Tune In, Turn On
Garden State Live is one of the finest music showcases for New Jersey-based groups and solo artists around. It showcases performers that may not yet be household names, but with more seasoning and a few breaks, could be tomorrow’s stars.
Each show features a different music genre. They all happen at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, either in Sound Waves Theatre or The Balcony, and are presented by North2Shore, who have been presenting music and arts-themed events in Asbury Park, Newark, and Atlantic City since 2023.
All shows start at 7 p.m. and cost $10.
Musician Anthony Krizan was a guitarist for rock hit makers the Spin Doctors from 1994 to 1996, replacing the group’s original guitarist, Eric Schenkman when he joined the group.
Krizan, who will perform with the Anthony Krizan Band at The Balcony this Friday, March 20, along with Gab Cinque Band and The Brothers Union, is also a successful producer and songwriter. We had the chance to chat with Krizan recently.
DD: How did you first find out about the Garden State Live concert series, and then, how were you able to connect with them?
AK: They approached me about me being part of the rock night, which is for bands people should know about in New Jersey. It’s a cool opportunity. I didn’t know much about it, but North 2 Shore sounds like a cool thing. I’m very glad to be involved.
DD: You were once a member of the Spin Doctors – for my money, one of the better rock bands to emerge from the mid-’80s/early ’90s. How and when did you connect with the band, and when/why did you depart?
AK: I got the opportunity to join the Spin Doctors after they released their first record and were about to release “Turn It Upside Down” in 1994. There was turmoil in the band, and some of the (Spin Doctors) band members were on the side of the stage when I was playing with Jimi Hendrix’ bassist Noel Redding at the Wetlands. They remembered me, and when they were auditioning guitar players, I was one of the three, and got the gig immediately and hit the road running. I was on the band’s third record in 1996, “You’ve Got To Believe In Something,” which featured the theme song for ABC TV show “Spin City,” starring Michael J. Fox. We wrote “Miss America” (radio show theme) for Howard Sternthat lasted about three years. We (the Spin Doctors) ended up getting dropped by the label (Epic Records) in the fall of 1996 despite the song successes.
DD: You have also developed quite a career as a music producer, having worked with, among others, Billy Walton Band, James JB Barnes and others. How did you get started in that area of the music business?
AK: I started writing songs in high school and recording my own demos from a four-track recorder up to a 24-track tape machine. Along the way I learned from a lot of great producers like Henry Hirsch, who did all the Lenny Kravitz records, so I learned how to engineer and mix my own music. I love the whole creative process and I’m fortunate enough to have that as my main business, along with doing live shows. My studio has a lot of vintage gear and I’ve collected quite a bit of amazing guitar amps, and about twelve drum sets, vintage mics and a lot of knowledge and experience that comes with it, from writing songs to engineering, producing, etc.
Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which since 1995 has been servicing nationally touring acts, and working record release campaigns for clients. Doug can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@gmail.com
