MAGGIE POWELL: BLOGWISE!
Over the years, I've been at some incredible shows, met some incredible people and discovered some incredible things about the Jersey Shore music scene and beyond. The stories below are part of my Collection which I'll add here as and when I can...
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At Christmastime - something to make you think
Posted by Maggie Powell - 00:06 on 14 Dec 2009If you've read the blog below this about the LOD show that took place in Melle, Germany on 4 December 2009, you'll have seen me mention singer/songwriter, Martin Praetorius.
Martin has written and recorded a beautiful song called, "At Christmastime", and he has written blogs in English and German that explain the inspiration behind it.
Martin's words certainly made me take a look outside of "my world"... maybe they'll do the same for you.
Please check out Martin's page:
http://martinpraetorius.org/
... listen to his song, and if you like it, pass it on to people you know.
We can make this happen, can't we??
...
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Light of Day - first ever show in Melle, Germany
Posted by Maggie Powell - 23:14 on 13 Dec 2009Light of Day – Melle, Germany.
December 4th, 2009 will go down in music history marking the first, ever, Light of Day show to take place in Germany. And what an amaaaaaazing night it turned out to be.
However, before I share my thoughts from the front row, this story actually began for me
mid-September, 1996 in Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
The occasion was a Springsteen Convention, organised by the Dutch Fan Club, Roulette, part of which was a live music programme. It featured Pittsburgh rockers, Joe Gruschecky and his band, the House Rockers, whose European tour was supported by Scooter (Martin Praetorius) and the Streethearts, a very pop...
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Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes Coming Back to Melle, 29.10.2009
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:21 on 01 Nov 2009SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY AND THE ASBURY JUKES
29 OCTOBER 2009 - MELLE
So what is it about the Jukes that can entice several hundred people from the coziness of their homes to a dot-on-the-map (albeit a very nice dot) on a foggy, almost Halloween night, in lower, Lower Saxony, Germany, huh?
Well, the short answer to the above question lies with Volker König, the show promoter who has been bringing the Jukes in various formats to Melle for the last few years, and whose efforts are much appreciated by those of us not able to see the band play on their home turf.
The longer, slightly more complex answer, I guess, goes back to the days when the Jukes estab...
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Pure MAGIC in Hamburg!
Posted by Maggie Powell - 20:03 on 22 Jun 2008According to my ticket-stub collection, it would appear that last night’s Hamburg show was #32 for me but such was the surprise element, it could have been #1, St James’ Park Newcastle (5 June 1985), all over again.
Those magnificent men (and lady!) and their musical instruments arrived on stage at 19:45, and for the next two and three quarter hours had the Hamburg crowd united as one. I really love it when Bruce plays in Germany and the way he opens with a greeting “auf Deutsch” which, btw, included a mention of the Germany’s success in the EM game against Portugal!! I also love it when my ESP powers work and something from my “Wish List” gets pl...
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Tribute to Danny Federici (1950 - 2008)
Posted by Maggie Powell - 14:53 on 21 Apr 2008I’d like to wind back time and go back to Friday, December 7th, 2001.
The place: Jack’s Music, Red Bank, N.J.
The occasion: Danny Federici was making an in-store appearance at Jack’s to promote the release of his CD, “Danny Federici”.
It just so happened that I was in NJ at the time of the above event mainly because I was taking part in the official launch of The Bruce Springsteen Special Collection at Asbury Park’s Library the following day, December 8th; and naturally, when I discovered that Danny was making a personal appearance, it seemed like something I didn’t want to miss.
Accordingly, I took along my copy of “Flemington” and I also ...
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Roger Waters Hamburg 19.04.2007
Posted by Maggie Powell - 10:48 on 22 Apr 2007Hmmm... so yeah, I wasn't exactly the happiest of bunnies as I headed for Hamburg to see this gig... and yes, as anticipated, the tail-back at the Elbe Tunnel lived up to my expectations! But you know, once I'd parked my car in front of the AOL Arena - which is across the road from the ColorLine Arena - found someone willing to purchase my spare ticket and made my pilgrimage to the bratwurst counter at the venue, the world started to look a brighter place. And that was before the show began. I say "show", but strictly speaking, this was a "production", the calibre of which I hope I can do justice to. The pre-show music featuring Tom Petty follow...
