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Musicians and fans will reminisce as popular Akron band Main Street from 1970s
By Malcolm X Abram
Beacon Journal music writer
Published on Thursday, Nov 06, 2008
It's been more than two decades since the popular local band Easy Street officially broke up.
The band, which will play its annual reunion show at Tangier in Akron on Saturday, formed in 1976 playing covers from popular artists of the day mixed with its own radio-ready originals. It built up a strong following while gigging in the now-defunct Akron/Kent/Cleveland club circuit.
For years, the band ruled the stages of venues such as Filthy McNasty's, Spanky's and the Flying Machine as well as gigs in fairly far-flung cities such as Dallas, Houston, Denver, Miami, Little Rock, Ottawa and Atlanta.
The band also received radio airplay and an on-air approval from vaunted WMMS disc jockey Kid Leo. Along with buddy and king of the local music hill Michael Stanley, the Easy Street Band added credence to the credo ''Cleveland Rocks.''
During its heyday, Easy Street jammed onstage with Santana and Southside Johnny, played in front of the Who, opened up for an up-and-coming heartland rocker named Tom Petty and told dirty jokes onstage with Meatloaf.
Easy Street did manage to record and release one self-titled EP in 1982 featuring the local hit Love Tries, in the hope of getting some national attention and a record deal, but the plan never came to fruition.
By the mid-'80s, big-haired metalheads were gaining popularity on the club circuit and though lion-maned frontman ''Westside'' Steve Simmons definitely had the hair, the band of thirty-somethings found themselves unimpressed by the hair metal bands, its crowd and its music. So the band decided to call it quits.
''We're getting to be in our 30s and all the bands playing clubs with us were wearing the spandex pants and doing the head-nod thing,'' original bassist Bob Martin said from the offices of the Source, a computer sales, repair and distribution business he owns in Twinsburg. ''We didn't look good in spandex and we just figured, we had a run and let's just go away and not be those guys.
''And by '91 when grunge hit, those metal guys were washing cars,'' he said laughing.
In addition to the rise of hair metal, the club circuit that allowed the band to play as many as five nights a week began to fizzle. Easy Street members went their separate ways, with most getting ''regular'' jobs, although several have found other outlets for playing music.
Then in 1990, a former roadie suggested the band play a reunion show.
''We never even thought about it, and we said 'Well, I guess we could,' '' Martin said. ''Before we knew it, we were doing it, and then we had the five-year plan, because we figured, well, we're all still in our 40s, so we'll do it every five years.
''Then we realized we were getting too old to wait five years, so in 2005 we said, 'you know, we better do this every year' and people said, 'yeah' and we keep selling tickets. And then it was '06, '07 and here it's '08 and luckily we have Tangiers to play at because there's really no place else for us to play,'' he said.
The band needs the cabaret at Tangier in order to fit the many musicians who return to play with their old buddies. The show will be broken down into two sets. The first will feature the ''early years'' band, an octet that performs an 11-song set of cover tunes for which fans clamor, including Once Bitten Twice Shy, Badlands and ''signature copy tunes'' by Alex Harvey Gang Bang and Midnight Moses.
Following that ''small'' ensemble will be the ''album band,'' an expanded 14-piece band with two drummers, a four-piece horn section and a teenage violinist.
Following the tradition of these reunion shows, the band will be breaking out a few new (old) tunes, including Jethro Tull's Aqualung, Thunder Road and Walk Away Renee and fan favorites such as Jungleland.
The band will have its lone CD, which features the original 1982 EP plus 10 unreleased tracks, available for purchase, and, of course, T-shirts and hats.
Martin says that though the concerts consistently sell out, the band doesn't do these shows for the money as the evening's take must be split among as many as 17 people. More importantly, the annual shows are not just fun to play but act as a lifeline back to a simpler time in the lives of the band members and their fans.
With most of the Easy Street members and their fans in their 40s and 50s, the reunion shows have become more than just a chance for the band to jam together again, it's a chance for longtime fans to gather and forget about the kids (or grandkids), their jobs, bills and the vagaries of middle age for one night of unbridled communal boogieing.
