Back on the Road: Karla Bonoff at the Greenwich Odeum
Okee dokee folks… Back in the pre-pandemic era I was scheduled to perform an opener for Karla Bonoff at the Greenwich Odeum. Then the cancellations started and the show was bumped ahead a couple of months and then again a couple of months later. This continued for a year and a half until society got a little bit of a handle on the pandemic. I am happy to say that the show is actually happening on Friday, October 1!
Karla Bonoff is a singer songwriter, who has been performing since the late 60’s and her eponymous first album went gold in 1977. This release included a few of of Bonoff’s songs, which had previously been recorded by Linda Ronstadt: “Lose Again”, “If He’s Ever Near”, “Someone to Lay Down Beside Me”, and one by Bonnie Raitt -“Home”. This album also included a who’s who of 70’s players and singers as well: Andrew Gold, Lind Ronstadt, Waddy Wachtel, Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar, Wendy Waldman, Glenn Frey, JD Souther, and quite a few others. I’ve had this record in my collection since it was released and I actually find that Bonoff’s version of her song, “Someone to Lay Down Beside Me” outshines Rondstat’s cover. As hard as is is to say about any Rondstat performance, the production muddies this interpretation. Bonoff’s cut seems to better emphasize the loneliness of the lyrics.
At the age of sixteen Karla and her sister Lisa auditioned for Elektra Records and recorded an 11-song demo but no deal came of this. She played often at the famous Monday night Troubadour in LA which was a breaking ground for many artists such as Jackson Browne, James Taylor and Elton John. There were other singer-songwriters (Kenny Edwards-Stone Poneys with Linda Ronstad, Wendy Waldman- writer/producer, and Andrew Gold-“Lonely Boy” and “Thank You for Being a Friend”) who became friends of Bonoff’s and they formed a band together called Bryndle. The group recorded an album for A&M records and but the record was shelved. Edwards and Gold joined Rondstat’s band and this connection led Linda to record three of Bonoff’s compositions on her 1976 Hasten Down the Wind album. This helped Karla secure a record deal and release her debut LP.
Over the years Bonoff would release many more albums, have more songs recorded by Linda Rondstat and other artists and reform Bryndle-only this time releasing a couple of albums. In 1982 she scored a hit with “Personally”, which was a top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in ’84 she sang lead on the song “Somebody’s Eyes” which was included on the Footloose film soundtrack. Karla still records and tours the US and Japan regularly. She recently release a holiday album entitled Silent Night as well as a single and video of the song, “Night Full of Rain”.
I called Karla at her Montecito, California home the other day and we had a conversation about the upcoming show at the Odeum as well as a few off the cuff topics. John Fuzek: Hi, is it smokey out there from fires? Karla Bonoff: We haven’t had the smoke, it’s been going east instead of south which is good for us, not great for everyone else, it’s very, very dry JF: Do you ever watch Bill Maher? I like his idea of a pipeline carrying water cross country KB: Yes, all the excess rain and snow there should be a way to pipeline it to the west JF: Romans built aqueducts a millennia ago…anyway…the show that we are playing was supposed to take place a year and a half ago KB: I know, everything that I am doing started up in September and it’s all from stuff that’s been rescheduled, it’s like we had a weird missing time event and now we’re doing it JF: I looked at your touring schedule, you seem quite busy KB: We are, it’s busier than I would normally do, but we are trying to make everything up and had to squash it in wherever we could, everybody was rescheduling so many times, all these shows have been moved two to three times, I feel bad for the agents, it’s bad enough to have that job, but to have to redo this stuff over and over and over and over again… We were out on our first leg last week for the first time I’ve been out playing in a year and a half, I think people are still a little afraid to come out. It is what it is. You just have to plow forward and hope this all gets resolved. JF: It’s been a mixed bag here as far as audiences, hard to know for sure. KB: How is RI doing as far as vaccines? JF: I think we are in the higher end of the vax rate, New England is fairly good overall. KB: Yes Massachusetts did pretty well. As well as Vermont, which is great. JF: I couldn’t wait to get a vaccine. KB: Me, too, I had to go through a lot to get one, too. JF: Right, me, too and as soon as I got it,, they started giving them to everyone. KB: Same thing here, I had to drive to LA, Magic Mountain, which is like 75 miles. It was a big amusement park with millions of people driving through. It was worth it. It was really organized, but within a few weeks you could go to the market and get one. I didn’t want to wait. It was scary, I just got the booster. I was getting ready to travel, and be at airports, and be inside at venues that didn’t have vaccine requirements and I couldn’t risk it. JF: I have had to show my vaccine proof for a few shows that I have done, and I am happy about that. KB: More and more venues are doing it. I find that (mostly) everywhere I am going is doing it… JF: Well, 670, 00 people have died from it so being safe is wise. KB: Michael McDonald got it [COVID-19] after having both vaccines, and they had to cancel four or five Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary shows. JF: I had a friend who got very sick, not hospitalized, after getting the vaccine, but it was the J&J. KB: I have heard that about the J&J. Michael got it out on the road somewhere. He said he’s ok but it’s still scary. JF: Back to the music… You just put out a new recording, didn’t you? KB: While we were on Covid hiatus, I did a Christmas album and released the single, “A Night Full of Rain.” JF: I saw that the video for that single was recorded while you drove a truck, was that on a sound stage or did you just drive around? KB: My producer, Sean, and his daughter do videos. It was just a one shot thing. I drove the truck and he and his daughter shot it, it was fun.
