West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a suburban Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 48,843, an increase of 2,636 (+5.7%) from t ...
, that played the New Jersey dance/rock club scene in the 1970s and 1980s. The band describes itself as a "mainstream" rock band and has been described as a "legendary bar band" and "legendary Shore party band."
Although the members' musical influences vary, most credit the
Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
as an important musical influence. Frank Sementa (drums), was influenced by watching
Arthur Godfrey
Arthur Morton Godfrey (August 31, 1903 – March 16, 1983) was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer. At the peak of his success, in the early to mid-1950s, Godfrey was heard on radio and seen on television up to six days ...
's TV show and listening to his parents'
Glenn Miller
Alton Glen "Glenn" Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombonist, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces ...
and
McGuire Sisters
The McGuire Sisters were a singing trio in American popular music. The group was composed of three sisters:
* Ruby Christine McGuire (July 30, 1926 – December 28, 2018)
* Dorothy "Dottie" McGuire (February 13, 1928 – September 7, 2012)
* P ...
records. Keyboardist Danny Gralick, from Belmar and
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, who had played for
Jim Croce
James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American Folk music, folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of o ...
for a time, was inspired by Buddy Greco. Guitarist Joel Krauss, who was from
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, originally played the
French Horn
The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most o ...
, 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, but rejoined the band later.Bobby Bandiera, who is also from
Orange, NJ
The City of Orange (known simply as Orange) is a township in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 34,447, an increase of 4,313 (+14.3%) from the 2010 census count of ...
, 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. He was soon making more money than his parents combined. Bandiera later joined Cats on a Smooth Surface, the
Stone Pony
The Stone Pony is a music venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey, known for launching the careers of many New Jersey music legends, including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.Alexis Krauss, front women for Sleigh Bells) and Harry Filkin.
Cats
The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...
' other members included Glen Burtnick (who later joined
Styx
In Greek mythology, Styx (; ; lit. "Shuddering"), also called the River Styx, is a goddess and one of the rivers of the Greek Underworld. Her parents were the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, and she was the wife of the Titan Pallas and the moth ...
The Hooters
The Hooters is an American rock music, rock band, which was founded in Philadelphia in 1980. They combine elements of rock, reggae, ska, and folk music.
The Hooters first gained major commercial success in the United States in the mid-1980s du ...
), and Ray Andersen (who joined
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally by his stage name Meat Loaf, was an American singer and actor. He was known for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. ...
). In addition,
Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature the E Street B ...
sometimes jammed with
Cats
The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...
. Bandiera went on to play with
Southside Johnny
John Lyon (born December 4, 1948), known professionally as Southside Johnny, is an American retired singer-songwriter who fronted the band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.
Southside Johnny has long been considered the Grandfather of "t ...
and
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. The band consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley ...
.
In its heyday, Holme would often play six nights a week at the
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore, commonly called the Shore by locals, is the coast, coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The term encompasses about of shore, oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Perth Amboy in the n ...
and in
North Jersey
North Jersey, also known as Northern New Jersey, comprises the northern portions of the U.S. state of New Jersey between the upper Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. As a distinct toponym, North Jersey is a colloquial one rather than an a ...
. Venues played included major popular clubs such as D'Jais, Art Stock's Royal Manor (North and South), Jimmy Byrne's Sea Girt Inn, The Headliner, and the
Stone Pony
The Stone Pony is a music venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey, known for launching the careers of many New Jersey music legends, including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Back in the 1970s, playing the suburban rock club circuit was steady work and lucrative.
Primarily popular as a
cover band
A cover band (or covers band) is a band that plays songs recorded by someone else, sometimes mimicking the original as accurately as possible, and sometimes re-interpreting or changing the original. These remade songs are known as cover songs. N ...
, 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 in Manasquan, the band often played in North Jersey. 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. They also designed their logo to look like the Parkway signs after checking to see if the New Jersey Highway Authority had any objections.
For a while the band spent time visiting radio stations to promote their singles, recording demonstration tapes, and talking to record companies. In the early days, Danny Gralick, Mark Mazur, and Bobby Bandiera composed some songs individually and together. Mazur's brother Bret Mazur (not to be confused with Bret
Epic Mazur
Bret Hadley "Epic" Mazur (born August 31, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He is best known as a founder and former frontman of the rap rock band Crazy Town.
Early life
Bret Mazur grew up in Brooklyn, New York ...
) is also a songwriter and co-wrote the
Brecker Brothers
The Brecker Brothers were a jazz fusion music duo consisting of siblings Michael and Randy. Michael played saxophone, flute, and EWI, and Randy played trumpet and flugelhorn. The brothers attended Cheltenham High School in Wyncote, Pennsylva ...
song "East River." Mazur eventually left to start his own band, Mark Mazur and the Targets, that included Mark Mesaros on bass, Dennis Diken on drums, and Dave Cogswell on keyboards. Mesaros and Diken later joined
Pat DiNizio
Patrick Michael DiNizio (October 12, 1955 – December 12, 2017) was the lead singer, songwriter and founding member of the band The Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken and Mike Mesaros from Carteret, New Jersey.
