- I Don’t Want To Go Home
- Broke Down Piece Of Man
- Talk To Me
- Love On The Wrong Side Of Town
- Fever
- Trapped Again
- Without Love
- When You Dance
- This Time It’s For Real
- Havin’ A Party

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The first ever Southside Johnny compilation.

- Got to be a Better Way Home
- Baby’s Gone for Good
- I Played the Fool
- Hearts of Stone
- Take it Inside
- Talk to Me
- Next to You
- Trapped Again
- Light Don’t Shine

Symphonic rock, accompanying themes of adolescent heartbreak and anger, is offered here, performed by vocalist Johnny and a 10-man hard-driving band of rockers cast in the Spectorish mold of Bruce Springsteen and others. The vocals lack zest and the lyrics are dull, but some cuts are worth hearing…

BILLBOARD 11/11/78
(All rights reserved)

HEARTS OF STONE – THE STEREO REVIEW

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ new album is at once more assured, more contemporary, and less funny than their two earlier effords, but rest easy; the spirit that makes their version of Sam Cooke’s “Having a Party” the most memorable number in their live shows remains intact. The Jukes, after all, are about nothing if not good times, and if the phrase “good-time music” hadn’t been rendered meaningless by a horde of boogie bands that shall remain nameless here, it wouldn’t be so hard to sell all you heavy-metal fans on the music these guys make. Fact is that Johnny and the boys are the band Paul Butterfield would have led if his approach to the blues wasn’t so academic, that Chicago would have been if they hadn’t cut their teeth on old Herp Alpert records, that J.Geils could have been if they hadn’t pandered their audience, and that Willy DeVille would be running if he only could shake his compulsion to become a young James Brown. In short, it’s the modern r&b band for all seasons.

“Hearts of Stone” derivates from the formats of the Jukes’ first two efforts right down to the cover shot, which for the first time reveals Johnny Lyon’s eyes. There are no oldies here, no noveltry blues songs (perhaps because drummer Kenny Pentifallo, whose comic basso was particulary suited to them, has departed), and no guest appearances by legendary vocal groups. As a result, the record has a considerably harde edge and considerably less under-the-boardwalk-romanticism than one might have expected. Which is not criticism: it simply means that “Hearts of Stone” is better for dancing than for making out.

The material by Miami Steve Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen (Bruce wrote the title tune and the addictive “Talk to Me” – the guy farms out so many good songs it’s getting ridiculous), is less easily tracable to specific influences, and while non of the tunes has a hook as warmheartedly memorable as “I don’t want to go home” or a production as overwhelming as “When you dance”, they do, on balance, establish at last an identifiable voice for the Jukes,enabling them to escape the revivalist trap they could well have fallen into. The result is a record that sounds as crisp and modern as anything by Boz Scaggs and yet still maintains the basic sylistic parameters of their other albums. In short, the Jukes have entered the mainstream with their integrity intact.

I don’t mean to make any of this sound like some classroom excercise (Contemporary Record Production I), because this stuff is far too vital. The point is simply that the Jukes are growing with becoming grace. Johnny’s singing has continued to deepen and mature, the horn section has never sounded richer, and the addition of E-Streeter Max Weinberg on drums has tightened the rythm section up considerably. They remain what I have called them before, the Best Working Band in America, and if “Hearts of Stone” is not as immediately involving as its predecessors, it is no less deeply felt. Give it half a chance and it’ll get to you!

– Steve Simets (Stereo Magazine 1978)

HEARTS OF STONE

“That song was probably the apex of the early Jukes – the culmination of everything we tried to do. The first album went straight from the stage to the studio. The second was the experimentation phase, and the lessons all came together on the thrid album. We’d learned enough to make a professional record,but weren’t too jaded! And we were determined to make the best album. We recorded eight songs and threw them out and started right over, and the record company went through the roof! It was just one of those moments in life when you feel you got to put all on the line, and everybody felt that way, and it shows in the music.”

