For All These Years

A splendid time is guaranteed for all when the State Theatre hosts a Beatles tribute.

By: Susan Van Dongen

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GLEN BURTNIK


   It was 40 years ago in June, if you can believe it, that Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was released. With the anniversary came the critics and their debates as to whether the groundbreaking album was one of the best rock records ever, whether it was, indeed, "rock" music and even whether it was the Beatles’ best album.
   Whatever the critical reproaches, Sgt. Pepper’s 40th birthday gave Beatles fans the excuse to dig out the album, sing along and remember where they were when they first heard it. The anniversary also sparked a flurry of Beatles cover and tribute bands coming out to play. The birthday party continues in New Brunswick with the Jersey Summer Beatles Bash, featuring Glen Burtnik & Friends [sva: on his Website , the group uses an ampersandand The Smithereens, rocking the State Theatre Aug. 17.
   Two of the Fab Four’s distinct eras will be celebrated: The Smithereens, who have an unabashed love for British Invasion pop, will be performing the Beatles’ U.S. debut album, Meet the Beatles!, in its entirety. This is the record that introduced Americans to songs like "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There."
   Glen Burtnik & Friends, which includes former Wings drummer Steve Holley, will do Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in its entirety. It will be quite an extravagant endeavor, according to Mr. Burtnik, with an orchestra and even Indian instruments to enhance songs like "Getting Better" and "Within You, Without You."
   "I haven’t counted yet, but I think it’ll be a grand total of 40 or 50 people," Mr. Burtnik says. "The concert is an interesting dichotomy, because half of the show will be the first American Beatles album, so that’s very bare bones rock. And then there’s this one, which is completely ambitious, orchestrated and over the top.
   "’Within You, Without You’ will be a real departure," he continues. "I’m in a different world at that point and will have to do some interesting staging and orchestration. Same with ‘She’s Leaving Home,’ with the harp and strings."
   Unlike The Musical Box, the Canadian group that does note-for-note concerts of early Genesis albums, Mr. Burtnik & Friends do more of a "loving tribute" to Sgt. Pepper. If it was a perfect sound-alike version, people might just as well stay home and listen to the album, he says.
   "I wanted everybody to have their heart in it, you don’t want to take the soul out of something," Mr. Burtnik says.
   The native of North Brunswick was 12 when the Beatles’ masterpiece came out. His older brother introduced him to the record.
   "I remember when he brought it home and I was immediately aware that this was an event, just the packaging itself was revolutionary," Mr. Burtnik says. "I was a kid so it was a real impressionable time for me. The music struck me then and it’s resonated with me throughout my life. Now that I’m going to perform the entire album, I can die."
   As fond as he is of Sgt. Pepper, however, Mr. Burtnik says the so-called White Album is his current personal favorite.
   "I don’t know if ‘Sgt. Pepper’ is the greatest Beatles album, but it is the most important," he says.
   Like many people of his generation, Mr. Burtnik dreamt of being a rock musician after hearing the Beatles, and was inspired to take up the drums, his first instrument.
   "They had a lot to do with it, although a few years later, I wanted to be Dylan or Pete Seeger — those guys pulled me into songwriting, which is what I’ve done as a living," he says. "I’ve been inspired by so many of the acts from the  ’60s — Laura Nyro, Randy Newman, (individuals) that came out of the ’60s."
   Well known to New Jersey music fans, Mr. Burtnik’s first professional job as a musician was performing as Paul McCartney with the show Beatlemania on the West Coast leg of the tour. He later returned to central New Jersey, and was a regular at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park where he was often joined by Bruce Springsteen. Another Jersey native, Jon Bon Jovi, asked Mr. Burtnik to join his band, but the guitarist declined.
   A&M Records caught wind of his talents and gave him a contract, but before he could record as a solo artist, Styx asked him to join the group. Mr. Burtnik wrote many of the songs on 1990’s Edge of the Century and toured with the group to promote the album.
   "But I’m really in the Beatles business right now," he says, noting that he was on his way to play at a Beatles convention, to be followed by shows with renowned Beatles impersonators Liverpool. Then it was a gig with the Fab Faux, who recently appeared at Grounds For Sculpture.
   "With the Fab Faux, we’ll be playing ‘Revolver’ and ‘Rubber Soul,’ then of course ‘Sgt. Pepper,’ with my own musicians," Mr. Burtnik says. "That’s three weekends in a row, three different sets of Beatles music. I’ll be Beatled out."
   By the way, Mr. Burtnik says, he and his colleagues will not be wearing the colorful satin costumes Paul, John, George and Ringo donned for the album cover.
   "No costumes, I think we’d look silly," he says. "We want to focus on the music."
Jersey Summer Beatles Bash, featuring Glen Burtnik & Friends and The Smithereens, will be held at the State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, Aug. 17, 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35-$45. (732) 246-7469; www.statetheatrenj.org. Glen Burtnik on the Web: www.glenburtnik.com. The Smithereens on the Web: www.officialsmithereens.com