The Spongetones Official Website!

I first met Chris over at Eddie Z’s place. I was doing a session there-playing something for somebody? Chris was a young drummer and aspiring recording engineer. Good ole Eddie made his place available for Chris to learn, hone his skills, and become a big part of the local scene, which of course he did.

I notice right away that he was a great “feeling” drummer, which in my opinion-is what it’s all about in music. Feel…groove….the right part-at the right time. He reminded me of Jim Brock, which in itself says a lot. He had been schooled in music also, so he could read and understood theory. “I really like this guy” I said to myself. Must get him involved with my circle.. I did. Damn good call.

I had my own studio at the time and he became a regular call for me for sessions. Then later, gigs. I got him into the Don Dixon crowd. He was fantastic on gigs, not to mention he was just a cool guy …..and also quite funny. Warm…good karma…and always in Chuck Taylors.

We were playing a gig in Chapel Hill at the new Cat’s Cradle with Don. Beforehand, Chris and I were setting up for the gig. Dixon played solo first, surrounded by a circle of candles. While DD was setting this up the sound man came over to me and Chris and asked “Is this going to be a sit-down gig?” I’ll never forget this: Chris quickly answered with “Well, that’s according to if you want a sit-down-ass-kickin?’”. In seconds we were both in tears about the notion of a sit-down-ass-kickin’. 🙂 I saw Chris and Carrie last week, for the last time-and we laughed about it once more. Good times. I was blessed to ever have known him. We all were.

Fast forward from The Cat’s Cradle to The Spongetones. At some point, I’d say 7 or 8 years ago our first drummer Rob Thorne decided that he was ready to leave the band. (we are all still tight friends, by the way) We had a few gigs with other drummers but then the idea of Chris came to us. He was a huge Beatle fan: a prerequisite for entering these sacred walls of The Spongetones. He could mock the original “mocker” Ringo to absolute perfection. Plus he adored George Martin and Geoff Emerick. All just adding to his qualifications. Needless to say, we asked him to become an equal member of the band. Another damn good call….

Back in late last year we all played our last gig together with Chris in the quartet. Chris, in fact organized and booked this gig at Spirit Square. We booked the show (sold out) but the along came Mr Covid. We had to postpone until last year, so it was truly our 41st Anniversary. It was an amazing show and Chris, as always-knocked it out of the park. It was a highlight of our career, right there with when we (with Rob) went to Japan! These gigs we’re all a dream come true for us boys. I have to remind myself that every musician isn’t this lucky.

There is an excellent post of Chris, performing his own “sit-down-ass-kickin’” at The Festival In The Park in Charlotte, on the song “White Room” that my wife Linda took and posted. I suggest you do yourself a favor and go watch it. Bookmark it. Remember…..Chris Garges. (Jamie Hoover)

Spongetone Chris Garges-with The Spongetones at Spirit Square, 2021

https://www.carolinatix.org/events/detail/the-spongetones-4

Written by Steve Boyle-Producer/Director–GOLD!! • “I am very excited to announce that the RETURN TO COMBOLAND music video for THE SPONGETONES “Too Clever By Half” has won GOLD at WORLDFEST – HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. Thanks to The Spongetones for a brilliant song and putting up with all of my crazy direction. Thanks also to MATTHEW MELTON and JENNIFER ADAMS for some wonderful acting! • If you haven’t seen the music video, you can check it out here”:

THE SPONGETONES scheduled for Saturday, April 25 at 8:00 PM in McGlohon Theater has been postponed.
We are working to reschedule each event to a new date. Your current tickets will be valid for the new date, and we will alert you as soon as the rescheduled date is available.
If you are not able to attend the new date or the performance is unable to be rescheduled, you will receive a full refund (including all taxes and fees). Any refunds will be to the credit card used in the purchase or by check if you purchased in cash.
We appreciate your patience as we work to reschedule the show.