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Marc Tyley interview with Bobby Bandiera
Posted by Maggie Powell - 20:52 on 29 Oct 2006Marc Tyley interview with Bobby Bandiera BFBS Classic Rock 28.10.06 (sound of pool balls clacking away in the background) Marc: Now, nine o’clock in the morning, there I am in a German hotel/country club and ready to meet Bobby Bandiera, one of the finest guitarists to come out of New Jersey… and what do I find? He’s already up, he’s had breakfast and he’s playing pool... now THAT’S rock and roll! He’s just finished a massive world tour playing with Bon Jovi and now he’s back on the road with Southside Johnny and the Asbury JUKES... so how does he get his head around these crazy changes of life style… Bobby: At the beginning of the day it’s wha...
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JOHNNY PISANO - Interview
Posted by Maggie Powell - 20:58 on 24 Oct 2006Depending on where you live, what type of music you like, and, and, and… the name, Johnny Pisano, might not ring immediate bells. On the other hand, if you dig the sounds of Jesse Malin, Ryan Adams or Marky Ramone and the Intruders, then the chances are you’ll know exactly who bass player Johnny Pisano is, what he has done, where he has been and where he is going, music-wise. For me, it was via a Jesse Malin gig a couple of years ago in Leeds that I first saw Johnny play. The band were in the UK promoting Jesse’s second album, "The Heat" and apparently I smiled for the entire show that night, not that I was aware of being observed from the stage I m...
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Toto interview with BFBS presenter Chris Pratt
Posted by Maggie Powell - 20:49 on 24 Oct 2006This interview has been published with kind permission obtained from Marc Tyley and Chris Pratt. It is the "uncut" version of an edition that was broadcast exclusively on Marc Tyley’s Classic Rock Show, 11 March 2006. The interview took place in the bar at the Royal Garden Hotel, London, a couple of days after the opening night of the "Falling In Between" tour. It was very informal and more of a chat than an "interview" as per all the one-liners, jokes and laughter that was bantering around in the background from the other band members while everything was going on. As Chris says at the end, it would have been great if this had been a TV interview th...
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TOTO - Falling In Between Tour 25th February 2006
Posted by Maggie Powell - 20:14 on 24 Oct 2006Originally known as the Hammersmith Odeon, this legendary London venue has been playing host to some of the biggest names in rock music for decades, including Bruce Springsteen, whose 1975 concert was released recently on DVD as part of the "Born To Run" 30th Anniversary box set - I missed out on that particular show unfortunately and will be eternally grateful to the powers that be for sharing it with the world. On the other hand, I’m happy to say I still have my pink ticket stub (Circle Block 11/D2) from the Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul gig that was presented by PLP and Capitol Radio on 11th September 1985. So yes, it would appear that a m...
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BFBS RADIO 2 Classic Rock's tribute to the 30th Anniversary of Born To Run
Posted by Maggie Powell - 20:00 on 24 Oct 2006As part of the world-wide focus of attention on the 30th Anniversary of the release of Bruce Springsteen's epic album, "Born To Run", BFBS Classic Rock show host, Marc Tyley, put together two one-hour special broadcasts last autumn. The shows presented a musical picture of the Jersey Shore music scene and, apart from the "Born To Run" tracks, the shows also featured a whole host of really great sounds from the other E-Streeters including: Danny Federici Clarence Clemons Max Weinberg Little Steven Patti Scialfa Soozie Tyrell Gary Tallent with Southside Johnny. In addition, there were tracks from Gary U S Bonds, Bon Jovi and Jersey Shore legen...
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Aja Kim - a/k/a "Bruce Lee Chickenson" in the Iron Maidens!
Posted by Maggie Powell - 19:57 on 24 Oct 2006Depending on your geographical location, it is quite possible that Aja Kim’s name could be causing a few eyebrows to be raised inquisitively, particularly when I tell you that this story is yet another link in the chain of music that is connected to Bruce Springsteen. So, there I was, busy doing some research for a BFBS radio broadcast that was focussing on the 30th Anniversary of the release of "Born To Run" last autumn, when I found myself on Clarence Clemons’ Website. That’s when I noticed Aja Kim. I don’t know how I missed this one but back in 1997, Clarence released a CD called "Get It On" together with Aja Kim. Maybe the fact that it was only...
