THE GAS HOUSE GORILLAS

Gorilla Portraits in Courage Part VI Jason Kolucki

2010-07-10T17:02:00.001-04:00

Jason Kolucki

Home: Somewhere out there.

Age: Whippersnapper.

Profession: Booking Agent, Tour Manager, DJ, Babysitter, Gas House Gorilla

Hobbies: Anxiety, sleeplessness, Gorilla watching, merchandizing, living la vita loca!

Last Book Read: How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Last Accomplishment: Booked a very busy summer for the Gas House Gorillas!

Quote: "Trust me.”

Profile: Two years ago Jason came aboard, not knowing what a rollercoaster ride he was getting himself into. Two years later, he continues his white knuckle ride with the Gorillas to ever expanding heights.

We like Jason Kolucki.

You will too

Gorilla Portraits in Courage Part V Rick Fink

2010-07-10T16:58:00.002-04:00

(In the interest of full disclosure, the editors of this blog feel duty bound to inform the readers that the author of this blog and the subject are one in the same.)

Rick Fink

Home: Rick lives in the great borough of Brooklyn, NY with his perfect family in a perfect neighborhood.

Age: Ageless.

Profession: God Head, Trend Setter, Bodhisattva, Gas House Gorilla

Hobbies: Being handsome, sexiness, ingenious observations, inspiring the rabble, living la vita loca!

Last Book Read: Sexy by Design by Avery Beck

Last Accomplishment: Put together God’s favorite Rhythm and Blues Band yet again.

Quote: "Genius? Me??? Don’t. Stop! No really. Don’t stop!”

Profile: A giver by nature, Rick’s entire existence is geared toward helping others to experience the greatness that is his huge, ever expanding talent.

We looooove Rick Fink!

You will too.

Gorilla Portraits in Courage Part IV James White

2010-07-10T16:56:00.001-04:00

James White

Home: James lives in a place where dreams come true. Where an impressionable young horn player can become a Gorilla and well…….that’s about it.

Age: Not quite damaged.

Profession: Glass Blower, Moon Walker, Pimp Daddy, Gas House Gorilla

Hobbies: Lofty excursions, flirting, smug asides, basket weaving, cow tipping

Last Book Read: Dr. Sax by Jack Kerouac

Last Accomplishment: Looked at his own reflection and said,”Alriiiiight,”

Quote: "How old is she?”

Profile: James is a mystery to his fellow Gorillas. Like the wind.

We like James White.

You will too.

Gorilla Portraits in Courage Part III Angelo Merendino

2010-07-10T16:53:00.002-04:00

Angelo Merendino

Home: New York City, Baby! Where all the really cool, interesting people live in big palatial penthouse apartments, eating hors d'oeuvres, drinking box wine and making naked shadow puppets.

Age: Not as old as some.

Profession: Observer, prognosticator, big talker, liver of life, Gas House Gorilla.

Turn Ons: Sunsets, sandy beaches, gold lamé and other picture post cards.

Turn Offs: Saturated fat, spandex lederhosen and fake people.

Last Accomplishment: Survived hour upon hour hurtling down some God forsaken highway in a minivan with four affable yet sweaty Gorillas who never shut up!!!

Quote: "This is it??? Awful. Where’s the bar?”

Profile: This rough and ready road dog likes to hit the road rough and ready like a dog of some sort.

We like Angelo Merendino.

You will too.

Gorilla Profiles In Courage Part II - Dean Shot

2010-07-10T16:48:00.002-04:00

Dean Shot

Home: Dean's home is the open road, my friend. Were a man can walk out in the sun and eat sardines from the can. Were he can boast of manly pursuits like accessorizing and spandex lederhosen.

Age: Old enough to know what lederhosen are.

Profession: Provocateur, Haberdasher, Dog Whisperer, Gas House Gorilla

Hobbies: Drinking, sleeping, drinking, ice sculpture, drinking and figure skating (Did we mention drinking?)

Last Book Read: The Joy of Origami by Margaret Van Sicklen

Last Accomplishment: Stood on the precipice and watched the world burn. Hahahahaha!!!

Quote: "Was that the key?"

Profile: Just handsome enough without being sickening, this blues warrior with a heart of gold spends his days doing nothing and his nights doing something. Something coooooooool!

We like Dean Shot.

You will too.

Gorilla Profiles in Courage - Chapter 1 - Jerry Scaringe

2010-07-10T16:42:00.004-04:00

This is Jerry.
Jerry is a Gorilla.

A Gas House Gorilla.

See Jerry play the bass.

See Jerry sing songs.

See Jerry make silly jokes.

Silly Jerry.

Jerry's funny.

Jerry drinks whiskey.

We like Jerry.

You will too.

Twitter

2009-07-10T18:12:00.002-04:00

Yeah, we're on it. Follow us....

http://twitter.com/gashousegorilla

This weekend...

2009-07-10T18:12:00.001-04:00

Check us out this weekend:

Friday, July 10th, 2009
American Legion Dance Hall
NJ Swing - 8 PM
13-23 Legion PlaceWhippany, NJ 07981USA

Saturday, July 11th, 2009
Benji & Jake's
9 PM
5 Lake Shore RdWhite Lake, NY (845) 583-4031

Sunday, July 12th, 2009
Rose Garden Rehab Center
Car Show - 2 pm to 3:30 pm 1579 Old Freehold RdToms River, NJ 08755

We're Back

2009-06-24T14:20:00.002-04:00

Ok, we're back and hope to regularly update the blog. You can now find us on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. So find us and follow us....

