wholmever - 8/28/06

It was the 1st day of my vacation & Sharon was sleeping over so there was no need to rush to D’Jais.  We arrived around 9:30 & I got my first drink of the night from Justin – a bay breeze.  For my next drink I asked bartender Jen to concoct something fruity for me.  She mixed me up a drink that tasted like cherry cough syrup & 7up.  It wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for.  It was very crowded so we stood under the windows at the far bar.  We saw Lynn there.  The band wasn’t playing & it was too early for a break.  Lynn told me Holme had started but had to stop due to an equipment problem.  They went back on just after we got there.  We moved toward the side of the stage because this woman who had been seated in front of us at the bar whistled very loudly non-stop during an entire song.  This woman will forever be referred to by us as “the annoying whistler”.

Peter Schulle looked sophisticated in a groovy crisp white shirt, perfect hair & comfortable Pumas.  Kip looked like a true rock star.  He wore sunglasses that made him look EXTREMELY SEXY.  I’ve thought of Kip as good looking & at times little boy cute but had never found him sexy UNTIL NOW.  Accessories can be everything.  When he took the sunglasses off I thought he looked tired or suffering with allergies.  But no – later on he told us the reason why he was wearing sunglasses was he had poked himself in the eye.

My next drink was a Heineken.  That’s when we saw Marianne.  She was back and more marvelous.   Her brother John was with her.  He is cute.  Someone picked up my beer & started drinking it so it was back to Justin’s bar for a couple of white russians (i always mix).  Frank came by & said he should have slept with Sharon & I when he had the chance.  We had offered a 3 way ions ago @ a D’Jais Summer Reunion Party @ Hunka Bunka.  I remember it well because we had frolicked in the water in the kiddie pool on the stage & got a flat tire on the way home just before the Outer Bridge.  We were drenched, it was an extremely cold night & we froze waiting for help to arrive. 

Sharon & I took a trip to the ladies room.  Looking around I thought it really needs sprucing up.  One of the things I noticed was the frame around the mirror was pretty rusted & needs replacing.  On our trip back to the bar we were stopped by a woman who recognized us from this Blog.  She told us her name was Joanne & she introduced us to her married friends, Jerry & Susie.  We spoke to Star Ledger Mike for a few minutes.  I think people have begun to recognize him.

We were then hit with a blast from our past.  Re-Re, who we know from Debbie French came over to us.  We hadn’t seen her in about 20 yrs.  She looks the same.  She had heard about D’Jais’ Monday nights & came to check it out.  She couldn’t believe how crowded it was.  She later emailed me that she had a great time & was surprised by how many people she recognized. 

Sharon & I went back to Justin’s bar.  It was at this time that I came down with a bad case of the loose lips & I told him:  1) that if I were 20 yrs younger & skinny I would have sex with him on the bar with everyone watching and to prove my point 2) I told him about some of my wilder Holme moments – sex on the stage in Foxes, dancing naked in Rock Palace & driving through a Parkway toll booth with one of the guys.  In between 1 & 2 his mom came over, introduced herself and her husband, his dad.

Beautiful Barbara pointed out one time that Kip was always pulling up his pants and sure enough he was doing it again.  We saw Joanne & Jerry twisting,  Mrs. C & Teresa were there.  We danced with the Playwright, it was Rolling Stones Jen (the bartender’s) birthday, Holme did Garden State Parkway Boogie & the Big Bopper sang.  We thought the band sounded sooo good & tight but Sharon heard someone say the “sound sucks”.  There was a point during the night when Pete could not hear when playing the harmonica.  However, the problem was rectified right away

At the end of the night Joanne, Susie & Jerry had moved to Justin’s bar.  Frank & I were talking against the wall.  I discussed the condition of the ladies room with him.  He seemed to agree with me that it needed to be addressed & said it would cost too much to totally redo, however, they may spend a couple of thousand dollars on it.  The name Joanne caused me to ask Frank whether “willowy Joanne” had made an appearance to see the band yet.  Frank pointed to “Susie” and said she was Joanne.  Frank knew which Joanne I was inquiring about but I reminded him of a one-sided fist fight &  beer dumping on a new pair of expensive shoes he experienced in the School House.  That Joanne.  But he said no, it was her.  She didn’t look like willowy Joanne to me but I guess it could have been her.  But calling herself Susie?