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Keith Urban
Posted by Maggie Powell - 22:06 on 23 Oct 2006Grünspan, Hamburg - 19 October 2005 WOW!! Yes, big time WOW... that was the word that was buzzing round my head as I left the Grünspan club in Hamburg after seeing Keith Urban and his band perform there. Now, please excuse me as I clear my throat here and confess to having only very recently become aware of Keith Urban’s incredible musical talents thanks totally to hearing tracks from his new CD, "Days Go By" on BFBS Radio 2. Clearly the proverbial seed had been sown because, shortly after that, I came across a Website that featured some of Keith’s videos one of which was for "Making Memories Of Us" and, it quite literally stopped me in my tracks ...
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Friends of the Springsteen Collection
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:57 on 23 Oct 2006Books of Dreams! The Friends of the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection is quite simply that! And what began as a good idea has grown to a very substantial collection of books and magazines from all over the world that have been written about Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. I was fortunate enough to be at the official Dedication Ceremony on 8th December 2001 and have been on board this project ever since. The forming of the "Friends" as an organisation, together with the recent launch of the Website, was our way of providing a way for fellow fans to join in and help add to the collection as well as to help preserve it. On the day of the De...
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BOYSTOWN - "Angels With Dirty Faces"
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:53 on 23 Oct 2006Until very recently, the New Jersey band, "BOYSTOWN" was a name that was certainly familiar to me but beyond a "Flashback" article I had read about them, I had no first-hand experience of the band’s music. Enter band leader/member David Polemeni cyber wise. David just happened to come across the "Flashback" features on this site via a search engine and very kindly contacted me to thank me for mentioning BOYSTOWN. My reaction was to pass David’s compliments to their rightful source, Hal Selzer, the original author of the piece, and that was when I found out about the release of "Angels With Dirty Faces". David was kind enough to mail me a copy aaaaaaa...
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Bruce Springsteen
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:47 on 23 Oct 2006PHILLIPSHALLE, DÜSSELDORF June 16 2005 vs. COLORLINE ARENA, HAMBURG June 30 2005 The Phillipshalle in Düsseldorf has to be one of the most uninteresting buildings ever created for concerts - it looks a bit to me like something you mind find used for storing aircraft - added to which, it also has no obvious traffic control for patrons wishing to actually leave the place by car. I saw one of the "Tom Joad" shows here and even after 10 years, it still took a solid hour to get out of the car-park after the show...very definitely not my idea of fun but hey-ho, it’s only rock and roll, right? The Colorline Arena in Hamburg is, on the other hand, very mo...
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Micky Kemp – "Blind Faith"
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:43 on 23 Oct 2006The "Micky Kemp Story" really began for me last November when I saw him perform an acoustic opening set for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes at their Copenhagen gig. Up to then, I had certainly heard of Micky’s name but that was pretty much as far as my knowledge of his song writing and performing skills went. The set I saw was relatively short, but nevertheless I came away impressed and intrigued enough to want to know more about Micky’s musical career. As things turned out, I heard that Micky was heading off to New Jersey at the beginning of 2005 with a view to recording a new CD and, as if that wasn’t enough, it was going to be produced by non...
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Nizlopi
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:34 on 23 Oct 2006A seven-letter word containing three vowels, four consonants and three syllables... hmmm... kinda sounds like something you might see on a Scrabble board, right? Maybe… but… beyond the technical language stuff, "Nizlopi" also happens to be the name of one of the most creative sounding UK acts I’ve come across in a while and comprises two latter-day disciples of musical genius. OK, so let me try and break this down some more. The second reference is aimed at Luke and John, the dynamic duo whose collective talents make up Nizlopi and whose meeting on a school bus when they were just thirteen years old, has since taken them on a magical, mystical tour ...
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Marie Batchelder
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:45 on 04 Sep 2006Every once in a while it happens... a "sound" leaps out at you, hooks its way into your head and refuses to go away. Evocative melodies... a vocal delivery that gave me goosebumps... lyrics that were so well crafted my senses were reeling... those are just a few of the sentiments I experienced when I recently listened to some amazing sounds from Marie Batchelder, a very much up-and-coming artist who entered the world of professional music via a Teen Idol competition that was held last year in Warwickshire, England. In total contrast to the not-so-original-re-mixed-re-vamped-retro-trendy-in-your-face-club-oriented sounds that have a tendency to domin...
