Jukes Switch Labels in Shakeup
THUNDERROAD MAGAZINE – BY KEN VIOLA – 1979
We’d been hearing the roumors for some time now. “Epic has dropped the Jukes,” one CBS employee had told us at the Jukes / Gordon Capitol Theater shows. “They’re finished with us.”
When all the smoke of confusion had finally cleared, it apeared that the Jukes and Epic, through the negotiations of manager Miami Steve Van Zandt, had amicably split. What followed next, however surprised everyone. Supposedly wooed by Warner Bros. (a solid company, similar to Columbia / Epic) and A&M (fresh from a four year distribution deal wit RCA), Southside signed with Mercury Records in early February. Mercury has had its share of problems the past few years. Lawsuits involving Graham Parker (who has recorded a scathing indictment of the company titled “Mercury Poisoning”) and trouble with Bruce sound-alikes, the Boomtown Rats (who are enjoying succes after purchasing their contract.
However, Mercury does boast strong distribution (Polygram), and shows the signs of possibly becoming a “new”, more successful company with the “taking over of the reins” by former Columbia VP Bob Sherwood and former Columbia promotion man Jim Jefferies (two qualified, seasoned record biz talents, who seem to have led the slow parade of Columbia exits, witness Dirk Wingate, Mike Pealot, Glen Brunmann, etc…)
Reached for comment, Bob Sherwood, now president of Mercury, told TR, “Southside is expected to break any day now, and I believe we’ll be the ones to do it.”
“This signing is something I desperately wanted because Mercury has no pop artists of this caliber.” “More important, though, is what this says to the industry. Here’s an act that left Epic and could’ve gone to anyone. ANYONE. The fact that they’ve choosen Mercury will let people know we’re serious about doing business.”
Southside Johnny was reached by TR at his home in Asbury Park for his feelings.
“The split was something I personally wanted. I’d discussed it with Miami Steve before we went into it.” “I’m very, very pleased with the Mercury signing, and I’m looking forward to the future. They seem to be very much behind us. We were working on new material for a new album, which should be out sometime this summer. We’re moving ahead.”
When questioned whether the approach to the “sound” of the band would remain the same, Johnny said, “I don’t know. It’s too early to tell at this moment.”
The people I spoke to at Epic records choose to remain unidentified.
“I love the Jukes,” several were quoted as saying, “and I’m sorry to see them go.” One major employee even went so far as to describe his own frustration at the inability to break the now classic album, “Hearts of Stone”. “Trapped Again” and “Talk To Me” were straightforward hits,” he told me. “The album was the best sounding, most concise record they ever did. They’re a great live band, and I believe they’re going to be big.” Another Epic mainstay was not so kind, “The band cost us a lot of money – more money than we can get back. They were constantly in Bruce Springsteen’s shadow. They just weren’t happening.”
Of course, there are literally thousands of debatable opinions. My own feelings are that the sound that the Jukes employ, that being of the essence and emotion of the 60′s, r&b, motown classics, stands alone, important and valid. It’s a sound sorely missing among the Top Tens of the seventies, and a relief to the cynical, sad, crippled emotionalism we’ve all been subjected to. I don’t see life as being depressingly fatal. I’m more of the school of the moment savor, reaching for the good, and successfully dealing with the bad, and the Jukes music brings me up.
Epic records, and the record business in general, fail to break acts that they can’t see any immediate corporate return on. (Bruce Springsteen was almost dropped from Columbia at one point.) “Hearts of Stone” is without a doubt a standout album. Perhaps the following quotes, taken from a prerelease Epic fact sheet paint a better picture of why the record wasn’t a massive national success.
“Local Print Material – 150 line drop in. A 300 line repro will be taken to mechanical stage and held for tour support (emphasis ours).” Tour support was dropped, even before Johnny got hurt. “Trade advertising – slick insert in Record World, as airplay and sales picture develops (emphasis ours).” Why not Billboard or Cashbox, two trades with much larger circulations?
“Selling Points – “Hearts of Stone” features songs written by Bruce Springsteen & production by Miami Steve Van Zandt”. Why not describe the music? Why use names to promote sound?
“Advertising strategy is to concentrate first line efforts in proven Jukes markets in the northeast and midwest. The last Jukes LP, “This Time It’s For Real” was one of the most programmed releases on FM Radio in 1977.” – The report goes on to list 3 stations in NYC (onmitting the important WPLJ, and instead going for the new WPIX) 2 in Boston, 5 in Chicago, 1 in Philly (onmitting WIOQ”, 5 in Cleveland, 3 in Detroit, and 3 in Minneapolis.
Then, “as airplay builds and a base is established in the southeast, southwest and west, 12 spots (emphasis ours) 3-4 weeks after release. 1 in Dallas, 1 in St.Louis, 2 in Seattle, 1 in Houston, 1 in Memphis, 4 in Miami,3 in San Francisco, 1 in L.A., 2 in Washington, 1 in O.K.City.” I can see promoting the lp extensively in proven cities, but why not other major markets right away ? Why wasn’t a single released pre-album? A 12-inch 45? A game plan?
