Led by the roadhouse growl of lead singer John Kay, Steppenwolf generated a string of hits that included anti-war screeds, era-defining biker anthems, and classic covers of songs by Don Covay and Hoyt Axton. Their sound had hints of dirty jazz, biker blues, oil-stained R&B, and fist-jacking rock 'n' roll, and they were equal parts serious, dangerous, and fun. And prolific, too: their first five albums came out within three years, riding the charts between 1968-70. History—and over 25 million global record sales—has proven the band to be an essential piece of Canadian rock 'n' roll.