User:Sofla-music-historian/sandbox/Groove Thangs

Groove Thangs

Bonefish Johnny
John Stacey was born on Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico. He spent his teen years surfing, drawing, picking the blues and digging all the great funk and soul music of the early 70's. While attending the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, he became enamored with the musical heritage and cultural mix of South Florida. Soon John's career in advertising took a back seat to his vision of a unique regional sound. Incorporating blues roots, island grooves and vintage funk, he called it "sugarcane soul" and named himself "Bonefish Johnny". With his brother Down Pat, he began Groove Thangs in 1984.

Down Pat
A singer since childhood, Patrick Stacey began fronting hard rock bands in the early 80's during his high school years in upstate New York. At the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, he pursued a conflicted career of musical theater and heavy metal. Becoming disillusioned with both paths, Patrick moved to Florida. There he was ushered into the world of funk, soul and blues by his brother John and renamed "Down Pat". Together they began Groove Thangs in 1984.

1984-1989
Bonefish Johnny and Down Pat started writing and performing original songs under the name Groove Thangs as a trio with harmonica player "Cadillac Chuck" Grundt at places like the Musicians Exchange Cafe, The Blue Midnite Pub and The Ancient Mariner in Fort Lauderdale. Their brother Michael Stacey contributed graphics and original songs of his own for the band. With Chuck Reichel on drums, Bret Fox on guitar and Ray Bell on bass, Groove Thangs played outdoor festivals and at Tobacco Road in Miami. Other musicians at this time included Spooky Jones on sax and Sheldon Voss on bass. Groove Thangs recorded a demo at local studio Sound Picture Recording.

Frustrated with keeping a band together, Bonefish Johnny and Down Pat started performing as a duo with guitar, keyboards, drum machine and cover repertoire under the name "Double Shot." Double Shot worked on the beach in Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break at places like the Elbo Room and Penrod's and began to play at Durty Harry's Raw Bar in Deerfield Beach, FL every Wednesday night.

Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, May 9, 1986: "The walls of Durty Harry's Raw Bar began to sweat around 10 p.m. (The crowd) was hoarse from shouting requests and encouragement to the dynamic duo packed like a powder charge into a far corner of the bar...Pat's aching, howitzer of a voice alone, can stop a room. Add the sibling harmonies, the sheer volume and variety of the repertoire, the fervor, reverence, joy and humor with which it is delivered and you've got yourself one steller performance."

Double Shot's growing popularity allowed them to book gigs at bars, parties and weddings all over South Florida. This success enabled Bonefish Johnny and Down Pat to revive Groove Thangs. The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel's Critics' Poll named Groove Thangs as Best South Florida Band of 1986.

Bonefish Johnny and Down Pat began working as Groove Thangs with Carl "Kilmo" Pacillo on bass and Phil Grillo on drums. Other players at this time included guitarist Doug Shawe and former NRBQ drummer Tom Staley. Tim Kuchta replaced Phil Grillo on drums and Dorothy "Dancing Dotty" Stacey joined Groove Thangs as permanent go-go dancer. The band opened for Otis Day & The Knights and began recording demos with John Simsic.

In 1988 Groove Thangs opened concerts for Greg Allman, Little Feat, KC & The Sunshine Band, Joe Piscapo, The Four Tops and headlined the first Fort Lauderdale Blues Festival. The band belied their burgeoning bar band rep with all-original shows at college rathskellers and "alternative" venues like The Reunion Room in Fort Lauderdale and Respectable Street Café in West Palm Beach as well as on the road at Richenbachers in Gainesville, Florida and Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in Key West.

Groove Thangs started performing in Miami Beach at The China Club and Woody's, a nightclub owned by Ron Wood of The Rolling Stones. At Woody's, Groove Thangs jammed with David Letterman Band bassist Will Lee and Rolling Stone sax player Bobby Keys. Eventually offered a house gig if they would play more covers, the band declined.

Groove Thangs put out their first independent cassette release Demonstrate, comprised of studio demos and raw performances recorded live at Durty Harry's. In December, they independently released their one and only holiday song Funky Christmas (featuring Miami Sound Machine horn section) as a cassette single.

In 1989, Groove Thangs began to attract major label attention when they played a showcase for local bands called "Miami Rocks Too" and SXSW in Austin, Texas. They opened for The Radiators at The Bayou in Washington, DC and The Ritz in New York City and for Doctor John at the River Blues Rib Fest in Fort Myers, Florida. Eventually they signed a demo deal with Epic Records and began pre-production at Spectrum Recording Studios in Pompano Beach, FL. Completing their major label demo project at world famous Criteria Studios in Miami, the band was joined by legendary producer Tom Dowd who advised and produced the band for free. Epic would reject the finished demos and decline to offer Groove Thangs a recording contract.

Groove Thangs received the Best Blues Band Award at The First Annual South Florida Rock Awards and put out Bootlegs, another self-released cassette featuring outtakes from various recording sessions. Jeff Watkins joined Groove Thangs on saxophone and Kilmo decided to leave the band.

Discography

 * Albums
 * Demonstrate (Thangzilla, 1988)
 * Bootlegs (Sugarcane Soul Music, 1989)
 * Hut Rock & Shack Music (Neverglades, 1990)
 * Barbandismo (Neverglades, 1990)
 * Uppression (Neverglades, 1991, 1999)
 * Live Vol. 1 (Neverglades/Big Cypress, 2001)
 * Live Vol. 2 (Neverglades/Big Cypress, 2001)
 * Hut Rock & Shack Music Con Barbandismo (Neverglades, 2009)
 * Loose Ends (Neverglades, 2009)
 * Singles
 * Funky Christmas (Neverglades, 1989)
 * Gotta Get That (2004)
 * Mash It Up Right (2009)
 * Candy (2009)