''Before we go on, you can hear everyone talking,'' Martin said. ''The whole place is buzzing with conversation because people get to see each other again.
''It's keeping us young, but I think it would be sad for our fans if we quit playing because they'd all think 'man, now we are old. Everybody pretends they are 20 again when they come see us. It's sad but true,'' he said laughing.
Malcolm X Abram can be reached at mabram@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3758.
It's been more than two decades since the popular local band Easy Street officially broke up.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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akron, oh
Posted 07:40 PM, 11/06/2008
Performing at Tangiers must be ultimate in terms of loser bands still trying to make a living and relive the past.
Posted 12:25 PM, 11/07/2008
Great band that finally made the cover! These guys have rocked Akron since 1976 and still sound great. I don't know if Tim (who posted a comment above) is a jealous musician or just can't understand that some bands have a REAL history to be proud of and one that's WORTH re-living! a lot of talented jazz and rock musicians play Tangier all the time. We are lucky that Tangier is there! Easy Street once made a living as full-time musicians, but they just do this gig for fun and for their fans. Easy Street was and institution in NE Ohio with a ton of original material and a loyal fan base that appreciates them. There are a bunch of new bands out there today that are worth hearing, but don't fault these guys just because they are from the past. Maybe you were just having a bad day Tim. Maybe you should come HEAR them, have a beer and see why everyone still loves these guys! I know I'll be there. Wayne.
Posted 01:49 PM, 11/07/2008
I LOVE working with/for The Easy Street Band! Where else can one get paid AND rub elbows with rock heavies such as The Temptations, 38 Special, Pat Travers, Carlos Santana and Tom Petty (not to mention Eric Carmen, Micheal Stanley, Jonah Koslin - and the list goes on). The only loser(s) I've seen are the ones that eat their hearts out seeing Easy Street's name in lights as they play their air guitar into the mirror and oblivian. PuLL!
Posted 02:59 PM, 11/07/2008
Let's see Michael Stanley, Blue Oyster Cult, The Tubes and hundreds of other top artists have performed at Tangier's. Loser Band? Proves that Tim has no clue!
The Easy Street Band sold out large venues all over Ohio including touring out of state & Canada.
We were all very lucky to grow up having this awesome band to go see. Easy Street was well known for the high caliber Rock N Roll show they delivered. The bands biggest accomplishment wasn't just the quality of thier performance, it was the Ultimate Party they created, everytime they played. The Easy Street shows were by far, the best party in town, and no other band could pack a dance floor like these guys.
So if ya wanna rock, get on down to Tangier's on Saturday and bring your dancin' shoes!
Posted 07:55 PM, 11/09/2008
What a Blast at Tangiers! Just a suggestion for the band: Next reunion, could you play 'Early in the Morning' by The Tokens or 'Elenore' by The Turtles? Our pal Wayne said he'd give his right arm from his new leather coat won at the Coffee Bagle Concert (held the next day @ Vernfield's Down Undah) to hear those done on a fretless bass in the darkness of garage! And don't crush that dual 100 amp dwarf breaker, hand me the Andy plyers!~`~~~`boiT!
WADSWORTH, OH
Posted 05:31 AM, 11/11/2008
and then Sunday,the day after-HANGOVER CITY...yes-sir-eeeee !
Posted 04:32 PM, 11/11/2008
Easy Street once again proved that they are the #1 rock-n-roll party band in Ohio. It was a great time and the dance floor had as many people on it that you could possibly cram in.
The bands harmonies were great and a lot of other musicians came out to party with the band. Joe Morris from the band "Ohio" formerly with Easy Street came out & jammed. The original bass guitarist for Glass Harp & The Michael Stanley Band joined the guys on stage. Freddy Salem, Mark from Gorilla Jones & Joe Vitale jr. were also spotted having a good time.
The show sold out as usual, and Westside Steve said that they will keep having the yearly reunion party as long as the bands loyal fans keep on coming.
John G./ DeMarco Productions
akron, oh
Posted 08:35 PM, 12/26/2008
If Tim is correct, Tina Turner is also a loser, as is Tony Bennett, and Dave Koz, and Marion Meadows, and ... oh hell, just go there and walk down that Wall of Fame.