Karla and I went on to talk at length about CDs and albums and the waning of physical media versus digital. We both preferred to have the CD or vinyl. Karla said, “We are the old people of the generation now, these are remnants of our youth”
We got back to the interview, and I asked Karla if she was performing solo or with a band at the Greenwich Odeum. KB: I play with Nina Gerber who is a really wonderful guitar player. We have been playing together for 15 years now. She played with Kate Wolf back in the day. She is pretty well known in Northern California. She sometimes plays with Eliza Gilkyson, and she is an artist in her own right. She has some CDs that are really beautiful. It’s just the two of us. It’s pretty “unplugged” acoustic, piano, guitar. I play piano and guitar, and Nina plays electric and acoustic guitar. If you go to my YouTube page you can watch the videos of the two of us performing. That’s pretty much what the show is. JF: I noticed that you had a bunch of videos recorded in Japan, and saw that you have a following in Japan. How did that happen? KB: When I did my second record for Columbia, the Restless Nights album, it just took off there. We went over in 1980, and had a huge amount of fans. We’ve gone over pretty much every year to play. We have a lot of younger fans there as well. I think their parents turned them on to it. it’s very different than here JF: I have been to Japan. It’s an entirely different culture there, especially when I went in the mid 80’s. It was culture shock for me, coming from Rhode Island. KB: It was culture shock back in the 80’s. We had a drummer with dreadlocks and they would want to touch his hair. They hadn’t seen a lot of westerners then, especially outside of Tokyo. JF: Yes, they do that! I was in Shizouka, and I had people come right up to me and grab my chest hair or touch my beard! KB: Right! It’s not like that now but it was in the 80’s. JF: I had people coming up to me, and wanted photographs taken with me, and I was no one but an American. KB: It was really fun, but now they have seen us a million times and it’s not like that anymore. JF: I am thrilled to be on the bill with you. I have wanted to do a show with you for a long time. I think our music has the same audience, especially these days with newer music that I really don’t connect with. KB: It’s just a different world… I am grateful to be doing this, and hopefully staying healthy. I know I won’t be able to do it forever but I am enjoying it while it lasts. JF: While I was watching your videos I came across “Personally”. I remember that one from way back, do you perform that one live? KB: It was a great record to make. It’s not a great live song without a band. Sometimes we play if for fun as an encore, but it’s kind of weird on acoustic guitar; it’s a whole different thing. It’s also a little high for me now. I haven’t changed all the keys on everything yet. JF: Yup, I have run into that. Your voice drops as you get older. KB: On guitar with a capo, it’s pretty easy, but on piano it’s a hassle. I have to learn them in the new key, and then sometimes you wind up going into the old key and it’s a potential disaster! JF: I have a hard time remembering lyrics these days! KB: Linda Rondstat in her prime even had a hard time remembering lyrics. It’s just a thing. She would just block. JF: Didn’t she have stage fright as well? KB: She was never all that comfortable. She was comfortable singing, but not that comfortable being a performer. JF: You worked with her, and she recorded your music, like “Someone to Lay Down Beside Me”. KB: Yes… I think more people know her version than mine. JF: I like your version better. I have friends that are fans of Bryndle, unfortunately I am not that familiar with it. I do know Andrew Gold’s stuff though KB: We made a couple of good records, one in ’95 and another in 2003. JF: Is Wendy Waldman still performing? KB: She is doing more producing of other artists. She was playing a a group called the Refugees. She doesn’t really like traveling. She has a studio in her house. She is a really good producer so she is doing mostly that. JF: I am pretty sure I met her at one time at a Folk Alliance conference. KB: It was probably Folk Alliance. She did do that. JF: And Andrew Gold died a few years back? KB: he did, yes, as did Kenny Edwards, Andrew was 59 and Kenny was 64, they died just a few years apart JF: It’s always sad. KB: Yes,both of them would have made a lot more music. JF: They do have music out there, especially Andrew. That will always be out there, he has the Golden Girls theme. KB: Right, Andrew’s widow does a really good job promoting his music still. JF: I guess we should get around to talking about the show again. What can we expect at the show? KB: We do a whole mix of stuff from my first album, all the way until now. Maybe some stuff from the Christmas album. It’s a good array of everything. It’s me and Nina playing the tunes! JF: The Odeum is very nice I have played there a few times KB: I have never worked there, it’s a new one for me. JF: The people who work there are great. KB: Good! I am looking forward to it! I am excited to get back and play. I hope that people will come out to the show. I think now we are all just trying to keep music going, keeping venues alive. JF: I look forward to meeting you and playing the show! KB: I will see you there…
Karla Bonoff with special guest, John Fuzek (ME!), will be at the Greenwich Odeum on Friday, October 1 at 8pm. For more, KarlaBonoff.com and You can find “Something Fine” at: GreenwichOdeum.com. That’s it for now, thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com
Fools Rush In: Fun Show at the Stadium
Okee dokee folks… Back in July I was invited to open for the band The Fools in New Hampshire. I thought it an odd pairing but I took the gig nonetheless. I remembered the band from the early 80’s and loved their songs “Psycho Chicken”- a “Weird Al-esque” spoof of the Talking Heads’, “Psycho Killer”, and the country parody, “Life Sucks Then You Die”. The 80’s was a long time ago and I didn’t remember much more so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I loved the show! It was fun, entertaining and lead singer, Mike Girard has an amazing voice besides and is pretty damn funny on stage!. Check out some of their videos on YouTube. Go ahead, do it now, I’ll wait… See, I told you they were good! When I found out The Fools were playing at The Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket on Friday September 24 at 8pm, I contacted singer Mike Girard to talk about their upcoming return to RI. We started the conversation talking about some of The Fools’ earlier gigs at Lupo’s and when they opened for Rush at the Providence Civic Center. Girard continued with stories about touring with Van Halen.
Mike Girard: It was our second national tour. We got got signed onto the Van Halen ‘We Don’t Fuck Around’ tour… We did 36 cities in North America, it was just a blast…
MG: But David Lee Roth didn’t like us. About two weeks into the tour VH’s road manager came to us and said ‘David doesn’t want you talking to the audience anymore because that is what he does’. Then a couple of days later the road manager came to us again and said ‘David doesn’t want you jumping off the drum riser anymore because that is what he does’. About halfway through the tour our deli platter disappeared and we no longer got soundchecks. And the juxtaposition to this was Eddie Van Halen, he had just met Valerie Bertinelli and she was along for the tour. You would see them sitting backstage and there were little heart balloons over their heads and Eddie would be ‘How’s it going, man, how’s it going?’ and I didn’t want to ruin his perfect day and tell him how it was really going. It was stunning to watch Eddie play. He would have these looks on his face like he couldn’t believe what he was playing either… Overall it was a great, great time… We were going to have our homecoming at the Boston Garden and they fired us from the tour four days before the show… It was a great experience and it didn’t kill us.
We talked about the song “Psycho Chicken” and Mike told me that at one point the Talking Heads actually dropped “Psycho Killer” from their set because so many people were clucking during the beginning of the song.
MG: I was with a couple of friends. “That song ‘Psycho Killer’ came on and I just started making chicken noises. Within five minutes the song was written. We were playing it in a club in Newburyport and a DJ from WBCN was there and he said, ‘If I had a cassette of that I would play it’, so that is what we did. Within a very short time we were getting heavy airplay and had no record contract. We were getting the same amount of airplay as Michael Jackson and Led Zeppelin!
Mike told me that he in fact did write the Fools’ songs but I was curious if he played an instrument and what the process was.
John Fuzek (Motif): “I know that you play the toilet seat guitar (you have to see the show) but do you actually play guitar?” His reply, “God, no, that’s what the other band members do! I’ll get a melody in my head and then I’ll write lyrics to it. Initially I would just go hum it to Rich, my guitar player, and he’d say, ‘ok, that’s a C, ok, that’s a D’ and that is how we worked it out…then I got one of those little organs that tell you what chords you are playing.” I told him “as long as it works, that’s the important thing.”
MG: I always felt that I was writing songs for the character that I am in the band. It’s me up there, of course, but the guy that is up there never has any troubles. Everything goes perfectly in his life and if it doesn’t, he doesn’t know that that is happening because he’s a fool
MG: We’ve all had trouble in the band at one point or another- a death in the family or someone in the band is playing with a ruptured Achilles tendon-which was me by the way…having that person to become was a saving grace…when your job is to go and have fun it’s a really nice job description…you try to become the bigger, wilder, more fun version persona of yourself when you’re doing it.
Girard mentioned that he is now 72 years old, though if you saw a Fools’ show you would never know it
MG: It’s the energy of the audience. Some nights you’re just like a puppet on a string. The energy of the audience is making you bounce, making you dance, the unplanned kind of movements and the expressions> People show up expecting a good time and that’s the first step in making it happen!”
JF: What can folks expect at your September 24th show at the Stadium Theatre?
MG: Let me think. The shock, the awe. Five knuckleheads go whiz bombing. The band lets me climb out on a limb and then decides whether to join me there or cut the limb off. And I will bring the adult props…
Like I said,The Fools present a FUN and truly ENTERTAINING show. Whether you know all their songs, one song or no songs at all you are going to have a great time. Don’t miss out!
