The Novaks hail from St. John's, Newfoundland, where vocalist/guitarist Mick Davis, guitarist Chuck Taylor, bassist Mark Neary, and drummer Elliot Dicks launched the brash, boozy rock band in 2002. Inspired by the Rolling Stones and the Faces (whose keyboardist, Ian McLagan, would appear on the band's sophomore release), the Novaks honed their sound in regional bars. A self-released album helped expand their audience in 2005, with several tracks receiving considerable promotion via Little Steven's radio show. Impressed with the band's amalgamation of retro traditions, Little Steven reissued the album in America via his own label, Wicked Cool Records. Guitarist Chuck Taylor left the lineup soon after, but the Novaks regrouped as a trio, releasing Things Fall Apart in 2009. ~ Andrew Leahey