Skip to main content

Grushecky [2)

, @ChrisFHJordan10:09 a.m. EDT October 23, 2015

 

Twenty years ago, a fairly obscure barroom rocker from Pittsburgh began a collaboration with someone certainly Jersey Shore music fans know.

Joe Grushecky, meet Bruce Springsteen.

While the Boss has given fans a heads up — via social media — that he won’t be in the area for the two Joe Grushecky and Eddie Manion shows that will mark the 20th anniversary of Grushecky’s “American Babylon” album at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park this weekend, certainly Springsteen’s presence will be felt. He co-wrote “Homestead” and “Dark and Bloody Ground” on “American Babylon” and he produced it, too.

“To me, it’s like a chance to work with the best baseball player, football player or any type of artist,” Grushecky said of working with Springsteen . “You want to work with the best people.”

“It’s a great thing, to be accepted and to have an opportunity to work with these people.”

How did it start? Steven Van Zandt played on the Grushecky and the Iron City Houserockers 1980 album “Have a Good Time but Get Out Alive!”

“It was probably Steve,” Grushecky said. “He must have convinced Bruce to check out our music at the time. We were an up-and-coming band and Bruce admired us and we admired his work and when we met each other, we clicked as human beings and friends. That was a huge, huge part in it. We felt comfortable with each other. We were the same age, the same background and the same roots musically. He played the same bar songs I was playing in Pittsburgh and we really had a good understanding where each of us were coming from musically.

“You can’t plan those things.”

The Boss association meant that Asbury Park became a home away from home for Grushecky.

“I’m a music lover and don’t get me wrong, but Pittsburgh is a sports town,” Grusheky said. “It’s so great to be part of a city (Asbury Park) with scene that’s into music. We’re really honored and flattered with the acceptance we got there.”

Grusheckly and the Houserockers serve as the axis for the Light of Day music festival, which takes place each January in Asbury Park. It was founded more than 15 years ago by Grushecky’s manager, Bob Benjamin of Highland Park, and it fights Parkinson’s Disease. It’s also become a de facto celebration of the musical heritage of Asbury Park.

Springsteen often joins Grushecky and the Houserockers at Light of Day’s main event show. The material often taps into Springsteen’s “Darkness on the Edge of Town” era of the late ’70s.

“I think our band plays that pretty well,” Grushecky said. “It’s on in our wheelhouse. That one of the reasons we do it, I imagine.”

Thanks partly to “American Babylon,” they can still do it — play rock ‘n’ roll.

“For me to have my band intact all these years, it’s pretty significant,” Grushecky said.

Chris Jordan: cjordan@app.com

JOE GRUSHECKY WITH EDDIE MANION

WHEN: 7 Friday, Oct. 23 (with Milly and John Eddie) and 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 (with Milly and Garland Jeffreys)

WHERE: Stone Pony, Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park

TICKETS: Sold out

INFO: www.stoneponyonline.com.

 

http://www.app.com/story/enter...rk-babylon/74451902/

____________________________________

The SPL Rocks!

Prego che tu stia danzando con San Pietro alle porte perlacee del cielo





Pulled up to my house today
Came and took my little girl away!
Giants Stadium 8/28/03



Oats

Original Post
Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×