Hackettstown, NJ USA

December 22, 2009

At 7:00pm on the Tuesday night of Christmas week, Monique from MoPromo made her way over to meet up with the legendary 60's rock band The DOUGHBOYS members from Plainfield, NJ. She had arranged for a meeting. The boys made their separate ways over Scholey's Mountain down into the valley to Centenary College. They all meet at the studio of WNTI Radio for an interview with Cable Man Dan that night.

Just like Santa Clause Gar Francis and Mike Caruso arrived on time and with a joly spirit and lots of laughter that they carried over the airwaves during the entire show. The Show Reggae & World Rhythms airs ever Tuesday night from 8:00pm - 11:00pm with Cable Man Dan.

This week Gar Francis, Mike Caruso & Monique from MoPromo were in the radio studio to talk about the new Christmas single cd Jackie Kringle & The Elves and other projects they all are working on. Mike Caruso the bass player of the DOUGHBOYS explained the birth of the DOUGHBOYS as the Ascots and how they did "PAINT IT BLACK" live before the Rolling Stones were able to do it live. Mike explained they rehearsed the night before the song and when his band played it live the next night fans thought it was one of their originals. Mike continued to tell us that their manager thought they need image when they changed their bands name from the Ascots to The DOUGHBOYS and that the WWI uniforms would be it.

Monique who set up this interview with Cable Man Dan, Gar Francis and Mike Caruso, informed their listeners about the coolest song in the world voting campaign that is going on online for The DOUGHBOYS.

Which can be done till the end of this year at http://beta.fuzztopia.com/

Last year The DOUGHBOYS hit song "Black Sheep" was voted #2 coolest song in the world at Little Steven Van Zandt Sirius Radio Underground Garage Rock. We found Little Steven in the studio on Tuesday and Mike want to talk to him as you can see in this photograph.

"Little Steven wasn't talking"

This year "I'm Not Your Man" from the soon to be officially release new album ACT YOUR RAGE was voted the coolest song Labor Day Weekend. Now, for 2009 the song is up for voting for the coolest song for the entire year. Each day fans can vote at http://beta.fuzztopia.com/ and The DOUGHBOYS are asking for your support. Please vote untill December 31 2009.

At 8:45pm Cable Man Dan called in the world coolest drummer that we all know as Richard X. Heyman of the DOUGHBOYS at his home in New York City. On the air Richard X. shared some more of the legendary history of the DOUGHBOYS and about his solo project that are best described as Beatles Style music.

Dan placed the Jackie Kringle & The Elves "Let's Have A Rockin Christmas" on the air before the hour.

A listener known as Barry called into the studio to requested a Plainfield Slim & The Groundhawg song from their 2nd album When The Devil Hits Home the song "Dirty Girl " was played. Barry is familiar with Gar Francis blues band Plainfield Slim and he can't wait for March when Plainfield Slim & The Groundhawgsa are opening up for Peter Tork which we all know as one of the members of the Monkees. Peter Tork has a blues band called Peter Tork Shoes Sued Blues Band. Centenary Stage Co. together with Joe Hirsh Productions and MoPromo will put on a Centenary Mini Blues Festival March 12 - 13 2010.

After the news break of the hour, we received a really cool call from Nashville, TN
One of the DOUGHBOYS' fans was listening to the program on his computer online that night and called in to say hello to his favorite band as well as ask them some great questions.

With a lot of laughter and Christmas cheer , Jackie Kringle was played again on the air. You know it was planned to be a Christmas program this week and we only had one Christmas song. Maybe next year Gar Francis will come out with a complete Christmas Album, like Bob Dylan did this year.

The later part of the interview was focused on Gar Francis as a songwriter. Which will have a new album released under the name GAR FRANCIS. One of the new songs that will be on that album is "Palaces" which is a very pretty song. As with many songs that are written by Gar, you can interpret the meaning of the lyrics as you wish. Here is a new music video that we interpreted as the crash of wallstreet aka our palace as well as the french revolution crashed french in 1789-1799.

After saying our goodbyes on the air the boys posed for a picture with music legend Bob Marley.

We all left the studio while Cable Man Dan continued his program till 11:00pm.

As soon as we left the studio my phone was ringing and text messages were coming in with reactions of the interview. The reactions kept coming also the next morning with emails from fans and friends that listened to the program and were delighted to hear Black Sheep played on the radio that night.

I was very surprised that during that interview that night, I heard from a good friend from my Theater days. And it was so perfect that he called because the last role we did the together in the Theater was Christmas Carol which he played the lead. Bill Nut called the station that night because he recognized my voice and heard my name over the air Monique. That was a great Christmas present to hear from him again.

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DOUGHBOYS’ GAR FRANCIS

SPREADS CHRISTMAS CHEER

Since Ron Dante reprised his role as the lead vocalist of his legendary vocal group to produce the Archies’ acclaimed The Archies’ Christmas Album in 2008, a healthy proliferation of new rock and roll oriented Christmas releases have followed in its wake.


Alongside the new Little Girls (as the Hollyberries) single, Tony Bennett’s Grammy nominated Christmas extravaganza and Bob Dylan’s pleasantly surprising Christmas album, one of the most interesting Christmas releases of 2009 to date stems from the pen of Doughboys guitarist Gar Francis.
Born Gary Venittelli in Plainfield, New Jersey, Francis was recruited by the veteran garage band, Doughboys in 2005 to assume guitar responsibilities from founding member Willy Kirchofer, who sadly had passed away that year. Francis’ earlier work with CBGBs staples, the Rockids had stood him in good stead with the Doughboys’ rhythm and blues-inspired brand of garage rock and made him a very logical choice to help carry the band’s legacy into the new millennium.


Francis’ expertise in that respect also provided the aesthetic impetus for his new solo single, Let’s Have A Rockin’ Christmas. As was the case with the Little Girls and their new Christmas single (released as the Hollyberries), Francis issued his new track under a pseudonym, Jackie Kringle And The Elves.

Although the two releases emphasize slightly different sub-genres of rock and roll, Let’s Have A Rockin’ Christmas celebrates the occasion with as much exuberance and a healthy dose of Love/Chocolate Watchband-inspired, no-nonsense garage sensibility. Francis wrote the track and produced the sessions, with Danny Caruso overseeing engineering and mixing responsibilities.
While the Doughboys’ just released Act Your Rage album for RAM Records remains the band’s (and Francis’) primary focus, Let’s Have A Rockin’ Christmas provides a more than worthy interlude. The single is also available on the RAM label. CD review by Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell Blitz Magazine http://blitzmag.blogspot.com/

CD available for sale at http://www.garfrancis.com secure through paypal.