Tribute to

TUFF JEFF SALEN

of The Tuff Darts and Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys 

March 22, 2008; Kenny's Castaways; NYC

Above: Tom Erdelyi (AKA Tommy Ramone) speaks about his departed friend, Jeff Salen, with whom - before the dawn of punk - he played in a band called Butch (which also featured future Ramones tour manager Monte Melnick). Behind Erdelyi, singer Tommy Frenzy and bassist John De Salvo of the Tuff Darts get ready to rock in tribute to Salen.

This tribute concert for Jeff Salen was the sendoff that the man, who died on January 26th, deserved. Salen was one of punk rock's earliest instigators, playing in Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys before co-founding Tuff Darts! (the band's name is actually spelled with an exclamation point at the end of it). A nice article, written by John Nikolai, about the guitarist and his passing appears online at the Village Voice website and can be read here.

Above: John De Salvo rockin' out with singer Patti Rothberg.

Patti Rothberg

De Salvo and former Dictators drummer JP "Thunderbolt" Patterson, playing with Rothberg

Above: Tina and Yoav during Charm School's set.

Above and below: The band Sugartime played an excellent set. The band is fronted by Jahn Xavier Bonfiglio who was known as X-Sessive back when he used to play bass in a later-day lineup of Richard Hell and The Voidoids (that lineup included Ivan Julian and Tuff Darts! drummer Jim Morrison). Jahn joined The Voidoids at the tender age of sixteen and also played in The Blessed, The Ghosts and The Nitecaps. He's a great performer and, damn, what a voice. To the left in the photo above is Al Maddy (who played with Joey Ramone and was also in The Nitecaps) and, at and away from the mic, singing his heart and lungs out is Jahn. An awesome band worth seeking out!

Al Maddy (and in the background, Ivan Julian, who sat in with the band for one song)

Jahn, outside Kenny's Castaways, after Sugar Time's set

Jahn and legendary photographer Godlis

Bobby Butani, an original Tuff Darts! guitarist who guested with the band at this show, playing in tribute to Salen.

Monte Melnick says a few words about Jeff Salen, moments before Tom Erdelyi takes the stage to introduce the Tuff Darts!

The Tuff Darts! John De Salvo and Tommy Frenzy

The Tuff Darts! with their friend Stu Daye (far left in photo) joining them onstage.

Stu Daye

(L-R) Stu, Tommy Frenzy, John De Salvo

Tommy Frenzy and special guest Bobby Butani

Above and below: Butani, rockin'

Jim Morrison, drummer of Tuff Darts!

Mikael Kirke, another special guest. Kirke was one of several singers who fronted the Tuff Darts! in the band's early days.

Two Tuff Darts singers at the mic. Kirke and Frenzy.

Frenzy, Salen and sax player Chuck Hancock.

Morrison

The show's finale. They closed with "All For The Love Of Rock And Roll" and were joined by friends and former bandmates. L-R: Harley Fine, Tommy Frenzy, John De Salvo, Chuck Hancock, Diana Salen (Jeff's widow), Stu Daye, Bobby Butani. Not pictured: the Tuff Darts keyboard player (you can see his hands at the far left) and Jim Morrison, their drummer.

Frenzy

Chuck Hancock, Diana Salen and Stu.

Rest in peace, Jeff.