The hits never get old for Honeymoon Suite

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Honeymoon Suite has come a long way from a bar band playing ZZ Top and Genesis covers, to superstars, thanks to their big hit “I’ve Got A New Girl Now.”
Now, 25-some years later, they have the luxury of playing big festivals on weekends and spending time at home with the kids and writing songs.
“For a classic rock band like us, that just makes sense,” said guitarist Derry Grehan, from his home in Bloomington, Illinois, whHoneymoon Suite Play Average Joes, June 30.ere he has lived for the past eight years. They will be playing every weekend until October.
 The Canadian classic rockers will be playing Average Joes, June 30.
“We’ve got a lot going on this summer. We’re getting out there. We’re playing every weekend. It‘s hot weather. I hate winter. There’s nothing like it, playing rock and roll outside in 80 degree weather and there’s thousands of people. That’s the best feeling,” he enthused.
“We’re not  a young band, trying to prove ourselves. We did all that in the ’80s. We worked out asses off,” he said adding it is still work.
“We usually fly to a gig, and then fly to the next one. We spend a lot of time in airports.  there are a lot of 18 hour days.
 He can’t choose his favourites among a cornucopia of hits like ‘New Girl Now,’ ‘What Does it Take,” and ‘Stay in The Light.’
“Those songs have been really good to me, so playing them never gets old, playing them for 90 minutes and playing my guitar on stage,” he enthused.
The band doesn’t see much of each other when they aren’t playing.
“We don’t see much of each other, especially when I’m in Illinois. We’ll see each other at the airport. Everybody has got other musical side projects,” he continued.


“I can’t believe we’re still doing this 25 some years later. It’s still a thrill for me to see the older fans who grew up with this music and the newer fans who are just discovering us. I feel blessed. I’m not ready to retire yet,” he continued.


“We’ll be playing some of the best. All of the hits, because that’s what people want to hear and maybe some newer songs,” he said adding looking back on their career, it is tough to choose a specific highlight.

“There have been a lot of highlights. Johnny and I demoed “New Girl Now” and sent it to  a local radio station Q107 who were running a contest. And that started everything. We put out an album and the next thing we knew  is went gold and we were on tour with people like ZZ Top. the year before that we were a bar band playing covers of Billy idol and Genesis, six nights a week,” he said.


“One high point was getting our first gold record and the Juno award in 1986. There have been a lot of great things,” he said.
“When we were kids, we had dreams and we hoped it would happen,” he said.


 Songwriting is still a full time job for him. He goes to Nashville to write with other songwriters, though not country music.
“Nashville is such a big place. There are so many writers but I’m not a country musician. I’m more of a pop and a rock pop writer. So I’ll get together with other pop writers. But new country is such a crossover. It’s definitely not traditional country,” he observed adding he has had some success there, getting cuts with minor artists.


New Honeymoon Suite music is in the works. They released their last CD “Clifton Hill,” two or three years ago in 2008.
“Johnny (Dee, lead singer) and I  have been discussing writing more songs. But it’s so difficult to sell CDs today, it’s not worth it. Most people just release their best one or two on iTunes. So that’s what we’ll probably do. But the songs aren’t even written yet,” he said adding thanks to computers, the band doesn’t have to be in the same room together.


“ I’m  a guitar player, so a song usually starts with a riff. I’ve got guitars all over the house, because you never know when inspiration will strike. I’ll be watching TV and a riff will come out, then I’ll hear a melody in my head and then the lyrics usually come last,” he said, adding he has a studio in his home, and will record them, then, for Honeymoon Suite material, will send it to Johnny who will listen to it, and send it back with suggests and/or criticism.


“Songwriting is what I do. It’s my full time job,” he said.
While he listens to a lot of  older songwriters and guitarists like Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani and Stevie Ray Vaughan, having  a 10-year-old daughter keeps him on his toes musically.
“ I don’t listen to a lot of younger players. There are a lot of good players. I have a 10-year-old daughter who listens to a lot of Top 40 music. It’s always on in the car, so I know what’s going on in the music business. But while people like the Black Eyed Peas and Usher are not my thing, as a songwriter, it opens my ears. I can get something out of everything,” he said.
Tickets cost $25 at Average Joes.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 June 2011 11:57 )