First some news! GHG will be touring the Midwest this summer! And even more awesome news, we will be playing next April at Viva Las Vegas!

Upcoming schedule...

Friday, June 26th, 2009
Ocean Place
One Ocean BoulevardLong Branch, NJ 07740USA

Saturday, June 27th, 2009
Trinity Restaurant & Lounge
9:30 PM
84 Broad StKeyport, NJ 07735USA 732-888-1998

Saturday, July 4th, 2009
The Wonder Bar
CELEBRATE THE 4TH WITH YOUR GORILLAS! - 10 PM
5th and OceanAsbury Park, NJ 07712USA 732-502-8886

Sunday, July 5th, 2009
Long Branch "Blues on the Beach" Concert Series
7 PM
West End ParkLong Branch NJ

Friday, July 10th, 2009
American Legion Dance Hall
NJ Swing - 8 PM
13-23 Legion PlaceWhippany, NJ 07981USA

Saturday, July 11th, 2009
Benji & Jake's
9 PM
5 Lake Shore RdWhite Lake, NY (845) 583-4031

Sunday, July 12th, 2009
Rose Garden Rehab Center
Car Show - 2 pm to 3:30 pm 1579 Old Freehold RdToms River, NJ 08755

Vote for your Gorillas!

2008-06-16T17:26:00.002-04:00

A vote for the Gas House Gorillas is a vote for Rick, Crusher Hiro, Tim & Dan! (& also me & Denise, who danced in the video!)

WEST ORANGE Street Festival

2008-05-27T21:43:00.003-04:00

Every Memorial Day, the people of West Orange, home of the renowned Thomas Alva Edison, celebrate the invention of streets with the annual Festival of Streets...

...ok, they just block off Main St. & have a fair for Memorial Day. I like my version better. :-/

This year was their BEST EVER street fair because they got the Gas House Gorillas to play!

2008-05-27T21:42:00.003-04:00

The traditional Memorial Day ceremony includes the reenactment of the D-Day invasion by carnies.

In this reenactment, the part of the Nazis was played by a giant blue plastic inflatable slide.

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Gas House Gorilla Groupies (GHGGs) were everywhere!

These ladies kept flashing their b(.)(.)bs at Mr. Veeder...

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The girl in the hat had a great time dancing to the music. Her partner was light on his feet.

SUPERSTAR!

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Oh yeah, the Gas House Gorillas were there, too. (Not pictured: Hiro Suzuki. Somehow, I managed to get away with not a single good pic of Hiro this time. Next post, DOUBLE HIRO!)

Rick not only sings, he plays air guitar while singing! At the very same time!

A quiet moment with Mr. & Mrs. Crusher Carmean.

"Hey Tim, stand over here with Liz. I need a pic of you two for the blog."

Dan Hickey is going to win a Porsche. I watched him fill out the winning form!

Five Gorillas Walk Into A Bar...

2007-12-31T00:42:00.001-05:00

...You'd think they'd've noticed it after the first one walked into it!

For a preview, head over to the GHG's MySpace Page!

Dec. 15, Very Exciting News!

2007-12-18T18:59:00.000-05:00

On December 15th, I was fortunate to have an invitation to an event of Great Magnitude: The first recording session for the Gas House Gorillas' new cd, Five Gorillas Walk Into A Bar...

Coming in early '08, expect to see such songs as The King of Everything, Queen of the Night, Nine Lives, Swing That Thing and Where Did Harlem Go?

I drove down to lovely Red Bank, NJ to the historic Retromedia Sound Studios, where the session was already in progress. There were a lot of famous autographs & old photos on the walls, and the sound booth was a great mix of ultra-modern (in use) & antique equipment (decorative).Adam the Sound Engineer was very cool. I stayed quiet & watched him work the giant console & did everything I could (mostly consisting of sitting still & touching nothing) to keep out of his way.

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Mr. Veeder, working out a new sax line to drop into the existing track.

High-tech equipment + Crusher fills me with existential dread for some reason.

2007-12-18T18:57:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed a new face: Drummer Extraordinaire Dan Hickey. Dan is the newest Gorilla. They way he plays the drums is a thing of beauty to behold. When he was done, I was surprised that the set remained standing. Past credits for Dan include They Might Be Giants (!!!) and Joe Jackson.
He's also no slouch at the piano where he helped work out some chords.
If you're reading this, then you know who this man is. The man who stirs the Kidney Stew (Oh, did I mention that song is gonna be on the new cd?): Hiromasa Suzuki!
I always knew that Hiro was a great musician, but I was in awe when he listened to Rick sing 3 notes and said "A minor, not A7."

2007-12-18T18:56:00.000-05:00

Look! It's a Rick-In-The-Box!

"Mr. Carmean on my shoulder..."

December 1, Back To Stanhope House!

2007-12-03T21:00:00.001-05:00

Don Carmean, I am honored and grateful that you have invited me to your performance on this, the day you return to the Stanhope House.

Quit badgering the audience & play a song, hm?

2007-12-03T20:59:00.000-05:00

Special Guest Gorilla Dan Hickey (formerly of They Might Be Giants!) had skins duty.

