Talk about old school…Eddie and the Cruisers…double retro, man

eddieWhoa, talk about a double retro mind freak… Ok, so in 1983, a movie called Eddie and the Cruisers came out, about a rock n roll band from 1964 that was trying to play music ahead of it’s time. I saw it a couple of dozen times when it was new, because HBO played it 12 times a day in ’84.

So I’m watching it tonight, in 2009. It’s from 1983. It takes place in 1982 and has flashbacks to 1964. It was Retro for ’83, and it’s double retro now because not only are the flashbacks predated, now the movie itself is 26 years old. That makes the flashbacks (that they said were 18 years old in the movie) from 35 years ago! Double Retro! Holy timeshift Batman!

Eddie's 57 Chevy Ragtop
Eddie's 57 Chevy Ragtop

That movie was a big deal when it came out because they shot a lot of it in Somers Point, NJ, and Atlantic City. I grew up around that area and new it well. The bar the played in, Tony Mart’s, was a landmark for years. I remember when I was a teenager I couldn’t wait to turn 21 so I could get in and check out the club my parents used to go to. Of course the bastards tore it down before I was old enough to get in. They replaced it with another club with ZERO class. Oh well. I also used to pass the Ebb Tide Motel in Somers Point (featured in the film) all the time on the way to Ocean City. In the late 80’s someone bought it, took down the neon sign and made it a Hampton Inn or something dumb like that. Ah, progress. Wonder where that sign is now?

I met the guy who owned the teal 57 Chevy they used in the movie. I  think he lived in Brigantine. He drove it to car shows all the time. Beautiful car.

Tony Mart's in Somers Point, NJ
Tony Mart's in Somers Point, NJ

I played all those sax parts back in the 80’s, a few of them with a band some friends had. I picked up the sax tonight and played them like it was 25 years ago.

Time sure is a krazy thing.

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