Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Hay River (June 24/02) - Greg Neale is not your average music teacher.

For the last two years, he has taught at Diamond Jenness secondary school in Hay River, but you might also catch him on a rerun of Mad TV.

Neale was once a member of a comedic musical trio Corky and the Juice Pigs, which appeared on 13 episodes of the American sketch comedy show from 1996-98.

And he has fond memories of the experience. "It was awesome. They were the nicest people you ever met. No egos."

Corky and the Juice Pigs, which formed at the University of Windsor in Ontario, also toured across Canada and to Australia, the United States and Europe.

The band also released two CDs, had videos played on MuchMusic and performed at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal.

They even toured with the Bare Naked Ladies before they became famous.

The band was together for a decade, Neale says.

"We did over 3,000 shows in those 10 years."

Neale graduated from university with a bachelor of fine arts in acting, and taught for a year after graduation before becoming a professional musician/comedian.

"I didn't plan it at all," he says.

"I didn't plan to be a comedian."

The 36-year-old has been teaching music at Diamond Jenness for the last two years, following two years in the small Cree community of Kashechewan, Ont.

However, he is leaving Hay River for Australia, where he will be studying for a masters degree in creative arts therapy.

Neale also hopes to get a new band together and record a CD of his own music while Down Under, where he says Corky and the Juice pigs have a cult following.

He eventually hopes to open a studio to help high-risk youth through drama and art.

Neale says it was a difficult decision to leave Hay River, and he would love to come back.

"I've had a brilliant time here," he says.

And he says his students are very talented.

One of the things he brought to Diamond Jenness was an emphasis on performance, such as the recent History of Rock 'n' Roll. His students performed five live shows during the school year.

"It's more about performance than just coming in and studying," he explains. "It's all about action."

Neale and his wife, Jessica, will also be heading to Australia with their 15-month-old daughter Indygo, who was born in the NWT.

Neale says he will miss the NWT.

"Being here in the North has been a really incredible experience."