If you have not yet been to The Stadium Theatre this show is a perfect time to check it out. It is a beautiful theatre in the heart of Woonsocket with ample parking behind the building. Woonsocket is just a quick ten minute drive up 146 from Providence. You really have no excuse not to go! “Doo Wah Diddy” yourself a favor and get to this show! Also coming up at The Stadium: The Femmes of Rock, Stayin’ Alive Bee Gees Tribute, Sara Evans Acoustic Trio, Elton John Tribute, The Outlaws with Corky Laing’s Mountain, and many, many other shows… For more, cluck on over to: StadiumTheatre.com
That’s it for now, thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com After the Fall: In which our resident roots expert ponders the next season and beyond
Okee dokee folks… We are in the home stretch of summer, and it is unclear how the pandemic is going to affect fall schedules. I am seeing many cancellations already, so it’s best to check directly with venues before you head to any show to make sure the show is happening and find out their vaccination policy. I am glad that places are mandating vaccines for attendance; this is a public health crisis that takes cooperation to get beyond. Outdoor shows will probably be the norm until the temperature gets too chilly. I’m looking forward to cooler weather and hopefully more live music, but who knows? We have global warming issues and a lingering pandemic. We need to worry beyond the fall, we need to worry about the next decade and beyond. Too much to ponder? Too heavy? Read on…
Farm Aid 2021 is coming up on September 25 in Hartfod, Connecticut. The event is sold out, but you can still help to save family farms by donating to Farm Aid. Cash over to www.farmaid.org. Last year’s concert was virtual, but, so far, this year’s will be a live, in-person event. Unfortunately Neil Young has dropped out of the show due to COVID concerns, but the line-up still lists Wille Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price, Nathanial Ratecliff, Promise of the Real, and many others. I will be attending this year’s installment of Farm Aid and will have photos and a review to publish. Look for it the first week of October!
The third annual River Bend East Songwriters Festival will take place on Saturday, September 11 from noon – 5pm on the grounds of historic Slater Mill, 67 Roosevelt Avenue in Pawtucket. Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame Member Mark Cutler and award-winning singer/songwriter Rachel Sumner will co- headline the event. Other songwriters include J. Michael Graham, Kala Farnham, Kevin Williams and Allison Rose. The National Park Service will provide free tours of the museum and family-friendly activities. For more about the festival, compose on over to fb.com/rbesongwriters.
The Bluegrass Throedown happens every Wednesday at the heavenly dive bar in PVD, Nick-a-Nees. If you are a fan of pickin’ and a grinnin’ then get there for 8:30 so you don’t miss a note. Nick’s is dog friendly, so if Fido likes tunes bring him/her along, but only if they like people! Coming up you can catch the sounds of Rock Hearts on September 8, Poor Monroe on the 15th, and The Splinters on the 29th. There is no cover, but they do pass the hat, so be generous! For more, mow over to bluegrassthroedown.com
The third season of the Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series continues on September 10 with the always busy Adam Ezra Group and wraps on the 17th with Sidy Maiga and Afrimanding (West African Drums) with Chachi Carvalho and the International Players (hip-hop). In addition to the free admission, attendees can purchase dinner or snacks from the food trucks, enjoy an adult beverage at an on-site bar provided by Ciro’s Tavern, or just gaze at the sprawling view of River Island Art Park. For more, side by each over to grant.levittamp.org/woonsocket
If you read my interview with Jon Anderson of Yes last month, then you know how much of a Yes fan I am. I mentioned to Jon about how hard it is to cover Yes’ music and that I had seen a tribute band that did a pretty good job of tackling this. Awaken is the band, and Anderson was very familiar with them. Reaching the virtuosity of Steve Howe, Chris Squire or even Rick Wakeman is daunting for any musician. Awaken’s set list runs through all the various incarnations of the band. The classic roster of Yes is no more, but the touring band is still worth catching when they are in the area. Rick Wakeman will be at the Narrows in Fall River on October 19, so that will be a rare opportunity to experience an intimate performance with this master keyboard player. If you want to hear Yes’ hits and deep cuts sooner than later, then hit the District Center for the Arts in Taunton on September 10 when Awaken tackles the tunes. For more, get “Close to the Edge” at districtartcenter.com.
I just realized that I have now been writing for Motif for 17 years! Wow. Hopefully I have another 17 in me! That’s it for now, thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com
Yes!: Jon Anderson head to Woonsocket
Okee dokee folks… Back in the mid ’70s, my friends and I would drive around in my 1965 Rambler station wagon. I had an 8-track tape player sound system and often Yes songs would make the endless loop in the deck. We would always find it amusing how you would hear the clank of the track change mid tune. Those Yes songs were long! Their prog-rock albums were a staple of my record collection and was the perfect soundtrack for headphone listening or night time cruising. I have been fortunate over the years to have seen Yes many, many times and in almost all of their band configurations. I even caught the show where the Buggles (“Video Killed the Radio Star”) merged with Yes. Nowadays Yes is like most bands of that era — a couple of original members and hired gun fill-ins. Long time bassist Chris Squire passed away a couple of years ago. Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman haven’t performed with them in quite a long time. I saw Yes at Bold Point Park a couple of years ago and I was still able to get a good fix of the music.
Two members of Yes will be playing solo area shows. Jon Anderson will be at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket on August 28 and Rick Wakeman will hit the Narrows Center for the Arts on October 19. I had the opportunity to speak with former Yes frontman, Jon Anderson. I always record these conversations so I can transcribe them accurately but unfortunately there was a glitch. Somehow because of either an equipment malfunction or a brain fart (I had experienced a concussion days prior) there was no recording. After realizing this I quickly jotted down a few notes from the conversation so I could make the best of the interview.
When I called him his initial comment was that he was sitting and staring at the ocean. He was in Connecticut and had played a show in Ridgefield the night before. The first thing I noticed about speaking with Jon Anderson was the feeling that I was engaging with a character from The Lord of the Rings. He had a magical way of speaking and he had the most interesting UK accent I’d heard. It was a fun chat. We laughed a lot. I commented that I noticed he had played Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury, MA a few nights prior and that my band had just played there as well. I told him we play Neil Young music. He said that he wanted to sing on one of Neil Young’s album but Neil never called him back. I mentioned to him that I was tied up with my own music stuff and was not sure if I was going to be able to get to his show. He told me that doing music was a gift and that I should be grateful; it was far better than “shoveling shit”! He said he should know as he actually used to shovel shit in his youth! I told him that while I was photographing Yes a couple of years ago guitarist Steve Howe gave me a “finger wag” as I snapped shots of him. I asked Jon “what’s up with that?” He replied that Steve can be a bit of a curmudgeon about having his pic taken. The more I talked with Jon the more I thought to myself “I HAVE to get to this show!” Anderson has collaborated with many artists over the years, some examples being Vangelis and Jon Luc Ponty. I asked Jon about what he is doing with music these days. He exclaimed that he has enough for ten musicals to present over the next few years. He added, “I just keep thinking of more music to make”. I then asked his age as I wondered if this would be a factor. Anderson is 77 but he is a youthful and spry 77 so I imagine that we will be blessed with much more of his work. Then I thought again, “I HAVE to get to this show!”
I asked what he was doing on this tour. He mentioned that he is working with Paul Green, the founder of The School of Rock. His band is made up of past members of School of Rock bands. If you have ever seen a School of Rock performance you already know how talented these kids are. Jon and I talked about our experiences with School of Rock bands and how we are always amazed by them. I inquired about what songs we could expect from him at the Stadium show. He immediately mentioned “Hear of the Sunrise”. This song came up a few times. He also told me that he would be covering songs such as Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir”, and something by INXS. He added that they would be playing a LOT of the classic Yes music that he is known for. Again I thought “I HAVE to get to this show!”. We went on to talk about how Yes bassist Chris Squire and Anderson added how lucky he was to have been able to work with him. After about 20 minutes we had to wrap the call as he needed to hit the road to his next destination. I thanked him and said, “I HAVE to get to this show!”. I decided then and there that I will MAKE THE TIME to get to this show. It will be worth it. If you are a Yes fan as I am you owe it to yourself to hear the true voice of Yes once sing these timeless classics.
