Memorial Day 2012

Thoughts on Memorial Day

When you visit Gettysburg, the most moving sight will probably not be the round tops, nor the Cyclorama, nor Cemetary Hill nor the view out at Seminary Ridge, nor even the cemetary itself. As moving as those are, the most moving and important sight is probably the Eternal Light Peace Memorial. The inscription reads:

“An enduring light to guide us in unity and fellowship.”

“With firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right. – Lincoln”

As we remember our boys, girls, men and women on this day, my hope is that we do it such a way that renews America’s commitment to peace. Lets stop these endless, mindless “police actions”, and work towards Congress finally enforcing the War Powers Act in a meaningful way. Wars should not be fought over oil, over our desire to impose our way of life (re: Western-style democracy) on others. It should only be a last resort, and never done proactively.

This is one thing nearly all of my friends seem to agree on, liberal, libertarian, right, left, Tea Party: We have wasted too much of our nations blood, money and energy on wars. It is not up to us to be the police of the world. It is not up to us to defend corporate interests. And it is not up to us to impose our way of life on others. America is a republic, not an empire.

Here is what some of our greatest leaders, generals, presidents, etc, have said about war:

“The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.” -James Madison

“Governments constantly choose between telling lies and fighting wars, with the end result always being the same. One will always lead to the other.” -Thomas Jefferson

“My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, war, banished from the earth.” -George Washington

“There never was a good war or a bad peace.” -Benjamin Franklin

“There is no glory in battle worth the blood it costs.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower

“History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap.” -Ronald Reagan

http://www.gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/Other/Peace.php

- Al-Vis 5/28/2012

Eternal Light Peace Memorial at Oak Hill, Gettysburg PA

Re-posted from FB ‘Remembering The Circuit In Asbury Park, NJ”

This was originally posted in the Facebook group “Remembering The Circuit In Asbury Park NJ” back in 2010. The group was started after a message thread got a bit out of hand until too many people were posting too many responses and they started getting blocked from the messaging system (stupid FB!).

I suggested that we start a group to share more stories about The Circuit and my friend Ken Wescott did exactly that.

Since no one had posting any such thing, I wrote the following as a sort of recollection of what the Circuit was, for those who didn’t know. It is decidedly subjective and not a historical document (so I don’t vouch for any facts) but it is the way I remembered it when it was written.

——————————————————————————————————-

First let me give you the caveat that I was only 15 when I started performing at the Wonder Bar in 1973, so I wasn’t around in the 60s. These recollections will therefore be from about 1974 onwards.

As people have stated here so eloquently, the Circuit was a time and a place, but really much more than a time and a place. It really was a way of life for those lucky enough to be around during its Glory Days. What were some of the things that contributed to making the Circuit such as magical “Paradise By The C”?

1) The drinking age in NJ was lowered to 18 back around 1972 or so (check you history books for that). People were complaining that the kids who were old enough to die in Vietnam were not old enough to drink.

And since the legal driving age of 17 was so close to that, this created a huge demand for the proverbial “rite of passage”, which the Circuit provided for perfectly. What better way to explore the joy of owning your own wheels than to cruise around Asbury Park’s beachfront area, with its smell of popcorn, the blasts of the bands, the cacaphony of the amusements? Asbury Park was a cornucopia of sensual bombardments back in those days, and cruising the Circuit with the top down, or all the windows open was the perfect way to enjoy life at that time.

2) The 60s had ushered in a new era of freedom, and so all forms of substance abuse (read: enjoyment as far as anyone knew at the time) were the norm, much to our parents horror (if they had known!).

3) The music business was still relatively small (though it was growing exponentially) and so places like the Sunshine Inn and the Convention hall could host acts such as Mountain or Deep Purple, who would play to nothing but sports stadiums within a few years.

4) Right smack in the middle of the decade, Born To Run was released, shooting You-know-who to seemingly instant stardom. He took the Stone Pony with him to rock history, and so many bands who hadn’t been noticed previously found new fame: Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes (previously known as The Blackberry Booze Band), Cahoots, Cold Blast and Steel, Whistler and The Wheels, etc etc etc.

And so all us 18 year olds FLOCKED to the Pony in 1976, fresh out of high school. To take in the overflow, soon enough other clubs such as Guilios South/Park Place, The Alamo, and The Warehouse/Hotel California/The Fast Lane opened up. And smaller bars like the Golddigger, The Empire/Quack Quack and Mrs Jays took in the overflow quite easily thanks to this new attention on all things Asbury.

In fact, the effect of this on the Asbury Park music scene was so great that I remember vividly whenever a band like Kinderhook Creek played at the Pony, ALL of the other bars would be packed also! This was because of this overflow effect. So many times the bars weren’t necessarily in competition with each other- when the Pony did well enough all the places did well.

5) Also in the early 70s, the streets near Asbury Park’s boardwalk were changed to run one way year-round. Kingsley Street was one way going south and Ocean Ave was one way going north. Previously they were only one way in the summer season. And this is what contributed to the loop effect of th circuit.

6) The geography and history of the Monmouth County area had a lot to do with the popularity of the Circuit. After the 2nd world war, farms and other vacant property in the eastern area of the county were carved up into housing developments. These became neighborhoods such as The Gables, Green Grove, Oakhurst, Wayside, etc.

As young couples moved into the area from the late ’40s thru the ’50s and had kids, Monmouth County developed a sizable youth population, and as they came of age in the ’60s and ’70s they gave the concert halls and nightspots of the Asbury Park area a huge customer base to draw from.

What was on the circuit? Well, like I said I was around from about 1974 onwards, so I can try to give you a good verbal picture of what you would see as you “cruised”, but only from about that time period that I knew it.

- Begin the journey coming up 1st Ave towards Ocean Ave. This was arguably the southern perimeter of the Ciruit’s loop. You could go up to Asbury Ave, the next street going south, but first of all there’s not much to see there, second, it was one way the other way for a long time, and third, you’d hit Palace Amusements traffic. So we’ll start on 1st.

