Southside Johnny (born John Lyon, December 4, 1948, Neptune, New Jersey) is an American singer-songwriter, who usually fronts his band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.Contents [hide] 1 Biography 1.1 Early days 1.2 1975-1980 1.3 1980-1990 1.4 1990-today 2 Discography 3 Quotations 4 References 5 External links
[edit] Biography [edit] Early days
Lyon grew up in Ocean Grove, New Jersey[1] and graduated from Neptune High School.[2] Southside has long been considered the Grandfather of "the New Jersey Sound." Jon Bon Jovi has acknowledged Southside as his "reason for singing." [edit] 1975-1980
Southside Johnny first achieved prominence in the mid-1970s as the second act to emerge from the Jersey Shore music scene and be considered part of the Jersey Shore sound, following Bruce Springsteen. Southside's first three albums, I Don't Want To Go Home (1976), This Time It's for Real (1977), and Hearts of Stone (1978), were Stax-influenced R&B arranged and produced by the co-founder of the band and Springsteen confederate Steven Van Zandt and largely featured songs written by Van Zandt and/or Springsteen. The Van Zandt-written "I Don't Want To Go Home" became Southside's signature song, an evocative mixture of horn-based melodic riffs and sentimental lyrics. Other notable songs included "The Fever", "Talk to Me", "This Time It's For Real", "Love on the Wrong Side of Town", and the definitive version of Springsteen's "Hearts of Stone". In 1977, Southside Johnny and the Ashbury Jukes were featured as a bar band in the movie, "Between the Lines." [edit] 1980-1990
Cast under Springsteen's long shadow, Southside and the Jukes never gained national commercial success, and in 1979 they were dropped by their record company. Now working without Van Zandt, they released The Jukes in 1979 and Love is a Sacrifice in 1980. Neither of these achieved much success either. The band's first official live release also came out in 1980, the double album Live: Reach Up and Touch the Sky.
In 1982 Rolling Stone Magazine voted the album Hearts of Stone among the top 100 albums of the 1970s and 1980s.
During the 1980s Southside Johnny's recording contracts continued to change almost by album, but he continued to release records: Trash It Up (1983), a disco influenced album written by Billy Rush and produced by Nile Rodgers; In the Heat (1984) an album trying to reach out to "Adult Oriented Radio"; and At Least We Got Shoes (1986) where guitarist and Jersey shore fixture Bobby Bandiera took over songwriting and guitar work from Billy Rush and led the Asbury Jukes back to their original sound. Songwriting credits on At Least We Got Shoes also contain a song co-written by Bandiera and singer Patti Scialfa, who was known as a Jukes collaborator since the 1980 album Love is a Sacrifice and who became a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band in 1984.
In 1987, Southside and the Jukes were featured in the film Adventures in Babysitting performing at a college frat party. One of the songs performed was Future In Your Eyes.
In 1988 Southside Johnny released his first solo record Slow Dance containing ballads and love songs like On the Air, but also "Little Calcutta" which is still discussed as Southside's most political song of his career, describing the life and environment of the homeless in New York City. [edit] 1990-today
Southside Johnny & Bobby Bandiera in 2005
His recording career was re-launched with the album Better Days (1991), which featured production by Van Zandt, songs by Springsteen, and vocal performances from Van Zandt, Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi. With Bobby Bandiera driving the band, the Jukes were gaining new energy for a world wide tour supporting the album. But once again, Southside Johnny's bad luck with the industry was shown when the record label went bankrupt while the tour was still rolling.
Southside performed the theme song for the 1990s television sitcom Dave's World, a cover of Billy Joel's "You May Be Right."
Southside eventually relocated to Nashville taking a break from the music business. A few members of the Asbury Jukes would end up being part of The Max Weinberg 7 on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien television show, while some others went on tour and into the recording studio with artists like Jon Bon Jovi, Mink DeVille, Graham Parker, and Robert Cray.
In 1998 Southside Johnny came back into the spotlight with an independent release titled Spittin' Fire, a live record with a semi-acoustic Jukes lineup released in France containing a 20 song set recorded during a series of 10 shows at the "Chesterfield Café" in Paris, France.
Since 2001 Southside Johnny and the Jukes have toured the UK and Europe as an annual event, their first since the 1992 Better Days tour, although Southside and Bobby Bandiera did some acoustic shows in 1995.
After a decade without a record contract Southside finally founded his own record label in 2001 under the name of Leroy Records, and started releasing and distributing his new records fully under his own control: Messin' with the Blues (2000), Going to Jukesville (2002), Missing Pieces (2004), Into the Harbour (2005). Southside continued to perform, and maintains substantial audience followings as 2002's Live At The Opera House DVD, filmed at a sold-out performance in Newcastle upon Tyne, demonstrated.
In 2008, Southside Johnny collaborated with long-time Asbury Jukes trombone player Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg, for a break from the classic Asbury Jukes sound to classic Big-Band Jazz. Together with a 20 piece big band they recorded a cover album of songs written by Tom Waits, arranged and conducted by Rosenberg. [3]
As of 2009, Southside Johnny Lyon lives again in his original hometown Ocean Grove.[4] He plans to release a new 12-track album titled Pills and Ammo with the Jukes in June of 2010.[5]
July, 2010 - The CD "Pills and Ammo" was released.
On September 24, 2010 Southside Johnny and the Jukes kicked off an international tour (official website) with a free performance at Overpeck Park in Ridgefield Park, NJ. [edit] Discography
Southside Johnny and saxophonist Joey Stann in 2007
The horn section of the Asbury Jukes in 2006
Southside Johnny and some more of the Asbury Jukes at their annual end-of-summer Bar A show, Lake Como, New Jersey, 2008
[6] Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes I Don't Want To Go Home (1976) Live At the Bottom Line (1976) This Time It's for Real (1977) Hearts of Stone (1978) Havin' a Party With Southside Johnny (1979) The Jukes (1979) Love Is a Sacrifice (1980) Live: Reach Up and Touch the Sky (1981) Better Days (1991) Ruff Stuff (EP) (1995) Live At the Paradise Theater (2000) Messin' With the Blues (2000) More Ruff Stuff (EP) (2000) Going To Jukesville (2002) Found In a Closet (EP) (2003) Missing Pieces (2004) Into the Harbour (2005) Jukebox (2007) Ruff Stuff 3 (EP) (2008) From Southside To Tyneside (2008) 1978: Live In Boston (2008) Hearts of Stone LIVE (2009) Pills and Ammo (2010) Southside Johnny & the Jukes Trash It Up! (1983) In the Heat (1984) At Least We Got Shoes (1986) Southside Johnny Slow Dance (1988) Spittin' Fire (1997) Southside Johnny with La Bamba's Big Band Grapefruit Moon: The Songs Of Tom Waits (2008) Selected others Jersey Artists For Mankind: "We Got The Love" / "Save Love, Save Life" (1986) Soundtrack: Home Alone (1990) Killer Joe: Scene Of The Crime (1991) Rusty Cloud: Walkin' The Night (1994) Rattlesnake Guitar: Music of Peter Green (1997) Gary U.S. Bonds: Back in 20 (2004) [7] Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes
[edit] Quotations“ Rock 'n' roll should be made by truck drivers from Tupelo, Mississippi, not studio musicians with an album commitment to fulfil. ”
NME - September 1977[8]
