Moxy (band)
Encyclopedia
Moxy was a Canadian
hard rock
and heavy metal
band, formed in Toronto
, Ontario
in 1974, from previous members of the rock group, Leigh Ashford
— which included singer Douglas "Buzz" Shearman (former teen singer of Sherman & Peabody alongside Greg Godovitz of Fludd & Goddo
and Gil Moore
, later of Triumph
) Earl Johnson (former member of King Biscuit Boy
), Bill Wade (former member of "Outlaw Music" and "Brutus
" under the alias Hally Hunter that also included Gino Scarpelli of Goddo
) and Terry Juric, (former member of Outlaw Music) as Leigh Ashford
. The group changed its name to Moxy in late 1974. This name change was accompanied by a change in the group's sound. Buddy Caine a former band mate of Earl Johnson was added to the group in 1975.
Moxy toured extensively in Canada before having a hit in late 1975 with "Can’t You See I’m A Star". Moxy then toured the United States
on the strength of their radio airplay. Markets in which the band was very popular included Ontario
, Chicago
, St. Louis
, Detroit
and San Antonio
. Joe Anthony, the Godfather of Rock in San Antonio
on KISS-FM was largely responsible for the popularity of the band in south Texas and helped bring about their first headline appearance in the U.S in 1977, appearing with AC/DC
as their opening act.
Despite the death of Joe Anthony, the Moxy/Texas connection has continued into the present with Moxy's hits like "Can't You See I'm A Star", "Moon Rider", "Sail On Sail Away". "Midnight Flight", "I'll Set You on Fire" and "Are You Ready" still on the daily rotation at many Texas radio stations.
Many of the guitar solos on the band's debut album were performed by guest session musician Tommy Bolin
, who had previously been the lead guitarist for The James Gang and later replaced Ritchie Blackmore
in Deep Purple
.
's notorious rock club "The Knob Hill Hotel". Shortly thereafter, Fraser was replaced by Terry Juric on the recommendation of Earl Johnson and the group changed its name to MOXY. Their first single release was a trial run of "Can't You See I'm A Star", which was distributed by Yorkville Records. The promising sound of the single received heavy radio support from CHUM (AM)
in Toronto and led to the band's signing of a contract with Polydor Records
of Canada in December 1974. The Polydor Records
contract was mainly due to the popularity and success of the former band, Leigh Ashford, and to Buzz Shearman’s reputation.
, also known as the Black Album
,photo was recorded over two weeks in early 1975. Mark Smith of Bachman–Turner Overdrive fame acted as co-producer for the album. While in Van Nuys, California at Sound City Studio recording this album, session guitarist Tommy Bolin
was in the studio next door. Bolin was impressed with the no-nonsense, to-the-bones sound of Moxy, that when asked by the band's manager Roland Paquin to fill in he said yes. Earl Johnson was actually supposed to have done all the guitar parts, but got into a disagreement with the producer and was consequently tossed out of the studio. Roland Paquin knew Bolin from when he was a road manager for The James Gang. After the Moxy sessions, Bolin continued to work on his first solo album Teaser, and later that year got the call from David Coverdale
to join Deep Purple
. Having heard the impact of the twin guitars, Moxy then headed back to Toronto in search of a rhythm guitarist who would free up Earl Johnson to play the material on tour that had been added to the songs in the studio by Tommy Bolin
. Buddy Caine, a friend of Earl Johnson's, became the needed second guitarist, allowing the group to then hit the road with a Canadian tour that included Ontario
, Quebec
and the Maritimes
, where the group mostly played small venues.
The first album found its way to hard rock stations in the southern USA. The winter of 1975 "Can' t You See I'm A Star" and "Moon Rider" were receiving heavy radio support from KMAC/KISS in San Antonio, Texas
. tommy Bolin's contribution would get some much needed attention for the album in the U.S media, even though Bolin always downplayed his involvement. Moxy renegotiated a new contract with Polydor of Canada for distribution in affiliation with Mercury Records
. Both labels were owned by PolyGram Records at the time, who reissued the self-titled debut album in North America
and worldwide in 1976. The spring of 1976 "Fantasy" and "Sail On Sail Away" hit the top 20 charts on KISS-FM radio in San Antonio, Texas. KISS-FM disc jockey
Joe Anthony had the freedom to play the album in its entirety on many occasions through the late 1970s.
was recorded in the band's hometown of Toronto at Sound Stage studio with famed Aerosmith
producer Jack Douglas
. This a year after the first album for Canadian fans, but just three months after the reissued copy of Moxy I
was released in the U.S. Moxy II received international press coverage for the band. Most reviews predicted success for the band and comparisons were made to Aerosmith
, Rush
and Deep Purple
. Moxy II
was also highly acclaimed on its release by Geoff Barton of the UK music publication Sounds (magazine)
, who made the album available to its readers for the special price of only £1.50. Geoff Barton would later refer to Moxy as the Canadian Zeppelin
.
The fall of 1976 Moxy was touring throughout Ontario
, Quebec
and the Maritimes
. They then toured Texas as the opening act for Black Sabbath
, and Boston
, except at the new Convention Center arena
in San Antonio October 24, 1976, where Boston
was the opening act. November 17, 1976, "Take it Or Leave It", reached #14 on the Top 30 CHUM AM
in Toronto and in Texas "Midnight Flight", "Cause There's Another" and "Take it or Leave It" received heavy radio support. Moxy then toured California
, Illinois
and Missouri
. "Cause There's Another" reached #16 on CHUM (AM)
radio on March 26, 1977.
producing again. The result was Ridin' High
which once more contained all-original material written by the band members with an even harder/heavy sound than the first two albums. The album received good reviews, with nomination of a Juno Award
in 1977 for most promising group of the year. However airplay was limited as FM
radio stations in Canada and northern U.S. shifted to softer rock. Nevertheless, in the southern U.S and Europe
, "Are You Ready", "Ridin' High" and "I'll Set You on Fire" received heavy radio support.
July 27, 1977, Joe Anthony brought Moxy to Texas for their first headline appearance in the US in Austin
at Armadillo World Headquarters
. The next night in San Antonio at the Municipal Auditorium
and on July 29 in Corpus Christi, Texas
, at Ritz Music Hall, with AC/DC
as the opening act for all three dates. Moxy went on to tour throughout California
, Illinois
, Missouri
, Michigan
with bands like Styx
, The Ramones, Hall & Oates
, Rainbow
, The Runaways
and Trooper
, ending the tour headlined Massey Hall
in Toronto
.