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Eddie Manion - The Man Behind The Music
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:41 on 04 Sep 2006For the first time ever on CD, Eddie Manion, saxophonist with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, has exchanged his role as band member, to that of band leader and has produced an outstanding collection of mainly original material entitled, "Follow Through". Comprising of instrumentals as well as vocal tracks, the tempos on this excellent, début release from Eddie, range from jazz to blues to rock/pop and to soul. As well as adding incredible depth to the music, Eddie’s superb sax solos are mellow, rich and wonderfully melodious; but on the tracks where Eddie’s vocal prowess emerges, "Follow Through" moves onto another level. My initial reaction...
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BFBS Radio 2 - Marc Tyley
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:22 on 04 Sep 2006During the course of the Osnabrück weekend, Marc Tyley, from BFBS Radio 2's "Classic Rock Show", together with Neil Knowles from BFBS Radio 1, came along and interviewed Southside Johnny - the result of which you can find on the multi-media page of the official Southside Johnny Website: www.southsidejohnny.com Not only did Marc present Johnny with some really great questions that in turn produced some really great answers, but he also chose some really great songs for the broadcast that went out world-wide on November 20th and 22nd, 2004, namely: Coming Back Sweeter Than Honey Soul's On F...
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EuroJukes 2004 - Osnabrück & Copenhagen
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:17 on 04 Sep 2006EuroJukes 2004 Osnabrück - 6 & 7 November 2004 Copenhagen - 14 November 2004 „Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen" goes the song from way back when 78s were the MP3s of the day; and for the audience at Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ November 14th, 2004 show, this particular cosmopolitan European capital city was most certainly the place to be. The show took place on day 30 of the Jukes 2004 UK/European tour and this far down the road – metaphorically and literally – I wouldn’t have been at all surprised if the show had leaned towards presenting the less physically demanding songs from the Jukes’ massive repertoire; as it happened, that theory w...
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First European Jukes Convention with houseband "Souls On Fire"
Posted by Maggie Powell - 22:13 on 20 Aug 2006Prior to the Sunday night acoustic show, the very first Jukes’ Fan Convention to be held in Europe took place at the Unikellar bar, an integrated hostelry part of the Osnabrück University. Apparently the seed for this event was sown at the Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, when the Jukes performed there a couple of years ago. Something to do with a bunch of fans getting together before the show and having the surprise of their lives when the guys in the band came down to the bar to say “hi”, I believe! OK, so I knew the bit about the guys in the band stopping by, but hey... there was no way I was going to lift the lid on this! Since then, one thing has l...
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Eddie Manion's CD: "Follow Through"
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:04 on 18 Aug 2006Wow!! That was my initial reaction upon hearing this début CD from Eddie Manion, long-time baritone sax player with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Not that I ever had any doubts about Ed’s skills as a musician I hasten to add, but until I put this CD into my player, I honestly hadn’t realized how talented Ed is in his own right. Without a doubt, Ed’s musical aptitude goes far and beyond the instrument that has become his musical trademark over the years and Follow Through is tangible proof of that fact. For sure, Ed’s saxophone solos on this CD are everything you’d expect them to be... they’re mellow, they’re smooth, they’re rich, they’r...
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Jesse Malin - exclusive interview at the Cockpit, Leeds
Posted by Maggie Powell - 22:02 on 20 Aug 2006Picture the effect of a stroboscope running... you know, when everything is moving like greased lightning. OK, so now take that image and apply it to a person caught in its glare... except when I saw Jesse Malin moving at the speed of light, there was no stroboscope running... he was doing this manic routine under his own steam. No big deal you might think... OK, so how about if I elaborate a little and say that I witnessed this extraordinary burst of energy at the end of an incredible 2-hour show, by which time every fibre of Jesse Malin’s clothing was saturated in sweat and quite literally clung where it touched? Maybe that'll give you an idea of the...
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Gary U S Bonds & The Roadhouse Rockers, Borderline London, 24 September 2004 - concert review
Posted by Maggie Powell - 22:09 on 20 Aug 2006From the second that Mark Leimbach’s Fender sent out the first few oh-so-familiar opening notes of "Jolé Blon" until the last vibrating cymbal was once again silent, there was definitely nothing "borderline" about the quality of this performance. Gary U S Bonds, together with the sensational Roadhouse Rockers hit the stage running and believe me, they didn’t stop. The set list featured material from all of Gary’s releases and like an expertly mixed cocktail, the old blended perfectly with the new as did the borrowed with the blues. As for the highlights… to be honest the entire show was in a league of its own in terms of "magic moments" – see set lis...
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Gary U S Bonds - Back to the Future! - includes cyberinterview about "Back In 20" CD.
