Jon "Bowzer" Bauman of Sha Na Na on Fraudulent Musical Acts

[parkerxjr]

GOOD LAW . Have you ever noticed that people who play the idiot role on TV shows are usually the smartest person on the show ? A lot of times it is true. 

[adamcharney]

Sha nana? Shana na? Sha naw naw?

[Cch092775]

The late Gladys Horton had to suffer the indignation of seeing imposters make a lot of money singing a song that she made #1 as lead singer of The Marvelettes(Please Mr. Postman). I wish that she were alive to see Jon Bauman's victory for The Drifters, The Platters and The Coasters. 

[vision10169666]

BOPDIDY BOP BA DANG A DANG DANG--WHO CARES

[disneyfan81]

I thought they were referring to stuff like Milli Vanilli.

[SuperPussyFinger]

Bowzer needs to get a new schtick.

[Azishome]

Bowzer, I had no idea you had this serious side to you. Well spoken. Good job.

[HunterMann]

What a great speaking voice. What agency handles Bowser? I saw him recently on the Time-Life oldies music informercial. My claim to fame: I once chauffered a limo with famous vocal groups in the back. It was for a casino and each week it was a different group: The Coasters, The Drifters and The Shirelles. Most of them were the original members and I actually got to sing with them while I drove. Cool!

[TEMPmichaelhansen]

2 points: #1.) an original member must be in the band. #2.) The 'existing" members must own the rights to the name or have paid to use it. I understand. I never thought I would ever see him not in performance giuse (like he does on "Time Life's Oldies But Goodies collection of CDs.") & flexing his biceps saying "duh do do do dooooo"

[Steacy783]

@TEMPmichaelhansen How many ORIGINAL members sre there still in the "PUSSY CAT DOLL's" ??? I don't know, but then, I don't care either !!!

[TEMPmichaelhansen]

THIS IS COOL!!! and he isnt doing his "Bowzer" voice except that one time. Also this is an 'old' issue i saw elsewhere (without "Jon "Bowzer" Bauman") on TV one time.

[RaceIsOpen]

wow! look at him now...lol...and still funny...lol..

[Cristalship88]

bowzer rules

[Tokey1986]

I fortunately enough have not had this happening in my area. We do have a band called 1964 however, but they do present themselves as a TRIBUTE band

[denisebil]

why can't these imposters as bowser says get a job or be arrested for consumer fraud i can understand a tribute show but not the original

[kawaim0m0]

Like it because this is good for the original musicians but also for the audience.

I'm from outside the States, so I'm not too up to date about this phenomenom. Is this only happening with doo wop bands or also on other genres? Also has something to do with the time when they were singing cos many are deceased or skin color is also involved? (maybe it's a dumb question but your culture is strange to me, no disrespect)

btw thanks for uploading it :-)

[jimmydcap]

I totaly agree ! You go to a concert expecting to see a band,and what you get is a bunch of fakes!! NOT FARE!

[scifiradioguy]

God Bless Jon Bauman.

[vegasblackout]

he should have done the arm flex at the hearing

[ilikeozma]

He did

[jimmydcap]

My wife and I ear aurguing about this Bowser was in Grease with the rest of Sha NA NA right. Please help me with this.

[madercic3aolcom]

Yes, it is. Yes, I'm watching it, too. :)

[Skiporbob]

yes!!!!...YOUR CORRECT!!!...the group they portayed was..."Johnny Casino and the Gamblers"...Does that help?...bobby

[IEDDTEK]

@Skiporbob "YOUR" correct....what?

"YOUR" correct addition? "YOUR" correct zip code? "YOUR" correct prescription?

GYST GYST AND GYST!!!!!! Damned Yanks couldn't spell "YOU'RE" , "TOO" or "THEY'RE" if their lives depended on it!!!!

[johnwolfman]

Yes, Bowser and Sha Na Na was in Grease as "Johnny Casino & The Gamblers" and during the mooning scene you get a good reaction from Bowser

[ThumpR808]

the group was cameo'd in the movie Grease. they were the band performing the dance off in the gymnasium.

[larrystarstruck]

@jimmydcap you are correct. He was in the movie with the rest of Shanana during the dance scene as Johnny Casino and the Gamblers.

[bstrunke11]

I support Bowser. Love his work, and wish him well. They came into the Traverse City Holiday Inn we used to play at, and literally took over the stage, many years ago of course. It was awesome, they were awesome.

[123cents]

Thank you Bowser for what you are doing.

[2012hybrid]

I support Bowser!  Well spoken and he is right!

[Ishma3l]

Saw him speak on this.

[AnitaLife27]

Sheesh! I've seen some faux's and didn't know it! I assumed they were at least affiliated with the originals. You go, Jon! Thanks for bringing me into the light! Duprees and Penguins, I think.

[Tamaslammer]

Figures the Jew in Sha Na Na would be a Chairman of the Board....

[Blaze8439]

That is a racist thing to say. I take offense to it. And I am not even Jewish.

