#40: Standin’ In Line by Haywire

City: Saskatoon, SK
Radio Station: CKOM
Peak Month: July 1986
Peak Position in Saskatoon ~ #5
Peak Position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Standin’ In Line”
Lyrics: “Standin’ In Line”

In 1981 five musicians in Charlottetown formed a band they named Haywire. They were keyboard player David Rashed, vocalist and steel pan drummer Paul MacAusland, guitarist Marvin Birt, drummer Scott Roberts and bass player Ronnie Switzer. In 1984 they entered the Homegrown Vol. 1 contest on Halifax, Nova Scotia, FM station Q104. The next year Haywire won the Labatt’s Battle of the Bands in Saint John, New Brunswick. Winning $10,000 first prize, they used their prize money to record a 5-song EP. It sold over 5,000 copies across in the Maritimes. In 1986 Music Express Magazine named Haywire ‘Canada’s Best Group’. The accolades won Haywire a five-album contract with Attic Records. By this time Sean Kilbride had become the band’s drummer.

Haywire’s debut album was titled Bad Boys. The first single, “Bad Bad Boy”, peaked at #21 on the Canadian RPM Top 100 Singles chart. The next release from the album was “Standin’ In Line”.

“Standin’ In Line” peaked at #5 in Saskatoon (SK), #8 in Regina (SK), and charted in Lethbridge (AB).

and “Shot In The Dark”.

In 1987 Haywire went back to the recording studio and released Don’t Just Stand There. The first single released from the album was “Dance Desire”.

In the late 80s and early 90s Haywire went on tours with Honeymoon Suite, Kim Mitchell and Corey Hart. Haywire flew to Norway and recorded their third album, Nuthouse, which they released in 1991. A fourth album, Get Off, featured their single “Buzz” which climbed to #13 on the Canadian RPM singles chart. In 1993 Haywire released a compilation album and disbanded so the musicians could pursue their own lives.

Over the years Sean Kilbride has also played drums for Tom Cochrane, Sass Jordan and Alannah Myles.

Paul MacAusland was in a relationship with a woman named Jeanie in the late 80s in Newfoundland. When she found out she was pregnant, she insisted he should pursue his dream as a musician. They were in touch in the early 2000s and Jeanie let Paul know he had a daughter named Leah. Subsequently, MacAusland began many trips to St. John’s, Newfoundland, to get to know his then 15-year-old daughter. Then in 2005,  he moved to St. John’s to start a new life with his daughter and ex-girlfriend. By 2008 Paul MacAusland was engaged to Jeanie and the three were living together in an apartment.

On New Year’s Eve, 1999, Haywire had a reunion concert in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Since 2004 they have been performing and touring.

June 8, 2026
Ray McGinnis

References:
“Haywire,” Edmonton Rock Music Festival, Edmonton, Alberta, August 17, 2019.
Jason Saulnier, “Haywire Interview – Sean Kilbride,” Musiclegends.ca, September 19, 2013.
“Haywire Interview,” Rogers TV, Saint John, New Brunswick, 2004.
“Haywire Dad: Haywire Lead Singer Paul MacAusland Moved to St. John’s to be with the Daughter he didn’t Know he Had,” Telegram, St. John’s, Newfoundland. October 25, 2008.

CKOM 650-AM Saskatoon (SK) | August 1, 1986