– Southside Johnny

THE BAND

Southside Johnny – Lead Vocals

Billy Rush – Lead Guitar, Rythm Guitar

Kevin Kavanaugh – Keyboards

Aland Berger – Bass

Max Weinberg – Drums

Stevie Van Zandt – Vocals, Rythm Guitar (Lead on “Hearts of Stone”)

Bob Muckin – Trumpet

Rick Gazda – Trumpet

Stan Harrison – Tenor (Solo on “Talk To Me”)

La Bamba – Trombone

Ed Manion – Baritone (Solo on “I Played The Fool”)

CREDITS

Produced and Arranged by Stevie Van Zandt

Engineer – Jack Malken

Assistant Engineer – Michael Berry

Mixed by Jack Malken, Southside Johnny and Stevie Van Zandt

Assisted by Michael and Candy

Recorded and Mixed at Secret Sound Studios New York

Mastered at Masterdisk, New York City by Bob Ludwig

Photography – Frank Stefano

- This Time It’s For Real
- Without Love
- Check Mr. Popeye
- First Night
- She Got Me Where She Wants Me
- Some Things Just Don’t Change
- Little Girl So Fine
- I Ain’t Got The Fever No More
- Love On The Wrong Side Of Town
- When You Dance

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Asbury Jukes/Miami Horns

See cover; clockwise from right:

Big Al the doctor Berger: bass, vocals, mylanta, jewish stomach
Eddie clams Manion: baritone, vocals, class, cool
Kevin close-out Kavanaugh: piano, celeste, vocals, had bets, mostly chalk
Kenny Popeye Pentifallo: drums, tambourine, vocals
unforgivable Little Willie Rush: guitar, vocals, telestar solo,
Becky Southside Johnny: lead vocals, harmonica
Richie La Bamba Rosenberg: trombone, vocals, moves, inspiration
Tony muff Palligrosi: 2nd trumpet (He left the first one in a taxi), vocals
Ricky G the G Gazda: 1st trumpet, vocals, incredibly non-photogenic, heineken
Saxy Carlo Novi: tenor, vocals, tireless tijuana tourist

With special guests:

Ernest boom Carter: conga, tympani
Bobby magic Malach: tenor solo on “Wrong Side”
Da Tree Roots (Don, Ken, Harold) and their humble arranger Akimba O’Malley Meshugeneh
Rodriguez Fenderino: Jungle
SMS: an occasional lick in fever and an infrequent bleeding vocal

Arranged and Produced by:

Sugar Miami Steve, with the sugar miami wall of idiots

Engineer Dial-an-edit Don roughmix Meehan (it’s all done with his pinky and echo, kids)

Most ably assisted by:
Courteous Ken dc-hydrogenated Robertson

Mastered by:
Crosscut Stan Kalina

Further maintenance and harassment:

Lexington Tom “this is not a test” Dwyer the Impeccable Icewater Charles Lemell Paulie supeffly Hiavaty and everybody’s favorite uppity yenta, Harold Tarowoky (yes, girls, he can be had)

The Organisation:

Road Manager: Gentleman Jim McHale
Lights: Marc Mooky Brickman
Sound: Ydgi Hughes and the mekin’ rebels down at Sound Specialties in Philly, and thanks again, Chas
Equipment: Garry A and Keansburg, Pete Croken
Travel: Trudge
Agent: the Godfather
Secretary, cook, housekeeper, “let’s play with Rod:’ chauffeur, defroster; bail bondsman, “you never take me anywhere,” tailor, checks (post-dated), furrier, decorator; mechanic, “see if I ever invite Mick again;’ defender of the faith, babysitter, honeymooner, jet-setter, bad news, terminal anglophile, and Polish wop: Hurricane Obie

Sugar’s Strings:
Conductor? Joe Parente-3 hard packs Marlboro

Violin I:
Florence Rosensweig-2 hot pastrami on rye with mustard (one for Max), beer, coleslaw on side
Marion Head-Bacon, tomato on white toast, beer
David “Sweetnote” Madison-Pastrami on rye with mustard
Violin II:
Chock Parker-Mushroom barley soul, white meat turkey on rye with mayo, orange juice, blueberry cheesecake
Barbara Sonies-Hot pastrami on rye with a little mustard, coleslaw, orange juice, french fries
Diane Barnets-Pastrami on rye with mustard, cherry cheesecake

Viola:
Nardo Poy-Soup do jour; chefs salad, milk, apple strudel
Pete Rosato-Cherry cheesecake, beer
Davis Barnett-2 cheesecake (regular), mushroom barley soup

Strings by SMS with Joe Parente

Entire ordeal tolerated by Columbia Recording Studio, 49 E. 52nd St, NYC

We dedicate this record to Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller, and Pammy Popovich’s silly daddy.

