Holmeless Person - 11/29/05

 

Retirement Holme - 11/15

They're advertised as the band for Baby Boomers.  I dislike those words for 2 reasons.  They remind me of my age and that I have no real money in my 401K plan.  Soundgarden is in Lodi off Rt. 46 East.  It's located in a strip mall - at least there's parking.   It was only $5 to get in.  Kathy & her friend Bill were already there when Sharon & I showed up.  Soundgarden is close to Kathy's home so she was very happy they were playing there.  The floor was littered with little prohibition type tables with tablecloths & candles on them.  We were lucky to get one in front.  I estimate less than 50 people showed.  Joel pointed out that the Stickle (sp?) Bridge girls were there.  The stage there is high, too high.  About 3' high.  You had to look up.  It felt like you were in the 1st row of a movie theater.  At first the lighting was terrible.  Just day glow green lights shining down on the band.  They guys looked like alien life forms.  I am thinking maybe the lighting guy used the green color to connect to the band's signature colors.  The music during break time was too loud.  Napkins stuffed in your ears and then some loud.

Kip was back from vacation.   He looked great.  His hair was coiffed, he had on black jeans, a soft very white shirt (worn outside) and what looked like new black Converse sneakers (not hightop).  Bill had never been and his impression 1st set during Twist & Shout was "are they a wedding band?"  However, he changed his mind 2nd set and found them to be quite good.  There weren't many people on the dance floor but almost everyone danced to Brass in Pocket.

I asked Frank about my lost sunglasses.  He said he looked for them but didn't find them and now some Mexican is wearing them.  Frank can be so funny.  When I went to buy drinks for me & Sharon the bartender was not going to charge us because he thought we were with the band.  I was cracking up.  I could see why he thought that of Sharon - she was wearing leather pants & see thru top.  I was anything but.  I was dressed in my very old, very faded jeans, thermal high neck top & clogs!  I made the bartender take my money.   I almost never take free drinks.  Kathy said I should mention Howie Stein on my Blog to see if anyone knows where he is.  He should show up one night (he may already have & I missed him).  The last I saw Howie he was ushering or working security at Continental Area.  At the end of the night we were the last to leave other than the band or club workers.  Kathy & I were standing by the doorway waiting for Sharon to come out of the ladies room.  Harry was leaving & asked Kathy & I if we were waiting for "the love birds?"  We laughed.  Then we all proceeded to the front door.  It was locked.  Harry opened it & told us he was once locked in the Fast Lane in Asbury Park overnight but fortunately was not alone at the time.

Make Yourself at Holme - 11/6

Another benefit.  This time its Christmas toys for Hurricane Katrina kids.  Venue was D'Jais!  Price of entry was $10 & to bring a toy.  Advertisement stated "Special Guests".  It's me, Marian, Donna & Sharon again.  It was pretty empty early on.  Later the crowd swelled to around 300.  Tow other friends, Charlotte & Jane showed up.  They had never been but had heard about the band from friends.

Kip was a no show.  He was away on a family vacation in Florida.  Vinny from Cats on a Smooth Surface was substitute bassist.  He was the "Special Guest".  Here I was thinking Bobby maybe because Bon Jovi was playing the CMA in NYC 2 days later.   Or DeRosa or Graylick because it's a Sunday afternoon @ D'Jais in November.   Joel pretty much led the band.  It was just not the same without Kip.  We spoke to Frank.  We told him about that New Years Eve @ D'Jais that we always reminisce about - how it still ranks as the best of all the New Years Eve parties we've ever been to.  I told Sementa that throwing the confetti in front of the big fans was how I thought of my idea to be cremated & have my ashes flown into every nook & cranny of D'Jais.  He said it wouldn't work because people would get my ashes in their eyes, which is true because we had gotten confetti in our mouths.   He said instead he would be willing to throw my ashes into the paint when they paint D'Jais in the Spring (after I die).  I will have to loose weight before I die or else there will be noticeable lumps on D'Jais walls.  Anyway, Vinny really didn't sing so there were no signature Kip songs.  A bicycle was raffled.  I lost my black sunglasses with rhinestones on the side.  I may have left them in the ladies room or they fell on the floor by the bar where we were standing.  When I got home I called Frank & asked Theresa to tell Frank to hold onto them for me if he found them.

Message for Glendella76:  I cracked up when I read your comment.

 

 

 

Homeopathy - 11/5

The word of the day was Persistent spelled e-n-t not a-n-t.

