The 'kids' are hot tonight
There's a lot to love about Loverboy -- those Canadian power-pop rock heroes who play St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field on Saturday night after the Rays-Royals game.
They're one of the friendliest bands of the 80s. (Check out our podcast interview from 2006.) They've stuck to their musical roots over the decades. (The new album is great. Vintage Mike Reno.) And when it came to making music videos, they kept it simple, cheeky and straight-forward.
Our guys from Calgary aren't about to win an MTV Lifetime Achievement work for their videos of the '80s, but not every band aspires to see Claymation versions of their heads turn into newspaper boxes with dragons flying overhead. And so, to get you fired up for the concert, we proudly present...
TOP 5 LOVERBOY VIDEOS OF THE 80s:
5. HEAVEN IN YOUR EYES (1986): The oft-forgotten song from the "Top Gun" soundtrack. In video form, expect plenty of shots of Kelly McGillis along with sexy line delivery: "So long, Pete Mitchell..." [WATCH]
4. LOVIN' EVERY MINUTE OF IT (1985): I love the plot line: There's a party in Mike Reno's apartment ... and everyone is invited. Just like a Lionel Richie video ... without the dancing on the ceiling. [WATCH]
3. THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT (1986): Looks like it was filmed on the "Streets of Fire" set. I keep waiting for The Sorels to break out some "I Could Dream About You." [WATCH]
2. WORKING FOR THE WEEKEND (1981): You'll think, "Oh, standard fake live performance video." But then the stop-frames on that crazy drummer. It's soooo 80s, it should be wearing leg-warmers and eating Pudding Pops. (Lampooned great in this video.) [WATCH]
1. QUEEN OF THE BROKEN HEARTS (1983): It's a mix between Tom Petty's "You Got Lucky," ZZ Top's "Legs" and every other Loverboy performance video. In other words, it's perfect. [WATCH]
Relive the music, movies and culture of the greatest decade ever with Times online editor Steve Spears. A teen during the decade, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
E-mail Steve Spears:
I love LOVERBOY!! I love baseball!! Go Rays and Knock 'Em dead LOVERBOY.
I always say..."Nothing beats LOVERBOY live because they are the PRIDE OF CANADA"!
Posted by: Cally Shanahan | July 05, 2008 at 08:07 PM
I guess I was too quick on the draw...
What can beat a HGITW tribute video set to a disco
version of Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read
My Mind" that lasts fornearly five minutes and can
be viewed in "high quality"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtjFENw6xwY
Oh, wait, this article was about Loverboy, wasn't it?
My bad. LOL
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 01:52 PM
Solid Gold clip of HGITW 1983:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvUW5_G_54s
Turns out the USMC voted her "World's Foxiest Woman."
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 01:43 PM
Contest winner sighted:
Very beginning of the "Queen of..." video, seated behind a
computer console, then cut to HGITW (hottest girl in the world).
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 01:24 PM
Here's a recent live performance of "Turn Me Loose" :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU2WO0jW-Cc&feature=related
Mike Reno sounds as good as ever. That is a
really rare thing in a vocalist. Whoever catches
their show at Tropicana Field won't be disappointed.
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 01:21 PM
Posted twice.Your site works in a crappy way sometimes,Mr.Spears!
Posted by: Miguel | July 05, 2008 at 01:20 PM
He does look constipated.As anybody seen them live?I´ve never seen them.Are they good?Because after that clip i have some doubts
Posted by: Miguel | July 05, 2008 at 01:19 PM
He does look constipated.Have you guys seen them live,already?I`ve never seen them. Are they good on stage? Because after that clip i´m not that sure.
Posted by: Miguel | July 05, 2008 at 01:19 PM
(So are mine, BTW. LOL)
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 01:09 PM
Check out this home video of Loverboy playing
"The Kid Is Hot Tonight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rengIdvViw&NR=1
Mike Reno looks like he's trying to overcome
a serious case of constipation. And his days in
skintight red leather pants are long gone.
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 01:08 PM
"The kid is hot tonight" is my favourite song.I don`t remember the music video,thow.
