By Jim Barber
It wouldn’t be summer season in Canada with out a bunch of sizzling, sweaty and tremendous enjoyable concert events from among the finest rock and roll celebration bands to ever come from the Nice White North – Honeymoon Suite.
Greater than 4 many years on from their a lot heralded and now basic 1984 self-titled debut album, which is highlighted by timeless radio staples similar to ‘New Woman Now,’ ‘Burning In Love,’ ‘Wave Infants,’ and ‘Keep in The Mild,’ the seemingly ageless quintet is about to deliver their splendidly common model of Canadian melodic arduous rock and powerhouse onstage power to Ontario, together with Brockville, Petawawa, Thunder Bay, adopted by a swing by way of the Maritimes earlier than heading out to western Canada with exhibits persevering with into the autumn and early winter, together with at The Empire Theatre in Belleville on Sept. 27.
Co-founder/lead guitarist/songwriter Derry Grehan talked to Music Life Journal concerning the enduring recognition of the band and his rationale as to why they don’t seem to be solely nonetheless a must-see attraction for long-tenured followers but in addition for an growing variety of youthful music lovers.
“A part of it’s as a result of we’re a reside band. We’ve all the time been a reside band. We’ve acquired nearly all the unique members; we’re nonetheless buddies and we sound nice collectively. We will’t wait to stand up on stage to play each evening as a result of it’s nonetheless simply an excessive amount of rattling enjoyable. I like doing it, it doesn’t get previous for me. We’re a rock band, and other people of all ages like a superb rock band. We play loud, we play arduous,” Grehan mentioned.
“Plenty of the youngsters’ music as we speak, it’s all simply a lot computer-generated stuff. There’s no bands anymore. It’s all simply sort of canned music and autotuned and it’s not likely geared towards a reside band. So, I feel the youngsters come out and after they see an actual band taking part in, that’s not all tracks, and a very good singer and all of the power we put out – nothing beats a reside band. Nothing. And there are a superb variety of children actually searching for that have.”
One of many methods the band stays very important, and continues to pursue their musical journey with such high-octane power is the truth that the proverbial inventive juices proceed to move, in addition to they ever have, with Honeymoon Suite releasing their ninth studio album, Wake Me Up When The Solar Goes Down on July 25, just a little over a 12 months for the reason that launch of the critically acclaimed report Alive. Each have been launched on Italy’s iconic melodic rock/metallic label Frontiers Music, internationally, and on BCM Information for home consumption in Canada.
At first it might appear just a little jarring for a band hailing from Niagara Falls, Ontario to be working with a label approach throughout the Atlantic Ocean in Milan, however Grehan mentioned it’s been a protracted and fruitful relationship between the 2 events, and one he and his Honeymoon Suite bandmates have been excited to interact in once more for the final two albums.
“We’ve been working with them for a very long time, truly. At the very least 10 or 15 years. We’ve finished a couple of initiatives with them right here or there over time. So, this isn’t our first go spherical with them. We’ve finished different albums with them. They’re a melodic rock label and I suppose they needed to have a band from Canada. They’re not simply arduous music and metallic, there’s quite a lot of totally different stuff on the label,” Grehan mentioned from his residence in Nashville the place he and his household spend time aside from their long-time residence in rural Illinois.
“They’ve labored with Whitesnake and Journey and so they’ve widened their perspective. Initially, they reached out to us. We made a little bit of noise in Europe and the U.Okay. again within the day and we’re nonetheless a presence there. And the truth that we’re all nonetheless collectively and nonetheless placing out music made us enticing. Their A&R division, that’s their job to search out bands like us. After which across the time we had the Alive report all completed and have been searching for a label. I put an e-mail out to them, and so they got here again with the perfect provide. Though they’re thought-about impartial [meaning they have no official entanglements with the major labels] they’re nonetheless a correct report label, with an workplace and workers and an A&R division and a reserving facet for exhibits. So, they’ve acquired a full group with a correct promotion staff, which can promote the report in Europe and Japan, and so they have individuals within the U.S. as properly. It’s good to have any person, a label, working in your behalf and placing it on the market correctly, lining up the press and movies and issues like that. Whereas we’ve finished a couple of albums the place we simply did all the pieces ourselves and if you’re by yourself, you’ve acquired to rent a publicist and all that. So, it’s good to have a correct label that believes in what we’re doing.”
Wake Me Up When the Solar Goes Down, as with Alive, was produced by fellow Canadian Mike Krompass, the second straight album with which he has collaborated with the band. In Canada, the report additionally comes out on his personal boutique report label BCM.
“Canada’s clearly our bread and butter so we needed somebody who knew the market very well and will concentrate on simply this nation. Technically, we’re signed with BCM after which Mike truly licences the album to Frontiers. So, we’ve whole management right here in Canada, which is sweet, and we will do what we would like by way of what singles and movies to launch and the place to play. So, actually, all people’s comfortable. And likewise having a take care of Frontiers, they’ll truly manufacture the CDs and vinyl and distribute them and though all the pieces is recoupable, it’s good to have them handle the upfront prices. We are going to manufacture our personal vinyl and CDs in Canada with one other producer, and we get to maintain all that cash,” Grehan mentioned, including that he had heard about Mike, who was figuring out of Nashville on the time a couple of years in the past and determined to provide him a name.
