Moxy (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Moxy | |
|---|---|
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| Origin | Toronto, Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
| Years active | 1974–1979/2000–Present |
| Genres | Hard rock |
| Labels | Unidisc Music Inc./ Mercury Records/ Pacemaker Records/ Bullseye Records/ |
| Members | Buzz Shearman Earl Johnson Buddy Caine Bill Wade Terry Juric |
Moxy is a Canadian hard rock band formed in Toronto, Canada in 1974, from previous members of Leigh Ashford including singer Buzz Shearman, drummer Bill Wade, Terry Juric on bass, and Earl Johnson as lead guitarist, and after a year Buddy Caine joined the band on rhythm guitar. 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 would go on to replace Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple.
Contents |
[edit] History
Moxy was built out of the remnants of the Canadian rock bands Leigh Ashford and of non-recording act Outlaw Music. Douglas "Buzz" Shearman (former singer of Sherman & Peabody which also featured Greg Godovitz of Goddo and Gil Moore of Triumph ), toured with Earl Johnson (former member of King Biscuit Boy), Bill Wade and Terry Juric, (former members of Outlaw Music) as Leigh Ashford in 1973 before the name and sound change to Moxy was made in 1974. The new band now billed as Moxy toured extensively in Canada before having a hit in late 1975 with "Can’t You See I’m A Star", then enlisted Buddy Caine (former member of Outlaw Music). Moxy then toured the United States on the strength of their radio airplay. Markets in which the band was popular included Chicago, St. Louis and Texas. Joe Anthony, the Godfather of Rock in San Antonio on KISS-FM was responsible for the popularity of the band in Texas and would bring Moxy for their first headline appearance in the U.S in 1977 with AC/DC. The Joe Anthony tradition is carried on into the 2000s on Texas Radio where 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" are still on the daily rotation.[1]
[edit] 1974-1983
Moxy toured constantly, in Canada, then mostly the Southern USA- especially Texas (where the fan base has always been the strongest) from late 1974 until 1977, and released three albums over this time in the band's original incarnation. Leigh Ashford now billed as Moxy makes their first appearance on to the music seen in October 1974 at Scarborough's notorious rock pit "The Knob Hill Hotel". The promising sounds of the trial run of "Can't You See I'm A Star," the first single released by Yorkville Records in 1974, that received heavy radio support from CHUM (AM) in Toronto , led to the band signing with Polydor Records of Canada that same year. The signing with Polydor Records was mainly due to the popularity and success of Leigh Ashford and Buzz Shearman’s reputation. The self-titled Moxy was recorded in the start of 1975 with producer Mark Smith, in only two weeks as Moxy had already written and been playing the material in Canada for almost a year. While in The Big Apple (New York),[2] recording the self titled album also known as the Black Album, the rock gods were smiling, and as luck would have it, session guitarist Tommy Bolin was in the studio next door.[3] Tommy was so impressed with the no-nonsense, to-the-bones rock band that when he was asked to help finish the album with some added guitar work he said yes, and as a consequence got some much needed attention for the album in the U.S media, even though Tommy always downplayed his involvement. Having heard the impact of the twin guitars, Moxy then headed back to Toronto needing a rhythm guitarist to free up Earl Johnson to play on the road what Tommy Bolin had added to the songs in the studio. Earl Johnson enlisted friend and guitarist Buddy Caine, also formerly of the band Outlaw Music. Then hit the road with a Canadian tour through Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes in small venues (Bars/Night Clubs).
Moxy's hard-hitting style of wicked guitar riffs heavy on the blues, a thunderous backbeat and a shrieking vocalist was loved by Canadian fans so much so that promotional copies of the first album found their way to hard rock stations in the southern USA and by the winter of 1975 "Can' t You See I'm A Star" was receiving heavy radio support from KMAC/KISS in San Antonio, Texas. Moxy then gets resigned to Polydor records of the U.S for distribution in affiliation with Mercury Records who then reissued the self-titled album in the US and worldwide in 1976. The spring of 1976 saw "Moon Rider" and "Sail On Sail Away" hit the top 20 on KISS-FM radio in San Antonio, Texas. KISS-FM disc jockey Joe Anthony also had the freedom to play the album in it's entirety on many occasions through the late 1970s.
"We did an interview with a DJ in Texas, I asked him what songs of ours they were playing. He said, 'First we play the first side, then we play the second side.' I just about fell off my chair." Earl Johnson.[4]
Like most bands of the time Moxy, played some of their songs live on tour before going into the studio to record them, giving fans a preview. By now a year into touring with Buddy Caine and Earl Johnson, their dual-guitar sound, was the heart and soul of Moxy. Moxy II came out a year after the first album for Canadian fans and just three months after the reissued American release. II was recorded in the bands home town of Toronto with Jack Douglas producing this time. While not as strong musically as the debut, with some slower paced songs, it was still almost a carbon copy of the first effort except that there was no Tommy Bolin this time. It was Buddy Caine's studio work that was now spot-on, adding his guitar work to the new material.
