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PAUL DICKLER * & * DAVID MEYERS
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THE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS & MUSICIANS TO BE CREDITED FOR THE MANY ACOMPLESHMENTS
THEY PROVIDED THE NORTH EASTERN MONMOUTH COUNTY NEW JERSEY SEA SHORE
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A K A
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" THE BLACKBERRY BOOZE BAND "
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As anyone can Clearly See in the Above Opening Photograph !
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THESE TWO GUYS ARE SYNCHRONIZED & UNFIED
( as They were & will always be " The Blackberry Booze Band " ! )
They Originally Created in 1971 as A Blues Duo developing there Future Agenda .
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We had met briefly before within the Past year & became Friends over the next Summer , eventually to Unite as a Force that Would Steadly Evolve & lead to Inspiring & Slowly Change the Social & Entertainment Atmousphier around the Northern Shore at a time when IT was Idle . Equally Important in There Sanguine Saga was there involvement in the Elberon Ranch Producions & the New & Unique Entertainment " SPECIAL EVENTS " that were put on around the Shore Area every few months for a couple years that also promoted & included many other Artistic Peers .
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HERE IS THE BLACKBERRY BOOZE BANDS BRIEF STORY
As "I" Whitnessed & Participated First Hand with Them
As there Bands Visual Artist , Friend & Colleague .
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Phase One ;
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In 1971 they started as a Blues Duo playen out under the Ole' Maple Tree & soon went public in Bars .
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Phase Two ;
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In 1972 they added drummer Kenny " POPEYE " Pentifallo who stayed with them untill March of 1976 .
who also must be FULLY CREDITED for " HIS "
Equaly Important Part in this bands Base
Kenny has also reunited with Paul & David for there rare ;
ORIGINAL BLACKBERRY BOOZE BAND TRIO REUNIONS
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Phase Three ;
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In 1973 they added Paul Green for HIS Contrabutions as an Important Official Band Member filling out there Sound by playing Harmonica & Additional Vocals as there Funky Country Blues got even Looser & began Developing as There Style , also influenced by residing in the Rural Like Equestrain & Wildlife Sanctuary of the 30 Acre Secluded " Elberon Ranch " just 2 blocks from the Ocean ( with there own Private Beach ) & it's Artist Haven Clan & there Friends .
" David , Paul , Kenny & Paul " absorbed & promoted there Funfilled Manner attracting an Equally Enthusiastic & Friendly Following Creating This Fresh New Atmousphere At ALL There Gigs that the General Public was attracted to & delighted to be part of , during this Period & Era of Such Social Strife & Unrest .
WITH THERE UNIQUE SOUND , STYLE & FUNKY IMPROVISATIONAL RENDITIONS of THE BLUES also having this EVANGECIAL LIKE FERVER & EFFECT on there audiances , thanks to David & His Studys of " Theology " at Monmouth College .
Also Later in this Era they Brieffly Added " the BOOZETTS "
( There Back Up Singers ; Nancy , Steffany , Martha & Lisa )
With SO much Change taking place , locally , Nationally , Globally - - -
Paul Green also decided to move to California .
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IT WAS HERE THAT " A FORTH SPIRIT & DRIVE " CAME ABOUT
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AS : Along with The Times & there Fans they wanted another Singer / Harmonica / Musician ( etc. ) for that Bigger & Fuller Sound so Paul , David & Popeye briefly recruted Southside Johnny ( great voice & punctuation ) who seamed a bit Demanding , much less Fluid & To Precise for Davids more Gracious & Flexiable Style & The Fans now also expected that Very Loose Improvassional Style & Flavor - SO they continued playing about from Highlands to Point Pleasent , while casually searching for a " Meaningfull Addition " to There TRIO !
THAN AFTER ONE DYNAMIC NIGHT COLABORATIVELY WITH PAUL WHISTLER :
They All Began Hosting this Unique Venue for That Time !
( Especially for Eastern Monmouth County & Spacifically its Whole Sea Shore )
That being ;
TO WELCOME & HOST OTHER SELECTED GUEST MUSICIANS
TO SIT IN WITH THEM " ON THERE LAST SET JAM SESSIONS "
Opening the Areas Musical Flood Gates by Pionering This Exciting Approach on the Northern New Jersey Sea Shore that Developed into an Intencely Increasing Series of HAPPENINGS with them there , for Two Years .
By inviting these many other Musicians to sit in with Them they created this Continiously Growing Following as a Result of There Tallents & Graciousness .
Most ALL of there Guests were from Out of the Area at first - with some Ole' Peers from North Jersey & NYC . In the Fall of 1974 , having aquired a Steady Gig at the Stony End ; in West End , N. J. & through the Winter of 1974 /1975 they were now Mutuially Colaborating with Paul Whistler on a Weekly Basis & with these many other musicians also joining in , they soon Out Grew that Facility ( also nearly blowing the walls out of the facility & Patty Murray Complaining constantly from His Cute Little Bar next door ) . SO They choose to find a place to Rip It UP within a place that could Accommodate there Rapidly Growing Audiances , Fans & This New Musical Agenda at a Larger Facility in Asbury Park , N. J. - The STONE PONY .