Outside before leaving we spoke to Harry & Stanley.  Stanley took credit for Midnight Confessions & all of the British invasion music being sung.  I told him I had suggested Confessions to Kip numerous times & it was a good add to the song list.  I let him know that I’ve been appealing to Kip to do I Think I Love You hoping he might bring it to Kip himself.  Chard was behind the snack bar serving.  We shared french fries with the Playwright & his son Eric.

Sharon couldn’t sleep & left at dawn.  I on the other hand stayed in bed until 3pm because every time I tried to get up waves of nausea hit me.  While composing this entry I won a burial plot @ Hollywood Cemetery in Union.  I turned it down & thanked the caller.  Isn’t Union part of the Holme gray area?

Holme Team - 8/7/06

Since I didn’t take notes (again) and I only stayed for the 1st set, I am reduced to a hodgepodge of ramblings:

Holme finally added the Grassroots’ “Midnight Confessions” to their song list.  I had been championing for it via email to Kip for quite some time.  They also did The Shirelles “Baby It’s You”.  Actually they more likely did the Beatles version (circa 1963).

Rich the Playwright has asked me to post a retraction to something I said about him on this Blog.  So here it goes…. He never asked my friend out in D’Jais.  In fact, according to Rich, he has never asked any woman out in bar. 

Donna & Marian went to see Mr. Playwright in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.  They said the play was good, he was good & the small fairy children adorable.

I forgot to mention Maureen & Ilona were there with us July 31st.

Beautiful Barbara’s husband’s band, Jersey Central, will be playing The Cabin, Rt. 33, Howell on Oct. 21st.   They’re great & play a wide selection of music.  9 of us went to see them recently & everyone enjoyed them immensely.  A sample of their song list:  Beginnings, Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band ♥, Vertigo ♥, I need a Lover ♥♥, The Letter ♥♥,  Angel Of  Harlem, Bitch, Superstition, 25 or 6 to 4, Vehicle, Crossfire, One Way Out, Theme From An Imaginary Western, Jet, Knock On Wood, I Don't Wanna' Go Home & Dance to The Music ♥♥♥. 

Check back soon. 

Love, M

 

 

 

 

 

Holme Fries - 7/31/06

We had so much fun the week before that Donna, Marian & I returned to D’Jais for more.  Mr. T. McGraw look-a-like greeted Donna at the door with a “Hello Beautiful”.  We were off to a good start.  I had made a “I ♥♥ Justin” button to wear to his birthday party last week but had forgotten it at home.  Before I left my house this night I scooped it up from my nightstand to take with me.  My dad was coming over & I didn’t want him to speculate about my love life.  I wore it in D’Jais & it was hit with Justin.  Toward the end of the night I passed it onto Patty his co-bartender & she wore it with pride.  Who doesn’t love Justin?

The band added a new song to their repertoire - “Rosalita”.  Harry not only sings it, he owns it!  It’s a real keeper.  A reader of this Blog named Lynn introduced herself to me.  She had been a bartender @ D’Jais for a year back in the day & had traveled from Pennsylvania to see the band. She’s very nice but reluctant to have her photo posted.  Bobby Banderia’s son joined Holme onstage for a tune or 2.  Frank was kind enough to grant my request for tee shirts for D & M.  I hadn’t known that Donna had really wanted one.  Peter told us his grandchild saw his photo on this Blog.  After the band went off I sat at Justin’s bar & continued to drink while Donna & Marian went out to the snack bar.  They were having french fries when the Playwright stopped by.  They offered him some fries but he refused them saying he tries to stay away from the stuff.  Donna & Marian informed him they are worth every gram of fat in them.  Sometime during the night (maybe at the snack bar) the Playwright informed them he was going to appear in a play the next weekend in a park in Spring Lake.  The play was Shakesphere’s “A Mid-Summers Night Dream”.    As this encounter was going on a fight suddenly broke out across the bar from me.  I couldn’t tell you anything about it other than no one saw it coming & Bill Ludeke was involved.  When the fight emptied onto the street outside, Donna came into the bar to make sure I was safe.  She found me sitting at the bar with a big smile on my face.   That was the memory she took away with her from the night.    

