Alta Moda

Lore & Background

Alta Moda performed in Toronto for several years and released the promotional single 'Train' in 1986. They signed to CBS Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1988. The album received mixed reviews, with some critics saying it sounded too much like funk or disco; the band even faced assertions that they were 'too black' for the Canadian market. The single 'Julian' peaked at #53 on the RPM Hot 100 chart in January 1988, while other singles did not chart.

The band contributed the non-album track 'American Chaser' to the soundtrack of the 1986 television film Popeye Doyle. They declined a Juno Award nomination in the R&B category for 'Julian' because they felt it was a miscategorization. Despite signing a six-album deal with CBS, they were dropped after poor sales of their debut. They continued performing live while seeking another deal.

Orenstein wrote and produced material for other artists, and Johnson performed jazz and blues with a backing band; Big Sugar was formed by Gordie Johnson, who is not related to Molly Johnson. In 1990, Johnson and Orenstein signed a new deal with IRS Records, but changed the band's name to Infidels by the time of their 1991 album.

Reader's Guide

Alta Moda's significance lies in their brief but notable presence in the late-1980s Canadian music scene, particularly for their refusal of a Juno Award nomination on grounds of genre miscategorization. This act highlighted tensions between how the band's music was perceived—as funk or disco—and how they identified themselves as funk rock. Their debut album's mixed reception and the assertion that they were 'too black' for the Canadian market reflect broader conversations about race and genre in Canadian music at the time. Though commercially unsuccessful, the band's members continued to influence Canadian music: Molly Johnson's later work in jazz and blues and Norman Orenstein's songwriting for other artists extended their legacy. The band's transformation into Infidels in 1991 marks the end of their original identity.

Did You Know?

• Alta Moda declined a Juno Award nomination in the R&B category for their single 'Julian' because they felt it was a miscategorization.
• The band contributed the non-album track 'American Chaser' to the soundtrack of the 1986 television film Popeye Doyle.
• Molly Johnson's backing band during her jazz and blues performances did not become Big Sugar; Big Sugar was formed by Gordie Johnson, who is not related to Molly Johnson.
• The band's debut album was released in 1988 on CBS Records, but they were dropped after poor sales despite a six-album deal.

Formation & the Toronto Years

Alta Moda began as a two-piece in Toronto in 1979, pairing vocalist Molly Johnson with guitarist Norman Orenstein in a project that blended funk and rock. For the first few years, the duo performed around the city's club scene, building their sound and audience without the full rhythm section they would eventually add. In 1982, drummer Steven Gelineau joined the lineup, giving the group a more driving live presence. A year later, bassist Etric Lyons rounded out the classic four-piece configuration. The band spent the mid-1980s honing their material on the Toronto circuit, and in 1986 they issued a promotional single called "Train" that served as a calling card to the wider music industry. That same year, they contributed a non-album track, "American Chaser," to the soundtrack of the television film Popeye Doyle, giving them a small but notable exposure beyond their local scene. These years of patient development laid the groundwork for the major-label opportunity that would follow.

The Debut Album & a Divided Reception

After signing with CBS Records, Alta Moda released their self-titled debut album in 1987. The record drew a sharply divided critical response. Several reviewers felt the music leaned too heavily into funk and disco territory, and the band even encountered assertions that their sound was "too black" for the Canadian market — a remark that underscored the uncomfortable racial politics surrounding their genre identity. The album's lead single, "Julian," became their most recognizable track, climbing to number 53 on the RPM Hot 100 chart during the week of January 30, 1988. It was a modest showing, and the follow-up singles "Notown (In Particular)" and "Cool Love" failed to register on the charts at all. Despite the critical and commercial lukewarmness, the album represented the culmination of nearly a decade of work in Toronto's underground scene and marked the band's first appearance on a major label's roster.

The Juno Snub & the CBS Split

One of the most telling episodes in Alta Moda's brief history came when they were nominated for a Juno Award in the R&B category for "Julian." The band publicly declined the nomination, explaining that they felt the R&B classification was a miscategorization of their song and their broader musical identity. This refusal highlighted a recurring tension: the industry kept trying to slot Alta Moda into a genre box that the members themselves did not fully embrace. The commercial disappointment of the debut album compounded the problem. Although the band had originally signed a six-album contract with CBS Records, the label dropped them after the poor sales of Alta Moda, leaving them with no further releases planned. Undeterred, the group continued to play live shows across Toronto and beyond, keeping their material alive and actively searching for a new record deal that would allow them to move forward.

After Alta Moda: New Names, New Directions

Once the CBS relationship ended, the members of Alta Moda scattered into parallel projects that would each take on a life of their own. Norman Orenstein turned his attention to writing and producing material for other artists, applying his guitar-driven sensibility in a behind-the-scenes role. Molly Johnson, meanwhile, began performing jazz and blues with a backing band — a group that would eventually evolve into the well-known Canadian act Big Sugar. The two core members did not part ways entirely, however. In 1990, Johnson and Orenstein signed a new recording deal with IRS Records, signaling their intention to keep making music together. By the time their next album arrived in 1991, though, they had rebranded the project as Infidels, effectively closing the Alta Moda chapter. The name change marked a deliberate fresh start, shedding the label of the band that had been dismissed as too funky, too Black, and too niche for the Canadian mainstream.