The Castiles

Last updated
The Castiles
Origin Freehold, New Jersey
Genres Garage rock
Years active1964 (1964)–1968 (1968)
Website www.castiles.net/bands.html

The Castiles were a garage rock band that featured vocalist/lead guitarist/harmonica player Bruce Springsteen, and was formed by rhythm guitarist/vocalist George Theiss, with various lineups during its existence. They recorded two songs, and performed throughout New Jersey and New York before disbanding in 1968.

Contents

Springsteen went on to a successful recording and touring career, while Theiss continued in various non-notable New Jersey bands. Theiss died on July 13, 2018.

History

In 1964, Theiss saw the Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show , and decided to form a band called the Castiles, named after the shampoo brand he was using at the time. [1] He was romantically interested in Springsteen's sister, Virginia, [2] and when Theiss would go to her house, her brother was playing guitar. Theiss asked Springsteen to join the Castiles in 1965 as lead guitarist. [3] They were students at Freehold High School at the time. [4]

"I was sitting in my South Street home one afternoon when a knock came at our front door," Springsteen wrote in his autobiography Born to Run . "It was George Theiss, a local guitarist and singer who’d heard through my sister that I played the guitar. I’d seen George around the Elks. He told me there was a band forming and they were looking for a lead guitarist. While I hesitated to call myself a lead guitarist, I had been hard at it for a while and worked up some very rudimentary 'chops.' We walked across town to Center Street and into a little half-shotgun house fifty feet up the block from where the metal-on-metal war of the rug mill spilled out open factory windows onto the streets of Texas. In Texas I'd slip on my guitar and join my first real band." [5]

Theiss and Springsteen were joined in the Castiles by original members Paul Popkin, guitar/vocals; Frank Marziotti, bass; and Bart Haynes, drummer. Haynes joined the Marine Corps, and fought in the Vietnam War where he was killed in action on October 22, 1967. While in the USMC, Bart was replaced by Vinny Maniello. Marziotti left, and Curt Fluhr became the bassist. [1] [6]

The Castiles practiced in half of a duplex home belonging to Haynes. Gordon "Tex" Vinyard lived in the other half of the two-family home, and he became the band's manager. [7] They played gigs in local spots of Freehold from junior high school dances, roller rinks, drive-in theaters, supermarket openings, even clubs in the area and places like Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village, and Asbury Park, New Jersey. [8] They wore white pants, Beatle boots, and Beatle haircuts, and performed cover songs. [9]

The Castiles played their last show in August 1968 at the Off Broad Street Coffeehouse in Red Bank, New Jersey. [10]

When the band disbanded in 1968 due to tension between Springsteen and Theiss, the two remained friends.

Recordings

In May 1966, Vinyard paid for a demo record made at Mr. Music in Toms River, New Jersey. These songs, "Baby I" and "That's What You Get", were both written by Theiss and Springsteen. The former was finally released in 2016 on the album Chapter and Verse , a companion album to Springsteen's Born to Run autobiography, along with a live recording of Willie Dixon's "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover". [7] [11]

The Bruce Springsteen Story Vol. 1: The Castiles was released in 1993. [12]

Of his 2020 album, Letter to You , Springsteen has said that the music was inspired by Theiss' death in 2018. Songs "Ghosts" and "Last Man Standing" were written by Springsteen because he was the last living member of the Castiles. Two other tracks with the same theme, "I'll See You in My Dreams" and "One Minute You're Here", were also included. [13]

"The songs reminded me of a debt that I still owed to my Freehold brothers in arms," he said in the Thom Zimny-directed documentary, Bruce Springsteen's Letter to You , which aired on Apple TV+ in 2020. The film includes Springsteen teaching his cousin to play the Castiles' song "Baby I". [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Springsteen</span> American rock musician (born 1949)

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", he has released 21 studio albums during a career spanning six decades, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Springsteen is a pioneer of heartland rock, combining a commercially successful rock sound with poetic and socially conscious lyrics reflecting the issues of working class American life. He is known for his descriptive lyrics and energetic concerts, which sometimes last over four hours.

<i>Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.</i> 1973 studio album by Bruce Springsteen

Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. is the debut studio album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. It was produced from June through October 1972 by Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos at the budget-priced 914 Sound Studios. The album was released January 5, 1973, by Columbia Records to average sales but a positive critical reception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarence Clemons</span> American saxophonist (1942–2011)

Clarence Anicholas Clemons Jr., also known as The Big Man, was an American saxophonist. From 1972 until his death in 2011, he was the saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patti Scialfa</span> American singer (born 1953)

Vivienne Patricia Scialfa is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Scialfa has been a member of the E Street Band since 1984 and has been married to Bruce Springsteen since 1991. In 2014, Scialfa was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southside Johnny</span> Musical artist

John Lyon, known professionally as Southside Johnny, is an American singer-songwriter who usually fronts his band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

Vincent Lopez, nicknamed Mad Dog, is an American drummer. Between 1968 and 1974 Lopez backed Bruce Springsteen in several bands, including Steel Mill and the E Street Band. He also played on Springsteen's first two albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle. Both during and after his time with the E Street Band, Lopez played drums with numerous Jersey Shore bands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E Street Band</span> Bruce Springsteens backing band

The E Street Band is an American rock band that has been the primary backing band for rock musician Bruce Springsteen since 1972. In 2014, the E Street Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing career, the band included guitarists Steven Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, and Patti Scialfa, keyboardists Danny Federici and Roy Bittan, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Max Weinberg and saxophonist Clarence Clemons.