Looking to the left you see the a one-story building that looks like some kind of psychedelic warehouse. This was the Sunshine Inn, and you’ll hear many great stories of concerts at the this treasured venue, such as the first Kiss show back in 1974. Next you see the Golddigger, which had bands sometimes but mostly was for shooting pool and cheap beer. You see, the Pony and the other clubs with bands would charge extra for beer because of the entertainment, so it was a common practice to drink somewhere cheaper first.

To the right is the Empress Motel, where bands from out of town stayed, such as those who played the Sunshine Inn or Convention Hall.

- Rounding 1st onto Ocean Ave, on the left you see the other side of the Golddigger (because its on the corner), then Mrs Jays. Those are motorcycles parked out front, and about every 2 minutes or so you’ll hear r-o-o-o-a-a-a-r as one or more starts up. On the right is the boardwalk, and for a long time there was a sky ride that rode up and down Ocean Ave above the rides.

- Continuing north on Ocean, you see the Stone Pony on the left at 2nd Ave, and look up at the Marquee to see who’s there tonight. Could be Southside or The Shots (an early spinoff of the Jukes) or Yasgurs Farm or Phantoms Opera or Maxx or one of a few dozen bands who packed the place on a nightly basis

- Next is Park Place, which was also called Gulios South for a while. This had many of the same acts as the Pony, but also had a few more agency bands than the Pony would have. The Good Rats (who got their kicks by throwing rubber rats out into the crowd) is one band I remember seeing there. And I saw Joan Jett there when her solo LP first came out, there was no one in the place except me and Mark and John!!! A few months later her LP hit BIG and the next she was in Asbury Park you couldn’t even get tickets.

- Further up on the left at 5th Ave is The Wonder Bar, which of course we all know and love because it is THE most rockin’ place in Asbury. Back then it was mostly a hangout for pool players, and boasted the worlds biggest…bar.

On the right is the Howard Johnson’s building, which is still there today, now run by Tim McCloone. On top of the Howard Johnson’s is the famous Asbury Park bandshell, where Thursday evening orchestra concerts have been a tradition for many decades. The Society of Associated Performers used to put on rock concerts there every Sunday back in the early 90s. And Christopher Columbus re-discovered America there for many years when I was growing up, during Asbury’s annual Columbus Day Festivities.

- Next up: On the left is James A. Bradley Park. This is where the Clearwater Festival was held when it first moved to Asbury Park back in 2001. You-know-who decided to show up and graciously gave a full acoustic set (I was running the entertainment there that year, as I still do and have done for many years) and sign autographs and have pictures taken with everyone. Why am I mentioning this? Because here was Bruce singing about The Circuit he had helped to make so famous, and he was doing it right there on the Circuit! What a GREAT moment in Rock (and Asbury Park) history!

And on the right, of course is the Convention Hall. Hot dog stands, t-shirt stands, Mr Peanut, pro-wrestling (one of Bam Bam’s first matches was there, just ask Rose T., she was sitting behind me!) and just about every great rock band of the 60s and 70s played there.

- And finally, the Berkeley Carteret on the left. This hotel was closed during much of the 70s, until Johnny Cash took interest in it and partnered with local businessman Henry Vacarro to bring it back in the 1980s.

- Turn left either in front of the Berkeley or in back (we used to go to the back because it was a well-known hangout at the time) and then left again onto Kingsley Street.

- Now you’re “ridin’ down Kingsley, figuring I’ll get a drink”, as the song goes. Up on the right is Pancho Villa’s Mexican restaurant at the corner of 4th and Kingsley. If you look down 4th a few buildings in you’ll see the Fast Lane, which was also the Warehouse and The Hotel California. This was one of Bon Jovi’s first gigs in the early 80s. And many many famous bands played there over the years – the Spin Doctors also got their start their in the early 90s.

- Continue up Kingsley and you’ll see the Alamo on the right (tho you better be quick, it was only up a couple of years!). The Alamo’s importance for me was that it was where I first saw Bobby Bertelson perform, with a band called White Kracker. Locals know Bobby was one of the GREAT and LEGENDARY singers of this time period, and he certainly was a huge influence on my music. You can still see Bobby perform once in a while- watch for him and don’t hesitate to check him out because he is better than ever!

- Now further up at 2nd Ave you see the Drift Inn (which was called The Student Prince when you-know-who performed there) on the right and The Empire Bar on the left. Around 1978 The Empire was bought by the Stone Pony, who renamed it The Quack Quack and hired solos and duos to perform there on weekends, including me (as the Snitz) from 1978 until 1981. And the Drift Inn also featured bands, but by the late 70s it had been eclipsed by some of the other clubs until it became one of the first clubs from that era to close.

- Which brings us back to where we started, 1st and Kingsley.

The Long, Slow End

The Circuit didn’t just disappear overnight. It took nearly twenty years to die completely.

The first signs of decline came when the drinking age was raised again to 21. This had a devastating effect on the club scene all over the shore. Not just in Asbury Park, but even in towns like Belmar and Red Bank, bars folded by the dozens. Some switched over to the restaurant business, and some tried to stay open only on weekends or in the summer.

And so one by one, all of the clubs in Asbury Park shuttered their doors. The Convention Hall had stopped having concerts early in the 1980s, Park Place, the Quack Quack, The Fast Lane, all of them either sputtered on and off or shut down for good.

This was paralleled by the closing of all of the amusements on the boardwalk. By the early 90′s not a single arcade or amusement was open, not even the miniature golf courses. And the Palace Amusements was torn down just a few short years ago. The final nail in the coffin came in 2006 when all of the properties between the Stone Pony and The Wonder Bar were raized. If you took a picture of it now, you’d see only emptiness.

But WE were lucky enough to remember how it was, and that we’ll always have. As my childhood friend Nancy C. says, “Don’t be sad its over, be happy it happened.” And that WE were there to make it happen!

Al-Vis w/Bobby D’onofrio and unknown bass player at The Quack Quack, just off the Asbury Park Circuit, c. 1978.