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:43 on 20 Aug 2006One of my all-time favourite singers has recently been to the UK on a tour that boasted 13 shows in just over a fortnight. Together with his band, the Roadhouse Rockers, Gary U S Bonds' 2004 UK tour zig-zagged its way through England and included a stop at the legndary Cavern Club in Liverpool, before this particular band on the run headed for Wales and returned to the US in early October. Gary U S Bonds has been a successful recording artist ever since you could get three of his "Top Rank" label 45s for £1… £1note that is! And yes, it's hard to believe that New Orleans was topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic several years before man had ...
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4th July weekend - Ocean Grove Parade, Asbury Park Parade, Red Bank Fireworks, Side to Side, Asbury Fever
Posted by Maggie Powell - 22:34 on 19 Aug 2006Ocean Grove Parade July 3rd, 2004 Asbury Park Parade July 4th, 2004 I’ve never been in the USA at this time of year so I was interested to check out all the things we Europeans have come to associate with July 4th weekend i.e. the parades, the fireworks and um… the hotdogs?! I never actually imagined that I would be taking part in any of the parades but since "Save Tillie" was participating at both the Ocean Grove as well as the first-ever Asbury Park parades this year, I was advised to pack my "Tillie" t-shirts. "Tillie" was of course the star of the show and it was amazing to see the great reception he got from old and young alike as the cavalcades ...
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Bob Burger, Celtic Cottage, Long Branch, 1 July 2004
Posted by Maggie Powell - 22:17 on 19 Aug 2006As you will see from what I’ve written below, catching Bob Burger performing his own show at the Celtic Cottage was very much on my "to do" list. I’ve been aware of Bob’s musical talents ever since I read the credits on Bobby Bandiera’s first CD, "Bandiera" and noted the names of "C’mon Caroline’s" writers. I’ve also been lucky enough to have seen Bob and Bobby perform as a duo on several occasions at the Celtic Cottage in Long Branch; this bar kinda became the place to go after the demise of Cheers in Long Branch which used to host to weekly gigs from Bobby Bandiera’s band back in the 90s. Without a doubt, the show that stands out for me though, wa...
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Jimmy & the Parrots Vanderbilt’s, Florham Park, 1 July 2004
Posted by Maggie Powell - 22:09 on 19 Aug 2006Jimmy Maraventano Sr. – guitar, banjo, personality and lead vocals Jimmy Maraventano Jr. – guitar, looks and vocals Lance Hyland Stark – drums, vocals and snaerobics Hal B. Selzer – bass, vocals and choreography Who?" I hear you ask?? Yes, that’s right "Jimmy & the Parrots". For those of you who are unfamiliar with the name, these guys have a reputation for being the BEST Jimmy Buffett tribute band around. Not that I have suddenly become a "Parrothead", or whatever fans of Jimmy Buffett care to call themselves, but I have previously come across the guys in the rhythm section. Lance Hyland Stark and Hal B. Selzer frequently work together with people ...
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Jarrett Dean/Music From A Jar
Posted by Maggie Powell - 22:03 on 19 Aug 2006"Do you like bands like Matchbox Twenty, Fuel, Nickelback, Counting Crows, Tonic, Vertical Horizon, 3rd Eye Blind & LIVE?" asks the speech bubble on the front of the "Music From A Jar" summer schedule 2004 post-card. Well, put it this way, it’s because of Jarrett Dean’s music that I was introduced to some of the above-mentioned bands! I first heard Jarrett perform a few years ago in a New Jersey bar with his band, Talk Town, and basically I was hooked from the first "Hey!" on "Hip Tragedy" - just one of many original songs penned by this incredibly talented singer/songwriter whose roots began in Indiana but who has since relocated to New Jersey. Jarr...
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Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Stone Pony, Asbury Park, N.J.
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:49 on 19 Aug 2006With absolute precision, C’mon Caroline steered into the Jukes’ set perfectly, helped by the fact that all the Jukes were on stage anyway! There were lots of much-deserved congratulatory hugs and embraces for Bobby from his fellow band members as he sidestepped his way towards his new place on stage for the remainder of the night. But before he had actually traversed the few necessary paces, Southside Johnny was already reciting the first line of I Only Want To Be With You, which turned out to be the first of two sensational openers. At this point, I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to the people who were standing near me when my ears tune...
