The Vinyl Word: Oh What a Night!

Next month another stage show, Oh What A Night, is going to be touring New Zealand.

The story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons as stage show Jersey Boys premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in New Jersey on November 6, 2005.

It went on to become a massive success on Broadway and around the world, winning multiple Tony Awards.

There are three US productions of Jersey Boys running outside New York and other productions playing overseas including London.

The stage show played at Auckland's Civic theatre a few years ago and was a huge success.

Clint Eastwood loved the show and the story that much that he directed a big screen version of their story that was released in 2014.

Next month another stage show, Oh What A Night, is going to be touring New Zealand.

This is an exciting musical review by Motown producer George Solomon.

It takes you on a two-hour journey of the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

The Four Seasons were one of only two American bands to enjoy major chart success before, during, and after the British Invasion, (the other being The Beach Boys). The Four Seasons have sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide.

If you're lucky enough to have seen the stage show or movie you will know the story of how a young lad from New Jersey, Frankie Valli, released his first record in 1953 called My Mother's Eyes and the following year he teamed up with another Jersey Boy, guitarist Tommy DeVito, and formed The Variatones.

Between 1954 and 1960 the group recorded under a variety of names like The Four Lovers, The Travellers, Frankie Valli and the Romans, The Village Voices and The Topics, to name just a few.

In fact, they had 18 stage names before they changed it, yet again, in 1961, to The Four Seasons. They chose that name after a bowling alley in Union County, New Jersey.
In 1962, the band released their first album, featuring the song Sherry. That song became their first charting hit which eventually would hit No 1.

Under the guidance the legendary Bob Crewe, who would go on to produce and write many of the band's hits, they followed Sherry with another two hits to reach No 1, Big Girls Don't Cry, and Walk Like a Man.

Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio formed a partnership and would go on to write and produce many of the band's hits. To this day Bob Gaudio and Frankie Valli remain the band's constant, with each owning a 50 per cent share of the act and its assets. Gaudio no longer performs.

Frankie is the only original member of the famed group who still tours and every now and again pops up at a Jersey Boys show.