The hard touring and rigorous schedule was beginning to take its toll on the band by late 1977. Most of the band members had been touring since the late 1960s in other bands before Moxy was formed. Living a life filled with sex, drugs and rock and roll, the band had been slowly self-destructing for years. Buzz Shearman had developed vocal cord problems and singer/soundman Brian Maxim (singer on Moxy V
) had to be called in to hit the high notes off stage. Shearman decided to leave in late 1977 after the Ridin' High
tour, due to personality conflicts and in order to seek medical attention for his vocal cords and drinking problem.
and played with Loverboy
, replaced Buzz Shearman and made his musical debut on Moxy's next album. Bill Wade had also left the band in early 1977 and had been replaced by Danny Bilan.
Danny Bilan would later join Wild T and the Spirit
after turning up on Hanover Fist
's album Hungry Eyes. Moxy's new album's title track Under the Lights
and "High School Queen" made the charts in Canada, but the album lacked the punch of the band’s earlier works instead opting for a laid-back sound. Moxy then toured across Canada playing many festivals including the Canadian World Music Festival with Aerosmith
, Johnny Winter
, Ted Nugent
and Triumph
but the band no longer garnered a strong response in terms of either record sales or audiences that it had with Shearman as the vocalist. Shearman formed his own band called Buzz Sawphoto with ex-Christmas guitarist Bob Bulger and drummer Frank Russe. Earl Johnson had left Moxy in the summer of 1978 just after the albums release and was replaced by Woody West who was a former member of the big band version of The Stampeders
and a former member of "Brutus".
's 1978 album "Keep The Dogs Away" during Moxy's down time and then appeared on Pop Rocker Stanley Frank's 1980 album "Play It Til It Hurts". Bill Wade during this time performed on The Cry's 1980 album "Wispear" and then formed the band Bongo Furies with fellow Canadian rocker Gino Scarpelli
and bassist Terry McKeowen. In March 1980, Buzz was a candidate to replace the deceased Bon Scott
in AC/DC
but because his recurring vocal cord problems would not allow him to tour extensively, AC/DC band members ultimately decided on ex-Geordie
singer Brian Johnson
. In 1982, Buzz, Earl and Bill helped fellow Canadian singer/songwriter Lee Aaron
on her debut album called "The Lee Aaron Project
". By 1983, Buzz was working a day job at Shaw Industries
, just barely holding Moxy together while shopping around for a new record deal. Then tragedy struck when Buzz died in a motorcycle accident, on June 16, 1983, at the age of 33, just north of Toronto.
Moxy's remaining original members reunited soon after Buzz's death to put on a benefit concert and release a retrospective package, with proceeds earmarked for Valerie (Buzz's widow) and Jesse Shearman (son). The retrospective package released by Pacemaker Records, called A Tribute to Buzz Shearman, features three previously unreleased Moxy songs with Buzz on vocals: "Highway", "Eyeballs" and "Trouble". Buddy Caine, Terry Juric, Danny Bilan and Brian Maxin (Moxy's 1970s backup singer) later formed the band Voodoo. "The Buddy Caine Band" would later be formed by Buddy, who wrote a song in honor of Buzz called "Feed The Fire" that was released on the 1994 Best Of Moxy: Self-Destruction
. Earl Johnson soldiered on, recording songs like "Heaven On Heels", "Body Contact" and "Killer On The Loose" with Tom Griffin (co-writer of "Candy Delight" on Moxy V), Howie Warden, and Danny "Coke" Colonello playing local Toronto bars and night clubs like El Mocambo
, Gasworks, and Larry's Hideaway. Bill Wade would later show up on Thor
's 1997 album "An-THOR-Logy" that was recorded in 1979.
. The new album V released in 2000, returned them to the hard rock sound of the first three albums. New vocalist Brian Maxim (former member of Stumbling Blind and The Passing Fancy), who was considered a true member of Moxy, as Brian sung back-ups for "Buzz" on tour back in 1977, worked with Buddy Caine and Terry Juric in the band Voodoo and worked with "Buzz" at Shaw Industries in the early 80s . The album includes Working Man (early tune by Billy Wade), Yuccatan Man (unreleased Buddy Caine composition from the early Moxy days) and Walking On The Wild Side (unreleased Earl Johnson composition from the early Moxy days). Bill Wade grew very ill shortly after Moxy V
was released. Unable to continue, a replacement for Bill became necessary and a bass player was also needed. Bill's replacement was Kim Hunt who like bass player Jim Samson are known in the Toronto area as the best rhythm section, they are former members of Zon
, a very popular Toronto area rock band. Bill would succumb to cancer
on July 27, 2001. at the age of 53.
in 2000 again in 2004 with Budgie
and Michael Schenker
(Scorpions
& UFO
) at the annual Legs Diamond bash in the Sunken Garden Theater
to the delight of 6,000 fans. The popularity that Moxy still holds in Europe
prompted the band's first tour outside North America in 2001, accompanied by a new CD cover of Moxy V
unique for the European fans.
On January 12, 2001, Moxy appeared at the legendary El Mocambo
Club in Toronto. This appearance was video recorded but has still not been officially released as a DVD
. World Studios however has released one song from the performance for public viewing - World Studios - "Time To Move On" - .
Late 2001 saw Moxy move to a new record label
called Bullseye Records of Canada and release the 'best of' live album Raw
which was recorded in Pickering, Ontario 'live' off the floor in a secret warehouse location to an invitation-only audience. Bullseye also re-released Moxy V
in North America with remastered and re-edited songs and new track sequence supervised by Earl Johnson at Soho Studios in Toronto by engineer Glenn Belcher.
Brian Maxim left the band in 2003 and his replacement was Alex Machin who fronted A Foot in Coldwater
, a successful 1970s band from the Toronto area. Alex had also fronted Champion
on one album released in 1984. 2005 the 30th anniversary of Moxy's classic debut album, referred to as the black album
, Moxy played the Voyageur Days Festival in Mattawa, Ontario
, with other Canadian classic rockers Chilliwack
, Toronto
, Trooper
, Goddo
, Killer Dwarfs
and Ray Lyell. On August 26, 2005, Moxy performed "Can't You See I'm A Star" and "Cause There's Another" - City T.V - the band's two biggest Canadian hits live on City TV in Toronto . December 2008 guitarist Buddy Caine retired to spend more time at home with his family. Earl Johnson the lone MOXY member still performing, formed "Hard Road" with Russ Graham of Killer Dwarfs
fame. Earl is still performing as MOXY with Russ throughout Ontario and occasional in Texas.
on vinyl being especially sought-after by die-hard Bolin
fans. Their compilations A Tribute to Buzz Shearman, Best Of Moxy: Self-Destruction
and more recently "Raw" live
have also sold well over the years, especially in Texas
. The songs "Train" and "Time to Move On" appear on The Ultimate: The Best of Tommy Bolin box set in 1989. In 2004 the song "Cause There's Another" appear on a compilation album of Canada's most popular rock & roll acts called WHEN CANCON ROCKED!
