#6: Down Again by Queen City Kids

City: Regina, SK
Radio Station: CJME
Peak Month: July 1981
Peak Position in Regina ~ #1
Peak Position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Down Again”
Lyrics: “Down Again”

Queen City Kids bandmates formed a group in Regina in 1969. The lineup consisted of Alex Chuaqui on vocals and guitars, Jeffrey Germain on drums, John Donnelly on bass and guitarist Kevin Fyhn. Alex, Jeffrey and John were enrolled in music in high school. Alex Chauqui played violin, John Donnelly played the bagpipes, and Jeffrey Germain who also in a Police Boys Band played bass guitar. Germain soon added drums to his skillset. They three heard Kevin Fyhn play “Hey Jude” by the Beatles in music class, and he was invited to join the band. Initially, they were a cover band playing tunes by the Animals, the Beatles, Bee Gees, and the Safaris. Donnelly’s dad suggested they call themselves the VIPs. In 1971, they entered the Saskatchewan Homecoming ’71 talent contest and won second prize. In 1973, they changed their name to Cambridge. They began to play covers of heavier rock bands like Blue Oyster Cult, Deep Purple and Foghat.

After eleven years together, the band relocated to Winnipeg. Terry Donnelly, writing for Canadianbands.com writes “While paying their dues on the unpaven back roads of the prairies, they were noticed by Capitol Records. Impressed by their low-production but straight-shooting demo, they signed the group to a deal.” The Queen City Kids opened shows for Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Blue Oyster Cult, Ozzy Osbourne, April Wine, and Streeheart.

The promotional demo, Queen City Kids Interview was released on the CBS label. The Queen City Kids released their first self-titled album on Capitol Records in 1981. The album reached the number one spot in Regina. In Winnipeg it stalled at #2 on the pop album chart, kept out of the top spot variously by REO Speedwagon and Phil Collins. Queen City Kids was certified gold. The debut single was “Down Again”.

“Down Again” was written by by the Queen City Kids bandmates. “Down Again” concerns a guy who is in trouble and feeling down again. He’s inside, ’cause when he goes outside hoping for sun all he gets is rain. He can’t rely on anything or anyone.

“Down Again” climbed to number-one in Regina.

In the spring of 1982, the Queen City Kids released Black Box. The album climbed to #4 on CFRW in Winnipeg, and Regina, and #10 on the pop album chart in Edmonton (AB).

In the summer of 1982, “Dance” reached #7 in Regina, #8 in Winnipeg, #20 in Toronto, and cracked the Top 30 in Kingston (ON).

John Donnelly and Terry Donnelly, writing for Canadianbands.com report that “frustrated with what they saw as a lack of interest from management or the label, the band called it quits in late ’82 after 13 years. They each went on to do their own thing, with Donnelly and Germain teaming up to form the quasi-punk band Love Active. Chuaqui formed Straw Dog, and Fyhn wandered around with different groups, including Kenny Shields of Streetheart. Donnelly later joined Babyface, a Vancouver-based group that enjoyed success with the independent “In The Night” in 1985.”

February 20, 2026
Ray McGinnis

References:
“Queen City Kids,” Canadian Bands.com.
Steve Newton, “Jeff Germain says Regina’s Queen City Kids have to work twice as hard as big city bands,” Canuck Rock, June 18, 1982.

CJME 1300-AM Regina (SK) | July 17, 1981