Holme played at a benefit for a family with 2 sick children and a ton of medical bills.  The benefit was held @ Bar-A.  Marian, Donna & I got there as the band was setting up.  We ran into Kip & Harry outside.  Kip said "Hi Girls".  Donna really liked he said girls.  Once plugged in Joel came over to us.  We chatted.  He wasn't feeling well and had canceled his gigs before & after this benefit.  I went over to Peter Schulle to ask if Cats on a Smooth Surface had a website.  I had surfed the web for one and found none.   We used to go see Holme with every intention to stay until closing (Let's Go Ladies).  However, once Holme started playing Build Me Up Buttercup or Mony, Mony we would roll our eyes, look at each other and leave to go see Cats.  Years later we would leave Holme to see Cats and leave Cats to see Glen Beandip (Burtnik) or Bobby Bendyourearoff (Banderia) or Pugster's band, The End.  One of the highlights of seeing Cats was seeing Harry sing & move to "Pump It Up".   Anyway, I had wanted to check Cats' schedule and pop in to see them.  Unfortunately they do not have a website.  In speaking to Peter I learned that he had cut an album of original tunes with Emmett Findley in 1971.  How interesting is that?   I would love to hear it.

Harry said it didn't feel right playing so early in the day and I agreed.  He sang a few lines of "Michelle" to me.

Kip looked fabulous in the cherry red shirt he was wearing.  It made all the difference in the world to see color up on stage.  In addition the lighting in Bar-A was superior to the lighting they use for the band in D'Jais.  It wasn't just unflattering red lights beaming on them.  During the 1st set they played a new Beatles song whose title escapes me now.  I was thrilled they added another song to their repertoire but not as thrilled as I would be in the 2nd set. Sharon showed up midway through the 1st set.   Joel seemed happy to see her.  I wrote on a napkin "The Word of the Day is Persistant" and put it in front of Joel.  When they broke he came over to talk to Sharon.  He told me I had spelled Persistent wrong that it was ent not ant.  I told him I knew it as soon as I wrote it.  Sharon asked what we were talking about and I said that Joel was smarter than me.  Joel corrected me and said not smarter, just a better speller.

During the 2nd set, to my surprise and amazement, they played another new song "Brass In Pocket".  Kip told the crowd the song went out special to me, that I wanted it and I got it.  I had put it on my wish list either in an email on the Holme website or I told Kip to play it when speaking to him during the Summer.   It was the BESTEST surprise.  I felt famous and I felt powerful.   Joel sang it and the twist they put on it blew me away. Joel came over to Sharon again during break but there was no talking.  

The 3rd set another new song!   Joe Jackson!  2 Holme runs!!!  Now if I can just get them to do Lola, Pump it Up,The Breakup Song (Greg Kihn) Someday Someway & Switching to Glide & Tired of Towing the Line.  I'd also love for them to do the Rolling Stones version of Bob Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone, Aerosmith's Walk This Way, I Think I Love You (Partridge Family) Respect, Nancy Sinatra's These Boots are Made for Walking & a medley of David Bowie songs.  Joel was asking the audience for a lozenge from the stage and unbelievably Sharon had Halls Spearmint lozenges in her truck.  She retrieved them for Joel.

Other than the days when Camille & I would drive down to Bar-A to have a drink & watch some TV I had never had a good time at Bar-A.  I never left it feeling that I couldn't wait to go back until seeing Holme there.  It was fun.  A good time was had by all!  Afterwards Marian & Red went on the Boathouse and continued their party.  Donna, Sharon & I went to 507 Main for Pizza.

Stayed Tuned:  I was given some exciting news about one of the members of the band but was asked not to post it yet. 

Thanks:  To Kip and the guys for Brass In Pocket.

Correction:  I made a mistake on the photo of posted of us circa 1981.  That's Kathy M's friend, Ellen in the picture, not Sharon.

Note to Marian:   Blog is posted now you owe us the rest of the story.

 

Holme Remedy - 10/8

I was asked:  “Was the Ball a ball?”  My answer:  “I fell 3 times!”

