Ian White grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. His parents were high school teachers. Ian was the youngest of 4, with two brothers and a sister.
Ian was a stocky boy who loved to play outdoors, riding his bike and building dams in the creek behind his house. He had four close friends from the age of five; they would prove to be lifelong friends, Trevor McNaughton, Brian Mayfield, Kevin Moore and Dusty O’Hara. The five friends were inseparable.
In sixth grade, Ian signed up to be in the orchestra. He wanted to play drums. His parents found a secondhand drum set in a yard sale. Ian was hooked and set out to learn all he could about drumming. Buddy Rich, Keith Moon and Charlie Watts were his musical heros. Ian could listen to the music and repeat what he heard.
Tragedy entered Ian’s life when his friend Trevor’s mother died in a car crash. The White family grieved the loss of their friend.
Ian’s parents noticed that Trevor had withdrawn from his friends. His father, deep in his own grief, was ignoring his son’s pain. The Whites reached out to help Trevor but saw him slip away.
When they were thirteen, Ian and his friends started drinking. The teens would break into liquor stores or convenience stores to get whatever liquor they could. As the teens got older, Brian Mayfield introduced them to marijuana and quaaludes.
Ian stopped going to school. His mother asked him why. Ian simply said, “Trevor is hurting, I hurt for him. The drinking and drugs numb the pain.”
The teens found an old, abounded house to drink and do whatever drugs they could get. They got caught breaking into a store and were taken to Juvenile Detention. The Whites were devastated by their son’s actions and forbade Ian to leave the house.
Locked down at home, Ian immersed himself in playing drums. One night, he did sneak out to meet Trevor and Brian. The plan was to break into a store, get the alcohol and cigarettes, and go. The police arrived, Ian and Trevor escaped, leaving Brian Mayfield to take the rap. He was sent to Juvenile Detention for eighteen months.
That was the wake-up call for Ian. He decided not to get blind drunk anymore and gave up doing drugs for good. (Well, maybe smoke a joint now and then.) Ian convinced a lost Trevor McNaughton to take up the guitar. The two would practice songs they heard on the radio. Ian’s oldest brother Fergus encouraged the two to form a band. He even helped in finding a bass player and additional guitarist.
Ian proceeded to get Kevin involved by learning how to manage a sound board. With the help and monetary assistance of both Ian’s brothers Stanley Park was born.
Stanley Park played local pubs and gained a small following. Ian managed the band, leading them to playing larger bars and clubs. He and Trevor wrote original songs for Stanley Park.
The band entered a Battle of the Bands contest and was the runner-up. They played some covers; they added Canadian artists music along with their original material. A talent agent suggested going to Los Angeles or New York Club to play clubs. Ian and Trevor agreed that New York would be the best for themselves and the band.
With the help of Ian’s brothers, Stanley Park left Vancouver for New York with some cash and an old station wagon. Ian managed to get them booked into the best clubs on the circuit. They were on their way to stardom.