These questions and the unknown answers or theories will remain lost in history…
Southside Johnny on Epic: “I love a lot of people at Epic. I have many friends there. I think they did a great job on the first album. A lot of people who had the faith in us left the label. It was a very friendly split. Things happen like that. I’m obviously disappointed “Hearts of Stone” didn’t do it for us. I think it was the most commercial, if you’d like to use that word, album. We… there was no real promotional campaign planned. With the proper promotion the album could’ve… to quote one letter from Epic… “Lets release the Jukes album and see what develops.”
I remind Johnny of research I had done several years ago concerning Epic, when I was working on a still unpublished book, a portion of which described the frustration of Richie Furay, Timmy Schmidt, etc., at the inability to break Poco, surely one of the finest bands there ever was. I suggest the Jukes’ situation as being ine of “deja vu” for me.
“Well, that happens with certain acts,” Johnny counters. “As long as you’ve got somebody at the label in power, who really believes in you, believes that you can sell records, as we had with Steve Popovitch (who know heads his own label, Cleveland International), you have the main guy who all the other people working want to please.” -
“If the guy who can hire and fire them, affect their advancement with the company, wants that band to go, they’ll do it, if it’s all possible. But there are people at Epic, especially the field people who are tremendously talented, and were GREAT for us. The went overboard. People like John Sykes, Harvey Leeds, Chuck Schwartz, Joe Carrol… unbelieveable people who I’ll always be gratefull to, because we are well known now, and it’s through them, because they helped get our music out.” – “The third album just didn’t happen, so it’s time to move on.” – “Sometimes… it takes a different label.”
Miami Steve Van Zadt has managed the Jukes professionally since 1975. He has produced their three albums expertly, written most of their original material, and been a touring and recording member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, all at the same time.
He has driven himself hard, most times for days on “days off” to record with the Jukes, or mix, spent almost every waking moment on the telephone, spent the last four years of his life trying to make a bigger and better success of his dreams, his friends, his personal vision of music.
I bow the man.
With the label change, and a new direction for Southside and the Jukes in tow, Miami has stepped down from the management chair. Resting before plunging headlong into rehersals and the recording of Bruce’s new studion LP, Miami was unavaliable for comment.
I asked Johnny what Miami’s involvement would now be. “He won’t be as involved as he was. I have my own managers now, and we’re writing original material now I’m writing, Willie Rush has a few tunes, Doc (bassist Alan Berger) has a few… I’m hoping Steven writes some songs for the new album, but it won’t be like the last one, where he wrote most of it.”
Would Miami be the producer ? “No, he’s gonna be with Bruce. I’m sure Bruce wants more from Steven now than before so he’s not gonna have time.”
Sadly, an era has passed us. The next chapter in Jukes history has yet to be written. The new managers of the Jukes are David Sonnenberg (who manages the successfull Meatloaf, among others) and Al Dellentash, recently profiled in Peoples magazine. I spoke to Al at the offices of TLC Corp.
“We’re real excited about the Jukes, surely one of the best live bands around, and the label change.” – ” Miami is still behind us, all the way.” – “The important thing for David and myself is to provide John with the direction of management he needs, leaving him to the creative thrust and giving him the artistic freedom necessary.” – “The new label, Mercury, is so much behind us. Bob Sherwood has convinced me of that. We all know it’s gonna happen.” – “I’ve never seen a band of guys so dedicated, so involved.” – “These guys rehearse a lot, almost every day.”
I asked Al what the immediate plans of the band would be. – “We have a few live committments to finish up. Around March 17th we’ll done, and then we’ll rehearse for the new record, after which we’ll record.” Where would it be done ? – “We’re not quite sure. We’re checking out Muscle Shoals, Criteria, a few places.
The new material and label will have to speak for itself. In the meantime, as I write this “Hearts of Stone” has been added to several major playlists across the country and shows possibilities of breaking out. The Jukes continue to inspire and excite audiences everywhere with their live shows and, like Johnny says, – “I’d like to be a millionaire, too, wouldn’t everybody ? But that’s not the most important thing. We move on and look forward to the future.”
On another front, Southside Johnny would like to thank every one of you who sent cards, letters, presents, flowers to him during his injury.
“What can I say? I’m a guy who came up from the streets. The only friends I’ve ever had were musicians. I got hurt on the West Coast, away from my family, my wife… and I got a million flowers, and all kinds of other stuff !” – “It was a different feeling than I’ve ever had before. I never realized I now have friends like that. Really. People I don’t know…” – “It’s a very gratifying feeling to know that there’s people out there who care. It’s changed my way of thinking a lot, and halped me get through the bad periods.” – “The hand’s doing pretty good, but I still can’t play guitar yet. The cast is off now, and I’m working hard to get it back in shape.”
“I can’t thank all of you enough.”
BY KEN VIOLA – published in Thunderroad Magazine, 1979
