I Like To Rock

The Electrifying Saga of "I Like to Rock" by April Wine

Picture this: it's the late 1970s, and the rock world is buzzing with arena-sized anthems from bands like Boston and Foreigner. Canadian rockers April Wine, already veterans of the scene after a decade of grinding it out, were hungry for that big breakthrough. Formed in Halifax in 1969, they'd built a solid rep with albums like Harder... Faster, but they craved something raw, something that screamed pure love for the music. That's where "I Like to Rock" was born – a no-nonsense declaration of fandom that captured the band's unfiltered passion.

The Spark of Creation

The song's roots trace back to 1979, during the sessions for what would become the album The Nature of the Beast. Frontman Myles Goodwyn, the driving force behind April Wine, penned the lyrics in a burst of inspiration. He later shared in interviews that it was his way of stripping rock down to its essence – no pretensions, just the thrill of cranking up the volume and letting it rip. Goodwyn, influenced by his own teenage obsessions with Elvis and Chuck Berry, wanted a track that felt like a high-five to every kid blasting records in their basement. Interestingly, the band toyed with calling it "I Like to Roll," but Goodwyn nixed that, insisting "rock" hit harder, evoking the seismic energy of live shows. It's that kind of anecdote – simple yet telling – that shows how April Wine kept things grounded amid the glitz of the era.

Recording in the Heat of the Studio

Recording took place at Criteria Studios in Miami, a hotspot for rock legends like the Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Under producer Mike Stone – fresh off triumphs with Queen – the band laid down the track in late 1979. The sessions were intense; Goodwyn pushed for a live-wire feel, capturing the guitar riffs and pounding drums in just a few takes to preserve that spontaneous fire. Drummer Jerry Mercer recalled the vibe as electric, with the whole band feeding off each other's energy late into the night. Stone's magic touch added polished layers without losing the grit – think soaring solos from guitarist Brian Greenway that still give me chills. It wasn't all smooth; there were heated debates over the mix, but that friction honed the song into a tight, four-minute powerhouse.

Release and the Road to Stardom

Dropped as the lead single from The Nature of the Beast in early 1980, "I Like to Rock" exploded onto the charts. It peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, a career high for April Wine, and propelled the album to platinum status in Canada and gold in the U.S. Capitol Records backed it with a killer video – one of the first for the band – showing them rocking out in a gritty warehouse, which aired on nascent MTV. The success tour was grueling, with sold-out shows across North America, but it cemented their status. Fans chanted the chorus like a battle cry, turning quiet arenas into sweat-soaked parties.

A Lasting Echo in Rock's Heart

Culturally, "I Like to Rock" became an anthem for the everyman rocker, bridging the gap between pompous prog and punk's snarl. It influenced a wave of straightforward hard rock in the '80s, echoing in bands like Loverboy or even early Bon Jovi. For my generation – those who grew up with vinyl scratches and car stereo blasts – it's pure nostalgia, a reminder of rock's joyful rebellion. April Wine never topped its chart success, making it a quintessential one-hit wonder, but that's its charm: unassuming, enduring, and forever tied to that electric '80s pulse. Listening now, you feel the band's heart in every chord – a timeless nod to why we all love this crazy music.