Love, M

 

Holme Boy - 7/24/06

Me, Donna & Marian and no work the next day.  It was Justin’s birthday.  It was partyville.   We had a celebrity sighting of Tim McGraw at the door.  Steverino greeted me on bended knee and kissed my hand.  Justin was honored by his friends with cake (both the food & girl type).  Kip looked tired.  DJ Charlie did a fresh one “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and it was good!   Firemen Glen, Al & John were there.  I hadn’t seen Al or John in about 15 yrs.  Glen said he was there the week before too but I hadn’t seen him.  He also said he feels young @ D’Jais compared to the Columns crowd & he is bored of retirement.  I can’t even imagine.  On break we took our drinks out on the porch.  Harry stopped by & asked after Sharon.  Frank sat down & chatted up.   I asked if the Hummer in the parking lot was his.  I thought not – it wasn’t him but Fireman Glen thought it was.  Frank does drive it but I was right.   When he left the table I noticed the curly light wiring on the porch was clean.   A short time ago I pointed out to Frank that it was grossly dirty.  I never got the chance to ask him if it had been cleaned by someone on staff or by the torrential rains we had.  Back in the bar Stanley’s biggest fans put on tee shirts that read “We know who John Eddie is but who the hell is Stanley K?”  Stanley wore one too.  Later Pete again reminded me he was the only drinking member of Holme.  I corrected him – he & Joel are the only drinking members of Holme.   Pete also questioned my quoting the Bible on this Blog.   I didn’t know I had until Donna & Marian confirmed it.  For those wondering:  I Corinthians 13:4.

Special Note to FJS: I hope you get it - you’re rich in the one thing money can’t buy you.  

Love, M.    

 

Who Says You Can't Go Holme? - 7/17/06

I could not be bought with food.  It took the big guns – Bobby & Puggy plus nudging from my sister & Camille being on vacation down the shore to quickly end my boycotting of Holme.  It was very crowded. It seemed the entire fan base was there.  I wasn’t sure Puggy would really show & when I arrived at D’Jais Marisa told me he had just been there with his daughter & had left.  I have very mixed feelings about Puggy & am very guarded around him but I still felt a little let down.

Kip introduced Bobby by telling the crowd he was an original member of Holme & is now a member of Bon Jovi & would be playing Giants Stadium the next night.  Bobby then said “but it won’t be anything like this”.  Everyone laughed.  Kip said they had learned a new song & had practiced all day.  The band then went into Neil Young’s “Like A Hurricane”.   It’s my favorite song that Bobby does & Holme played it excellently!  I wish they could continue to play it.  Like I said Marisa was there & she had a new fabuuuulous hairdo.  Joe & Sarah Lepis came.  Then Puggy appeared.  We kissed, we chatted, we went to the side of the stage.  I told him he had to do Brass in Pocket.  It had been one of his signature songs when he was in the band (another being Pretty Woman).  He said he couldn’t because he didn’t know the words.  Unthinkable!  I offered to write the words down for him but he was not interested.  I encouraged him to tongue Bobby like he used to in the old days & when he went on stage he tried to but Bobby wasn’t having it.  Puggy sang 2 songs – Brown Eyed Girl & Satisfaction.  Like Puggy we’re from Jersey City so we loved it when he changed the words in B.E.G. from “behind the stadium with you” to “behind Roosevelt Stadium with you”.  I didn’t notice but Sharon said Puggy forgot the words to Satisfaction & that Kip had tried to help him but it was futile.  When he left the stage he came by & told me he was working on a CD of Neil Diamond songs - again Unthinkable! – and to email him.  Later Joe Lepis said to me that Puggy should have done Brass in Pocket.  This night Bobby didn't mingle with masses.  Oh and I almost forgot, Kevin Cavanaugh played with the band.  Chard seemed to be digging Kathy K.  She told him how we saw his twin last week at the Columns & he said “poor guy”.  We went outside for food during a break.  Take note – don’t order the pretzels.  More often than not they’re as hard as rocks.  Kip came through the snack bar & asked for Camille (who was in the ladies room at the time).  He said he wanted to tease her about how she used to like Richard Gere.  I informed him she still does.  Camille returned. She was very tan.  Frank came by touched her arm & said she was burned.  Frank has forever been very anti sun & he started to tell Camille how bad taking the sun is when I reminded him that cigarettes & drinking were also bad for you.  He said he’d quit smoking around Christmas & told us a story of why he quit.  If you know Frank you know that I am being grammatically correct when I say “a” story.  Anyhoo, it had to do with Belmar’s Mayor Pringle explaining addiction to him.  Kip called Frank back into the bar to play & we were all left perplexed by Frank’s story.  None of us really got it.  Needless to say I was extremely happy that Frank quit smoking.

Love, M.

