INFO SHARE

Go to this website for a great gift or stocking stuffer for your D'Jais fan: 

when visiting click on Gallery and then Belmar Note Cards and Prints.

http://www.avonarts.com  

Visit Puggy's website.  It's been updated and is pretty awesome.  Holme take note!

www.dinnerwithdiamond.com

 

Don’t Drink & Drive, Come Holme Alive – 8/13/07

As I was driving down the parkway on my way to see Holme I came upon an overhead sign that read “Don’t Drink & Drive, Come Home Alive”.   An instant Blog entry title!  Kathy was staying at the Molly Pitcher in Red Bank & invited me to stay over.  I had the shore house but a place to crash with pool privileges was too good to pass up.   I dropped my bags off at the hotel, jumped into Kathy’s car & we were on our way.

Kathy wanted coffee so we stopped at D’Jais snack bar before going in.  As he walked through the snack bar to his personal entry way into the bar I heard Kip tell someone he had just come from his wife’s birthday party at home & everyone was upset he had left it.   Harry came by & hung out for a short time.  We talked about good coffee.   Harry said he likes his own best.  He told us Joel had filled in for Billy for one of their non-Holme gigs.  An older man came over to us & asked “Why don’t old Italians die?” when we said we didn’t know, he said because they “Just pasta on”.   All the snack bar workers had Holme t-shirts on.  I suddenly realized the snack bar workers always wore t-shirts related to the theme night they were working.   Like a D’Jais pirate t-shirt on “Pirate Night”. 

Inside the place was packed!  Nearly everyone was there - all of the band’s wives & girlfriends, Cowboy Bob, Star-Ledger Mike, Beautiful Barbara (with a new cute short haircut), DJ Todd, my brother (a complete set of Koslow kids!) and Sharon (who only stayed for the 1st set).  Stanley was (still) there also.

I had thrown up for 5 hours straight the night before so I was a little scared to be drinking but I sucked it up to suck them down. 

It was Mrs. C’s birthday.  Both of her daughters were there to celebrate (a complete set of Conners!).  Her younger daughter had never seen her father play professionally.  Her older daughter would be off to college soon.  Both work at D’Jais.  There was a birthday cake & Patty was kind enough to offer me a piece.  It was strawberry shortcake & one of the most delicious cakes I’ve ever had.  I was surprised to learn it was from Shoprite!  I also discovered Mrs. C and I have something in common – we both love the Stones/Mick Jagger.

Billy’s hair looked like he crimped it.  I noticed he sang love songs to his wife from stage.  The Big Bopper did 2 songs, DJ Charlie 3.  One of my favorite Holme songs now is Harry’s “Viva Las Vegas”.  However, every time he does it I hear “Viva Viagra” (from the commercial).   

It was a fun crazy night.  Star Ledger Mike said it was the best night of the Summer and I concur!   A woman asked Kathy if she was drinking a Cosmo.  Kathy thought she said “Are you a Koslow?” and proceeded to answer her.  Kathy thinks it’s more fun if you go out after work.  I think there’s something to be said for showing up late and drinking to catch up.

At one point Kip from stage said “We’re having fun tonight, YEAH BABY!”  Cowboy Bob was dancing like crazy.   I look at Peter Schuelle and think he should do Rod Stewart, Emotional Rescue or Miss You.  Frank uncharacteristically asked if we are hot.   Kathy pled with Frank for a D’Jais camouflage hat for our niece.  Frank told her they don’t have anymore but he’ll take one of Teresa’s from her – she has 3.    Kathy tells Teresa of the planned theft.   Teresa is very sweet & doesn’t mind.  She tells us she just came back from Florida and the last words she said to Frank before she left was “Please don’t give away my clothes while I’m gone”.   He gives her clothes away all the time.   Because of the Belmar bicycle bell incident I tell Frank he should have the last song of the night, every night, at D’Jais be Ring My Bell (by Anita Ward).  Frank nixes the idea by telling me he loves the Belmar police.   Would ya think?  There was football on the TVs - a sad sign Summer was coming to an end.   The DJ was playing the worst music for such a happening bar (Toploader’s Dancing in the Moonlight, Frankie Valli’s Sherry).  Something made me remember the time Kip had me thrown out of D’Jais by the bouncers.   I had thrown a wet wad of napkin up into the DJ booth.  It landed on the record playing at the time putting Kip into a tail spin.  I later reminisced about it with my friends.   It seems almost a lot of people have been thrown out of bar.  Camille was escorted out of the Tropical once for throwing a drink at Tony Slater,Tropical bartender and friend of her husband Tom, because he thought he was so funny telling her Tom was in an accident when he wasn’t.  Donna was asked to leave Martell’s Tiki-Bar.  Apparently she broke their no kissing on the premises rule.  On her 1st ever trip to Belmar, Kathy K got thrown out of Mary’s Husband’s Bar.  She had gone there with her friend Debbie Simmons who the bar discovered, had fake ID.  