Moxy hits the road again and by the fall of 1976 are touring as the opening act with Black Sabbath,[5] and Boston throughout Texas, except for at the new Convocation Center arena in San Antonio October 24, 1976 where Boston is the opening act. November 17, 1976 "Take it Or Leave It", reachs number 14 on the Top 30 CHUM AM in Toronto [6] and in Texas "Midnight Flight", "Cause There's Another" and "Take it or Leave It" receive heavy radio support. Moxy then tours with Triumph,[7] through Texas again then Chicago, St. Louis and Canada. "Cause There's Another" would reach number 16 also on CHUM (AM) radio by March 26, 1977 .
1977 saw Moxy back in the studio after touring non-stop since the release of Moxy II to record back at home in Toronto again. Ridin' High once more contained all-original material written by the band members with an even harder/heavy sound than the first two albums. The record gets good reviews and got the band nominated for a Juno Award in 1977 for Most Promising Group of the Year,[8] but airplay was limited as FM radio in Canada and northern U.S goes to softer rock, except in the southern U.S were "Are You Ready", "Ridin' High" and "I'll Set You on Fire" received heavy radio support especially by Joe Anthony on KISS-FM.
" I remember going in doing radio interviews and 'Ridin' High' was the single and they would put it on and all the needles would just go tilt over right into the red and the station engineer would be freaking out." Earl Johnson,[9]
July 27, 1977 - Joe Anthony, the Godfather of Rock in, Texas brings the band to the Lone Star state for their first headline appearance in the U.S in Austin at Armadillo World Headquarters,[10] and the next night in San Antonio at the HemisFair Arena and finaly on July 29 in Corpus Christi, Texas at Ritz Music Hall, with AC/DC as opening act for all three dates,[11] Then Moxy tours with Trooper,[12] in Chicago, St. Louis and selected Canadian dates.
The hard touring and a rigorous schedule was beginning to take its toll on the band by late 1977, considering that most of the band members had been touring since the late 60's in other bands before Moxy was formed. Living the life of sex, drugs and rock and roll, the band had been slowly self-destructing for the past year. Buzz Shearman by now had developed vocal cord problems and found it hard to perform. As a result Buzz decided to leave the band in late 1977 part way through the Ridin' High tour, to seek medical attention for his vocal cords, and chose not to return because of musical differences. It was the beginning of the end for Moxy.
Mike Reno then called Michael Rynoski replaces Buzz Shearman and made his debut in music on Moxy's next album, Bill Wade also left the band and was replaced by Danny Bilan the same year just before the new album Under the Lights that was released in 1978.
The album's title track did make the charts in Canada, but After "Buzz" departed in 1977, Moxy was dropped from their American distribution company so the album was only released in Canada and Texas so few copies made it to the rest of the U.S, as a result the album sales were poor. The new album lacked the punch of the band’s earlier works and had a laid-back style in the sound, it was just not thought of as a true Moxy album by fans with "Buzz" missing, Earl Johnson would leave the band in the summer of 1978 and be replaced by Woody West.(Former member of The Stampeders)
"Under The Lights, wasn't even really a Moxy album. Mike Reno, great voice, but he just wasn't a hard-edged singer. I left the band a couple of months after it came out because I knew basically that Moxy wasn't what it started out to be." Earl Johnson [13]
"Buzz" would rejoin the band for a short time and tour Texas in late 1978, leaving Reno free to form his own band called Loverboy, but not was a well with reunion of the band after the tour that ended in January of 1979, the now-escalating dispute over musical differences between band members was not going to be resolved, and as a result, Moxy disbanded.
During Moxy's disbandment Buddy Caine and Terry Juric would form the band Voodoo and Bill Wade had formed the band Bongo Fury's with fellow Canadian rocker Gino Scarpelli from the band Goddo. then in 1980, "Buzz" was considered as a candidate to replace the deceased Bon Scott but his on/off again vocal cord problems kept him from joining AC/DC,[14] so he formed his own band called Buzz Saw with ex-Christmas guitarist Bob Bulger and drummer Frank Russe. In 1981, "Buzz", Earl and Bill would all help fellow Canadian singer/songwriter Lee Aaron on her debut album called "The Lee Aaron Project".
Moxy was regrouped by 1982 with "Buzz" Shearman, Terry Juric, Buddy Caine, Danny Bilan and new guitarists Doug MacAskill (Former member of The Stampeders), while shopping around for a new record deal, tragedy struck when "Buzz" died in a motorcycle accident on June 16, 1983 signaling the end to Moxy for the next two decades. Buddy Caine would go on to form his own band called The Buddy Caine Band.
