Asbury Park Zest The Rainbow Issue Summer 2015 | Page 12

AS BU RY PAR K RI SI N G STA R

Rick Barry

10

Photo by Victoria McDougal

I

grew up in Point Pleasant, NJ. I
started writing and playing music
when I was about 14 years old . My
first real gig was at The Saint in Asbury Park
about 4 years later. My early style? I fronted
rock bands and played the area consistently
trying to be, as one from this area often does
— 'The Next Bruce Springsteen.'
By the time I hit my early twenties, I started
to find my own voice, and realized more and
more that I was never really meant to be a 'rock
'n' roll front man'— at least not in the 'bastard
child of Eddie Vedder and Bruuucccee!' kind of
way that I'd been going for. I stopped focusing
so much on the 'rehearsed stage banter and
spontaneous staged acrobatics.' I mean, does
anyone really think it's cool when someone jumps
up on the bar for a guitar solo? Especially when
it's obvious that they'd spent more time practicing that, than playing said guitar?
I started trying to find a more honest, to
myself at least, approach of reaching my audience. I began to write songs that I liked, that
maybe my audience would like too. At least I
wouldn't have to skin my knees sliding across
the stage anymore. I moved into Asbury about
10 years ago, and this is the formula I