The Vines of Hoboken

THE VINES - BIOGRAPHY
Alirio Guerrero and Suzanne Lavine were a couple of former punk rockers who met in college in the early ’80s and with their love of all things music, formed a band - The Blue Fins. Their sound was a cross between Surf Music, Talking Heads and The Feelies. Guerrero/Lavine brought together vocalist (artist) Brewster Buttfield and drummer (future chef/restauranteur) Tom Carlin to form their band.

At first they played at friends’ art openings but quickly became a local favorite with the New Brunswick music scene. In the mid ‘80s, wanting to find their own sound, Guerrero/Lavine moved to Hoboken NJ where they became part of the music scene known as the “Hoboken Sound”, that was influenced by The Bongos, The dBs, Individuals, The Cyclones, Human Switchboard and The Cucumbers.

They were heavily inspired by Let’s Active and R.E.M. along with classic 60s rock (The Beatles, Byrds, Velvets). It was about this time they really established their Jangle Pop sound that reflected the quiet introspective of the late 1980s and changed their name to the LaVines then finally to The Vines.

The Vines were now a part of the growing music scene in Hoboken, Maxwell’s, NYC, and northern New Jersey.

In 1988, The Vines released their first, all original EP, Walk The Floor. Seeing the talent The Vines had, Jon Klages (The Individuals) and Mitch Easter (Let’s Active) produced, engineered and recorded the EP at Easter’s Drive-In Studio in Winston-Salem, NC. Walk The Floor was released by Hoboken’s own Aquablue Records and features Alirio Guerrero (rhythm guitar), Suzanne Lavine (vocals, lead guitar, keyboards), Marc Seligman (bass, ex-Cyclones) and Mark Reynolds (drums).

The EP received extensive college radio airplay with descriptions like “an aural watercolor painting" and Lavine’s vocals have been described as “haunting” and “has her drop dead cool down with a hint of sweetness”.

Critics acclaimed “The Mitch Easter sound hasn’t been utilized this well in a while and the guitar will remind you of Let’s Active’s best moments” or “It should come as no surprise that Mitch Easter had a hand in the production…if The Vines have been blessed by the Pop God himself, they’ve got nothing to worry about.”

The Vines then signed an exclusive contract with Still Sane Records in Germany and the band became the critics darlings in Sweden, Spain and Germany. But on the eve of their first European tour, the band decided to part ways and start their “real lives”. Guerrero is now a family therapist and directs social service programs in NYC. Lavine is an ESL teacher for inner city immigrant children in Philadelphia.

Here we are 28 years later and The Vines have reunited…the rumors are true. No occasional get togethers, no canceled reunion shows…now is their time. Guerrero/Lavine are now back to writing new songs filled with the new experiences and heart that great music is made of.

The Vines of Hoboken (just so there’s no confusion with The Vines from down under) including original bassist Marc Seligman and his son Evan on drums are preparing for upcoming gigs with new songs plus their bright, clever and “catchy” tunes from the 80s.

Check Facebook (@vinesreunion) for upcoming gigs, new songs and all things #VinesReunion