From the early days of it's conception, Rock and Roll gestated and blossomed through the clubs. "Can you Dance to it?" was an early question when it came to the success of a band and it's music. In the over 50 years since the birth of Rock, and for much longer in the clubs, speakeasies, and dance halls of an earlier generation, America bands and singers have honed their craft. For every song you hear on the radio, there are hundreds who literally toil locally with the hope of "making it", but really have made it in the eyes of those who are looking for a place to dance, hook up, or just kick back on a Friday or Saturday night.
For some reason, a number of these, "bar bands" made it to the charts in the 80's. Every era in music history has had those who stood out among the others, even if for just a song or two. However, (and I may be wrong about this), the decade of the 80's seemed to have brought more of them to the charts. From the 70's, a group called Brown Beaver toiled away in the bars and clubs of the their home state of Rhode Island, then throughout the northeast. Lead by singer John Cafferty, they had worked hard to gain a reputation of one of the best bar bands in that area of the country.
Movie director Martin Davidson had put a lot of his own money into a project based on a novel by P.F. Kluge called, "Eddie and the Cruisers". To help him get a credible look and feel to the Rock movie, he hired Kenny Vance, who was one of the original members of Jay and the Americans to help. It was Vance who discovered Beaver Brown and upon meeting the band, Davidson agreed. In fact, the sax player in the band, Michael Antunes, was cast in the movie as a member of Eddie's band. Cafferty was initially asked to write a couple of songs, but did such a good job of capturing Davidson's vision, that he ended up writing the soundtrack for the entire film.
As it turned out, the title song, "On the Dark Side" did much better than the movie itself, which has garnered a bit of a cult following but never did hit big. "Dark Side" reached #7, and put what was now, "John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band" on the map. Contrary to what many think, this was not a one hit wonder. In fact the next three songs reached the top 40, ("Tender Years" in 84', "Tough All Over" in 85', and "C-I-T-Y" also in 85. They also were tapped to write songs for other movies, "Rocky IV", "Cobra", and "Eddie and the Cruisers II"
For some reason, a number of these, "bar bands" made it to the charts in the 80's. Every era in music history has had those who stood out among the others, even if for just a song or two. However, (and I may be wrong about this), the decade of the 80's seemed to have brought more of them to the charts. From the 70's, a group called Brown Beaver toiled away in the bars and clubs of the their home state of Rhode Island, then throughout the northeast. Lead by singer John Cafferty, they had worked hard to gain a reputation of one of the best bar bands in that area of the country.
Movie director Martin Davidson had put a lot of his own money into a project based on a novel by P.F. Kluge called, "Eddie and the Cruisers". To help him get a credible look and feel to the Rock movie, he hired Kenny Vance, who was one of the original members of Jay and the Americans to help. It was Vance who discovered Beaver Brown and upon meeting the band, Davidson agreed. In fact, the sax player in the band, Michael Antunes, was cast in the movie as a member of Eddie's band. Cafferty was initially asked to write a couple of songs, but did such a good job of capturing Davidson's vision, that he ended up writing the soundtrack for the entire film.
As it turned out, the title song, "On the Dark Side" did much better than the movie itself, which has garnered a bit of a cult following but never did hit big. "Dark Side" reached #7, and put what was now, "John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band" on the map. Contrary to what many think, this was not a one hit wonder. In fact the next three songs reached the top 40, ("Tender Years" in 84', "Tough All Over" in 85', and "C-I-T-Y" also in 85. They also were tapped to write songs for other movies, "Rocky IV", "Cobra", and "Eddie and the Cruisers II"