Todd asked me to get drinks from Justin for him & my brother.   Justin waited on everyone else but me.  Todd thought he was purposely ignoring me.  I said, no Todd, Justin loves me.   When Justin finally took my drink order I told him to tell Todd he loved me.  He did - loudly & clearly he said “I Love Her” and then with emphasis said “A LOT”.  

When I use D’Jais ladies room I always think the Mexican girl is doing one job an American certainly would – tearing off a paper towel to dry your hands.  

As photos will show/have shown, I've become obsessed with what happens to the air vent over the horn player;s head each night Holme plays.. 

And 6 days later......

It seemed all of the planets were aligned on 8/19/07 when on the same day:  Holme played a benefit for a Sheriff running for election, Glen Burtnik & Joel Kraus were both playing at the Clearwater Festival in Asbury Park & Bobby played The Columns.

The 19th was the beginning of the worst vacation of my entire life (not counting the year my boyfriend died).   I started the day off good by going to the Tropical Pub’s Breakfast Bingo.   I made sure my friend Diane & I were on line early.   The 2nd person on line was a cute curly haired guy named Rob who told us it was Bring Your Parents to Tropical Bingo Day.  For those of you from Greenville - Rob was Blackshaw cute!  He & his friends made the day up but actually brought their parents!  Camille & her husband Tom came.  Tommy thought we were nuts to be on line so early but changed his tune when he saw there were 144 people on the line when the doors opened.   Tommy had worked at the Tropical in the 80’s & it’s the place he & Camille met. Diane won a round of Bingo, her prize a tee shirt.  The owner, George, told Tommy he had sold the bar & the Tropical would be closing for good in November.   Houses were going to be built in its place.   I was truly upset to hear this.  I love the Tropical – 2nd to D’Jais.    

Later in the evening Kathy came down & Diane & I went with her to The Columns (a/k/a The Tombs) to see Bobby.   It was raining hard & the place was somewhat empty.   It’s a small world.  Diane ran into a guy she knows a long time from Jersey City.   Then Cowboy Bob ran into us.  We had seen Bob earlier at Tropical Bingo.   He seems to get around as much as we do.  Anyway, he knows Diane’s Jersey City friend & after chatting a bit we find out he knows Maureen & Kathy Moore from St. Paul’s school in Jersey City (also mine & Kathy’s church growing up & where we attended Catechism).   In the course of the night I had leave the bar & go out to my car 3 times.   The 3rd time I had gone to get my camera.  On the way back I fell flat on my face in a puddle.  My camera & cell phone went flying.   I fell so badly a car actually stopped to help me.   I wound up with black & blues on both knees, 2 toes, on my shin & my hand was bleeding.  In addition, my pants were soaking wet.   When I got back to the bar Kathy told me people had lined up to speak to Bobby.   She did too & told him she felt like a groupie.  He said don’t.  He looked very early Bob Dylan-ish.   I got to say hello to him.  His son was there too.  We left shortly thereafter because I couldn’t take the air-conditioning & being wet.

Take Holme Pay - 8/6/07

There were only a few more weeks to see Holme at D’Jais so Donna & I thought we should get our last licks in.  Marian went with us.  It was crowded.  I wanted something different so I had Bloody Marys.  I find them a good choice.  I can switch to virgin Marys & still feel like I’m drinking. 
Alot of the infamous were missing.  Where are you Marianne?  Barbara? Mike? Marissa?  On the other hand Cowboy Bob, DJ Todd, Mrs. C, The Playwright & my brother were there.  Billy was missing too & there was no substitute guitarist.  I was disappointed Holme hadn’t asked Puggy to fill in.  Billy was MIA because he was involved in a Bobby Banderia thing.  There were 2 horn men and a bongos-tambourine-cowbell (btc) guy.  I think the btc guy adds greatly to the music.  Everyone else thinks the horn men do.  It was a what you would normally expect Holme night.  The band has added a few more songs to their song compilation.  Stanley does “It’s Not Unusual” and Pete does “Bitch”.  Both are good.  Pete told me he is looking for other songs to do so if there’s any song you think he should do let him know!  DJ Charlie added a song to his playlist too.  He did “I Love Your More Today”.  That song actually made my heart pang when I heard it.  Back in the day Sementa used to sing it to me from the stage.   Looking back now I’m not so sure he was singing it to me directly.   You know the Holme’s golden rule: Make every girl feel like they’re number one.  They really don’t enforce this rule much now but back in the day the concept really worked.  Hundreds of girls followed the band and in turn guys followed the girls into the bars.  As a result, the band brought home bigger “lunch money” for they were paid part, if not all, of the bar cover charge.  The Big Bopper sang (what else) “Chantilly Lace”.  At the end of the night DJ Charlie complied with our request and played “Save the Horse, Ride the Cowboy” for us.   I was surprised more people didn’t dance to it.  And speaking of dancing, I think the Playwright may be very infatuated with his dance partner.   Have you seen him and her on the dance floor lately?    

