The Jukes 7/01/04
The Middle Road
By Rich Kohler
July 1, 2004
Home. It is something we all long for. My parents grew up in this state and I was born here. Connected through countless relatives and more than a few ancestors, I have always considered New Jersey my home.
As the son of a salesman, we moved every time Dad climbed another rung on the corporate ladder. Whether we were in Omaha, Racine, New Orleans or Queens, each holiday we anxiously awaited gift packages, news and greetings from ‘home’.
Since 1974, my home has been here in Monmouth County. I lived my teenaged years in Hazlet, during which Bruce Springsteen exploded onto the national music scene. Bruce lived in nearby Holmdel, Born To Run had already sold millions of copies, and Darkness on the Edge of Town was on everybody’s turntable.
One day, my best friend excitedly demanded that I come right over to his house. Joe had an older brother who refused to let us touch his top-quality stereo equipment. When we snuck into Pat’s room, I knew Joe had something big. Joe cautiously put an unfamiliar album on the record player and cued up the first song: Got To Be A Better Way Home. The album was Hearts of Stone, by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Upon hearing the first chord, I became a devoted fan.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes have defined party music at the Jersey Shore for thirty years. E Street Band guitarist, Steven Van Zandt, was an original Juke. He wrote many of the best songs in the Jukes’ repertoire. Max Wienberg, Gary Tallent and Jon Bon Jovi are just a few of the many “guests” who often join the Jukes on area stages.
Johnny Lyon is always on top of his talent. With smooth style, he leads the band through bluesy ballads and hard driving rock and roll.
The band has had numerous personnel changes over the years, which has been the kiss-of-death for many great bands. The Jukes just keep getting better.
Up front with Johnny is Bobby Banderia, another Jersey shore native and a natural Juke. His guitar style and back up vocals are an extraordinary compliment to Johnny’s bold stage presence. Bobby regularly performs with his own band in Red Bank and Sea Bright.
Original Jukes, Eddie Manion on Baritone sax, and trombonist Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg, give the horn section a rich, full sound.
Chris Anderson is the lead trumpet. Chris’s talent for musical arrangement embellishes the band’s latest CD. Longtime Juke, Joey Stann, wails on the saxophone.
Mark “The Loveman” Pender is amazing on the trumpet. Mark can do things with his horn that seem to defy the laws of physics. La Bamba and The Loveman play in the house band for Late Night with Conan O’brien, The Max Weinberg 7.
Over the years, various incarnations of the Jukes’ horn section have played and recorded legendary performances of several songs with the E Street Band, i.e.Tenth Avenue Freeze Out and Mary’s Place.
On keyboard, Jeff Kazee pounds out a constant stream of rhythms and fills the gaps with blistering riffs. He often fires up the audience (and Johnny) when he “piano surfs” on his rickety old Hammond organ. Steven “Muddy Shews” Shewchuck is rock solid on the bass guitar.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes consistently and increasingly perform with talent and experience. In the party atmosphere of the Jersey Shore, this band’s live shows provide the most fun and entertainment one can find without a surf board.
This holiday weekend, Southside fans can catch two shows at the Stone Pony. On Saturday July 3, La Bamba and The Loveman lead their Big Band into the Pony. Complete with an 18-piece horn section, they play everything and anything from swing to soul to rock ‘n’ roll. Clarence Clemons and the Temple of Soul will also perform.
On Sunday July 4, Southside Johnny and the Jukes take the stage. It promises to be a night of fireworks: overhead and onstage. Ticket information for both shows is available on the band’s website, www.southsidejohnny.com, or at www.stoneponyonline.com.
The Stone Pony was recently sold to Asbury Partners, LLC. While the name will probably live on, this classic rock and roll venue is destined to go the way of the Palace and Tilly. This might be the last chance to see the “world’s greatest party band” in this historic New Jersey musical landmark.
From the classic Havin’ A Party to the recently released Going To Jukesville, the Jukes are the perfect soundtrack to fun at the Jersey Shore.
I always have the Jukes in my car and they never fail to bring me home.