The Coasters (Carl Gardner, Earl Carroll, Jimmy Norman, Ronnie Bright), The Drifters (Charlie Thomas, Doe Greene, Ellsbury Hobbs, Don Thomas),The Satins (Fred Parris, Richard Freeman, James Curtis, Nate Marshall), Aretha, Chicago Ronnie the Big A, Pistol Petze, Sammy L the numbers man, Mikey Pillot-president of the Eddie Be fan club for popeye, Marathon Brabma, Harvey T.C.B. leeds, Slick Swig, Wiry Ira, Jungle Jim Jeffries, Tryin’ One Tyrcell, Hitman Harris, Attila Curewita, Smooth Shavelson, The Infinite Aloysius DeMarine, Dickie Asher, Bunny and Ellen, lovely lois Marion, Fabulous Faye, Ramblin’ Al Aronowite, Harvey “the K” Kuhernik, Richard Barrett (for almost doing the triplets), First tady of rock ‘n’ roll and queen of the E Street Kings-Ronnie Spector; the Duke tapes, Jimmie Iovine for forgetting to show up, Ritchie run run rudolph Barnes, Cocky, the Baron, Duncan the Disrespectful, Dave Robinson, Ricky Farr, the Duchess, Premier; the Boss, Tune, the Sexy Sees (Doreen, Sheila, Carol, and um-hmm-yoa-too Peggy). Joey the Big P Parente, Diane Brooks, the guards, the guys that turn up the heat, Barney, Roy Friedman for Van Gogh’s earphones, and any other turkey that works at Columbia Studios in the apple; and Star’s Deli-who has got to start delivering later than 2 A.M.

- I Dont Want To Go Home
- Got to Get You off My Mind
- How Come You Treat Me So Bad
- The Fever
- Broke Down Piece of Man
- Sweeter Than Honey
- Fanny Mae
- It Aint The Meat
- I Choose To Sing The Blues
- You Mean So Much To Me

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LINER NOTES

by Bruce Springsteen

There were these guys…

There was this place called the Upstage Club, open 8 P.M. to 5 A.M. on Coolman Avenue in Asbury Park.

There were a lotta musicians there ’cause the bands that came down from North Jersey and New York to play in the Top 40 clubs along the shore would usualy end up their regular gig, along with a lotta different guys from the local areas. Everybody went there ’cause it was open later than the regular clubs and because between 1 and 5 in the morning you could play pretty much whatever you wanted, and if you were good enough, you could choose the guys you wanted to play with.

The Upstage was run by this beat type guy named Tom Potter who plastered the walls with black light an pin-ups and showed ’50s smokers to the kids in between the bands…

It was a great place. He’d slip you five or ten bucks to sit in, and you could work it so youô¤ never have to go home, ’cause by the time you you got out of there it was dawn and you could just flop on the beach all day, or you could run home before it got too light, nail the blankets over the window of your room, and just sleep straight through till the night.

There were these guys…

Mad Dog Lopez, Big Danny, Fast Eddie Larachi, his brother Little John, Magaret & The Distractions (house band), Black Tiny, White Tiny, Miami Steve, and assorted E Streeters, plus the heaviest drummer of them all, in terms of both, poundage and sheer sonic impact, Biiiiig Baaaaand Bobby Williams, badass king of hearts, so tough he’d go to the limit for you every time, all night. You will never see most of these names on another record besides this one, but nonetheless, they’re names that should be spoken in reference at least once, not ’cause they were great musicians (truth is, some of them couldn’t play nothin’ at all), but because they were each in their own way living spirit of what, to me, rock’n'roll is all about. It was music as survival, and they lived it down their souls, night after night. These guys were their own heroes, and they never forgot.

Southside Johnny… One of the weirdest guys I ever saw, He used to dress like my old man. He was definitely comin’ in from the outside. First time I saw him he was playin’ bass behind one of the early legends in Asbury, a guy named Sonny Kenn. Johnny was terrible.