Love, M

P.S.  Thanks KK for the push.       

Everyone needs a place & Holme's the most excellent place of all* - 7/16/07

Donna & I started the night by going to see Puggy’s “Dinner with Diamond” show @ the M O Café & Grill in Vorhees – about 1 hr 20 mins from Belmar.  The restaurant had a modern California look with wavy chairs, wavy dishware.  The food was gourmet with presentation.  For example, the dessert “Fire & Ice” was served in 2 small dishes next to each other on a small serving platter.  One dish had flambé banana foster, the other held a dollop of ice cream served on dry ice.  The fire & cold air fog effect was way cool.  We had surprised Puggy & he was happy to see us.  The show was great.  He started with (They're coming to) “America”.  He did all of Neil Diamond’s biggest hits like “Forever in Blue Jeans”, “Play Me”, “Cracklin’ Rosie”, “Song Sung Blue”, “I am I Said”, “Holly Holy”, “September Morn”, “Love on the Rocks” and of course, “Sweet Caroline”.  I had just finished telling Donna Neil Diamond had written some Monkees songs when Puggy told the audience his next song kids would know from Shrek.  It was “I’m a Believer”.  He did “You Don’t Send Me Flowers” with a Barbra Streistand impersonator.  Puggy autographed a photo for me.  He said the show was originally scheduled for the next week & he was supposed to play with Holme that night.  A fuse blew during the show & someone yelled “You’re just so hot Frank!”  We had a very nicetime & would recommend the show (and the restaurant).  At the end of the night Puggy gave us Dinner with Diamond t-shirts.  Then we were off to Belmar!

We arrived @ D’Jais during break time just before Holme’s last set.  We immediately went to Justin’s bar.  Justin wanted to know where I had been as I hadn’t been to see Holme in more than a month.  Donna suggested we start the night with Jolly Rancher shots.  We did 2 - toasting Neil Diamond each time.  When we ordered drinks we deferred to Justin letting him know we did not want to mix alcohols.  He suggested he add vodka to Jolly Ranchers.  We went with it.  Drinks were being served in happy hour glasses & toward the end of the night I asked for my drinks to be served in plastic cups thinking I was cutting my consumption.  I was wrong.  Donna noticed right away it was very warm by the DJ booth area & assumed Sementa was responsible.  Peter Schuelle stopped to say hello.  He also asked where I had been.  The Mets lost & then the band went on.  Holme added “Come A Little Bit Closer” to their playlist.  Donna loved it.  They also added Patti Smith’s “Gloria” – which they did VERY well.  Before beginning it Kip reminded us it was a high school song.  Actually it wasn’t but it reminded me that when Camille & I worked together we had asked for permission to leave work to get Patti Smith’s autograph.  Smith had appeared @ Korvettes on Rt. 4 in Paramus & we took buses to get there.  I noted Kip’s jeans were frayed @ the bottom & his sneakers were looking worn.  I find it so unlike Kip to wear his sneakers in that condition.  Harry did “Viva Las Vegas”.  I motioned to Kip you couldn’t really hear Harry & in turn Kip motioned to the sound guy to turn up Harry’s volume.  Later Frank told me Harry’s voice was strained from working 6 nights a week.  The “Big Bopper” was there & invited to sing.  As always he did “Chantilly Lace”.  I was amazed how may people got into the song.  I thought everyone is f-ing old!  Some of the famous were there:  Cowboy Bob, The Playwright, a member of the BAC.  A man who will remain anonymous came over to me & introduced me to a woman named Lynette.  He told me his wife & her friends read this Blog religiously & lead parallel lives to me & my friends.  He offered to provide me with “information” off the record.  I don’t know what he thought I wanted to know.  I can be discreet but anything band related told to me is usually mentioned on this Blog if only by innuendo.  The man said he could not tell me his wife’s name but I already knew it & told him it.  He asked me how I knew it & I told him Sementa had told me.  When I told Donna what the man said about our parallel lives she said we’d better beef it up!  Donna & I stayed after the band ended.  We drank, we danced.  The music was good.  The DJ was GREAT.  He played a great mix of music.   After the band went off I think DJ Charlie put the air conditioning on.  When passing me at the bar Sementa stopped & asked if I was cold.  Donna & I got into a conversation with Frank.  I told him we had come from seeing Puggy’s Dinner with Diamond show & Frank began to sing “America”.  Frank told me Billy will be participating in Bobby Banderia’s upcoming Revue at the Count Bassie Theatre & Puggy would be playing in his place.  This did not come to be.  Donna & I raved about the DJ to Frank & he told us DJ’s earn $1,500 & up a gig.  People take your children out of college & send them to DJ school!  The last topic we discussed with Frank was Belmar itself.  This is one of those times I need to be discreet.  Let’s just say it was another political conversation only this time all of the participants were on the same side.  It was the 1st time I could check an item off my “Things to do this Summer” list.

Love, M.

P.S.  With Stanley’s impending departure, I just might carry out my bright idea to take thick masking tape & write “Reserved for Joel Kraus” across it & stick it where Stanley stands.  