David Sancious is an American musician. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen's backing group, the E Street Band, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on Human Touch (1992), Tracks (1998), and Western Stars (2019). Sancious is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known as a keyboard player and guitarist. He left the E Street Band in 1974 to form his own band, Tone, and released several albums. He subsequently became a popular session and touring musician, most notably for Stanley Clarke, Narada Michael Walden, Zucchero Fornaciari, Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, Jack Bruce, and Sting among many others. In 2014, Sancious was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band.

Ernest Carter is an American drummer. He has toured and recorded with, among others, Bruce Springsteen, David Sancious, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes and Paul Butterfield. During his time with Springsteen, he played the drums on the song "Born to Run".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Babjak</span> American guitarist (born 1957)

Jim Babjak is an American guitarist and ex-banker. He is the lead guitar player and co-founder of The Smithereens. Babjak has written and sung several songs for the band. He also is the leader of the band Buzzed Meg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes</span> American musical group

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes are an American musical group from the Jersey Shore led by Southside Johnny. They have been recording albums since 1976 and are closely associated with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. They have recorded or performed several Springsteen songs, including "The Fever" (1973) and "Fade Away" (1980). Springsteen has also performed with the band on several occasions. In 1991, Springsteen and the E Street band appeared on Southside Johnny's Better Days album.

<i>Hearts of Stone</i> (Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes album) 1978 studio album by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes

Hearts of Stone is the third album by New Jersey rock band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, released in October 1978. The album peaked at number 112 on the Billboard 200 chart during the week of January 13, 1979. All of the album's songs were written by Southside Johnny, Bruce Springsteen, and E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt. Van Zandt, the band's manager, also produced, arranged and played guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour</span> 1999–2000 concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

The Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour was a lengthy, top-grossing concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place over 1999 and 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Bandiera</span> American guitarist, singer, and songwriter

Robert Bandiera is an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter from New Jersey. Bandiera played rhythm guitar for Bon Jovi in live performances from 2005 until 2015 and for nearly two decades was lead guitarist for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Bandiera and his band have backed Bruce Springsteen at benefit concerts.

Steel Mill was an early Bruce Springsteen band. Other members of the band included three future members of the E Street Band, Vini Lopez, Danny Federici, and Steve Van Zandt. As well as playing on the Jersey Shore, Steel Mill also played regularly in Richmond, Virginia and played gigs in California and a festival in Nashville, Tennessee. They opened for acts such as Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Grand Funk Railroad, Roy Orbison, Ike & Tina Turner, and Black Sabbath. Since 2004 Vini Lopez has led Steel Mill Retro which has performed and recorded original Springsteen songs from the Steel Mill era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinnie Roslin</span> Musical artist

Vinnie Roslin (1946-2012) was an American bassist who was an original member of Steel Mill, an early Bruce Springsteen band. Other members of band included three future members of the E Street Band - Vini Lopez, Danny Federici and Steve Van Zandt.

Cats on a Smooth Surface is an American rock group, that starting in 1978 and throughout the 1980s was the house band at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey

Matt O'Ree is an American blues-rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter born and raised in Holmdel, New Jersey with his wife, Eryn Shewell-O'Ree. O'Ree is best known as the founder and front man for the Matt O'Ree Band which he formed in 1994. In 2015, Matt joined Bon Jovi as their touring rhythm guitar player next to Phil X. He joined just before the Bon Jovi Live! tour which began on September 11, 2015, in Jakarta, Indonesia at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium and continued throughout Asia with the final show on October 3, 2015 in Tel Aviv, Israel at Yarkon Park. This tour was in support of Bon Jovi's 2015 album Burning Bridges.

"Last Man Standing" is a song by Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band from the 2020 album Letter to You.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springsteen and E Street Band 2023 Tour</span> 2023–25 tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

The Springsteen and E Street Band 2023 Tour is an ongoing concert tour by American singer Bruce Springsteen and his backing band the E Street Band. The tour began on February 1, 2023, in Tampa, Florida; it marks the first time since 2017 that Springsteen and the E Street Band have toured together. The tour is currently scheduled to conclude on July 3, 2025, in Milan. Due to band member illnesses and Springsteen suffering his own health issues, twenty-four dates of the tour were postponed and were rescheduled for 2024. Four dates in May and June 2024 were also postponed due to vocal issues suffered by Springsteen.

References

  1. 1 2 Wineka, Mike (January 28, 2018). "George and the Boss: Theiss is forever linked to his glory days of playing, writing songs with Springsteen". Salisbury Post. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Lustig, Jay (July 15, 2018). "George Theiss, an early Springsteen bandmate, dies at 68". njarts.net. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  3. ↑ "GREETINGS FROM ASBURY PARK". Los Angeles Times. September 23, 1984.
  4. ↑ "LOEW'S "35"". The Daily Register. July 27, 1966.
  5. ↑ Springsteen, Bruce (2017). Born to Run. Simon & Schuster. p. 68. ISBN   9781501141515 . Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  6. ↑ "THE CASTILLES". The Daily Record. July 27, 1966.
  7. 1 2 Jordan, Chris (July 20, 2018). "Springsteen's former bandmate has died". The Central New Jersey Home News.
  8. ↑ ""Back on E Street"". The Record. October 23, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Springsteen: Rock and roll was his ally". Journal Gazette. October 14, 1985.
  10. ↑ Dalton, Joseph (October 10, 1985). "Bruce Springsteen, Made In The U.S.A." Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  11. ↑ "Recensie: Bruce Springsteen – Chapter And Verse". Blues Magazine. October 20, 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "The Castiles – The Bruce Springsteen Story Vol.1: The Castiles". discogs.com. 1993. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "MUSINGS ON MORTALITY". Ottawa Citizen. October 27, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Springsteen". Philadelphia Inquirer. October 18, 2020.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.