We keep telling Hiro we wanna hear him sing in Japanese.

2007-12-03T20:58:00.000-05:00

Brent, i want you to think of your favorite musical symbol. Really picture it!

Jeff & Anne, they draw the eye.

2007-12-03T20:57:00.001-05:00

This is The Crusher.
This is The Crusher's Mom.
She's way cooler than your mom for at least 2 reasons:
1. She gave birth to The Crusher. Your mom only gave birth to you. ;-)
2. The lady can dance!

2007-12-03T20:56:00.000-05:00

Tune in this month to the sexy new show, Hiro's Angels. Here's a clip:

Disembodied voice: "Moshi moshi, Angels."
Angels, in unison: "Good Morning, Hiro!"

November 2, Swingin' With Simone!

2007-11-24T19:20:00.000-05:00

Sorry it's taken me so long to catch up! I've been traveling.

On November 2, the Swingin' Simians went back to Montclair & played at Simone's!

The Queen gave us an audience, & was in the audience...

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There's the smile all the girls love...

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I love the balcony at the Women's Club.

Diana...home for the holidays & making our continent sparkle again!

2007-11-24T19:12:00.000-05:00

Oddly, nothing rhymes with these guys.

September 19, Blue Parrot in Wilmington, DE

2007-11-24T18:15:00.000-05:00

So, this was kinda a hike for me. Over 2 hours to get there & of course, over 2 hours to go home. Would it be a good show? Would it be worth the trip?

Oh. My. God. Yes!

2007-11-24T18:14:00.000-05:00

Who is Keyser Soze?

Hello, I must be going.
I came to say,
I cannot stay,
I must be going.
I'll spend a week or two,
I'll stay the summer through,
But still I'm telling you,
I must be going...

2007-11-24T18:11:00.000-05:00

Something about this place makes Gorillas want to climb on things.

Beware the Ghost of Dr. Fink! Sing along unless you'd have him haunt you for-evah!

2007-11-24T18:10:00.000-05:00

Did I mention that it was worth the trip to Delaware?

Yes, the Gorillas go wild at the Blue Parrot...

But oh, the women of Delaware! Worth the ride from anyplace!

2007-11-24T18:09:00.000-05:00

Here's our Spokesmodel for the eveningwith her lovely Gas House Gorillas cd. 8-)

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2007-11-24T18:05:00.000-05:00

Work it!

Do that thing with the eyebrow, Hiro!

Mr. Veeder really is just that tall! Sometimes I can't see his face, due to the clouds that hover around his neck. ;-)

September 22nd - Gorillas Return To Stanhope House!

2007-09-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

Ok, it's been a busy week! Sorry for the delay, but here's the blog entry for the Stanhope House show!
Now, if I were a less politically-correct person, I could make a joke about primates who exists on porches. But there's just no way to reclaim that word...

2007-09-25T21:49:00.000-04:00

While it's not required to bring gifts to the Gorillas, it's certainly appreciated. However, you may draw their undivided attention...

Of course, if that was what you were going for...

2007-09-25T21:48:00.000-04:00

Our newest Gorilla. the man with the sax, is Mr. Tim Veeder. He's a maniac with that horn! (Which, naturally, means that he fits right in with the rest of the maniacs.) People have been known to drive hundreds of miles to hear him play! Speaking of which...

Lake George must have been a cold, lonely, thirsty place this weekend. The hottest bartenders in the whole city, April & Andrea, came down to see Mr. Veeder play with his new band! They got to be fans of his when he used to play up their way. Sure hope we'll be seeing them again soon!

2007-09-25T21:47:00.000-04:00

One of the best things about the Gas House Gorillas is that they bring out the Shoechangers & the non-Shoechangers alike. See, there's Fnee! (She's a famous Shoechanger.)

Kevin & Alexis can move, but they don't change their shoes.

These ladies sure should shake it on the floor! Shoes, never changed.

2007-09-25T21:46:00.000-04:00

Joe, did you get a new drum set?

I tried to get the 'Stanhope House' signs in the backgrounds of the photos. I mean, who knows whether they'd get the chance to play there again?

I just thought this was so cool. Don't often get to see Crusher play anything but his big, aluminum upright bass.

2007-09-25T21:40:00.000-04:00

After that last pic, you mightbe wondering why he plays that upright aluminum bass.

Hot. Girls. Love. The. Upright. Aluminum. Bass. Get it?

July 14th, OCEAN PLACE RESORT & SPA TIKI BAR

2007-07-17T19:46:00.000-04:00

Normally, the gorillas play inside at the resort, in the bar area. For the summer, they have a tiki bar out back! This was SO MUCH FUN!

2007-07-17T19:45:00.000-04:00

The band sounded great & Crusher wandered out onto the dancefloor. His partner had curves in all the right places...

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A lot of great dancers showed up & braved the concrete.

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This lady boogied the night away...
...even found herself a younger man!

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Regulars
Ganster of Love
New friends!

2007-07-17T19:40:00.000-04:00

This is Dave. Dave is a Friend of the Band ™. Dave sets off fireworks & very nicely interrupted the Gorillas' show to provide us with an incredible lightshow!

He does great work. 8-)

2007-07-17T19:35:00.000-04:00

There's a rumor going around that Jeanne can fly. She gets to quite a height! (Jim helps...)

UPCOMING GIG!