The Tea Party Trojan Horse

http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/04/the_tea_partys_deficit-spending_trojan_horse.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+racewireblog+%28ColorLines%29

Pay attn to what people do, not what they say.

The election of Tea Party idealogues in the previous election has led to a disturbing attack on women’s rights, voter’s rights and anti-latino legislation.

It shows the Tea Party for what it really is- a trojan horse of racism and sexism masquerading as a call for lower taxes and smaller govt.

The evidence is in the legislation passed and being considered by the GOP these days: onerous voter-registration laws trying to solve a problem that NO LEGAL OBSERVER thinks exists, that of voter fraud; the unconstitutional and illegal harrasment of latino-appearing people by state authorities; and various legislative intiatives aimed at making abortion so inconventient and difficult that women opt to carry the child instead (this last being a stated goal of several legislators and governers).

To me that makes the Tea Party movement THE MOST DANGEROUS political movement of the past 100 years, more dangerous than any of the radical left fringe groups of the 60s and 70s.

If the Tea Party movement wanted to make the debate about smaller govt and lower taxes then they wouldn’t be proposing onerous new anti-voter, anti-Latino and anti-woman’s rights laws, all of which are about bigger govt, not smaller govt. It takes a bigger govt to enforce voting laws; it takes a bigger state govt to enforce Federal immigration law and a much bigger govt to enforce abortion-dscouraging laws. And all of that takes more govt spending.

If the Tea Party really believed in smaller govt then they wouldn’t be trying to solve voter-fraud problems until reputable people gave proof that these problems existed. If the Tea Party really believed in smaller govt they wouldn’t be proposing laws that give the states the responsibility of enforcing Federal immigration laws (which is clearly unconstitutional in that states cannot be given the power to prosecute Federal statutes) and they wouldn’t be trying to (and succeeding to) pass laws requiring invasive vaginal procedures of women seeking abortions.

So if these laws are about smaller govt and lower taxes, then the Tea Party is actually not about smaller govt or lower taxes. Pay attn to what they are trying to accomplish, not what they profess, and you see their real intent. And call it what you will.

Please don’t hesitate to reply by calling or implying that Pres Obama is a socialist and/or not an American, that Obama hates Americans, that the other side does it too, that congress is infiltrated by commies, that the New Black Panther party is extremist etc etc. Because I really love hearing your tired, trolling, redundant replies that too often border on racism (or are blatantly so). They really add SO MUCH to the discussion, and show how intelligent and thoughtful some of you who disagree with my political views are.

Four Decades of Al-Vis! Re-post of my Time Line

Reposted and updated 4/20/20121

Four Decades of Al-Vis!

www.AlvisRocks.com

Hope you enjoy or at least find this interesting!

=============================
1966
—-
The Cyrkle are discovered in Atlantic City by Brian Epstein and proceed to chart with two albums and the two hit singles, “Red Rubber Ball” and “Turn-down Day”. A very young Al-Vis is impressed to see them perform on TV’s Hollywood Palace several times and decides to take up drums like his now-famous cousin, Cyrkle drummer Marty Fried.

1970
—-
After a long hospitalization for pneumonia, Al-Vis decides to take up guitar in addition to drums, eventually abandoning drums altogether.

1972
—-
After earning the award of Class Musician for the Neptune Junior High School class of 1972, forms first band, Hot Lunch, with David Mains on Bass and his brother Michael on drums.First public performance is New Jersey State talent show, sponsored by the Garden State Arts Center, performing Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Traveling Band’.

1973
—-
Forms N.F.S. (disbanded 1977) with Ricky Draper on drums, Steve Bowers/Mike Kirali on bass and Paul Doeling on guitar. Plays high school dances and keg parties all over the area, along with some Asbury Park clubs.

December 1973- 1974
——
Joins Sticks And Bones, a lounge band that performs regularly at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park and Leggett’s in Manasquan for a while. Featured John O’Heney keyboards and lead vocals and Jim Jones on drums.

1978
—–
Begins three-year stint as a solo singer-guitarist at the Quack Quack while working his way towards a Rutgers University BA in Music.

The Quack Quack is next to and owned by the Stone Pony, and Al-Vis is frequently joined onstage by other up-and-coming performers from next door who sit in with him in various stages of inebriation. Life-long friends Cook Smith and Bobby D’onofrio also share their ample musical talents onstage with Al-Vis on a regular basis.

1981-1983
———–

JP Gotrock, first version: Tim Cusack, guitar and vocals; John Fitzpatrick ,drum; Chris Spiewak/Neal Schwartz, bass; David Shearn, keyboards.

The band is formed after the breakup of Tim’s band Stagefright, and performs frequently at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park and The Court Tavern in New Brunswick. Also is one of the first to rehearse at the now-famous Hot Dog House studios on Cookman Ave in Asbury Park.

1983-1985
——–
Kino/Variety Rocks. This group was the brainchild of local songwriter and musician Steve Betts. Kino was an original band created to perform his originals and Variety Rocks was an oldies act created to play for actual monetary compensation.

Steve was the co-writer of Clarence Clemon’s “There’s Still Christmas.”

See my sites for pictures of Al-Vis wearing a Beatles wig and also wearing a DA haircut with this band, along with stage some other rather outlandish stage clothes for Kino

1984-2000
———–

Gary Cook And Cookbook. Gary Cook, keyboards, sax, vocals; Various drummers and other guest artists.Al-Vis met Gary Cook in 1983 when Gary saw JP Gotrock perform at a party. Gary hired Al-Vis to teach at his store, The Music Place in Sea Girt, NJ and over the years used Al-Vis at weddings and many other performances, including several charity appearances at local nursing homes.

1985-1987
———
JP Gotrock second version: David Shearn keys, Neal Schwartz/Vinnie Roslin, bass; Don Erdman, vocals; Vini Lopez drums.

Gotrock re-formed at the urging of David Shearn, who recruited former Hot Romance front man Don Erdman to take over Tim Cusack’s lead singer slot.

Disbanded for good in early 1987 when Vini moved out of the area and Dave became involved with playing behind Frankie Lee and Sonny Rhodes.