By Rich Kohler
July 1, 2004
Home. It is something we all long for. My parents grew up in this state and I was born here. Connected through countless relatives and more than a few ancestors, I have always considered New Jersey my home.
As the son of a salesman, we moved every time Dad climbed another rung on the corporate ladder. Whether we were in Omaha, Racine, New Orleans or Queens, each holiday we anxiously awaited gift packages, news and greetings from ‘home’.
Since 1974, my home has been here in Monmouth County. I lived my teenaged years in Hazlet, during which Bruce Springsteen exploded onto the national music scene. Bruce lived in nearby Holmdel, Born To Run had already sold millions of copies, and Darkness on the Edge of Town was on everybody’s turntable.
One day, my best friend excitedly demanded that I come right over to his house. Joe had an older brother who refused to let us touch his top-quality stereo equipment. When we snuck into Pat’s room, I knew Joe had something big. Joe cautiously put an unfamiliar album on the record player and cued up the first song: Got To Be A Better Way Home. The album was Hearts of Stone, by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Upon hearing the first chord, I became a devoted fan.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes have defined party music at the Jersey Shore for thirty years. E Street Band guitarist, Steven Van Zandt, was an original Juke. He wrote many of the best songs in the Jukes’ repertoire. Max Wienberg, Gary Tallent and Jon Bon Jovi are just a few of the many “guests” who often join the Jukes on area stages.
Johnny Lyon is always on top of his talent. With smooth style, he leads the band through bluesy ballads and hard driving rock and roll.
The band has had numerous personnel changes over the years, which has been the kiss-of-death for many great bands. The Jukes just keep getting better.
Up front with Johnny is Bobby Banderia, another Jersey shore native and a natural Juke. His guitar style and back up vocals are an extraordinary compliment to Johnny’s bold stage presence. Bobby regularly performs with his own band in Red Bank and Sea Bright.
Original Jukes, Eddie Manion on Baritone sax, and trombonist Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg, give the horn section a rich, full sound.
Chris Anderson is the lead trumpet. Chris’s talent for musical arrangement embellishes the band’s latest CD. Longtime Juke, Joey Stann, wails on the saxophone.
Mark “The Loveman” Pender is amazing on the trumpet. Mark can do things with his horn that seem to defy the laws of physics. La Bamba and The Loveman play in the house band for Late Night with Conan O’brien, The Max Weinberg 7.
Over the years, various incarnations of the Jukes’ horn section have played and recorded legendary performances of several songs with the E Street Band, i.e.Tenth Avenue Freeze Out and Mary’s Place.
On keyboard, Jeff Kazee pounds out a constant stream of rhythms and fills the gaps with blistering riffs. He often fires up the audience (and Johnny) when he “piano surfs” on his rickety old Hammond organ. Steven “Muddy Shews” Shewchuck is rock solid on the bass guitar.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes consistently and increasingly perform with talent and experience. In the party atmosphere of the Jersey Shore, this band’s live shows provide the most fun and entertainment one can find without a surf board.
This holiday weekend, Southside fans can catch two shows at the Stone Pony. On Saturday July 3, La Bamba and The Loveman lead their Big Band into the Pony. Complete with an 18-piece horn section, they play everything and anything from swing to soul to rock ‘n’ roll. Clarence Clemons and the Temple of Soul will also perform.
On Sunday July 4, Southside Johnny and the Jukes take the stage. It promises to be a night of fireworks: overhead and onstage. Ticket information for both shows is available on the band’s website, www.southsidejohnny.com, or at www.stoneponyonline.com.
The Stone Pony was recently sold to Asbury Partners, LLC. While the name will probably live on, this classic rock and roll venue is destined to go the way of the Palace and Tilly. This might be the last chance to see the “world’s greatest party band” in this historic New Jersey musical landmark.
From the classic Havin’ A Party to the recently released Going To Jukesville, the Jukes are the perfect soundtrack to fun at the Jersey Shore.
I always have the Jukes in my car and they never fail to bring me home.
posted by Rich Kohler at 6:36 PM
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