Jon Anderson and the Paul Green Rock Academy Band will be at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket, RI on Saturday, August 28. Seriously, It’s “Your Move”, get your tickets now. For more, “Roundabout” to StadiumTheatre.com
That’s it for now, thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com
On the Road Again: Southside Johnny talks touring in advance of his PPAC show
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes will be at Providence Performing Arts Center on August 20. I recently spoke with John Lyon, aka Southside Johnny, about touring post pandemic, porch performances and how it all started.
John Fuzek (Motif): So, are you in New Jersey now?
Southside Johnny: Yes, I am about a five minute walk from the Atlantic Ocean.
JF: How does it feel to be back out performing after the pandemic?
SJ: It was odd at first. We played a couple of shows. We had a rehearsal, which we never do because we’ve been playing for so long. It all felt great, seeing people’s actual faces! It’s a wonderful thing. Every show’s been fun. Being off for that long you wonder what kind of shape you’re in. It’s like riding a bike, I guess. You get back on and you fall over a couple of times and then you’re good.
JF: Yeah, I am kind of in the same boat. I am just getting back to performing again, it’s been a tough year.
SJ: I was lucky that I have some neighbors that play guitar. I play harmonica and we would sit on the porch just like it was 1922 or something like that before radio became big and sing and have cocktails, of course, and people would come around. It was really a small town enjoyment.
JF: Did you do any recordings of it?
SJ: No, but someone filmed a bit of it once. It was very informal, you know three verses of a song where there are four verses and you get to the fourth and you and you start humming or whistling the last one.
JF: I do that on a good day!
SJ: I do that on stage with my band. I get the words all screwed up sometimes. The audience knows me and they laugh they say, “There he goes again.”
JF: Maybe you should do a porch recording album. It might be a fun thing to do.
SJ: it might be, I’d have to have a few more musicians to make it, well, who knows, I’ve thought about it, but I just enjoy the spontaneity of it, so I don’t want to make it any formal thing.
JF: That’s true. You had a guy in your band a while back Joel (Cage) Gramolini, I did some gigs with him way back and he used to tell me he had been in your band.
SJ: Yeah, he was great. He decided to go solo…he was a terrific player, great singer, we had a lot of fun.
JF: He’s Gary’s brother from Beaver Brown but you know that already!
SJ: Yes (laughs).
JF: Who is in the band these days?
SJ: It’s the same band I have had for five or six years. The drummer is probably the newest guy. and he’s been around for quite a while. It’s people that have been with me for a long, long time and we are a well oiled machine, and it’s probably the best band that I’ve ever had so I am really enjoying it, I can relax and let them play and not have to worry about anything and it makes it a joy for me on stage and they can all solo, they can all improvise, and they all get along which is a blessing, believe me, you ride on the bus for 10 hours!
JF: I have a band, I KNOW!
SJ: You don’t want any conflicts, a little bit of sniping here and there is okay, but no real conflicts or the tension ratchets up and everybody’s miserable.
JF: How long will you be out for with this tour or is it just a one up for this show? SJ: We have lots of make-up dates, we were in Florida and we got shut down in March last year when we were on the road so we have a lot of those dates to make up where we promised that we’d play and we’ve go other gigs coming in so it’s going to be a very busy second half of the year. I’m grateful for it, but I look at schedule and I think “Oh, boy, I hope we can make it through this one.”
JF: I have a little bit of a concern that we might go through a shut down again in the fall. What do you think?
SJ: I haven’t really kept up with it as much as I used to, I know there’s the Delta variant and now there’s another one. I don’t know, I’ll take it as it comes. I’ve been vaccinated and the the band’s been vaccinated, so we’re not too concerned about catching it but we certainly don’t want to carry it to anybody. You know with large gatherings you have to worry about those things these days, things will develop, I can’t control it, so whatever happens, happens, just like the weather. We played outdoors the other day and it rained during the day, but it cleared up at night and it was beautiful. I had a great time so you can’t really worry about things that you can’t control.
JF: Beaver Brown is playing with you at PPAC. Are they on tour with you or is the only show you are doing together?
SJ: I think that it’s one of a few that they are playing with us, usually when we come up that way they join us, we are going all over the country but we are not going to Europe this year, which I am kind of miffed about, but I guess it’s a little bit more restrictive over there. Maybe next year, if I am still playing next year (laughs).
JF: How old are you now?
SJ: 72. The years on the road takes its toll on you, but I still love being in front of the audience and singing, just closing my eyes and singing makes me feel, it’s just a satisfying thing to do, it’s like a great gift has been given to you.
JF: That’s great! One of the things that I like to hear from musicians they’re grateful for the gift of music and they don’t take it for granted. I know I certainly appreciate being a musician all of my life. I’ve been doing this for almost 50 years.
SJ: Yeah, you have to be. Especially if you’ve done it for a long time you start to realize that in the arrogance of youth you think, “Yeah, I can do this, this is cool.” But you get a perspective on it you are being ALLOWED to do it. People actually come and see you play, and it doesn’t always work that way. There are plenty of people that are better than I am that don’t get out to play as much as I do.
JF: So where did Southside come from?
SJ: Chicago, where a lot of blues players come from. One time someone said, “Here’s Southside Johnny.” I don’t remember who said it. IT might have been Gary Tallent, we all had to have nicknames for this one band and that became mine and I can’t get rid of it now.
JF: Tell me a little bit about the beginnings with Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt.
SJ: Well, there was a club called the Upstage Club. It was open to teenagers, no alcohol served and it was open until 5 o’clock in the morning in the summer. Of course all the musicians gravitated there. They had a stage, drum kit, keyboard, guitar amps, and all you to do was bring your instruments and jam and form bands and do things like that and that’s where I met most of those people. Gary I went to school with, then when Steven and Bruce came down and played we were all in little jam bands and someone conned a bar owner into letting us play, maybe even paying us some money. We put together a band, we all knew every Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, a lot of Rolling Stones, so we knew lot of songs and we had rehearsals, then we’s go and play and try to make some money.
JF: Having a place to play and making money is always a good thing!
SJ: It was. It was a wild club, it used to Show silent movies and we played music behind them, WC Fields shorts and things like that. It was the ’60s and it was a crazy time. We were very fortunate to have it. It was our education.
JF: When did the Jukes formerly form or did they just evolve out of something?
SJ: They evolved out of a band called the Blackberry Blues Band and it’s a long history, Steven (Van Zandt) and I wanted to add horns, it was really tough to get three different horn players but eventually we did and it became Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and we played at the Stone Pony for about four years, maybe more, we still play there in the summer at the outdoors thing, but we didn’t get to do this last year but we will in September this year, so, it’s very fortunate to have places to matriculate I guess you could say.
JF: I have not seen you band in a long time, my brother was a huge fan of yours, I think I saw you last at an amusement park called Rocky Point.
SJ: Hopefully you will get to see us when we come to Providence!
JF: I put it on the calendar, but a lot of times I have my own gigs and cannot go. It’s a good thing to have gigs but it’s a drag not to be able see people I want to see.
SJ: The same thing happens with us, so many people are playing the same nights as we are and we want to see them and you just can’t if you’re working, it was like watching a television series that was on Friday nights, we never saw them, we played every Friday night.
JF: Now all you have to do is stream it!
SJ: It’s not a problem anymore but it used to be funny to hear people talk about that they just saw this and we just saw that and we would say no, we didn’t see any of it
JF: Did you do any live streaming while you were on the pandemic break?
