Blackberry Booze Band, The

The Blackberry Booze Band was a New Jersey blues band that formed in 1974 and ultimately morphed into Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. Southside Johnny joined the band in August 1974; a few months later, in December, they became the first house band at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, where they played Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Miami Steve Van Zandt joined the group in February 1975; on May 1, 1975, the band changed its name to Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. They played their first advertised gig under the new name on May 10, 1975, but the first actual gig under their new name was May 1 at the Stone Pony. Its members included Southside Johnny (harmonica and vocals), Steven Van Zandt (guitar), Al Berger (bass), Robert "Bobby" Higgins (percussion, guitar), Kenny "Popeye" Pentifallo (drums), Carlo Novi (saxophone), and Kevin Kavanaugh (keyboards).