2007-07-17T19:34:00.000-04:00

Come see for yourself whether Gorillas float! Last time was a blast!
July 26th, Atlantic Highlands Princess, Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina, 7:30pm. Be ready to stay for the whole show, once the boat casts off. ;-)

IMPORTANT GORILLA NEWS ABOUT THIS SATURDAY!

2007-07-12T19:58:00.000-04:00

There has been a change of venue for THE GAS HOUSE
GORILLAS show this Saturday.

The Gorillas will be playing outside, right by the beach as God
intended!

Your favorite Rhythm & Blues Band (that's us dopey) will be playing
from 6 - 10 PM.

That's behind the lounge, outside by the Tiki Bar (No that's "Tiki"
with a "ki", you dirty dog!).

Saturday, July 14th, 2007
Ocean Place Resort & Spa
One Ocean Blvd. & S.Broadway
Long Branch NJ
USA

Note the time change and we'll see you there.

July 5th, SCOTLAND YARD, HOBOKEN

2007-07-08T21:50:00.000-04:00

Scotland Yard...former speakeasy from the 20's. We love this place.

These two images are waiting to become an animation. Save them & then switch back & forth between them really fast to see Rick & Hiro move. 8-)

2007-07-08T21:49:00.000-04:00

Keep us jumpin', Little Dave.
Hiro was amazing. The scheduled horn player called out sick, so Hiro subbed in on all the parts normally played by a sax. This led to one of the greatest versions of Minnie the Moocher I've ever heard!

2007-07-08T21:48:00.000-04:00

2007-07-08T21:47:00.000-04:00

Rick Fink. Beloved of women everywhere.

2007-07-08T21:46:00.000-04:00

Lovely Diana is going to London on assignment. She's gonna be gone for WAY TOO LONG! A bunch of us came to tell her we'll miss her!

This may be the most pictures of Diana ever assembled in one place! Maybe she's getting over her Shuttershyness. Come back soon & safe!

June 28, Aboard the ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS PRINCESS

2007-07-08T21:05:00.000-04:00

So, this post is awfully late, but here it is!

Do Gorillas float? You bet yer bippy they do!
What a great time we had! There was a lot of concern about the weather, but it didn't affect us at all. There was a little rain, & it was no biggie!

2007-07-08T21:04:00.000-04:00

Here is the most important officer in the crew, as far as we were concerned!

2007-07-08T21:03:00.000-04:00

We dancers rocked the boat! (Ok, obvious pun, but I had to go for it. It's the law.)

2007-07-08T21:00:00.000-04:00

"I hear you're a dentist...can I make an appointment to have you look at this molar...?"

"Just lie down & open wide? You got it, doc!"

June 15, SWINGIN' WITH SIMONE at the MONTCLAIR WOMEN'S CLUB

2007-06-18T21:34:00.000-04:00

Simone is a great dance teacher that most of NJ knows, and she's an even better dancer. She runs her dances with a DJ usually, & many of her regulars have never seen wild Gorillas up close before! It was a sultry night when the GH Gorillas showed up at the Montclair Women's Club and we all settled in for a night of good music & dancing.Hiro has returned from his travels to the Far East! To mark the occasion, he posed with this American Flag.
It's a great room with a nifty balcony. There was a good crowd!

From above is the best way to get a photo of the very rare white-striped Little Pearl. Shoechanger Marsha on the other hand is here seen uncharacteristically in a (*gasp*) dress!

Regular GHG Blog readers will recognize the lovely Diana, but lemme tell you about this fellow John: This guy can MOVE. One partner, two partners, aerials, flips, lifts...he's like something out of a movie!
To make the evening more special, The Queen of the Shoechangers deigned to grace us with her presence. She has returned from exile to rule once more with an iron...foot! Welcome back, O Glorious Queen!
Valuable perq of being a drummer: You get your very own logo!

Between sets, we retreated outside where the temperature was cooler. Look at all the cool people. And speaking of cool people...

This couple has great chemistry, right Nicole? (Chemistry! She's a chemist! I'm a comic genius.)

UPCOMING GIGS!
Thursday, June 28, Atlantic Highlands Princess: Boarding begins at 7:30pm at the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina! $20
Thursday, July5, Scotland Yard, Hoboken NJ: No cover! 9pm
Saturday, July 14: Ocean Place Resort, Long Branch NJ No cover! 9pm

May 20, HIGHLAND PARK STREET FAIR

2007-05-22T08:43:00.000-04:00

Although the morning was gloomy, Mr. Sun came out and shined down on the Highland Park Street Fair. It turned into a gorgeous day & the crowd came out to see the arts, the crafts and the Gas House Gorillas!

The organizers put the band in a very popular spot, guaranteeing a steady flow of listeners...

The crowd gathered, as crowds do, when the band started to play. Highland Park wasn't used to music like these guys play, but they got right into the swing!

This handsome family all danced together & had a great time!
The hit of the whole performance were the Cookie Girls in the next station over from the band. They rocked out, to all of our great enjoyment.

They even gave the Gorillas the greatest gift that was theirs to give: cookies!With Hiro on vacation thousands of miles away, a Guest Gorilla was needed. Bob Ferry of the famous Jazz Lobsters stepped up & lent the Gorillas his talents! Thanks, Bob! We all loved it.