...
to form
The Smithereens
The Smithereens are an American rock music, rock band from Carteret, New Jersey. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio lead vocals, (vocals and guitar), Jim Babjak (guitar and backing vocals, vocals), Mike Mesaros (bass guitar and bac ...
.
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." Although the elusive big contract did not materialize, Holme was immensely popular in New Jersey in the 1970s and 1980s. As of 2016, Holme was playing Monday nights at D'Jais (which Sementa and Conner, along with Holme's former manager, Bill Luddecke, have owned since 1979) in the summer, as well as at other events off season.
Discography
Singles
*The Garden State Parkway Boogie (Mazur) / Ivy (Gralick) (1977)
*Feel This Record (Gralick/Mazur) / That's All Right Mama (Bandiera) (1978)
*Just a Matter of Time (Mazur/Ritchings) / Weekend (Ritchings/Mazur) (1981)
EPS
*Just a Matter of Time (1982)
References
{{reflist, refs=
{{cite news , last=Lubetkin , first=Steven, date=10 August 1977 , title= Band throwing a birthday party , publisher=
Asbury Park Press
The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...
, page=15{{cite news , last=Mikle , first=Jean, date=22 August 2011 , title= Rhythm Room: Bobby Bandiera to Join Holme Tonight. , url=http://blogs.app.com/rhythmroom/2011/08/22/bobby-bandiera-to-join-holme-tonight/ , publisher=
Asbury Park Press
The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...
, access-date= 16 May 2016{{cite news , last=Cotter , first=Kelly-Jane, date=23 May 2014 , title= Hot tunes for the summer. , url=http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/events/summer-guide/2014/05/23/hot-tunes-summer/2362490/, publisher=
Asbury Park Press
The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...
, access-date= 16 May 2016{{cite news , last=Biese , first=Alex, date=9 January 2015 , title= Sleigh Bells' Alexis Krauss returns to the Stone Pony , url=http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/01/08/sleigh-bells-alexis-krauss-returns-stone-pony/21439023/, publisher=
Asbury Park Press
The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...
, access-date= 18 May 2016{{cite news , last=Williams , first=Dave, date=7 November 2008 , title= Neal Unreal , url=http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/events/summer-guide/2014/05/23/hot-tunes-summer/2362490/, publisher=
Asbury Park Press
The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...
, page=92 , access-date= 16 May 2016{{cite news , last=Jordan , first=Chris, date=2 July 2015 , title= D'Jais named the shore's top seaside bar. , url=http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/nightlife/2015/07/02/djais-named-jersey-shores-top-seaside-bar/29631975/ , publisher=
Asbury Park Press
The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...
, access-date= 16 May 2016{{cite news , last=Staff , date=21 December 2015 , title= Red Bank: Debbie Harry, Bon Jovi, & more..., url=http://www.redbankgreen.com/2015/12/red-bank-more-bob-more-hope/, publisher=Red Bank Green, access-date= 16 May 2016{{cite news , last=Pfeiffer , first=John, date=24 February 2016 , title= Shoreworld: The Stone Pony celebrates 42nd anniversary , url=http://www.theaquarian.com/2016/02/24/shoreworld-the-stone-pony-celebrates-42nd-anniversary/, publisher=
The Aquarian
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
, access-date= 16 May 2016{{cite news , last=Ames , first=Lynn, date=7 May 1978 , title= The Lively World of Club-Circuit Rock: Rock Stars Praise Suburbia , work=
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
, page=NJ28{{cite news , last=Wien , first=Gary , date=20 February 2016 , title= Bobby Bandiera Looks Back , url=http://www.newjerseystage.com/articles/getarticle.php?ID=6927 , work= New Jersey Stage, access-date= 15 May 2016{{cite news , last=Satore , first=Bielat , date=18 July 2013 , title= 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. , url=http://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/13/07/p3765027/bielat-santore-companys-whos-who-in-the-restaurant-industry , publisher= PRWeb, access-date= 15 May 2016{{cite news , last=Staff , date=4 July 1981 , title= FKM Productions , work=
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
, page=66 {{cite news , last=Kirsh , first=Julie , date=3 October 2011 , title= Spirits high at Lake Como Day , url=http://patch.com/new-jersey/manasquan/spirits-high-at-lake-como-day , publisher= The Patch , access-date=16 May 2016{{cite book, last1=Rothenberg, first1=D., last2=Wien , first2=G. , title=Beyond the Palace, year=2006, publisher=Trafford Publishing, pages=156–157