 

Wait - One last thing - Frank & Kip bought D’Jais with Holme money.  My friends and I sometimes went to see Holme 4 nights a week to places as far away as Ship Bottom (Joe Pop’s) and Randolph (Final Exam) and we paid to see them.  After Holme disbanded we went to D’Jais 3-4 times a week.  Lots of their fans did the same thing.   The Holme fan base was their bread & butter back then & had it not been for their fans Frank & Kip could well have ended up on welfare.

Holme Away From Holme - 7/9/06

For once the band began on time.  There were some fresh songs like Pour Some Sugar on Me, Livin' on a Prayer and Me & Julio Down by the School Yard.  Of course they played their regular songs like Runaway & American Girl.  We were told the band would take requests but only if they were written on a napkin.  The breaks were long as they sometimes are.  It was Kathy, Sharon & me.  The crowd was composed of mostly couples.  I swore I saw Chard in the crowd but was later proved wrong.  Glen the Fireman who had a shore house on 14th next to ours in the early 80’s walked in.  He’s 54, single & just retired.  He remembered all of our names & said we had the same hairdos we did in the 80’s.  He’s right.

We were hungry & decided to grab some fries @ D’Jais snack bar.  We were waiting for our food when Patty Conner stopped to chat with us.  She told me she has read my Blog. Kip had shown it to her.  I tried to explain to her that I had always been critical of the band but she assured me that the band respected my opinion.  She told us there were photos of us on Angelo’s PhotoShow.  At that point Kip came by & Patty asked him about Angelo’s photos.  I told Kip I was still mad at him over July 3rd & not to talk to me.  Patty informed us they were going to have a nice buffet the next Monday to make up for the band not playing the 3rd.  A peace offering?  Evidence that all of your emails did rock Kip’s world.  I had emailed Kip almost daily with my tirades over the 3rd and my thoughts on how the band should have handled the situation.  I truly thought the band to be unfair to their fans.  I was told last year that D’Jais makes more money on Holme’s Monday nights than they do on Sundays.  My theory on this is the Sunday crowd is drugging and the Monday crowd is drinking.  What Holme should have done was played at another venue for happy hour let’s say 4 – 7:00.  They could have found a drummer to sit in for Frank for the afternoon leaving him to tend to D’Jais.  Kip could have been back at D’Jais by 7:30.  It would have been a win-win situation.  In addition, the band would have been paid by the other venue putting money in Kip’s pocket. Hey the band could have even continued to play after Kip left.  Another way they could have gone was to charge everyone $10 to get in voiding all VIP cards for the holiday.  Lastly they could have had a guest player to draw a larger crowd (like when Bobby plays with them). The 20 yr olds had Z100 Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  Trust me, they were not going to abandon D’Jais & frequent other clubs in the future if Holme had played that Monday. 

Holmecoming Dance - 6/19/06

This entry is short, uneventful & contains virtually no mention of the band because I did not jot down any notes during the night.  You see, our friend Maureen finally made an appearance at D'Jais.  Like everyone else she used to go see Holme back in the day.  Maureen had a classic punk rock look then & still does to some degree.  She was known for licking eyeballs & writing funny letters to us.  The letters were quirky stories involving people we knew & sometimes had Holme characters in them.  She grew up in Jersey City & is Camille's cousin.  Her Holme claim to fame was kissing Bobby.  I hadn't seen Maureen for a few years.  She & her friend Ilona were already having a drink at Justin's bar when Susan & I walked in.  Justin saw us & asked where I have been.  He said it was about a month since they'd last seen me.  It was actually only 2 weeks but you know how screwed up time is in Holme speak.  Steverino blew us kisses.  Later I told him not to call Joel with job offers anymore and from stage he pretended to erase Joel's number from his cell phone.  Sharon & Kathy - who has the longest ride of all of us - showed up shortly after we did & my brother walked in too.  He was a very funny guy before he made the worst mistake of his life.  He was the resident DJ at the Showboat (later called Pyramids) in Jersey City.  We loved going there because David would always play all of our favorite disco tunes for us.  I had a glimpse of the old David when he said to Maureen - I left my girlfriend home why didn't you?  We had always danced with Maureen when Holme played the Ramones so I asked Kip to play I Wanna Be Sedated & dedicate it to her.  When the band began to play it we immediately headed to the dance floor.  It's funny how girls always do that.  No matter where they are in the bar when the band or DJ begins to play "their song" they instantly stop what they're doing and make their way to the dance floor.   In checking with Sharon, Kathy & Susan none of them could remember anything having to do with band that night.  The only interesting tidbit Susan was able to offer up was it was the 3rd time she brought an umbrella toD'Jais and the 1st time she went home with one.  Love, M