Singin' the songs, workin' the crowd...
Dan, is that your sax, or are you just happy to see us?
Dave, being good-natured, endured some gentle ribbing about this extremely cool shirt. Here he is, demonstrating his Action Pose!™
Crusher always looks so calm & sedate at the beginning of a performance.
By the end, though, his baser instincts have taken over, turning him into the Mr. Hyde version of himself!
You'd hardly believe it was the same fellow...

This little fellow was Handsome Dan's biggest fan. He did everything Dan did, but with a flag, instead of a sax. He was a real advocate for the First Amendment, this kid. 8-)

These folks are great dancers. Nobody changed their shoes, so I'm not gonna call them Shoechangers yet, but we'll be seeing them again, I'm sure. (Send me your names! I neglected to jot them down!)
"Mother, Father, might I have 10 American dollars? I wish to make a purchase of a Gas House Gorillas Compact Disc for Show And Tell on Monday..."
UPCOMING GIGS!
Friday, June 15th: Montclair Women's Club, 82 Union St, Montclair, NJ. 8:30pm -midnight $20 admission to the dance
Saturday, June 23rd: Ocean Place Resort & Spa, Long Branch, NJ. 8:30pm

May 10, SCOTLAND YARD, HOBOKEN NJ

2007-05-11T16:36:00.000-04:00

Our buddy Hiromasa is going back to Japan on vacation. He sure did put on a hell of a performance for us to remember him by! We sure will miss 'im! Have a good time, come back soon & safe!

Street life in Hoboken...
Hoboken Parallel Parking Tip #1:
Need to avoid hitting a parked motorcycle? Put someone you love in between the bike & your car for all the incentive you'll need to do it right!
It was Xander's birthday! Here he is, with his present (Fnee).

Gas House Gorillas Blog tip:
Did you know that you can click on the photos to see them full size?

Ok, maybe not full size, but a bit larger anyway. ;-)

Dan: What's the guy's name on first base?

Crusher: No. What is on second.

Dan: I'm not asking you who's on second.

Crusher: Who's on first.

Dan: I don't know.

Crusher: He's on third, we're not talking about him.

The Usual Suspects and New Miscreants

That's me there, wearing Handsome Dan's shirt.

"Beware, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand...and it's two-dimensional."

Spokesmodels this post are Marsha and Alexis. What's that they're holding? Why, it's a Gas House Gorillas cd! Get 'em while they're hot & they are hot!

UPCOMING GIGS!

Sunday, May 20, 11:30am: Highland Park Street Fair, Highland Park, NJ. Come see Gorillas in daylight, free!

May 3, CASK 591

2007-05-11T15:24:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, this post is way late! I had a bunch of real life stuff to deal with, but I'm back now...To add to my list of excuses, the battery in my photo gave out fast that night, so there aren't many photos.

Cask 591 is a cool place. The food is great, the service is also excellent, if a little over-zealous at times. While on the dancefloor, beware of roving bands of waitresses! I actually smacked one by accident & sent some (empty) dishes shattering to the floor.

See if you can spot the subtle edit in this photo!
That's right! I changed Handsome Dan's eye color! Is there anything Photoshop cannot do?

Carmine, Irene!
well I swear (what he means)
at this moment, you mean everything...

Earlier in the day, Mike rode in the 5-boro bike tour and then came out dancing. Judy & Christine are enough to tire me out, no long bike ride necessary!

GAS HOUSE GORILLAS RETURN TO NYC!

2007-05-03T20:19:00.000-04:00

They've got Fay Wray & they're climbing the Empire St...wait, that's a different Gorilla altogether.

On May 26th, the Gas House Gorillas return to Connolly's in NYC (121 W 45th St, New York, 10036 - (212) 597-5126).

Legendary guitarist Hiro Suzuki will be thousands of miles away impressing his homeland, so special guest Gorilla Jason Green will be sitting in to deliver the stringswork which makes the dancing so fine.

Don't miss this one, kats & kittens!

UPCOMING GIGS!

2007-04-30T23:02:00.000-04:00

Friday, May 4th, 2007 @ 8:30 PM:
cask 591

591 Broadway
Long Branch NJ 07740
(732)-571-8848

Saturday, May 5th, 2007 @ 9 PM
Paula Jean's Supper Club

130 Old Town Road
East Setauket NY 11733
631-751-LIVE

April 29, SUMMIT STREET FAIR

2007-04-30T22:07:00.000-04:00

You are about to view an event rarely seen. Behold: Gas House Gorillas in daylight. And they met with their intellectual equals, the children of Summit!

You've heard of "Stella By Starlight"...? Here's Danny By Daylight:He's not just Hiro. He's a SUPER-Hiro!

The crowd gathered and stayed for the whole GHG show.

Kids love Gorillas!

Shoechanger Anne gives Dance Lesson #1: "Stick out your butt."
Kids aren't the only ones who love the Gorillas.

This lady & her daughters just stole this whole show. They were such great dancers, I'm sure I wasn't the only one who enjoyed their performance!

And as the show ended, she danced away & left us all wondering when she'd come back & dance with us again...

April 28, ORPHAN ANNIE'S

2007-04-30T20:52:00.000-04:00

A small but foolhardy group of adventurous types headed out to Stirling, NJ and braved the dreaded Swamp Beast of Stirling to see the Gas House Gorillas last Friday. And a good time was had by all!

