The Del Fuegos were a band of local New Englanders who came-up in Boston. They were a band who rocked, and a band who rocked it old school garage-style. I always felt that they wrote some very poetically beautiful lyrics for a straight ahead rock band, and of course I loved their biggest hits "Don’t Run Wild" and "I Still Want You". I remember in 1988 I was attending San Diego State University for a semester on exchange. Every Friday afternoon at the Union Building to celebrate the oncoming weekend, live bands would play and beer was served. I was feeling a little out of place on the West Coast, and remember that one of the Friday bands broke into a cover version of "Don’t Run Wild". I was overjoyed and felt like I had a piece of home.
The Del Fuegos were a garage-rock band formed in 1980 in Boston, Massachusetts (USA) consisting of members Dan Zanes (guitar/vocals), his brother Warren Zanes (guitar), Tom Lloyd (bass), and Steve Morell (drums)
The band started doing shows all over the Boston area and gained a large cult following all over the East Coast. Steve Morell left the band and Woody Giessmann came on board as drummer. Ace of Hearts Records signed The Del Fuegos, but in 1984 Los Angeles based record label, Slash Records took over their contract, signed them and released their first album, The Longest Day that Fall. Prior to its release Rolling Stone Magazine announced them as a band to watch. The album was received well by the critics as well as fans.
Everyone thought The Del Fuegos would be poised for big success with their next album, 1985’s Boston, Mass. that spawned their most popular hits "Don’t Run Wild" and "I Still Want You". Videos for these songs were played on MTV and broadened their fan base. The critics reacted favorably to the album; however, some fans were turned off when the Del Fuegos appeared in a television beer commercial (it was the 80’s…and unlike today, where bands try build brands and market products, back then it was looked down upon and considered to be a "sell out").
The band tried to branch out musically on their third album, 1987’s Stand Up. Magic Dick of the J. Geils Band appeared on the album. Tom Petty had become a fan and made a guest appearance on the album, and took The Del Fuegos with him on tour. Despite all this, the critics panned the album. It was not a commercial success, and Slash Records dropped the band. Warren Zanes and Giessmann left the band.
Dan Zanes and Tom Lloyd decided to soldier on and brought Adam Roth (guitars) and Joe Donnelly (drums) on board. The band was signed to RCA Records and released their fourth album 1989’s Smoking in the Fields. The critics liked this album better than the last one, but the album did not do well commercially. Within a year The Del Fuegos called it a day and broke up. Over their careers the band had played all over the world and performed with bands from the Kinks, ZZ Top, Tom Petty, INXS, and The Replacements.
The band disappeared and the members all reinvented themselves. After the break up of the Del Fuegos Dan Zanes (born 1961 in Exeter, New Hampshire) released a solo album in 1995. Next he started a band called Dan Zanes and Friends and began recording children’s music. The band’s videos were played often on the Disney Channel and the band became known. In 2007 the band's album Catch That Train! won a Grammy award for Best Musical Album for Children. He has recorded over a dozen albums of folk-based children’s music that the whole family can love. He has also released several DVD’s and written five books. He returns to Somerville, Massachusetts (just outside of Boston) each year to play a show at the Somerville Theater. He collaborates often with other musicians and has performed with Kronos Quartet, Lou Reed, Philip Glass, the Blind Boys of Alabama and the Pilobus dance company.
Warren Zanes earned two Masters degrees and a Ph.D in Visual and Cultural Arts from the University of Rochester and works as a professor and writer. In 2002 he was signed by The Dust Brothers and returned to music and released a solo album called Memory Girls which was produced by Kings of Leon’s music producer Angelo Petraglia (formerly a member of Boston band Face to Face – see 80’s Quest Post). He is the Vice President of Education at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is a visiting professor at Case Western Reserve University. He released two more solo albums and has written several books. He is currently the Executive Director of a non-profit formed by Little Steven Van Zandt (of Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band), called The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation. He is also at work on an authorized biography of Tom Petty.