 

*  He's lookin' for home 'Cause everyone needs a place
   And home's the most excellent place of all
   And I'll be right here if you should call me - Heartlight by Neil Diamond

He’s Leaving Holme – Bye, Bye – 5/18/07

 

Well it seems like the British Invasion will soon come to an end & it will be onto “Summer Sounds”.  Not only was it opening night 2007 for D’Jais, it was another Frank & Kip birthday celebration.  (Heinz & Sementa – what do they have in common?).  This one was not like their birthday bonanzas of days gone by.  It was lacking in party spirit.

We were all looking forward to a night out of Holme @ D’Jais.  It was me, Kathy, Camille, Susan, Donna & Marian.  For once we got there early enough to hit the food buffet provided.  Most, if not all of us, had the stuffed shells.  They were very good & just what we needed.  We stood at my favorite bar.  Justin was bartending @ the Donna Conner bar.  He explained to me it was his regular Friday night workstation & when Holme started playing on Monday nights we’d find him back @ the DJ booth bar.  It was a nice change to have Holme play a weekend night.  It would have been even better if they could have started playing @ a 10:00 start time like other bands.  Just once wouldn’t we like not to have to rush home to get ready & out the door?  I did not attend any more Holme playdates after Valentine’s Day for just that very reason.  I had a previous engagement & could not attend their Saturday night debut @ The Columns on May 5th but I did hear Holme broke their own attendance record that night.

Holme’s new play list included a few new Motown songs.  Kathy thought it had to do with Bobby Banderia’s Motown Revue @ The Count Bassie Theatre just a few weeks before.  I thought it was a step backward for the band.  I keep hoping they will do songs from the 90’s to present.  There are quite a few bands that can be accessed for Holme compatible material like the Goo-Goo Dolls, Rob Thomas, Cher, Sheryl Crow.  Is it laziness or a time warp thing?

Marian had just adopted a male puppy (which she named Lucky) a couple of weeks before so we held a small, surprise doggy shower for her during 1st break.  I got her a dog bone corsage to wear, we filled a gift bag & had her hand out “It’s A Boy” lollipops afterwards.  Besides toys, Lucky received a beautiful black collar with his name spelled out in rhinestone letters, a ceramic food dish & an ID tag.  The lollipops were delicious.  Blue colored but bubblegum flavored.  Sementa even had one.  It prompted him totell us how he was the first one to invent that type of flavor thing – where the color & flavor ofsomething do not match.  He told us how when he & Harry were in grammer school he had told Harry about his idea to make soda that looked oneflavor but tasted like another.  He told us Harry could confirm this.  It was classic Frank Sementa.

D’Jais was cold.  At times it was freezing.  There was a problem with the air-conditioning system.  Frank does not like it cold & I knew he would be up on the bars adjusting the air.  They blocked the air vent over Peter Schulle’s keyboard by taping a piece of cardboard over the vent.  They used red duct tape & I think a pizza box.  A couple of times during the night the cardboard came down & they taped it up again.  I found it pretty funny.  Later I stole a piece of the duct tape from Peter & used it to tape my necklace to the back of my neck to prevent the clasp from moving to the front.  Someone sent balloons to the stage for the birthday boys.  The a/c fan blew them around & into the heads of Kip & Harry.  Kip set some of them free but there was one that kept bopping into Harry.

Camille, Susan & I left before the band ended.  Marian, Kathy & Donna had left with us but when I called Kathy from the car it was obvious by the background noise that she rejoined the party in D’Jais.  She informed me Donna & Marian had too.

 

P.S.  Frank did not make the necessary ladies room repairs we spoke about last Fall.

 

Joel’s new band, The High Voltage Brothers, debuted at Connolly Station on May 14th.  It was me, Susan & her daughter Carly, late shows Donna & Marian, Sharon (naturally) & Sharon’s friend, Jean.  I was impressed there was a pretty sizeable crowd @ the start of the night.  Most patrons were in our age group.  It was Mets vs Yankees night @ Shea Stadium.  The Mets were beating the pants off the Yankees so the night began well.  Joel’s daughter, Alexis, fronted the band.  She was her excellent self.  Joel did a mix of songs.  Songs he did when he was with Holme & newer songs like Blister in the Sun.   The 2nd set he did Lola.  And it was good.  It was not the performance you remember.  Joel had been hesitant to do it because he didnot have a back-up guitarist to play while he “performed”.  Just hearing Joel do Lola gave me a warm, fuzzy, Holme @ Cryan’s / Jimmy Byrnes feeling.  About midway through the night the bar became extremely crowed with just out of college aged kids.  Joel & Alexis adjusted the song list the best they could to accommodate them.  The band did “Love Train” & the kids really got into it.  I was amazed they knew the words!  At the end of the night a few of the kids put their glass of beer down on the floor & danced fervently & crazily around it.  They had Susan & I laughing hysterically – to the point we were crying.  It was a fun night.  Catch the High Voltage Brothers if you can & be sure to visit their myspacewebpage.