Spokesmodel Christine demonstrates the proper technique for acquiring a Gas House Gorillas cd.

Not only that, but Crusher has released his own solo cd! I Wrote This Stuff by Crusher Carmean has 6 songs for your listening enjoyment!
The guys sound great in the space which is Orphan Annie's. So good, in fact, that they deserve closeups. CLOSEUPS!

Ok, so the closeup of Dave isn't all that close. It's not my fault he hides behind all that equipment & all those wires. 8-)

It was Lori's birthday & so she danced!

The left side is also known as the sinister. As you go further to the left, you get more & more evil.
Obviously, Geico is the ultimate evil.

Sarah & her friend heckled the band all evening. Rick took it in stride, and maintained his normal calm demeanor.

These two (below) were very rowdy and eventually the bartender had to cut them off. Troublemakers! (j/k!)

"Open cap by twisting to the left...tilt bottle into open mouth..."
And there were dancing folks, as usual!

The Origin of the SHOECHANGERS Legend...

April 21, OCEAN PLACE RESORT

2007-04-23T21:40:00.000-04:00

Some business first, & then on to the pics! Lots of good pics this time & plenty of new faces along with the old friends.

Did you know that there are all kinds of Gas House Gorillas Goodies available? T-shirts, hoodies, buttons & more. Even a shirt for your doggie!
Go here, buy stuff!

http://www.cafepress.com/rickfink

Handsome Dan Alvaro has a new cd available! We're working on how you can get this online & details will be coming soon. Five songs, good for dancing, romance & other hilarity.

What's that in Fnee's hand? Why, it's a Handsome Dan cd! If you ask him nice, he may even sign it for you.

In the recent weather, Crusher got flooded out of his house. They say the water was over his head: 4 feet deep!

You have a tattoo on your what now?

When I grow up I wanna be this guy. Just look at him! Slickest guy in the room right here.

Hiro, for future reference: Whiskey whiskey on the shelf, you were so quiet there by yourself. Things were fine 'til they took you down, opened you up & passed you around.

I think you can see what Rick had for lunch in this one.

The Usual Suspects:

And new friends!

WARNING! This man is a trained professional. Please do not attempt what you're about to see without adult supervision!

Two partners!

"You are in my power..."

UPCOMING GIGS!

Saturday April 28, 9pm: Orphan Annie's, Stirling NJ, $10
Friday May 4, 8:30pm: Cask 591, Long Branch NJ, No Cover! (We love this place! Great food, great dancefloor!)
Saturday May 5th, 9pm: Paula Jean's Supper Club, East Setauket NY
Thursday May 10, 9pm: Scotland Yard, Hoboken NJ, No Cover!

Rumors & Rumblings...

2007-04-09T21:43:00.000-04:00

Hey there, Gorillas fans. I have it on good authority that the Gas House Gorillas will soon be returning to the studio to record a new cd! Gas House Gorillas hits which you may hear on the new disc include: Burglar In The House Of Love, One Of These Days, Nine Lives, Three Words, When You Were Mine, Where Did Harlem Go?, etc., etc...

We also hear that Hiro may be heading over the ocean to Japan for a few weeks in May & June, & playing some gigs over there. So, if you find yourself in Japan at the right time, go see Hiro do his solo act! Dates as I get 'em.

This here is an orangutan, not a gorilla, but one of my own favorite great apes. Ook!

March 30, CASK 591

2007-04-01T20:38:00.000-04:00

A new venue! Cask 591 turned out to be a hell of a good time. Good food, excellent booze, friendly bartenders, oh & they had a band that night, too! According to the folks at Cask 591, we saw the Rick Fink Band, but I have it on good information that the Gas House Gorillas kicked those guys' asses out in the alley & took over the gig.

One of the great features of Cask 591 was what has come to be known as the Shoechangers' Nook. We took over this little oasis & nice people brought us booze & food! It was right next to the dance floor and, though the band wasn't visible from there, the sound was great! Here's Fnee enjoying the Nook.

There was a good crowd in attendance. Some danced, some didn't, but a good time was had by all!

"Can you hear me now?"

Here's Shoechanger Marsha with our new friend Graham of Rockcat Productions. She's a big fan! (Ok, so I can't resist an easy pun.) Graham organizes rockabilly shows, & we expect to see more of him in the future. Dig those crazy shoes!

Rick & his harem for the evening. Rowr! That sexy shoulder strap... ;-)

UPCOMING GIGS
Saturday, April 21: Ocean Place Resort & Spa, Long Branch NJ, 8:30pm No cover!
Saturday April 28: Orphan Annie's, Stirling NJ, 9pm, $10 cover

A Cancellation...

2007-03-27T21:57:00.000-04:00

Less than good news, Gorilla-maniacs: Unfortunately, the Gorillas' April 6th appearance at Connolly's in New York City has been canceled. Seems the venue has booked a private party just to interfere with our fun. *pout*

Feel free to write to your local member of Congress to complain about this great injustice.

All is not lost, however! The guys will be making their appearance as soon as they can reschedule.

And now the good news! Crusher Carmean is rapidly on the mend, & from all reports he misses us. Dr. Fink is also feeling better & is expected to be in fine form for his appearance on homegrownradionj.com this Friday and at Cask 591 later that evening.