Also in 2004 Moxy made KZEP
FM San Antonio, Texas
, "Top 104 BEST GROUPS OF ALL TIME" at number 87, ahead of bands like Quiet Riot
, Mötley Crüe
, Whitesnake
, Queensrÿche
,and Iron Maiden
. "Can't You See I'm A Star" appeared in the Pierre Trudeau
mini movie approximately 40 minutes into part two that was resealed in 2005. 2006 Moxy was featured in an article that included band's like Ram Jam
and Tucky Buzzard
called Top 6 Classic Rock Bands You Never Knew You Didn't Know written by Dave White
. Top 6 Classic Rock Bands.
2009 saw the release of a song endorsed by Moxy & Valerie Shearman honoring Buzz Shearman, written and composed by Canadian musician Don Coleman
titled "LOUD HARD FAST & WILD"
.
Moxy’s original catalogue of albums were again available starting in the mid 1990s when Valerie Shearman oversaw the release of all of Moxy's back catalogue on CD through Pacemaker Records, and again in the mid 2000s this time through Unidisc Music Inc.
An unreleased Moxy track with Buzz Sherman on vocals was unearthed in 2009. The song titled "You Can't Stop the Music in Me" was released to radio and online retailers on Buzz's birthday, March 8, 2009. The song was co-written with Billy Wade, and recorded in 1981 with his Moxy band mates. A retrospective DVD with the same title was released in November 2009 covering the early years of Moxy.
Note: Buddy Caine is listed on the album Moxy
, but did not join the band until after the album was finished.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band, formed in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in 1974, from previous members of the rock group, Leigh Ashford
Leigh Ashford
Leigh Ashford was a rock group formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and which existed between 1966 and 1974.- History :The group was formed in 1967 by, the guitarist Gord Waszek, drummer Dave Cairns, bassist Joe Agnello and keyboard player Newton Garwood. In 1969, record producer Jack Richardson...
— which included singer Douglas "Buzz" Shearman (former teen singer of Sherman & Peabody alongside Greg Godovitz of Fludd & Goddo
Goddo
Goddo is a Canadian band formed in 1975. Goddo had mixed major label success from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. After reforming in 1989, they revived their career with several new studio and 'best of' packages...
and Gil Moore
Gil Moore
Gil Moore is most famous for being the drummer and vocalist of the Canadian power trio, Triumph...
, later of Triumph
Triumph (band)
Triumph is a Canadian hard rock power trio that was popular in the late 1970s through the 1980s. Eight of the band's albums were certified gold or higher, and Triumph was nominated for multiple Juno Awards, including Group of the Year Award in 1979, 1985, 1986 and 1987.Like their fellow Canadians...
) Earl Johnson (former member of King Biscuit Boy
King Biscuit Boy
King Biscuit Boy was the stage name of Richard Alfred Newell a Canadian blues musician. He was the first Canadian blues artist to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S.....
), Bill Wade (former member of "Outlaw Music" and "Brutus
Brutus (Canadian band)
Brutus was a Canadian rock band formed in 1969 and active, with interruptions, between 1969 and 1978.-History:The original band consisted of Walter Zwolinski as vocalist, Tom Wilson as bassist, Michael Magann on trumpet, Lance Wright on drums, Sonny Wingay on guitar, and Bill Robb on sax and...
" under the alias Hally Hunter that also included Gino Scarpelli of Goddo
Goddo
Goddo is a Canadian band formed in 1975. Goddo had mixed major label success from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. After reforming in 1989, they revived their career with several new studio and 'best of' packages...
) and Terry Juric, (former member of Outlaw Music) as Leigh Ashford
Leigh Ashford
Leigh Ashford was a rock group formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and which existed between 1966 and 1974.- History :The group was formed in 1967 by, the guitarist Gord Waszek, drummer Dave Cairns, bassist Joe Agnello and keyboard player Newton Garwood. In 1969, record producer Jack Richardson...
. The group changed its name to Moxy in late 1974. This name change was accompanied by a change in the group's sound. Buddy Caine a former band mate of Earl Johnson was added to the group in 1975.
Moxy toured extensively in Canada before having a hit in late 1975 with "Can’t You See I’m A Star". Moxy then toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the strength of their radio airplay. Markets in which the band was very popular included Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. Joe Anthony, the Godfather of Rock in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
on KISS-FM was largely responsible for the popularity of the band in south Texas and helped bring about their first headline appearance in the U.S in 1977, appearing with AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
as their opening act.
Despite the death of Joe Anthony, the Moxy/Texas connection has continued into the present with Moxy's hits like "Can't You See I'm A Star", "Moon Rider", "Sail On Sail Away". "Midnight Flight", "I'll Set You on Fire" and "Are You Ready" still on the daily rotation at many Texas radio stations.
Many of the guitar solos on the band's debut album were performed by guest session musician Tommy Bolin
Tommy Bolin
Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr , The James Gang , and Deep Purple , in addition to doing solo work...
, who had previously been the lead guitarist for The James Gang and later replaced Ritchie Blackmore
Ritchie Blackmore
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
in Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
.
1974–1983
In the spring of 1974, Buzz Shearman joined up with Earl Johnson, Bill Wade, and bassist Kim Fraser. Still calling themselves Leigh-Ashford, they made their first appearance on the music scene in October 1974 at ScarboroughScarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
's notorious rock club "The Knob Hill Hotel". Shortly thereafter, Fraser was replaced by Terry Juric on the recommendation of Earl Johnson and the group changed its name to MOXY. Their first single release was a trial run of "Can't You See I'm A Star", which was distributed by Yorkville Records. The promising sound of the single received heavy radio support from CHUM (AM)
CHUM (AM)
CHUM, branded as TSN Radio 1050, broadcasting at 1050 kHz in the AM band, is a Canadian radio station licensed to Toronto, Ontario. The station is owned and operated by Bell Media....
in Toronto and led to the band's signing of a contract with Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
of Canada in December 1974. The Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
contract was mainly due to the popularity and success of the former band, Leigh Ashford, and to Buzz Shearman’s reputation.
Self-titled debut
The independently produced self-titled album, MOXYMoxy (album)
- Reissued :Moxy’s original catalogue of albums were again available starting in 1994 when Valerie Shearman oversaw the release of all of Moxy's back catalogue of albums on CD through Pacemaker Records, and again in 2003 this time through Unidisc Music Inc.- External links :* * * Review of Moxy...
, also known as the Black Album
Moxy (album)
- Reissued :Moxy’s original catalogue of albums were again available starting in 1994 when Valerie Shearman oversaw the release of all of Moxy's back catalogue of albums on CD through Pacemaker Records, and again in 2003 this time through Unidisc Music Inc.- External links :* * * Review of Moxy...
