The Hidden Cameras

Biography

The Hidden Cameras is a Canadian indie pop band. Fronted by singer-songwriter Joel Gibb, the band consists of a varying roster of musicians who play what Gibb once described as "gay church folk music". Their live performances have been elaborate, high-energy shows, featuring go-go dancers in balaclavas, a choir, and a string section.

2001–2002: Ecce Homo

The band's first album, Ecce Homo×Ecce Homo2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1A Miracle2:432The International MMA: The Mild Mannered Army4:263Steal All You Can Motherfucker2:364Ode to Self-Publishing: Fear of 'Zine Failure2:565He Is the Boss of Me3:136I Believe in the Good of Life3:457High Upon the Church Grounds4:328Heavy Flow of Evil3:049Worms Cannot Swim nor Can They Walk4:10, was released independently in 2001 on EvilEvil. It was after this first release that Gibb assembled a band and they began to perform in venues varying from art galleries to churches to porn theatres to parks. Since these early days the Hidden Cameras have played host to a number of notable musicians, including Reg Vermue, Owen Pallett, Laura Barrett, Don Kerr, Magali Meagher (of the Phonemes), Mike Olsen (of the Arcade Fire), and Maggie MacDonald.

2003: The Smell of Our Own

Their 2003 album The Smell of Our Own×The Smell of Our Own7 April 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Golden Streams4:292Ban Marriage4:203A Miracle2:564The Animals of Prey4:055Smells Like Happiness3:096Day Is Dawning5:087Boys of Melody5:018Shame5:299Breathe on It2:5410The Man That I Am With My Man4:38 was released through Rough Trade in the UK and on the independent label EvilEvil in Canada.

2004–2005: Mississauga Goddam and The Arms of His 'Ill'

In 2004, they released Mississauga Goddam on Rough Trade and on EvilEvil in Canada. Their EP The Arms of His 'Ill' was released by Absolutely Kosher Records in the same year, and it features jacket art created by Paul P. and G.B. Jones. In November 2005, the band collaborated with Toronto Dance Theatre on the show In the Boneyard at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. Dancers joined the band throughout the show and played instruments, and the band performed on-stage in costume.
Three of the songs from Mississauga Goddam ("We Oh We", "I Believe in the Good of Life×I Believe in the Good of Life25 October 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1I Believe in the Good of Life3:342High Upon the Church Grounds5:173Steal All You Can Motherfucker5:00" (a rerecorded version of the same song from the first album), and "Builds the Bone") are featured in the Canadian movie Whole New Thing. "We Oh We" is featured on the soundtrack of the German film Sommersturm (Summer Storm).

2006: Awoo

Awoo, their 2006 recording, was released on Rough Trade in Europe, EvilEvil in Canada, and in the U.S. on Arts & Crafts. The Hidden Cameras' song "Boys of Melody" is featured on the soundtrack of the John Cameron Mitchell film Shortbus. The Hidden Cameras song "Lollipop" is the theme song for the G.B. Jones film The Lollipop Generation from 2008, on which Joel Gibb also appears.

2009: Origin:Orphan

Origin:Orphan, their fifth album, was mastered in May 2009. The music video for "In the NA×In the NA21 July 2009 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1In the NA (extended version)6:012Mind, Matter and Waste2:343Pencil Case3:074In the NA (Dolby Anol remix)5:315In the NA (Crystal Pepsi remix)6:23", a song from this album, was screened at the 19th Annual Inside Out Film and Video Festival. The album was released on 22 September 2009.
Five songs from Origin:Orphan were redone by electronic pop band from Barcelona Hidrogenesse and released under the name of Hidrogenesse versus the Hidden Cameras in May 2010. Also a video for "He Falls to Me" was done by Darío Peña.
In 2011, they recorded a cover of Mecca Normal's "Throw Silver" for the compilation album Have Not Been the Same - Vol. 1: Too Cool to Live, Too Smart to Die.

