Sunday, July 12, 2009

Oasis Played There?: Maxwell's, Hoboken, New Jersey

Its hard to believe that Oasis were once a struggling band, way back in 1994 Oasis, still VERY unknown in the US, part took on their 1st official US tour, visiting a few..er.. humbly spots along the way. First in a new OFG series:

Maxwell's

Address:
1039 Washington Street,
Hoboken, New Jersey, USA

When: Oct. 28, 1994

Maxwell's is a music club in Hoboken, New Jersey that also has a restaurant and bar. The intimate venue often attracts a wide variety of acts looking for a change from the New York City concert spaces across the river.

History

The club was opened in August 1978 by Steve Fallon. When the Fallon family bought the corner building in uptown Hoboken with its street-level tavern, Steve's sisters Kathryn Jackson Fallon and Anne Fallon Mazzolla along with brother-in-law Mario Mazzola were interested in turning the factory workers' tavern (General Foods' Maxwell House Coffee factory was a block away on the Hudson River[) into more of a restaurant. The Hoboken band "a" (featuring Glenn Morrow, Richard Barone, Frank Giannini, and Rob Norris) asked if they could rehearse in an unused back room and play a few gigs in the front for the restaurant's patrons. The live music quickly caught on and Steve started booking bands into the back room. Over time, Steve's booking taste, freewheeling personality and respectful treatment towards musicians made Maxwell's and Hoboken a looked-forward-to stop on many bands' tours. By making the blue-collar mile-square city with a rough-and-tumble reputation a cultural gathering place, Maxwell's was instrumental in sparking Hoboken's first wave of early 1980s gentrification — the artists and musicians. In that light, it is also believed that Anne and Mario may have offered the first successful Sunday brunch in Hoboken.

Maxwell's having become so successful that it spawned not only Pier Platters, an independent record store near the PATH train station that Fallon invested in, a whole music and cultural "scene" epitomized by the Hoboken Sound (which was featured in an hour-long television special on a local NYC station), and Fallon's own record label Coyote Records, Steve hired Todd Abramson to take over the booking of the acts in the mid-1980s. Abramson has, essentially, been booking the venue ever since (except for a short period in the late 1990s after Fallon sold the club and Maxwell's was converted into a short-lived brew pub.)

At a time when one of the Fallon siblings wanted to divest of their interest in the business, Peter Buck (guitarist for R.E.M.) bought their piece to help his friend Steve Fallon keep it open as a resource for enthusiasts of new music. Later, Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü, Sugar and a solo career bought out Buck's ownership for the same reasons.

Sadly, when Steve wanted completely out, he and his partners sold Maxwell's to William Sutton in December 1995 who then planned but failed to turn it into a brewpub. Booker Todd Abramson,[2] Steve Shelley (drummer of Sonic Youth) and Dave Post of the Amazing Incredibles and Swingadelic arranged to bring Maxwell's back, and re-opened it on July 26, 1998.[1] While some longtime patrons miss the more free-wheeling Steve Fallon days, Maxwell's is now as vital a part of the independent music community as it was in the 1980s and 1990s.

Bands

The first band to play at Maxwell's was "a" which included three future members of The Bongos (Richard Barone, Rob Norris, and Frank Giannini, who was Maxwell's cook and devised their first menu), fronted by Glenn Morrow (later of The Individuals and founder of Bar/None Records). The Bongos were the first band from the 1980s Hoboken scene to be signed to a major label, RCA, after a series of British singles and tours. In the mid-1980s R.E.M. played there on a frequent basis. The club was important to emerging trends as diverse as punk, grunge, and indie rock of the 1980s and early 1990s. Bands like Husker Du, fIREHOSE,the Meat Puppets, Sonic Youth, Fugazi,Archers of Loaf, The Cynics, Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Juliana Theory, Mudhoney, Fire in Cairo, Tad, the Melvins, Mod Fun, Mystic Eyes, Nirvana, Hole, The Afghan Whigs, The Smashing Pumpkins,and G Love and Special Sauce all have played there. Buzzcocks, Blue Öyster Cult,[16] The Fall, the Minutemen, The Mess Around, Robyn Hitchcock,Katrina & the Waves, Flipper, Rain Parade, The Cowsills,Wire, The Pogues, Pylon, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, John Cale, Snakefinger, David Byrne, The Slits, The Stations, The Strokes, Matt Nathanson, John Doe, Mary Lou Lord, Electric Six, and The Ataris also made appearances on stage at Maxwell's. The Bongos, The Cyclones, The Individuals, and The dB's were mainstays in the beginning with The Feelies playing frequently towards the later half of the 1980s. They continue this tradition today with bands like The Dirtbombs Lemuria, Crooked Fingers, and Stars.

