A member of one of Canada’s greatest rock bands will play a prominent role in this year’s Montreal-area St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
Brian Greenway of April Wine will be the grand marshal of the Hudson St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The honour is just the latest chapter in his storied career. Global News used the occasion to ask Greenway to reflect on his rock ‘n’ roll journey.
The band, which started in the Maritimes and later became based in Montreal, routinely performed in front of thousands of adoring fans in the ’70s and ’80s. They played shows alongside iconic names like Neil Young and the Rolling Stones.
“In Europe, it was 125,000 people with Neil Young and Jethro Tull. That was quite a good thing,” Greenway recounted.
He mentioned opening for the Rolling Stones at a stadium in Buffalo, N.Y., as another high point for April Wine.
Though the stages aren’t quite as grand these days, Greenway is still in April Wine, and is still just as passionate about playing his guitar and singing.
“We’re lucky. I didn’t want it to stop, and I still don’t,” Greenway said.
Greenway says his first musical memory is watching Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 as a child with his parents.
“I had a little toy xylophone and I was banging along on it, and they asked me to be quiet so they can hear Elvis sing,” Greenway said.
He grew up in various cities in the region, including Hawksbury, Ont., Montreal West, Côte Saint-Luc, and Dollard-des-Ormeaux in Montreal’s West Island.
“There were so many musicians then, you know, it was so amazing. Everybody played something, and everybody had a dream,” Greenway told Global News.
The first time he auditioned for April Wine in 1973 he didn’t make it in. Frontman Myles Goodwyn chose Gary Moffet instead.
“I’m glad they did, because he was a far better choice than me. A far better player,” he said.
He got the call to join the band in 1977 and never looked back, playing hits like Roller and living a stereotypical rock star life.
Greenway recalled a particular experience backstage at that Rolling Stones stadium show.
“I ended up drinking a lot of piña coladas with Aynsley Dunbar, the drummer from Journey, and he says, ‘Come on, have you ever met Mick and Keith?’ I went, ‘No,’ and he said, ‘Let’s go down the cafeteria and meet them!'” he recollected.
Greenway said he barely remembers that meeting, as he was quite intoxicated at the time. He says he quit drinking over eight years ago.
“Finally, my wife straightened me out. I’m happy she did,” Greenway said.
The rocker is still coming to terms with Goodwyn’s death last year. He catches himself wanting to pick up the phone to call his longtime bandmate.
“That was a shocker, losing him in December,” Greenway said.
Now living in Saint-Lazare, west of Montreal, the latest chapter in his journey will see him act as grand marshal of the Hudson St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 16.
“It’s an honour. It’s fun to be a part of it for the Soulanges Irish Society. On St. Patrick’s Day, we’re all Irish,” he said.
Greenway said Goodwyn wanted the band to continue without him and they are doing just that. New singer Marc Parent is in the fold and they have shows booked across Canada and the U.S. this year. Before St. Patrick’s Day, they’re playing the Monsters of Rock Cruise along with several other classic rock bands. It sets off from Miami and makes stops in Jamaica, the Bahamas and Mexico.
Greenway also continues to play as a solo artist and in other bands, such as Brian Greenway’s Blues Bus.