User:Lhcollins/sandbox5
Holme | |
|---|---|
 Holme playing at the Royal Manor in 1977. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | West Orange, New Jersey |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1970 - present |
| Labels | Thin Ice |
| Members |
|
| Website | Holme Website |
Holme is a popular pop-rock band from West Orange, New Jersey that dominated the New Jersey dance/rock club scene in the 1970s and 1980s.[4][5] The band describes themselves as a "mainstream" rock band and has been described as a "legendary bar band"[6] and "legendary Shore party band."[1][7]
Although the members' musical influences vary, most credit the Beatles as an important musical influence. Frank Sementa (drums), was influenced by watching Arthur Godfrey's TV show and listening to his parents' Glenn Miller and McGuire Sisters records.[8] However, keyboardist Danny Gralick, from Belmar[9] and Philadelphia,[4] who had played for Jim Croce for a time, was inspired by Buddy Greco.[4] Guitarist Joel Krauss, who was from Brooklyn, originally played the French Horn, but switched to guitar because it was more popular with his peers. Krauss was a cab driver when he saw the ad for a guitarist. Krauss later quit the band for a while because of some personnel problems at the time, but was invited back a while later after the lineup changed.[4] Later, Bobby Bandiera, who is also from Orange, NJ, and was already playing guitar nearly every night at the Jersey Shore, dropped out of school (but earned his GED) to join Holme when he was only 16 years old.[8] He was soon was making more money than his parents combined. Bandiera later joined Cats On a Smooth Surface, the Stone Pony's popular house band, whose other members included Glen Burtnick (who later joined Styx), Fran Smith (later in The Hooters), and Ray Anderson (who joined Meatloaf). In addition, Springsteen sometimes jammed with Cats. Bandiera went on to play with Southside Johnny and Bon Jovi.[8]
In its heyday, Holme would often play six nights a week at the Jersey Shore and in North Jersey. Venues played included major popular clubs such as D'Jais, Art Stock's Royal Manor (North and South),[4] Jimmy Byrne's Sea Girt Inn, The Headliner, and the Stone Pony at the shore, and Mother's, Dodd's, the Soap Factory, and the Towpath up north.[5] Back in the 1970s, the suburban rock club circuit was steady and lucrative.[9]
Primarily popular as a cover band, the band produced several singles, including the "Garden State Parkway Boogie" by band member Mark Mazur. The song was inspired by the fact that although they lived Manasquan, the band often played in North Jersey.[9] Similarly, most of their following, who lived in North Jersey, would drive to the shore to see them in the summer. They realized that they or their following was driving on the Parkway almost every night, and decided to write a song about it." The song is still a favorite among followers.[10] They also patterned their logo the Parkway signs after checking to see if the New Jersey Highway Authority had any objections.[4]
For a while the band spent time visiting radio stations to promote their single, recording demonstration tapes, and talking to record companies.[3] In the early days Danny Gralick and Mark Mazur composed some songs individually and together. Mazur's brother Bret Mazur (not to be confused with Bret Epic Mazur) is also a songwriter and co-wrote the Brecker Brothers song "East River." Holme had hoped to someday enjoy the success achieved by artists like Fleetwood Mac and Steve Miller. Conner told a reporter, "Artists like that pretty much call their own shots. When their contracts run their course, they can negotiate their new ones. The idea is to make six albums and in five years be in the same commanding position recording-wise that we have in the nightclubs right now." In the meantime, they formed a publishing company, "Shore Shot", and a record label, "Thin Ice."[4]
Although the elusive big contract did not materialize, Holme was immensely popular in New Jersey in the 1970s and 1980s.[5] As of 2016, Holme was playing Monday nights at D'Jais (which Sementa and Conner, along with their former manager, Bill Luddecke, have owned since 1979) in the summer,[5][1] as well as at other events off season.[4][9][11][10]
Discography[edit]
Singles
The Garden State Parkway Boogie (1977).
Feel This Record/That's all Right Mama(1978).[3]
EPS
Just a matter of time (1982).[3]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Pfeiffer, John (24 February 2016). "Shoreworld: The Stone Pony celebrates 42nd anniversary". The Aquarian. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ Kirsh, Julie (3 October 2011). "Spirits high at Lake Como Day". The Patch. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ a b c d Staff (4 July 1981). "FKM Productions". Billboard. p. 66.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h Lubetkin, Steven (10 August 1977). "Band throwing a birthday party". Asbury Park Press. p. 15.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ a b c d Mikle, Jean (22 August 2011). "Rhythm Room: Bobby Bandiera to Join Holme Tonight". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ Staff (21 December 2015). "Red Bank: Debbie Harry, Bon Jovi, & more..." Red Bank Green. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ Jordan, Chris (2 July 2015). "D'Jais named the shore's top seaside bar". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ a b c Wien, Gary (20 February 2016). "Bobby Bandiera Looks Back". New Jersey Stage. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- ^ a b c d Ames, Lynn (7 May 1978). "The Lively World of Club-Circuit Rock: Rock Stars Praise Suburbia". New York Times. p. NJ28.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ a b Cotter, Kelly-Jane (23 May 2014). "Hot tunes for the summer". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ Satore, Bielat (18 July 2013). "Bielat Santore & Company's "WHO'S WHO in the Restaurant Industry. One of the Jersey Shore's most popular bars is open for the Summer". PRWeb. Retrieved 15 May 2016.