,photo was recorded over two weeks in early 1975. Mark Smith of Bachman–Turner Overdrive fame acted as co-producer for the album. While in Van Nuys, California at Sound City Studio recording this album, session guitarist Tommy Bolin
Tommy Bolin
Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr , The James Gang , and Deep Purple , in addition to doing solo work...
was in the studio next door. Bolin was impressed with the no-nonsense, to-the-bones sound of Moxy, that when asked by the band's manager Roland Paquin to fill in he said yes. Earl Johnson was actually supposed to have done all the guitar parts, but got into a disagreement with the producer and was consequently tossed out of the studio. Roland Paquin knew Bolin from when he was a road manager for The James Gang. After the Moxy sessions, Bolin continued to work on his first solo album Teaser, and later that year got the call from David Coverdale
David Coverdale
David 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
to join Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
. Having heard the impact of the twin guitars, Moxy then headed back to Toronto in search of a rhythm guitarist who would free up Earl Johnson to play the material on tour that had been added to the songs in the studio by Tommy Bolin
Tommy Bolin
Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr , The James Gang , and Deep Purple , in addition to doing solo work...
. Buddy Caine, a friend of Earl Johnson's, became the needed second guitarist, allowing the group to then hit the road with a Canadian tour that included Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and the Maritimes
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
, where the group mostly played small venues.
The first album found its way to hard rock stations in the southern USA. The winter of 1975 "Can' t You See I'm A Star" and "Moon Rider" were receiving heavy radio support from KMAC/KISS in San Antonio, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. tommy Bolin's contribution would get some much needed attention for the album in the U.S media, even though Bolin always downplayed his involvement. Moxy renegotiated a new contract with Polydor of Canada for distribution in affiliation with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
. Both labels were owned by PolyGram Records at the time, who reissued the self-titled debut album in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and worldwide in 1976. The spring of 1976 "Fantasy" and "Sail On Sail Away" hit the top 20 charts on KISS-FM radio in San Antonio, Texas. KISS-FM disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Joe Anthony had the freedom to play the album in its entirety on many occasions through the late 1970s.
Moxy II
After a few year of touring Moxy went from a bar band to headline concert attraction in Canada. Moxy IIMoxy II (album)
Moxy II is the second studio album by the Canadian hard rock and heavy metal band Moxy, released in 1976. The album was recorded in Toronto, Canada at Sound Stage studio in April 1976 with Jack Douglas producing...
was recorded in the band's hometown of Toronto at Sound Stage studio with famed Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
producer Jack Douglas
Jack Douglas (record producer)
Jack Douglas is an American record producer. He was born in New York City. Starting out as folk musician and performer, he worked on Robert Kennedy's senatorial campaign as a song-writer. Douglas then moved to England and joined a succession of bands before returning to New York to attend the...
. This a year after the first album for Canadian fans, but just three months after the reissued copy of Moxy I
Moxy (album)
- Reissued :Moxy’s original catalogue of albums were again available starting in 1994 when Valerie Shearman oversaw the release of all of Moxy's back catalogue of albums on CD through Pacemaker Records, and again in 2003 this time through Unidisc Music Inc.- External links :* * * Review of Moxy...
was released in the U.S. Moxy II received international press coverage for the band. Most reviews predicted success for the band and comparisons were made to Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
and Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
. Moxy II
Moxy II (album)
Moxy II is the second studio album by the Canadian hard rock and heavy metal band Moxy, released in 1976. The album was recorded in Toronto, Canada at Sound Stage studio in April 1976 with Jack Douglas producing...
was also highly acclaimed on its release by Geoff Barton of the UK music publication Sounds (magazine)
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
, who made the album available to its readers for the special price of only £1.50. Geoff Barton would later refer to Moxy as the Canadian Zeppelin
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
.
The fall of 1976 Moxy was touring throughout Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and the Maritimes
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
. They then toured Texas as the opening act for Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, and Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
, except at the new Convention Center arena
Dallas Convention Center Arena
The Dallas Convention Center Arena is a 7,428-seat multi-purpose arena in Dallas, Texas, USA. It was opened in 1957. It hosted the Dallas Chaparrals, of the ABA, from 1967 to 1973, when the team relocated to San Antonio and became the San Antonio Spurs. It also hosts other local sporting events and...
in San Antonio October 24, 1976, where Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
was the opening act. November 17, 1976, "Take it Or Leave It", reached #14 on the Top 30 CHUM AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
in Toronto and in Texas "Midnight Flight", "Cause There's Another" and "Take it or Leave It" received heavy radio support. Moxy then toured California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. "Cause There's Another" reached #16 on CHUM (AM)
CHUM (AM)
CHUM, branded as TSN Radio 1050, broadcasting at 1050 kHz in the AM band, is a Canadian radio station licensed to Toronto, Ontario. The station is owned and operated by Bell Media....
radio on March 26, 1977.
Ridin' High
March 1977, after touring non-stop since the release of Moxy II, Moxy went back to the studio in Toronto to record another album with Jack DouglasJack Douglas (record producer)
Jack Douglas is an American record producer. He was born in New York City. Starting out as folk musician and performer, he worked on Robert Kennedy's senatorial campaign as a song-writer. Douglas then moved to England and joined a succession of bands before returning to New York to attend the...
producing again. The result was Ridin' High
Ridin' High (Moxy album)
# Nothin' Comes Easy - 4:22 # Rock Baby - 4:48 # Sweet Reputation - 3:54 # I'll Set You on Fire - 3:17 # Ridin' High - 4:03...
which once more contained all-original material written by the band members with an even harder/heavy sound than the first two albums. The album received good reviews, with nomination of a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
in 1977 for most promising group of the year. However airplay was limited as FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
radio stations in Canada and northern U.S. shifted to softer rock. Nevertheless, in the southern U.S and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, "Are You Ready", "Ridin' High" and "I'll Set You on Fire" received heavy radio support.
July 27, 1977, Joe Anthony brought Moxy to Texas for their first headline appearance in the US in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
at Armadillo World Headquarters
Armadillo World Headquarters
The Armadillo World Headquarters was the premier music hall and entertainment center in Austin, Texas, United States from 1970 to 1980.-History:...
. The next night in San Antonio at the Municipal Auditorium
Municipal Auditorium
Municipal Auditorium is a large, multi-purpose facility in Kansas City, Missouri with three halls: The Arena, Music Hall, and Little Theatre. It opened in 1936 and features Streamline Moderne and Art Deco architecture and architectural details.-Background:...
and on July 29 in Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, at Ritz Music Hall, with AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
as the opening act for all three dates. Moxy went on to tour throughout California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
with bands like Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
, The Ramones, Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
, Rainbow
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...
, The Runaways
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
and Trooper
Trooper (band)
Trooper is a Juno Award winning Canadian rock band that developed from a group formed by vocalist Ramon McGuire and guitarist Brian Smith in 1975...
, ending the tour headlined Massey Hall
Massey Hall
Massey Hall is a venerable performing arts theatre in the Garden District of downtown Toronto. The theatre originally was designed to seat 3,500 patrons but, after extensive renovations in the 1940s, now seats up to 2,765....
