ICYMI: Our conversation with Honeymoon Suite

Honeymoon Suite during their Canada Day performance in Bonnyville. 

In case you missed it, Lakeland Connect was able to chat with Johnny Dee, lead singer, and Derry Grehan, lead guitar, of Canadian rock legends Honeymoon Suite before their performance at Party in the Park on Canada Day in Bonnyville.

Interview:

Michael: I know a ton of people are excited that you guys are playing tonight. Obviously Canadian rock legends, but first trip to Bonnyville, from what I understand, or have you been here before?

Johnny: We’ve been to so many places. I don’t know if I remember being here. I would’ve remembered Bonnyville, but maybe we have, maybe we haven’t. I’m just not sure at the moment.

Michael: Well, we’re happy to have you here for tonight’s show. Obviously you guys have some new music coming out, or the new singles out already. We’ll touch on that. But of course, a lot of people know you from the eighties and a variety of hits. New Girl Now. Feel It Again. My favorite, Bad Attitude. New Girl Now, I saw a little bit of how that song propelled you guys and was sort of the big breakthrough. And I was watching this interview, Derry, about how you had kind of, you had that in the back pocket and that one sort of came to fruition and sort of launched you guys.

Derry: Yeah, exactly. I mean, when I first joined the band, we were a cover band, right? For the first couple of years, you know, just so we could eat. But we always wanted to do originals. So I had a few originals. I played New Girl Now for Johnny, which I’d done when he liked it. And we started working it into the show and people loved it.

Michael: There you go. It’s a staple on the radio for sure. A lot of people will be excited for it tonight. Now, playing on Canada Day, it must be a nice patriotic feeling to play.

Johnny: We’re Canadians and we’re happy to be in Canada on Canada Day to celebrate its birthday, you know, and it’s like, it’s great to be at home. Well, this is not home, but Canada’s our home. And we’re very proud to be Canadians, and we’ve played many places, many different countries, US and Europe and the UK, the whole deal. I’ll be the first one to say, you know, we’re Canadian and that kind of thing. We’re very proud of it.

Michael: No doubt. Niagara Falls, right? Is where you guys hail from, and that’s sort of where the name came from?

Johnny: I’m from Niagara Falls, Ontario, and actually Derry’s from St. Catharines, Ontario, which is very close to each other. I started the band and it was like, what are we gonna call this thing? Right? And a bunch of different names came up and Honeymoon Suite came up, and I didn’t like that at first. Sounds like a Bar Mitzvah band to me as far as it sounds like. But from a selling point, you know, and all that sort of stuff. Well, Johnny, you’re from Niagara Falls, let’s call it Honeymoon Suite. So there’s always something to talk about. So that stuck. It was kind of hard. There were growing pains to get up on stage when we’re doing us and being introduced as Honeymoon Suite. It took like five songs to get in for people to listen to, oh, these guys are a rock and roll band. Yeah, that’s where it comes from.

Michael: If you go on YouTube and social media and you look at the videos, there are loyal fans you guys have accrued over the years that root for your success and I’m sure rooting for this new record here to succeed. But tell me about your new music Alive.

Gerry: Alive is an album that we started about three, maybe four years ago. And we just had some great new songs. We found a great producer in Mike Krumpa. The situation was really good for us to get a record done. Mike wanted to produce; he was in Nashville, so we started in on it, and it just grew legs, you know, it just grew momentum and the songs kept getting better and better. And then COVID came along, you know, right in the middle of it. So that kind of pushed it back a bit. And we’ve been everywhere with this album. Long story short, it took about almost four years, but it’s done and it’s wicked.

Michael: There you go. And will we be hearing some of it tonight? Is that fair?

Johnny: We’re trying to get these songs in the set, but it’s really difficult. We’re a very busy band. So the only time we can do new material is to rehearse it during soundcheck, and we don’t get many of those. And what you said earlier, it’s like Honeymoon Suite has a large catalogue.I want to make sure for everyone who comes out tonight, I want to get on stage and play as many songs as people know. I mean, when I go see a band, I want to hear the songs that I know. Right. The new album Alive is still in the oven as far as I’m concerned. It’s out there, but you know, people are singing it while I’m up on stage. People are asking for it. But you’ll hear mostly Honeymoon Suite hits, possibly one of the new songs or maybe a couple. And we’ll just keep you on your toes for this one.

Michael: It’ll be a selling point for looking forward to the new music that’s out. So we’re really excited to have you here in Bonnyville on Canada Day. Best of luck tonight. I know a lot of people, like I said, are very excited for it. Anything else just before we go that you want to say?

Johnny: I know it’s gonna be a lot of fun. We just did a soundcheck. It sounds great. And it’s one of my favorites ’cause we’re outside. There was talk about rain and all that sort of stuff. Right. And I told the crew, I don’t care. You tent that puppy up, you know, and we’re gonna play rain or shine, so it’s gonna be fun.

Derry: I want to mention that we’re doing a tour next November. In the summertime, we’re all over the country. Everywhere. But in November, we’re doing a cross-country tour called the Eighties Club with Men Without Hats and Flock of Seagulls. And we’re going right across the country. So people can, if they miss us today, we’re coming right through again in Edmonton, Calgary, I don’t know, but in November, come and see us. We’re on tour.