History & Biography Canada's Honeymoon Suite was born in the honeymoon capital of the world Niagara Falls by Singer Dee, Grehan and one Brian Blackstone on bass in 1981. The latter would session on the band's debut LP. The band began as a covers’ band playing songs by Billy Idol and others. A song, New Girl Now, appeared on a radio station-sponsored compilation and the band obtained a contract with Warner Music Canada. The debut showcased a commercial band with a light-hearted mood and an AOR affinity for keyboards and charted in Canada. Shows with April Wine, Billy Idol, Bryan Adams and others followed. The Big Prize was produced by Bruce Fairbairn and launched the band world-wide and this time the band played on both sides of Atlantic. The album was appropriately released on the commercial love celebration occasion Valentine's Day.
Honeymoon Suite was the Canadian band of the year the year after winning a Juno. Racing After Midnight brought producer Ted Templeman (Van Halen, Bullet Boys, etc.) around, but the results were not as hot as expected. The LP featured new man Preuss on the keyboards. The band had suffered a setback earlier when Dee was hit by a car in the US and was hospitalized. The album proved to be Betts' and Lalonde's last. Coburn would return in time for a singles compilation in 1989. Several members came and went and a new line-up immortalized a live record for an independent label following the label's dropping of the former darlings and a protracted difference of opinion with the management.
The band was in hiatus until a return to action in Canada in the winter of 2001. An album was issued through Toronto's Bullseye with a similar, but different, CD being pressed in Europe through Frontiers called Dreamland. Degiuli also issued a solo album in Canada. The band toured Canada in June and July 2005. Warner Music Canada announced a compilation DVD for 2006. Frontiers Records announced a new album entitled Clifton Hill for October 10th, 2008. The album was named after a Niagara Falls landmark area in the band’s Canadian hometown. It featured a reunited original line-up. Honeymoon Suite was confirmed for Firefest VI, which was taking place October 23 and 24th, 2009 in Nottingham, England. Other bands were FM, Drive She Said and Treat among others.
The band had a single, entitled Tell Me What You Want, in October of 2019. A video was shot for the song. A second single called Find What You're Looking For was released in June 2020. Honeymoon Suite had an album, entitled Alive, through Frontiers Music on 18.02.2024. The band was singer Johnnie Dee, guitarist/keyboardist Derry Grehan, bassist Gary Lalonde, drummer Dave Betts and Peter Nunn (keyboards). The band pulled out of its headlining slot at Caribbean Goes 80's Festival in Varadero, Cuba from April 6 - 13, 2024. It attributed the cancellation to instrument and logistical problems.
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