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Some of the smallest venues have often hosted some of the most legendary artists — just look at Nashville’s Blue Bird Café, for example, which became a hotbed for rising country stars. Now, music lovers can discover the history behind New Jersey rock ‘n’ roll club The Stone Pony in a new book that details the turbulent times the club faced even with major headliners like Bruce Springsteen appearing onstage.
I Don’t Want to Go Home: The Oral History of The Stone Pony sheds new light on the historic club, through new interviews with Springsteen, Jack Antonoff, the Jonas Brothers, Steven Van Zandt and other artists who have played there. Readers can also read a foreword by Springsteen, who has been a longtime fan of the club.
The music history book was released Tuesday (June 4), and it’s already earned itself the label of a No. 1 new release on Amazon in its genre.
Keep reading to learn more about the new book and how to buy a copy online.
“I Don’t Want to Go Home: The Oral History of the Stone Pony”
Before The Stone Pony came to be, Asbury, N.J., had been a hotbed for race riots in the 1970s leading to most people leaving the town. The book will delve into how the venue was created and how it combatted the lack of population in the town to bring Asbury Park back to life. It also chronicles the impact that major artists had on the space, even till today.
While rock musicians were prominent figures in building the bar’s success, it’s also become a spot for pop, indie, punk and alternative musicians, many of whom are cited in the book. Accompanied with the oral history are never-before-seen photos by Danny Clinch.
The Stone Pony book joins the practically endless list of music books out there, but unlike those that focus specifically on artists and their backstories leading to their rise to fame, you’ll get the rare opportunity to delve into the making of one of music’s most influential venues.
For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best country music books, female musician memoirs and books about jazz.