1986-2008
———
Clearwater Festival

Al-Vis spent the better part of two decades helping to organize and run the talent for the Clearwater Festival, first at Sandy Hook, now in Asbury Park.

1987-1992
———
The Bopper Duo Howard “The Bopper” Parker, drums, vocals.Al-Vis had met fellow Jersey Shore rocker Howard “The Big Bopper” Parker years earlier, when Howard used to sit in at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Following the demise of the 2nd JP Gotrock, Al-Vis and Howard could be seen performing regularly at such venues as Bar Anticipation in South Belmar, Christie’s in Wanamassa, The Village Inn in Pt Pleasant and the Belmar Fishing Club. Howard still sits in with Al-Vis from time to time when not busy with his own still-busy music career.

1987-1990
———
Big Danny Gallagher, various band names (Big Danny and The Mighty Whosies, Big Danny and The Power 13 Band): Steve Schraeger/Vini Lopez, drums; Vinnie Roslin, bass; Danny, lap steel, guitar and vocals.

Al-Vis recorded a few sides with Danny, including “Love Gravy” and “Don’t Stop The Dreaming”.

1987-2005
———

Al & Helyn & Friends w/ Helyn Chrobocinski, vocals. Al-Vis met Helyn at a JP Gotrock performance and through her became involved with Monmouth County Friends Of Clearwater.

Al-Vis & Helyn began doing charity performances for Clearwater and a few other non-profit organizations and worked together organizing the entertainment for the Clearwater Festival for many years.

Helyn passed away in October 2007.

1989-1991
———-
Vini “Maddog” Lopez and The Disco Rejects: Vini, drums,vocals; Bob Alfano, keys; John Lurashi, bass,James Deely, guitar, vocals; various other guitarists and guest musicians.

Formed after Al-Vis moves back to the Asbury area after living with David Shearn since 1987 and joins Vini in hosting a weekly jam session at the T-Birds Café in Asbury Park.

After Al-Vis left to perform with Chik-A-Boom full-time in 1991 the band continued to perform with Rick Desarno on guitar.

1989
—-
David Shearn 1954-1989. David’s passing hit very hard, not only because he was a good friend and a great musician (Al-Vis was living with him at the time of his passing), but because he also left behind dozens of friends and a musical legacy and enthusiasm that is still thought of fondly by the New Brunswick and Asbury Park musical communities.

1989-1990
———-

Patty Healey (now Patty Tracy) Duo. Super-talented vocalist Patty was between bands before she formed One Eyed Jack when she hooked up with Al-Vis to do various performances at some rooms around the Asbury area.

1989-1992
——————
Blue Plate Special. This was a group of mostly blues backup musicians from the New Brunswick area, run by guitarist (and fellow Rutgers Alumnus) Ken Locket. Mostly played upstairs at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick but also did play a few jobs at Orphan Annies in Stirling and Jasons in Belmar,

1990-Current
————-

Chik-A-Boom: John Cavallo, bass and lead vocals; Dusty Micale/Kevin Kavanaugh/Mick Seely/Pat Killeen, keys; Joe Belia/Mark Cavallo/Steve Max/Joe Vitello, drums; Bobby D’onofrio, Mick Seely guitar; Various horn players and fill-ins through the years.

Chik-A-Boom has played venues all over the tri-state area, in particular at clubs at the Monmouth/Ocean shore area (see Al-Vis’ Links page).

There are currently no public performances planned for Chik-A-Boom, some private dates are booked.

1993-1995
———
Mystery Date, with Kim Jones. This was an original project between Al-Vis and singer-songwriter Kim. Some recordings exist, sequenced and produced by Dusty Micale, Al-Vis’ old friend from the early Chik-A-Boom days. Kim later made quite a name for herself with a band called Graveyard School as Kim Kaos.

1997-2007
———

Spring(now known as Spring Lovelle)

http://SpringLovelle.com

Frank Patrouch, Bass; Dave Ross, Drums;Spring, guitar, vocals, songwriter. Al-Vis performed with Spring at many gigs (esp the Clearwater Festival) , though he was rather spitefully removed from her recordings. See AlvisRocks.com for a page where you can download full, unedited versions of the main recordings Al-Vis and Spring did together (for free).

2000-current
————–
Mike And Al-Vis Duo: Mike Cusack, guitar, sequencing, vocals.

Al-Vis and Mike knew each other for over 20 years when they finally got to perform together. Notable venus included the Wonder Bar, the Garden Bar and Brewsters in Bradley Beach, in addition to numerous private affairs.

Mike has performed solo and with various bands (Heart And Soul, Looking Back) since the 1970′s (see Al-Vis’ Links page).

Currently plays sporadically at Sprengels Garden Bar in Neptune and at some private affairs.

2002–current
———–
Andrew James Hughes

Al-Vis has been recording with local singer-songwriting firebrand Andrew James Hughes for the past few years, also playing several showcases in the area in and in New York City, including one at the Bitter End in 2011.

You can hear a sample here:

http://home.comcast.net/~alvis1515/CloserToYou.mp3

and one of many download pages is here:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=772308

2004
—–

Spring releases the highly acclaimed masterpiece CD Transforming, and gives a special concert at a church to celebrate its release. The CD features Al-Vis lead and rhythm guitar and bass on several numbers, and it the culmination of several years of planning and collaboration.

2005
—–
Spring releases her Acoustic Christmas CD, which features Al-Vis on several cuts.

May 2009-July 2011
——–
Patty Tracy, Part 2.

Patty and Al-Vis reformed for a couple of years, performing at several area venues as a duo, including the Langosta Lounge, Wonder Bar and Paramount Sessions in Asbury Park, Darcy’s in Bradley Beach, the Belmar Fishing Club and several other places. Also included plans for a 5 piece band. As of this writing Patty and Al-Vis are no longer performing together, for the time being at least.

Winter 2009- 2011
Cook and Carols Open Mike at Val’s in Rumson.

This historical jam-open mic became a mega-event on the Jersey Shore music scene. Many of the area’s top acts come to perform, hand out and just generally enjoy each other’s company. Originally started by David Crowton w/Carol, Cook Smith took over after a while as he and Carol Barbieri began hosting one of the most successfuil open mics the area had ever seen.