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
The hard touring and rigorous schedule was beginning to take its toll on the band by late 1977. Most of the band members had been touring since the late 1960s in other bands before Moxy was formed. Living a life filled with sex, drugs and rock and roll, the band had been slowly self-destructing for years. Buzz Shearman had developed vocal cord problems and singer/soundman Brian Maxim (singer on Moxy V
Moxy V (Moxy album)
Moxy V, or Moxy 5 , is the fifth album by the Canadian rock band Moxy, Three of the original members of Moxy reunited when Bill Wade got Moxy back into the studio in 1999, with Earl Johnson and Buddy Caine after a 20 year gap, to produce Moxy's fifth studio album...
) had to be called in to hit the high notes off stage. Shearman decided to leave in late 1977 after the Ridin' High
Ridin' High (Moxy album)
# Nothin' Comes Easy - 4:22 # Rock Baby - 4:48 # Sweet Reputation - 3:54 # I'll Set You on Fire - 3:17 # Ridin' High - 4:03...
tour, due to personality conflicts and in order to seek medical attention for his vocal cords and drinking problem.
Under the Lights
Michael Rynoski, who later changed his name to Mike RenoMike Reno
Mike Reno , born January 8, 1955 in New Westminster, British Columbia is a Canadian musician, drummer, and lead singer of the rock band Loverboy. He has also fronted other bands, including Moxy....
and played with Loverboy
Loverboy
Loverboy is a Canadian rock group formed in 1980 in Calgary, Alberta. Throughout the 1980s, the band accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, earning four multi-platinum albums and selling millions of records...
, replaced Buzz Shearman and made his musical debut on Moxy's next album. Bill Wade had also left the band in early 1977 and had been replaced by Danny Bilan.
Danny Bilan would later join Wild T and the Spirit
Wild T and the Spirit
Wild T and the Spirit is a Canadian blues rock band, fronted by guitarist Tony Springer.Formed in 1990 by Springer with bassist Brian Dickie and drummer Danny Bilan , the band released its debut album, Love Crazy, in 1991...
after turning up on Hanover Fist
Mike Terrana
Mike Terrana is an American hard rock and heavy metal drummer. His first professional work was in 1984 with the MCA band Hanover Fist from Toronto, after which he recorded and toured with other bands, playing many styles of music in Western New York state...
's album Hungry Eyes. Moxy's new album's title track Under the Lights
Under the Lights (Moxy album)
Under the Lights is the fourth album by the rock band Moxy in its second incarnation, released in 1978. With the departure of Buzz Shearman as lead vocalist in 1977 for medical reasons, Mike Reno then called Michael Rynoski was brought for his debut in music...
and "High School Queen" made the charts in Canada, but the album lacked the punch of the band’s earlier works instead opting for a laid-back sound. Moxy then toured across Canada playing many festivals including the Canadian World Music Festival with Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, Johnny Winter
Johnny Winter
John Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
, Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
and Triumph
Triumph (band)
Triumph is a Canadian hard rock power trio that was popular in the late 1970s through the 1980s. Eight of the band's albums were certified gold or higher, and Triumph was nominated for multiple Juno Awards, including Group of the Year Award in 1979, 1985, 1986 and 1987.Like their fellow Canadians...
but the band no longer garnered a strong response in terms of either record sales or audiences that it had with Shearman as the vocalist. Shearman formed his own band called Buzz Sawphoto with ex-Christmas guitarist Bob Bulger and drummer Frank Russe. Earl Johnson had left Moxy in the summer of 1978 just after the albums release and was replaced by Woody West who was a former member of the big band version of The Stampeders
The Stampeders
The Stampeders are a Canadian rock trio, consisting of Rich Dodson, Ronnie King, and Kim Berly.-Career:The band formed in Calgary, Alberta in 1964 as The Rebounds....
and a former member of "Brutus".
Aftermath
Shearman rejoined Moxy in late 1979, touring Canada and Texas with Buddy, Terry, and Danny alongside new guitarist Doug MacAskill. Terry Juric had appeared on ThorThor (band)
Thor is a heavy metal band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Biography:Thor started out out as a concept band in 1973. They were first called "Centaur" and then "Mikl Body Rock". These entities were the brainchild of Jon Mikl Thor, a vocalist, musician and body building champion who won...
's 1978 album "Keep The Dogs Away" during Moxy's down time and then appeared on Pop Rocker Stanley Frank's 1980 album "Play It Til It Hurts". Bill Wade during this time performed on The Cry's 1980 album "Wispear" and then formed the band Bongo Furies with fellow Canadian rocker Gino Scarpelli
Goddo
Goddo is a Canadian band formed in 1975. Goddo had mixed major label success from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. After reforming in 1989, they revived their career with several new studio and 'best of' packages...
and bassist Terry McKeowen. In March 1980, Buzz was a candidate to replace the deceased Bon Scott
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
in AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
but because his recurring vocal cord problems would not allow him to tour extensively, AC/DC band members ultimately decided on ex-Geordie
Geordie (band)
Geordie were a British rock band from Newcastle upon Tyne, England, most notably active in the 1970s.-History:The original line-up included: Vic Malcolm , Tom Hill , Brian Gibson and Brian Johnson .Their...
singer Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
. In 1982, Buzz, Earl and Bill helped fellow Canadian singer/songwriter Lee Aaron
Lee Aaron
Lee Aaron , is a Canadian rock and jazz singer. She had several hits in the 1980s and early 1990s such as "Metal Queen", "Whatcha Do to My Body", and "Sex with Love".- Background :...
on her debut album called "The Lee Aaron Project
The Lee Aaron Project
The Lee Aaron Project is the first studio album by singer Lee Aaron, released in 1982 through Freedom Records and reissued as Lee Aaron on May 18, 1984 through Attic Records.-Track listing:...
". By 1983, Buzz was working a day job at Shaw Industries
Shaw Industries
Shaw Industries Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., is the world's largest carpet manufacturer with more than $4 billion in annual sales and approximately 25,000 associates worldwide...
, just barely holding Moxy together while shopping around for a new record deal. Then tragedy struck when Buzz died in a motorcycle accident, on June 16, 1983, at the age of 33, just north of Toronto.
Moxy's remaining original members reunited soon after Buzz's death to put on a benefit concert and release a retrospective package, with proceeds earmarked for Valerie (Buzz's widow) and Jesse Shearman (son). The retrospective package released by Pacemaker Records, called A Tribute to Buzz Shearman, features three previously unreleased Moxy songs with Buzz on vocals: "Highway", "Eyeballs" and "Trouble". Buddy Caine, Terry Juric, Danny Bilan and Brian Maxin (Moxy's 1970s backup singer) later formed the band Voodoo. "The Buddy Caine Band" would later be formed by Buddy, who wrote a song in honor of Buzz called "Feed The Fire" that was released on the 1994 Best Of Moxy: Self-Destruction
Best Of: Self-Destruction (Moxy album)
Best Of: Self-Destruction is a compilation album by the Canadian rock group Moxy in the band's original incarnation with Buzz Shearman, Earl Johnson, Buddy Caine, Bill Wade and Terry Juric, released in 1993. There are two distinct versions of the album, with the original release having one song,...