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Bobby Bandiera Record Release Party 4 July 2004
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:42 on 19 Aug 2006Bobby Bandiera – guitar, vocals Bob Burger – guitar, vocals Steve "Muddy" Shews – bass Joe Bellia – drums Jeff Kazee – keys Kevin Kavanaugh – keys Joey Stann – saxophone Ed Manion – tenor saxophone Chris Anderson – trumpet Guests: Norman Nardini – guitar Richie "LaBamba" Rosenberg – trombone Mark "The Love Man" Pender - trumpet Southside Johnny – vocals, percussion "Is My Father There?" is Bobby Bandiera’s third official release if you don’t count the "Shove It Down Your Throat" compilation of his first two CDs, "Bandiera" and "Dog Loves You". The previous two record release parties took place at Cheers, in Long Branch but of course that bar has now...
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Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Hyde Park, Osnabrück 25 October 2003
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:53 on 18 Aug 2006Apart from the few shows the Jukes did with Bon Jovi in 2001, it has been almost eleven years since the band last performed in Germany - scary stuff if you think about the way in which the world has changed since then. And before anyone starts getting the impression that the band boycotted Germany or anything, there are a lot of commercial reasons that make it very difficult for overseas artists to perform in Germany. However, since everything comes to they who wait, or words to that effect, the Jukes’ German fans’ patience was finally rewarded on October 25, 2003 when the band played at the Hyde Park club in Osnabrück. Never heard of the place? Well...
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Introducing Katrina Chester in her début, off-Broadway performance as Janis Joplin.
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:50 on 18 Aug 2006To the discerning traveler, Bleeker Street in New York City’s Greenwich Village is the epicenter of where it’s at as far as great music venues, record stores, ultra trendy restaurants and boutiques are concerned. It’s also where the off-Broadway smash hit musical, “Love, Janis”, is currently running at The Village Theatre. Portraying the life and career of rock queen Janis Joplin, the entire spoken text of this show has been transcribed from letters Janis wrote to her family. In addition, extracts from press, TV and radio interviews that were made between 1966 and 1970 are also used presenting a spellbinding insight into the struggles Janis encounte...
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Look who the wind blew in! Bruce Springsteen joins the Jukes at the Stone Pony.
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:44 on 18 Aug 2006May 27, 2001 started off much the same as any other late spring Sunday I’ve spent in New Jersey with blue skies and sunshine providing the perfect conditions for a walk along the Shore. However, this time it was also Memorial Day Weekend and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes were scheduled to appear at the world famous Stone Pony - the band’s first appearance at the club since it re-opened for business twelve months previously. In addition, the occasion also marked the 25-year anniversary of the Jukes’ legendary 1976 Pony performance that was broadcast live on the radio – a show that featured Bruce Springsteen joining the band for “We’re Havin’ ...
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The Second Largest Collection of Bruce Springsteen Material In The World - and that's official!
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:28 on 18 Aug 2006On Saturday December 8th, 2001 a collection of nearly 1000 books and magazines about Bruce Springsteen and his musical career was officially presented to Robert Stewart, the director of Asbury Park Public Library. The collection was donated by “Backstreets’” subscribers from all over the world as well as from some of the major European Bruce Springsteen fan clubs including: Point Blank, The Ties That Bind (UK); The Wish (Germany); The Stone Pony (Spain); and Roulette (Holland). The dedication was organized on behalf of “Backstreets” by Save Tillie Inc., whose commitment to the preservation of the Palace Amusements building as well as the history of A...
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Joey Stann's CD: "Family Tree"
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:24 on 18 Aug 2006Longtime Jukes saxophone player, Joey Stann, launched his début album, Family Tree, at Jukestock – three days of Peace, Love and Jukes that took place at the Holiday Inn, Tinton Falls, New Jersey from 2 – 4 March, 2001. Comprising ten excellent tracks, eight are Joey’s original work and they have a totally refreshing sound that is a mixture of rock, swing, vocal as well as instrumental compositions. Arranged by Joey, the CD features his wonderful trademark saxophone solos as well as some rollicking guitar licks from fellow Juke, Bobby Bandiera, whose versatile fret board skills can be heard throughout the album. In addition, you’ll hear the sens...