SJ: No, Jeff did, my keyboard player, and a couple of the other guys, I am not proficient enough on that kind of thing, besides, I need an audience, I need people around me, I am mush better live than just sitting around playing
JF: I am right with you on that, I did one live stream with the band, there was a little bit of an audience there but that was it, I kind of feel the same way as you do, it’s kind of sterile. So, what are your live shows like nowadays?
SJ: We try to do two hours, we do a lot of the songs from the past, but we haven’t had an album in a few years, but we try to hit every album, we improvise everything on stage, there’s no real set list, I make a set list but they just laugh, and you know, we’re open to anything, the other night people called out a couple of requests and we did them, it’s easy to do with this band, they’re so good
JF: It’s great that you can do that, not everyone can do that nowadays, they are so set in a format, and newer bands don’t have the performing legacy to pull stuff like that off
SJ: Yes, and also it’s just the years of being a musician, you know a million songs, just by osmosis almost, and if I start singing a song that they don’t know they can fake it, it makes for an exciting moment for us on stage and I think it translates to the audience, they love to see us stumble and fall (laughs)
JF: it’s REAL! Being a musician as long as I have I have watched things go and when I see a band play and hear music I LIKE the imperfections in performances but now musicians try to make everything so clinically perfect it has no personality., I like the cracks in people’s voices, the forgetting of the words, the blown notes, that makes it real
SJ: You won’t find any perfection in a Juke’s show I’ll tell you that right away. (laughs) Some bands will play the same set every night, I don’t want to work in an office where everything is the same, I always want it to be a little bit challenging, I always want it to be a little bit what’s going to happen next? I don’t know what’s going to happen I want to be surprised by some moment in the show
JF: that’s what makes performing fun and what makes a concert experience good for an audience member, I have been to multiple night shows where it has been the exact show including between song banter, whereas I have been to others where it has been a totally different show each night and that is more exciting
SJ: it’s more exciting for the musicians too, anyone can get complacent doing the same thing over and over, I don’t want complacent musicians, I don’t want to be complacent myself, i want to be challenged and i want to carer about what I am doing, if i just go through the motions that’s not healthy for me
JF: It keeps you young, too!
SJ: Well I don’t know about that (laughs) But it keeps you interested, and I’m going to do what I want to do on stage and that’s the way it is
JF: that’s the good thing about music, you’re the boss, well, Springsteen’s the boss, but you’re in charge!
SJ: (laughs) I am in charge, I am the officer in charge
JF: and I am sure it shows and hopefully it will for years to come! Bands like the Jukes are a rarity and there aren’t new ones coming along, everyone is so American Idol-ized… they don’t understand the music business, they look at it completely different, you happened organically, you worked your ass off over the years, now people just want to plug in and be famous
SJ: There’s always an audience for live music, there’s a lot of good bands…and there are lots bands that matured playing live, it’s just, as you say, there is a lot of manufactured stuff, but there always was, there are always producers and record companies dictating who sings what and all that, that’s not what we do, I don’t worry about that, I don’t think about it that much, people come to see us because they know they’re going to have a god time, we have a good time, the audience has a good time, and that’s all it’s really about
JF: “We’re Having a Party” that’s your song so…
SJ: That’s right!
JF: When I was growing up that was a great song to come on and sing along to while you’re drinking at a party, that was it
SJ: We do have some songs that are a little more thoughtful but basically when we’re onstage we’re just having a good time and I think that’s all people really want from us, I’ve written some political songs, I’ve written some angry songs, but in the long run they come to see us and they want to forget what’s going on in their world and be reminded that there’s some fun to be had and joy in life and that’s what we do.
JF: and you have horns which is great, not a lot of folks have that anymore…
SJ: No and there’s a reason for that (laughs)
JF: why is that?
SJ: All horn players are crazy! (lots of laughter) I love my guys, it elevates music to another level, when they kick in everybody gets a jolt and I think that’s great
JF: I love horn bands, the power of the horns and the arrangements, that adds a layer to music that you just can’t get with synths, and like you said the horn players are usually crazy and the antics on stage are always interesting to watch as well
SJ: Luckily for me I’ve got my back turned to them! (laughs)
JF: So you get all the spit from the horn section on you?
SJ: That’s exactly right!
JF: Anything else you want to throw in before we wrap this up?
SJ: Just if anyone is looking for a good time they certainly should come to the show
On Friday, August 20, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes will be having a party and you’re invited! They are famously known for their horn driven renditions of “The Fever,” “Walk Away Renee,” “Talk To Me” and, of course, “Havin’ a Party.” Their shows are always a lot of fun, and they are bringing along Jon Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band to make it even more so! For more, toot over to PPACRI.org
That’s it for now, thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com It Takes a Village: Town crier talks music and medicine
Okee dokee folks … I honestly thought that we would be beyond pandemic discussions by now, but we’re not. GET A F**KING VACCINE!!! We have the capacity to eradicate the virus, but it takes a village and we are learning that the village has more than one idiot. It has throngs of them. As long as the unvaxxed walk among us, the virus has human fuel to burn and MUTATE. This is on you now — science has done its part. Smarten up or everything is going to get locked down again. I don’t want to live in a bubble with no live music again. I am fine with natural selection weeding out the covidiots, but seriously enough is enough. GET A VACCINE so we can ALL be safe and get back to normal. Thank you. Now read on…
The 7th annual Rhode Island Folk Festival (formerly the Providence Folk Fest) will take place on Sunday, August 29 at Rose Larisa Park in Riverside (East Providence). It’s right across from the carousel so you can dash over for a painted pony ride between sets. This year’s fest features three stages of music with over 40 acts, and best of all, it’s FREE. There will also be food and crafts. For more, get the folk over to RhodeIslandFolkFestival.com There is still time to donate $$ to help fund the fest!
The Rhythm and Roots Festival will take place Labor Day weekend at Ninigret Park in Charlestown. Though this year’s fest will be a bit smaller due to the pandemic, the Motif award-winning event will still retain the charm and fun of previous years. This year’s line-up includes Richard Thompson, John Hiatt, Donna the Buffalo, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi, and way too many more to list. R&R has instituted safety protocols: “To gain admittance, all attendees entering the campgrounds and/or the festival grounds will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result taken within 72 hours.” For more, root-a-toot to RhythmandRoots.com
The Providence Performing Arts Center will be presenting shows once again! On Friday, August 20, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes will be having a party and you’re invited! This Jersey band formed in the ’70s and had a close association with Springsteen. They are known for their horn-driven renditions of “The Fever,” “Walk Away Renee,” “Talk To Me” and, of course, “Havin’ a Party.” Their shows are always a lot of fun and they are bringing along Jon Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band to make it even more so! I had a chance to speak with John Lyon, aka Southside Johnny, and you can read that interview at MotifRI.com/southsidejohnny. PPAC is back in action and there are lots more shows to come. Elvis Costello was just added to the calendar! For more, palace over to PPACRI.org
The chartbustin’ Robin Lane comes to Providence on Saturday, August 14, to perform a benefit in support of her nonprofit, Songbird Sings, which helps trauma survivors heal through songwriting and music. The show will be at Dusk and besides Lane will feature performances by Kid Gulliver, Justine and The Unclean, Nightspell, and The Jacklights. To learn more about Robin’s organization, tweet over to SongbirdSings.org. For more about the show, dash over to DuskProvidence.com.
