The Fab Faux (from left, Frank Agnello, Jimmy Vivino, Jim Boggia, Frank Pagano and Jack Petruzzelli) will perform at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, June 13.
The Fab Faux are considered by many to be among the most genuine-sounding Beatles cover bands; their deep connection to the songs awakens in us what we originally found so profound and magical about them. Indeed, they have spent more than 25 years on tour with Beatles music — longer than the original band stayed together.
The group returns to The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, June 13 at 8 p.m., with “The Incredible Hodgepodge Show,” featuring The Hogshead Horns and The Crème Tangerine Strings.
Founded by bassist Will Lee of David Letterman’s band, The Fab Faux allows the music to resonate for its audiences without the assistance of costumes, wigs or other visual aids.
The current lineup includes guitarist Jimmy Vivino (Levon Helm, John Sebastian, Laura Nyro, Conan O’Brien’s band); drummer Rich Pagano (Rosanne Cash, Bettye LaVette); guitarist Frank Agnello (Marshall Crenshaw, Phoebe Show); guitarist and keyboardist Jack Petruzzelli (Patti Smith, Ian Hunter, Joan Osborne, Rufus Wainwright); and bassist Jim Boggia (Jill Sobule, Juliana Hatfield), who joined after Lee left. Everybody sings.
I spoke with East Brunswick native Petruzzelli about The Beatles, The Fab Faux and his long career. Here are excerpts:
JACK PETRUZZELLI
Q: Tell me about your connection to the Beatles and their influence on your music.
A: I was born in the year of 1964, the year “A Hard Day’s Night” came out. I was old enough in 1970 to remember that The Beatles had broken up. Like so many other musicians, The Beatles’ music made me want to be a musician. The excitement and joy of that music resonated with me from the very first note I heard. I had my parents get me guitar lessons at the age of 7 and all I wanted to learn were Beatles songs. That continued until the age of 12 when I heard Led Zeppelin, and from there my path took me on a musical journey to classical, jazz and blues, and back to The Beatles.
Q: Any surprises in store for the Wellmont show? What should Montclair look forward to hearing?
A: The Fab Faux now does a number of solo-year material from John, Paul, George and Ringo. It’s fresh for us to play songs like “Live and Let Die,” “It Don’t Come Easy” and a number of other solo tunes. We also now have a new member, Jim Boggia, who has been a regular sub and auxiliary player for the Fab Faux but now has taken the bass chair since Will Lee resides, for the most part, in the South of France. Jim is an extraordinary musician and singer.
Q: Can you tell me about a few songs that you find impactful and love playing?
A: It varies because the whole catalog is great and inspiring, but as of late, I’ve been enjoying Lennon’s “I Don’t Wanna Be a Soldier, Mama, I Don’t Wanna Die” and “Honey Pie.” Pretty much anything off The White Album or Abbey Road.
Q: Are there any songs that you find particularly challenging to play?
A: Funny thing is most people would assume that “Revolution 9” would be challenging but that is a piece of cake compared to “I Want to Hold Your Hand” or “Love Me Do.” Reason being is that it’s much harder to replicate the earliest Beatles songs because of the sheer impact of the energy of those tunes.
The Fab Faux (from left, Jim Boggia, Frank Agnello, Jimmy Vivino, Frank Pagano and Jack Petruzzelli).
Q: I know that The Fab Faux doesn’t do impersonations. Can you tell me why that’s important to the band?
A: There are plenty of great Beatle bands that do the wigs and suits. We knew from the start that we didn’t want to do that.
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog from Conan O’Brien’s show once introduced us and said, “The Fab Faux: They sound like The Beatles but look like The Sopranos.”
Q: You’ve had an interesting career playing with some great artists. Can you share a few memorable moments that you recall?
A: I’ve been very lucky to have played with so many high-profile artists. I recorded and toured with Patti Smith for 10 years, witnessing her nightly performance onstage was like being part of an opera. She is so dynamic and the music takes many turns. Lyrically she is very poetic. Sharing the love of books with her was always a highlight and the musicians in the band were like family.