“I’ve been residing the place I’m within the U.S. for about 20 years now, however I’ve been making quite a lot of journeys all the way down to Nashville in these final 20 years too. Each every so often, I’d come down right here to do some writing journeys. I heard that Mike was residing down right here and was this man from Toronto who was a fairly good producer, and I feel somebody mentioned I ought to simply attain out to him as a result of he’s additionally a guitar participant. So out of the blue I simply DM’d him and he’s like, ‘dude, I like your band! Why don’t you guys come down.’ At it was after I was taking place with [daughter] Leah at lot, as a result of she was writing songs down in Nashville with individuals too.
“On a kind of journeys we truly went to his place as a result of he was producing quite a lot of pop for lots of younger singers. In order that was my first in-person introduction to Mike. We wrote and recorded a couple of songs down there for her and from the Mike requested me what’s happening with Honeymoon Suite. I advised him we have been writing and needed to make a report and one factor led to a different, and Mike provided to provide the report, which was Alive. So, that’s the way it went.”
The brand new album options the signature sound of Honeymoon Suite, with a extra trendy, twenty first century strategy that permits for his or her basic rock vibe to shine by way of, with out sounding cliché or anachronistic. And it rocks with all of the affect and power that solely veteran musicians and songwriters who’ve been round each other and collaborating with one another for many years can engender.
“Mike Krompass is accountable for lots of that. He’s a Canadian dude; he’s a producer and he’s additionally a guitar participant and multi-instrumentalist. He’s just a little youthful than us and he grew up listening to Honeymoon Suite; we have been certainly one of his favorite bands. So, as a child he was studying my licks to the purpose the place he is aware of the band and our repertoire inside out. And since he’s youthful, he’s very slick within the studio with all of the tech. He’s acquired all the brand new manufacturing tips and is aware of Professional Instruments in and out. So, he doesn’t a lot change our sound as make it sound present. The three of us, Johnnie, Mike and I, we wrote the entire album collectively and Mike’s actually good at balancing issues off. Whenever you hearken to the album, they’re nice melodic tracks, however they sound recent – they don’t sound dated. It’s sounds very new, however we’re positively not sounding like a pop band. We’re nonetheless Honeymoon Suite,” Grehan mentioned, including that there’s all the time going to be a pure development in a band that’s nonetheless totally engaged creatively, and attuned to 1 one other’s vibe.
“It’s all actual gamers taking part in actual devices. It’s not churned out of a pc. And, yeah, the guitar sounds are just a little excessive and crunchy, however that’s simply the distinction in working with the producer and totally different gear now. We by no means make the identical report twice, so that is what we’ve provide you with now. It feels like us, however it’s not a duplicate of The Massive Prize (1986) or the primary album. I wouldn’t need it to. In itself, it’s sounds nice.”
Internationally, the primary single launched through Frontiers was the compelling and optimistic vibe of ‘I Fly,’ which was one of many compositions Grehan initiated and delivered to Dee and Krompass.
“I got here in with that one and I had these refrain chords. I used to be messing round sooner or later and the way in which I write is it all the time begins with guitar; it begins with a riff or chord development. And ultimately sooner or later I used to be writing I simply stored saying, ‘after I fly, after I fly,’ time and again. I couldn’t get that out of my head, and I didn’t know what it meant, however that’s the one lyric we had firstly,” he defined.
“Then when all the music lastly got here collectively, and it was time to put in writing the phrases I sort of based mostly it round flying as a result of it simply gave the impression of that; and its metaphorical. The primary verse is about taking off, leaving the bottom, and passing by way of the clouds, which we achieve this a lot after we’re touring. After which it’s additionally metaphorically evaluating that to somebody’s life after they’re leaving a foul scenario or a relationship – they’re leaving that behind as they fly as much as one thing hopefully higher and freer.”
‘Loopy Life’ shouldn’t be deliberate to be a single, however might be, and is a music that solely a veteran touring band might write with any authenticity, because it’s a gritty, however enjoyable tackle life on the highway.
“Once more, that’s one which I form of began. It’s not nation, however sort of blues-rock country-ish, though extra like simply straight blues rock. And that’s simply me having enjoyable with a drop-D guitar and a riff. I’ve been attempting to put in writing that music for a couple of years now and we lastly pulled it collectively. It’s sort of a celebration music. It’s about being on the highway and it’s only a down and soiled rock music. And we wanted a kind of on the album. Though it’s been 40 years, not rather a lot has modified. It’s nonetheless a lot of late nights and early mornings, and that goes whether or not you’re a younger band or an older band. That’s nonetheless the way in which it’s.”
It’s been a rocky highway at instances for this venerable band. After the primary blush of business and common success all through the Nineteen Eighties and into the early Nineteen Nineties, radical modifications within the musical panorama with the appearance of digital expertise and the explosion of the so-called Grunge motion, practically despatched the band packing because it did many a melodic arduous rock band on the time.