March 22, SCOTLAND YARD

2007-03-25T22:00:00.001-04:00

Scotland Yard! A former speakeasy from the 20's, now a lovely, cramped, tiny little joint where engineering students go to drink! The boys sound really great there & It's just a plain old-fashioned good time. Crusher Carmean was sick in bed, so you may notice an actual wooden bass in this picture. Standing next to it is guest Gorilla Andrew Hall. He's a regular from the Moonlighters, standing in for everybody's favorite bass-welder.

There were only a few shoechangers in attendance, which is just as well, given the limited space available. Here is a sampling of the familiar faces...

Here's Yours Truly with the lovely Diana. It's hard to pin her down & get her on film, but with a little help from her cousin, we made it happen. 8-)

This is Anne. Anne normally shows up with her boyfriend Jeff, but he was sick that night, so here she is with Jeff. No, not that Jeff, another Jeff. Substitute Jeff. It's possible that Anne has more spare Jeffs hidden around NJ.

And for "Oddest couple on the dancefloor", I'd like to nominate Drummer Joe & Cousin Fred. The envelope, please...

We had a new song to dance to, thanks to Handsome Dan Alvaro! Swing That Thing is destined to be a big hit. It's got a good beat & is mighty fine for dancin'. Bet you wanna hear it; so go here to listen & buy it: http://www.audiosparx.com/TheDisciplesofRhythm

Hey Hiro, you seem to really get into your role as a Gorilla. Ook! Ook!

Rick! Oh no! Someone just came in wearing the same outfit! ;-)

And lest you think the Crusher Family was not represented, there was a very special appearance by: Crusher's Mom! She's a nice lady.

UPCOMING GIGS
March 30, Don't miss the Gas House Gorillas at Cask 591(591 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ)
April 6, The guys go to New York City! Turn out & support them at Connolly's, on 45th Street!
(121 West 45 Street, between 6th Avenue & Broadway)

An Interview
Rick will be interviewed on http://www.homegrownradionj.com on Friday March 30 at 10:15am. Tune in! That's an order!

Finally...
It's come to my attention that some of you don't know who the Gas House Gorillas of antiquity were. Here's a hint:

March 10, OCEAN PLACE RESORT

2007-03-13T17:17:00.000-04:00

We had two birthday girls at the March 10th show! Here we see Tiffany getting her Milky Way Birthday Cake from the newly-bearded ("I'm not shaving it; it tickles my wife!") Crusher!

Norma (right center) was our other birthday girl. She & her family danced up a storm!

Guest Gorilla Dave Ross kept us out of our seats with his deft & daring skins work. Sounds great, Dave!

Dig that profile...He's so handsome!

There were a bunch of fun folks at the bar, some were returning Gorillas fans, some discovered the GHGs for the first time, but very few could sit still.

UPCOMING GIGS:
Friday, March 16, 9pm
Orphan Annies, 1255 Valley Rd, Stirling NJ 07980. $10 cover If you're a shoechanger, bring tile-appropriate shoes! For shoechangers travelling far, Orphan Annie's recommends The Inn at Somerset Hills (908-580-1300 - 4.5 miles away). There's even a free shuttle service.

Thursday, March 22, 9pm
Scotland Yard, 72 Hudson St, Hoboken NJ 07030. No cover, but be sure to tip the band. They work hard & need to know we appreciate it! The place is TINY, so dance small. Tile floor for you shoechangers.

And finally...
The rumors are true & we've got witnesses! The bass man can dance! You've gotta see this guy! We're thinking of making him an honorary shoechanger.

Somehow the link didn't make it...

2007-03-05T22:12:00.000-05:00

The link to Handomse Dan's song didn't make it into the original post for some reason. Here it is:
http://www.audiosparx.com/DBRielly

Welcome Back to the Gas House Gorillas Blog!

2007-03-05T21:07:00.000-05:00

Hey there, gang, & welcome to the new blog for those masters of mirth, the Gas House Gorillas!

My name is Joe Bopp, aka Swingerdude, aka Peabody, one of many shoe-changing fans of the GHGs, and I'll be your new source for GHG news . Despite Dr. Fink's eloquent description in the email, I've never tossed any midget, no matter whether he played the bass or not...

SUNDAY, MARCH 10!
Come see the boys rock the shore at the Ocean Place Resort & Spa (One Ocean Blvd. & S.Broadway, Long Branch, NJ) Ocean Place is a great place to see them, with good drinks and always a fun crowd of shoechangers & non-. The floor is carpet, so bring appropriate footwear!

Also, it's shoe-changer Tiffany's birthday. It's the big Two-Nine(again?) As far as I know, there'll be no cake; the Gas House Gorillas have bad history with birthday cake. Buy the girl a drink! She's got a reservation at the hotel & won't be driving home, so she's fair game for any & all alcoholic imbibing...

NEW SONG ALERT!
Handsome Dan Alvaro, everyone's favorite squeezbox operator, has a new song available on AudioSparx. Always support your favorite artists, and buy the music you love! Follow the link, and find a lot of Dan's great music, featuring such fantastic musicians as Gas House Gorilla Hiro Suzuki and Dreamland Orchestra leader Michael Aranella!

UPCOMING FUTURE APPEARANCES...
Don't miss the guys at Orphan Annie's (March 16, Stirling NJ) and Scotland Yard (March 22, HoBOken!). March 30 opens a new venue: Cask 591 at 591 Broadway in Long Brach, NJ. It's snazzy!