The Z in New B has shows for FREE! The City of New Bedford in partnership with The Zeiterion Theatre present Summer Sound Series, free concerts in Custom House Square in downtown New Bedford! The beer garden opens at 2pm, with live music from 4–7pm. Bring a lawn chair and lounge in the park, or sit under the tent and have a drink from the on-site bar. On the schedule is Kim Trusty on August 12, The Jethros on August 19 and Rebecca Correia on August 26. For more, X, Y over to the Z at Zeiterion.org
Even though John Chan is retiring and getting out of the food/music biz, there are still great shows happening at his venue. Blues-rock singer-guitarist Mike Zito will be performing with special guest Anthony Geraci on piano on Thursday, August 19 at Chan’s in Woonsocket. With numerous Blues Music Award honors under his belt, Mike Zito just released his new album with Hillside Global, Resurrection, on July 16, and recently won two Blues Music Awards from The Blues Foundation. Also at Chan’s: The Peacheaters, Michelle Wilson & the Evil Gal Orchestra, Duke Robillard Band, Diane Blue & Friends,Confounded Bridge and much more! Order up to ChansEggRollsandJazz.com for more.
That’s it for now, thanks for reading. Please, please, please get vaxxed. Don’t be part of the reason we shut down and raise the COVID numbers again. Be part of the solution! www.JohnFuzek.com
Giving Him the Six Degrees: An interview with Kevin Bacon as he comes to The Odeum
Kevin Bacon and his brother Michael will be bringing their band, The Bacon Brothers, into the Greenwich Odeum on Friday, July 16. I had the opportunity to speak with Kevin via phone last week in advance of his show.
John Fuzek (Motif): We actually played a show together quit a while back. You played in Newport, probably 2004ish. I opened for you. I guess I can do “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” with you.
Kevin Bacon: You know we’ve actually played around with the six degrees thing with music, which is actually pretty easy to do because, you know how it is, you played a gig with us, you end up working with people or playing on records with people who played with other people, you can get pretty far down the six degrees road just with the music thing…
JF: How did the pandemic affect you? Both in music and film…
KB: I can tell you that the Ides of March, that moment that we all remember when everything seemed to go bye-bye, I was shooting TV show that I’m on in New York, City On A Hill, and I got the call that we were going to suspend production, we’d kind of gotten wind of this pandemic. I’d got the call that we were going to suspend production for a couple of weeks, and we were in the studio finishing up our last record and I just had this sense that it wasn’t just going to be a couple of weeks. My whole family was out in Cali, and so I booked a flight and left NY and that was it for another, whatever it was, months. I was in LA and I ended up going back and starting up again, we ended up shooting the remaining six episodes, we had shot two. I guess started back in June and we were able to mix the record, sort of remotely, you know, pass mixes around. I also wrote a song In LA, and we cut that, again using file sharing. I did go into a studio that a buddy of mine owns down the street from our place in LA, put on masks, and he mixed it and we were able to get some guitars and some drums in isolated rooms, you know, it was just all that crazy stuff. So, yeah, this is the first time back.
JF: You haven’t played any shows yet? Will this be the first one back to playing at the Odeum?
KB: No, we did play one show. We went to Iowa. We went to a Casino in Iowa and played a single show about a week ago.
JF: Are you in Rhode Island right now?
KB: I’m not right now, I am actually on my way overseas this weekend, I’m doing a film in Bulgaria.
JF: What are you working on in Bulgaria?
KB: I’m doing a film called The Toxic Avenger.
JF: I think I have heard of that. You WERE in Rhode Island because Kyra (Sedgewick) is working on a film here, right?
KB: Yes, Kyra is up there now, it’s very serendipitous that we’re playing in RI while we’re working in RI.
JF: You have played the Odeum in the past, correct?
KB: I believe we have, yes.
JF: It’s a great room, I have played there a couple of times, good sound, good people.
KB: I seem to remember having a good time. We really like those old converted movie theaters, we’ve played a lot of those all over the country.
JF: When you started out, did you want to be a musician or an actor or both or just whatever came your way?
KB: I was kind of on the fence about it. We’re talking about when I was maybe 11? I knew it was going to be one of the two. I think when I really started taking acting classes and tried to sing in theaters in Philadelphia, I was a pretty driven kind, I really got out and started getting my feet wet when I was really young. I was writing songs and my brother was already off to the races on a music career and I think that for whatever reason I should probably do something different and that, in combination with the fact that I just loved acting, I mean I just immediately felt nurtured by it.
JF: Do your other siblings do anything musical or acting-wise?
KB: My sister Hilda was really more into music even before my brother. She was a Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins type acoustic folk singer when she was in high school. She never really pursued it as a career, but she was good. Had a really good voice and then her and my brother put together a jug band. They used to practice in our little house in Philly, so when I was a little kid — she’s 10 years older and he’s 9 years older than me — if you picture they’re probably about 13 and 14 and I’m probably about 3, and I’m sitting on the steps to our — unfinished would be the understatement, when you talk about our basement — and they’re down there playing away with jugs and washboards, you know the whole thing.
JF: Your brother Michael plays cello as well, correct?
KB: Yeah, he’s a good cello player, over the years we have capitalized on that and have added it. When we first put the band together we didn’t really use cello, but we use it more and more now. Michael’s first band was a rock band called Peter and the Wolves when he was in college. When they broke up he came back to Philadelphia and he was in a pretty successful band that was just acoustic guitar and cello, but Michael didn’t play the cello, his friend Larry played the cello. His friend Larry was like a virtuoso cello player and they were called Good News and they were great and very popular, especially in and around Philadelphia. There was a very specific kind of music scene in Philly.
JF: Do you both handle the songwriting in this band?
KB: Yes, and we used to write together, but we really don’t write much together anymore.
JF: I am sure that is tough because of the travel and such.
KB: Yeah, I mean I think that when I was first starting to write, first I started writing without knowing how to play an instrument. So I was just writing melodies and lyrics and then bringing them to my brother and he would kind of figure out the changes and structure the song. Once I started playing a little bit of guitar I just started writing on my own. Once in a while he’ll send me, there’s a song on our last record that he had a great, cool lyric and he had a sort of rhythm and he sort of spoke the lyric into the phone and sent it to me and I put it aside for like almost a year and one day I just kind of busted it out and said, “Now I’m kind of hearing something.” In that case we co-wrote it, but he did the lyrics and I did the music, a lot of people write that way.
JF: Yes, I’ve written that way with others as well. When did you start playing guitar?
KB: I was probably about 13 or 14.
JF: That’s about when I started as well. I think that’s when everybody starts.
KB: A lot of people start when they’re 14 and stop when they’re 14. I’m one of those guitar players that really didn’t put in the hard work and as a result, I’m sort of stuck in a certain place. I got plenty of knowledge in order to write, but that is kind of where it stopped. And that was just the process for me. Everyone has a different kind of process. There’s a big difference — the 14- or 15-year-old kid who opts to not go to run around on the street or go to a baseball game or whatever, but opts to stay in his room and really shred. Then you get to a certain level that I’ll never get to, but I am very happy to have any kind of facility on any kind of instrument. I don’t need to tell you it’s a nice thing to have.
JF: Has the Bacon Brother’s music been used in any of your films and has he appeared in any films with you in a band capacity?
KB: He never appeared in any film in a band capacity. There was a time when we were constantly trying to write something and get it into one of my movies and constantly unsuccessful. It’s funny, we do a song in the set now that I actually dragged out from our last record or the one before, I can’t remember, that I wrote for Tremors. But the funny thing was at the time the movie was called Beneath Perfection, so the song is called “Beneath Perfection” and then they rejected the song and the movie came out and they changed the title of it. We’ve had a couple of songs not only in one of our movies, but in other ones as well. I wrote two songs for a movie that I did called Telling Lies in America that was about an early ’60s DJ and a relationship, he was kind of a slimy DJ, he had this band that he was trying to promote, and they they needed a couple of ’60s R&B tunes for the movie. The writer, great writer, Joe Eszterhas, wrote a title of a song that was supposed to be the hit for this young band, the song was called “Medium Rare,” and I read that title and I thought that was the worst title I have ever heard for a song, so let me see if I can write it. So I ended up writing that one and another one that ended up in the movie. So that was kind of fun. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to specifically write in a style of an era or a kind of genre. It’s kind of a fun challenge, it’s not something that you necessarily get to do all the time.