[msdemme2]

I agree. Who cares what religion he is? What is important is what he is saying. Rock on Bowzer

[Tamaslammer]

Perhaps you should be.

[StoogeWatcher]

Why is religion a factor in preserving the identities of great acts?

[meavid]

Figures the idiot on here would post what you did.

[DIBOSS307]

TOTALLY AGREE WITH BOWZER !

[ContardoholicFan]

"How many 'Faux-Groups' do you want??" "Ask Bowzer thru his website, even write to: John S. of: 20/20's Give Me A Break, & they'll tell you how many, & what states' are working w/ leg. to stop these 'Faux-Groups'!!"

[SabrinaMessenger]

As a musician and true fan of classic pioneer rock and roll groups, I think this law is an excellent idea. I hope my home state Oregon passes this law, too.

[radioman56]

The Truth In Music I know what he is talking anout He is 100 % Correct I have seen these groups that are not I repet Not The Orignal Goupsthe fooled me as well

I am Glad Most Sates Passed the Truth In Music Bill. Please Pray I hope All The 50 States pass This Bill

Thank You

[NeedJustJesus]

He is absolutely correct.

Identy theft is a serious offense.

Also it is a breach of Personal Privacy too which is another serious offense.

This has happened on several occasion with groups of the same names and should never be condoned.

[jason75]

YIP YIP BOOM BOOM GET A JOB!!!! lol thats funny

[StoogeWatcher]

Bowzer's critics are morons. It is one thing to cover other performers' acts. It's another to do it while passing yourself off as a member of that group. How many version of groups calling themselves the Platters and Drifters do you think there are?

[darbykat]

"How many version of groups calling themselves the Platters and Drifters do you think there are?"

Same with the Shangri-Las. They try to pass themselves off as Mary Weiss!!!

[StoogeWatcher]

Either way, every fan of real music should be in support of this law.

[gdanko619]

Bowzer's the man!

[timin770]

Met him when I worked in a hotel bar across the street from the arena he played in ('78-'79 ?, can't remember). He came in after the show but, alas, we were closing. We brought him in, locked the doors and 2-3 of us had beers with Bowser until about 2AM. Nice guy..

[eemmeennddeell]

You don't get it. He was talking about groups that advertise themselves as being the original group without even having a single member of that original group. Sha Na Na was a nostalgia group that advertised themselves as such and never pretended to be anything else. There have always been plenty of groups like that around.

[diamonddust22]

shut up lisa you ignorant cunt

[StoogeWatcher]

Lisa, take your rap music and shove it! You wouldn't know REAL music if it bit you in the ass! Bauman NEVER passed himself off as any of the iconic groups and the artists actually supported his attempts to revive a lot of the original rock songs!

[jenbanter]

Good for him. I didn't recgonize him at first. Good to see him doing what is right. I just watched the video for Sea Cruise. What fun.

[bigbill1991]

OMG! have not seen this guy in years.

[american2339]

John is a class act that does the right thing. A stand-up guy!

[NDW85]

It's a good thing to know that Bowzer stands up for what he believes in.

[sexymama1966]

he looks good today..

[terlizzi1227]

went martin van buren class of 64 he is right you want to see the orignal group nit imposters john terlizzi little egg harbor nj

[hg915]

he went to martin van buren HS in queens village?? oh wow---i wwent there but graduated in 1983

[domes77]

all todays music whent to pot

[zymaymyn]

You're all wrong. He looks like the late Morton Downey Jr.

[Welshbluesman]

Whoa! Bowzer looks like Vince McMahon now a days......

[JMFabianoRPL]

Ya, youse firrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreed!

[lowellriggsiam]

Terry Jacks name and image was hijacked in the 70's after he declined to tour. Some guy was impersonating him in some midwest towns until he caught.

[thedavisgroup]

Seasons in the Sun Guy?

[lowellriggsiam]

Yep

[thedavisgroup]

Good question. How can that happen here. Then again look at the Milli Vanilli fiasco back in the late 80's. Total Bullsh#t.

[brabon]

dang....jon looks good

[brughera]

I believe in this issue. But does that mean that Pete Best who was the original Beatles' drummer can form a band and call themselves The Beatles or is it when they become commercially viable?

[Reggarza07]

Legally, Pete Best can do that but he has to check out first if anyone owns the name BEATLES. If that's the case, the trademark owner might turn down Pete Best.

[swarlock]

Jon is doing the right thing. Go Bowzer!

[420merryjane420]

im american i love u

[luv2cut1]

Well sangia4 I agree I was withBill Pinkney and The Original Drifters and we went through a lot of B.S withLarry marshack and those want a be Platters Coasters and Supremes and Drifters

[sangria4]

Gee, Sherlock, really? Of course we know that. He's not claiming that he was an original member. What he's saying is that for example a group that calls itself The Drifters, which has NONE of the original members, shouldn't be able to pass themselves off as the original Drifters.

[StoogeWatcher]

Might be a little tougher to find a true version of the Drifters, because Bill Pinkney is gone. The only true version now belongs to Charlie Thomas.

