Canadian guitarist Aldo Nova (born Aldo Caporuscio in Montreal) was a relatively late bloomer musically, not learning how to play the instrument until he was 15. However, inspired by the playing of Jimi Hendrix and with a keen interest in jazz, Nova worked obsessively to master the instrument (along with keyboards) and became a hometown hero in the local clubs. While playing George Harrison in a production of +Beatlemania, he worked after hours as a studio engineer and a 1982 publishing deal led to his signing with Portrait Records. Given the luxury of producing himself, Nova's debut that summer contained songs that he had recorded over the previous several years. The self-titled release was a surprise success, selling over a million copies in the U.S.