Artist: Moxy, Album: Moxy, Song: Sail On Sail Away

Moxy were a rock band that formed in Toronto during the early seventies.  Original vocalist, Buzz Shearman, had played in a few other bands with guys like Greg Godovitz from Fludd (see blog 12/21/10) as well as Gil Moore from Triumph before forming Moxy with Earl Johnson, Bill Wade, Terry Juric and Buddy Caine.  In 1974, they released their first indie single with Yorkville Records and by the following year, they were signed to Polydor and were sent to NYC to record their self titled debut.  American guitarist Tommy Bolin (James Gang, Deep Purple) happened to be in the same studio and laid down some additional guitar tracks for the band.  Sail On Sail Away is a wonderful tune from that album.  It has an acoustic opener that is reminiscent of Led Zeppelin before bursting into a wall of electric guitars.  If you like southern or blues rock this should appeal to you.  The band toured the U.S. in the seventies and were very big in Texas.  Moxy would record three albums before 1978.  Then Buzz Shearman left the band and was replaced with a little known singer by the name of Mike Reno.  The album didn't do as well as their previous releases and the band broke up.  Mike Reno would go on to much larger success as vocalist for Loverboy.  Buzz Shearman died tragically in a motorcycle accident in the early eighties.  The remaining original members have since released a tribute album along with some new material with a few new vocalists.  Pacemaker Entertainment also released a best of compilation entitled, Self-Destruction, in 1995.  Both the self-titled debut as well as the Self-Destruction compilation feature the song, Sail On Sail Away, and are available on Itunes.  You can hear the song, Sail On Sail Away, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oHquY-y4Es).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!