hyde's 2000 EMI Music Canada album, Living off the Radar, which included some songs that the two co-wrote for the project. The album was almost a Payolas reunion, as other players on the album included ex=Payolas Chris Taylor and Alex "A-Train" Boynton. The response to the album proved the truth of its name, although singles "I Loved You Before I Met You" (co-written with Craig Northey) and "The Snake" (co-written with Rock) received some airplay.

Once again without a major label contract, in 2002 Hyde released The Big Book of Sad Songs, Volume 1 on the small Bongo Beat label. A stripped-down production that clocked in at barely over 30 minutes, the album nevertheless demonstrated the enduring craftsmanship of its songwriter.