Saturday, January 8, 2011

Artist: Segarini, Album: On The Radio, Song: Steady Eddie

"Eddie was a guy I went to school with, man.  I used to see him at dances with a knife in his hand.  And he looked so cool and all the girls he knew had a bad reputation.  He would terrorize wimps in the high school halls and smoke strange cigarettes in the boys room stalls."  Bob Segarini was actually from California but established himself musically in Canada.  He kicked around in a number of bands through the late sixties and seventies with moderate success like Family Tree, Roxy, The Wackers and The Dudes.  By the late seventies, he had re-located to Toronto and released his full length debut, Gotta Have Pop.  On The Radio, was a recording of a live radio performance that preceded his second studio album.  Steady Eddie was a track from Gotta Have Pop that they performed live at Thunder Sound Studios in 1978, in front of 60 people which was simultaneously broadcasted on Q107 in Toronto.  I would describe this track as having the "New Jersey Shuffle".  A sound popularized by Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band ("10th Avenue Freeze Out"), Southside Johnny ("Trash It Up"), Mink Deville ("Spanish Stroll"), John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band (Eddie & The Cruisers Soundtrack, "Tender Years") and Wet Willie ("Street Corner Serenade").  It's just a great rock song that draws influence from the golden years of rock n' roll.  Bob was definitely one of those artists that had an uncompromising sound and vision about him that was never fully appreciated by the majority of listeners.  Often referred to as the Canadian Nick Lowe for that same reason.  Unbelievable creativity just not a lot of commercial success. Bob would release two more albums as Segarini culminating with his final release in 1981.  He continued to work as a session musician with bands like Goddo and developed himself on the production side of the business with bands like The Romantics.  He also worked as a DJ on Q107 in Toronto.  Most of his releases have been remastered and you can find this album along with Gotta Have Pop on Itunes.  You can follow Bob at http://www.myspace.com/segarinimusic.  You can hear the song, Steady Eddie, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao1703OLaYE).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!