Whirling Dervishes
Whirling Dervishes, New Brunswick, NJ, 1994 — with Dan Paola, Billy Siegel, Don Dazzo, John Bryan, Bob Ardrey and Jerry Heer
Whirling Dervishes, New Brunswick, NJ, 1994 — with Dan Paola, Billy Siegel, Don Dazzo, John Bryan, Bob Ardrey and Jerry Heer
Background information
OriginWestfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1981–present
Labels
MembersBob Ardrey (guitar, vocals)
Don Dazzo (lead vocals)
Dan Paola (guitar, vocals)
Billy Siegel (keyboards, vocals)
Jerry Heer (bass)
John Bryan (drums, percussion)

Whirling Dervishes are an American alternative rock band from Westfield, New Jersey. Formed in 1981 initially as Johnny Bravo and his Whirling Dervishes, the band shortened its name in 1983 to Whirling Dervishes.[1] Their sound has been described as a combination of Roxy Music, The Stooges, Nine Inch Nails and The Wonderstuff.[2]

Career

Dazzo, Ardrey, Paola and Siegel met while attending Westfield High School while Heer and Bryan studied at neighboring Union Catholic High School. All performed in various bands during those formative years, except for Dazzo who served as roadie for Ardrey's group, the Shattered Five.[3]

The band is known for its dark pop songs and benefitted greatly from airplay on WHTG-FM in Eatontown, New Jersey, which helped popularize the group at the Jersey Shore and beyond. The band toured the East Coast during the mid-1980s through the early 1990s, but performed most frequently at rock clubs in the New York and New Jersey area such as Stone Pony, Brighton Bar, The Limelight, Danceteria, CBGB, China Club, Kat Club, Fastlane, Court Tavern, the Melody, the Roxy, and the Green Parrot.[4][5][6][7]

The original line-up, Bob Ardrey (guitar, vocals), Don Dazzo (lead vocals), Dan Paola (guitar, vocals), Billy Siegel (keyboards, vocals, producer), Jerry Heer (bass) and John Bryan (drums, percussion), is still together today.[8] They have also worked with engineer Alan Douches, known for his engineering and mastering skills with Aerosmith, Steve Taylor and George Benson.[9]

Record releases

Best known for their perennial Christmas classic cover of "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch," the band released two vinyl EPs, History Kicks You (1983) and Affordable World (1985); one CD EP, Wish it Would Snow (1992), independently, re-released in 1994 on Ignition with bonus tracks and again in 1995 as Grinch on Continuum/Universal; and one full-length CD album, Strange and Wonderful (1992).[10][11][12]

Television and film

Signed in 1991 to Herb Alpert's publishing arm of A&M records Rondor Music, the band wrote and recorded the theme song to NBC's short-lived television show The Adventures of Mark and Brian.[13][14]

In 1990, the band released the film Thin Mints, written and directed by Dazzo, starring Ardrey and Fred Harlow, with a score by Siegel and Ardrey, and with Whirling Dervishes' songs prominently featured.[15]

Everlounge

In 1994, Dazzo and Siegel formed the group Everlounge, later joined by Ardrey, inspired by the New York- and Los Angeles-based lounge music scene.[16] Occasionally, Whirling Dervishes still play local shows in the New Jersey area.[17]

