ahhhh, the sound of summer for me.  no matter if you dug ska, punk or classic rock, we all met in peace under the unbrella of Southside Johnny.
If you have not heard him, give a listen to "I Don't Wanna Go Home" 
Now before you call him a Springsteen ripoff, he's not.  Their music was born in the same place at the same time.  For a long time The Jukes were the band of choice for us, after seeing The Boss go commercial so fast (not that he's not great too).
But the simpler version of the E Street band is The Jukes.
here are some titles of singles:

I Don't Want To Go Home
The Fever
This Time It's For Real
Havin' A Party
Talk To Me
http://www.southsidejohnny.com/

I have their 1984 album 'In the Heat' on cassette.  I really enjoy it!

It's a shame they never had any big single hits.  Here in Canada, he had 1 singles chart entry with "It's Been A Long Time" which reached #46 in 1991

I have their 1984 album 'In the Heat' on cassette.  I really enjoy it!

It's a shame they never had any big single hits.  Here in Canada, he had 1 singles chart entry with "It's Been A Long Time" which reached #46 in 1991


It's a great one.  I loved "I Don't Wanna Go Home"
I can smell summer when I hear that.

My sister used to work in radio so when SSJohnny came to Boston when that album came out we went to see him.  We went back stage and I gotta tell you the guy was a jerk, Ronnie Spector was singing with the band and she is all class A.  That being said, I loved the album, and even though he is good in his own right, he did ride on Springsteens coattails, and I think he felt it.

My sister used to work in radio so when SSJohnny came to Boston when that album came out we went to see him.  We went back stage and I gotta tell you the guy was a jerk, Ronnie Spector was singing with the band and she is all class A.  That being said, I loved the album, and even though he is good in his own right, he did ride on Springsteens coattails, and I think he felt it.


I bet he did.  Bruce is a huge act to follow and although the sound came from jersey, the fame was  not for everyone.  We really didnt' need two jersey sound bands. 
  it's pretty cool that you met Ronnie Spector- THAT is a good one.

I used to think they sang the theme from Eddie and the Cruisers.  Wasn't that John Cafferty?

I used to think they sang the theme from Eddie and the Cruisers.  Wasn't that John Cafferty?



Yes, another band that should have done better.

My sister used to work in radio so when SSJohnny came to Boston when that album came out we went to see him.  We went back stage and I gotta tell you the guy was a jerk, Ronnie Spector was singing with the band and she is all class A.  That being said, I loved the album, and even though he is good in his own right, he did ride on Springsteens coattails, and I think he felt it.


How many bands aspired to be the Beatles and Rolling Stones?  I don't begrudge any artist for aspiring to greatness...

I didn't like or dislike SSJohnny.  He just wasn't my thing.  I'm never surprised to hear rock stars are jerks backstage, but it's too bad Ronnie Spector wound up in another jerk's band. 

At least she escaped Phil with her life!

At least she escaped Phil with her life!




I have been wondering why she hasn't been called to testify as to his character.  He was abusive and she literally had to escape from that compound of his.  I can't imagine how she ended up with a joker like that in the first place.

I have been wondering why she hasn't been called to testify as to his character.  He was abusive and she literally had to escape from that compound of his.  I can't imagine how she ended up with a joker like that in the first place.

The story goes Ronnie Spector left the grounds of his mansion barefoot.  She said she was going for a walk with her mother.  That's how sick Phil was.  If she had her shoes on, he sould have suspected something and followed them. 

I can only imagine Phil had his pick of women who owed their stardom to him.  He was probably a fun, charming, and exciting guy as a 22-year-old millionaire who revolutionized pop music.  Men who turn out to be the worst abusers so often seem like the best catch ever.  It's an old story.  Phil Spector reminds me of Prince in many ways:
They both were gifted musicians.
They both achieved celebrity quite young.
They both became great record producers.
They both produced huge hit records for female singers.
They both became the svengali directors of "girl groups."
They both were showmen--dazzling, eccentric sartorial styles and personae.
They both were of short stature.
They both were perfectionists.
They both were aloof, manipulative, and controlling.
Of course, Prince was a performing superstar himself; Spector remained behind the scenes.  Spector has a compulsive, violent, anti-social pathology, which Prince does not have.  Prince is just a dick. 

Phil Spector always looked a little bizarre, but when he emerged after decades out of the public eye, he looked frightening.  It's not that he looks kind of like Phyllis Schlafly nowadays, but he appears genuinely disturbed.  The trial is still in the works.  He is only up for second-degree murder, which could land him a 15-year sentence, and he'd probably get out in half that time.  If he did shoot Lana Clarkson, I would say it most certainly was not premeditated.  Neither the circumstances nor his past behavior suggest that.  If he's telling the truth and Clarkson did commit suicide, Phil might be out of luck anyway.  He has a well-documented history of carrying guns, waving them around, and firing them wrecklessly!
::)

Anyway, I'm off topic here.  This supposied to be about Southside Johnny...but I don't have anything to say about Southside Johnny!

all comments are welcome- the info you posted about spector was cool! 

I just love "Trapped Again".