Tom Lloyd went back to college and eventually earned a Ph.D in Environmental Engineering Science from the California Institute of Technology in 1999. He did research on biologically mediated geochemistry of transition metals. He than worked as a consultant working on the intersection of media and technology for non-profits. He became the interim Executive Director at a Hollywood non-profit for homeless youth called My Friend’s Place. He now works as an investment analyst at Capital Research. He remains active as a musician, mostly playing the cello with string quartets.
Adam Roth worked on music with comedian Denis Leary and has also worked with Jim Carroll (see 80’s quest post for February 16th), David JoHanson, and Evan Dando.
In 2003 Giessmann founded Right Turn Outpatient Services, an organization offering treatment to artists in recovery from drug addiction and mental health issues. Because he himself had a history of addiction and is a musician he brought a unique approach to the organization which brings creative people together in a safe environment where they can explore their gifts and the arts. Giessmann remains a fixture on the Boston music scene and has released a solo recording.
Joe Donnelly continues to work on various music projects including Wiki 3 and Chris Pahud.
The Del Fuegos reunited and played a gig together for the first time in 21 years at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston on June 23 and 24, 2011. The gig was a charity event to raise funds for Right Turn, a rehab program run by Giessmann. The show sold out almost overnight and extra shows were added. The positive response prompted the band to get back together again to tour.
In 2012 the band undertook a two-week, 12-city reunion tour, handpicking the cities they remembered best from their years of touring. The first show was on February 22nd at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, and from there the band played New York, New York/ Cleveland, Ohio/ Chicago, Illinois/ Evanston, Illinois/ Minneapolis, Minnesota/ Milwaukee, Wisconsin/ St. Louis, Missouri/ Kent, Ohio/ Brooklyn, New York and wrapped up on March 4th. in Concord, New Hampshire.
The Del Fuegos were a garage-rock band formed in 1980 in Boston, Massachusetts (USA) consisting of members Dan Zanes (guitar/vocals), his brother Warren Zanes (guitar), Tom Lloyd (bass), and Steve Morell (drums)
The band started doing shows all over the Boston area and gained a large cult following all over the East Coast. Steve Morell left the band and Woody Giessmann came on board as drummer. Ace of Hearts Records signed The Del Fuegos, but in 1984 Los Angeles based record label, Slash Records took over their contract, signed them and released their first album, The Longest Day that Fall. Prior to its release Rolling Stone Magazine announced them as a band to watch. The album was received well by the critics as well as fans.
Everyone thought The Del Fuegos would be poised for big success with their next album, 1985’s Boston, Mass. that spawned their most popular hits "Don’t Run Wild" and "I Still Want You". Videos for these songs were played on MTV and broadened their fan base. The critics reacted favorably to the album; however, some fans were turned off when the Del Fuegos appeared in a television beer commercial (it was the 80’s…and unlike today, where bands try build brands and market products, back then it was looked down upon and considered to be a "sell out").
The band tried to branch out musically on their third album, 1987’s Stand Up. Magic Dick of the J. Geils Band appeared on the album. Tom Petty had become a fan and made a guest appearance on the album, and took The Del Fuegos with him on tour. Despite all this, the critics panned the album. It was not a commercial success, and Slash Records dropped the band. Warren Zanes and Giessmann left the band.
Dan Zanes and Tom Lloyd decided to soldier on and brought Adam Roth (guitars) and Joe Donnelly (drums) on board. The band was signed to RCA Records and released their fourth album 1989’s Smoking in the Fields. The critics liked this album better than the last one, but the album did not do well commercially. Within a year The Del Fuegos called it a day and broke up. Over their careers the band had played all over the world and performed with bands from the Kinks, ZZ Top, Tom Petty, INXS, and The Replacements.
The band disappeared and the members all reinvented themselves. After the break up of the Del Fuegos Dan Zanes (born 1961 in Exeter, New Hampshire) released a solo album in 1995. Next he started a band called Dan Zanes and Friends and began recording children’s music. The band’s videos were played often on the Disney Channel and the band became known. In 2007 the band's album Catch That Train! won a Grammy award for Best Musical Album for Children. He has recorded over a dozen albums of folk-based children’s music that the whole family can love. He has also released several DVD’s and written five books. He returns to Somerville, Massachusetts (just outside of Boston) each year to play a show at the Somerville Theater. He collaborates often with other musicians and has performed with Kronos Quartet, Lou Reed, Philip Glass, the Blind Boys of Alabama and the Pilobus dance company.
