FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
1. YO FAITHFUL, LET'S ROCK! AN EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH JOHN EDDIE
2. HE'S SUFFERED FOR HIS ART ... MARSHALL CRENSHAW RETURNS
3. LEVON HELM, FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE BAND, PLAYS ASBURY
4. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Do your Christmas shopping online at The Stone Pony Store. Visit www.stoneponyonline.com and click on the "Store" link.
Grab yourself a cocktail, y'all and join John Eddie for two Christmas shows at The Stone Pony on Saturday, December 22nd. There are certain performers who always bring out hot crowds to the Pony and take it to a new level, and JE fits the bill. Currently supporting his first live CD, Guy Walks Into a Bar ... (Lost American Thrill Show Records), Eddie and his extremely talented band bring their thrill show back to Ocean Avenue, where he has been a fixture in front of the legendary Pony logo. The newsletter was fortunate enough to catch up with JE during a rare break in his recent touring schedule to grab one of our best interviews ever. We'll leave it up to you to figure out how much of what he says is the hard cold truth, and what isn't.
The Stone Pony: At your last Stone Pony appearance in August, you had the opportunity to sing "Fuck*ng Forty" in front of Bruce Springsteen, who is name-checked in the song’s lyrics. Had Bruce ever heard the song before that show, and how cool was it that the audience, including Bruce, seemed to get such a kick out that performance?
John Eddie: No, Bruce had never heard the song before ... I wasn't sure he was still in the Pony when I started it ... I heard through some different people he got a kick out of it ... I wrote it when I was turning 40 ... it's turned into one of my most popular songs ... guess a lot of us are dealing with getting older ... I'm happy Bruce dug it.
The Stone Pony: You recently released your first live CD, "Guy Walks Into A Bar". Your live shows have always been incredibly popular with your fans around the country, and you obviously always put out an effort to make every show a memorable event. Do you feel that CD has been able to capture the spirit of a John Eddie show? Are there plans for any further live recordings? What about future studio recordings?
JE: The live cd was from a show we did in NYC a couple of years ago ... the folks who come to see us are half the show and I thought it captured a good night where the band was on and the crowd was very supportive ... I would love to release more live tracks ... next up for me is a new studio cd ... hopefully out sometime in the spring.
The Stone Pony: Your live shows are notable for a very solid and extremely talented band behind you, all of whom are very well known to fans attending your concerts. Can you briefly tell us how you met bassist Kenny Aaronson, drummer Gary Gold, guitarist PK Lavengood and keyboardist Benny Harrison, and how the band was put together?
JE: I've been blessed with great bands ... I met Gary, my current drummer, a thousand years ago when I first started ... he was the original drummer in the Front Street Runners ... my first real band ... he came back in the picture after Louie, my last drummer, left to play with Southside Johnny ... Gary's been doing a great job and I'm glad I've been given another chance to ruin his life again ... I met Kenny, my bass player, back before Giuliani became mayor of NYC ... I was stopped at a light and Kenny tried to wash my windshield ... I told him my windshield was clean and he went on to tell me how he had cleaned Bob Dylan's windshield, Joan Jett's windshield and Billy Idol's windshield ... so, I let him clean my windshield ... turned out, he also played bass ... been with me ever since ... PK ... my guitar player ... what can u say ... met him in Indiana making the Hard Cold Truth record ... saw him playing in one of his bands ... they did, like, an Ozzy Osbourne song into a Replacements song ... I said to myself ... if his name has less than 3 letters in it, he's my guy ... Benny Harrison, my keyboard player, is the latest member of the band ... great guy ... great player ... he's not really a member of the band, though, we are just pretending so he can get his green card.
The Stone Pony: One of your t-shirts describes the John Eddie sound as "Deep Fried, Gas Guzzlin', Heart Breakin', American Style Rock and Roll at it's BEST!" So many fans are waiting for straight ahead rock music to return to the top of the national music scene once again. Is it better that rock music has regained some of its insider vibe, safely tucked away from the mainstream, or do you think that national radio and media will eventually pick up rock bands as their music of choice once again?