. Earl Johnson soldiered on, recording songs like "Heaven On Heels", "Body Contact" and "Killer On The Loose" with Tom Griffin (co-writer of "Candy Delight" on Moxy V), Howie Warden, and Danny "Coke" Colonello playing local Toronto bars and night clubs like El Mocambo
El Mocambo
The El Mocambo Tavern is a live music and entertainment venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located on Spadina Avenue, just south of College Street, the bar played an important role in the development of popular music in Toronto since the 19th century...
, Gasworks, and Larry's Hideaway. Bill Wade would later show up on Thor
Thor (band)
Thor is a heavy metal band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Biography:Thor started out out as a concept band in 1973. They were first called "Centaur" and then "Mikl Body Rock". These entities were the brainchild of Jon Mikl Thor, a vocalist, musician and body building champion who won...
's 1997 album "An-THOR-Logy" that was recorded in 1979.
Moxy V
In 1999 Bill Wade gets Moxy back together into his home studio, with Earl Johnson and Buddy Caine after a 20 year recording gap, to produce Moxy's fifth studio album appropriately titled Moxy VMoxy V (Moxy album)
Moxy V, or Moxy 5 , is the fifth album by the Canadian rock band Moxy, Three of the original members of Moxy reunited when Bill Wade got Moxy back into the studio in 1999, with Earl Johnson and Buddy Caine after a 20 year gap, to produce Moxy's fifth studio album...
. The new album V released in 2000, returned them to the hard rock sound of the first three albums. New vocalist Brian Maxim (former member of Stumbling Blind and The Passing Fancy), who was considered a true member of Moxy, as Brian sung back-ups for "Buzz" on tour back in 1977, worked with Buddy Caine and Terry Juric in the band Voodoo and worked with "Buzz" at Shaw Industries in the early 80s . The album includes Working Man (early tune by Billy Wade), Yuccatan Man (unreleased Buddy Caine composition from the early Moxy days) and Walking On The Wild Side (unreleased Earl Johnson composition from the early Moxy days). Bill Wade grew very ill shortly after Moxy V
Moxy V (Moxy album)
Moxy V, or Moxy 5 , is the fifth album by the Canadian rock band Moxy, Three of the original members of Moxy reunited when Bill Wade got Moxy back into the studio in 1999, with Earl Johnson and Buddy Caine after a 20 year gap, to produce Moxy's fifth studio album...
was released. Unable to continue, a replacement for Bill became necessary and a bass player was also needed. Bill's replacement was Kim Hunt who like bass player Jim Samson are known in the Toronto area as the best rhythm section, they are former members of Zon
Zon (band)
Zon was a progressive rock band from Toronto, Canada formed in the mid-70's. The band consisted of vocalist Denton Young, guitarist Brian Miller, bassist Jim Samson, drummer Kim Hunt, and keyboard player Howard Helm. They released four albums over the course of their career.-History:Don V. Lorusso...
, a very popular Toronto area rock band. Bill would succumb to cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on July 27, 2001. at the age of 53.
Raw
For the 25 anniversary Moxy played in San Antonio alongside fellow special guests SaxonSaxon (band)
Saxon are an English heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Barnsley, Yorkshire. As front-runners of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, they had 8 UK Top 40 albums in the 1980s including 4 UK Top 10 albums. Saxon also had numerous singles in the Top 20 singles chart...
in 2000 again in 2004 with Budgie
Budgie (band)
Budgie is a Welsh Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band from Cardiff. They are widely considered as one of the first heavy metal bands and a seminal influence to many acts of that scene, with fast, heavy rock being played as early as 1971. The band has been noted as "among the heaviest metal of its day"...
and Michael Schenker
Michael Schenker
Michael Schenker is a German rock guitarist, best known for his tenure in UFO, in addition to his solo band. He first rose to fame as a founding member of the Scorpions, then achieved fame in the mid 1970s as the lead guitar player for UFO. Since leaving UFO in 1978, he has been leading the...
(Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
& UFO
UFO (band)
UFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
) at the annual Legs Diamond bash in the Sunken Garden Theater
San Antonio Japanese Tea Gardens
-Location:Northwestern edge of Brackenridge Park, near the San Antonio Zoo:- References :*Walls, Thomas K. The Japanese Texans. University of Texas. Institute of Texan Cultures. San Antonio, 2002. ISBN 0-86701-021-5.*City of San Antonio Department of Parks...
to the delight of 6,000 fans. The popularity that Moxy still holds in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
prompted the band's first tour outside North America in 2001, accompanied by a new CD cover of Moxy V
Moxy V (Moxy album)
Moxy V, or Moxy 5 , is the fifth album by the Canadian rock band Moxy, Three of the original members of Moxy reunited when Bill Wade got Moxy back into the studio in 1999, with Earl Johnson and Buddy Caine after a 20 year gap, to produce Moxy's fifth studio album...
unique for the European fans.
On January 12, 2001, Moxy appeared at the legendary El Mocambo
El Mocambo
The El Mocambo Tavern is a live music and entertainment venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located on Spadina Avenue, just south of College Street, the bar played an important role in the development of popular music in Toronto since the 19th century...
Club in Toronto. This appearance was video recorded but has still not been officially released as a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. World Studios however has released one song from the performance for public viewing - World Studios - "Time To Move On" - .
Late 2001 saw Moxy move to a new record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
called Bullseye Records of Canada and release the 'best of' live album Raw
Raw (Moxy album)
Raw is a live album by the Canadian hard rock band Moxy, in its third incarnation with singer Brian Maxim...
which was recorded in Pickering, Ontario 'live' off the floor in a secret warehouse location to an invitation-only audience. Bullseye also re-released Moxy V
Moxy V (Moxy album)
Moxy V, or Moxy 5 , is the fifth album by the Canadian rock band Moxy, Three of the original members of Moxy reunited when Bill Wade got Moxy back into the studio in 1999, with Earl Johnson and Buddy Caine after a 20 year gap, to produce Moxy's fifth studio album...
in North America with remastered and re-edited songs and new track sequence supervised by Earl Johnson at Soho Studios in Toronto by engineer Glenn Belcher.
Brian Maxim left the band in 2003 and his replacement was Alex Machin who fronted A Foot in Coldwater
A Foot in Coldwater
A Foot in Coldwater is a Canadian rock band initially composed of Alex Machin , Bob Horne , Paul Naumann , Danny Taylor , and Hughie Leggat...