A Perfect Sized Club in the heart of that Dirty , Dead & Scroungy War Zone like Boardwalk Area where one could have the freedom to exercise there Tallents as one saw fit & not disturbe anyone . SO THEN & along with The Elberon Ranch Productions , with whom they were Colaboratively the Musical Driving Force Of - We brought the Actual Ground Breaking / Over Night Success Back to THAT AREA , absent since the mid 1960s - That Opened The Way for The STONE PONYs Success , still thriving there to this day .
( not the croud that for 3 decades has been touting there success there , they came Next )
Creating A Fun Place to Get Down & Let It Loose IN A GOOD SIZED CLUB THAT THEY PACKED THE HOUSE
David Primarilary Guided the Band & its Dynamic Pulses on the Bass along with Popeye who " Always Kept the Beat Moving " , both slowly working on Setting Paul Dickler Up to Roar for a While in his Unique Way & then return back to his Sweet , Gentle , Funky or Flowen Styles & Rythemic Grooves all within & around any Vocals that David & or " Paul Whistler " supplyed in HIS Powerful & Unique Style . All the Fans basically came to see These Guys Interact Togeather & to GET DOWN ON THE DANCE FLOOR , while any Additional Tallent was just adding to The Night of A Fun Filled , Hard Driving Funky Soulfull Blues Rock Party & The Better the night was FOR EVERYONE . Most often a select few singers performed & the many additional musicians who were always welcome & were always Inhanced by being with these guys & the powerful flights & grooves they projected to there audiances , who were always Grooven Out " DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY " to there always strong , always fresh twist .
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After the First ELBERON RANCH SHOW on June 21 , 1975 we were Imediately asked to do Another Show before we left that night & Another & Another , doing these HAPPININGS in Various other Clubs in that area during the next couple years , Usually Every Season & Every Elberon Ranch Production was ALWAYS - A Very Sucessfull Fun HAPPENING with a Simple Orginized Structure , Everyone Did what they Did & We Each did Our Dutys : Gracefully , Independantly & Respectifully with Each Other . Once Having " Installed This Bright Spirit " into the Eastern Monmouth County Music Scean & now more spacificaly , this Asbury Park Beachfront Night Club ( the Stone Pony ) The Blackberry Booze Band continued to play there , Generating a Suprisingly Sucessful Responce INTO that Previously Desolate Area also now Attracting Many of the Local Musicians - who had No Gig on the Week End Nights , to Show Up & Party & or Hopefully to JOIN IN with them for THERE Late Night Jam & FINALY !
THE ELBERON RANCH PRODUCTIONS ALSO SHOWCASSED OTHER BANDS " IN THERE PRODUCTIONS
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Phase Five ;
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THEN ;
During the Early Winter Months of " 1976 " Little Steven suddenl Poped Up ( Outa Nowhere ) & after Succesfully Auditioning for the Blackberry Booze Band Band in Early / Mid Febuary at the Student Prince at a Priviatly held Session - open to ONLY to a few of US
" That Was Quite A Brief & Yet a Very Unique Scean Overall "
AS : Both Steven & Paul Dickler searched for there Places Togeather , Paul Dickler would Let Loose at some point in each tune , while Steven was as Accommodiating & Complementary as One Could Ever Expect . "I" vividly recall he did some fine guitar work like in Southides version of " FEVER " later to come out in May . I was Impressed & he was very accomidating . BUT THEN ! Steve soon brought Southside Johnny back around with Him - - - humm (?) John who " HAD SAT IN " with The Blackberry Booze Band a few times back in 1974 at a Highlands & a Sea Bright Gig , had a Great Voice then - BUT - with that , came a Different Aproach & A More Traditional Structured Style & Outlook that one might expect & was Not Quite So Willing or Fluid Enough to Fit In that Well with THIS Band as in the Past & The B.B.B. Fans had been Very Outspoken about this , so there colaboration just Dicipated . DAVIDS PULSE & " CONTROL " was surely even more of the Issue as things went forward . Johns Last Band - " Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes " had the Tuesday & Sunday Night Gigs throughout The Summer of 1975 at the Stone Pony & HE NOW ( in the late winter / early spring of 1976 ) was again out to Colaborate with the Blackberry Booze Band as The Singer & play Harmonica preparing for the oncomming Summer Season -
WELL : The Power Struggle was Soon Vivid & Actively Taking Place
( also taking into concideration My March 15 , 1976 Elberon Ranch Show Posters Misinterpretation at the time there & B.S. , Jack & Butches Odd Reaction )
As Steve & John were now becomming even more united they then after a couple weeks of serious deliberation , persuaded David , Paul & Kenny to STOP PERFORMING THERE AS " The Blackberry Booze Band " & Began to Performe There as : " Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes "
BUT ; David was certainly not innitially so pleased with This ;
as HE briefly also spoke & confided with ME On This Issue & I said ;
What are you doing with These Guys - They Just Don't Mesh or Fit In !
