Band Bio: For Amethyst, everything '80s is new again
Published in the Islander 08/12/05
BY ADAM LEWIS
Staff Writer
Lots of high school kids dream of starting their own
rock bands, much like the members of Amethyst did in the 1980s.
Very few of these bands, however, find themselves reuniting nearly two
decades later as a cover band performing music that was popular during
the band's first incarnation.
That, however, is the situation in which the East
Brunswick-based Amethyst finds itself, working regularly as a 1980s
cover band hroughout Central Jersey.
"Four of us went to high school together, so we were friends a long
time ago," said bassist and acting manager Mike Doktorski. "We got
together in 2001 just for a jam session for fun. We were having so much
fun that we said, 'Hey, let's do a gig.' So we did one."
Doktorski said performing as an '80s cover band just came naturally
because the musicians were performing the same songs they played back
in high school.
The band consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Peter Amadeo, lead
guitarist Mike Zaffarese, drummer Tommy O'Kane, keyboardist Dan O'Leary
and Doktorski. All of the band's members contribute backup vocals.
Audience response to the band's set has been overwhelming, Doktorski
said.
"It's usually beyond what we would expect," he said. "Our set really
seems to go over well for whatever reason. I guess it could be because
VH1 has been running their 'I Love the '80s' special incessantly or
because radio DJs have started playing '80s music more."
The band plays all varieties of '80s music, including Billy Idol,
Prince and a slew of one-hit wonders, such as The Buggles' "Video
Killed the Radio Star," "Turning Japanese" by The Vapors and "Come On,
Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners.
"We tend to really love the songs that the crowd gets into, like 'Let's
Go Crazy' by Prince or 'Safety Dance' by Men Without Hats or 'Beds are
Burning' by Midnight Oil," Doktorski said. "We like all those songs
that are signature '80s that aren't overlapped by other cover bands on
the circuit."
The band said it chooses new cover songs based on audience requests and
will consider any type of 1980s music, ranging from Euro-pop to hair
metal to Top 40 classics such as After the Fire's "Der Kommissar."
"You tend to see songs that get requested over and over," Doktorski
said. "We then figure out if we can play it well."
Doktorski also tried to explain the popularity of cover bands at the
Jersey Shore.
"If people want to hear live music, and they like jukeboxes, and you
combine them, you get cover bands," he said. "They want to hear songs
that they know."
While the band practices in East Brunswick, members live all over the
state, including O'Leary, who lives in Brick.
While none of the band members can quite agree on the origin of the
band's name, Doktorski said they agree that Amethyst "sounds very
'80s."
Amethyst's next Jersey Shore-area performance will be at 10 p.m. Aug.
27 at High Velocity, 226 Atlantic City Blvd. in Beachwood.
For more information, visit www.amethyst80s.com, the band's Web site.
For booking information, e-mail the band at amethyst80s@hotmail.com.
from the Asbury Park Press
