Loverboy is a Canadian Rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/godeltsihw/Loverboy-Photo.jpg


-- BAND MEMBERS --

Mike Reno (Lead Vocals)
Matthew Frenette (Drums)
Scott Smith (Bass)
Paul Dean (Guitars, Vocals)
Doug Johnson (Keyboards)


-- BIOGRAPHY --

The roots of Loverboy began in the late 70s.  Paul Dean and Matthew Frenette were members of a band called Streetheart, who in 1978 got signed to Capitol Records.  Their debut album "Meanwhile Back in Paris", released that same year, sold very well in Canada largely in part from the single "Look at Me".  Shortly after the album's release, tensions within the band forced Dean to depart the group.  Streetheart continued on for a second album "Under Heaven Over Hell", which was released in 1979.  The album's lead single, a cover of the Faces song "Here Comes the Night", was an instant hit.  Their next single, a cover of the Rolling Stones hit "Under My Thumb" became their first Top 20 hit in Canada.  Later that same year, Frenette decided to leave the group to pursue other projects.

After a brief stint with a band Brian MacLeod was putting together as a sideline to Chilliwack (The Headpins) - Frenette's path crossed with Dean's again, when they met up with singer Mike Reno (real name Mike Rynoski) - ex Moxy singer, in Vancouver. Along with Doug Johnson on keyboards and bassist Scott Smith they began doing the BC circuit and were signed to Columbia Records later that year. They released their self-titled debut in the summer of 1980. The timing couldn't have been better for a simple yet slick approach to radio-friendly pop to have been on the scene. Dismissed by some as soft-core punk, others blasted them for being nothing more than teeny-bopper pleasers dressed in tight leather pants. Like them or not, if you lived in Canada in the '80's, you knew Loverboy. Backed by the singles "The Kid Is Hot Tonight" (co-written by Headpins' drummer Bernie Aubin) and "Turn Me Loose", and the "much more than filler" "Lady of the '80's" and"DOA", the album quickly went gold - then double platinum.
GET LUCKY came out a year later and further cemented their name in the foundations of Canadian pop. "Working For The Weekend", "Lucky Ones" and "Jump" showed the sheer force of Dean's fret-work while tight ballads like "When It's Over" demonstrated the group's ability to shift gears and churn out well-written ballads. The combination quickly made it two gold records in a row. By this time Loverboy was being heard coast to coast and was getting some exposure in the US as well. Regional gigs had long since been turned in for national tours.

KEEP IT UP hit the shelves in '83. Backed by the singles "Queen Of The Broken Hearts" and "Hot Girls In Love", it had a solid core of well-written tracks that again gave Loverboy gold. More constant touring saw them in Europe and Japan as well as every corner of North America. By now the group's brand of radio punk-pop was well-known and well-received by the masses, but still didn't make much of an impression on the critics.

LOVIN' EVERY MINUTE OF IT was released in early '85 and contained some of the group's heaviest riffs. Backed by the title track written by Mutt Lange (best known world-wide as the producer of such platinum successes as AC/DC's BACK IN BLACK and Def Leppard's HYSTERIA, but simply known in Canada as the lucky bastard that snagged Shania), the record also drove home the heavier than usual message with "Steal The Thunder". Their maturity in the studio shone with "This Could Be The Night".  Co-written by Johnathon Cain of Journey, it was their oblligatory radio I love you-the sky is blue ballad. "Dangerous", written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance was the third single released. Though the band was still touring constantly and the album was their fourth straight gold record, the public's perception of them was beginning to change. In short, Loverboy's audience was outgrowing them.

The group took some time off after the subsequent world tour and by the release of WILDSIDE in 1987, they realized they were caught on the downhill slide of a music revolution, finding themselves squeezed out of the market by more sophisticated elder statesmen and hungrier young acts. Behind the controls for the fifth straight time was Bruce Fairbairn. Supported by the hit "Notorious" co-written by Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi, "Walkin' On Fire" and "Don't Keep Me in The Dark", the record was pushed gold. After a final gig in London with Def Leppard that summer, Loverboy took what they thought at the time would be a brief hiatus.

The group didn't appear together again until 1989 when they reunited for a Brian "Too Loud" MacLeod benefit show in BC. The reception given them, plus CBS' release of BIG ONES, a cheezy best of package with two new tracks, "Too Hot" and "Ain't Looking For Love", prompted them to hit the road again and toured most of western Canada. Outside interests tho soon found the members again going their seperate ways. The time off afforded Dean the opportunity to cut his first solo record, HARDCORE. Backed by the Paul Stanley/Bruce Kulick "Sword and Stone" and the remake of Streetheart's "Action", it too went gold.Reno went into the studios as well at the beginning of the decade. After recording a number of tracks in LA with a plethora of guest artists which included David Foster, the album was shelved at the last minute by industry politics.

