[5] Formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1973, from previous members of the rock group Leigh Ashford – which included singer Douglas "Buzz" Shearman (former teen singer of Sherman & Peabody), alongside Greg Godovitz of Fludd & Goddo, and Gil Moore (later of Triumph), Earl Johnson (former member of King Biscuit Boy),[6] Bill Wade (former member of Outlaw Music and Brutus under the alias Hally Hunter that also included Gino Scarpelli of Goddo) and Terry Juric, as Leigh Ashford.
The promising sound of the single received heavy radio support from CHUM (AM) in Toronto and led to the band's signing of a contract with Polydor Records of Canada in December 1974.
After the Moxy sessions, Bolin continued to work on his first solo album Teaser, and later that year got the call from David Coverdale to join Deep Purple.
[13] Having heard the impact of the twin guitars, Moxy then headed back to Toronto in search of a rhythm guitarist who would free up Earl Johnson to play the material on tour that had been added to the songs in the studio by Tommy Bolin.
[19] Moxy II was recorded in the band's hometown of Toronto at Sound Stage studio with famed Aerosmith producer Jack Douglas.
[20][21] Moxy II was also highly acclaimed on its release by Geoff Barton of the UK music publication Sounds, who made the album available to its readers for the special price of only £1.50.
The result was Ridin' High which once more contained all-original material written by the band members with a harder and heavy sound than the first two albums.
I remember going in doing radio interviews and "Ridin' High" was the single and they would put it on and all the needles would just go tilt over right into the red and the station engineer would be freaking out.
[30][31] The next night in San Antonio at the Municipal Auditorium and on 29 July in Corpus Christi, Texas, at Ritz Music Hall, with AC/DC as the opening act for all three dates.
Buzz Shearman had developed vocal cord problems and singer-soundman Brian Maxim (singer on Moxy V) had to be called in to hit the high notes off-stage.
[36] Shearman decided to leave in late 1977 after the Ridin' High tour, due to personality conflicts and to seek medical attention for his vocal cords and drinking problem.
[37] Michael Rynoski, who later changed his name to Mike Reno and played with Loverboy, replaced Buzz Shearman and made his musical debut on Moxy's next album.
Shearman formed his own band called Buzz Sawphoto with ex-Christmas guitarist Bob Bulger and drummer Frank Russell.
Bill Wade during this time performed on The Cry's 1980 album Wispear and then formed the band Bongo Furies with fellow Canadian rocker Gino Scarpelli and bassist Terry McKeowen.
In March 1980, Buzz was a candidate to replace the deceased Bon Scott in AC/DC but because his recurring vocal cord problems would not allow him to tour extensively, AC/DC band members ultimately decided on ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson.
Buddy Caine, Terry Juric, Danny Bilan and Brian Maxim (Moxy's 1970s backup singer) later formed the band Voodoo.
Earl Johnson soldiered on, recording songs like "Heaven On Heels", "Body Contact" and "Killer on the Loose"[47] with Tom Griffin (co-writer of "Candy Delight" on Moxy V), Howie Warden, and Danny "Coke" Colonello playing local Toronto bars and night clubs like El Mocambo, Gasworks, and Larry's Hideaway.
New vocalist Brian Maxim (former member of Stumbling Blind and The Passing Fancy), who was considered a true member of Moxy, as Brian sung back-ups for "Buzz" on tour back in 1977, worked with Buddy Caine and Terry Juric in the band Voodoo and worked with "Buzz" at Shaw Industries in the early 1980s.
[49] For their 25 anniversary Moxy played in San Antonio alongside fellow special guests Saxon in 2000 again in 2004 with Budgie and Michael Schenker (Scorpions and UFO) at the annual Legs Diamond bash in the Sunken Garden Theater to the delight of 6,000 fans.
Bullseye also re-released Moxy V in North America with remastered and re-edited songs and a new track sequence supervised by Earl Johnson at Soho Studios in Toronto by engineer Glenn Belcher.
On 26 August 2005, Moxy performed "Can't You See I'm A Star" and "Cause There's Another", the band's two biggest Canadian hits, live on Citytv in Toronto.
Also in 2004, Moxy made the KZEP FM (San Antonio, Texas) "Top 104 Best Groups of All Time" at number 87, ahead of Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake, Queensrÿche, and Iron Maiden.
[55] The song titled "You Can't Stop the Music in Me" was released to radio and online retailers on Buzz's birthday, 8 March 2009.