History and Pictures

History 1990-1996

Pete and Randy at the Cactus Cantina on South Beach.

The Band took up residence in a studio Art had in Margate and began to pratice and write new songs. After a few weeks of rehersal the live show was ready to debut. The band took the stage at such clubs as Rock Solid, McFly's, Plus 5, The Zipper Head Room and Churchill's Hideaway. Complete with a TV for visual effects.

The early shows were straight ahead no frills rock sets. That is if you don't count the TV as a frill. The band began to gather a loyal following of friends and worked their way to to the Friday and Saturday night shows at clubs like The Zoo, Cactus Cantina, Rosebuds and Gary's Sports Bar.

The band catured their live show one October night in 1993 at Sync Studio in Miami. The result was Live Tonight produced by Frank "Rat Bastard" Flestra and the band. The band recorded and mixed the 5 song cassette all on the same night

Johnny Tonite continued writing news songs and playing out. By now they had became a regulars at The Zipper Head Room, Rock Solid, McFly's and Gary's. They also released a very limited addition video of the band called Bootleg Johnny. It was live preformance of the band with video that was used on the TV at shows spliced in. The TV left the live preformance when one night it was left at The Zipper Head Room and was never seen again.

With The Savage Ones now sold out and Live Tonight getting positive reviews and airplay, the band decided to record a CD. So it was back to L7 Studios to lay down tracks for Time Of Arson.

Before the CD was finished, tragedy would stike when Art's daughter Nichole was lost in a car accident. Time Of Arson would be dedicated to her. It was a not so gentle reminder that all things end. That like a song, life too has a beginning, middle and end. And some songs are way too short.

Cowhead at Churchills Hideaway. (note Pete and Joe Harris watching)

Johnny Tonite 1990-1996

History can be like an accident. Ask 5 different people what they saw and you will get 5 different scenarios. With that in mind, here is a brief history of the band Johnny Tonite.

It started long before Randy and Pete began writing songs to record what was to become "The Savage Ones". Pete and Randy had know each other since Pete was a member of the audience at The Spanish Dogs debut show. The Spanish Dogs were the first band Randy was in. Pete would become the drummer after that first show at the New Wave Lounge. They later teamed up as members of the Stan Still Dance Band, River of Souls and Cowhead.

It was with the River of Souls that some of the songs that were to become Johnny Tonite's were written. It also reunited Rob DiAco and Randy who played together in The Resistance.

The writting sessions for "The Savage Ones" were born out of failed love and loss in both Randy and Pete's personal lives. Randy had just gotten divorced and lost his brother in an accident, Pete still missing his girlfriend and one true love. There was a lot and rum and other things that went into writing those songs. They were written in some of the seedier apartment complexes in South Florida. Usually with Pete playing guitar and Randy singing into a tape recorder. Pete then arranged the songs usually in his head right on the spot. From there they were recorded at L7 Studios with Bob Wlos helping out on a couple of guitar tracks, Mike Chatham on bass for a couple of songs and Pete playing eveything else.

So in 1990, they took some songs that Randy had recorded with Cowhead , added the new songs they had written and produced "The Savage Ones". Cowhead was Randy, Rich DeFinis (who played with Randy and Pete in Stan Still), Dave Cook (who later played with Rooster Head) and an assortment of drummers including Adam Block and even Pete. Two songs from that band are on The Savage Ones, You and Me and Saturday Night.

Now it was time to start a live band. The Savage Ones was getting favorable reviews and some airplay on the local radio stations. The first member to join was Rob DiAco on bass. Rob had played with Pete and Randy in the River of Souls. From there the search was on for a drummer. Arthur Neil Ashworth answered an add and became the fourth member of the band. It wasn't long after Art joined that his long time friend and former bandmate Clint Lewis became the bass player. Rob moved to Guitar and the live version of the Johnny Tonite was born.

Art, Pete and a flying Clint at Margate Studio.

After months of recording and mixing the band released Time Of Arson in 1995 with a party at Rosebud's. Again the band received favorable reviews and airplay. The live shows now included acoustic songs and even entire acoustic sets. The band had gone from Monday and Tuesday nights to weekend shows. From barely enough music for one set to playing for hours if the club let them. But darkness was learking behind the scenes. The same demons from which the band was born was about to strike.

It was another show at Rosebud's opening for southern rockers The Outlaws when things fell apart. This was the last show with the original line up. Pete was gone from the band. Clint moved from bass and took over guitar and Eric joined the band on Bass.

The band kept playing out and writing new songs but the end was near.

Art left next and Steve "Zing Man" Martino joined the band for a couple of shows. Longtime friend of the band Mike Kennedy of The Spanish Dogs and Roosterhead fame passed away shortly before Randy's wedding in 1995. It was at his wake that Pete and Randy talked for the first time in months. Pete would once again join the band, this time on drums.

Finally on July 5th 1996, the band played their last show at Gary's in Davie Florida.

Pete Moss died not long after that. The demons are hard to outrun.

The band got together one more time after that at Churchill's Hideaway in Miami. It was a benefit show for Pete.

The band had not played since that day in 1996 unitl June 2005. Randy and Rob are currently playing out with clintstarbucks and special guests. They began rehearsing in March of 2005 and have been rocking at clubs in South Florida. Mike Chatham has even joined the guys in the studio for their CD "Liberty for Sale". The CD was released on April 27, 2007.

The band was last seen at Alligator Alley on August 8th 2008. As Joe Strummer said "The furture is unwritten".

Last Stan Still Dance Band Show