Footloose

Formed in Edmonton in early 1979, Footloose consisted of U of A student Tim Feehan on vocals, guitarist Terry Medd (ex of Missouri), and Curt Smith, a dentist by trade, on keyboards. They quickly added bassist George Goodall and drummer Dwayne Feland and began rehearsals, toying with some music Feehan had been working on instead of studying.

They played the dorm parties, local bars, and cabarets, and did some shows around Alberta when they got the attention of Jerry Buck, who signed them to his Mustard Records, with distribution through RCA. He took them to Damon Sound Studios and produced enough material for a record. But before the record was finished, Smith moved to Grande Prairie to set up a dentistry practice there. He was replaced by Rick Smart, and with Feehan and Buck handling production and most of the writing, the band’s self-titled debut was in the stores by summer.

The danceable beat with a pseudo disco and smooth edge of the first single, “Leaving For Maui,” made it a hit around campus radio stations throughout the prairies, and before long caught on with mainstream radio. It eventually cracked the top 10 for six weeks, and was followed into the top 20 by “Time Is Right.” The next two singles, “Jamie” and “Who’s Loving Her Now?” (b/w the unreleased “Betty-Lou”) in early ’81 both stalled before making it into the top 40.

But before the band returned to the studio for a follow-up, Feehan completed his Sociology degree, although he still wanted to pursue music. Still under contract to Mustard, he released his first of five solo albums in 1981. He also became a highly sought after writer and producer, working with everyone from Dionne Warwick to Chrissy Steele, and almost everyone of every genre in between. Eventually, everyone else got out of the business all together, though they all continued to play around the Edmonton area.

• With notes from Jim Hennig, Peter Lopresti, Glen O’Brien, Lori Smith
  
  FOOTLOOSE (1980)
  Leaving For Maui
  Just Enough Love
  Dancin’ Feelin’
  It’ll Take Some Time
  Put On The Dog
  Time Is Right
  Jamie
  Lineups
  Thanks, I Needed That