The Big Prize
Encyclopedia
The Big Prize is the second album by Honeymoon Suite
, released in early 1986. It featured four hit singles, including the band's biggest hit in the U.S.
, "Feel It Again," and "Bad Attitude," which was notably featured in a sequence in the final episode of Miami Vice
three years later. The album also certified Platinum in Canada by the CRIA (Canadian Recording Industry Association).
The album cover features a newly married couple having their picture taken by some tourists at Niagara Falls
, Honeymoon Suite's hometown. The photo was taken on the Canadian-side of the Falls.
Following the release of this album, the band won the Juno Award
for "Group of the Year
" and was also nominated for "Album of the Year
" in 1986.
In a 2008 interview, Honeymoon Suite's guitarist Derry Grehan said "I think our best record was The Big Prize."
The first single "Bad Attitude" was written by guitarist Derry Grehan
, and according to singer Johnnie Dee
"Derry was playing this lick for a long time and eventually wrote this song around it. The chorus wouldn't come together for us until Bruce Fairbairn helped us out. The lyrics kinda summed up our feelings at the time."
The second single released was "Feel It Again," written by keyboardist Ray Coburn. This tune became the band's first, and only single to date to crack the Billboard Top 40 Chart in the States
. It was also extremely successful at home in Canada.
The third single was the power ballad "What Does It Take" and was originally written on a Fostex
recorder at a gig in Sarnia, Ontario
. The song was added to the soundtrack for the movie One Crazy Summer
.
It was Bob Rock
's production work on this record (specifically as an engineer
) that is largely credited with helping him get noticed by Jon Bon Jovi
. Rock engineered Bon Jovi's massive break-out album Slippery When Wet
, which was a major launching point in Rock's engineering and producing career.
Honeymoon Suite (band)
Honeymoon Suite is a Canadian rock band formed in 1981 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The band's name was a nod to the fact that Niagara Falls is the unofficial honeymoon capital.-Band history:...
, released in early 1986. It featured four hit singles, including the band's biggest hit in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, "Feel It Again," and "Bad Attitude," which was notably featured in a sequence in the final episode of Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
three years later. The album also certified Platinum in Canada by the CRIA (Canadian Recording Industry Association).
The album cover features a newly married couple having their picture taken by some tourists at Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, Honeymoon Suite's hometown. The photo was taken on the Canadian-side of the Falls.
Following the release of this album, the band won the Juno Award
Juno Awards of 1986
The Juno Awards of 1986, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 10 November 1986 in Toronto at a ceremony hosted by Howie Mandel at the Harbour Castle Hilton Hotel. CBC Television broadcast the ceremonies nationally.Labour problems at the Canadian...
for "Group of the Year
Juno Award for Group of the Year
The Juno Award for best Group of the Year has been awarded since 1970, as recognition each year for the best group or band in Canada. It has also been known as Best Group .-Best Group :*1970 - The Guess Who...
" and was also nominated for "Album of the Year
Juno Award for Album of the Year
The Juno Award for "Album of the Year" has been awarded since 1975, as recognition each year for the best album in Canada. It was also known as Best Album , and Best Selling Album .-Best Album :...
" in 1986.
In a 2008 interview, Honeymoon Suite's guitarist Derry Grehan said "I think our best record was The Big Prize."
Background and writing
Following the success of their debut album and a subsequent two-year tour, Honeymoon Suite wrote much of their next album on the road. The Big Prize was produced by Bruce Fairbairn with assistance from fellow Canadian Bob Rock and featured the trademark 80s sound of rock guitars interlaced with keyboards.The first single "Bad Attitude" was written by guitarist Derry Grehan
Derry Grehan
Derry Grehan, formerly of St. Catharines, is a guitarist for the Canadian rock band Honeymoon Suite. The band was formed by Grehan, Johnnie Dee, and Mike Lengyell in 1982.-Biography:...
, and according to singer Johnnie Dee
Johnnie Dee
Johnnie Dee is a Canadian rock vocalist, best known as the lead singer for the rock band Honeymoon Suite. Dee and guitarist Derry Grehan formed Honeymoon Suite in Niagara Falls, Ontario in the early 1980s...
"Derry was playing this lick for a long time and eventually wrote this song around it. The chorus wouldn't come together for us until Bruce Fairbairn helped us out. The lyrics kinda summed up our feelings at the time."
The second single released was "Feel It Again," written by keyboardist Ray Coburn. This tune became the band's first, and only single to date to crack the Billboard Top 40 Chart in the States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was also extremely successful at home in Canada.