Ian Hunter is a prince among men. Playing with Rufus Wainwright is the closest I’ll get to being in The New York Philharmonic. He challenges you in a way that brings the best out of you musically. By far, one of the best songwriters of his time. Being part of Joan Osborne’s career on and off since 1988 has been very rewarding and we share a long friendship.
Q: Tell me about creating your solo album Lake Songs as Jack Snax. Do you continue to write songs?
A: I finally got around to recording my own album and releasing it in 2017. I wanted to create a body of music that showed my influences. That was a ton of work and fun and I had many people helping along the way.
I continue to collaborate as a songwriter and producer. There are a number of people I do this with but one artist I have a continuing musical collaboration with is Pamela Laws. Myself, her and Adam Bernstein have written a bunch of tunes which I then produce.
I also released a song I wrote with Adam Berstein last year about Frida Kahlo. (see video below).
Jack Petruzzelli with Cindy Cashdollar.
Q: Are you performing solo anywhere or working on another solo album?
A: I continue to write music and perform. My latest project is with Cindy Cashdollar, Peter Yarin, Karl Allweier. We play music from the last 100 years that covers folk, roots, rock, Texas swing and jazz. We primarily play in the Hudson Valley. (see video below).
I’m curating a mini-festival at Opus 40 in Saugerties on July 31 with a bunch of artists including this lineup.
Q: Tell me about how you balance touring with The Fab Faux with your performance schedule with Joan Osborne and others.
A: It’s been a challenge sometimes with balancing it all out but I’ve come to understand that I can’t do all of the gigs. As much as I want to. Everyone has their own schedule so it’s not just mine but this is the life of a freelance musician. I am grateful to have been doing what I do and continue doing it. I feel lucky to have been born when I was born and able to have a successful career. It’s gotten harder for younger musicians as there just isn’t as many opportunities. You have to keep opening doors.
One of the things I started during the pandemic was an online music school called RPM. It’s for musicians and fans. It’s a great way to learn theory and harmony through Beatles music. It has expanded to an in-person music camp that The Fab Faux have been a part of as well. This is our 4th year. It’s called Magical Mystery Camp.
The cover of Joan Osborne’s “Bring It on Home” album.
Q: I understand that you co-produced Joan Osborne’s album Bring It on Home. I’d love to hear about your experience stepping into that role, and then also performing with her onstage.
A: It’s funny when I think about how long I’ve been working on and off with Joan. I’ve co-produced three albums and co-wrote a handful of songs. Bring It on Home, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2012, was a tribute to the music of the blues. I was insistent on recording it to tape to capture the live feeling of it all. It was a great band, studio, and of course a great singer.
Being a producer of an album has a lot of responsibility and I believe in putting in a fair amount of pre-production. It’s like painting a room. You want to make sure all the windows are taped and the floors and furniture have drop cloths over them. Producing an album and shaping the arrangements is very rewarding. I’ve watched Joan perform for many years and have stood next to her onstage. She has many influences and makes them her own.
Q: What’s next for The Fab Faux and your other endeavors?
A: The Fab faux have a busy year. Besides Montclair, we are in the tri-state area through July. In the fall we are in Connecticut and Pennsylvania and we are back to the City Winery (in New York) for our holiday run between Christmas and New Year’s.
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of music? Tell me about your life off the stage.
A: I love to read all kinds of books. I’m a bookworm and am always looking for the next good read. I’ve grown to really like Irish writers and if you don’t know who John Boyne or Claire Keegan is, check them out.
Q: Do you still have a connection to your home state of New Jersey or are you now fully New York-identified?
A: Once from Jersey, always from Jersey. I love where my wife and I live upstate and that has brought me another chapter in my life of music and community. Growing up where I did in New Jersey brought me to study music in Manhattan and so forth but there was so much talent in New Jersey to begin with that I had a full music education.
Q: If you hadn’t made a living in music, what do you imagine you might have pursued?
A: I don’t know that it would have ever happened but I was very much into baseball as a kid and I had to make a decision as to if it was going to be baseball or music, and that’s where the story goes.
The Fab Faux will perform at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, June 13 at 8 p.m. Visit ticketmaster.com.
For more on the band, visit thefabfaux.com. For more about Petruzzelli, visit jackpetruzzelli.com.
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