 

Lastly, Puggy has notified me he will once again be performing his “Dinner with Diamond – A Tribute” show.  This time @ M O Café & Grill in Vorhees, NJ on Monday, July 16th.  Tickets are $75 which includes a 5 course meal.  Dinner is @ 6:30.  The show begins @ 8:00.  It’s BYOB.  For complete information / reservations call: 856-566-4225 or 856-616-2421.

JOEL'S WEB PAGE

Joel has formed a new band - The High Voltage Brothers.    He originally created a web page for the band on Comcast.   Unfortunately no one was able to access it so he created a new one on myspace.com.   The address is:  

http://myspace.com/thehighvoltagebrothers

The band's schedule is posted.   He was kind enough to include me as a musical influence under "life in general".    The band is still working on an actual song playlist for Connolly Station on the 15th.   Some of these songs may make the list:

Is She Really Goin' Out with Him, Friday I'm in Love, Subterranean Homesick Blues, My Best Friend's Girl, Psycho Killer, Love Train. Disco Inferno, Laid, Blister in the Sun, Sympathy for the Devil, Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'

Don't forget Alexis will be singing a few songs of her own choosing too!   Come.  It will be fun.   You can always post your song suggestions for the band on their myspace web page.

Love, M

 

 

 

 

 

"Blackie" DeRosa

I've just learned that Puggy DeRosa's dad passed away last week:

DeROSA, FRANK S. "Mr. D" of Jersey City on May 2, 2007. He celebrated his 58th Wedding Anniversary on May 1st to his beloved wife Wynne (Kennedy), Devoted father of Frank, Robert & Anthony DeRosa.

If you wish to drop Puggy a line:  Derosapugggy@aol.com

_________________________________________________________________

Bobby Banderia - Asbury Park Press Article

You have been sent the following article from Michele Koslow as a
courtesy of app.com.

PAGE X: GLORY DAYS
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070427/ENT/70426018

Thanks to Pattie Holmefrie!

 

Puggy DeRosa - Bobby's Not The Only One Singing About Caroline.

Puggy DeRosa will be performing Neil Diamond on Weds. May 16 @ Filomena Cucina Restaurant in Berlin, NJ.  It's a dinner show.  Advance tickets are $49.95 a person (tax & gratuity included).  Seats are limited.  For info call: 856-753-3540.    Following is our Instant Message conversations of April 18th & 22nd.  In order to be able to post the IM I had to delete our last names & date stamps.   All other wording remains untouched.   I thought you might find our conversation interesting and I wanted you to see how excited Puggy is about the show.   If you'd like to hear Puggy singing Neil Diamond, email me and I send you a tune.  Unfortunately I was unable post his music as a link on this Blog.  Love, M.

April 18, 2007

puggy: hey mish did ya get the neil show thing? 

Michele: Yes. I am going to post the info on my blog this weekend. I don't know if I will be able to make it. You are playing on a school night. I hope you do more dates! 

puggy: the show just got sold out in 2 weeks   

Michele: WOW. Add a date! I'd really like to see you play. 

puggy: very excited i should tell kip and frank we should do it at djais one night this summer

Michele: Yes. That would be a great idea.

puggy: post it and it is a great show

puggy: dinner w/ diamond puggy: i gotta fit into the leather pants tho

Michele: You should approach Frank & Kip - and soon.

puggy: u can help me

Michele: If they won't do it, try the Columns maybe.

puggy: i`ll drop kip a line bout it

Michele: There are lots of venues that would probably be interested in the show.

puggy: did i send ya a clip from the cd???

puggy: or the flyer????

Michele: Yes! And I think I can post it on my blog too. NO flyer though. Send me that too.

puggy: right now Michele: How are kids and everything else?

puggy: really great baseball season in effect dylan babe ruth carly softball

Michele: Do your parents still have Belmar house? If so, do you go much? puggy: every thurs and fri

Michele: I'll look for you if I'm down those days.

puggy: k sending flyer

Michele: I'll look wait a minute.

Michele: Hasn't come yet.

Michele: Not yet. Maybe graphics are holding it up.

puggy: sent it now Michele: It came. Carly did a great job!

puggy: i know

puggy: very excited bout the project trying to fit into leather pants for the show lol

Michele: lol.

Michele: I have to go. I was doing something when I got your IM. Please let me know if you book anymore dates. I'm glad you're sold out but upset too. I was hoping to make it.

puggy: tell the boys bout it k?

Michele: I sure will but I don't think I'll be seeing them again until Friday, 5/18 at D'Jais opening party. Holme's playing.

Michele: They're playing Bar-A this Friday and the Columns on Sat 5/5.

puggy: wish i lived closer i should be in the band huh?