The Whirling Dervishes at AllMusic

References

  1. ↑ Wien, Gary (January 21, 2012). "The Whirling Dervishes and Everlounge". newjerseystage.com. New Jersey Stage. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  2. ↑ Makin, Robert (March 18, 1992), "Jersey Jams", NJ Newsbeat, p. 18, If you put Roxy Music, The Stooges, Nine Inch Nails and The Wonderstuff into a whirling blender, what would you get? We'll once you got past all the severed heads, you'd find Whirling Dervishes, whose new LP, Strange and Wonderful, gloriously lives up to it's [sic] name.
  3. ↑ Wien, Gary (January 26, 2017). "The Whirling Dervishes and Everlounge". newjerseystage.com. New Jersey Stage. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  4. ↑ Selzer, Hal B. (May 6, 2009), Billy Siegel - Cheese and Polyester, vol. 2, The Aquarian Weekly, p. 3, After the demise of that band, Billy Joined the Whirling Dervishes. "We Played all the great clubs of the time, The Limelight, Danceteria, CBGB's, China Club, Kat Club, Fastlane, Court Tavern, The Melody, The Roxy, The Brighton Bar, The Pony and of course the Green Parot. Thanks to the folks at the Jersey Shore radio station HTG we got a lot of local airplay, helping us build a strong following.
  5. ↑ Wien, Gary (2003). Beyond the Palace. Victoria,Canada: Trafford Publishing. p. 214. ISBN 1412003148.
  6. ↑ Pfeiffer, John (May 23, 2012). "Shoreworld: The Green Parrot Reunion Show Live At The Brighton Bar – May 5". theaquarian.com. The Aquarian. Retrieved June 2, 2017. And, of course, Springsteen is well remembered for his impromptu jam with Jah Love & The Survivors. But the mainstay locals are what really kept that place hopping. The Whirling Dervishes, Mischief, Red House, Bigger Thomas and In Between Dreams kept folks occupied between superstars all week long. The Green Parrot's run was fast and furious, starting around 1987 and lasting until 1990, when the doors finally closed and the music ceased to exist on Route 33.
  7. ↑ "Nor Easter Survivors to Aid Flood Victims". newspapers.com. Asbury Park Press. August 27, 1993. Retrieved June 2, 2017. The Whirling Dervishes, plus other local acts will raise money to help Midwest flood victims. heard about the organization's efforts to raise money to help victims of the Midwestern flooding, he decided to help in the only way he knew how organizing a benefit concert to help generate donations for the cause. Scheduled for 8 tonight at the Stone Pony
  8. ↑ Wien, Gary (January 21, 2012). "The Whirling Dervishes and Everlounge". newjerseystage.com. New Jersey Stage. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  9. ↑ Makin, Bob; Pannullo, Cathy (April 12, 1989), "Banding Together", EC Rocker, p. 40, Another group of smart musicians, the Whirling Dervishes, are in the studio, as well. They've recorded 12 tracks with producer Alan Douches and will release nine to 10 on an as-of-yet untitled album. The new songs, which include the Smart Music track, "Little Finger," will be released at the end of the Summer to cash in on the college crowd's return to school.
  10. ↑ Makin, Robert (December 30, 1992), "WHIRLING DERVISHES", NJ Newsbeat, p. 18, To think we got two releases this year from these wonderful, wacky guys. The long gap between their first two, Affordable World and History Kicks You, and these last two. helped Whirling Dervishes make the musical year of 1992 more memorable.
  11. ↑ Acampora, Rob (November 29, 2011). "Jersey Band Forever Tied to Character Who Turns 45 This Year". sojo1049.com. SOJO 1049. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Whirling Dervishes". Discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  13. ↑ Selzer, Hal B. (May 6, 2009), "Billy Siegel - Cheese and Polyester", theaquarian.com, The Aquarian Weekly, p. 3, I found love for production/arrangement with the Dervishes. We put out quite a few records/CDs. Unfortunately after being signed to a publishing deal with A&M's Rhondor Music, we never got the big record deal in the sky. {{citation}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  14. ↑ Chesek, Tom (July 25, 2011). "LOUNGE LIZARDS, CRAWLING TO LANGOSTA". upperwetside.wordpress.com. Upper Wet Side. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  15. ↑ Wien, Gary (2003). Beyond the Palace. Victoria,Canada: Trafford Publishing. p. 271. ISBN 1412003148.
  16. ↑ Selzer, Hal B. (May 6, 2009), "Billy Siegel - Cheese and Polyester", theaquarian.com, The Aquarian Weekly, p. 3, By the early 90s lounge music was bubbling on the college radio circuit, and that was something that appealed to Billy. "After over a decade with the Dervishes I was ready for a change. Don Dazzo approached me because he knew I had a fondness for that type of stuff. So we formed Everlounge" {{citation}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  17. ↑ Wien, Gary (January 21, 2012). "The Whirling Dervishes and Everlounge". newjerseystage.com. New Jersey Stage. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
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