, a successful 1970s band from the Toronto area. Alex had also fronted Champion
Champion (band)
Champion was a youth crew band that was formed by vocalist Jim Hesketh, and guitarist Chris Williams, in the spring of 1999 in Seattle, Washington...
on one album released in 1984. 2005 the 30th anniversary of Moxy's classic debut album, referred to as the black album
Moxy (album)
- Reissued :Moxy’s original catalogue of albums were again available starting in 1994 when Valerie Shearman oversaw the release of all of Moxy's back catalogue of albums on CD through Pacemaker Records, and again in 2003 this time through Unidisc Music Inc.- External links :* * * Review of Moxy...
, Moxy played the Voyageur Days Festival in Mattawa, Ontario
Mattawa, Ontario
Mattawa is a town in northeastern Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers in Nipissing District. Mattawa means "Meeting of the Waters" in Ojibwa...
, with other Canadian classic rockers Chilliwack
Chilliwack (band)
Chilliwack are a Canadian rock band that had their heyday during the 1970s and 1980s. Although they are a Canadian band, the members were all born in, as well as reside in, the United States of America. They are perhaps best remembered for their five biggest songs "My Girl ", "I Believe", "Whatcha...
, Toronto
Toronto (band)
Toronto was a Canadian rock band from the late seventies and early eighties who have been compared to Heart and Pat Benatar. They were formed in the late 1970s in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, when singer Annie "Holly" Woods met guitarist Brian Allen...
, Trooper
Trooper (band)
Trooper is a Juno Award winning Canadian rock band that developed from a group formed by vocalist Ramon McGuire and guitarist Brian Smith in 1975...
, Goddo
Goddo
Goddo is a Canadian band formed in 1975. Goddo had mixed major label success from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. After reforming in 1989, they revived their career with several new studio and 'best of' packages...
, Killer Dwarfs
Killer Dwarfs
Killer Dwarfs were a heavy metal band who formed in late 1981 in Oshawa, Ontario. Though they were known for their off beat sense of humor , they were nominated for two Juno Awards....
and Ray Lyell. On August 26, 2005, Moxy performed "Can't You See I'm A Star" and "Cause There's Another" - City T.V - the band's two biggest Canadian hits live on City TV in Toronto . December 2008 guitarist Buddy Caine retired to spend more time at home with his family. Earl Johnson the lone MOXY member still performing, formed "Hard Road" with Russ Graham of Killer Dwarfs
Killer Dwarfs
Killer Dwarfs were a heavy metal band who formed in late 1981 in Oshawa, Ontario. Though they were known for their off beat sense of humor , they were nominated for two Juno Awards....
fame. Earl is still performing as MOXY with Russ throughout Ontario and occasional in Texas.
Legacy
Moxy's first three albums with Buzz Shearman remain Moxy's best known and most commercially successful, with Moxy IMoxy (album)
- Reissued :Moxy’s original catalogue of albums were again available starting in 1994 when Valerie Shearman oversaw the release of all of Moxy's back catalogue of albums on CD through Pacemaker Records, and again in 2003 this time through Unidisc Music Inc.- External links :* * * Review of Moxy...
on vinyl being especially sought-after by die-hard Bolin
Tommy Bolin
Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr , The James Gang , and Deep Purple , in addition to doing solo work...
fans. Their compilations A Tribute to Buzz Shearman, Best Of Moxy: Self-Destruction
Best Of: Self-Destruction (Moxy album)
Best Of: Self-Destruction is a compilation album by the Canadian rock group Moxy in the band's original incarnation with Buzz Shearman, Earl Johnson, Buddy Caine, Bill Wade and Terry Juric, released in 1993. There are two distinct versions of the album, with the original release having one song,...
and more recently "Raw" live
Raw (Moxy album)
Raw is a live album by the Canadian hard rock band Moxy, in its third incarnation with singer Brian Maxim...
have also sold well over the years, especially in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The songs "Train" and "Time to Move On" appear on The Ultimate: The Best of Tommy Bolin box set in 1989. In 2004 the song "Cause There's Another" appear on a compilation album of Canada's most popular rock & roll acts called WHEN CANCON ROCKED!
Also in 2004 Moxy made KZEP
KZEP
KZEP-FM is a classic rock radio station broadcasting in and around San Antonio, Texas, USA. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications.-History:...
FM San Antonio, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, "Top 104 BEST GROUPS OF ALL TIME" at number 87, ahead of bands like Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
, Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
, Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
, Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche
thumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
,and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
. "Can't You See I'm A Star" appeared in the Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
mini movie approximately 40 minutes into part two that was resealed in 2005. 2006 Moxy was featured in an article that included band's like Ram Jam
Ram Jam
Ram Jam was an American 1970s rock band, best known for their 1977 hit single, "Black Betty".The band members were Bill Bartlett , Pete Charles , Myke Scavone , and Howie Arthur Blauvelt . Also, Jimmy Santoro, who toured with the band in support of their debut album, joined on guitar for the...
and Tucky Buzzard
Tucky Buzzard
Tucky Buzzard were a British hard rock band formed in 1969 by three former members of The End. Band members were David Brown , Paul Francis , Nick Graham , Jimmy Henderson , Chris Johnson , Terry Taylor , Paul Kendrick . Tucky Buzzard produced a total of five albums between 1969 and 1973...
called Top 6 Classic Rock Bands You Never Knew You Didn't Know written by Dave White
Dave White (writer)
Dave White is an American writer, music critic, and film critic.White is a prolific freelance writer; his reviews, interviews, and critical analysis of films, music, and pop culture has been featured in The Village Voice, Instinct, The Advocate, Movies.com, Glue, and Frontiers, among others...
. Top 6 Classic Rock Bands.
2009 saw the release of a song endorsed by Moxy & Valerie Shearman honoring Buzz Shearman, written and composed by Canadian musician Don Coleman
Don Coleman (musician)
Don Coleman is a Canadian vocalist, songwriter, lyricist, performer and AC/DC tribute frontman.-Biography:Don Coleman is a Canadian musician whose songs have received air play on broadcast radio stations in more than 126 countries...
titled "LOUD HARD FAST & WILD"
Don Coleman (musician)
Don Coleman is a Canadian vocalist, songwriter, lyricist, performer and AC/DC tribute frontman.-Biography:Don Coleman is a Canadian musician whose songs have received air play on broadcast radio stations in more than 126 countries...
.
Moxy’s original catalogue of albums were again available starting in the mid 1990s when Valerie Shearman oversaw the release of all of Moxy's back catalogue on CD through Pacemaker Records, and again in the mid 2000s this time through Unidisc Music Inc.
Unidisc Music Inc.
Unidisc Music Inc, is one of Canada’s largest independent record labels. The company has been expanding in growth and productivity since the late 1970s...