Michele: yes instead of that fake Puggy they have now.

puggy: ur the best puggy agent lol

puggy: maybe i will showw up again only this time i WILL do brass in pocket 4 u

Michele: Sorry, I was writing an email & didn't realize your wrote (my sound is off)

puggy: i said i will jam w/ holme tis summer and do brass in pocket 4 u

puggy: promise:-)

puggy: when ya post my info e-mail me

Michele: I hope so. It was your best although I think most people would say Pretty Woman was.

Michele: Plus Holme used to do Brass so they already know it.

puggy: i thought everyone thought joel did it better??? lol

puggy: is she really going out w/ him is the 1 i miss

Michele: Joel did it well but you did it originally and originals are usually the best versions.

Michele: I thought Graylick did that song. You did?

puggy: i did can`t believe u don`t remember me in white or red capezios doing that song lol

puggy: danny was the best w/ shattered

Michele: EVERYONE had capezios back then. Even me. Even Kip I think.

Michele: Never Liked Shattered. Liked Graylick's Sweet Jane & Billy Joel.

puggy: u bought me mine lol i remember

Michele: I would never do that now. I am a card carrying member of PETA and don't wear leather.

puggy: danny was good stood next to him all the time i was w/ HOLME

puggy: he was a crazy man and partied w/ him after hrs

puggy: i luved him puggy: strip poker was his thing after gigs

puggy: gtg zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzc soon say hello to the boys 4 me

Michele: he's still alive you know. He found and read my Blog & wrote me once. I was hoping he'd show up at D'Jais one night. I hope he played strip poker with women!

Michele: Goodnight.

April 22, 2007

Michele: Pugster, Can you send me Diamond song as a link? I can't figure out how to post in on my Blog as it. puggy: yeah mish i`ll send it via e-mail

puggy: u got the flyer right???

Michele: You sent by email last time but it came as an attachment. I need it to come as a link.

Michele: yes

puggy: dunno how to do the link thing:-( puggy: we are prob adding a 2nd show the mon after may 21 

Michele: good!

Michele: how big is the venue? puggy: tell me bout the link thing?/

puggy: 75ppl

Michele: I don't know how you would do it. I had hoped you knew. I will have to ask people at work. Computer savey people.

puggy: why can`t ya do it w/ the attachment?

Michele:Are you solo or do you have other muscians playing with you? How long is the show?

Michele: The Blog only allows me to add photos so I have to copy and paste the link within the body of my "letter" Michele: Your diamond song just starting playing on my computer!

puggy: its a 1 man show but i have a great light man and sound man has great trax sounds like i`m jammin w/ neils band

puggy: 1 1/2 hr show

puggy: which one?

puggy: 4 course dinner first

Michele: play me puggy: its a great song

Michele: it is

puggy: very sexy as danny would say lol

Michele: funny. why do you have danny so on your mind?

puggy: can ya do the blog and let holme freaks know bout what i`m doing without a song ??

puggy: stood next to him all the yr i played and always thought how talented he was

Michele: I was trying to when you signed on. I'll post the minute I figure out how to get the song on the blog too. puggy: i miss those days:-(

Michele: we all do.. very much.

puggy: do ya want me to send ya another song????

Michele: i would love it. you're the only saved music I have on this computer.

puggy: don`t remember how many i sent ya........senior moment lol

Michele: only one. play me. puggy: k stay onawhile

Michele: I'll be working on my blog. puggy: it will take bout 15 mins to upload puggy: just sent 1

Michele: okay. which one?

puggy: love on the rox

Michele: i know I know it but I can't remember it. senior moment lol

puggy: u will when ya hear it puggy: lol

puggy: ;-)

Michele: Puggy, is there a website that you download your music from?

puggy: don`t have one yet duh

Michele: I thought if you did I could get a link of your music from it.

puggy: ?????????? no

puggy: u should have gotten it by now let me know how ya like it

Michele: let me check

Michele: i got it but it says it will take 11 minutes to "transfer"

puggy: k worth the wait

puggy: i`ll be here

Michele: ok

Michele: puggy. i don't think you sent me diamond. you sent live verson of "these dreams of you so real & so true"

puggy: no way i never did that song???????????

Michele: i know it's not you singing! I'm going to email you back to you. listen to it. I know the singer I just can't think of who it is right now.

puggy: its a van song but how u got i i don`t know

Michele: yes it is van morrison!

puggy: very strange

puggy: oh well

Michele: i'm trying to send it back to you. hold on.

puggy: just sent ya hello again maybe that will be one u can hear

Michele: I have 7 mins to go on love on rox. After than I have to go to sleep. will listen to hello again tomorrow. promise.

puggy: k nighty night puggy signed off at 12:15 AM

 

Holmeschooling Charlotte - 2/9/07

Our friend Charlotte thought Holme would be playing D’Jais & she thought she would be able to eat at Bar-A.  She got a quick Internet crash course from me on what to expect when you go to see Holme @ Bar-A.  And that would be nothing.  The Bar-A website will tell you the band is going on hours earlier then they actually are.  They’ll be no parking spaces for blocks, the free buffet will be over & gone before you get there, it will be so packed you won’t be able to see the band from where you stand & chances are the band will be ending by the time you are ordering a 2nd round. 

