SKF NOTE: I’ve posted a couple of excerpts from my 1984 Modern Drummer feature interview with Matt Frenette. Recently I was asked by a visitor to my YouTube channel if the entire interview was available.

Well, as a matter of fact, it is. Or it soon will be. Here’s Part 1 of 4 interview segments. The actual interview took place September 1983 at the height of ‘Loverboy’s’ hit song, “Working for the Weekend.” It appeared as the cover story for the March 1984 ‘Modern Drummer’ magazine.

Here is my 1984 MD introduction to Frenette’s interview.

“Things happen fast in the world of rock ‘n’ roll. The first time Matt Frenette was interviewed for ‘MD’, people were raving about ‘Loverboy’ on the West Coast, but the group’s popularity did not yet extend to the East Coast.

“The interview was therefore intended to be a portrait of an up-and-coming new artist.

“However, before we had the chance to publish that interview, ‘Loverboy’s’ success had spread across the country. Since Matt Frenette’s position in the drumming world had skyrocketed along the group’s popularity, we are now presenting an expanded feature interview with ‘Loverboy’s’ drummer.”

In Part 1 of this interview, Frenette discusses the following topics:

Talking with kids he meets on tour.
Influences: Latin American, country & western,
Meeting Buddy Rich as a kid
Hoping to do clinics after Loverboy tour
There’s a lot of girl drummers now
Kids ask a lot of good questions.
I started on a rented snare drum learning rudiments
Five years of school marching band.
Playing conventional grip & press rolls
Playing with dynamiccs.
Pinpointing key drummers history of rock and roll: Don Brewer, Stevie Wonder, Mike Shrieve, Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears. Keith Moon, Ginger Baker, Mitch Mitchell, Carmine Appice, Billy Cobham,
How original styles in drummers have decreased.
Conversation with Quiet Riot drummer.
Copy licks vs learning concepts
Motivation for starting Loverboy
Started out doing all original material in packed clubs.
Pay to record their first album
First big concert opening for Kiss. End of 1981 played to every demographic.
Worst gig ever played. Cape Cod. Opening for ZZ Top.

I will post Frenette’s full interview audio soon.