JE: We play straight ahead roots based rock n roll which is definitely a niche music category ... whether that's ever going to be as big as Britney Spears again, I wouldn't want to bet the farm on it ... but our kind of music exists everywhere and if u like it u should search out bands that play it and go out and support them ... we are lucky in that respect ... our thing is definitely a fan-supported animal ... but rock 'n' roll is the Freddy Krueger of music ... u think u kill it but it keeps coming back to mess up the lives of teenage girls.
The Stone Pony: Many of your songs create a visual image of yourself sitting in the corner of some dark bar, scribbling song lyrics on a napkin. With all of the touring you do, how and when do you find time to devote to writing new material and where do you get your inspiration to write? How long does it usually take from the time you begin working on a new tune to when the finished song makes it into your stage show?
JE: I'm always writing ... whether it's at home or on the road ... I don't really have a system and some songs take 15 minutes and come out in a stream and others take years to complete ... I honestly believe that God inspires the good ones ... and I'm responsible for the shitty ones ... writing is just a way for me to deal with the voices in my head ... some people listen to those voices and go on a crime spree ... me ... I write "Jungle Boy" ... you'll have to decide which is worse.
The Stone Pony: You’re always telling your audience to "grab yourselves a cocktail, y’all!" What’s your own favorite cocktail?
JE: My favorite cocktail at the moment is stoli, cranberry and lime ... it used to be a Malibu Bay Breeze but I kept hearing disparaging remarks from band members, bikers, etc. about my choice of a pink-colored pineapple coconut flavored beverage ... being insecure in my sexuality I switched to the more manly red drink ... I don't know what the proper name is for my current favorite cocktail ... I call it ... "A Cute Little Bunny".
The Stone Pony: How did your ritual of dousing yourself, and often the audience, with bottles of water throughout the show begin?
JE: Most people don't know this, but the ritual of dousing myself with water comes from the fact that I'm Irish and therefore my skin is highly flammable ... so, basically, I'm just trying to stop myself from bursting into flames.
The Stone Pony: How does it feel when the audience sings along with your music? At some of your recent Pony shows, there were times when you almost seemed to be singing along with the audience. It is rewarding to know that the fans know your lyrics so well, and really enjoy being part of the show?
JE: I'm lucky to have such a supportive following ... they have inspired me to continue living a dream that my accountant encouraged me to give up years ago ... when they sing along to my songs it makes me feel like I've really accomplished something ... the words are the most important part of the song to me so the fact that they take the time to learn them is a huge compliment ... I wish I could take the Pony crowd on the road with me ... they could room with Benny.
The Stone Pony: Have you had any favorite shows at The Stone Pony, or any stories about the club that you can share (without getting anyone in trouble)? You’ve been a regular at the Pony since before its latest incarnation. Do you remember your first performance at the club? How have you liked the changes made at the club since it reopened on Memorial Day 2000?
JE: I have so many great Pony memories ... sometimes someone (usually a police officer) will say remember such and such and I will have completely forgotten about it and hopefully have an alibi to back me up ... of course, the most memorable was probably the night Bruce kicked off the "Born in the USA" tour and we got to open the show ... that was surreal ... and amazing ... every time Bruce shows up he takes the whole place to another level ... as far as the first time I played the Pony ... it was probably inside my head watching from the audience dreaming about it ... I killed ... got like 5 encores ... they had to call the cops to clear the place ... I was taller and better looking ... and I had a huge ...... following ...... sorry, got carried away ... the new Pony has done a great job bringing the old Pony back ... Dominic should be proud.
The Stone Pony: Any final thoughts for fans planning to spend Christmas with John Eddie at The Stone Pony on Saturday, December 22nd?
JE: I just want to wish everyone happy holidays and I pray everyone stays safe and warm ... come out to our Christmas party on the 22nd ... the early show is for the kids and the late show is for the adults who insist on acting like kids ... and it's important for all of us to remember what the true meaning of Christmas is ... and that is ... long ago a star hung over Bethlehem and the baby Jesus was born ... he looked around ... saw his Mother ... his stepfather ... the wise guys ... sorry, that's New Jersey ... the wise men ... and the 1st words he spoke on that 1st Christmas day were ... YO FAITHFUL, LETS ROCK!!!!