WELL : This Was To Evolve - and Would Become The Breaking Point & or Period of Change for Everyone !
As by then , they had also promptly added ;
1 ) the Keyboardist from the previous Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes Band !
2 ) A Horn Man that Steven had previously worked with !
NOW they were ALL RAPIDLY EVOLVING into " This All New Focus & Agenda " when **K A B O O M ** All The Agendas Changes , along with the Addtition of These Two New Guys ; They Voted David ( The Bands Hub ) Out - SO Paul Naturally Quit & Popeye Stayed ( For some longer period of time ) wiile the Other Regular Guest Musicans who Once always Joined In with The B.B.B. eather Switched Camps or Just Split Altogeather . SO ; resulting out of what could only be seen as a "coup d'etat" the Momentium , " The Gig " & The Fresh New Scean in that Area - The Blackberry Booze Band Created , Established & Enjoyed - Quite Abruptly VANISHED & was Completely & Instantly RePlaced - & IT all seamed to the general public to Merely Evolve with
" The Changing of the Seasons "
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" *THAT 'S ***SHOWBIZZ *"
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Phase Six ;
David & Paul then went back to Re-Organizing " The Blackberry Booze Band " during the Summer of 1976 with Bruce Stewart & George Myers joining forces with them now Offically . Back at the drawing board they got the Blackberry Booze Band Rolling Again with a New Flavor ( as would be expected ) & beginning on Fresh Turf ( Back in Long Branch ) the Blackberry Booze Band went forward , often with there Ole' Peer Paul Whistler along with a different & a bit Less Bluesy Sound . The B.B.B. in time even joined forces Touring Briefly as a Concert Hall Band ( or whatever that is called ) with Buzzy Linheart & then again with Corky Lang . Finally after a couple years playing back in the Bars along the Northern N. J. Sea Shore where they finally all went there seperate ways in the early 1980s .
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At Times I had returned & would do Davids Posters If I was Asked to .
As we had innitially somewhat All Evolved within this Togeather .
We will always remain as A Driving Force Togeather !
( when we are togeather )
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Phase Seven ;
David has always Remained in the Shore Area & Consistantly kept Active Musically & Producing Various Sucessfull Charitiable Musical Bennifits & Playing Bass with other Local Bands while also getting togeather with Paul Dickler ( BUT RARELY ) again at times throughout the Years . For Decades now when I return ; I have Continiously Experianced many who David Plays With ;
( pardon MY blunt comment & My use of words Ya-All )
" ATTEMPT " to Emulate the Licks , Styles & Even The Tone & Sound of " Paul Dickler - AKA - the DOCTOR "
( to Us Ol' Elberon Ranch & Blackberry Booze Band Folk ! )
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Paul Dickler has made Quite a Powerfull Mark with his Bold , Unique Blues Guitar Sounds & Playing Styles & Some Local Muscians he played with made Record Albums with HIS & DAVIDS Spirit & Input COPPIED fairly well .
( Paul also wrote a book on The Slide Guitar long before he located to the Jersey Shore )
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David Meyers must be Equally Credeted :
for his Unusual Bass Sound & Adventurious Styles & Evangelical Drive that makes These TWO Musicians a Treat to be Associated With when it comes to " Playen the Blues "
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Kenny " POPEYE " Pentifallo is also equal in Spirit , Tallent , Style & Manner ; AS He kept the Grooves togeather & Exciting as they all went through the many Paths that often arose SO Spontainiously . Kinda Like what one would expect of an Improvasional Jazz Trio .
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OVER THE YEARS THEY HARMONIOUSLY COLORABATED WITH
" Paul Whistler " then " Big Danny Gallager " then " Kenny " Stringbean " Sorrenson "
ALL VERY TALLENTED
Local Northern New Jersey Sea Shore
ORIGINAL SONGWRITERS , MUSICANS & VIVID CHARACTORS !
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" DAVID , PAUL & KENNY "
DID WHAT THEY DID - WHERE THEY DID - WHEN THEY DID
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AND *" A L L " *THE LOCALS KNOW THIS !
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At a time when the Shore Area - Noless the Nation was going through many new & major changes , The Blackberry Booze Band consistantly spread there Joy & Love while Leading the Pack at the Shore from 1972 into the Spring of 1976 ,
Vividly Promoting & Inspiring A Fresh New Focus to all of whom encountered them . One Unusual Contrabutions they brought forth during there time is ; They Created an Atmousphier of Adding Harmony & Full-Fillment to ALL the Many Musicians that they attracted & assembled to Joyiously & Freely Particiapate with Them , at there various events . They also provided Steady Weekend Entertainment for the Public , throughout the many Northern New Jersey Sea Shore Neighborhoods during thoes Stressfull Gasoline Wars & that Contraversial Viet Nam War .
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SO : EXCEPT FOR A FEW RARE PERSONAL TAPE RECORDINGS
" THE BLACKBERRY BOOZE BAND "
Never Choose to Record an Album !
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AS THEY WERE A " LIVE BAND ONLY "
* for more related sites - click on them below www.http.//theelberonranch.blogspot.com
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*buddy copeland
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