Moxy's first three albums with "Buzz" Shearman remain Moxy's best known and most commercially successful, with Moxy I on vinyl being especially sought-after by die-hard Tommy Bolin fans. Their compilations have also done well over the years, especially in Texas when Valerie Shearman ("Buzz"'s widow) and Pacemaker Records released A Tribute to Buzz Shearman, an album of "Buzz"'s best work in 1984, that features three previously unreleased songs called "Highway", "Eyeballs" and the Texas hit "Trouble". Then in 1994 Best Of Moxy: Self-Destruction was released and features a song written in tribute to "Buzz" by The Buddy Caine Band called "Feed The Fire" and again would feature the song "Trouble".
[edit] 2000 - 2006
Three of the original members of Moxy reunited when Bill Wade (just before his death from cancer on July 27, 2001) 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 appropriately titled Moxy V. The new album V released in 2000, returned them to the hard rock sound of the first three albums, with a new vocalist named Brian Maxim (former member of Stumbling Blind), who is considered a true member of Moxy, as Brian sung back-ups with Moxy on tour back in the 1970s and worked with Buddy Caine in Voodoo. Bill Wade grew very ill shortly after Moxy V was released and could not join the band on tour in support of the new album. 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 1970s Toronto area rock band. Jim and Kim would be a great influence to Moxy's sound on tour, giving the band an energetic performance in the 2000's not seen since the first two tours in 1975 and 1976. Moxy hits the road for the first time in 22 years starting in San Antonio at the Sunken Garden Theater to the delight of 6,000 fans, then to Chicago, St. Louis and Toronto the markets in which the band is still popular. In 2001 Moxy goes to Europe for the band's first tour outside North America, accompanied with a new CD cover of Moxy V unique for the European fans. In 2002 saw Moxy release Raw a live album of the 2000/2001 tour. Also in 2002 Moxy V was re-released in North America with some added live tracks from the same 2000/2001 tour. Brian Maxim would leave the band in 2003 after Moxy's appearance at the Sweden Rock Festival.
Buddy Caine • Jim Samson • Kim Hunt
(Moxy 2005)
Moxy's present line-up consisted of two original members Earl Johnson and Buddy Caine on guitars, with Jim Samson on bass, Kim Hunt on drums and new vocalsist Alex Machin. Alex Machin was the singer for A Foot in Coldwater, another successful 1970's band also from the Toronto area, Alex also fronted Champion on one album released in 1984. For the 30th anniversary of Moxy's classic debut album, referred to as the black album, Moxy played the Voyageur Days Festival in Mattawa, Ontario in 2005 with other Canadian classic rockers Chilliwack, Toronto, Trooper, Goddo, Killer Dwarfs and Ray Lyell. On Aug 26, 2005 Moxy preformed "Can't You See I'm A Star" and "Cause There's Another" the band's two biggest Canadian hits live on City TV in Toronto. Taking most of 2006 off Moxy have announced on their web site a tour for 2007 and also mention they have been working on some new material with Alex Machin.
In 2004 "Can't You See I'm A Star" from Moxy's 1975 debut album appears in the Pierre Trudeau mini movie approximately 40 minutes into part two. 2004 also saw Moxy make KZEP FM in San Antonio, Texas Top 104 ahead of bands like Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake, Queensrÿche,and Iron Maiden. They were number 87,[15] In 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 a very respected American writer, music critic, and film critic.[16]
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., the three original band members were neither consulted nor received any revenues from the sale of their music that was produced in the 1970s. In 2002 the remaining two original band members addressed this issue with the release of "Raw" that contains for the most part new recordings in a live format of songs from Moxy's first three albums.
