West Coast rockers Loverboy, whose future was left in limbo following the drowning of bassist Scott Smith in late November, have elected to carry on touring.

In a statement issued by the band's management, the remaining four members -- vocalist Mike Reno, guitarist Paul Dean, keyboardist Doug Johnson and drummer Matt Frenette -- will be auditioning prospective bass players before the group embarks on a number of U.S. shows in support of a forthcoming live CD, to be issued by Sony Legacy.

But filling Smith's shoes won't be easy.

"It's not just a matter of finding a bass player," Gail Lagden, publicist for Lou Blair Management, said from Vancouver yesterday. "These guys tour a lot, it's quite intense and they spend 24 hours a day together.

"You've got to find the right personality, find that magic blend. It'll be an extremely arduous process, I'm sure."

An integral member of Loverboy since 1980, Smith and his girlfriend Yvonne Mayotte and friend William Ellis were sailing to a marina just south of Los Angeles from Vancouver when he was swept overboard by an eight-metre wave.

The U.S. Coast Guard spent two days in December searching off the California coast, but came up empty.

"Having not found Scott, it's been difficult for everybody just to accept it," Lagden says. "It's not like he walked out and got hit by a bus or something ... the whole thing has been very surreal for everybody.

"But by going back out there, it gives everybody a purpose again. We all lose loved ones at various times, but at some point you suck it in and you go on."

Since the Nov. 30 accident, Lagden says there's been a tremendous outpouring of support from fans and music types the world over. A toll-free number (1-888-829-8811), available for fans to leave condolence messages, will remain active for the next two to three months.