Tracy Howe


Tracy Howe is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter with the band Rational Youth, and previously The Normals and Heaven Seventeen. Howe has been a member of Rational Youth from 1981 to 1986 and 1997 to 2002 and 2009–present.

Early life

Tracy Howe was born in Toronto, Ontario. His father, John Howe, was a film producer and his mother, Mary Sheppard, was a stage actress. In 1952 Tracy and his family moved to London, England. In 1956, when Tracy was 4 they moved to Ottawa, Canada. In 1957 the family moved to Ville St-Laurent, Quebec and in 1959 moved again to Pointe-Claire, Quebec where Tracy lived until he left home in 1970 at age 18. Tracy has been playing music in bands since he was 15. Howe's professional music career began in 1975 as a singer and drummer for Montreal punk band The Normals. Howe was later a drummer and singer in Montreal band Heaven Seventeen, considered to be one of the first punk bands to use synthesizers. One of Heaven Seventeen's keyboard players was Ivan Doroschuk, who later formed Men Without Hats. Howe also later joined Men Without Hats, as a guitarist, prior to forming Rational Youth with Bill Vorn.

Rational Youth

Rational Youth has been in existence since its formation in 1981, with a hiatus between 1986 and 1997, and another in the early 2000s. Since 2014 the band has toured in Europe, Latin America and Canada, and released the album Future Past Tense in 2016.

Personal life

Tracy is married to Gaenor Howe, who is also a member of Rational Youth.

Discography

Album (with The Normals)

Studio albums