Biography
Who could have guessed, back in 2000 when The Doughboys got back
together after a lapse of 35 years, that the reunion would result in
the full-blown renaissance it’s become? After a period of sporadic
gigs, The Doughboys pulled it together & released “Is It Now?” in
2007 to a public obviously hungry for high energy, authentic “garage”
rock, because rock’n’roll fans the world over ate it up with a spoon!
Little Steven got the taste for Doughboys’ music & crowned the
first single “Black Sheep” one of the coolest songs in the world of
2008. Actually, perhaps it was predictable. The four Doughboys are seasoned
& well-respected musicians of the first order – lead singer Myke
Scavone led 70’s hard rock ensemble Ram Jam (of “Black Betty” fame);
drummer Richard X. Heyman (a/k/a “Richie”) is an acclaimed
singer/songwriter with seven solo albums to his credit; guitarist Gar
Francis has made a name for himself as blues man Plainfield Slim &
has done sessions with such luminaries as Billy Idol; & bassist
Mike Caruso honed his chops in the studio backing stars like Jimi
Hendrix! The Doughboys were one of the most popular of central Jersey’s
bands in the ‘60’s. Mike & Richie formed the group with guitarist
Willy Kirchofer in the fall of ‘64 & called it The Ascots. A year
later Mike Farina & Myke Scavone from rival band The Apollos came
on board. The Ascots changed their name to The Doughboys in ‘66 &
got a recording contract with Bell Records by winning a
battle-of-the-bands on Zacherle’s Disc-o-teen TV show. They put out two
singles – “Rhoda Mendelbaum” & “Everybody Knows My Name”, as the
band played weekly WMCA Good Guys shows all over the tri-state area.
They were the house band at the legendary Café Wha? in Greenwich
Village during the summer of ’68. Lots of groups – both famous & un
– reunite, but very few of them pick up where they left off & then
top it. Well-known acts coast on their old material while local guys
play a few shows to their wives & kids on the odd weekend. Not The
Doughboys – they’re gigging constantly, at venues like B.B. King’s in
New York City, Maxwell’s in Hoboken & The Stone Pony in Asbury
Park, NJ, sharing bills with the likes of The Pretenders, Robin Trower
& The Electric Prunes, and playing to ecstatic crowds. Their music
is being aired around the world, from Spain to California to Croatia to
Austria. And Little Steven has already chosen “I’m Not Your Man,” the
first single from their brand-new second album “Act Your Rage,” as
another Coolest Song In The World on the Underground Garage.
So, OK, “Rhoda Mendelbaum” never chopped the charts in ‘66, but no
matter – The Doughboys’ new material on “Act Your Rage” is smokin’,
with contributions from Richie, Gar & Myke, & a couple oddball
covers for good measure (a garage version of The Moody Blues’ prog-rock
classic “Tuesday Afternoon,” anyone?!). And they’re coming to a stage
near you! The Doughboys’ live show is not to be missed, if you want to
see & hear how rock’n’roll used to be – & still oughta be –
done. The Doughboys are past catering to trends. Their music is pure
them.(MySpace, 2/19/2009)
together after a lapse of 35 years, that the reunion would result in
the full-blown renaissance it’s become? After a period of sporadic
gigs, The Doughboys pulled it together & released “Is It Now?” in
2007 to a public obviously hungry for high energy, authentic “garage”
rock, because rock’n’roll fans the world over ate it up with a spoon!
Little Steven got the taste for Doughboys’ music & crowned the
first single “Black Sheep” one of the coolest songs in the world of
2008. Actually, perhaps it was predictable. The four Doughboys are seasoned
& well-respected musicians of the first order – lead singer Myke
Scavone led 70’s hard rock ensemble Ram Jam (of “Black Betty” fame);
drummer Richard X. Heyman (a/k/a “Richie”) is an acclaimed
singer/songwriter with seven solo albums to his credit; guitarist Gar
Francis has made a name for himself as blues man Plainfield Slim &
has done sessions with such luminaries as Billy Idol; & bassist
Mike Caruso honed his chops in the studio backing stars like Jimi
Hendrix! The Doughboys were one of the most popular of central Jersey’s
bands in the ‘60’s. Mike & Richie formed the group with guitarist
Willy Kirchofer in the fall of ‘64 & called it The Ascots. A year
later Mike Farina & Myke Scavone from rival band The Apollos came
on board. The Ascots changed their name to The Doughboys in ‘66 &
got a recording contract with Bell Records by winning a
battle-of-the-bands on Zacherle’s Disc-o-teen TV show. They put out two
singles – “Rhoda Mendelbaum” & “Everybody Knows My Name”, as the
band played weekly WMCA Good Guys shows all over the tri-state area.
They were the house band at the legendary Café Wha? in Greenwich
Village during the summer of ’68. Lots of groups – both famous & un
– reunite, but very few of them pick up where they left off & then
top it. Well-known acts coast on their old material while local guys
play a few shows to their wives & kids on the odd weekend. Not The
Doughboys – they’re gigging constantly, at venues like B.B. King’s in
New York City, Maxwell’s in Hoboken & The Stone Pony in Asbury
Park, NJ, sharing bills with the likes of The Pretenders, Robin Trower
& The Electric Prunes, and playing to ecstatic crowds. Their music
is being aired around the world, from Spain to California to Croatia to
Austria. And Little Steven has already chosen “I’m Not Your Man,” the
first single from their brand-new second album “Act Your Rage,” as
another Coolest Song In The World on the Underground Garage.
So, OK, “Rhoda Mendelbaum” never chopped the charts in ‘66, but no
matter – The Doughboys’ new material on “Act Your Rage” is smokin’,
with contributions from Richie, Gar & Myke, & a couple oddball
covers for good measure (a garage version of The Moody Blues’ prog-rock
classic “Tuesday Afternoon,” anyone?!). And they’re coming to a stage
near you! The Doughboys’ live show is not to be missed, if you want to
see & hear how rock’n’roll used to be – & still oughta be –
done. The Doughboys are past catering to trends. Their music is pure
them.(MySpace, 2/19/2009)
