Asbury Park, NJ was once known as the “Jewel of the Jersey Shore,” but started going seriously downhill around the 1970s. After it had ceased to be a popular tourist destination, it became primarily associated with Bruce Springsteen, who developed a lot of his early following at the famous Stony Pony club. His first album was even called Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (even though he actually grew up in nearby Freehold, NJ).
The second act to come out of Asbury Park was the appropriately named Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. They never achieved the fame and success that Springsteen did but still have a rabid local following. Something tells me it’s got awhile to go before it returns to the faded glory of the above View-Master slide.
Apparently the town has been undergoing some long-needed revitalization during the last few years. I was never much of a Jersey Shore person so I’ll just believe what I read on that account.
This entry was posted on Sunday, March 18th, 2007 at 8:15 am.
Categories: Ephemera.
Tags: '50s, Asbury Park, Bruce Springsteen, Jersey Shore, New Jersey, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, View-Master.
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Don’t believe everything you read. Jeff, Thom and I saw Bloc Party at the Stone Pony last August, and wow what a shit hole. From what we could see, the town was pretty awful and revitalization just created new surfaces upon which one could graffiti. It was pretty sad, considering what it once was.
Yeah, looking at those old photos makes Asbury Park extremely depressing. I’ve heard about the supposed renovation of the area (thanks to it becoming a hot spot for gay couples) but it sure doesn’t show yet.