VENUE INFORMATION:
McGlohon Theater
345 North College Street
Charlotte, NC, 28202

https://www.maxxmusic.com/e/the-spongetones-40th-anniversary-show-97161020227/

https://tix.carolinatix.org/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=F7A66B38-81C7-4070-92C1-AE74B4CB5772

THE SPONGETONES

This story begins in 1978, when four Charlotte musicians banded together for a one-night stand in a small bar to recreate the British Invasion music of their youth. A lot had happened in nearly a decade after the demise of the band who had defined that era.
The Beatles’ music was not being heard much on the radio. And Jake Berger, Steve Stoeckel, Rob Thorne, and Pat Walters (the musicians above) had been playing professionally all that time and wanted to hear it played well. They suspected they weren’t alone.
And they were right. The 30 or so folks who came to that first performance wanted more, and word spread about this outfit that could play amazing covers of tunes by the Yardbirds, the Animals, The Who, The Hollies, and of course the Beatles.
This story might have ended there, but for the arrival of a replacement guitarist: Jamie Hoover, a fan and (as luck would have it) a composer, recording engineer, and producer who saw the potential for mining the talent in this band for more than playing covers. The band recorded a 45 record at a small facility and then two LP records at Reflection Studio, with Jamie producing and partner Mark Williams engineering.
That was the real beginning, leading to
● over 13 albums, and numerous compilations
● performances in LA, New York, DC, and Tokyo among other places, playing solo and opening for The Hollies, the Kinks, Rick Springfield, and other world-renowned acts
● reviews in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Goldmine, CMJ, Tower Pulse, and other major magazines
● four singles rated on American Bandstand
● Sony Records And Airmail Recordings releases in Japan.
● NBC World News Now Theme for the “Skinny Now” segment using their song “Skinny”.
● induction into the Power Pop Hall of Fame.
When Rob left the band in 2014, another fan, Chris Garges stepped into the drummer’s seat (coincidentally, yet another composer, engineer, and producer, with his own recording studio).
In a lovely bit of synchronicity, Jamie’s first performance with The Spongetones was April 23, 1980—nearly forty years to the day of this concert.
The nightclub at the beginning of this story is long gone, as is the studio where they made their first two records.
But The Spongetones are still here, playing and singing the music they have loved for these 40 years. And they’re here tonight, inviting you all to share in their joy of this occasion.
The Spongetones are:
Jamie Hoover
Pat Walters
Steve Stoeckel
Chris Garges

“The SpongeTones are without a doubt the finest example of pure, unadulterated Beatlesque joy to emanate from the indie pop underground.” – Goldmine Magazine, November 2006.
“… sounds like the soundtrack to a party so good it could never happen in real life.” Parke Puterbaugh, Rolling Stone, Review of Beat Music, September 15, 1983
“…, the SpongeTones’ delightful tributes to the mist-shrouded Mersey era are so well crafted that they might well have been hits back then. Certainly they deserve to be heard here and now. ” – Kurt Loder, Rolling Stone, Review of Torn Apart, May 10, 1984
“…what they are and always have been: one of the greatest groups that power pop has ever produced. The Spongetones’ music is a treasure to be savored, an enduring pleasure, a splendid time guaranteed for all….Today, The Spongetones finally take their well-earned place in The Power Pop Hall Of Fame. And you know that can’t be bad..” Carl Cafarelli Goldmine Magazine contributor, Power Pop Hall of fame 2017

We am so thankful to Steve Boyle for putting this together for us!!! It’s how we hope the band is remembered in history. We filmed it 12 years ago. It’s just so amazing to have this now!!!!!

In The Spongetones we have been very lucky over these 40 plus years-and it continues still today. Here is a copy of a brand new release on Sony Japan of a wonderful pop compilation called “Power To The Pop”-and we are included on it! We have a strong presence here in the US, but it’s never been as big as our popularity in Japan. We actually toured there once, with the help of Airmail Recordings, and it was the thrill of a lifetime. We were on Sony there before Airmail for years and years. The exciting thing to me on this release is they used “Always Carry On” instead of the two usual songs My Girl Maryanne and She Goes Out With Everybody. I love them all though: they are my children. The list of other artists on this record is impressive-Billy Joel, The Raspberries, The Knack, Utopia, ELO, Klaatu….to name a few. It’s a wonderful package and a double CD. I have no idea how to buy it yet. So proud!!!

So finally, after 40 years we got an official release in England! Ace Records (Big Beat)-who also released Bob Lind’s records I produced wanted (My Girl) Maryanne for this cool pop compilation-with quite a neato list of others…:-) Here’s a link to buy it: https://acerecords.co.uk/come-on-lets-go-power-pop-gems-fro…

Did I say yay!?