Bill Chinnock - Jersey Shore Bandleader

Jersey Shore Bandleader

In 1967 Chinnock was living in Millburn, New Jersey and leading a band called The Storytellers which also featured Jim Meltzer (lead vocals), Bill Wolf (bass) and Chip Gallagher (drums). They later recruited Danny Federici (keyboards) and Vini Lopez also auditioned to join this band. The Storytellers released a single, "Cry With Me" / Little Boy Sad", on Kama Sutra Records which was a hit on the Jersey Shore. It led to regular gigs at the Hullabaloo clubs in Freehold, Middletown and Asbury Park and local TV appearances. Next Chinnock led the Downtown Tangiers Band which also featured Federici, Lopez and Wendell John (bass). In 1968 they recorded an album with Koppelman & Rubin Records but the producer allegedly disappeared with the recordings and it remains unreleased. Among the songs believed to be recorded were Chinnock originals "Snake Bite", "Burn Baby Burn" and "Crown Liquor". They also played the Electric Circus and toured with the Joshua Light Show. Towards the end of the bands lifetime Johns was replaced by Garry Tallent but the band broke up when Chinnock briefly moved to Maine. Federici and Lopez subsequently formed Steel Mill with Bruce Springsteen and Vinnie Roslin. Among the songs Steel Mill played in concert was Chinnock’s "Crown Liquor". By 1969 Chinnock had returned from Maine and formed a new band, Glory Road, with Tallent, Bobby Williams (drums) and Danny Mansolino (keyboards). On June 21, 1970 they played at the Clearwater Swim Club in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, opening for Steel Mill. Mansolino was later replaced in the band by a young David Sancious but they eventually broke up after Chinnock got hepatitis and mono. He was confined to bed for eight months and nearly died. Meanwhile, Tallent and Sancious, together with Lopez and Federici, went onto play together in several short lived bands based out of The Upstage in Asbury Park, New Jersey. They included Bruce Springsteen & The Friendly Enemies, The Sundance Blues Band, Dr. Zoom & The Sonic Boom and The Bruce Springsteen Band. These bands would eventually evolve into the E Street Band. Although Chinnock later moved away from the Shore, he would return to play there regularly throughout his recording career, appearing at The Stone Pony and The Fast Lane. On June 26, 1982 while playing at Big Man's West he was joined onstage by Springsteen for a rendition of "Lucille".