Endangered Species

Moving forward to their second album the pressure was truly on White Wolf to produce results, especially a hit single. Having paid their dues over the years playing numerous clubs across Canada, their high-class musicianship was in no doubt but, as might have been reasonably expected, RCA records wanted a return on the time and money spent on the debut album which led to a reluctance to give a green light until they heard a ‘hit’. Dutifully the band buckled down and spent the summer of 1985 writing alone and with collaborators. Golden Earring producer Shell Shellekens was hired to oversee the recordings, and the band flew to Holland to commence work at his recording studio. Along with the songs readied for the album, RCA suggested the band record a cover of UK band Magnum's 'Just Like An Arrow', which had been a hit in Europe. When the album was finished RCA were delighted with the results and the band were all set to play dates with Kim Mitchell (of Max Webster), and were told they may get dates with AC/DC and Van Halen... but the day they turned up to their tour bus their manager told them RCA were in negotiations to be bought by another company and all expenditure on signed bands would be frozen!

Endangered Species was eventually released, but the band struggled to survive financially, and although they were offered a third album by RCA, once everything was settled, the band were eager to promote Endangered Species as they believed in it, but after an impasse RCA eventually dropped the band. Now listening back it’s easy to hear why the band was so invested in this record because it’s a smooth and classy slice of grade-A hard rock very much fit for purpose at that time.