It was a Valentine’s Day show.  I got this idea to create iron transfers from my head shot photos of the band, cut the transfers into hearts, sew lace around the outside of the heart & sew the hearts onto a pink shirt.  It turned out to be a 2-day job & I didn’t finish my project until 7:30pm the night of the show (causing me to miss the 1st set). In the end some of the hearts had rhinestones in lieu of lace around the edges.  I sewed the hearts onto my shirt loosely so that I would be able to rip my Valentines off my shirt at the end of the night & hand them out to anyone who wanted one.   Toward this endeavor I packed a pair of scissors & a bunch of safety pins in my purse.

It was sisters night out for us.  Charlotte & her sister Jane, Marian & her sister Donna and me & my sister Kathy.  Kathy was the 1st to arrive out of the group.   It was extremely crowded & it was a Holme love fest.  All the regulars were there & each of the band’s wives/girlfriends were too.  Kip pointed out it had been 7 weeks since the band last played.  I arrived before the 2nd set just as the guys were handing out Pussycat Doll boas, candy bracelets, heart-shaped sunglasses & red sequined hats to the crowd to get us into the spirit of Valentine’s Day.  I am a card-carrying member of PETA, so the boas upset me.  The sax player du jour was Steverino!  He was the only one of the band to dress for the occasion in a red t-shirt.  He hadn’t played with the band in months so I sent him a note asking if he had just got out of rehab.  Billy looked “bad” in a black hat & black clothing.  I had hoped Holme would do “Cupid” (draw back your bow & let your arrow go) by Sam Cooke like in days gone by .  It would have been THE Valentine’s Day song but apparently Kip did not consider doing it (unless they played it during their 1st set – which I missed).  Charlotte & Jane arrived next.  Charlotte wanted a sequined hat & eventually got herself one by kissing Star-Ledger Mike for his (he did not use tongue).

The band added The Cars’ “Just What I Needed” to their song list & Kip dedicated it to Kathy & me.  Kathy was ecstatic because she had really wanted them to add The Cars to their repertoire & went so far as to give Kip her Cars Greatest Hits CD to get him to do them.  It was the height of the Anna Nicole scuttlebutt.  I sent a note to Kip asking “Are you the father of Anna Nicole’s Baby?”  Kip laughed so much he forgot to sing.  Before starting the next song, he announced he WAS  the father of Anna Nicole’s daughter.   Frank then announced he was Anna Nicole & Stan said “I am the daughter”.

I was on my way to the ladies room when I ran into Frank's girlfriend Teresa & Harry’s wife.  I recently ran into Teresa in the lobby in my office building.  It turns out we work 30 floors apart and didn’t know it.  Frank told Joe Lepis (who also works in the same city as us) the 3 of us should get together for lunch.  Mrs. Filkin pointed out I had a photo of her husband Harry on my breast.  She said Harry would love it.  I am closest to Sementa so I had his photo over my heart.  Later Harry said he looked like he just got out of the insane asylum in his photo.

Fabricated wet snow fell from the rafters.  Toward the end of the night we were able to stand close to the stage & dance.  I cut the hearts off my shirt & pinned them onto wives, girlfriends & fans.  I made sure to pin one of Kip on DJ Todd.  When the band ended we continued to dance.  Bar-A has a great DJ that plays FABULOUS music.  We were Dancing Queens, Shake, Shake, Shaking our Booty (with our tammy on).  We ordered shots of something our Anna Nicole look-a-like bartender concocted.  We toasted to good sex & went on record that Donna’s had it.  Kathy said goodnight and headed home.  I drove the rest of us to the Princess Marina Diner.  I was going home after the diner & the rest of the girls were planning to continue on until they realized it was already 1:00 and the bars would close shortly.   They went back to their hotel room, drank wine & ate Girl Scout cookies.

 

Alert - They’ll be Joel Kraus news coming soon!

 

On 2/24 Kathy & I went to see Bobby Banderia @ the Walt Street Pub in Red Bank.  There was already a line to get in when we got there just before 10:00.  I counted 22 people ahead of us.  Since Bobby was just starting to play, no one was leaving so the wait was pretty long.   I was all for going back home or doing something else but I knew Kathy wanted to stay so I remained on line & suffered.  I swore it was the last time I was going to see Bobby there.  After we got in I was more relaxed.  Frank Sementa & his girlfriend Teresa showed up.  Teresa told me they had waited on line outside for quite some time.  Imagine Frank Sementa waiting on a line outside a bar!  Frank & I are getting old.  Neither of us would have waited on a line years ago.  Bobby has a new hairstyle that makes him look like  The Wedding Singer or an early Bob Dylan or is it Little Richard?  He was smokin’ last summer.  I don’t know why he messed with perfection.  Some songs Bobby did were Build Me Up Buttercup, Road House Blues & Tutti Frutti & Kathy commented he had played with Holme too much.  He also did some songs I liked such as “It’s Not Unusual” & “Hot Legs”.  I told Frank that the songs that Bobby does makes the songs Holme does seem modern.  Frank said I’ve always said that.   It had been quite some time since I had though.  Kathy told me David Cassidy was playing at the Count Bassie Theater that night.  Someone told me Bobby & Tracy were going to renew their wedding vows @ McLoons.  I repeated it to Frank.  The dance floor was happening.  There was a party girl who never left it.  She asked anyone who was bopping to the music nearby to dance.  When I turned her down she said you know you could have no legs tomorrow.   It was food for thought.  I knew she was right but I still wasn’t dancing.  Kathy & I left before Bobby finished.