Al-Vis’ involvement resulted in a fruitful friendship and collaboration between he and Carol, and later on Zara Phillips amd Al-Vis begain performing together.

After the open mic moved to several other venues Cook and Carol parted ways earlier this year so that she could spend more time with her Adption Rights activities, which includes speaking engagements throughout the country and a book deal. Al-Vis and Carol still perform together when they get the chance, recently at an HIV house in Asbury Park.

August 2010
————

Road Construction

Al-Vis releases his first ever CD Road Construction. Consisting of a five song cycle that not only tells a true story also features nods to 2 of Al-Vis’ biggest influences, Big Danny and Spring Libutti. A CD release party is held at Sprengels Garden Bar in Neptune, and several of Al-Vis current favorite acts perform to a packed house. Several other venues, such ashe Paramount Sessions in Asbury Park, and the monthly open mic at Julia’s in Atlantic Highlands, are booked to promote the CD. Writeups included the Asbury Park Press and Chorus and Verse online Mag, and Al-Vis also makes an appearance on Danny Coleman’s Rock On! Radio show.

Spring’s “If I Told You” was included as a tribute to Al-Vis’ decade long involvment with this major artist. Her reaction was to take Transforming off of the market and remove all of Al-Vis’ performances from her Christmas CD.

Fall 2010
————
Al-Vis gives several guest performances with the great Jo Wymer, an award -winning singer-songwriter Al-Vis has admired for a while now.

Fall 2010- current
—————-
Zara Phillips

Zara is a highly established figure in the British rock scene, having performed with several prominent acts such as Bob Geldof, Nick Kamen, David Essex and others. She is also an adoption rights advocate who has a book out “Mother Me”, detailing her personal story in this area. Zara and Al-Vis have appeared at several area venues, including Danny Coleman’s Rock On Radio, the Green Planet, TV appearances and Cook and Carols open mics, with plans for many more in the future.

http://EverythingZara.com

March-April 2011
————-
Al-Vis performs a series of shows for the Smithsonian Institute’s Where Music Lives series.

May 2011- current
————

Al-Vis’ high school era band, NFS, reforms for a special benefit for Musicians On A Mission at The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park. NFS stays together without Al-Vis but with Cole Janus Bass, Rick Draper Drums, Mike Jones Guitar and new lead singer SondraH.

November 2011
——————-
Spring (having since changed her name once again, from Spring Libutti to Spring Lovelle) attacks Al-Vis’ YouTube website with a vengeance: first she has a video removed that had some comments explaining how she removed Al-Vis from her CD output. Then she attempts to have all of the other videos removed with Al-Vis performing, claiming “Privacy Violation”. Finally she files a complaint with YouTube, making the accusation that the videos contain “Inapproriate Content”. All of this without warning, without explanation and without any reasonable provocation.

At this point she has either retired from performing altogether or is possibly just giving them limited publicity in some fit of paranoia. Either way her career is effectively over, except for reissues of material over a decade old and posting pretty pictures and videos of herself.

December 31 2011
———-
Montclair First Night w/Zara Phillips and a full band consisting also of Cook Smith on bass, Danny Coleman on drums, and Ben Karas on violin

Al-Vis continues performing with Zara to this day, adding Glen Goss on Mandolin and helping her plan for and performing in her video for “Red Boots”

February 2012
————
Several of Al-Vis’ performances with Andrew James Hughes are now receiving regular airplay on such stations as WKTU in NY and Orlando 106.7.

March 2012
————-
Al-Vis performs at a fundraiser and tribute to his (and Bruce Springsteen’s) long-time band mate Vinnie Roslin. Vini Lopez, who performed with Vinnie in Steel Mill with Springsteen and many other bands, and also performed with Al-Vis and Vinnie in JP Gotrock, sings several songs with Al-Vis. Also in attendance were many of the Asbury Park area’s most famous musicians, including Gary Tallent from the E-Street Band and Bobby Bandiera.

Al-Vis is nominated as ‘Top Accompanying Musician’ in the New Jersey Acoustic Music Awards. Also nominated are several acts Al-Vis has performed with regularly, including Peter Prasa, Kim Yarson, Jo Wymer, Lo Kloza, Dan Hall, Mikey Butler, Cook Smith and others.

Also, Al-Vis performs at a CD release house party for Peter Prasa’s “You’re The Best Part Of Me”, which is attended by some of the area’s top performers.

April 2012-?
———-
On tap for the coming season: Kim Yarson, more Zara, Mike and Al-Vis, Dale Lakata, Andrew James Hughes, more recordings, many more blog and video postings and other writings.

Al-vis and Spring (Lovelle, Libutti, etc)

In 2011, out of nowhere and without warning, Spring, also known as Spring Libutti and Spring Lovelle, launched a viscous, unprovoked and unwarrated attack on my YouTube video site, without warning.

She had reports sent to YouTube complaining of “Inapprorpriate” content, and also reports of “Privacy violiations”.

These unfounded accusations resulted in the temporary removal of some videos I had posted of my performances with her.

Over a ten year period Spring (as she was simply known then) had a fruitful and positive collaborative relationship. When a shoot for her video “I Find” didn’t go as expected, our relationship turned south and we parted ways.

While this was sad enough, she decided to take the split to the next level and do something that was was dangerous, uncalled for and just plain nuts.

Over the ten years we were together I had performed on many recordings, some of which were released on her CD “Spring’s Acoustic Christmas” and “Transforming”. Many recordings are still in the can.

I also booked her into the Clearwater Festival at Sandy Hook and Asbury Park many times, and performed with her frequently. She also used the backing tracks from our recordings for her live shows.

All of which represented some of the greatest music I have ever (and quite possibly she has ever) performed.

After our split she threw it all away. She took me off of her Christmas CD,. then took Transforming off of the market. With no explanation, no apology and no remorse.

