SATURDAY, APRIL 26 2008
Photo By
J. Krantz
ESB AND OVER 300 GUESTS SUPPORTED AND RAISED MONEY FOR OUR
LADY OF THE REFUGE SCHOOL BY DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY
Steven
Macias of the Port of Long Beach with the band at El
Dorado Park on September 23, 2007 for Council-woman Gerrie Shipske's 5th
District Fair.
Elm Street
Band News
...*July found the ESB on the road (and in the air) again.
After performing for the Sierra Aviation Fireworks show and the Marchio Wedding
in Bishop, the boys headed home for another wedding on the Queen Mary on July 7, 2007. Numerous requests were
made to hire the ESB for the 7-7-7
date which was booked (9months in advance) by Betty Applegate and Don Wilt. The
lovely couple danced their first dance to “My Love” by Paul McCartney,
flawlessly performed by the ESB. Eric Hirschhorn (son of Bob) celebrated his
Bar Mitzvah the same day, featuring of courser the ESB who rocked Temple Beth
Israel. *July 21, 2007 the ESB played
Concerts in the Grove at CSULB……highlights included a shirtless Roland
performing IZ’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”……you coulda heard a pin drop in a
packed Soroptimist’s House! *July 26 saw
an appreciative crowd at Whaley
Park
listen and dance to a recently rehearsed ESB who sported some new tunes
including “California Girls” and “Still the One”. July 28, 2007 the 6th annual
Riviera Walk block party packed the Naples Island street for a text-book
no-brainer of a fun event…..block party throwers should take a lesson from
these pros! *August is a wall-to-wall
party with few breaks for the ESB with 6 concerts-in-the-park performances.
Check the schedule on this website for dates and times. Don’t miss the 20th annual Long
Beach Surf Club’s SURF PARTY at Pete’s at the Beach on Saturday August 18,
hosted by John Narz. *On August 22
sleepy Los Cerritos
Park will be the site of the ESB’s
12th appearance in this prestigious (but not pretentious) Virginia
Country Club/ Bixby Knolls neighborhood.
Folks at the Los Cerritos event will witness an emotional award ceremony
featuring a talented mystery guest.
*This year the ESB will again feature the incredible guitarist Steven
Swinford, and sultry singer Maile Misajon at the El
Dorado Park
concert on August 24. Swinford is presently the guitarist and sidekick to
comic/impersonator Gordie Brown who headlines at the Venetian in Las
Vegas…Steve has been rated by Guitar Player magazine
as one of the most talented guitarist, singer, writer, producer, and recording
engineer working in America
today. Of Course Maile Misajon is
daughter to Elm Streeter Roland, and is currently living in
Nashville,
Tennessee while writing and recording her
anticipated solo album. *If you want to
hear the ESB in a beachy environment grab the kids, jump in your SUV and make
it down to 72nd Street
on the LB peninsula on Sunday August 26.
This event has been a favorite stop for the ESB boys for many
years. *Artist (and ESB Chairman of the
Board) Roger Peterson has designed a 20-year Anniversary ESB T-shirt……pick up a
few at the next concert……they’re real cool and make great gifts.
A recent Interview with John our drummer in
Our Wave Newspaper
**Special thanks to Mark & Eddy @
Elm Street Band Plays 2006:
International Gathering of Island
Boat Transportation Companies
Hot Rodz of Irvine
The band poses for sunset photo in Curacao,
Dutch West Indies
They have been referred to as "The World's
Greatest Garage/Surf Band", and were written up in the Long Beach Press-Telegram
as "the soundtrack for the City of Long Beach, playing at events all over town."
The Elm Street Band has been performing for audiences all over Southern
California since 1988.
The four members of the group,
Roger Douglass (lead guitar), Roland Misajon (lead vocals and keyboard), Robert
Bruce Hirschhorn (bass and founder), and John Navratil (drums) trace their roots
back to the '60s. From Stanford Junior High to Millikan High to Long Beach City
College and Long Beach State University, these four venerable rockers from Long
Beach California have jammed and gigged together in various combinations for
almost 40 years.
Musically, Roger Douglass
leads the Elm Street Band. Roger cut his rock 'n roll teeth playing surf guitar
at the age of 12. He later went on to work all over Southern California finally
moving to Las Vegas where he spent 10 years working with such stars as Bobbie
Gentry, John Davidson and Paul Anka. Returning to Long Beach in the early 80s,
Roger again hooked up with his old jammin' buddies and the result became the Elm
Street Band. Today, Roger arranges all the vocal harmonies that give the band
its' distinctive sound and tees off on all the rockin' surf leads. He and his
wife Candie are busy these days raising their twins, Sydney and
Michael.
Roland Misajon is the lead
vocalist in the band, and is truly one of the "nice guys" in rock 'n roll. Born
and raised in Hawaii, Roland moved to the mainland with his family when he was
13. Roland initially played drums, but soon moved to guitar and keyboard. His
voice is truly a marvelous instrument and his smile and "Aloha" personality give
the group a special flavor. Roland and his wife Lynne, who is a professor of
speech Communication at LBCC, have four children: Aaron, Leilani, Maile and Kevin, and five grandchildren, Mackenzie, Logan, Griffin,
Jack and Zach.
Bob Hirschhorn has been
singing and playing on the local music scene for over 30 years. He is referred
to as the "spiritual leader" of the group, with his never-say-die attitude and
love for a good time. Bob and his wife Eva, a local hair stylist in Seal Beach,
have one child Eric (14) who attends Oak Middle School.
John Navratil is the drummer
for the group, and he can really play! When the band plays out, John seems to
have his own fan club of young kids who want to be just like him. He is the
youngest, coolest and cutest member of the group, and the only member still
single. He is also one of the best surfers in the area - just ask him!!