This was a person that could not play the bass. But he could sing and play harp and he knew a lot about the blues. Once I talked to him, I realized he wasn’t as weird as he looked… he was weirder, and his general conversation consisted of insulting everyone within 59 feet. But he was the only white kid on the Jersey shore that you could stand to hear straight R&B five sets a night.

I brought up a lot of the past in these notes, and I hope Johnny don’t mind, but I think it’s time to bring it up before it’s lost forever, because I know pretty soon it’ll all be gone. So it’s time to speak the names of the lost soldiers, ’cause the music on this album – Johnnys music – is something that grew out of those friendships and the long summer nights when there was no particular place to go and nothing to do… except play.

All night long,
Bruce Springsteen

CREDITS

We’d like to thank Ronnie, Lee, Prince Philby Paparazzi, Gary D. Fonk, Cleveland Stevie Poperino & Maureen, Kim Kavanaugh, The King, Griff, Roy’s Rack, Paul (I can’t guarantee it’ll work) Prosciutto, Tony in the Mutton Room, the entire staff at R.P.S., Peter & Greg, Larry Love, Jerry The Cat, The Duke, Chicken Cutlet Phil, Brahma, Richie’s Place, & Penny. The covers (Ray, Solomon, Buster, Junior, Sam, Dave, & The Swallows), Dick & Mae, William & Mary, Little Sister, Billy My Brother whom I never slept with, Lesliecaster, The Kahuna, The Super-Novi Section (Tony, Kevin, Al), Joey (The Big P) Parente, Betty Francis, Billy (Jambalaya) Johnson, Lovely Christine, Tony Mother, Hungry Ed Sciaky, Davy Hughie, Chas, Mook, David The Shyster, Kid (why wait for the record?) Leo, The Eagle, Paul & David, Bud Nonchalantly, Mark The Chopper, Big Bobby, T & M Potter and Upstage Club which we will never forget no matter how hard we try, Bigger Bobby Boesch & Family, Mad Dog & The Shakes, Jack, Butch & the rest of the degenerates down at the Stone Pony; …without whose help we probably would have made the record anyway.

Special thanks to the Boss & the E Streeters for their friendship and support.

Southside Johnny, Miami Steve

Band Members

Southside Johnny – Harmonica and Lead Vocals
Kenny Pentifallo – Drums and Vocals
Kevin Kavanaugh – Keyboards and Vocals
Billy Rush – Guitar
Alan Berger – Bass
Carlo Novi – Tenor sax

with

Miami Steve – Guitar and Vocals

and the Miami Horns:

Rick Gazda – Trumpet (Mute solo on “It Ain’t The Meat”)
Deacon Earl Gardner – Trumpet & witness
Bob Malach – Tenor
Louie (The Lover) Parente – Trombone
Bill Zacagni – Baritone

(Hope you find a cure for that cough, fellas)

Strings:

Charles Parker – Violin 1
Robert Zelnick – Violin 1
Naomi Anner – Violin 2
Cathy Tait – Violin 2
Nardo Poy – Viola
Ken Dreyfus – Viola

plus

Revelation – Arnold McCuller, Arthur Freeman, Philip Ballou, Benny Diggs – Background Vocals on “The Fever”

The one and only (we hope) Selmon T. Sachs – Bass Vocal on “The Fever”

Ronnie appears courtesy of Tom Cat Records
Revelation appears courtesy of R.S.O. Records
Lee is on Epic and we want to thank Marshall Sehorn & Allen Toussaint for being so great

All arrangements by Southside Johnny & Miami Steve except “You Mean So Much To Me” and “The Fever” by Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny, Miami Steve, Strings arranged by Joe Parente & Miami Steve

All additional lyrics by Southside Johnny
Produced by Miami Steve
Mothered, Mixed & Mastered at The Record Plant, N.Y.C
Engineered by (Who else?) The fanominahl Jimmy Iovine – you should have stayed there
Incredibly assisted by Fast Fingers Dave Thoener -
who came through in the stretch
Photography – Mitchel Funk
Design – Paula Scher
Stylist – Bud Copeland