2013: Arts & Crafts compilations and Age

In 2013, the band appeared on two compilation albums from the label Arts & Crafts. The song "Mind, Matter and Waste", originally a B-side from their 2009 "In the NA×In the NA21 July 2009 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1In the NA (extended version)6:012Mind, Matter and Waste2:343Pencil Case3:074In the NA (Dolby Anol remix)5:315In the NA (Crystal Pepsi remix)6:23" single, appeared on Arts & Crafts: 2003-2013 and garnered airplay on CBC Radio 3, and the band collaborated with Snowblink on a cover of Duran Duran's "The Chauffeur" for Arts & Crafts: X.
The album Age was released in January 2014. The lead single "Gay Goth Scene×Gay Goth Scene4 October 2013 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Gay Goth Scene4:512Gay Goth Scene (demo)4:12" was released in July 2013. The video for the single was directed by Kai Stänicke, who received the Short Film Award for Human Rights at San Marino International Film Festival awards, Tadgell’s Bluebell Honor Award, Best Short Film About/For Youth at the 16th Auburn International Film Festival for Children and Young Adults in Sydney, Australia, and best German short at the International Queer Film Festival Hamburg, Germany.

2016: Home on Native Land

Home on Native Land released on Outside Music was written and recorded over 10 years by Gibb with friends and bandmates, including Rufus Wainwright, Feist, Neil Tennant, Bahamas, Ron Sexsmith, and Mary Margaret O’Hara.

Albums

Ecce Homo (2001)
The Smell of Our Own (2003)
Mississauga Goddam (2004)
Awoo (2006)
Origin:Orphan (2009)
Age (2014)
Home on Native Land (2016)
Bronto (2025)

EPs

The Hidden Cameras Play the CBC Sessions (2003)
The Arms of His 'Ill (2004)
How Do You Love? (2025)

Singles

"Ban Marriage×Ban Marriage24 February 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Ban Marriage4:222Fear of 'Zine Failure3:253We Oh We (4-track recording)4:384Worms Cannot Swim nor Can They Walk (4-track recording)4:12" (2003)
"A Miracle×A Miracle2 June 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1A Miracle2The Dying Galatian3Heavy Flow of Evil" (2003) #70 UK
"I Believe in the Good of Life×I Believe in the Good of Life25 October 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1I Believe in the Good of Life3:342High Upon the Church Grounds5:173Steal All You Can Motherfucker5:00" (2004)
"Learning the Lie×Learning the Lie2005 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Learning the Lie2Why I Understand3Lollipop4Death of a Tune" (double single release)(2005)
"Death of a Tune×Death of a Tune2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksADeath of a TuneBReaper in Mind" (2006)
"Awoo" (2006)
"In the NA×In the NA21 July 2009 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1In the NA (extended version)6:012Mind, Matter and Waste2:343Pencil Case3:074In the NA (Dolby Anol remix)5:315In the NA (Crystal Pepsi remix)6:23" (2009)
"Underage" (2010)
"Do I Belong?" (2011)
"Mind, Matter and Waste" (2013)
"Gay Goth Scene×Gay Goth Scene4 October 2013 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Gay Goth Scene4:512Gay Goth Scene (demo)4:12" (2013)
"Carpe Jugular×Carpe Jugular18 July 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Carpe Jugular4:522Carpe Jugular (Hard Ton remix)5:333Carpe Jugular (Absolute remix)5:20" (2014)
"Doom" (2014)
"The Day I Left Home" (2016)
"How Do You Love?×How Do You Love?11 April 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1How Do You Love? (edit)4:002How Do You Love?5:42" (2025)
"Undertow×Undertow6 June 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Undertow3:41" (2025)
"Quantify×Quantify1 August 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Quantify5:242Quantify (edit)3:353Quantify (a cappella)4:28" (2025)

Soundtracks

Rebels Rule, directed by Will Munro, 2002
Sommersturm, directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner, 2004
Shortbus, directed by John Cameron Mitchell, 2006
Whole New Thing, directed by Amnon Buchbinder and co-written by Daniel MacIvor, 2006
Small Town Gay Bar, directed by Malcolm Ingram, 2006
The Lollipop Generation, directed by G.B. Jones, 2008