JF: One movie I remember you playing guitar in was Stir Of Echoes. I think you played guitar throughout that one.
KB: If I remember correctly, he was a musician.
JF: And he was hearing a song in his head.
KB: Yeah, it was like “Paint It Black” or something like that. And the funny thing about it, I wrote a song for that one and it didn’t end up in that movie, but i think it ended up another movie. I’ll tell you a funny story about that one was that the prop guy came to me and said, “You need to have a guitar. What kind of guitar would be lying around in this guy’s house?” And I was like, hmmm, let me see, I think it would be a J-45 or a J-50 Gibson with a sunburst from the ’60s. Basically thinking of a guitar that i kind of wanted (laughs) and sure enough they went out and found me one and I most definitely kept it. I still have it! So if you look at that movie I still have that J-45.
JF: I don’t blame you. It’s a nice guitar! What can we expect at the Odeum?
KB: It’s a lot of new music. I’m sure there’s a lot of new music from the last time that we played there. We are playing in a five-piece configuration. We don’t have keys, but we have cello, guitars, ukulele, different kind of percussion situations, harmonica, you know, all that kind of stuff. We like to have a good time, we’re looking forward to playing.
JF: I remember it was a fun show. How long has the band been around?
KB: We started in, I think, ’94 or ’95.
JF: I know that this is probably a dopey question, I know you did it when I opened for you, but do you still do the Footloose song and dance a bit?
KB: We sometimes do it.
JF: I am sure you are tired of it.
KB: Well, there’s two ways of looking at it. One is that bands talk about how hard it is when fans just want to hear their hits. My feeling is that, “Shit if I had a hit I’d play it!” In our case we don’t have a hit, so if it’s going to give people pleasure and they’re going to have a good time, just as a goof, to hear, what I like to call “The F song,” sometimes we’re happy to do it! JF: That’s good. I am sure that people like to hear that. That’s the reality of the band is that as much as it’s about music, you tend to be the focal point just out of default.
KB: I don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth. I kind of feel like, it’s just a reality. I can’t tell people to come in and close their eyes and pretend that I wasn’t in a movie. There’s nothing I can do about that. I’m happy it gets people in the seats. We don’t pretend that’s not part of who I am.
The Bacon Brothers play the Greenwich Odeum on July 16. For more about this show and the many others at The Odeum sizzle over to: GreenwichOdeum.com
That’s it for now, thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com
Roots Report: Puff Puff, I’ll Pass: Music should be the only thing smoking
Okee dokee folks… This bit is going to annoy 14% of you folks. Who are these 14%? Smokers! Because I haven’t been many places in the past year and a half, I haven’t really had to deal with cigarette smoke, but now that things are opening back up I again have to contend with this vile scourge. When I started performing publicly in the mid-’80s, people smoked just about everywhere. Back then you were even still allowed to smoke on planes. In addition to playing solo gigs I was a bartender. When I came home from slinging drinks or a gig I would reek of cigarette smoke. It permeated everything — my clothes, my body, my music gear, even the money I made. I took a hiatus from performing to produce for a while, and by the time I got back to gigging again smoking had been banned indoors. But now that the pandemic and summer have pushed a lot of shows outdoors, the smoking issue is a bit unclear. Folks figure that if you are outside it is okay to smoke. Rhode Island prohibits smoking in public places and people smoking are supposed to be at least 20 feet away from the entrance of any business, but it seems like no one pays attention to this. Most large, outdoor concert venues do not allow any smoking, so why do the local nightclubs? Well, smokers tend to drink.
You would think after the pandemic that maybe fewer people would be smoking and everyone would take better care of their lungs. Smokers, please be courteous to the majority of people in the world who do not smoke; let us breathe clean air and take your pollution elsewhere. Here are some lyrics for you from the 1947 song,”Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” written by Merle Travis and Tex Williams, “Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette, Puff, puff, puff and if you puff yourself to death, Tell Saint Peter at the golden gate, Lord, you hate to make him wait,You gotta have another cigarette!” Please do us all a favor and quit. Read on…
A lot of you may know Rick Couto as drummer of Rhode Music Hall of Fame bands Rizzz and the Schemers, but did you know he was an amazing photographer who documented lots of RI concerts and musicians in the ’70s and ’80s? The pandemic gave Rick time to go through his immense collection of photos, and the culmination of this is a virtual exhibit by the Narrows in Fall River called To Have Been There. To view, snap over to NarrowsCenter.org/to-have-been-there-video-exhibition. The accompanying drum music is a Couto original called “The Other Other One.”
A couple of the photos in the Couto exhibit are of John Hall (Orleans, John Hall Band, and former US Congressman). He is best known for his songs “Still The One” and “Dance With Me” as well as the No- Nukes Concerts/Musicians United For Safe Energy. John Hall is a Providence [Rhode Island] Folk Festival alumnus and one of the musicians/people I most admire. His 1981 “Crazy” is one of my all-time favorite songs. Hall just released his 6th solo CD called Reclaiming My Time. Check out the video for the oh-so-timely song “World on Fire”: youtube.com/watch?v=qgc7yc3MFoI. For more, “Power” over to JohnHallMusic.com.
The Bacon Brothers are coming to the Greenwich Odeum on July 16. Believe it or not, you can play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with me. I played a show with the Bacon Brothers years back and according to Kevin, that counts. I spoke with Kevin Bacon the other day and you can read our interview at motifri.com/kevinbacon.
That’s it for now, thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com
Rockin’ in the Free World: Welcome back to the folking music
Rhythm and Roots Festival, 2019; photo by Phil Stewart Okee dokee folks… This summer should be dubbed the “Summer of Laxity.” Mask restrictions have been lifted or loosened and some folks are living life “like someone left the gate open” already. I am not ready for this.
A few months ago I designed a t-shirt that read “All Vaxxed Up And Nowhere To Go” and put it for sale in my Etsy store, but I might have been a little late to launch because there are plenty of places to go. I have started scheduling shows, and my first show in more than a year will be this weekend in NH. “Live Free Or Die”? Well, hopefully not.
Anyway, music is mostly happening again, but even though things are returning to normal, my band has a show that was just postponed once again until July 22. This was the sixth date change since spring 2020, so who knows for sure about the concreteness of any schedule. In the meantime, read on to find out what is what at this point in time…
Common Fence Music has paired up with the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown to present a series of outdoor concerts over the next few months. Dick Lynn, the new program coordinator at CFM, says, “I had crafted putting together an outdoor series in April while doing spring Facebook live series for CFM and while COVID was still a major issue. I approached Kaity at Norman Bird Sanctuary and she immediately and enthusiastically said yes. I put together the series and Kaity is putting together a wonderful setting for the shows.” For the series lineup, flap over to commonfencemusic.org or NormanBirdSanctuary.org.
The Town of Westerly presents another summer of Tunes on the Dunes at the Westerly Town Beach. This series happens from 6 – 8pm with Monday Night Jams and Wednesday Night Blues on the Beach. Highlights include a couple of my favorite acts — Aztec Two-Step 2.0 and David Tessier’s All-Star Stars, as well as Beaver Brown, Dave Howard and the High Rollers, Roomful of Blues, Greg Piccolo and many more. For the complete schedule, drift over to TunesontheDunesRI.com
The Rhode Island Folk Festival (formerly The Providence Folk Fest) will be happening on August 29 at Larissa Park in East Providence. This year’s line-up includes the Lisa Couto Trio, How’s About Charlie, Michelle Cruz and many others. This community event needs lots of hands to make it work and is recruiting volunteers. If you would like to help, please contact [email protected]. For more info, get the folk over to RhodeIslandFolkFestival.com.
