LOVERBOY
In
1980, Loverboy introduced themselves to the world with their
self-titled debut album. They quickly became one of America's and
MTV's most popular rock bands. From 1980 through 1987 Loverboy
garnered 4 multi-Platinum albums and numerous international Gold
albums. Their tours sold out arenas and stadiums nationwide. Their
hit singles came one after another, and went on to become the
anthems and party songs of an entire generation of rock concert
going fans. Loverboy’s red leather pants, bandannas, and big
rock sound defined the band’s trademark image and high-energy
live show.
Driven by the powerful vocals of Mike Reno, the relentless rock
groove of lead guitarist Paul Dean, bassist Scott Smith,
keyboardist Doug Johnson and drummer Matt Frenette, the band built
its reputation on-stage, bringing the energy from their radio hits
to coliseum rousing excitement.
Loverboy’s inception began in Calgary, Canada, when Mike Reno
was introduced to Paul Dean at The Refinery Night Club. Dean was
rehearsing a new band out back in a warehouse with a friend of
Reno’s and Mike stopped by to jam. Dean heard him sing a couple
of songs and that was that! Over the next few weeks, Dean
and Reno began writing songs on guitar and drums. Doug Johnson (at
the time in another Canadian band) began to jam with them. During
one of those jam sessions with Reno on drums and Dean on bass,
Turn Me Loose and Loverboy was born.
After being rejected by all the major U.S. record companies, Loverboy
signed with Columbia Records Canada. On March the 20th, 1980, Loverboy
went into the studio with producer Bruce Fairbairn and engineer
Bob Rock to record their self-titled debut album -- Loverboy. That
summer, the record flew out of the stores setting record sales for
a debut album - over 700,000 in Canada alone. Columbia U.S. had no
choice but recognize that 700,000 people could not be wrong. The
U.S. released the album in November 1980 and by April 1981, it had
gone GOLD. Loverboy’s debut album soldl more than 2 million
albums in the U.S. and 4 million worldwide.
Soon the band found themselves playing on mega tours with
Journey, Bob Seger, Cheap Trick, ZZ Top, Kansas and Def Leppard,
to name a few; they quickly became MTV darlings, being one of the
first bands ever featured on the music channel.
Between dates,( over 200 shows in 1981) the band wrote and
recorded their second multi-platinum selling album. In 1981, Get
Lucky was released. It featured such songs as Working
For The Weekend, When It’s Over, Take Me To The Top, Only The
Lucky Ones, Jump, etc. This led to an unprecedented six
Juno Awards, Canada’s highest music award. This record still
stands today.
In 1983, Loverboy released their 3rd album Keep It Up. With
Hot Girls In Love and Queen
Of The Broken Hearts burning up the airwaves they were soon
recognized as one of the hardest working bands with a must-see
live show.
Lovin’ Every Minute Of It, the band’s 4th album it
hit the airwaves, and landed them as one of the Top Five grossing
touring acts, performing in over 100 cities across the U.S. and
Canada. They became the 1st Canadian group to earn Columbia
Records’ exclusive Crystal Glove Award, celebrating the sale of
over 5 million albums outside their native country.
In 1986 Loverboy recorded Heaven In Your
Eyes, for the upcoming blockbuster movie, TOP GUN. The
single went Top 5 on Billboard’s chart. This was followed by the
1987 release of Wildslide -- Loverboy’s last studio album
of the 80s.
After 9 years of being ruled by Loverboy’s agenda of
recording, touring, television appearances, videos, and hoards of
interviews Paul, Mike, Matt, Doug and Scott decided to take a rest
from the band and each other. The year was 1989.
Reuniting in late 1992, Loverboy joined Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi
and other stars to help raise money for cancer-stricken friend and
fellow recording artist Brian ‘Too Loud’ McLeod. Unrehearsed,
with 3 years since their last performance, the band hit the stage
running. The crowd loved what they saw and were reminded of why Loverboy
was such a great live band. Mike, Matt, Doug, Scott and Paul felt
they this was the most fun they had had in years. They wanted to
do it again. They got into their own cars and drove around
Western Canada doing selected dates. They were back doing what
they loved -- performing live.
In 1993 the band decided to go back to the U.S. with some
trepidation - Loverboy did 64 concert dates. There was no reason
to be nervous. The fans came back out and brought new ones with
them. Sony/Legacy released a new greatest hits album entitled, Loverboy–Classics.
Since then, the band had continued touring every year, doing
shows with old friends such as Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Cheap
Trick, Night Ranger, Eddie Money. In 1998 they performed over 95
concerts in the U.S. alone. In the U.S. in 1998, Loverboy–Classics
went GOLD.
Buoyed by this latest achievement, their management and
Sony/Legacy started to exchange ideas on a live album. Live
recordings had to be relocated and carefully handled because most
of the live concert recordings had being lying dormant for over 15
years. Members of the band worked with Sony Producer, Al Quaglieri
to refurbish the recordings. After 2 years of hard work, in the
summer of 2001, Sony/Legacy released the first ever live greatest
hit’s CD from the intense touring years of 1982–1986 titled Live,
Loud & Loose, a collection of live recordings captured on
tape from some of their most exciting concerts. The CD contains 14
previously unreleased live concert recordings featuring Loverboy’s
mega hits, including Lady Of The 80’s,
Take Me To The Top, This Could Be The Night, Dangerous, Lead A
Double Life, When It’s Over and The
Kid Is Hot Tonite. In conjunction with the release of
Live, Loud & Loose, Loverboy toured the US and Canada.
The tour was dedicated to the memory of their friend and late
bassist Scott Smith, who was declared lost at sea on November 30th
2000. With the CD also dedicated to Scott, it serves as a special
memory to a band that has been together since 1980.
Loverboy celebrated 25 years together in 2005. They
continue to delight their fans and make new ones everywhere they
appear.
