Lance Larson - Songs for the Soldier

Genre(s): Rock, Country, R&B Occupation: Solo Artist, Composer, Vocalist, Musician Instruments: Drums, Piano, Organ, Saxophone, Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica Year's Active: 1966-Present Associated Acts: Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Sly and the Family Stone, Warren Zevon, Steve Earle, David Johanson, Leon Russell, Buddy Cage, Smithereens and Timothy B. Schmitt Lance Larson has been a driving force in New Jersey's rock and roll scene for over 40 years. Larson developed his unique sound on the Jersey Shore club circuit alongside Bruce Springsteen, Bill Chinnock and Jon Bon Jovi. He was heavily influenced by the passionate songwriting and music of Warren Zevon, Smokey Robinson and Steve Earle and is equally comfortable in the realms of rock, soul and country. His music, lyrics and voice are all of a piece, reflecting his life and often hard times, gritty and from the heart. Lance Larson is credited with advancing the Jersey Shore Sound and continues to write new music and perform live today. Early years Lance Herbert Larson was born on March 1, 1952 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey to father Herbert (Swedish descent) a liquor salesman and mother Eugenia Larson (Swiss Descent) an executive assistant. He is the middle of three children with an older brother Jan and a younger sister Lori. Raised a Protestant, Larson attended his first few years of school at Sacred Heart Catholic elementary in Perth Amboy until the family moved south to Monmouth County, New Jersey where they settled in New Shrewsbury. While attending Shrewsbury Borough School Larson became interested in music, influenced by American bands like Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, Question Mark and the Mysterians as well as the British bands like the Dave Clarke Five, the Animals and the Beatles. Musically inclined, he taught himself to play the saxophone, drums and later the organ. It was during these years that Larson started his first band called the Spartans. The Spartans was a popular band covering Motown hits and playing the local teen and beach club circuit along similar bands like Bruce Springsteen's first band, the Castiles. After winning several local talent contests, the Spartans were in demand to open for popular regional acts and notable stars of the day including J. Fred Muggs from the "Today Show" and the "Ed Sullivan Show". Moving on to Red Bank Regional High School in the mid-1960's, Larson wanted to create his own music and ventured into song writing. Foregoing formal lessons, he taught himself to play the guitar, learning chords by ear and only playing the ones that "sounded good to him". This unorthodox approach would become the foundation of his unique style of play. Lance Larson transferred to Monmouth Regional High School when his family moved to Tinton Falls, New Jersey. He continued to fine-tune his acoustic guitar and vocal skills and struck out on his own, performing solo at local coffee houses, small clubs and any other venue that would put him in front of a live audience. After graduating high school, Larson headed south to enroll in Miami Dade Junior College to study music under renowned Jazz guitarist Vincent Bredice. The program, designed for classically trained musicians, proved unsuitable for Larson's self-taught style. He departed college to acquire real world experiences and ideas for songs while traveling across the country. He eventually landed in Laguna Beach, California where he performed locally and started writing songs. But he soon yearned to return to his roots in South Jersey. Asbury Park Years 1973-74 In 1973 Larson returned to his home state and landed a day job as chauffeur to a New Jersey real estate magnate and owner of the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He also took a night job as the sound engineer for a local band Cahoots. Davey Jones' wife heard his live mixes and recommended to her husband that they use him for the Monkees. Mickey Dolenz and Davey Jones hired Larson after his first night. He had played just a few of these gigs when he was asked to sign on and play with a band called Cold Blast Steel. Cold Blast Steel, along with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, became the two top performing bands in New Jersey. Seven nights a week, Cold Blast Steel played to full houses all over Jersey. After two years, Larson left to start his own group and play original material. Lord Gunner Named for the movie "Lords of Flatbush" and Larson's Uncle Rip Gunner, Lord Gunner was formed in 1974. Larson teamed with local Jersey Shore guitar legend Rick DiSarno, Stephen Rava on bass and Ernest "Boom" Carter, the drummer on Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run. Lord Gunner would later add John Mulrenan on the organ and Boom Carter would be replaced first by another Springsteen drummer, Vinnie Lopez and later by future Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres. The band was committed to playing original music and delivering high-impact rock at their live shows, and quickly rose to local fame, becoming the house band at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Larson set out to hone the Lord Gunner's sound by capturing the high-energy, emotional and often turbulent play of it's musicians. He viewed this band as a boot camp and each musician was an enlisted soldier to be pushed to the absolute limit. Larson felt that if they could make it through rehearsals, raucous live shows and legendary after-show antics, they would be prepared to go to battle with the best bands in rock. Larson led the way, performing passionately and leaving everything on stage. His presence was spellbinding. Whether he was hanging from the ceiling, bleeding from a smashed bottle or whipping his fans into frenzy, Larson always held his audience in the palm of his hand. As Lord Gunner gained in popularity, they were invited to open for national acts including David Johanson, Sly and the Family Stone and John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band. As the band hit it's stride, they found themselves headlining larger venues to thousands of enthusiastic fans from Maine down to Florida. In those heady days, opening bands for Lord Gunner included notable acts like the Smithereens and Jon Bon Jovi and The Wild Ones. At this time, the Lord Gunner Group was one of the most popular unsigned bands on the East Coast. Lord Gunner had several opportunities to be signed, but an unfortunate incident eventually led to the band's demise. While preparing for a showcase at Tracks in New York City, where the audience would include representatives from every major record label in the industry, Larson and Lopez discovered that their manager was "double-dealing" the warm-up band. As you might guess, this did not sit well with Larson and Lopez. Having been told the showcase would be for Lord Gunner exclusively, they had spent band funds to promote the event, paid the bond on the club, provided food and drink and asked all of their fans to come out to support them. True to his nickname, Vinnie "Mad Dog" Lopez went ballistic, smashing bottles, raising a general ruckus, and was finally persuaded to leave only upon the appearance of several of New York's Finest. Witnesses still remember him racing down Broadway with only one boot. For his part, Larson played a few songs, then calmly approached the microphone to ask all of the A&R reps to get up out of the first few rows and let the band's friends and fans sit down in their places. Every rep stormed out of the club and Lance Larson and Lord Gunner lost their shot at a deal, ending up on the blacklist for the next five years. After a revolving door of musicians, Larson decided the band had run it's course and moved on to pursue a solo career. 1983-1986 Sly Stone helped Lance get auditions to replace Steve Marriott from Humble Pie which at the time included Clem Clemson and for a brief period Mitch Mitchell from Jimi Hendrix. He also auditioned for Ian McDonald, a former member of King Crimson and Foreigner, for his new project. However Marriott regained his voice and stayed o