Posted by: Miguel | July 05, 2008 at 01:06 PM
Ahem, "useful"? How about blind?
(Sorry, Steve, I just got so excited that I'd figured
out these dang newfangled cumputer whatsits. Doh.)
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Wow, and Mike Reno didn't get the Solid Gold dancer...
the lead guitarist did!! LOL
But I swear I must've blinked. I didn't see the
contest winner.
What a great, cheesy memory.
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 12:54 PM
How the heck could Mike Reno sing with his teeth clenched all the time?
Posted by: Bassnote | July 05, 2008 at 12:53 PM
The featured dancer in the video really was a
Solid Gold dancer... and I thought she was the
hottest girl in the world. Well, second to Rachel Ward.
You know me....
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Wow do I feel useful:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XfRJtkDJOkU
Thanks for the tip, Steve!!!
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 12:48 PM
I've said it before and I'll say it again --
Steve Spears ROCKS!
While watching Mike Reno treat his mic stand like a real instrument (second only to cowbell). I was reminded how neutered a lead singer can seem. No wonder they so often try solo careers to prove they can make it on their own. ;-)
Did Reno ever give it a shot?
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 12:47 PM
It was ...
http://uk.real.com/music/artist/Loverboy/
Posted by: Spears | July 05, 2008 at 12:24 PM
It wasn't "Queen of the Broken Hearts"?
Posted by: Spears | July 05, 2008 at 12:23 PM
Anybody remember the MTV contest to appear in one of their videos?
The winner was a rather large girl at the "command center" who ended up on screen for all of the time it takes to blink. "Okay, cut back to the Solid Gold dancers: they're only on loan for the day!"
I don't remember which song, but it had a post-Apocalyptic, Hefty Bags for mini-dresses thing going on.
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 12:18 PM
I like Loverboy.It`s true.Their videos were simple,nice and a bit brainless.Oh,my God i just said brainless!Rick,Mike i hope that didn`t insult you!Hahaha!
Posted by: Miguel | July 05, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Go Rays!
tonight when we go to the game I am purchasing tickets for all six of the last games with yanks and red sox held towards end of the season
Go Rays!
Posted by: surfdog | July 05, 2008 at 09:58 AM
Details, details... ;-)
Posted by: jane | July 05, 2008 at 08:50 AM
My fave tune was always "The Kid is Hot Tonight," but this is a video list, not a top 5 song list.
Posted by: Spears | July 05, 2008 at 08:25 AM
My favorite Loverboy tune has to be "Hot Girls in Love"... http://youtube.com/watch?v=4C0wnGhDGas
Posted by: jane | July 05, 2008 at 07:39 AM
Nothing is hotter than cave-dwelling flashdancers as proven by "Queen of the Broken Hearts" video.
'Cuz, I know when I was a teen-age cave dweller, my gal posse and I practiced our dance moves all night long. We never knew when a rock band might show up.
Posted by: Marissa | July 05, 2008 at 07:34 AM
The Kid Is Hot Tonight? Notorious? And where's Turn Me Loose? Decent list though. Loverboy does rock.
Posted by: Al | July 05, 2008 at 02:33 AM
My clearest memory of Loverboy was one weekend when my older brother came to visit my college (Eastern Ill. Univ.). It wasn't to see me, mind you, but his girlfriend who ended up his wife...
Anyway, Mike was a rock god, a guitar hero and a tough-guy rugby player, who listened to Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, Montrose, Jeff Beck. Got the picture?
So, we load into his car, this red '65 Impala coupe, and he cranks...? "Everybody's workin' for the weekend...!"
It was like a record scratching in my brain. I looked at him like he'd just cranked Andy Gibb, and he looked back at me and said as matter-of-fact as you can get, "Loverboy rocks."
I never listened in the same way again.
Posted by: Rick | July 05, 2008 at 01:44 AM
man loverboy needs to come to tulsa. they are a very under rated band who still enjoy just getting out there and playing. i never have been able to see them but maybe one day soon..... please?
Posted by: don in tulsa | July 05, 2008 at 01:41 AM