I think what you are missing is that the whole S.O.A.P thing wasn't for you, or
me. It was a
moment to honor a group of musicians who contributed to something years ago.
Why not let them have their moment in the sun without dumping on them?
There were no promises of Bruce showing up. Of course there would be rumors
that he
would show, but if you spent the bucks to buy a ticket just for that reason,
who's fault is
that? Who are we to judge where he was that night? If you were one of those
musicians
honored by this event, and you read the BS in the TCN, how would you feel?
I guess feelings about the Pony are subjective. I hadn't been there in ages,
but a few weeks
ago I went to the Asbury Music Awards. I had a great time. It didn't smell. The
sound was
great (although I could've done better) and it was just plain great to be in a
place where I
somewhat grew up in musically speaking.
I do agree about Bruce being the catalyst for the rest of the world knowing
about AP. Just
take a ride into AP this holiday season, and you'll see Greetings From Asbury
Park in lights.
That phrase is known the world over because of Bruce. But, that doesn't mean
you need to
belittle other lesser known musicians that come from a time when he was coming
up in
the ranks.
--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, Traderdube <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Hinge my boy, I just knew you were going to rant over Danny boys
> anti-Soap rant. I read the article and I am not ashamed to say that for
> all intents and purposes, I agree with Dan. A plaque on the boardwalk is
> almost as big a pile of krap as the save tillie thing. Cutting that face
> out of that building was as stupid as anything the city of asbury park
> and asbury partners have done. Ranks up there with destroying the copper
> peanut kettles they found in the old planters concession. What Danny boy
> didn't say in his poignant rant was that the SOAP thing, although a
> brilliant bit of promotion by 2 long forgotten bar band warriors, was a
> rip off and a half. Without the "promises" that Bruce was going to play,
> and the adverts and rumors were plain that he was going to play, I
> seriously doubt that marks would pay 1500 bucks to get into the
> crumbling smelly old stone pony.
>
> Bruce was so in to the SOAP affair that he didn't show, but the very
> next night, he and his bride enjoyed a marvelous hour and forty five
> minute set by the queen of rockabilly, Wanda Jackson. The SOAP thing is
> a such a pipe dream, these bands were cover bands and they covered any
> song that the crowds would dance to, we danced ion those days. The blunt
> reality is that without Bruce and his music fueling Asbury Park all
> these years, the tillie lovers and the SOAP stars and many many memories
> simply would not exist. It all starts and stops on Bruce's doorstop,
> especially the careers of his band mates and Southside. Now maybe, just
> maybe, one Johnny Bongiovanni may have also elevated Asbury Park to it's
> international status as a musical mecca, but then the Pony would be long
> ago tore down and The Fast Lane would be where all the German Nationals
> come to take pictures.
>
> I have to agree with Fred. The Stone Pony died the day Butch sold it, it
> is a fire trap, uncomfortable, and yes, it needs to come down, but, it
> will be replaced by a new and modern Stone Pony and that is a good thing.
>
> Same deal with Tillie. As stupid as I personally believe the save tille
> organization was, their persistence, fueled by Bruce, paid off
> handsomely for Asbury Park 2 summers ago when Tille was saved. However,
> tillie wasn't saved by cutting the face out of the palace, tillie was
> saved by the events that followed that cutting. Because AP Partners and
> the city made a deal with GMC to shoot a Chevy Corvette commercial with
> the palace and the face of Mr. Tilyou in the background. Lo and behold,
> when the director of the photo shoot hit kingsley and cookman, he was
> mildly disappointed to fine tillie was out of there. As he slowly drove
> his car down Ocean ave, tracing the route of what was once the circuit,
> he spied the south end of the wonder bar and an idea hit him. He pulled
> over and the manager of the wonder bar, Kevin Feehan, after a busy
> night, was cleaning up outside the wb that morning when the director
> inquired if he could paint Tillie on the wb and shoot his commercial.
> It took 10 minutes of negotiating, but sure enough, by that afternoon 3
> artists out of Keyport were busy atop scaffolding recreating Mr.
> Tilyou's silly mug on the wonder bar. A couple days later we got a call
> from the save tillie folks wanting to have a save tillie benefit at the
> wonder bar. We agreed with one caveat. It wasn't a save tillie event, it
> was a _*celebrate*_ tillie event. We did a mock new orleans funeral down
> the boardwalk, complete with horns, and we had DaysAwake playing ion the
> wonder bar when the procession hit ocean and 5th ave. The rest of the
> day and night were memorable for many reasons, but the bottom line was
> and is that Tillie, a new tillie, re-appeared in Asbury Park for the 1st
> time in many many years.
> And for some of us who have been here for these many many years of decay
> and waste, having a new tillie lit up on ocean ave was the 1st positive
> step in a long time for asbury park.
>
> So, yeah, I agree, saving tillie was nonsensical, but then, who knew
> saving Tillie would end up possibly saving the wonder bar and other
> ancient treasures in the city of asbury park
>
> Last thing while I am ranting. I am very impressed with the way the
> waterfront is coming together. Though inconvenienced for a few weeks,
> they got ocean ave done by the wonder bar very quickly, and the street
> in front of the Berkeley is almost done. The work is non stop at the
> Esperanza and both paramount and Westminster are moving along and
> looking good. Around the rest of asbury, so many new projects are
> closing in on finishing over the next 3-6 months, it is simply amazing.
> How steel buildings are going up, how many new businesses will soon be
> joining in the fray. Pretty soon, the only thing that will stand between
> asbury and true success is a couple of parking decks. Without those
> decks, asbury stands no chance as a retail location for anyone but locals.
>
> Meanwhile, on the 200 block of 4th ave, this past weekend, all three
> establishments, The Asbury Lanes, The Fast Lane, and The Baronet were
> open for business. IT has been a long long time since that was the case.
> Now, if we can only figure out how to make some money on 4th ave, all
> would be good, all would be good.
>
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