Notable events

Parts of the music video for Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" were filmed at Maxwell's on May 28, 1985. The music video was directed by Hoboken resident John Sayles.[

In the early 1990s Maxwell's was voted the "Best Club In New York — Even Though It's In New Jersey" by the New Yorker Magazine.

In the 2005 Village Voice Best of NY poll, Maxwell's was voted "Best Reason to Leave the State for Dinner and a Show". Also in 2005, The New York Times wrote that Maxwell's was "so New York that it's in New Jersey".

New Order played one of their first American concerts at Maxwell's. Depending on who you talk to, either it was a shambles with the band not so ready to play after the demise of Ian Curtis from Joy Division, or it was a fantastic show, according to Tony Wilson, the Factory Records chief who wrote a recollection of the event in an opinion column in London based Uncut magazine's July 2006 issue.

In 1989 the band Nirvana released their debut album Bleach on June 15 and went on tour to support sales of the album. They appeared at Maxwell's on July 13, 1989 and early in the day before the show photographer Ian Tilton took several pictures of the band around Hoboken. The picture of frontman Kurt Cobain has since been used in dozens of magazines, newspapers and websites before and after his death.

The video for the song "Away" by The Feelies, directed by Jonathan Demme was recorded at Maxwell's in 1988. After a seventeen year hiatus The Feelies reunited to appear at Maxwell's in July 2008,and they made appearances again in July 2009. -Wikipedia

Friday, July 10, 2009

Oasis Incorporated

While driving yesterday I started thinking about how much Oasis has been incorporated into my life. I came home and started looking around my house and to tell you the truth Oasis is EVERYWHERE! I didn't realize how much until I started looking for it! Here is a glimpse into my Oasisy life:My little red Saturn Ion, looks non Oasis AT first... take a look in the windows you will see my Oasis logo seat belt covers.


Then of course my famous plates and plate holder, I had the holder made for about $14 US at a custom plate holder shop on the internet.


My keys, my Man City key chain, a souvenir from when I saw Oasis in Manchester in 2005 and my Oasis logo chain from Ebay :)
Now a peak into my bedroom, here my bottum drawer of my dresser filled to the brim with Oasis tees.

My running trainers, yes they are actually called "Supernova" and yes thats partly why I brought them :D

My Oasis purses, I use them ALL THE TIME. I must look just a bit crazy with one of these purses getting out of my Oasisy car!

My old stand bys! These are actually my second pair of Adidas trainers I wore the first pair until they had hole in the bottums!

That is my wedding ban it is engraved with "No one can break us" along the inside. My husband has "No one can take us" on his, of course from Guess God Thinks I'm Abel.

A locket from my husband (then boyfriend) engraved with "Forever & a Day" from Don't Go Away.

Back of my Ipod Nano engraved with "Oasis Songbird" again a gift from my man :)

In my kitchen a photo I took of Liam in Vancouver 2008.

Some artsy photos over my bed, Oasis hangs over my side :)

For those of you who don't know, I am 6 months preggers and I haven't forgotten about the next generation! I presented this babies oneise to my husband the day I found out I was pregnant!

Noel's Supernova Heights might be no more, but one lives here in New York! This sign is right outside my front door.

Then of course Oasis has leaked into work, I wear my pins everyday!

How has Oasis leaked into your life? Take a good look around you might be suprised! Send me links I will post them!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Eye Candy: Liam






Enjoy the lovelinessness called Liam Gallagher. :)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Oasisy


Blog reader Eva posted these lovely "Oasisy" shots from her vacation in Cape May, New Jersey. Great shots Eva! Glad I am not the only fan that does this :)

Friday, July 3, 2009

Oasis Statuses

Whether you admit or not most of us are somewhat addicted to Facebook or Myspace (sometimes both!) And changing your status is a key point. Most of us, are also addicted to Oasis, so a lot of the times our statuses are Oasisy. Here are a few "Status updates" that you can use:

I carry a madness: When you are just having a one of those days.

She’s the Queen of all I have seen: If you’ve just met that special girl, or you ARE that special girl and your just having a great day.

You’ll find me on the edge of a runway baby: Your in a weird mood.

Gold and Silver and Sunshine rising up: Its sunny outside and your having a great day

Come and get me off the merry-go-round: Sucky day at work or school

I’m a different breed, I’m outta ya league. I’m ten out of ten alright: Its gonna be a good night!

Don’t look back in Anger I heard you say: Your in the process of forgiving some one

More to come! Please post any Oasisy statuses you might use below!

Also happy gigging to anyone going to see Oasis this week!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Video Thursday: Oasis at V fest 2005



Liam is screaming a bit, still a great version.

Oasisy

New idea I came up with on holiday, when I was handed a "oasis" water. I am going to start posting photos that are sort of Oasis related, I am looking for anything, from street names (I have a "Morning Glory" Lane by me) brands, ANYTHING! Hopefully I will be able to find something once a week ! If you have any Oasis related photos please email me.

My Oasis water:)