You heard the man, get your tickets now! To purchase John Eddie's CD, get news about his appearances and show schedule, or check out some music and video samples, check out his official web site, at www.johneddie.com.
New at Stone Pony Online! Check out these great additions to the Pony's photo gallery: Dispatch from November 23rd, The Strokes from November 30th and Bobby Bandiera and some very special guests from December 7th. Also, take a look at the photo of Pony owner Domenic Santana with actor James Gandolfini, who paid a visit to the Pony recently ... or is it the Bing?
Have your Holiday Party at the Pony!
The Stone Pony is the perfect place for your holiday party. We can accommodate six or 600, or anywhere in between. Of course, we can arrange the entertainment as well. For details, call The Stone Pony Cafe, at (732) 502-0600, extension 12.
Marshall Crenshaw got his first break answering an ad in Rolling Stone magazine, which led to him performing as John Lennon in a touring show of Beatlemania. A few years later, his 1982 self-titled debut album, Marshall Crenshaw (Warner Brothers), was chosen by that same magazine as one of the top 100 albums of the 1980s. Crenshaw, who will be performing at The Stone Pony on Saturday, December 15th, made his musical reputation as a songwriter, capable of writing a perfect pop hook. Many fans will know him better by some of his film work, including his portrayal of Buddy Holly in the 1987 film La Bamba (where he performed "Crying, Waiting, Hoping"), and a role in 1986's Peggy Sue Got Married. Crenshaw's most recent studio album of new material is #447 (Razor & Tie), but his most recent recording is a live acoustic album for King Biscuit, I've Suffered For My Art ... Now It's Your Turn -- which just happened to have been recorded at a certain legendary rock club on Ocean Avenue in February 2001, and includes performances of such Crenshaw standards as "Someday, Someway", "Whenever You're On My Mind" and "Cynical Girl". For more information about the live album recorded at The Stone Pony, visit www.kingbiscuit.com and be sure to make your plans to visit the club on Saturday night to welcome Marshall Crenshaw back to suffer a little more for his art.
The Stone Pony Cafe: Good food and drink from 11:30 am daily!
One of the great blues drummers, Levon Helm has built a solid solo career, touring in front of several groups, including his 1997 CD Souvenir - Vol. 1 (Woodstock Records) with The Crowmatrix and, at The Stone Pony on Friday night, December 14, with the Barnburners. But, Helm is not just another blues drummer banging along to the old standards. He is best-known for being a founding member of The Band, the Canadian foursome, led by Robbie Robertson, who released the classic self-titled album on EMI in 1969, and created such memorable songs as "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "The Unfaithful Servant". Helm was a part of the band, drumming along with his singer/songwriter duties, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and was part of the reformations that took place through the 1980s and 1990s. Helm started out in a rockabilly group and, prior to the formation of The Band, he and Robertson played with Bob Dylan's electrified band. His work with Dylan has been documented on "The Basement Tapes", released in 1975. The Band went on to record six albums and tour extensively - the final show being featured in Martin Scorsese's 1978 documentary, "The Last Waltz". The film time may have been prophetic for Helm, who went on to have a solid movie career, including appearances in "Coal Miner's Daughter" and "The Right Stuff", as well as other television and movie roles. Now that you've learned all sorts of new and interesting things about Levon Helm's career, spend Friday evening with him at The Stone Pony, and hear where this multi-talented individual's creative talents have taken him to today.
Now at asburypark.net: Read about Bruce Springsteen's five-show series of holiday concerts at Convention Hall.
Thursday Nights. Bounce Is Back! The Ultimate Dance Party with DJ Matrix and MC BJ, 20-oz. $1 drafts and $1 tube shots all night long, ladies free until 11, $5 with Monmouth University ID, 18 & up for everyone with two forms of ID, doors at 9:30.
