The Rascals’ Eddie Brigati Interview: A Look Back at His Career and Solo Debut
“Some people may not realize it but the Rascals were the first rock band in the world … in the center of the universe, New Jersey, the Rascals were the first band.” – Steven Van Zandt, 1997 Induction of the Rascals into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
New Jersey has always been an essential part of the blue-eyed soul of the Rascals. In the 1960s, the Rascals produced a string of hits notable for the diversity of their sound. “Good Lovin’,” “Groovin’,” “How Can I Be Sure,” “A Beautiful Morning” and “People Got to Be Free” were all Top 10 hits. Founding members Eddie Brigati (vocals), Felix Cavaliere (keyboards and vocals), Gene Cornish (guitar) and Dino Danelli (drums) had an acrimonious breakup in the ’70s that seemed permanent.
Despite the odds, actor and musician Steven Van Zandt, guitarist with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, brought the group to Broadway in 2013 in The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream. Produced by Van Zandt and his wife Maureen, the multimedia production featured the Rascals’ electrifying live performance and wowed audiences.
Today the chances that the Rascals will perform together again are remote. But in March 2018 Brigati, still a Jersey Boy, began a monthly residency at New York’s Cutting Room. The voice of “How Can I Be Sure” launched a new…
