News & Press
The Organ’s “Grab That Gun” Wins 2025 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize
604 Records is thrilled to announce that The Organ’s iconic record Grab That Gun has won the public vote for the 2025 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize. The companion award to the Polaris Music Album Prize, winners and nominees for the Heritage Prize are also Canadian albums of artistic distinction, without regard to sales, genre or affiliation. It is a way to honour meritorious Canadian albums that predate when Polaris began in 2006.
Two albums this year have received the Heritage Prize designation. The Organ’s Grab That Gun has taken home the public vote prize alongside Jane Siberry’s The Speckless Sky which was determined by a Heritage Prize jury made up of music media and music historians.
The Organ’s lead vocalist Katie Sketch reflects:
“Winning the Polaris for Grab The Gun is a wonderful surprise. This record would not exist without the talents of Paul Forgues and the late Todd Simko, who poured countless hours into every song on a shoestring budget. Paul recorded most of the tracks in the back of an unfinished office space, and Todd mixed the album in his garage studio. We are deeply grateful to everyone who continues to listen, and to those who stood with us in a time when queerness was ridiculed and shamed. We also acknowledge that the landscape remains hostile towards trans people and we urge Canadians to protect our most vulnerable. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
To mark Grab That Gun by The Organ winning the 2025 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize (public vote) a commemorative poster has been designed by Joshua Reginales, Aiyana Alzamora, Alexandre Davilmar-Smith, Amir Khoshnevis, and Hwa-Jin Jun. This limited edition artwork celebrates one of Canadian indie rock’s most enduring albums. Available to purchase next week HERE!
Presented by CBC Music, The Slaight Family Heritage Prize was created in partnership with Slaight Music. This project is funded in part by Factor Canada, The Government of Canada, and Canada’s private radio broadcasters. It is supported by Sirius XM Canada, Ontario Creates, Ontario Government, The Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund and Slaight Music.
The 2025 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Music Prize nominated records included:
Choclair – Ice Cold
The Constantines – The Constantines
Franck Dervieux – Dimension M
Do Make Say Think – Goodbye Enemy Airship, The Landlord Is Dead
Doughboys – Crush
Dubmatique – La force de comprendre
Mort Garson – Mother Earth’s Plantasia
Propagandhi – Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes
Rascalz – Cash Crop
Strawberry – Brokeheart Audio
About The Organ:
The Organ were a Vancouver quintet, formed in 2001. In a short space of time, this all female ensemble gained rapid exposure with the release of their first EP, Sinking Hearts; and a live show that has spirited them on stage with some of the most significant bands today. A critical and popular favourite, The Organ write melodic and introspective music based on layered interplay between their instrumentalists – Debora Cohen, guitar; Ashley Webber, bass; Shelby Stocks, drums; Jenny Smyth, Hammond organ – and the intimate and doleful lyrics of their lead singer, Katie Sketch. In 2003, The Organ signed a co-record deal with both Mint and 604 Records. As a result, The Organ recorded their debut record, Grab That Gun, which was just released on May 25, 2004.
Based around the warm and melancholic tones of a Hammond organ, the band’s music has been described as “haunting and intense.” Fans of the band will tell you that their music evokes images of some of the great depressive bands of the eighties – The Smiths, The Cure, and Joy Division, and it was this moodiness that bent the ears of both Mint & 604 execs alike (…and at the same time).
In December 2006, the band broke up due to illness and personal conflicts in the band. Thieves is an EP of six songs that The Organ were working on when they broke up. They went back into the studio to finish recording these songs for their fans.