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JUKESTOCK
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:22 on 18 Aug 2006The Background: When Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes decided to play their historic New Year’s Eve show on December 31st, 1999 they had no idea they were inadvertently triggering off the sequence of events that would ultimately become “Jukestock”. You see long-time Jukes fan, Stan Lisowski, had tickets for the show and on the stroke of midnight, he proposed to his girlfriend, Kim. Long story short, they hired LaBamba and Hubcaps to play at their wedding and I was one of their guests. Being in such close proximity to so many of my favourite NJ musicians was an incredible experience and from the opening notes of The Fever to the closing notes o...
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We're On The Road Again - Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes 1999 tour report.
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:12 on 18 Aug 2006It's been a long time since Southside Johnny Lyon toured as extensively as he did last year with his band of merry men, aka the Asbury Jukes. During an amazingly frank radio interview with DJ Vin Scelsa at the end of 1998, Johnny talked openly about the reasons that made him decide to take a break from performing. To the relief of his many fans however, Johnny concluded the conversation by announcing his plans to perform fourteen "unplugged" shows. He said he hoped they would act as a "jump start" for him and judging from the ensuing schedule, it would appear that the semi-acoustic tour therapy had its desired effect. By the time that a ton of silver c...
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Exclusive “Messin’ With The Blues” interview with Southside Johnny
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:10 on 18 Aug 2006For the last few months, there has been much speculation among Southside Johnny Lyon’s loyal fans regarding the news that he was back in the recording studio. Topics like what songs will be on the new CD and which musicians will be supporting him have been flying around like an ice hockey puck in a Stanley Cup final. Maggie Powell, Jersey Shore Editor of the UK fan magazine, The Ties That Bind, had a cyberchat with Johnny about his forthcoming work and this is what they talked about: What is the new album called? The new album is called “Messin’ With The Blues.” The title comes from a song by an old blues singer named Memphis Slim, a tune we cut ...
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17th of December, Asbury Park (Sunday)
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:09 on 18 Aug 2006In spite of the complexities that come with living in Europe, I believe I’ve had a fair share of magic moments over the years with regard to seeing live performances from Bruce Springsteen and related musicians. I’ve seen Bruce play with the E Street Band; I’ve seen Bruce play without the E Street Band; I’ve also seen Bruce play with an interim band. I’ve seen Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul; I’ve seen Nils Lofgren; I’ve seen Southside Johnny perform with and without the Asbury Jukes; I’ve even seen Southside Johnny perform with LaBamba’s BIG Band that included Jimmy Vivino, Mark Pender, Ed Manion, Scott Healey, Mike Merritt and Jerry Vivino; I...
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Rockin' With The Bobby Bandiera Band At The Chesterfield Café, Madrid... OLÈ!! includes exclusive interview with Bobby Bandiera.
Posted by Maggie Powell - 21:07 on 18 Aug 2006Speaking as a fan of Bobby Bandiera's music living some four and a half thousand miles due east of New Jersey, I know all too well that getting the chance to see him play with his own band in Europe is not something which happens very often. However, I'd heard news that the Chesterfield Cafe had opened clubs in Moscow and Madrid and that Bobby was scheduled to play the standard residency of ten nights in each city beginning 4th March 1998. Deciding that perhaps the climate in Madrid might outclass the sub-zero temperatures normally associated with Moscow at this time of year, I opted for a trip to what turned out to be, a very sunny Spain. The club in...
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Lance Hyland Stark
Posted by Maggie Powell - 14:40 on 12 Aug 2006About eighteen months ago, I saw Lance Hyland Stark play a set with Bobby Bandiera and bassist T M Stevens during the course of a benefit event which was hosted and staged at Cheers in Long Branch. At the time I didn't really know too much about Lance, but since I made that trip in the autumn of '96, I've discovered lots of interesting things about the drummer whose name I couldn't recall! It would appear for example, that within the local scene at least, Lance has a reputation for presenting a wild stage show when he performs. Forget just-sitting-there-keeping-the-beat for a game of soldiers, this guy has been known to throw his sticks twenty feet i...
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James Deely
Posted by Maggie Powell - 14:21 on 12 Aug 2006Back in '88, Backstreets magazine ran a feature which named eight New Jersey bands who were tipped to be rising stars of the 1988 shore music scene. One of these bands was James Deely and The Valiants. They played a unique blend of big beat Jersey rock from R&B to CCR and from Elvis to Bruce. One of their regular playing haunts was the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park and as well as travelling all over New Jersey, they took their sounds to other places such as Washington D.C., Philadelphia and of course, New York City. It was only recently that I found out about James Deely and his new CD release entitled "El Corazon Negro", thanks mainly to s...
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