The 1st annual Beaux Eaux Ball was held at D’Jais to benefit the Belmar Arts Council (BAC).  The BAC helped D’Jais in their fight against the Town of Belmar.  Tickets were $50.  For your money you got 1 ½ hrs open bar, food, a goodie bag and Holme.  There was also an art show on D’Jais porch and a raffle of prizes.  Camille, Susan, Sharon, Donna, Marian and I went.  Most of us stayed at the Belmar Motor Lodge.  The BML has not changed an iota in 20 yrs.  They still have the “no guests after 10 pm” rule.  The room rate was $60 and you got what you paid for.  We went out to eat before the benefit.  There was no way we were going to eat small portions of food and stand to do it.  Also, as I am a vegetarian I always eat before any party.  Camille’s choice was Mom’s Kitchen in Neptune.  Susan didn’t care as long as they had liquor.  We feasted and then went back to our rooms to get ready.  Camille packed light.  Lucky for her I over packed.  She wore my white curly ruffle tux shirt and Sharon’s rhinestone belt.  We were all dressed sparklee.  Sharon wasn’t staying the night so she took her p/u truck to D’Jais.  The rest of us took a taxi.  The cab driver seemed a little surprised we were going to D’Jais as it had closed for the Summer.  He hadn’t heard about the benefit.  We filled him in and he said he had an uncle like Frank Sementa (whatever that meant).  I told him I had been married to Frank for about a second and he found it admirable that we got along so well that I could go to D’Jais.   We were given a red clown nose at the Ball.  We didn’t need them as I had mailed everyone one earlier in the week to wear as an accessory.   We got our goody bags and put them in Sharon’s truck.  Late we found that one of the goodies you got was a 2006 D’Jais courtesy card!   The open bar part was fun.  Jen & Ashton look-a-like were bartending.  Ashton’s mom had been at D’Jais a few weeks prior.  I asked him whether women thanked his mom for having such a cute son.  He said yes and that she was embarrassed being asked.   The open bar made it feel like D’Jais past ala 6 beers for a dollar as my friends were ordering rounds 6 at a time.  Too bad they can’t charge $50 every night and give you open bar.  The $50 fee also kept the crowd at a nice number.  You were able to maneuver on the dance floor and keep your place at the bar.  None of us won the raffle, none of us cared.  Donna, Marian & I had the best New Years Eve of our lives at a D’Jais theme night party in the 80’s.   I don’t know how the subject came up but we reminisced about how there had been so much confetti dumped in front of giant fans that open champage bottles ended up being full of it and when we went home and took off our dresses confetti fell out.  There was confetti all over their house that Summer and Belmar for days.  It was at that party that I decided I wanted to be cremated and have my ashes dumped in front of those fans so that I would be in every nook and cranny in D’Jais forever partying in my favorite place in the whole wide world.

Donna & Marian are from Staten Island via Brooklyn and had never seen Holme before.  Sharon had but not this year.  They all loved them and wished they had gone to see them during the Summer.

We saw Joel across the bar and Sharon held up her arm and licked her armpit.  He came right over and I introduced Sharon as the girl he had sex with at my shore house.   He told me he finally ready my Blog.   We discussed its contents and he gave me carte blanc to write anything I want about him good or bad.  He told me I shouldn’t be writing according to who talked or paid attention to me.  Joel took note that except for Susan we all had pointy shoes on.  Kip also took note of Camille’s shoes telling her he had never seen her in such high heels before (not true). 

Kevin Kavanaugh substituted for Peter Schulle who probably had a prior commitment with Cats on a Smooth Surface that night.h

We were wrecked.  When Frank saw us all together he said: “Just like old times”.  I told him I’ve always loved him and added the disclaimer that I was very drunk.

Sharon was leaving early and Susan, Camille & I did our best to keep her there.  We all took turns wrapping ourselves around her and jumped up and down to the music.  Surprisingly I did not fall then.

Marian met a guy and dance the whole night with him.

The first 2 times I fell going out the door onto D’Jais porch to view the artwork.  The 3rd time was a doozie (or so I am told).  I got everyone on the dance floor to dance to I Wanna Be Sedated and just as the song began, I fell backwards onto the floor hitting the side of my head against a pole as I went down.  Everyone rushed to help me up and sit me down and the bartenders immediately made me an ice pack for my head.  I was laughing and still drinking.  When the band came off stage, Harry asked me what happened and Billy kissed the cut on my head.  Camille says she will never hear that song in the same way again.

We we left our taxi driver (Bill) was waiting for us.  We made him take us to  Dunkin Donuts and he came in with Donna, Marian & me and ordered along with us.  He dropped us off at the BML and then took Marian’s dance partner home.  When we got back to the room I realized I had left my camera in the taxi so I called “Mr Taxi Driver” and he said he’d bring it to me at the hotel.  When he returned with it he stayed awhile hanging out with us in the lobby.  He owns the cab company and we will no doubt be his life long customers.

The next day we did what all girls do – go over the night’s happenings over breakfast.  We had bagels and Camille broke a tooth.  Sharon uttered a truism when she said that bread will always do your teeth in.  You never hear of people breaking their teeth on a raw carrot.  It’s always bread.

It took me and Camille until Tuesday to recover.

Donna called me at work on Monday.  She hadn’t seen Susan in 20 yrs, Sharon in a year and Camille in quite awhile yet she did not really talk to them at the benefit or the hotel.  She did not talk to me or her sister either so she called to ask me:  Just what was she doing all night?  Does anybody know?

As Kip informed us, the band is now “On the Road”.  You can find out where they’ll be playing by visiting their website:  holmeband.com.  You can access their website from this Blog in the Links box. 

Thanks for all the emails.  I even got one from a guy from England who’s in band called “Home” there.

A special thanks to holmefan for your comment. 

And in answer to kmk8376's questions:

1)  Not big.  Not available.

2)  Don't know.

3)  Don't know.  Yes.

4)  It was the 70s, 80s before Aids and before I got old.

5)  I would not pick you as partner in Holme Trivia Contest.

If you haven’t been yet, please come.  I’ll see the rest of you at an upcoming gig.   Please fill me in on any dates I miss.  Love, M.