By Thomas Conner
© Tulsa World Three weeks ago, he's telling me, Eddie Money and his band played a sold-out show that had the crowd in a frenzy — all except one man, who approached Money afterward in a shaky state. "This guy's looking bad, and he's smoking cigarettes, and he says, "Man, I drove miles to get here and got a DUI on the way, and you didn't play 'Baby, Hold On.' Well, I went right back out and did the song through.'' What a guy, huh? Never let a felony go unrewarded. But that's the kind of neighborly moxie that's kept Eddie Money, if not on the charts, at least a welcome palooka in venues across the country. Money rarely fails to pack in the crowds. While many classic rock dinosaurs still venture out into the touring circuit and struggle to rustle up an audience, Money confounds the naysayers every time. "Oh, you should see their eyes when people pour in,'' Money said of his concert promoters. "We did a show recently right here in L.A. and they started flipping out. We'd said they would sell about 20,000 tickets, and they said no way, it won't happen. Sure enough, they closed off the parking lot and part of the streets. People really come out of the woodwork to check it out.'' It's not always a good idea to repeat the same formula over and over, but for Money, oddly enough, doing just that is what's kept him respectable. When Money debuted on the national rock scene in 1977, his straightforward, shot-and-a-beer barroom rock was a godsend to fans and DJs getting rattled by the rise of disco and punk. His first two singles, "Baby, Hold On'' and "Two Tickets to Paradise'' were classics within weeks. From then on, his career went up and down, particularly after he split with guitarist Jimmy Lyon in the early '80s, peaking at times with hits like "Think I'm in Love'' in 1982 and "Take Me Home Tonight'' in 1986. His most recent album, "Love and Money,'' was a token return to full circle for Money. It was recorded for and released by Wolfgang Records, the label started by the late and legendary concert promoter Bill Graham, who gave Money his start. "I was doing a show in San Francisco called Sound of the Cities, which was at Winterland (Arena, one of Graham's venues),'' Money said. "We were shooting the concert on video, and I told all the people to come down close to the front so it would look like it was packed. I got my record deal and met Bill because of that video.'' Before all that, Money spent a life all over the map. He still chews a tough New York City accent ("I've no idea why I still sound like this after living in California for 30 years. I probably used to sound worse,'' he said), but he left that home town — and his place in the New York Police Academy — to play rock 'n' roll. He headed to Berkeley, of course, and got involved in anti-war protests, selling bell-bottom pants, even a brief stint with Big Brother and the Holding Company shortly after Janis Joplin died. Now looking to a summer booked with another slate of shows worth nearly a million dollars, Money is happy providing a rocking nostalgia trip for all those fans in the woodwork. "Everyone grew up with 'Two Tickets' and 'Baby, Hold On' and all that. When I listen to something like 'Sgt. Pepper's,' it puts me back in a certain place at a certain time in my life. That's what we try to do for people, and it's cool,'' Money said. "You run into people with so many stories, and it's so much fun to be a part of their lives. I really feel like I know that audience. I don't even have to do it for the money.'' Eddie Money When 9 p.m. Saturday Where Mayfest, Budweiser Stage, Third Street and Cincinnati Avenue Tickets Free Comments are closed.
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Thomas Conner
These online "clips" reproduce a self-selection of my journalism (music etc) during the last 20+ years. It's a lotta stuff, but it only scratches the surface. I do not currently possess the time or resources to digitize the whole body of work. These posts are simply a bunch of pretty great days at the office. Archives
May 2014
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