And eventually she took this action against the videos I posted. In short, she has spent the last few years of her life (publicly at least) trying to deny that I ever performed with her, and trying to erase the contrubutions I made to her music and her career.

Whatever personal issues she ever had with me, someone somehere (obviously not she) must be asking the question “Was it really worth it? To let a personal blowout destroy ten years (and ultimately, if you really think about it, a lifetime) of music?

She has evidently had little or no music career since then (just Google her many names to see this). If she does decide to make a go at it again, how is she going to reconcile with all she did to us, all she did to me??? Is she just going to leave it be, or is she going to make some BS excuses related to all the new-age pop-psychobabble (that probably got her into this in the first place)? Or is she going to be honest about it and just admit that she was having a tough time emotionally, and that it was unfortunate that her work with me bore the brunt of that frustration?

Since our split my career has scaled heights I could not have anticipated back when I was devoting so much energy to her music. I have ongoing original projects with several artists, and have all the work I can handle with recording, writing and performing with upwards of a dozen or so acts. I released the critically acclaimed “Road Construction” CD, which also sold pretty well. I’ve done TV, radio, become a respected blogger and cataloger of the history of the local music scene, and have moved on in so many ways.

She has evidently accomplished nothing in this time, except to try to destroy what we had together. Which hasn’t really worked, by the way, since I have been working nearly as hard to try to preserve it.

Which is my right, and my honor. It was and is great music by a great talent. Her personal shortcomings are minor compared with the sublime creativeness she showed in  those ten years, and in the years before. As bad as those shortcomings are.

I will be moving a lot of my videos to other sites in the next few weeks to hold off from any future attacks she may have in mind. I have already started a site on Vimeo called Four Decades which will hold some of the more historically significant clips.

She can continue to attack and destroy- I will continue to remember and preserve. Its as simple as that. If she wants to come after me for it I’ll deal with it as it comes, knowing that in the end great art trumps stupidity and pettiness.

Here is the response to her most recent attack on me, from last November.

Al-Vis 3/1/2012

————————————————————–

To my fans, and especially to fans of Spring/Spring Libutti/Spring Lovelle:

Spring has had all of the videos we performed in removed from my YouTube site, claiming that they contained “innapropriate content.” There was nothing innapropriate about these videos, or the comments posted with them.

I have never expressed anything but reverence and concern for this person. Reverence for the music we shared and concern for the stupid and pointless way she ended it, and continues to acts towards me.

She has been telling some of my friends I need to move on, but as anyone can see, I have. She began by posting a video I warned her not to, then continued by removing me from her CDs, and then recently attacked my YouTube site with a vengeance. This is not “moving on” to me.

Any explanation she gives anyone without beginning with “Because of the horrible thing I did to Al-Vis” is misleading at best and false at worst. What she did to me when we split, and has continued to do, was cruel, insulting to myself and our fans, and cold-blooded. Its as simple as that. There is no anger for me to “get over”, she did what she did and SHE is the one who lives with it, not me. I have the music posted without regret- she doesn’t. I have the videos proudly for the world to see- that she wants to hide. I have the best career I have ever had, while she seems to be stuck in this “screw over Al-Vis” attack mode. If anyone has anger issues it is her.

Since there are no rules here (other than legalities) I will continue to have our work together posted and comment on it. She can continue to ignore and deny what she has done to me but its not going help her career, and its already hurt it far more than any of my comments or actions ever could.

Next year, 2012, I will celebrate 40 years in this music business. Along the way the gutters grew littered with musicians who thought they could just run roughshod over anyone’s feelings, over anyone’s career, to make it to the top. I never went there and I’m not going there now. She can be as cruel and cold-blooded as she wants- but I will continue to hold our music in the reverence which it has always deserved, back then and into the future.

Please enjoy the great music we made- life is way too short not to.

Al-Vis 11/17/2011

 

Vinnie Roslin Memorial Benefit (re-posted from Facebook 2/21/2012)

http://www.facebook.com/events/230106520416784/

I am asking my friends to please attend this event, or to do what you can to help out- not because of who will be there, but because of who won’t:

Besides being a tremendous talent, Vinnie Roslin was a great guy, and one of the nicest people you would ever meet. Sure he played with Bruce back in the Steel Mill days, played with George Theiss, and in several bands with yours truly. In all the bands we played in, almost never did I have to tell him what to play: he was a natural, and he always knew the notes, even though, like many rock musicians,  he couldn’t read music.

We met while I was performing in the second version of JP Gotrock around the end of 1985. Our bass player Neal Schwartz had moved to Clifton, and would not be available for several upcoming shows. So our drummer Vini Lopez brought him in- and with almost no rehearsal we played shows all over the New Brunswick and Asbury Park areas for well over the the next year.

When Gotrock finally split in early 1987 he continued with me in Big Danny’s various lineups, including The Mighty Whoosies with Vini again, and then Big Danny and The Power 13 Band. By that time we were in the studio recording Danny’s “Don’t Stop The Dreamin’” and “Love Gravy”, and filming a video on top of the Stone Pony, ala’ Let It Be.

Along the way he also performed with me at the Clearwater Festival with Helyn:

in a Motown band that rehearsed a few times but never performed publicly, and with a blues band in New Brunswick.

When I split with Big Danny in 1990 he continued with him in Big Danny and The Lost Leader Band for the next few years.

He was working in a jewelry store in Red Bank  thru the 90s, when he formed Blue Plate Special- and then continued to perform shows all over the New York area.

He had been sick with diabetes for a long time and would have episodes as far back as when he was with JP Gotrock. This disease has claimed several friends, included our mutual friend Helyn Chrobocinksi from the Clearwater Festival.

I am asking you to please give whatever you can- items for the gift auction would be esp appreciated. His family has had a tough time caring for him thru this and we would like to try to offset at least some of that expense.

I hope you don’t mind me tagging some of you- I just wanted to get the word out. I hope you understand that, and understand our grief and all of the Asbury Park music community’s grief at this loss. I have been very lucky to have shared stages with great artists like Vinnie and I look forward to showing their appreciation at this event.

