Goodbye Linda Rowe – Memorial Show In Red Bank At The Downtown
Red Bank photographer Linda Rowe passed away on August 15, 2012. Linda was a friend to many in the music scene, including myself. She was a selfless artist that always made her subject shine. She was also a diehard supporter of many local causes, lending her skills wherever they were needed and never looking for payback.
In an industry where someone always seems to have an agenda, Linda was always the one who left you feeling that there was still a glimmer of hope for humanity at large.
She managed a thriving studio in Red Bank, and her pictorial time with photographer Bob Gruen took her to shoots with famous bands from the Shoreworld to the City and beyond. Linda also cared for animals and led the way in Animal Humane Society actions, feeding and locating housing for cats and dogs that were abandoned or lost.
The true test of anyone’s legacy is in the friends and loved ones that are left to carry on your remembrance. These are the ones who decide where our memory will end up. And from the amazing solidarity I witnessed at her memorial show, Linda Rowe’s legacy is at the very top of the mountain.
Performers came from all over the area to celebrate Linda’s vivacious times. Musicians such as David Bryan (Bon Jovi), Bebe Buell and Jimmy Walls joined local monsters such as Frankenstein 3000, Two River Band, PK’s Band Without Fear, Stan Steele, Matt O’Ree, Edgar Cayce and those lovable metal maniacs, Hair Metal Time Machine. The night was also peppered with cameos from other local artists and special guests.
The event was spearheaded by Dave and Lexi Bryan. Close friends with Rowe, they were vital in putting this day of musical camaraderie together. Others that made this show a reality included Greg Maloof of the Downtown location. Greg provided the upstairs room and stage free of charge. Another long-time Rowe friend, Tony Pallagrosi stepped up and did the same, providing a stellar sound system and stage management necessities for the night.
Lexi Bryan spoke with me afterwards, and told me that the event not only solidified the community through one of our own, but it also raised substantial money for the Monmouth County SPCA, a passion of Linda’s for many years.
Linda was one of our very best, and it saddens me deeply every time I think about her being gone. But knowing her has made all of us better people, and we will never forget what we learned from this compassionate visionary. I know that if she could have seen the harmony and artistic kinship that her life has created on that sunny, Saturday afternoon, she would have been the happiest girl in the world. Linda was only 51 years old.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Animal Humane Society of your choice. A good place to start is monmouthcountyspca.org
Asbury Music Awards – 20 years strong – Dec. 13
I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since Scott Stamper rolled out a show meant to reward locals that put their time into the scene, but it has. And along the way we’ve seen some interesting bands and ultimate winners that have gone above and beyond in their quest for recognition.
Like years past, the 20th anniversary of the awards show features only the very best music and creative talent that Asbury Park and the Jersey Shore have to offer. The one change this year is that it will be on Thursday, Dec. 13, instead of the usual weekend date.
The lineup for this year couldn’t be better and will feature performers such as Charlotte Sometimes, a Jersey artist featured on the second season of NBC’s The Voice, Tony Tedesco and the Full Fathom Five, and the Wreaths just to name a very select few.
The night will be hosted by 90.5 The Night DJ Jeff Raspe and presentations will be made by a veritable who’s who of the music industry throughout the night.
So whether you love hard rock, metal, reggae or pop, come see what the excitement is all about and watch your favorite performers walk away with the trophy of their dreams.
For lineup information for the Asbury Park Music Awards, please head over to thesaintnj.com
The Rezillos – New Wave’s Prodigal Kings Hit The Brighton Bar Nov. 9
When I think about new wave, I think about the cutting edge groups of the time. Bands such as The Records, The Jags, Aztec Camera, Stiff Little Fingers and this odd little band called The Rezillos. The Rezillos actually leaned more towards punk rock but their penchant for campy, girl group iconography moved them into the later, mainstream direction, and made them rock and roll household names when I was a kid.
Their breakthrough record was I Can’t Stand The Rezillos, and that album made the Top 10 in the UK. They also scored with a Top 20 hit with their single, “Top Of The Pops,” a tongue in cheek swipe at the very same organization that put them on the charts in the first place. The band went on to many other achievements before folding sometime in 1978. But after a long-lived hiatus and an online resurgence in the group’s music, the band reformed in 2000, playing in front of 150,000 Scottish revelers at a festival in Edinburgh.
You probably know of The Rezillos through their song, “Somebody’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In,” a tune that was used in the mega popular Jackass: The Movie.
The Rezillos are in the midst of a U.S. tour and will be stopping at the Brighton Bar this Friday, Nov. 9. For more info, head over to brightonbar.com
BlowUpRadio’s 12th Anniversary Celebration At Buddies In Parlin – Nov. 10
When Lazlo set about building his vision on Dec. 15, 2000, he had much more in mind than simply following the herd of small time copy cats. BlowUpRadio was born out of the frustration with New Jersey commercial radio and their refusal to embrace homegrown original music on a respectful level. Owned by corporate dullards with not an ounce of vision, mainstream radio seemed to be only concerned with lambasting us with Bruce and Jon while claiming to be “Jersey rock radio.”
As Lazlo says on his website, “We all know New Jersey’s rock scene is more than two good bands. There are thousands of good NJ bands that deserve radio attention. That’s why BlowUpRadio.com plays homegrown music from the Garden State 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
This year’s 12th Anniversary lineup features some new surprises. Tony Tedesco and the Full Fathom Five are a group I’ve been talking about for the last year. Tedesco has really stepped up this year, putting a great band together and topping it off with some packed shows with the full seven-piece carnival to take place on Buddies stage.
Another group that I’ve had the pleasure of covering is the highly unconventional Double Breasted. Featuring cello, drums and harp, Double Breasted makes a joyous noise that’s refreshing to the ears and the soul. They break every standard or traditional rule of composition and I love it. Their last EP, Suit Yourself, is the band’s best to date. Opening this night will be Joshua Van Ness and Jason Kundrath, formerly of Hero Pattern.
Buddies Tavern is on 277 Johnsons Lane in Parlin (Sayreville). For more information on Lazlo’s big 12th, head over to blowupradio.com