[edit] Discography
 Moxy (1975) (1976) |
 Moxy II (1976) |
 Ridin' High (1977) |
 Under The Lights (1978) |
 A Tribute to Buzz Shearman (1984) |
 Best Of: Self-Destruction (1994) |
 Moxy V (2000) |
 Raw (Live) (2002) |
[edit] 45's / Singles
| (1966)-Leigh Ashford 1973-1974 |
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| 1974-1975 |
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| 1975 - 1977 |
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| 1978 |
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| 1978-1979 |
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| 1980-1981 |
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| 1981-1983 |
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| 1983-1999 |
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| 2000 |
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| 2001 - 2003 |
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| 2003 - Present |
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- Can't You See I'm A Star (1974) (Yorkville Records) (45)
- Sail On Sail Away (B side)
- Moonrider (1975) (Polydor)-(1976) (Mercury Records) (45)
- Train (B side)
- Sail On Sail Away (1976) (Mercury Records) (45)
- Time to Move On (B side)
- Take It Or Leave It (1976) (Mercury Records) (45)
- Wet Suit (B side)
- Cause There's Another (1976) (Mercury Records) (45)
- Slippin (B side)
- Ridin' High (1977) (Mercury Records) (45)
- Rock Baby (B side)
- I'll Set You on Fire (Mercury Records) (45)
- Are You Ready (B side)
- Under the Lights (1978) (Polydor Canada) (45)
- High School Queen (B side)
- Sing to Me (Polydor Canada) (45)
- Living and Learning (B side)
- Maybe I'm a Dreamer (1978) (Polydor Canada) (45)
- Sailor's Delight (B side)
- Trouble (1984) (Ahed) (Pacemaker Records) (Cassette)
- Highway (B side)
- Out Of The Darkness (1984) (Ahed) (Pacemaker Records) (cassette)
- Change In My Life (B side)
- Yucatan Man (2000) (Pacemaker Records) (CD)
- Candy Delight (2001) (Pacemaker Records) (CD)
- Walking On The Wild Side (2003) (Bullseye Records) (CD)
- Tommy Bolin - The Ultimate (1989)(Geffen US) (Compilation Album)
[edit] Original Members
- Buzz Shearman: Vocals (1974-1977) (1978-1983)
- Earl Johnson: Guitar (1974-1978) (1999-Present)
- Bill Wade: Drums (1974-1978) (1999-2000)
- Terry Juric: bass (1974-1983)
- Buddy Caine: Guitar (1975-1983) (1999-Present) Note: Buddy Caine is listed on the album Moxy, but did not join the band until after the album was finished.
[edit] Other Members
- Tommy Bolin: Guitar solos: Studio only Moxy I
- Tom Stephenson: keyboards: Studio only Moxy I (Bolin's keyboardist)
- Mike Reno: Vocals (1978)
- Danny Bilan : drums (1978-1983)
- Woody West : guitar (1978-1979)
- Doug MacAskill : guitar (1981-1983)
- Brian Maxim : Vocals (1999-2003)
- Jim Samson : Bass (1999-Present)
- Kim Hunt : Drums (2000-Present)
- Alex Machin : Vocals (2003-Present)
[edit] External links
- Moxy's Official site
- Can't You See I'm A Star - Live on stage at CITY TV Aug 26, 05 and
- Cause There's Another - Live on stage at CITY TV Aug 26, 05..[17].. at YouTube
- Old tour Pictures with link to new Pictures at San antonio rock.com
- Earl Johnson Interview in 2000 at Tommy Bolin Fan Page
- Earl Johnson Interview in 2003 Topic history of the band at Angelfire
- Album Reviews and Song Samples at All Music Guide
[edit] References
- ^ "playlist at KZEP 104.5FM". sanantoniorock.com.
- ^ Tommy Bolin Archives. tbolin.com.
- ^ Tommy Bolin. The Bolin Page.
- ^ Earl Johnson Toronto Sun. jam.canoe.ca.
- ^ Black SabbathTour dates for 1976. Black Sabbath.com.
- ^ Chart at CHUM AM. 1050chum.com.
- ^ Bio at CanadianBands.comTopic:Triumph. CanadianBands.com.
- ^ Juno Awards nominations for 1977. junoawards.ca.
- ^ Riding High. Moxy.ca.
- ^ Armadillo World Headquarters archive. The University of Texas.
- ^ AC/DC Tour dates for 1977. ac-dc.net. Retrieved on 2006-09-22.
- ^ Earl Johnson Interview Topic:Trooper. angelfire.com.
- ^ Earl at Moxy.ca. Moxy.ca.
- ^ Moxy Bio. CANOE JAM! MUSIC - Pop Encyclopedia.
- ^ KZEP 104.5 FM Top 104 for 2004. legendmusic.ca.
- ^ article Top 6 Classic Rock Bands You Never Knew You Didn't Know. ClassicRock.About.com.
- ^ Video Clips/Photos usage granted by Moxy see Guestbook: November 20th 2006 09:05:01 PM. Moxy.ca.
Special thanks to Moxy Production Manager and the Web Master for the use of the video clips and photos.
| Moxy |
| Members |
|---|
| Buzz Shearman • Earl Johnson • Buddy Caine • Bill Wade • Terry Juric |
| Tommy Bolin • Mike Reno • Danny Bilan • Brian Maxim • Jim Samson • Kim Hunt • Alex Machin |
| Discography |
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Studio albums: - Moxy (1975) • Moxy II (1976) • Ridin' High (1977) • Under The Lights (1978) • Moxy V (2000) |
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Live album: - Raw (2002) |
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Compilation albums: - A Tribute to Buzz Shearman (1984) • Best Of Moxy: Self-Destruction (1993) |