Sandy Mack

Re-posting from Facebook 1/6/2010

 

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This weeks Al-Vis and Friends profile is about Sandy Mack, whom I had the honor of meeting last summer at a benefit we did together in Monmouth Beach.

Sandy’s been around about as long as me, going back to the ’70s, when he was in a band called the Bank Street Blues Band which over the course of its existence included local favorites like Johnny Lyon, Kevin Kavanaugh, John Luraschi & Vic Bayers(Sonny Kenn Band)

Since then he’s performed with a who’s who of area blues acts(most recently with Juke Joint Jonny and Nicole Hart)and also fronts his own band – the Sandy Mack Band.

He has two CD’s to his credit, available from Blues Leaf Records, and on them he has several innovative originals mixed in with some great covers.

His blues harp playing has been revered throughout the blues world, and in addition to his formidable music career, he has also served the non-profit community by helping out with the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation and many other causes, including food banks and the Shana Foundation, whose fundraiser we met at last summer.

And he also holds the annual “Harpin’ Help” fundraiser at Bar Anticipation, which is a blues harmonica showcase that raises money for local charities.

And if THAT wasn’t enough to fill his time, he is also a regular at the local live music scene- where he shows up to lend his support to other performers.

His latest CD “Still Going Strong” is being played on radio stations around the world. It was recently Number 1 on the Roots Music Report for NJ Artists and is currently Number 15 on Living Blues Radio Charts for December 2009. It’s available at most online stores, including Amazon and Deepdiscount.com.

It is a pure joy to watch a Sandy Mack show live, which turns into a bit of a review (a’la The Johnny Otis Show) as he features a team of singers, guitarists and other fine players.

He performs locally regularly at Harpoon Willy’s and McLoone’s in Asbury Park. See below for a list of web sites where you can track his career and purchase his music. If you love the blues like I do (and even if you don’t but you like brilliant, soulful music!) you must check his stuff out!

http://www.myspace.com/sandymackband

 

BLUES LEAF RECORDS,

A Division of Loose Leaf Music Corp.

P.O. Box 234, Deal, New Jersey 07723

Fax: 732-531-6669 E-mail: bluesleaf@aol.com

http://www.bluesleaf.com/artists/sandymack.htm

 

http://www.jsjbf.org/major_events.php

Carol Barbieri

First posted on Facebook, 1/28.2010

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A few weeks back I happened into Cook’s new open mic at the Village Coffee in Neptune City, which had recently relocated. On my way to the Boathouse to play with Chik-A-Boom, I was excited to just check in to see the new digs.

Signing up for the jam was a small group of performers, Jeff Point, Carol Barbieri and David Crowton, who once again showed me that nothing happens by plan in this biz!

What started as a brief visit to say howdy turned into something much more serendipitous.

Jeff, and accomplished singer, David, an accomplished fingerstyle guitarist, and Carol, a singer-songwriter of the first degree gave me a show I would not soon forget.

A true one-stop talent, Carol is a writer, singer, songwriter, hostess, photographer etc etc. Since that fateful encounter in Neptune City I have have been digging her music at Val’s open mic on Mondays in Rumson. Her Golden Blossom Honey’d voice simply caresses a song when she sings it (such as Joni Mitchel’s “Big Yellow Taxi” or one of David Crowton’s Beatles tunes).

She tells the poignant story of her search for her birth mother on her CD “You Secret’s Safe With Me” here:

http://www.broadjam.com/artists/songs.php?artistID=30331&mediaID=345822

And her entire CD “Let It Go” can be heard here:

http://www.broadjam.com/artists/songs.php?artistID=30331

Lyrics here:

http://www.carolbarbieri.com/letitgolyrics.htm

Her story has given much attention to the plight of those searching for information about their birth parents, and she has given presentations about the topic, and also has worked for the New Jersey Coalition for Adoption Reform and Education (NJCARE).

She is also an accomplished writer and has had op-ed pieces published in such periodicals as the Asbury Park Press and the New York Times, as well as a weekly column in the Atlantic Highlands Herald called The Lemonade Stand.

But mostly I am spotlighting her because I have been enjoying her music, which is a bluesy, sultry, slightly folky but always intense mixture that tugs at your heart with its deep emotion.

Besides her open mic at Vals, you can check out her show schedule here:

http://www.carolbarbieri.com/gigs.htm

I know I will be!

http://www.CarolBarbieri.com

RIP Kevin, a goodbye from Al-Vis

So much has been said about this, but I just want to add a few more
words.

I first met Kevin when he was dating a friend, many years ago, and just after
he had left the Jukes. I was impressed by how unassuming he was, not a bit like
the ego-centerism of some musicians much less his equal.

Fast forward to the Stone Pony in 1990. I was performing with Chik-A-Boom,
and our first keyboard player Dusty Micale was getting busy with La Bamba. Since
we were opening for Bobby Bandiera John figured he’d ask Kevin, Bobby’s
keyboardist at the time, to play during our set also.

For the next 3 years Kevin played everywhere from the old Cheers in Long
Branch, to Leggetts in Manasquan, to the San Souci Lounge in Wilkes Barre with
us. For the gigs that were out of the area I used to ride with Kevin. He had an
uncanny sense of direction- one night when it was snowing fairly heavily on the
way to a gig in Pennsylvania I took a wrong turn. “No problem Al, I’m good at
this!”. Sure enough, within the next few minutes we had found our way to the
gig.

Along the way there would be stories- Southside, Bobby Bandiera, wierd towns
(one of his sayings was “this is a town that’s so small it shouldn’t even
exist!”) he’d played in.

At a certain point he had a falling out with John over a gig John had given
him the wrong date on, and it was over for a while. Pat Killeen became our
steadiest keyboard player at that point (with fill-ins from other great players
like Mick Seeley and Peter Schulle), some time around 1994.

A few years later, all was forgotten and Kevin started performing with us
again, like he never had stopped. No indication at all that we never even
rehearsed with him!

When I showed up at a gig and saw Kevin I knew we were in for a great night-
507 Main, Murray MacGregors, private weddings, whatever, I knew we were gonna
rock!!!

