Loverboy -

Loverboy was a Canadian AOR band that released five albums on Columbia between 1980 and 1987. Their first album, Loverboy, spawned the hits “The Kid Is Hot Tonight,” “Lady of the ’80s,” and the early MTV staple “Turn Me Lose.” Videos for “Working for the Weekend” and “It’s Over” propelled their 1981 second album, Get Lucky, to international sales. Their streak continued with the 1983–85 albums Keep It Up (“Hot Girls in Love”) and Lovin’ Every Minute of It.

Singer Mike Reno dueted with Heart singer Ann Wilson on the 1984 Billboard AC No. 1 “Almost Paradise,” the love theme to Footloose. He also sings a line on “Tears Are Not Enough,” a 1985 charitable single by the Canadian all-star project Northern Lights.

Members: Mike Reno (lead vocals), Paul Dean (guitar, vocals), Doug Johnson (keyboards), Scott Smith (bass, vocals, 1979-2000), Matt Frenette (drums), Spider Sinneave (bass, 2001-present), Richard Sera (keyboards, vocals)

Background

Loverboy formed in Calgary in 1979 when Streetheart guitarist Paul Dean teamed with singer Mike Reno, the late-period frontman of Moxy.

Dean (b. 1946, Vancouver) began his professional music career at age 18 and played in thirteen bands over the ensuing trilustrum. His earliest recorded act was Canada, a soul-pop quartet that issued two 1970/71 singles on RCA Victor, including the proto-funk a-side “I Don’t Believe,” written by the group’s US-born pianist–singer Clyde Harvey. Dean and Canada drummer Bill McBeth then joined Cannonball, which became Scrubbaloe Caine, a rock–boogie band that released the 1973 album Round One on RCA.

In 1977, Dean co-founded Streetheart, a Regina melodic-rock band that included drummer Matt Frenette. After their 1978 debut album Meanwhile Back in Paris…, Dean cleared out for ex-Brass Union guitarist John Hannah. He was looking for musicians for a new group, the Paul Dean Band, when he heard Reno singing in a rehearsal hall.

Reno — real name: Joseph Michael Rynoski (b. 1955, New Westminster, BC) — drummed in a sequence of school bands before becoming a vocalist. In 1978, he replaced Buzz Shearman in hard-rockers Moxy for their fourth album Under the Lights, which signaled their demise. He found a like-mind in Dean, who was determined to take his next venture to international prominence.

The pair formed Cover Girl, named after the brand ads in their girlfriend’s fashion magazines. They enlisted keyboardist Doug Johnson and bassist Scott Smith for the renamed Cover Boy, which rechristened itself a final time to Loverboy, a name that came to Dean in a dream. Frenette, who just finished playing on Streetheart’s 1979 sophomore release Under Heaven Over Hell, completed the new five piece.

Loverboy made their live debut on November 19, 1979, at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum as the opening act for Kiss. After getting turned down by twenty-two US record labels, the Canadian branch of Columbia Records signed the band in early 1980.

Discography: