Spirits In The Night
Related Artists
This page features information about musicians who have been inspired by the music of Bruce Springsteen. We will feature a small biography of each artist as well as a link to their website. In addition we will list any current tour dates for each artist. We will also provide you with the opportunity to view and purchase any albums or related material from these artist. Please help support our site.
Most albums featured on this page(highlighted by "Blue" hyperlinks or images ) may be purchased through Amazon.com. Other albums are available through the Artists own website. Some titles may be "Out Of Print" or "Unavailable."
Bobby Bandiera
Bobby Bandiera, the Jersey Shore’s best kept secret in rock and roll, is a 19-year veteran of Southside Johnny’s band, The Asbury Jukes. He also plays weekly in Jersey clubs as a solo artist and leader of his own Bobby Bandiera Band and has released two albums of his own music.
Internationally, Bobby is recognized as a back-up performer for Southside Johnny, Bruce Springsteen & Jon Bon Jovi.
Review by: Jennifer Lee Pricci
"I like to think of myself as someone who can get up there, and sing a great song, every night, night after night, and not get tired of doing it because the song that was written, by whoever it was, is something you can get behind" Bobby Bandierra
Visit Bobby's Website: www.bobbandiera.com
Glen Burtnik
Glen Burtnik should have always known that he would forge a career in music. His parents tell him that even as an infant in Irvington, New Jersey, before he could talk (when he was Learning To Crawl), that he had a very emotional reaction to music. Born Glenn Burtnick, April 8, 1955, the youngest of three brothers, he was "forced" at an early age by his brothers into singing harmonies with them. Glen says his brothers would terrorize him if he didn't sing his part correctly. When Glen was in the second grade, his family decided to move to the New Brunswick area of New Jersey, and by the time he was twelve, Glen already had ideas about his future. He was undecided as to whether to pursue art, music, or film as a career, but he knew that he needed to be 'creating.' He was leaning towards film at the time, but sometime in junior high, he realized that he had been writing songs in his head, and music became topmost in his heart. In late 1967 or early 1968, he attended a "Be-In" in Johnson's Park, where he played his guitar and sang his one song to anyone who would listen. This was his first gig ever. He later played at the New Jersey Teen Arts Festival at the N.J. State Museum Auditorium. At 15, "I was certain I was the next Bob Dylan," says Glen. After high school, Glen wrote and performed a rock opera called "The Walls Of Walden" with his band, Albatross.
He then answered a classified ad in the Village Voice seeking Beatle sound-alikes and look-alikes for the show Beatlemania. He became a part of the west coast cast of the show, playing Paul McCartney. During his tenure in Beatlemania, he forged a lasting friendship with Marshall Crenshaw, who played John Lennon. Glen and Marshall recorded a single, "I HATE DISCO MUSIC," as The Sides.
While still appearing in Beatlemania, Glen answered another ad in the Village Voice and was hired by Jan Hammer to be the singer for his band, Hammer. They recorded an album, and toured in support of it. Through his involvement with Jan Hammer, Glen also formed a friendship with Neal Schon, later of Santana and Journey. The song, "NO MORE LIES," was a collaboration written by Burtnick, Schon, and Hammer.
One of the other Beatlemania cast members then was given a record deal by Elektra Records for his band, Helmet Boy, and asked Glen to join the band. He did so, and the album, Helmet Boy, was released. After the album was basically ignored by the music industry, Glen returned to New Brunswick and married his high school sweetheart, RoseMary Giglio. Glen then began playing with local bands in the Asbury Park music scene. One of the bands, Cats On A Smooth Surface, was the house band for the famed Stone Pony club. Almost every Sunday night, Bruce Springsteen would come to the Pony and perform with the band. This band had a lot of talent even without the appearances of The Boss. The band consisted of Glen, Fran Smith (The Hooters), Bobby Bandiera (The Asbury Jukes), and Ray Anderson (Blue Van Gogh), so it is interesting to speculate what this lineup could've accomplished with a bit more exposure.
During this time, Glen also became acquainted with another New Jersey musician named Jon Bongiovi (later to become Jon Bon Jovi). When Jon decided to form a band, he asked Glen to join. Glen declined, but the two have remained good friends throughout the years, and have appeared together from time to time. It was about this time that he decided to drop his first letter, shortening Glenn to Glen.
In 1984, a demo that Glen had recorded, "HERE COMES SALLY" came to the attention of an executive at A&M Records, and he was offered a recording contract with that record company. He recorded two albums for A&M, 1986's Talking In Code and 1987's Heroes and Zeros, which featured the charted single "FOLLOW YOU." About this time, the philosophy at A&M began to change, and Glen found himself unable to submit any music that the A&R people wanted him to record.
After a couple of frustrating years dealing with A&M Records to no avail, Glen was surprised to get a message from Dennis DeYoung one day on his answering machine, asking him if he would like to audition for the band Styx. Since Tommy Shaw was out touring with Damn Yankees, they needed a second guitarist and an additional songwriter. It seemed that this role was tailor-made for Glen, and he flew to Chicago to audition. Once there, he met with Dennis, James Young, and the Panozzo brothers, and the five played and sang some of the Styx standards. The auditions were then closed, as far as the band was concerned.
Styx fans were excited to hear that 'their' band was regrouping, but were perplexed as to who the fifth member would be. It was known that Tommy Shaw was not available, so there had to be a new member, and for a long while, no one knew his identity. On an interesting side note, after the identity of the mysterious "Number Five" had been learned, the ladies who published the Styx newsletter at that time, 976-STYX, made a couple of trips to New Jersey to see Glen perform. On the second trip that they made, when they arrived at the Stone Pony, the marquee simply read "Glen." No additional information was neccessary to his New Jersey fans.
Styx, with Glen, did go on to record Edge Of The Century, which was released in 1990, and a tour followed in 1991. There were five Burtnik-penned tunes on the album, "LOVE IS THE RITUAL," "WORLD TONITE," "LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT," "ALL IN A DAY'S WORK," and the title track, "EDGE OF THE CENTURY." The album was certified Gold, but Styx realized that A&M just wasn't interested in promoting them any longer, and the band went on hiatus for a period of time.
While working on the recording of Edge Of The Century, a slightly homesick Glen found himself writing songs about New Brunswick. After the completion of the 1991 tour, he and sixty of his closest friends recorded the album "Slaves Of New Brunswick," a collection of songs about the New Jersey city. Although this album was only marketed in the New York/New Jersey area, the general buzz about it was extremely favorable, and copies have managed to make their way all across the country.
Glen continued with his songwriting, and in 1992, a song that he and Patty Smyth had co-written, "SOMETIMES LOVE JUST AIN'T ENOUGH," recorded by Patty and Don Henley, reached number one on the pop charts. Glen made several promotional appearances with Patty, which prompted some Styx fans to question whether or not there was still a Styx. Glen answered these questions by direct responses to the 976-STYX newsletter.
During this time, Glen continued to write for other artists, but he chiefly confined his own performing to appearances with the Slaves Of New Brunswick, or with good friends like Marshall Crenshaw or John Waite.
Finally, in 1996, Glen released another album of solo work, Palookaville, on Deko Records. A brilliant collection of tunes, it is the artist's favorite of his works thus far. The cover features the Burtnik's youngest daughter, Sally, who was born during the tour for "Edge Of The Century." Although this is another work that has not been marketed nationwide, it has garnered critical acclaim from all across the globe, as well as right here in the United States. The same year, MTM Records, a German record company, convinced Glen to release some of his older work (including those that had been rejected by A&M) on the album Retrospectacle. Another gem, this work includes his original version of "LOVE IS THE RITUAL," and all Styx fans can certainly listen to this song and see that VERY little was changed from the Styx album version. Retrospecacle also includes some very Beatle-esque work, and some songs that were written for other artists. All in all, another Burtnik triumph.
In 1998, Glen had his second chart-topper when Randy Travis took his song "SPIRIT OF A BOY, WISDOM OF A MAN" to number one on the Country Singles chart. It was actually the third release of the song, having been previously recorded by Mark Collie, and by Glen himself on his Palookaville album.
In 1999, with Glen at work on a new solo album, he received yet another cryptic phone call from a Styx member, James Young this time. Setting aside his personal work in order to do a favor for an old friend, Glen accepted the offer to tour with Styx. Together, along with James Young, Tommy Shaw, Todd Sucherman, and Lawrence Gowan, have now completed hundreds of dates in their never-ending quest to bring live Styx music to every corner of the globe. They have released a live double CD (along with REO Speedwagon) called Arch Allies, and in 2003 released their newest studio album Cyclorama, which features Glen on lead vocals, backing vocals, bass, and 12-string acoustic guitar.
And early 2004 should see the release of Glen's newest solo album, to be titled Welcome To Hollywood. ~ Geri Lame Taken from Glen's website.
Boccigalupe
The musical histories of the members of Boccigalupe and the
Badboys are as extensive as the history of the Asbury Park music scene itself.
Asbury Park born-and bred keyboardist Tony Amato, a.k.a. "Boccigalupe," has been a member of almost every band that was part of the 1970’s Asbury Park
music scene. Centered around the Stone Pony, the Fastlane, the Upstage Coffee
House and other clubs, that same scene gave then-budding musicians like Bruce
Springsteen, Southside Johnny, and later, Jon Bon Jovi a chance to hone their
skills before rising to international prominence.
All of the members of Bocci and the Badboys are veterans of hundreds of gigs in dark, smoky bars where sometimes the audience amounts to a handful of people. Through it all, they’ve honed their chops to the point that they know how to work together well on stage and in the studio. The results of their studio efforts are available on the band’s new, independently produced album, It's My Turn Now on Atlantis Records. Recorded at Shorefire Recording Studios in Long Branch last year, fans of the band are already clamoring for a follow-up album.
Review by: Richard Skelly
Visit the Bad Boys website: boccigalupe.com
Garry US Bonds
Gary U.S. Bonds is more than just a legendary vocal interpreter and fiery, vital onstage performer. For over thirty-five years, Bonds has been a Songwriter and Arranger. A man who has written hits and been nominated for awards.
Early in his career, Gary U.S. Bonds sang and had a heavy role in the arrangement of his first hit, New Orleans. In order to draw attention to the record, promotional copies were sent to radio stations in sleeves inscribed, "Buy U.S. Bonds" - hence at the age of 19, "Gary" became Gary U.S. Bonds.
Over the next several yeatrs, Bonds would produce hit singles such as, Quarter To Three, Dear Lady Twist, Not Me, Schools Is Out and many more.
In 1980, a chance meeting between Bruce Springsteen and Bonds developed into a solid friendship. Shortly after, a musical collaboration resulted in Bonds' Dedication and On The Line LP's, with singles; This Little Girl, Out of Work, Jole Blon and Daddy's Come Home produced by Springsteen and Miami Steve Van Zandt. Without a question, Gary U.S. Bonds was back on stage. His gritty, soulful and powerful vocals sound even better than before.
Gary U.S. Bonds is one of those rare artists with both a rich history and an unlimited future.
Bio excerpts taken from Gary's website.
Visit Gary's website: www.garyusbonds.com
John Cafferty
Arguably the quintessential one-shot band of all time, John Cafferty and company (who, back in the early '70s, were simply a hack New England bar band) had their 15 minutes of fame courtesy of a 1983 film called Eddie And The Cruisers (starring Michael Pare). The movie dealt with the suspicious death of a fictional singer/songwriter, modeled on a conflation of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, who had made the transition from smart rock & roller to serious artist. Seems as though Eddie had recorded a brilliant but unreleased album that fused Chuck Berry-style rock & roll with French Symbolist poetry. A record way ahead of its time, the master tapes of The Dark Side dissappeared, right around the time of Eddie's "death." Needing a band to supply music for the film, the producers used the Springsteen-ish sounding Cafferty and his clock-punching backup band. With the Springsteen-ish single "On the Dark Side" paving the way, Cafferty led, arguably, the most anonymous band with a hit record in the history of rock & roll. With the movie doing reasonably well in theaters and extremely well on video, sales of Cafferty's album - which, ironically, had been out for months before the band's involvement with Eddie and the Cruisers and barely caused a murmur - skyrocketed. But, as the movie faded from the public consciousness, so did Cafferty's imitation of Springsteen. ~ John Dougan, All Music Guide
John Cafferty went on to record other albums including, Tough All Over, Roadhouse, the soundtrack to Eddie And The Cruisers 2: Eddie Lives! & Eddie And The Cruisers: The Unreleased Tapes. He also released Live And In Concert in 1998.
Visit John's website: John-Cafferty
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash was born and raised in Arkansas, moving to Dyess when he was three. By the time he was 12 years old, Cash had begun writing his own songs. Johnny was inspired by the country songs he had heard on the radio. While he was in high school, he sang on the Arkansas radio station KLCN. Johnny Cash graduated from college in 1950, moving to Detroit to work in an auto factory for a brief while. With the outbreak of the Korean War, he enlisted in the Air Force. While he was in the Air Force, Cash bought his first guitar and taught himself to play. He began writing songs in earnest, including "Folsom Prison Blues." Cash left the Air Force in 1954, married a Texas woman named Vivian Leberto, and moved to Memphis, where he took a radio announcing course at a broadcasting school on the GI Bill. During the evenings, he played country music in a trio that also consisted of guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant. The trio occasionally played for free on a local radio station, KWEM, and tried to secure gigs and an audition at Sun Records.
Cash finally landed an audition with Sun Records and its founder, Sam Phillips, in 1955. Initially, Cash presented himself as a gospel singer, but Phillips turned him down. Phillips asked him to come back with something more commercial. Cash returned with "Hey Porter," which immediately caught Phillips's ear. Soon, Cash released "Cry Cry Cry" / "Hey Porter" as his debut single for Sun. On the single, Phillips billed Cash as "Johnny" which upset the singer, because he felt it sounded too young; the record producer also dubbed Perkins and Grant the Tennessee Two. "Cry Cry Cry" became a success upon its release in 1955, entering the country charts at number 14 and leading to a spot on the Louisiana Hayride, where he stayed for nearly a year. A second single, "Folsom Prison Blues," reached the country Top Five in early 1956 and its follow-up, "I Walk the Line," was number one for six weeks and crossed over into the pop Top 20.
Johnny Cash had an equally successful year in 1957, scoring several Top Ten country hits including the Top 15 "Give My Love to Rose." Cash also made his Grand Ole Opry debut that year, appearing all in black where the other performers were decked out in flamboyant, rhinestone-studded outfits. Eventually, he earned the nickname of "The Man in Black." Cash became the first Sun artist to release a long-playing album in November of 1957, when Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar hit the stores. Cash's success continued to roll throughout 1958, as he earned his biggest hit, "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" (number one for ten weeks), as well another number one single, "Guess Things Happen That Way." For most of 1958, Cash attempted to record a gospel album, but Sun refused to allow him to record one. Sun also was unwilling to increase Cash's record royalities. Both of these were deciding factors in the vocalist's decision to sign with Columbia Records in 1958. By the end of the year, he had released his first single for the label, "All Over Again," which became another Top Five success. Sun continued to release singles and albums of unissued Cash material into the '60s.
"Don't Take Your Guns to Town," Cash's second single for Columbia, was one of his biggest hits, reaching thee top of the country charts and crossing over into the pop charts in the beginning of 1959. Throughout that year, Columbia and Sun singles vied for the top of the charts. Generally, the Columbia releases -- "Frankie's Man Johnny," "I Got Stripes," and "Five Feet High and Rising" -- fared better than the Sun singles, but "Luther Played the Boogie" did climb into the Top Ten. That same year, Cash had the chance to make his gospel record -- Hymns by Johnny Cash -- which kicked off a series of thematic albums that ran into the '70s.
The Tennessee Two became the Tennessee Three in 1960 with the addition of drummer W.S. Holland. Though he was continuing to have hits, the relentless pace of his career was beginning to take toll on Cash. In 1959, he had begun taking amphetamines to help him get through his schedule of nearly 300 shows a year. By 1961, his drug intake had increased dramatically and his work was affected, which is reflected by a declining number of hit singles and albums. By 1963, he had moved to New York, leaving his family behind. He was running into trouble with the law, most notably for starting a forest fire out West.
June Carter -- who was the wife of one of Cash's drinking buddies, Carl Smith -- would provide Cash with his return to the top of the charts with "Ring of Fire," which she co-wrote with Merle Kilgore. "Ring of Fire" spent seven weeks on the top of the charts and was a Top 20 pop hit. Cash continued his success in 1964, as "Understand Your Man" became a number one hit. However, Cash's comeback was shortlived, as he sank further into addiction and his hit singles arrived sporadically. Cash was arrested in El Paso for attempting to smuggle amphetamines into the country through his guitar case in 1965. That same year, the Grand Ole Opry refused to have him perform and he wrecked the establishment's footlights. In 1966, his wife Vivian filed for divorce. After the divorce, Cash moved to Nashville. At first, he was as destructive as he ever had been, but he became close friends with June Carter, who had divorced Carl Smith. With Carter's help, he was able to shake his addictions; she also converted Cash to fundamentalist Christianity. His career began to bounce back as "Jackson" and "Rosanna's Going Wild" became Top Three hits. Early in 1968, Cash proposed marriage to Carter during a concert; the pair were married in the spring of 1968.
In 1968, Johnny Cash recorded and released his most popular album, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. Recorded during a prison concert, the album spawned the number one country hit "Folsom Prison Blues," which also crossed over into the pop charts. By the end of the year, the record had gone gold. The following year, he released a sequel, Johnny Cash at San Quentin, which had his only Top Ten pop single, "A Boy Named Sue," which peaked at number three; it also hit number one on the country charts. Johnny Cash guested on Bob Dylan's 1969 country-rock album, Nashville Skyline. Dylan returned the favor by appearing on the first episode of The Johnny Cash Show, the singer's television program for ABC. The Johnny Cash Show ran for two years, between 1969 and 1971.
Johnny Cash was reaching a second peak of popularity in 1970. In addition to his television show, he performed for President Richard Nixon at the White House, acted with Kirk Douglas in The Gunfight, sang with John Willams and the Boston Pops Orchestra, and he was the subject of a documentary film. His record sales were equally healthy, as "Sunday Morning Coming Down" and "Flesh and Blood" were number one hits. Throughout 1971, Cash continued to have hits, including the Top Three "Man in Black." Both Cash and Carter became more socially active in the early '70s, campaigning for the civic rights of Native Americans and prisoners, as well as frequently working with Billy Graham.
In the mid-'70s, Cash's presence on the country charts began to decline, but he continued to have a series of minor hits and the occasional chart topper like 1976's "One Piece at a Time," or Top Ten hits like the Waylon Jennings duet "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang" and "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky." Man in Black, Johnny Cash's autobiography, was published in 1975. In 1980, Johnny Cash became the youngest inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. However, the '80s were a rough time for Cash, as his record sales continued to decline and he ran into trouble with Columbia. Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis teamed up to record The Survivors in 1982, which was a mild success. The Highwaymen -- a band featuring Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson -- released their first album in 1985, which was also moderately successful. The following year, Cash and Columbia Records ended their relationship and he signed with Mercury Nashville. The new label didn't prove to be a success, as the company and the singer fought over stylistic direction. Furthermore, country radio had begun to favor more contemporary artists, and Cash soon found himself shut out of the charts. Nevertheless, he continued to be a popular concert performer.
The Highwaymen recorded a second album in 1992 and it was more commercially successful than any of Cash's Mercury records. Around that time, his contract with Mercury ended. In 1993, he signed a contract with American Records. His first album for the label, American Recordings, was produced by the label's founder, Rick Rubin, and was a stark, acoustic collection of songs. American Recordings, while not a blockbuster success, revived his career critically and brought him in touch with a younger, rock-oriented audience. In 1995, the Highwaymen released their third album, The Road Goes on Forever. The following year, Johnny Cash released his second album for American Records, Unchained, which featured support from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. His VH-1 Storytellers outing was released in 1998, and in the spring of 2000 Cash compiled Love, God, Murder, a three-disc retrospective focusing on the major songwriting themes dominant throughout his career. The new studio album American III: Solitary Man appeared later that year. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Johnny Cash passed away on September 12, 2003.
Visit Johnny's website: http://www.johnnycash.com/
Joe D'Urso & Stone
Carevan
D'Urso's love for rock and roll began when he was a kid, and his
older sister's record collection exposed him to all kinds of music: Bob Dylan,
Springsteen, Meatloaf, Tom Petty, the Beatles, Elvis, Bob Seger, the Doors and
the Grateful Dead.
After graduating from Fredonia State College, with a major in
communications/media and a minor in English/poetry, D'Urso took a job as an
assistant booking agent for Premier Talent Agency in New York City. The
experience he gained while typing contracts for U2, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and many others gave him an insider's look at the music
business.
During this time he met performers and attended hundreds of shows each year.
Still, there was something missing; he wanted the next contract he typed to be
his. It wasn't long before he made the leap from one side of the desk to the
other.
After learning how to play guitar, Joe put a band togeher called Stone Carevan and has recorded several albums including Glow, Mirrors, Shoestrings & Credit Cards, the criticly acclaimed Rock n' Roll Station, and his most recent double cd release, Both Sides Of Life
D'Urso remains true to his ideal inspired by the late Harry Chapin: that it is essential to help the less fortunate. He is heavily involved with World Hunger Year (WHY), which was co-founded in 1975 by Chapin and Bill Ayres. D'Urso's music is highly regarded at WHY. "Joe brings to his life and music the magic combination of passion and purpose," said Jen Chapin, daughter of Harry Chapin and chairperson of the WHY Board of Directors. Ayres adds, "Joe D'Urso's music is passionate, vibrant and filled with great stories." Sue Leventhal, director of WHY's Artists Against Hunger and Poverty, calls D'Urso "a wonderful, first-class performer."
Bio excerpts taken from Joe's website.
Visit Joe's website: www.jdcaravan.com
Joe Grushecky
Landing a deal with the record label Razor & Tie in the early '90s, Grushecky was able to quit his teaching job. Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers experienced somewhat of a renaissance in the mid-'90s (and a media blitz) when Grushecky's old friend Bruce Springsteen produced, co-wrote, played, and sang on the group's American Babylon album. The Boss even joined the band on guitar for a six-night live stand. On the back of the Springsteen connection, the group was seen on CNN, Entertainment Tonight, and MTV and toured Europe several times. The follow-up, 1997's Coming Home, featured four Springsteen co-writes and a gritty mixture of heartland rock and Dylanesque ballads. Grushecky returned to teaching in the late '90s and a live album, Down The Road Apiece-Live followed in 1999. Grushecky released a solo album, Fingerprints, in 2002. ~ Erik Hage, All Music Guide
Visit Joe G's website: www.grushecky.com
Highway 9
Few bands could get away with "Sadly, our song is on the radio" as a song’s chorus-in a less accomplished band’s repertoire, the line would nearly scream for snide agreement from all the sarcastic wits listening. Instead, Highway 9’s What in Samhill pulls off the almost impossible: it silences any opposition with tough, finely crafted, melodic songs that fit together seamlessly and stand solidly on their own. The five-man band, formerly known as Samhill, changed their name to give homage to their Jersey roots. And indeed, the geography of sound first mapped out by blue-collar legend Bruce Springsteen is expertly traveled on this release. Peter Scherer’s voice is a lead to be reckoned with, beautifully conjuring the Eagles’ best harmonies. But after a few listens, it is Gordon Brown’s songwriting that’s most striking. Whether in "Heroine," an aching portrait of a son’s difficult love for his mother, or the love-gone-bad "Tug of War" ("I’m no winner, and she’s no reward"), the songs resist relying on attitude or bravado. Instead, they possess the marked confidence of having scraped through hard times and survived, with a story to tell. --Laura Etling
La Bamba
(Bio and album information coming soon! If you can help please contact us below.)