Band members left, report offers disappeared, and venue sizes diminished, however the core duo of Grehan and vocalist/frontman/co-writer Johnnie Dee stood agency, weathering the slings and arrows of typically outrageous rock and roll fortunes. And so they continued to launch albums, beginning with Lemon Tongue in 2001 (independently, with the album known as Dreamland in Europe, that includes some totally different songs).
A full fledged reunion with unique members Gary Lalonde (bass), Ray Coburn (keyboards), and drummer Dave Betts happened with nice fanfare in 2007, resulting in the brand new album Clifton Hill in 2008 (launched internationally on Frontiers) though Coburn left simply two years later, former member Peter Nunn stepped in and has remained a key contributor to the band reside and on report for the previous 16 years.
“Gary and Dave have been again for a very long time now. They left the band for some time earlier within the Nineteen Nineties. When the Nineteen Nineties got here in, issues simply sort of fell aside, not only for us. I feel for each melodic rock band it was a tough time then. However Johnnie and I soldiered on; we stored going. We acquired different gamers in as a result of we weren’t working as a lot, however we managed to get by way of the Nineteen Nineties. We had nice session gamers who got here and went, however they weren’t Dave and Gary. It by no means truly sounded the identical, it wasn’t actually us. So, after a few years of that, within the early 2000s I mentioned to Johnnie that we wanted to attempt to get everybody again,” Grehan mentioned.
“We have been all nonetheless buddies after we parted methods, we by no means had an enormous blow out. It’s simply the way in which issues panned out. So, I simply took an opportunity and known as all of them up and requested in the event that they have been thinking about possibly coming again and attempting a couple of exhibits, as a result of I missed them. We began sluggish and we constructed, and we’ve continued to construct it, man. And with these guys, there’s a chemistry with the 5 of us, together with Peter. We make a sound that solely we will. We’ve had different gamers which can be technically higher, however they by no means gave the impression of the identical band. So, when you’ve got the identical guys who performed on the albums taking part in within the precise band, you may’t beat that. And though Johnnie and I are form of the core and in each band the core is often the singer and the guitar participant, however you’ve nonetheless acquired to have the songs, and also you’ve acquired to have the voice, and have that chemistry. So, yeah, we’re fortunate that we’re nonetheless buddies and companions alongside Gary and Dave and Peter too.
“And thru all of the robust instances, I suppose we have been simply too cussed or dumb to do the rest. And, , I don’t need to do the rest. However there have been some actually tough years in there within the Nineteen Nineties when Grunge was in. There wasn’t a lot for any of the bands like us to do. Our music was out of fashion. However now for the reason that early 2000s, melodic rock got here roaring again and we’re doing so, so a lot better there days. And it’s nice. I’m a lifer anyhow. I’m a songwriter and I do all the pieces. Honeymoon Suite is just like the mothership for me and it’s nice as a result of it permits me to do different issues in music. I write and produce outdoors of the band. And so long as I can keep in it and make a residing, which is de facto uncommon to be a musician and make a residing and be capable to purchase a home and assist a household. I’m very grateful and grateful for that. And this dang band simply retains going. And I don’t know why, however I do know we’ve acquired nice followers, we’ve acquired a fantastic catalogue that’s nonetheless getting airplay. The songs have withstood the check of time, and I’m very comfortable about that.”
One of the vital important of Grehan’s non-Honeymoon Suite gigs is being the daddy of up-and-coming Nashville-based singer/songwriter Leah Marlene. Already a rising star, she gained worldwide consideration after ending third within the twentieth season of American Idol. She’s launched two albums and a slew of singles, self-written and self-produced for essentially the most half, together with her dad taking part in extra of a supportive function, permitting the precociously gifted and pushed younger artist to forge her personal path within the music trade.
“After all, her mom and I are extraordinarily proud. It’s simply been loopy what’s occurred together with her in a brief time frame. And it’s an exquisite factor that occurred with American Idol, as a result of it actually boosted her profession, however she is aware of she’s acquired quite a lot of work nonetheless to do and he or she’s working arduous on it. She’s finished all of it herself so, yeah, it’s great to see,” Grehan mentioned.
“She’s a fairly sensible lady and he or she’s fairly on high of her personal enterprise. The music enterprise that she’s in is totally totally different from the one which I got here up in nowadays. So, we do discuss it, however it’s modified a lot, it truly is totally different for these children nowadays and the way issues go. It’s an entire new world for them. I be taught rather a lot from her truly. The youngsters know all about what’s happening and the way to get your music on the market; it’s all about social media now. And he or she’s acquired a fairly good deal with on all of it.”
Proud day, iconic Canadian rock star, and axe slinging knowledgeable, Grehan is proof that sticking it out in robust instances, staying true to your self, your roots and your genuine self can repay!
For extra data on the brand new album, tour dates and different band information, go to
Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and writer based mostly in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. In addition to his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising and marketing specialist and is an avid volunteer in his group. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
SHARE THIS POST:
![[The AI Show Episode 156]: AI Solutions](https://i1.wp.com/www.marketingaiinstitute.com/hubfs/ep%20156%20cover.png?w=75&resize=75,75&ssl=1 "[The AI Show Episode 156]: AI Solutions")
