Recording artists come from all parts of the world. There are hotbeds of musical activity over the decades. Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Memphis, and Seattle have been noted for providing unique and new sub-genres of music since the birth of rock and roll. And, while the 2010's aren't much noted for rock, having written this blog over the course of almost eight years, you can add Portland, Oregon and Brooklyn, New York to that as well.
And then, of course there's New Jersey.
I was thinking about my home state and its contributions to music over the past 75 years or so, and how many artists have made it big, over various genres. You name the era, from standards, to sixties pop music, from seventies rock to eighties "hair metal", and onward to the hip hop era. Chances are someone from the Garden State has made contributions to the music scene over the course of a lifetime.
On Sunday evening, May 6th, in Asbury Park, was the latest induction of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, honoring those from the Garden State who have make contributions, not just in music, or the arts in general, but through all walks of life and through varied careers. Apparently this has been going on since 2008, but it was only last year that I even heard of this,.
The inductees for 2018 (actually considered the "class of 2017") included baseball player Al Leiter, businessman Steve Forbes, and late politician Millicent Fenwick, among many others. Of course, we music fans are more concerned by those in the music industry, and there were some key people in that category honored that evening, too. They included Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, one of the top pop groups of the 1960's (Frankie Valli was previously inducted as a solo artist in an earlier year), Debbie Harry, the front woman of the new wave band Blondie, and "Little" Steven Van Zandt, who rose to prominence as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, as well as connections with Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes. More recently, Van Zandt played in the popular series The Sopranos, making him a Jersey guy through and through. And finally, Gloria Gaynor, rounded out the Jerseyans in the music category to get the nod this year. Gaynor was the original "queen of the discos" during that era and had a couple of big hits, most notably "I Will Survive", a number one song in 1979.
In addition to those inducted this year, one inductee from last year was also present: 1960's hitmaker Tommy James, who has lived in the state for over 45 years, first in Clifton, and currently in Cedar Grove. Although originally from Michigan, the story of his move to the New York City area is legendary, as described in his book Me The Mob and the Music. James performed an acoustic version of his summer of 1969 hit with the Shondells, "Crystal Blue Persuasion", and later introduced The Four Seasons, having spent time with that group during concerts in the late sixties. Valli, lyricist Bob Gaudio, Joe Long and the daughter of Tommy DeVito, all original members, were included in the induction.. They also thanked the production team of "Jersey Boys", a long-running Broadway show, for keeping their memory alive; one of the actions who portrayed Valli also had a hand in the presentation.
Gaynor sang her huge hit (WABC's #1 song from 1979), "I Will Survive".
When Van Zandt was inducted, a familiar face came up on stage: None other than Springsteen himself, one of the original inductees from the first Hall class of 2008, much to the amazement of Jersey rock fans who attended.
The awesome thing about all of this is that Jersey pride is showing. Little Steven praised the state twice, first for defending the "Jersey sound" centered around Springsteen and the E Street Band putting Asbury Park and other state venues on the map. And "The Sopranos", a big hit on HBO in the 2000's furthered established New Jersey as more "coolness". There once was a time that it wasn't always true. Frank Sinatra, the pride and joy of Hoboken, rarely, if ever stated he was from the Garden State. Now, it's fashionable. For example, actor Ray Liotta, a prior inductee, recently went on the daytime show The Chew and gave a shout out not only to his hometown of Union, but to the Galloping Hill Inn (a favorite hot dog joint in town), not to mention Taylor Ham, a unique New Jersey delicacy.
Van Zandt has done so much for rock music starting out in the mid sixties in garage bands. He has never forgotten where he came from. He has done so much in introducing up and coming bands, as well as some obscure established ones, and hosts a SiriusXM radio show "Little Steven's Underground Garage".
Little Steven performed the title track from his most recent album, Soulfire (A top ten SNS hit from last year), and then was joined onstage by Springsteen for their rendition of Southside Johnny's "I Don't Want to Go Home", while all of the inductees, present and past joined them as that song wound down.
ON TEH CURRENT: As Tennis holds at the top for a third week, the biggest news is the debut of the new Florence + The Machine single, "Hunger", actually one of two tracks released form their forthcoming fourth album, High As Hope, which drops in late June, the other track being "Sky Full of Song". I went with the better of the two tracks. In both cases, Florence Welch is attempting to move further towards pop, but she still has her rock credibility. It's a far cry from "Kiss With A Fist", but still viable, and some soul remains. She and her band still has it.
Also debuting are the latest from Lord Huron, "Wait By the River" from their new set Vide Noir, mid-Hudson reggae/dancehall outfit The Big Takeover, with "Rainboots", The Knocks featuring Foster the People, "Ride or Die", and The Regrettes "Come Through".
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
April 29 - May 6, 2018
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 1 | NUMBER ONE:
"Modern Woman"
Album: Yours Conditionally
(3 weeks at #1)
|
8 |
| 2 | 2 | Jeff Rosenstock - All This Useless Energy | 8 |
| 3 | 4 | The Decemberists - Severed | 10 |
| 4 | 8 | Amy Shark - Adore | 8 |
| 5 | 6 | Christina Taylor - American Dreamin' | 10 |
| 6 | 10 | Halo Circus - Narcissist | 7 |
| 7 | 3 | The Palms - Don't Waste My Time | 9 |
| 8 | 14 | Swimming With Bears - French Girls | 4 |
| 9 | 9 | Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats - You Worry Me | 10 |
| 10 | 5 | Portugal. The Man - Live In the Moment● | 18 |
| 11 | 16 | Django Django - In Your Beat | 8 |
| 12 | 7 | Hegazy -Here To Stay | 11 |
| 13 | 13 | Jessica Lea Mayfield - Sorry Is Gone | 10 |
| 14 | 21 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK
"K"
Album: Cigarettes After Sex
|
8 |
| 15 | 11 | Bleachers - I Miss Those Days | 10 |
| 16 | 12 | Vance Joy - Lay It On Me | 15 |
| 17 | 23 | The Vaccines - I Can't Quit | 8 |
| 18 | 22 | Franz Ferdinand - Always Ascending | 9 |
| 19 | 31 | Phillip Phillips - Magnetic | 4 |
| 20 | 19 | Ed Sheeran - Perfect● | 17 |
|
|
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.
● Songs
with 25 or more plays on my iPod.
▲ Songs with 50 or more
plays on my iPod.
The “Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100” is a list
of current and recent song playlist which I am listening to.