Our last show was in October of 2010, a benefit for Christine’s Hope For
Kids, Christine being a young woman who was killed in the Haiti earthquake while
doing missionary work.

You can see some pics of us at that show, and there is a video. Instead of
letting each band play, John just said ‘Everybody on the stage!” and all 19 or
20 of us were onstage at the Headliner. The entire Outside The Box band, members
of Holme, Chik-A-Boom and Bobby Bandiera’s band all at the same time.

I looked over at Kevin. I knew he was having health problem, he had been
telling us for the past year or so. But I looked over at him, and I could see
him smiling, doing what he lived for, up there onstage with so many of the
musicians he had played with over the years.

As it turned out, it was to be one of his last shows. Within just a few
months he fell into a coma and never came out. The Good Lord finally called him
home a few weeks ago.

Even with the roller coaster ride its been, its been a great ride, this music
career of mine. I am very grateful for it and grateful that I got to peform with
Kevin alongside all of those musicians one last time. The Good Lord will call
me, sooner or later, and everyone else who was on that stage. But as my good
friend Vini Lopez said to me last Saturday when I stopped by to catch his set
the night Clarence died, “we ain’t done yet”.

Vini’s band, License To Chill has the great fortune of being dizzyingly busy
this summer, which is great news in my mind. This weekend I have four
peformances scheduled. And four next weekend. No, I ain’t done yet either.

========================

From Jean Mikle’s June 15 Asbury Park Press Rhythm Room blog:

The last few years have been tough ones for the Asbury Park music community,
which has lost way too many of its long-time players. In early June, Kevin
Kavanaugh, a veteran of the old Upstage Club and the original keyboard player
with

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, passed away after a lengthy
illness.

If you are a fan of the Jersey Shore and the so-called “Sound of Asbury
Park,” you certainly have heard Kavanaugh’s playing, prominent on the Jukes’
first three albums, including the seminal “Hearts of Stone.” Listen to the
classic, “Love on the Wrong Side of Town,” with its prominent keyboard intro, to
get just a taste of Kevin’s playing. He was with the Jukes from 1975 until
1990.

He also played keyboards on Little Steven’s first album, the magnificent
“Men Without Women,” released in 1982 with Steven’s band, “The Disciples of
Soul.”

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I used to see Kevin playing every
Wednesday night at the Stone Pony with Bobby Bandiera’s band. He also performed
regularly with Joel Krauss in the Kevin & Joel Duo, and over the years
played with The High Voltage Brothers, Bob Burger, Marc Ribler (The Kevin and
Marc Duo), and Billy Morris and Harry Filkin (The Kevin, Billy and Harry
Trio).

He performed regularly as well with Bandiera’s Jersey Shore Rock and Soul
Revue, which has played numerous concerts paying tribute to everyone from Phil
Spector to Eric Clapton to the British Invasion.

(you can read the rest at:

http://blogs.app.com/rhythmroom/2011/06/15/rip-kevin-kavanaugh/)

Kevin Kavanaugh (far left) performs with Chik-A-Boom, Bobby Bandiera and Outside The Box 10/20/2011

Whisperin’ Bill

This is a beautiful poem written during the Civil War, just wanted to share it with you-

Al-Vis 7/26/2011

——————-

So yer takin’ the census, eh Mister.

Lemme tell ye about my son.

He was a soldier thet fought fer the North

Until the war wuz won.

This dooryard’s now his battlefield.

Lesee, he wuz nigh sixteen

When Sumpter fell and as likely a boy

As this world’s ever seen

And what with the news of battles lost

And shoutin’ and all the noise

Ah giss every farm in the neighborhood

Lost a part of it’s crop of boys.

‘Twas harvest time when Bill left home

Every stalk in the field of rye

Seemed to stand tip toe to see him off

And wave him a fond goodbye.

His momma used to tell him

When she knowed he wuz goin’ away

That God’d surely take care of him

If’n he didn’t fergit to pray.

And on the bloodiest battlefields

When bullets whizzed through the air

And Bill wuz a-fightin’ desprit

He used to whisper a prayer.

His comrads has often tol’ me

That Bill never flinched a bit

When every second a gap in the ranks

Showed where a ball had hit.

Then one night when the field wuz covered

With the awful harvest of war,

They found my boy ‘mongst the martyrs

Of the cause he wuz fightin’ for.

His fingers wuz clutched in the dewy grass,

Oh no Sir, he wasn’t dead.

He just lay there sort of helpless and crazy

With a rifle ball in his head.

And if Bill had only died that night

I’d give all I got worth givin’

‘Cause ya see that bullet killed his mind

But left his body livin’.

An officer he wrote and told us

How the boy’d been hurt in a fight

But he said that the doctors reckoned

They could bring him ’round alright.

Well, we waited and watched fer a month or more.

The summer wuz almost past

When we got a letter one day that said

Bill had started fer home at last.

I’ll ne’er fergit when Bill come home,

“Twas harvest time again.

The air blowing o’er the yaller fields

Was sweet with the smell of grain.

The dooryard wuz full of neighbors

That come to share our joy

And we all set out a rousin’ cheer

At the sight of that solier boy.

Then all of a sudden some-one said,

“My God, don’t that boy know his mother?”

And Bill stood a-whisperin’ fearful like

And starin’ from one to another.

“Don’t be afraid Bill.” said he to himself

As he stood in his coat of blue.

“God’ll take care of you, Bill

God’ll take care of you.”

Bill seemed to keep loadin’ and firin’ a gun

And actin’ like a man who hears

The awful sounds of the battlefield

A-poundin’ in his ears.

Ten thousand ghosts from that bloody day

Was a-marchin’ through his brain

And his feet they kind of picked their way

As if they could feel the slain.

He ain’t never knowed us since that day

Nor his sweetheart and never will.

Mother and father and sweetheart,

We all the same to Bill.

And he groans like a wounded soldier

Sometimes the whole night through

And we just smooth his head and say, “Yes Bill,

God’ll take care of you.”

Irving Batchelder (written in the 1860′s during civil war)