1995 saw Dean release his second solo effort MACHINE, the same year that Reno put out his first solo record, JUST IF I. Except for the occasional benefit show, Loverboy wouldn't resurface until '96, with the release of VI. Johnson left the group midway and was replaced by Richie Sera, who'd worked before with Kim Mitchell, Tom Cochrane and Sue Medley. Re-tooled and ready for a second run at the top, the new sound showed maturity in the writing, adding new dimensions with a strong contingent of cellos in "Secrets", and acoustics with "Maybe Someday". "Tortured" and "Big Picture" were also noteable cuts, as was "Hair Of The Dog", and a reworking of "Bitch You" from Dean's solo lp, MACHINE. Originally only available at the band's concerts and thru a 1-800 number, VI is now available internationally in the stores. The group started out doing fairs and small gigs but worked their way up in support of the new record opening in arenas for the likes of ZZ Top. Dean released his third solo record in '97, with BLACKSTONE, which featured cameos by, among other, Reno. Reno's original solo attempt found its way on to the shelves in '03 on an independent label when RENOVATION was released.

On December 2, 2000, the rock world was saddened with the announced death of Scott Smith following a tragic boating accident off the coast of California. The band picked up the pieces the next spring when they hired Spider Sinnaeve, who Dean and Frennette had both played with in Streetheart
 

-- ALBUMS --

(Loverboy)
Year 1980 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1994 1994 1997 19972001

Album Title Loverboy Get Lucky Keep it UpLovin' Every Minute of ItWildsideBig OnesTemperature's RisingLoverboy ClassicsVISuper HitsLive, Loud and Loose

(Paul Dean)
Year 1989 1994

Album Title Hardcore Machine


-- HIT SINGLES --

NOTE:  In the USA, Turn Me Loose was the first single.  All singles from their debut album charted on Billboard in 1981

(Loverboy)
Year 1980 1981 1981 1981 1982 1983 1983 1985 1985 19861986198619871989

Song Title The Kid is Hot Tonite Turn Me Loose Lady of the 80s Working For the Weekend When It's Over Hot Girls in Love Queen of the Broken Hearts Lovin' Every Minute of It Dangerous This Could Be the Night Lead A Double Life Heaven in Your Eyes Notorious Too Hot

Canada #30 #7 #43 #10 #17 #9 #28 #17 #67#44--#24#24#71

United States #55 #35 --#29#26#11#34#9#65#10#68#12#38#84

(Mike Reno)
Year 1984

Song Title Almost Paradise (Love Theme From Footloose) <w/ Ann Wilson>

Canada #3

United States #7

(Paul Dean)
Year 1994

Song Title Create A Monster

Canada #55

United States --


-- MUSIC VIDEOS --

Turn Me Loose | Working For the Weekend | When It's Over | Lucky Ones | Hot Girls in Love | This Could Be the Night | Notorious

Always dug the "Hot Girls In Love" video.  Mike Reno also had another cool solo track on the Dream A Little Dream Soundtrack - "Whenever There's A Night You Need Love".  :)

Always dug the "Hot Girls In Love" video.  Mike Reno also had another cool solo track on the Dream A Little Dream Soundtrack - "Whenever There's A Night You Need Love".  :)


I love that Reno track.  That whole soundtrack was great 8)

They're a good rock band...and from my hometown!  :D

Nice writeup.

The band was seriously underrated.  I like keyboards.  I like new wave.  But I also like good old-fashioned guitar-oriented rock, and Loverboy's trademark sound was a great blend of the two.  Imagine ZZ Top's "Afterburner" album, but with a little more emphasis on guitar and a lot more emphasis on vocals.  Great music for long-distance highway cruising. 

Makes you wanna point the car in the direction of nowhere, take the top down, crank up the stereo and get a speeding ticket while making a general noisy nuisance of yourself to the cows.

Nice writeup.

The band was seriously underrated.  I like keyboards.  I like new wave.  But I also like good old-fashioned guitar-oriented rock, and Loverboy's trademark sound was a great blend of the two.  Imagine ZZ Top's "Afterburner" album, but with a little more emphasis on guitar and a lot more emphasis on vocals.  Great music for long-distance highway cruising. 

Makes you wanna point the car in the direction of nowhere, take the top down, crank up the stereo and get a speeding ticket while making a general noisy nuisance of yourself to the cows.



Yeah, Loverboy is one of my favorite '80s bands. And Reno's track with Ann Wilson "Almost Paradise" is one of my favorite ballads.

Wow... WD, you put alot of work into the stuff you do on this thread.

I'm impressed!  :)

Saw them in concert many, many moons ago. They put on a good show-more than I could say for their warm-up band-the Hooters.  :P




Cat

Never heard of them, I'm afraid...I'll have to sample a few tracks.