NORMAL - Guitars fill one of the walls in Derry Grehan's studio in the basement of his home. His favorite has yellow tire tracks running across its body.

Grehan did it on a whim during one of his band's tours, using the spare tire from his rental K car. It kind of became his signature.

Several triple platinum records and a gold one share another wall with a row of framed pictures. One picture shows Grehan with Dick Clark on the set of "American Bandstand." In others, he's with Nancy Wilson of the rock group Heart or pop legend Rod Stewart.

Intermingled in the room are reminders of the other side of his life: a pewter mug from the Irish pub that one of his ancestors used to own, pictures of his wife and two kids, and the family dog, Jack, at his heels.

Meet Derry Grehan: rock star, husband, father, Canadian citizen and Normal resident - not necessarily listed in order of importance.

If you went to the Heart concert at the Peoria Civic Center in the '80s, you saw Grehan and his band, Honeymoon Suite. They were the opening act.

Or maybe you remember the group's first hit, "New Girl Now," written by Grehan. It took top honors in a 1983 Canadian radio station contest and landed the band a record deal with Warner Brothers' Canadian label.

"We were playing in bars, then six months later we were on the road," Grehan said. "We first opened with Jethro Tull. Things were great."

The band toured all over Canada and America with such acts as The Kinks, Bryan Adams, ZZ Top, .38 Special, Journey and Starship.

It was during the tour with Heart and an autograph signing at a Peoria record store that Grehan met his future wife, Normal Community High School graduate Deanna Liscavage.

"She was just the cutest thing," Grehan said.

They had a long-distance relationship for several years while Honeymoon Suite basked in the success of a second album and worked on a third.

"The third album didn't break us through," Grehan said. "It was great in Canada, but not over the top in the States."

In the meantime, Liscavage moved to Canada and in 1995, the two married. After two kids and several years in Toronto, they moved to Normal four years ago.

"I didn't like the city," he said. "I wanted out of the city, and (Deanna) wanted to get back to the States."

Normal was perfect: "not too big, not too small, and great for the kids" and close to an airport, he said.

"I'm essentially a stay-at-home dad when I'm not on the road," Grehan said. "We're both very involved with the kids and their school. I really miss them when I'm gone."

That can be a lot in the spring and summer when the group is performing at fairs and festivals, especially in Canada.

"In the winter, we lay low," he said.

But that doesn't mean Grehan, who will turn 50 in July, stops working. He does some solo performances and also organized a trio called Love Junk that plays in small venues throughout the Twin Cities.

And he's always looking for inspiration for more lyrics.

"I'm inspired by everything," he said. "I get the greatest stuff from hearing things. At airports, I watch and listen to people. I watch movies and the news. … I'm aware of life."

He's been working on songs for a new album Honeymoon Suite plans to introduce this year. Grehan recently got the original band members back together, and they are setting up tour dates in the United States.

"You have to understand the business; it's volatile," he said. "I don't want my kids to do it, but it's the only thing that makes me happy. It's my living."

Liner notes

About Derry Grehan and Honeymoon Suite:

• Grehan and Johnnie Dee started the band Honeymoon Suite in 1982.

• The group was named Honeymoon Suite because Dee is from Niagara Falls, the honeymoon capital of the world.

• In 1986, Grehan did a commercial for Pepsi. He played notes on his guitar until the top popped off a bottle of Pepsi.

• Grehan's dad was a doctor and classical pianist. His father forced him to take piano lessons when he was 5 years old, but all he really wanted to do was play the guitar. They made a deal: If Derry kept playing the piano, his dad would get him a guitar. "Then I discovered rock 'n' roll," he said.

• Last year, McDonald's wanted a classic Canadian band for a commercial. Honeymoon Suite beat out bands including Glass Tiger and Loverboy for the job.

• When he was growing up, Grehan loved the band Deep Purple and was a fan of its guitarist and co-founder, Richie Blackmore. Other idols included guitarist Jimmy Page, who founded Led Zeppelin; Jimi Hendrix; Van Halen; and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

• The band soon will offer a DVD that will include live concert footage and other videos.

• To learn more about the band or listen to some of its music, go to its Web site, www.honeymoonsuite.com.

SOURCE: Derry Grehan; Compiled by Mary Ann Ford