[bbarry1]

just so you know bowzer was not an original member of Sha Na Na. He replaced Robert Leonard who was co-founder of the band and bass player. Leonard left at the end of 1970 and Bowzer joined in 1971. I do agree Bowzer is a legend but he is not an original member of Sha Na Na.

[merseymichael]

Bowzer replaced Alan Cooper -original bass singer in SNN.Leonard sometimes sang bass,but

it was Cooper who Bowzer replaced.

[NevilleStyke]

Shango said:

It's all TRAGIC IRONY that

HE, himself has made a living and career

by singing OTHER PEOPLE'S SONGS

and has NO ORIGINAL MATERIAL recorded AT ALL.

Wasn't the whole second side of the second album original material ( I could still sing some of them).

[StoogeWatcher]

It's one thing to sing other people's songs like Bauman did. It's another to pass yourself off as someone who originally performed it.

[ShangoJamal]

I guess I should make it CLEAR

that I am in FULL support of his cause.

I performed in his own group (THE STINGRAYS)

for 6 and a half years.

I was just poking good fun at the irony

that of all the celebrity performers

who champion the abolition of FRAUD ACTS,

he is the only one who did not have

any original material to speak of.

I LOVE BOWZER. HE'S ANNOYING, BUT I LOVE HIM!

[Bunny1106]

Sha Na Na covered other artist's songs LEGALLY and didn't assume someone else's IDENTITY while doing it.  BIG DIFFERENCE!

[ShangoJamal]

It's all TRAGIC IRONY that

HE, himself has made a living and career

by singing OTHER PEOPLE'S SONGS

and has NO ORIGINAL MATERIAL recorded AT ALL.

[Steacy783]

Sha na na were only promoting music's they liked and never claimed to be writer's nor producer's of. Every body know's they were the cover band of their times.

[TEMPmichaelhansen]

@Steacy783

also it has been said the band SHA NA NA only has 2 'original' members. read wikipedia.

[Steacy783]

@TEMPmichaelhansen we all gott'a go sometime ;}

[rebelrecording]

@Steacy783 Im a huge skynyrd fan,not the new crap,the original!But id never gain by playing in a cover band,Passing themselves off as the original!II played in covers,but we never used the name.now,if they called themselves "sha-ba-ba",or something,....

[Steacy783]

@rebelrecording What passing themselves off ??? These guy's regularly admitted to being a cover and also by having the original artist on the show. I really don't get your Point !!! By the way I've been a LYNYRD SKYNYRD fan since 1975. Street Survivors being my favorite album

[rebelrecording]

@rebelrecording Ill admit i dont know all the details.If there are legit sha na players in it,i dont see a problem.Some of it may go to who owns rights to the name,& such.

My ladyfriend owns Alexia Dreamz entertainment,& shes into all the legal stuff in music.studied it for years.I just wait for a band to sober up enough to record them!

& if you get a chance,check out the new street survivors out there.all the unreleased originals!Good stuff!!!!

[bigbadge107]

you mother fuckers who are dogging bowser can go fuck a sheep with aids . you ass holes dont know real icons when you see one . fuck heads !

[Genkimark]

He still looks about the same, but has put on quite a bit of weight since his Sha Na Na days!!

[abferrara]

LOOKS LIKE... The owner of the WWF

[montauk6]

I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY!

[captwasabi]

Oh god. How nauseating is this tool? He just had to go into playing the race card, didn't he? Ugh. I'm glad that Bauman managed to prove Sir Churchill right though. A lie does get half around the world before the truth can even get it's pants on.

[captwasabi]

I especially love the fact the "Bowzer" himself is not an original member of the group! What a buffoon.

[bigracingfan2002]

I don't think that is what he is talking about; he is talking about people who go around selling themselves as people who they are not. He still tours but he uses his own band name, not sha na na.

[captwasabi]

What he is is a self-promoting, grand-standing loser. Just look at his "get a job" line. Nauseating. What's even more nauseating is the fact that Bowzer used to book the very acts that he is now trying to push out of business. Trust me, all the wind is about to be taken out of his sails

[fiddlerpin]

Bowzer for President Why not?  We have had lots of actors before.

[jason75]

boooommmmm was soo funny. remember from sha na na back in the 70's when i saw it. classic. he still has it after all these years

[pjzmuzik]

I was elated to participate along side Jon .. much love and respect!! PJ

[Fonzie6769]

bowser the best.. i remember him singing blue moon on 2 back up vocal was funny

[streetcarjay]

I like Sha Na Na better with Bowser.

[Tyronethe23rd]

It's Al Gore!

[novice8814]

No! It's Jerry Orbach of Law and Order!

[Katzi]

Nice to see he has a serious side as well as a goofy one! WTG Bowzer/Jon!

[twinchimneys]

The Best Thing About Bowzer will always be that he can always sit softly in a political chair, tight pants and all....... while "cracking the nuts in front of him".

Miss Ya Jon!

[JMillerbigass]

I like watching this video just to see Jon in a suit.

[tscheuss]

Way to Go, Bowzer!