Greetings and salutations. As you are aware, next weekend the Geator, the Bubba Mac Blues Band, Pinky Kravitz, and the entire Longport Media group, WOND and WTKU and my man, Dave Coskey, will be heading down to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Fla., for South Jersey “Boardwalk Live” weekend. Also joining the Geator will be my pal Frankie Valli, who’s performing at the Hard Rock Live. We’ll dance starting at 5pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, March 1, 2, and 3, and I know we’ll see lots of our Florida fans, like Carlos & Vicki, Judi & Jim, and Ed & Linda, down there — hope to see you, too.
Before we get to your questions, one of our readers was able to answer a question posed by Joe Breitner in this column a couple months back. The name of the song, from 1960, is “Farewell, High School, Farewell,” by the Gus Levene Singers. Thanks to Rich Dardine of Penns Grove for identifying the song. Gus Levene, by the way, was the conductor and arranger who did Bing Crosby’s original recording of “White Christmas.” Now, let’s ask the Geator.
I was watching Woody Allen’s movie Manhattan on cable and noticed Kenny Vance’s name in the credits. Did not notice him in the film. Do you know which part he played? Also will he be appearing at the Kimmel Center on April 7? — Miriam Z., Fort Washington
Kenny won’t be at the next concert in April, but he will be joining us in October on the Malt Shop Memories Cruise — more about that soon. In Manhattan, Kenny plays the TV producer who is sitting at the control board when Woody’s character quits his job. Kenny is easy to miss in the movie because he wears sunglasses and a full beard, but you’ll recognize his voice.
Did you see Brian Wilson at the Grammys? I heard on the news that the Beach Boys were all going on the road together. There are many who would make tracks for a ticket. What say you? — Eileen Blessington, Clifton Heights, Pa.
According to all of the trades, it’s going to happen. And as a matter of fact, the Beach Boys 50th anniversary tour is scheduled to begin on April 24 in Tucson [and hits the Borgata, in Atlantic City, May 19]. The lineup includes Brian, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and original rhythm guitarist David Marks, who hasn’t appeared with the group since 1963. Whether it can continue as scheduled, with the guys not only performing but producing an album together as well is another question that remains to be seen.
I am reading your book You Only Rock Once and love it. You tell your story in great depth just as it truly went down. I am originally from Philly, and your book fills in the gaps of what was going on when I lived there and after I left in 1977. Do you ever do any music-related stuff in Los Angeles? — Deborah J. Brown
After the release of my book, I did a number of radio interviews out in L.A. Unfortunately, with my schedule here on the East Coast, I am very limited in my ability to be elsewhere. During the summertime many folks from Philly who now live in the L.A. area come back for vacation and dance with us in Sea Isle City, Wildwood, and Memories in Margate. But I love L.A. and would not rule out an appearance there in the future.
“I dreamed that this would happen and it’s here. It’s so great to be back with Brian. It’s a remarkable milestone. Fifty years is a long time. Everything about this made sense. Capitol Records offered us a record deal and we were thrilled about that."
In a year that saw the return of widespread protests around the world, the power and potential of grass-roots movements, such as Occupy Wall Street, more and more bad economic news and forecasts, the music industry seemed to bounce back with a bunch of solid releases, including new albums by Kanye West and Jay-Z, Adele, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and others, as 'indie' labels such as Sub Pop, Yep Roc, and ANTI-, emerged as the leaders of a new renaissance in the music biz. Meanwhile, reissues, by specialty labels like Legacy, were among the most exciting "new" music of 2011. Atlantic City Weekly runs an Album of the Week column on the Coasting page each week, and the editors have put together a list of the best 2011 albums of the bunch, as well as several re-issues, and albums we didn't get a chance to write about yet for a total of 50 albums that you may or may not have heard yet. 2011 Albums of the Year (in no particular order. Click on links to see album review; when you get to page, scroll down to the Album of the Week column). Rock on. Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The...
There’s one important factor that’s keeping a one-night stand by a 50-year-old rock ‘n roll band from becoming just another nostalgic blast from the past this weekend. ..
Greetings and salutations — and lo and behold, my main man Frankie Valli is back at the Borgata. It’s always sold out, and you know that Frankie at Memories on a Saturday night is always the musical sound that we’ll put down. And the nights just get better and better. Last Saturday the stars came out in droves. My old friend Herb Spivak, his lovely wife Marcy and kids began the night, along with Brian from the Buck Hotel and his entire family. Then my old pal Herb Lipson from Philadelphia Magazine was there with his family. And it kept getting better — Dr. Paul Gross and his lovely Anita, Jonathan Saidel on the dance floor with Judge Maria Sisofo, whose mom is one of my favorite...
ONCE AGAIN, greetings and salutations. Hard to believe — tomorrow is April 1 and the opening of baseball season. The Geator’s prediction? The Phillies are going all the way. Also going all the way are the tickets for our Kimmel Center show May 8, Mother’s Day. I guess because everybody wants to give the gift of love to their moms, they’re giving that along with the gift of music. Hope to see you there. Now let’s ask the Geator. I read here in the Weekly that Kenny Vance and Jay Black are on the bill at your next show at the Kimmel Center. Will you have them perform together like they did when they were with Jay & the Americans? — Gil D. Absolutely....
Once again, greetings and salutations, and a very happy St. Paddy’s Day to all. Hard to believe that Memorial Day weekend is only 10 weeks away, and with it, the opening of our 40th year at Memories in Margate and partying down at the Jersey shore. Meanwhile, back in Philly we’re getting things together for our special Mother’s Day show at the Kimmel Center on May 8, “A Gift of Music,” with special guest stars Frankie Avalon, Jay Black, the Tymes, the Orlons, the Soul Survivors, and Kenny Vance & the Planotones. More about that next week — but now, it’s time to ask the Geator. We saw you in the PBS documentary on rock DJs, Airplay: The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio. Do you think that with the variety of programming available on satellite radio, those great days of creativity on the air will...
The technological gadgets of today simply weren’t around when Vance was a young Jewish kid from Brooklyn, a music lover who would become a founding member of Jay & The Americans in the early 1960s. It was an era in music when things like pop charts, 45s and live radio DJs were still relevant and made a huge impact on mainstream culture.
(Originally published Sept. 2008) LAST MONTH DURING ITS SET at the Somers Point beach concert series, Jersey Shore rock trio the Billy Walton Band broke into "On the Dark Side," the 1984 John Cafferty hit fr...
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Shore Birds
1. Bill from Boynton Bch, FL said... on Feb 27, 2012 at 04:18PM
“Geator: Glad you're coming to FL. You mention the 1st thru the 3rd. I got my book ready for signing, but where will you be on the 1st and 2nd for signing? and what time. I'll be coming after work on one of those days.
Bill”
2. steve said... on Mar 2, 2012 at 01:42PM
“jerry was signing books last nigt at hard rock
looked like you could come any time even when he is playing the music”