The third single was the power ballad "What Does It Take" and was originally written on a Fostex
Fostex
Fostex is a Japanese manufacturer that is one of the largest transducer and OEM speaker makers in the world, founded in July 1973 by Foster Electric Co. Ltd.-Company history:Fostex , founded in July 1973 by Foster Electric Co...
recorder at a gig in Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
. The song was added to the soundtrack for the movie One Crazy Summer
One Crazy Summer
-Production:Several locations on Cape Cod, Massachusetts were used for the film: Barnstable High School , Hyannis West Elementary School , the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard And Nantucket Steamship Authority ferry dock in Woods Hole, where the characters board the ferry, and the motorcycle gang...
.
It was Bob Rock
Bob Rock
Robert Jens Rock, , is a Canadian musician, sound engineer, and record producer best known for producing bands such as Aerosmith, The Cult, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, 311, Metallica, Our Lady Peace, The Offspring and most recently Bush.-Payola$ and Rock and Hyde:Rock began his music career in Langford,...
's production work on this record (specifically as an engineer
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
) that is largely credited with helping him get noticed by Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
. Rock engineered Bon Jovi's massive break-out album Slippery When Wet
Slippery When Wet
Slippery When Wet is the third studio album by Bon Jovi, released in August 1986 by Vertigo Records. Slippery When Wet was an instant commercial success. The album features songs that are today considered as Bon Jovi's most well-known tracks such as "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' on a Prayer"...
, which was a major launching point in Rock's engineering and producing career.
Track listing
- "Bad Attitude" (Derry Grehan) - 5:28
- "Feel It Again" (Ray Coburn) - 4:37
- "Lost and Found" (Coburn) - 4:22
- "What Does It Take" (Grehan) - 4:13
- "One By One" (Grehan) - 3:42
- "Wounded" (Johnnie Dee) - 4:36
- "Words in the Wind" (Grehan) - 4:35
- "All Along You Knew" (Grehan) - 4:19
- "Once the Feeling" (Grehan) - 4:32
- "Take My Hand" (Grehan) - 3:41
Singles
The following singles were released from the album, with the highest charting positions listed.| # | Title | Release Date | CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bad Attitude" | Dec. 17, 1985 | - | |
| 2. | "Feel It Again" | Jan. 24, 1986 | 16 | 34 |
| 3. | "What Does It Take" | June 3, 1986 | 28 | 52 |
| 4. | "All Along You Knew" | 1986 | - |
Personnel
- Johnnie DeeJohnnie DeeJohnnie Dee is a Canadian rock vocalist, best known as the lead singer for the rock band Honeymoon Suite. Dee and guitarist Derry Grehan formed Honeymoon Suite in Niagara Falls, Ontario in the early 1980s...
- lead vocals - Derry GrehanDerry GrehanDerry Grehan, formerly of St. Catharines, is a guitarist for the Canadian rock band Honeymoon Suite. The band was formed by Grehan, Johnnie Dee, and Mike Lengyell in 1982.-Biography:...
- guitars, vocals - Ray Coburn - keyboards
- Gary Lalonde - bass
- Dave BettsDave BettsDave Betts is a Canadian rock drummer, best known as the drummer for Canadian rock band Honeymoon Suite....
- drums - Ian AndersonIan Anderson (musician)Ian Scott Anderson, MBE is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work as the leader and flautist of British rock band Jethro Tull.-Early life:...
- flute on "All Along You Knew" - Mickey CurryMickey CurryMichael Timothy Curry is an American drummer. He is best known for his long-term collaboration with the singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, although he has also worked with Hall & Oates, Cher, Tina Turner, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Sam Phillips, Tom Waits, The Cult, Steve Jones and...
- additional percussion - Chris Taylor - additional percussion
Production
- Bruce Fairbairn - producer
- Bob RockBob RockRobert Jens Rock, , is a Canadian musician, sound engineer, and record producer best known for producing bands such as Aerosmith, The Cult, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, 311, Metallica, Our Lady Peace, The Offspring and most recently Bush.-Payola$ and Rock and Hyde:Rock began his music career in Langford,...
- engineer - Michael Larkin - assistant engineer
- Johnnie Q. - assistant engineer
- Mike FraserMichael FraserMichael Alan Fraser is a Scottish professional goalkeeper currently playing for Ross County.-Inverness CT:...
- assistant engineer - Mixed at the Farmyard Studios, Bucks, EnglandBuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
by Stephen W. Tayler