 

On 3/4 Camille, Joyce & I attended one of the benefits that were held for Bernie Dippolito of Frankie & The Burn.  I know Camille since grammar school.  Joyce, Camille & I all worked for the same insurance company (along with Donna, Charlotte & Debbie French) in the 70’s.  We originally came to know Bernie when he played with Sam The Band.  Camille & Joyce went to see Sam all the time.   Bernie had a stroke in December & 3 bars down the shore were holding benefits simultaneously for him.  We went to the one @ Mugsy’s Bar & Grill in Toms River.  Tickets were $25 at the door & you were given a wristband which enabled you to bar hop the 3 benefits.  When we walked in Bernie was sitting by the door & Jack Leslie (from Sam the Band) stood right in front of us.  Jack recognized Camille & Joyce immediately.   He hadn’t seen them in about 20 yrs.  Bernie looked pretty good.  He sang 2 songs.  One of them was Stevie Wonder’s “Living in the City” he does SO good.  Then he left to attend another one of the benefits.  Camille wore an original Sam the Band t-shirt making her the belle of the ball.   It was talked about numerous times by a few of the musicians on stage as well as by some of the benefit attendees.  3 bands played:  1) Friends of the Burn which consisted of an assortment of musicians including coincidentally one of Camille’s neighbors.   2) The Superman Band which included both Jack Leslie & Dennis Carmella from Sam the Band.   They did an excellent rendition of David Bowie’s Heroes which they dedicated to Bernie.  3) The Mangos, an eclectic group of men who played southern rock music like the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Band & one of my faves Leon Russell.  They ended with a blow your mind Jimi Hendrix style Star Spangled Banner.  There was a raffle and naturally (if you know her well) Camille won a prize second ticket pulled.   It was great to see Bernie looking well and to see Joyce, Jack & Dennis again as well as to be on another adventure back in time with Camille.   I also enjoyed hearing diverse song play by some top notch musicians. 

Home Box Office - Episode 1 - Out With The Old, In With The New

I thought I'd post some Holme photos from time to time.  If you have any of your own - old or new - that you would like to share with the people who read this Blog, please email them to me.   I'll be happy to use your own captions.   Don't forget to send photos of the Holme fans too.   Love, M  

Holme For The Aged - 12/15/06

Every year I look for a new Christmas hat.  This year while looking at hats in Urban Decay I noticed a red wig on a mannequin.  I paid $2 to try it on.  The young sales girl complimented me & it was bought.  Viola!  I was ready for the Holme Christmas party.  Kathy & I were both up for it.  The conditions were right.  It was on a Friday, it was going to begin early, we were having 60˚weather & I had a PTO day left.  The parking lots were full & so were the streets.  Bar-A was packed!  The most famous of the noteworthy were there:  Marvelous Marianne, Star Ledger Mike & his buddies, Mrs. C, Teresa, Roberta, The Playwright, Donna’s Sam, Marissa & Cathy and Beautiful Barbara along with her just as beautiful sister & beautiful friend.   Lynn C was also there but I didn’t see her.  I don’t know why Holme thinks they cannot fill The Headliner.    

Holme’s songlist was sprinkled with holiday songs.  The ones I remember are Jingle Bell Rock, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Blue Christmas, Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer, Run Rudolph Run (or was it Run, Run Rudolph?).   Take note:  New to their regular songlist is Clapton’s “Cocaine”.

Bar-A usually drops confetti on their crowd.  This night they actually had it snow in the bar.  It was very neat, very cool touch which everyone loved.

My wig was a hit.   Guys seemed to like it best.  I reminded a few people of an early Cyndi Lauper.  Many people wore their own Santa hats & Holme handed out reindeer antler headbands & Rudolph red noses.  It was tight on the dance floor.  I noticed that some of the oldest men in the crowd were right up against the stage where women usually stand to gawk at the band.   What’s up with that?  

The outside bar was open & there were heaters to warm by.  I got to have a short conversation with Peter.   He will be playing with Joel this upcoming weekend at the Crab’s Claw.  I had wondered why Holme was not playing regularly like they did last winter.  I was told that Kip had some personal matters recently.   There was a death in his family and Mrs. C had fallen and hurt her arm.   Let’s hope 2007 is a better year for the Conners & us Holme fans.  

Happy New Year everyone!

Love, M