Your comments are welcome! Is there something you'd like to know about your favorite Gorilla? Don't be afraid to ask! (They don't bite...if you bribe them with their favorite treats.)

R.H. TUGS: January 1, 2007

2007-01-04T19:39:00.000-05:00

What's a good cure for a hangover? Um...let's see...playing a gig on Staten Island at the crack of noon? Well, not exactly, but it turned out for the best because there was such a cool bunch of folks there -- I only wish I was awake enough to remember how utterly suave and genteel we were.

2007-01-04T19:25:00.000-05:00

Andrew, man, you are the luckiest guy I know.

2007-01-04T19:12:00.000-05:00

Momentary excitement erupted when two midgets were arrested and escorted out by undercover cops.

2007-01-04T19:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, who had the bean burrito?

2007-01-04T18:43:00.000-05:00

Caryl came over to give us a compliment...er, I mean, condiment.
Oh, and I spoke with horn boy and he said he looks forward to dancing with you anytime. Just between you and me though: he may insist he's light on his feet, but he's not light on anyone else's -- so wear steel-toed shoes!

OCEAN PLACE RESORT: December 30, 2006

2007-01-03T15:07:00.000-05:00

By the time we arrived at Ocean Place, half the Shoe-Changers had already been massaged, luffa-ed, and marinated in alcohol. A bunch of old friends showed up and, of course, we're always up for making new ones. We're going to turn that place into a regular hangout so don't be shy -- it's fun and it's free so come see us there every month.

2007-01-03T14:59:00.000-05:00

We told Bob to give us his best Eastwood "do you feel lucky, punk?" look. Actually, Bob, you're looking pretty lucky yourself!

2007-01-03T14:54:00.000-05:00

These gorgeous specimens of feminine pulchritude crashed the party, and rearranged the furniture. But doesn't their skin look absolutely radiant?

2007-01-03T10:03:00.000-05:00

Some chicks think they're all that, but not Emily. She KNOWS she's all that. Rick worked his best Gangster of Love moves on her but she out-cooled us all with her smooth groove.

2007-01-03T09:55:00.000-05:00

We love our artist friends, Bill & Lorraine. They stopped by with a hand-made Christmas card that was beautiful. We were all moved by their thoughtfulness and were reminded how lucky we are to meet nice people everywhere we go.

2007-01-03T09:43:00.000-05:00

The Queen of The Shoe-Changers was lit up like a Christmas tree. We're not sure, but we think this is her trying to lure a man by waving her hotel room key in front of the most desperate guys she knows.

THE STANHOPE HOUSE: December 23, 2006

2006-12-26T18:00:00.000-05:00

The Gas House Gorillas loaded up the truck and headed out to The Stanhope House. It was Christmas Eve eve, Rich's birthday eve, and the anniversary of the day Sandra said "yes" to Rick. (She thought he said "Will you bury me?")

2006-12-26T17:49:00.000-05:00

The Closer and her latest conquest.

2006-12-26T17:42:00.000-05:00

Sandra suffered sufficient embarrassment during "When I Come Home" so she pimped out her friend, Cheryl, to be our Gangster of Love.

2006-12-26T17:35:00.000-05:00

Hey, no wonder it was hard to get Niles' attention.
SOUND GUY!

2006-12-26T17:29:00.000-05:00

Mother Crusher came to support her Pride & Joy. She said it seems like just yesterday that Crusher was four feet tall, throwing his food, and watching cartoons.
Um...actually, that WAS yesterday.

2006-12-26T17:20:00.000-05:00

Lookout boys, this could be a recon mission!

2006-12-26T17:05:00.000-05:00

There is, in existence, a world beyond my world. One of cute Seinfeldian references and of which a mere squeezebox boy can only dream. One night, I peered into that world and, frightened, high-tailed it back to my familiar life of left feet and dirty floors. I'll never forget, however, and always be haunted by the mystique and the lure of The Schmoopie Tongue.

SCOTLAND YARD: December 13, 2006

2006-12-16T10:07:00.000-05:00

We turned that 25 square feet of basement into a rockin' box of fireworks. Hiro made everyone jump and the rest of us fanned the flames. It was a real blast.

2006-12-16T10:03:00.000-05:00

It was good to see Richie 3-Pair. The last time we saw him was at Jiggs where he was teaching a college course on the subject of soles. Me and Dr. Fink had to drop out though, after coming down with a bad case of whogivesacrapitis.

2006-12-16T09:32:00.000-05:00

I have no idea. These two dizzy chicks had some kind of curly-girl silliness happening and I just wasn't going to go there.

2006-12-16T09:15:00.000-05:00

The Crazy Russian lived up to his name. I joined him on the dancefloor for a minute of fun til he got all Patrick Swayze on me. Yikes!

2006-12-16T09:02:00.000-05:00

My sail was at half-mast til the Coast Guard showed up -- then it was full speed ahead! Michaela (the German Sea Siren) and her friends, Tree-Hugger & Buckeye, came to represent the Protectors of Our Maritime Borders. Come see us again because when it comes to having fun, The Gorillas are Semper Paratus!

2006-12-16T08:53:00.000-05:00

Crusher kept referring to Crystal and then -- I can't remember -- something about Allen or Herman or maybe it was Guthrie...