The 2021 Rhythm and Roots Festival is something to look forward to this year. Labor Day weekend, the 23rd R&R Fest will once again bring the best musical party and Motif award winning festival to Ninigret Park. Some of the performers for this edition of the weekend gathering are Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi, John Hiatt, Uprooted featuring Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root and more. Festival organizer Chuck Wentworth says, “Live music eases our minds in troubled times. After the year we’ve just had, the 2021 festival will be a real celebration, but a safe one.” The Labor Day weekend festival brings together music fans, dancers, campers and families for dozens of performances, food of every variety, artisan’s handmade wares, and a reunion-like vibe that’s been described as “chill but lively at the same time.” Health and safety mandates require smaller crowds than in the past so tickets are limited. For more, zy-de-go-go to RhythmAndRoots.com
Catch the Vox Hunters and Atwater Donnelly on June 4 at the Bristol Maritime Center in Bristol. The Empire Revue presents The Directions Show live at Prospect Terrace Park on June 27. Providence’s premier sketch showcase will happen socially distanced and safe, out in the wilds of Providence! Space is limited so advanced ticket purchase is required, and masks are mandatory (fb.com/EmpireRevueProvidence). The Spindle City Fest in Fall River, presented in part by the Narrows, will feature 20 art vendors, two great bands, activities for the kids and food trucks on June 5 from 11am – 4pm. Admission is free. The Narrows also has a lot of great indoor shows coming up as well. Check out their lineup at narrowscenter.org. And the Greenwich Odeum also is hosting some indoor shows. Check out their lineup at greenwichodeum.com. Your favorite Dive Bar, Nick-A-Nee’s, has the Bluegrass Throedown on Wednesdays and lots of outdoor live music all summer (fb.com/nickanees). So far Bold Point Park in East Providence only has one show on the schedule for this summer, The Brothers Osborne on August 1, but check back from time to time at waterfrontconcerts.com/venue/bold-point-park.
Anyway, I am typing this column with blurry vision. I managed to have a metal splinter lodge in my eye while grinding metal for a new RI Folk Festival stage. Yes, I had safety glasses on, but it breached those. It took me a week to decide go to the eye doctor and have it removed. Did I ever mentioned that I am VERY stubborn, in addition to my get-off-my-lawn personality? On another note, my band, Forever Young, has a live, in-person show at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River on July 16! Yippee! Time to start “Rockin’ In The Free World” again! That’s it for now, thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com
The 60s!: One of our favorite folk enters a new decade
Okee dokee folks… YIKES! I am 60! How did this happen? I still think I’m 30, but my body feels like I’m 90, so I guess that averages out to 60. The first time I met Pete Seeger, he was 60 and he seemed old to me then. I don’t think I am old, but I suppose that I really am. At least I am coming out of the other side of the pandemic alive and healthy unlike 575,000-plus Americans. I am fully vaccinated and now have immunity. Getting the vaccine was a relief. Both shots were painless and neither bothered me in any way — except maybe that pesky third nipple that popped up. KIDDING!!! The same applied for my girlfriend and parents, they were all fine. It is a huge step toward hope — hope that we can start playing gigs again and can get back to whatever normal will be. I was supposed to play a show last week but it was canceled because of COVID restrictions. I was disappointed, but understood. This thing is winding down, but it’s not done with us yet. Jumping the gun is a mistake and precautions still need to be taken. I wish that more people would understand this. I still see people arguing against mask mandates and won’t get vaccinated. I have actually seen a man standing by the side of 295 protesting mask wearing. Seriously? When I went to Japan in the late 1980s I was freaked out when I saw people wearing surgical masks. I didn’t understand why. I found out that it was polite to wear a mask if you were sick. Thirty five years later and this is something that many Americans are CHOOSING to complain about: common sense! Until society comes together completely over this and complies, the pandemic will linger longer than it has to. Venues are beginning to open and host live music. Some of it will be outside, some of it is limited indoors while some still remain shuttered. Safety precautions will hopefully remain in effect for a while. A handful of festivals will take place this year, such as Newport Folk Fest, Rhythm and Roots Fest and The RI Folk Festival (formerly PVD Folk Fest). Details about these events are still being hammered out. As far as the Rhode Island Folk Festival in East Providence, this year will be a lower key event. It takes months and months to raise the money, coordinate the artists and volunteers and do all the other things that go on behind the scenes. It is hard to pull together with less time as well as gamble on the whims of an unpredictable pandemic. I am sure that this will apply to other events that require lots of advanced planning, so take this into consideration if you are going to be cranky about abridged affairs. I know you are tired of hearing this, but wear a mask and get your damn vaccine! Read on…
The Narrows Center for the Arts continues its Friday Night Streaming Series with Heather Maloney on May 14, The Blue Ribbons on the 21st, and Tom Rush on the 28th. George Winston is performing a limited audience show on May 7, but that is only because Winston is strictly piano music and there is no singing, which is currently prohibited indoors in Massachusetts. Alas, this show has already sold out. The Colby James show on June 12 is already sold out as well. For more, navigate to narrowscenter.org for updates on in-person shows as well as the streams.
With the weather warming up, the Millrace Music Series will be getting underway. On May 7th, this eight-week, Friday night series kicks off with The Kickin Brass Band outside on the patio of The Millrace Kitchen, 40 South Main Street, Woonsocket. The free shows begin at 6pm and continue to 8:30pm. The series continues with Kim Trusty on the 14th, Lisa Bello May on the 21st, Dynamite Rhythm on the 28th, High Planes on June 4 and Eastern Medicine Singers on the 11th. Seating is limited and all COVID-19 capacity limits will be enforced. For more, side by each to: Facebook.com/MillraceKitchen
The Greenwich Odeum is presenting a livestream in May with Marielle Kraft and The Naticks to help raise some clams for the Odeum. The Odeum’s calendar also boasts a few limited capacity, in- person shows so it’s best to get your tix before they go. Coming up: Hubby Jenkins from The Carolina Chocolate Drops on May 15, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins on May 21 (it will be streamed on the 22nd as well), The Verve Pipe on May 22, Richard Shindell & Lucy Kaplansky on June 10, and The queen of mall concerts, Tiffany, on June 25. To stay in the know about the O go to greenwichodeum.com
The Evening Sky band’s One Mic, Two Weekends was recorded over two weekends in 2020 by musicians Eric Hastings, Gino Rosati, Chris Brooks and Joe Potenza, with amps and drums strategically placed in the same room around just one stereo ribbon microphone. The eight-song disc features guitar and pedal steel instrumentals with a country twang, bluesy-jazzy-funk feel. Some of it even leans into the Allman Brothers’ “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” territory. You may even hear echoes of the Grateful Dead and Asleep at the Wheel in there as well. Slide over to eveningskyband.com for more, or catch them live at the Pump House on May 14 or The Music Mansion on May 30.
Unfortunately, we lost another member of the Rhode Island music community to COVID last week. Bill McGrath, a musician who was also a staunch supporter of other local musicians and produced showcases for up-and-coming artists, passed away after a month-long battle with COVID. This loss has heavily affected many in the music community as well as his daughter, singer-songwriter Allison Rose.
Anyway, chin up, mask up-over the nose, please. That’s it for now, thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com