Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes

[TonyNYC]

I'm probably a little more interested in looking at the old vids and live recordings to see all of the different songs they've played-other than La Bamba I'm not sure I can pick out a juke or an e streeter if I passed them on the street-and in some cases the different versions and lyrics they've done through the years.

During this last meandering caused by you Jim, I ran across Springsteen doing an acoustic version of the Beach Boys' When I Grow Up To Be A Man, his rare Frankie and The Animals' We Gotta Get Out Of This Place-I remember seeing him do It's My Life at Avery Fisher Hall the first time I saw him-and Up On The Roof.

[sunsetkidd]

During this last meandering caused by you Jim, I ran across Springsteen doing an acoustic version of the Beach Boys' When I Grow Up To Be A Man, his rare Frankie and The Animals' We Gotta Get Out Of This Place-I remember seeing him do It's My Life at Avery Fisher Hall the first time I saw him-and Up On The Roof.

It's easy to meander with youtube. Actually, I often spend far too much time finding old Springsteen stuff; different versions and performances of his own stuff, and things like you mentioned. Youtube is like a candy store for fans of the Boss.

So then check out this sweet vid, new to me; the promo vid for It's Been A Long Time frm the GREAT 'Better Days' album, Southside, Bruce and Steven, at the Stone Pony:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJLo5EkU7Lo

[Patm]

So then check out this sweet vid, new to me; the promo vid for It's Been A Long Time frm the GREAT 'Better Days' album, Southside, Bruce and Steven, at the Stone Pony:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJLo5EkU7Lo

Another great song. I've not listened to that CD in a while. Its going on the Ipod tomorrow. Now you've both got me searching YouTube. Tony, I figured if you could unearth Bruce doing "When I Grow Up", I could find my all time favorite Bruce cover also.

From the incredible 1978 "Darkness" tour, here's "Double Shot Of My Baby's Love",
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPzfQNb9IuU

[TonyNYC]

Always loved Double Shot Of My Baby's Love by the Swinging Medallions and it's such a perfect fit for Bruce and the E Streeters. Never saw him do it live myself, though I know I've heard it.

The favorite covers I've seen Bruce do through the years have been Trapped, Quarter To Three, It's My Life, Raise Your Hand, Jersey Girl, Expressway To Your Heart, Who'll Stop The Rain, Goin' Back, Who'll Stop The Rain.

[Bogeyfire]

I don't want to be a dissenter, but honestly, I know nothing about this band. I don't think I have ever heard of them touring in San Diego. They have a big Springsteen connection. I don't know what that is, but they sound similar on some songs and I know "Bruce" and "Little Stevie" have appeared with them.

I wonder if bands in other parts of the country refuse to tour in NY or NJ? Doubtful. I know Springsteen has refused to come to my town in something like 35 years. Why? Its been the 6th or 7th largest city in the country for decades! Has "Southside Johnny" come in the past 20-30 years? If so, I apologize for my rant. But I don't think so, and I have no tolerance for prima donnas.

As I said, I don't know "Johnny", (Is it okay to call him on a last name basis?), he sings to a home crowd and according to his tour schedule he stays there except when he goes to Europe. He has no time for me, why should I reciprocate?

I'm sure if I was in NJ, I'd love the guy. But from my perspective, they don't care for me, so my opinion is merely theirs reciprocated.

[TonyNYC]

I'm not sure how big Southside Johnny & The Jukes ever got to be anywhere even in their hey day back in the mid and late 70s except northeast cities (they were always a bigger live draw than a record seller) and maybe Cleveland & Detroit (all the places that first supported Springsteen's music) and I doubt that they could afford to tour across the country on any kind of a regular basis in recent years with their 8-12 piece band, but I do know Kenny or Samdiego from the old site told me he booked them in San Diego with Los Lobos and they blew them off the stage-which I had to see since I think I like Los Lobos live even more than Southside...

Anyway, the best of Southside is sort of a mix between R&B and Phil Spector and features a great brass section and Southside's just a great R&B singer and Harmonica player and the Jukes are one of the world's best bar bands and if you're at all interested, I'd be happy to send you one of my infamous home made compilation CDs.

Just send your address to me at agloeggler@nyc.rr.com

...and it's Little Steven to you.

[TonyNYC]

Oh forgot, Johnny, Bruce and Steven played with each other for years in a number of bands before they ever made it and Springsteen alone or with Steven wrote a bunch of songs that the Jukes recorded on their first 3 albums and Steven played guitar, arranged and produced a lot of their stuff back then too.

They'd also pop up and play at each other's shows every now and then. Always a cool surprise. I saw Steven and Clarence sit in with Southside when they played the Schaeffer Festival at Central Park and I saw Bruce call out Johnny once in San Francisco to help with Hungry Heart.

I know more than you cared to know, but I have to do something with this useless information.

[Patm]

I don't want to be a dissenter, but honestly, I know nothing about this band.

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes became known on the East coast around the same time as Springsteen. Think very good bar band with great horn section. As Tony mentioned, they also benefited from some very good Springsteen, and Steve Van Zandt songs on their first three albums, one of which "Hearts Of Stone" is a real classic.

They got a lot of airplay early on but that started to fade by the early 80's. I'd say they are still a huge draw in the NY/NJ area, but no longer well known in other parts of the country.

If you like Bruce or bands like J. Geils, you'll enjoy Southside Johnny.

[sunsetkidd]

Johnny, Bruce and Steven played with each other for years in a number of bands before they ever made it and Springsteen alone or with Steven wrote a bunch of songs that the Jukes recorded on their first 3 albums and Steven played guitar, arranged and produced a lot of their stuff back then too.

BTW Steven Van Zandt never wrote a song that the E Street Band recorded in the studio, I don't think. It was always Bruce. But, he wrote or co-wrote over a dozen absolutely indispensible (IMO) songs on the first 3 Jukes albums for Epic. On that third album Hearts of Stone, which I think is the best (or close to it), Bruce wrote the title track and Talk to Me but Steven has sole writing credit for 6 of the songs. He is a cofounder of that band...and, not an original E Street member!

[wini]

and Steven wrote 9 songs for the 'Better Days' album, including It's Been A Long Time ...