Warren Zanes earned two Masters degrees and a Ph.D in Visual and Cultural Arts from the University of Rochester and works as a professor and writer. In 2002 he was signed by The Dust Brothers and returned to music and released a solo album called Memory Girls which was produced by Kings of Leon’s music producer Angelo Petraglia (formerly a member of Boston band Face to Face – see 80’s Quest Post). He is the Vice President of Education at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is a visiting professor at Case Western Reserve University. He released two more solo albums and has written several books. He is currently the Executive Director of a non-profit formed by Little Steven Van Zandt (of Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band), called The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation. He is also at work on an authorized biography of Tom Petty.
Tom Lloyd went back to college and eventually earned a Ph.D in Environmental Engineering Science from the California Institute of Technology in 1999. He did research on biologically mediated geochemistry of transition metals. He than worked as a consultant working on the intersection of media and technology for non-profits. He became the interim Executive Director at a Hollywood non-profit for homeless youth called My Friend’s Place. He now works as an investment analyst at Capital Research. He remains active as a musician, mostly playing the cello with string quartets.
Adam Roth worked on music with comedian Denis Leary and has also worked with Jim Carroll (see 80’s quest post for February 16th), David JoHanson, and Evan Dando.
In 2003 Giessmann founded Right Turn Outpatient Services, an organization offering treatment to artists in recovery from drug addiction and mental health issues. Because he himself had a history of addiction and is a musician he brought a unique approach to the organization which brings creative people together in a safe environment where they can explore their gifts and the arts. Giessmann remains a fixture on the Boston music scene and has released a solo recording.
Joe Donnelly continues to work on various music projects including Wiki 3 and Chris Pahud.
The Del Fuegos reunited and played a gig together for the first time in 21 years at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston on June 23 and 24, 2011. The gig was a charity event to raise funds for Right Turn, a rehab program run by Giessmann. The show sold out almost overnight and extra shows were added. The positive response prompted the band to get back together again to tour.
In 2012 the band undertook a two-week, 12-city reunion tour, handpicking the cities they remembered best from their years of touring. The first show was on February 22nd at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, and from there the band played New York, New York/ Cleveland, Ohio/ Chicago, Illinois/ Evanston, Illinois/ Minneapolis, Minnesota/ Milwaukee, Wisconsin/ St. Louis, Missouri/ Kent, Ohio/ Brooklyn, New York and wrapped up on March 4th. in Concord, New Hampshire.
Lyrics:
Oh baby whats gone wrong?
you don't laugh on the phone like you used to
Have I been gone too long
Where's the love that I've gotten used to
All the good times we had
seems my dream might take awhile
so baby don't you run
don't run wild
Trees fly by in a far away car
Wonderin' when I'll see you again
The TV's on the sound is turned down
All the letters that I tried to send
All the good times we had
seems my dream might take awhile
so baby don't you run
don't run wild
Don't run wild,
Don't run wild,
Don't run wild,
Don't leave me child
Don't run wild,
Don't run wild,
Don't run wild,
Don't leave me child
Repeat Repeat etc...
you don't laugh on the phone like you used to
Have I been gone too long
Where's the love that I've gotten used to
All the good times we had
seems my dream might take awhile
so baby don't you run
don't run wild
Trees fly by in a far away car
Wonderin' when I'll see you again
The TV's on the sound is turned down
All the letters that I tried to send
All the good times we had
seems my dream might take awhile
so baby don't you run
don't run wild
Don't run wild,
Don't run wild,
Don't run wild,
Don't leave me child
Don't run wild,
Don't run wild,
Don't run wild,
Don't leave me child
Repeat Repeat etc...
I decided to include their other hit song "I Still Want You" as they are both equally wonderful songs, and it wa so hard to choose just one!
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