The Hardship Post

{{Infobox musical artist  | name = The Hardship Post | image = | caption = | image_size =  | background = group_or_band | alias = The New Hardship Post<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2444567-The-New-Hardship-Post | title=The New Hardship Post | website=Discogs }}</ref> | origin = St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada | genre = Indie rock, Grunge | years_active = 1992{{dash}}1997 | label = Sub Pop Murderecords Cinnamon Toast Records Mag Wheel Records | associated_acts = Jale | website = | current_members = | past_members = Sebastian Lippa Mike Pick Matt Clarke Alyson MacLeod Mike Kean }} '''The Hardship Post''' was a Canadian alternative rock band that formed in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in 1992. The band moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, during the Halifax Pop Explosion of the early 1990s.<ref>"Hardship Post delivers lean sound". ''Ottawa Citizen'', June 8, 1995.</ref>

The band originally consisted of vocalist and guitarist Sebastian Lippa, bassist Mike Kean and drummer Matt Clarke.<ref>"Grungy Newfoundland trio poised to steal Christmas". ''Toronto Star'', December 16, 1993.</ref> Initially signed to Murderecords,<ref>"Sloan tucks Thrush Hermit under wing". ''Ottawa Citizen'', September 2, 1993.</ref> they released the EPs ''Mood Ring'' and ''Hack'' in 1993, and undertook their first cross-Canada tour to support the recordings.<ref>"The Rock is a hard place for bands like Hardship Post; But young rockers still call Newfoundland home". ''Montreal Gazette'', August 12, 1993.</ref> Mike Pick would replace Kean on bass in mid-1993.

In late 1994, they signed to Sub Pop,<ref name=hothouse>"Halifax new hothouse for hip bands". ''Ottawa Citizen'', September 30, 1993.</ref> which released their full-length album ''Somebody Spoke'' in 1995.<ref>"The Hardship begins: The Newfoundland trio in The Hardship Post have finished thinking about their future. Now, they're living it." ''Halifax Daily News'', June 11, 1995.</ref> Around that time Clarke left the band, and was replaced by Alyson MacLeod of Jale.<ref>"Crime seems to pay -- at least when it comes to copyrights". ''Halifax Daily News'', August 18, 1995.</ref> This formation of the band would be known as "The New Hardship Post", which released one single on Squirtgun Records, in 1996.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3147580-The-New-Hardship-Post-No-Time | title=The New Hardship Post - No Time | website=Discogs | date=1996 }}</ref> This iteration of the band provided a track on the various artists compilation ''Pet-kout-koy-ek: Songs For A River''; the compilation was also released in 1996.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3656310-Various-Pet-kout-koy-ek-Songs-For-A-River | title=Various - Pet-kout-koy-ek: Songs for a River | website=Discogs | date=August 1996 }}</ref>

Hardship Post won as Best Alternative Band at the 1994 East Coast Music Awards,<ref>"Rankins dominate awards". ''Montreal Gazette'', February 14, 1994.</ref> and were nominated for the same award in 1996.<ref>"Nominees for the East Coast Music Awards". ''The Globe and Mail'', February 8, 1996.</ref> At the Juno Awards of 1996, ''Somebody Spoke'' was a nominee for Best Alternative Album.<ref>"Cheers and jeers for Juno nominees". ''Edmonton Journal'', February 1, 1996.</ref>

Prior to the groups dissolution in 1997, the band recorded a second album for Sub Pop in 1996. It was recorded on 4-track in their rehearsal space. This album has never been released, or leaked.<ref>Sebastian Lippa interview; Let It All Fall, p.242, Mike Heffernan, 2023</ref>

The band broke up in 1997.<ref>"Lippa abandons rock with `cathartic' show". ''Halifax Daily News'', July 31, 1997.</ref>

==Discography==

===Singles=== * 1992: ''Sugarcane/Canopy'' (7" single) * 1993: ''Mood Ring'' (EP) * 1993: ''Hack'' (EP) * 1994: ''Why Don't You and I Smooth Things Over'' (7" single) * 1994: Won't You Come Home? (Flexi-disc single) * 1994: Rock Is My Life (split 7" single w/ Randy Bachman) * 1994: ''Slick Talking Jack/If I...'' (7" single) * 1995: ''Watching You/Your Sunshine'' (7" single) * 1996: ''No Time/Turn It Up'' (7" single) [as "The New Hardship Post"]

===Studio albums=== * 1995: ''Somebody Spoke''

===Compilations=== * 2025: ''Hardship Post: 1992-1994'' (2xLP, archival collection)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/sloandude/p/DKM36ITtvCW/|title=Instagram|website=www.instagram.com}} {{User-generated inline|date=October 2025}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardship Post, The}} Category:Musical groups established in 1992 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1997 Category:Musical groups from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Category:Canadian alternative rock groups Category:Sub Pop artists Category:Murderecords artists Category:1992 establishments in Newfoundland and Labrador Category:1997 disestablishments in Canada