Southside Johnny
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes were the second band after Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band to emerge from the New Jersey shore scene, and though they carried over a significant influence (and some key personnel) from their predecessors, they were a more generic white R&B horn band in the Memphis Stax Records tradition. The group was organized in 1974 by singer John Lyon, originally from Neptune, NJ and guitarist/songwriter "Miami" Steve Van Zandt. Van Zandt decamped for the E Street Band in 1975, but he continued to direct the Jukes, managing them, writing their songs, and producing their records. The original Jukes lineup was: Billy Rush (guitar); Kevin Kavanaugh (keyboards); Al Berger (bass); Kenny Pentifallo (drums); Carlo Novi (tenor sax); Eddie Manion (baritone sax); Tony Palligrosi (trumpet); Ricky Gazda (trumpet); and Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg (trombone). The group signed to Epic Records and released I Don't Want to Go Home (1976), which featured songwriting by Springsteen and cameos by Ronnie Spector and Lee Dorsey. This Time It's for Real (1977) contained more Springsteen tunes and appearances by the Coasters, the Drifters, and the Five Satins. Critical consensus said that the third album, Hearts of Stone (1978), was the Jukes' peak, but they failed to break through to mass success and were dropped by Epic. Moving to Mercury, they made The Jukes (1979), on which all songwriting was handled by Lyon and Rush, and followed with Love Is a Sacrifice (1980) and the live double-LP Reach Up and Touch the Sky (1981). Moving to the Atlantic Records subsidiary Mirage, they worked with producer Nile Rodgers on the uncharacteristic Trash It Up! (1983), then returned to form on In the Heat (1984). The group had suffered personnel shifts all along, but the departure of Billy Rush left Lyon to write much of At Least We Got Shoes (1986), after which he made a "solo" album, Slow Dance (1988). Southside and the Jukes reunited with Springsteen and Van Zandt for Better Days (1991). ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Southside has since recorded many more albums
throughout the last decade and continues to perform live. His latest release, is
a blues record called Jukesville. 
This
and other "Unavailable"albums may be purchased on Southside Johnny's
website. Tour information is also available.
Visit SSJ's website: www.southsidejohnny.org
Warren Zevon
One of the most acute and savagely satiric songwriters of his era, Warren Zevon was born in Chicago on January 24, 1947. His formative years were as colorful as the scenarios played out in his music: his father was a professional gambler, a lifestyle which forced the family to move frequently, and Zevon spent most of his formative years in California and Arizona. He learned to play piano, focusing primarily on classical material before a disintegrating home life led him into pop music, as well as a few run-ins with the law; after his parents divorced when he was 16 years old, Zevon hopped into the Corvette his father won in a card game and headed for New York to become a folksinger. His music found little response, however, and he returned to California, eventually releasing his first recordings as part of the duo Lyme and Cybelle. Session work followed before Zevon issued his solo debut Wanted-Dead or Alive in 1969; the LP received a poor reception, and so he returned to session work and composing advertising jingles, and also served as the Everly Brothers' pianist before the duo's break-up. Following a 1974 sabbatical to Spain, Zevon returned to Los Angeles, where his longtime friend Jackson Browne had secured him a recording deal; with Browne in the producer's seat, Zevon cut a self-titled offering which was met with lavish critical praise upon its 1976 release. His 1978 follow-up Excitable Boy established him as a wholly unique talent, and earned a sizable hit with its wry single "Werewolves of London."
However, Zevon had fallen prey to alcoholism, and his personal demons sidelined him for the next two years; 1980's Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School featuring the track Jeannie Needs A Shooter, which was co-written with Bruce Springsteen and 1981's live set Stand in the Fire marked his gradual return to form, and the promise of his early work was restored on 1982's brilliant release The Envoy. The album fared miserably on the charts, however, and Zevon again fell off the wagon. A long period of therapy and counseling followed before, newly sober and revitalized, he issued Sentimental Hygiene in 1987, recorded with backing assistance from members of R.E.M. (In 1990, another collection of material from the sessions featuring Zevon and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry was released under the name Hindu Love Gods.) He continued his comeback in 1989 with Transverse City, a concept record inspired by science fiction's cyberpunk movement, and 1991's Mr. Bad Example. In 1992 Zevon released his self titled album, Warren Zevon. In 1993, Zevon issued his second live album, Learning to Flinch, followed in 1995 by Mutineer. His next studio effort, Life'll Kill Ya, did not appear until early 2000. It was a moderate success, enough to inspire him to step back into the studio after touring the US. My Ride's Here, which featured a guest appearance from David Letterman of all people, was released in the spring of 2002. Several months later, Zevon was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an inoperable form of lung cancer, and doctors expected him to live no more than a few months. Zevon decided to work on a final album, with the help of a handful of celebrity friends and collaborators; The Wind was released in August of 2003, nearly a year to the day after Zevon learned of his condition, and he lived long enough to see its release, as well as the birth of his first grandchildren. - by Jason Ankeny
Warren Zevon passed away on September 7, 2003.
Visit Warren's website: www.warrenzevon.com
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