An unreleased Moxy track with Buzz Sherman on vocals was unearthed in 2009. The song titled "You Can't Stop the Music in Me" was released to radio and online retailers on Buzz's birthday, March 8, 2009. The song was co-written with Billy Wade, and recorded in 1981 with his Moxy band mates. A retrospective DVD with the same title was released in November 2009 covering the early years of Moxy.
Original members
- Buzz Shearman: vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(1973–1977) (1979–1983) - Earl JohnsonEarl JohnsonEarl Johnson may refer to:*Earl Johnson , head college football coach at Doane College*Earl Johnson , cross-country athlete, winner of two medals in 1924...
: guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1973–1978) (1999–2009) - Bill Wade: drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1974–1978) (1999–2000) - Terry Juric: bass guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1974–1983) - Buddy Caine: guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1975–1983) (1999–2008)
Note: Buddy Caine is listed on the album Moxy
Moxy (album)
- Reissued :Moxy’s original catalogue of albums were again available starting in 1994 when Valerie Shearman oversaw the release of all of Moxy's back catalogue of albums on CD through Pacemaker Records, and again in 2003 this time through Unidisc Music Inc.- External links :* * * Review of Moxy...
, but did not join the band until after the album was finished.
Other members
- Tommy BolinTommy BolinThomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr , The James Gang , and Deep Purple , in addition to doing solo work...
: (1975) guitar solos: studio only Moxy I - Tom StephensonTom StephensonTom Criddle Stephenson was a British journalist and a leading champion of walkers' rights in the countryside.In the First World War he was imprisoned as a conscientious objector....
: keyboards: studio only Moxy I (Bolin's keyboardist) (1975) - Mike RenoMike RenoMike Reno , born January 8, 1955 in New Westminster, British Columbia is a Canadian musician, drummer, and lead singer of the rock band Loverboy. He has also fronted other bands, including Moxy....
: vocals (1978) - then LoverboyLoverboyLoverboy is a Canadian rock group formed in 1980 in Calgary, Alberta. Throughout the 1980s, the band accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, earning four multi-platinum albums and selling millions of records... - Danny Bilan: drums (1978–1983) - then Wild T and the SpiritWild T and the SpiritWild T and the Spirit is a Canadian blues rock band, fronted by guitarist Tony Springer.Formed in 1990 by Springer with bassist Brian Dickie and drummer Danny Bilan , the band released its debut album, Love Crazy, in 1991...
- Scott "Professor Piano" Cushnie: keyboards (1978)
- Woody West: guitar (1978–1979) - from The StampedersThe StampedersThe Stampeders are a Canadian rock trio, consisting of Rich Dodson, Ronnie King, and Kim Berly.-Career:The band formed in Calgary, Alberta in 1964 as The Rebounds....
and "Brutus" - Doug MacAskill: guitar (1979–1983) - from The StampedersThe StampedersThe Stampeders are a Canadian rock trio, consisting of Rich Dodson, Ronnie King, and Kim Berly.-Career:The band formed in Calgary, Alberta in 1964 as The Rebounds....
then The ArrowsThe Arrows (Canadian band)The Arrows were a popular 1980s new wave band from Canada. They are not identical to the british 70s-band Arrows, well known for their greatest hit I Love Rock N' Roll, covered later by Joan Jett, Britney Spears e Miley Cyrus.-Biography:... - Brian Maxim: vocals (1999–2003) - from "Stumbling Blind" and "A Passing Fancy"
- Alex Machin: vocals (2003–2008) - from "Island" then A Foot in ColdwaterA Foot in ColdwaterA Foot in Coldwater is a Canadian rock band initially composed of Alex Machin , Bob Horne , Paul Naumann , Danny Taylor , and Hughie Leggat...
then "Champion" - Jim Samson: bass (1999–2009) - from ZonZon (band)Zon was a progressive rock band from Toronto, Canada formed in the mid-70's. The band consisted of vocalist Denton Young, guitarist Brian Miller, bassist Jim Samson, drummer Kim Hunt, and keyboard player Howard Helm. They released four albums over the course of their career.-History:Don V. Lorusso...
- Kim Hunt: drums (2000–2009) - from Island ZonZon (band)Zon was a progressive rock band from Toronto, Canada formed in the mid-70's. The band consisted of vocalist Denton Young, guitarist Brian Miller, bassist Jim Samson, drummer Kim Hunt, and keyboard player Howard Helm. They released four albums over the course of their career.-History:Don V. Lorusso...
then "Urgent" - Russell Graham: vocals (2008–2009) - from Killer DwarfsKiller DwarfsKiller Dwarfs were a heavy metal band who formed in late 1981 in Oshawa, Ontario. Though they were known for their off beat sense of humor , they were nominated for two Juno Awards....
then "Penny Black" then "Hard Road"
Discography
- MoxyMoxy (album)- Reissued :Moxy’s original catalogue of albums were again available starting in 1994 when Valerie Shearman oversaw the release of all of Moxy's back catalogue of albums on CD through Pacemaker Records, and again in 2003 this time through Unidisc Music Inc.- External links :* * * Review of Moxy...
(1975) - Moxy II (1976)
- Ridin' HighRidin' High (Moxy album)# Nothin' Comes Easy - 4:22 # Rock Baby - 4:48 # Sweet Reputation - 3:54 # I'll Set You on Fire - 3:17 # Ridin' High - 4:03...
(1977) - Under the LightsUnder the Lights (Moxy album)Under the Lights is the fourth album by the rock band Moxy in its second incarnation, released in 1978. With the departure of Buzz Shearman as lead vocalist in 1977 for medical reasons, Mike Reno then called Michael Rynoski was brought for his debut in music...
(1978) - A Tribute to Buzz ShearmanA Tribute to Buzz ShearmanA Tribute to Buzz Shearman is a compilation/tribute album by the Canadian rock group Moxy in the band's original incarnation with Buzz Shearman, Earl Johnson, Buddy Caine, Bill Wade and Terry Juric...
(1984) - Best Of: Self-DestructionBest Of: Self-Destruction (Moxy album)Best Of: Self-Destruction is a compilation album by the Canadian rock group Moxy in the band's original incarnation with Buzz Shearman, Earl Johnson, Buddy Caine, Bill Wade and Terry Juric, released in 1993. There are two distinct versions of the album, with the original release having one song,...
(1994) - Moxy V (2000)
- Raw liveRaw (Moxy album)Raw is a live album by the Canadian hard rock band Moxy, in its third incarnation with singer Brian Maxim...
(2002) - You Can't Stop The Music (single) (2009)
- You Can't Stop The Music...the Buzz Shearman years (DVD) (2009)
External links
- CD/Album Reviews Reviews of Moxy's albums at VistaRecords.us
- [ Album reviews and song samples at] Allmusic