Formed in Toronto, Ontario by Mif (vocals), Franklin Wyles (drums), Frank Bartoletti (guitar), Lou Garscadden (guitar) and Pete Dove (bass), Slash Puppet would play their debut show on Thursday, October 19, 1989 at Rock‘N’ Roll Heaven. In one short year they managed to win the Toronto MusicAwards’ “Best Club Act” and are quickly picked up by Rush’s management and signed to a production deal with Sony/Anthem. The band released their first video, “Slow Down”, to Much Music in mid-1991 which helped sell over 2500 copies of their independent demo. A year later they were in the studio recording a 6-song EP.

During recording of the EP, Slash Puppet went through some changes by being released of their management/label contracts and bringing in new bassist Dave Carreiro. With a second video, “When The Whip Comes Down”, on TV rotation to promote the new self-titled album the band also got a couple of songs included on the soundtrack to the Cannon Film movie Chain Of Command. After winning the “Best Independent Video” at the Los Angeles Area Music Awards the band replaced Garscadden with former Smashed Gladys and Succsexx axe slinger Marcel Lafleur and embarked on a short Canadian tour.

In early 1995 the band returned home from another successful tour to finish out their final 5 shows in Toronto and southern Ontario, with a bitter sweet taste as lead vocalist Mif sensing a musical climate change, announces that he is leaving the band to pursue other interests including an acting career, due primarily to the grunge invasion and the subsequent decline of hard rock and heavy metal. A perennial fan favorite over the years, Slash Puppet's legacy would not only live on locally and nationally, but it would prove to become so internationally.

In 2007 a re-issue of the band's critically acclaimed 1989 independent cassette only release "The Demo", entitled No Strings Attached was released through Sun City Records. No Strings Attached received accolades on several hard rock and heavy metal fanzines worldwide, making it to #7 on Sleaze Roxx's "Top 10 Best" releases of 2007.

Currently, Slash Puppet is enjoying a resurgence of popularity as the re-emergence of hard rock and heavy metal has garnered them a cult like status among fans the world over. Their cd's sell for hundreds of dollars and have become highly sought after items as avid music collectors and fans alike continue to seek out the band and their music. So highly respected are their songs, Slash Puppet have been known draw comparisons to and have been included in many other renowned bands' biographies and reviews. In many online musical circles, they have become the standard by which other releases in there genre are measured!

REVIEWS:

"...Slash Puppet are lean, mean, dust kickin’, Appetite Guns meets Feelgood Crue rock n’ roll songs, full of Bon Jovi cowboy swagger and Skid Row shark attack..."

(Jef Warren / Sleazegrinder)

"...Toronto’s Slash Puppet is one of the very few bar bands on the planet that can boast a loyal international fan following years after it's death..."

(Carl Begai / BWBK)

"...Listening to these early Slash Puppet songs just makes me wonder how the band didn't become household names, someone obviously dropped the ball. No Strings Attached is easily one of the best CDs of 2007, a must have..."

(Skid / Sleaze Roxx)

"...Arguably the BEST Canadian rock band to never get a major record deal during their hey day..."

(Drew Masters / M.E.A.T.)

"...Probably one of the greatest Canadian bands to never get signed back in the day. Up here though, they burned bright with some great tunes and kick ass live shows..."

(Walygator / Decibel Geek)

"...Slash Puppet were one of the biggest names of the burgeoning Toronto rock scene of the early 1990′s...destined to be the “next big thing”...they were winning awards, had national video play, and a stunning collection of hard rock material to draw from for their well-reviewed gigs..."

(Mike Ladano / mikeladano.com)