The Characters will be on Real Rock TV -NJ on Tuesday May 16th and Tuesday May 23rd at 9:30PM - 10:00PM Channel 26 on Comcast cable. The show is available in Union, Hudson, Essex, and Middlesex County in N.J. REAL ROCK TV-NJ will feature rare live footage and interviews with The Characters.
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Just Released!!! The Early Characters is a collection of rare and unreleased recordings from band's teenage days,through their first studio recordings, the unreleased 1987 Chip Douglas produced album, as well as live cuts with Monkees Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz!
Brand New! Christmas With The Characters 1986-1990: now available on one CD! The tapes, formerly available to fan club members only, have become quite a collecter's item among fans. This is the first time the entire collection has been made available in CD format. Over 70 minutes of wacky skits and holiday songs are included.
The Characters appear on Rodney Bingenheimer's new new compilation CD (Krock), "Santa's Got A GTO - Rodney on the ROQ'S Favorite Christmas Tunes." The Characters' track, "The Characters visit Rodney," is from their 1987 Christmas tape. The CD is available in stores. The is the second time The Characters have appeared on a "Rodney on the ROQ" compilation - the Chip Douglas produced "This Is Goodbye" was on "The Best of Rodney on the ROQ."
The Characters opened for Peter Tork at The Royal Oak in North Hollywood on November 7. Tork, who played the Universal Amphitheater the following night with The Monkees, did a blues set, accompanied by the Shoe Suede Blues Band. Also on the bill was James Lee Stanley. The Characters did new and old favorites, such as I Have Not Yet Begun To Fight, Miss America, September Never Came, Truth Becomes A Lie, and more.
The Characters lead singer/lyricist/rhythm guitarist Danny Solazzi spent part of September and October in Hawaii, where he recorded a new album with with Chip Douglas! Chip is no stranger to The Characters - he produced their 1987 album, and has also produced artists such as The Monkees, Linda Rondstadt, The Turtles, and The Lovin' Spoonful. He is currently a member of The Modern Folk Quartet, and played bass with The Turtles in the sixties.
The album is the product of a new project Danny has been working on recently. The group, called The LoveBugs, got together to play at the 1997 Monkees convention in North Hollywood, CA, September 12-14. The band consists of Danny on lead vocals and rhythm guitar; Chip Douglas on bass; Tyler Douglas on drums; and Justin McDonald on guitar.
Formed only for that weekend, the band was so well-received, they've gone on to do a series of live gigs, both in Los Angeles, and Hawaii, as well as going into the studio to record the new album.
Danny appears on the VH1 Storytellers CD with Ringo Starr! Track 13 "I've Got Blisters... " is Danny and Ringo! On the VH1 special look for Danny, fifteen minutes into the show Danny asks Ringo a question about "Helter Skelter"
The four original band members - Larry, Danny, Chris and John - got together several times in 1997 .
Photo: Larry, Danny, Chris, John, August 1997.
The Characters took part in "Rockin' For The Animals" at The Brickhouse Brewery, in Patchogue, Long Island. The concert raised money the following non-profit animal organizations: PAWS, Sav-a-pet, Pal-o-mine, Last Hope, Pet Line, Suffolk County SPCA, LAP of Huntington, and LI Golden Retriever Rescue.
Here's a review of the show from the July 15th issue of Good Times:
"They were followed by Blackheart Records recording artists The Characters, a four piece band from New Jersey. They've been together for ten years, and its easy to tell. Their stage presence was effervescent, and they truly lived up to their name. The lead guitarist smoked an omnipresent cigarette while the vocalist jumped around and talked amicably to the audience between songs. "I Have Not Yet Begun To Fight" and "Maryann" were two of their best songs, but their cover of The Monkees' "Pleasant Valley Sunday" scored the most points with the crowd."
- Michelle Pepe -