An excellent oral history of one of the country’s most significant concert venues.

This is very much in the tradition of Meet Me in the Bathroom, a sort of hyperspecific paean to one very special performance space and both the people who made it and the people it made.

Obviously a huge portion of the material is dedicated to Springsteen and to Southside Johnny, though other famous acts to come through the pony get their due as well. This history focuses more on the Pony’s earlier history, so you’ll find a lot less of, say, Gaslight Anthem than of the performers who made the space famous. I wish it had been a touch more evenly distributed, but I can’t quibble with the idea that the biggest acts to come out of this space deserve the most attention.

I highly recommend reading this on audiobook if you’re able, as it’s essentially a compilation of snippets of interviews. I find that tough to digest on-page but fantastic on audio, though this is just personal preference.

I consider myself a pretty big fan of most of the artists featured in this book, and I still felt like I got a lot of new information from it. And huge credit to the author, as sorting through and ordering bits and pieces of interviews into a complete and cohesive story that is both accurate and readable is really, really tough to do.

Very good book and very skillfully put together. Interesting for fans of Springsteen or rock history in general. Very relevant to a New Jersey audience.

One of my very first memories involving music was my mom blasting "Sherry Darling" from Springsteen's "The River" album on vinyl and dancing around in my living room, and The Boss has been a huge part of my life's soundtrack ever since. Corasaniti does an incredible job here of telling the story of the Shore and its music scene through the words of the folks who created and lived it, and I just didn't want it to end. I loved every second of this book, and will definitely be recommending it to all of the music fans in my life.

I love a good oral history, and this book certainly fits that category. The earlier sections detailing the history of Asbury Park and the early days of the Stone Pony were particularly engaging. While the rest of the book is equally well-done, these parts stood out to me the most. Throughout the book, Corasaniti does an excellent job of structuring the quotes to give readers a real sense of what was happening in Asbury Park, at the Stone Pony, and in the broader musical world of the various eras he explores. I highly recommend this to any music fan.

Would recommend for fans of…
🥁 Music history
🥁 New Jersey
🥁 Bruce Springsteen

If you’re a music fan, you need to pick this book up!

I Don’t Want To Go Home is the oral history of the Stone Pony, the iconic music venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The book features interviews from musicians ranging from Bruce Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt, to the Jonas Brothers and Jack Antonoff.

The book spans from the creation of the venue in the 1970s to present day and it offers a look at how the business impacted the social and economic climate of Asbury Park. I’m always fascinated by how arts and culture impact all aspects of life, and I Don’t Want To Go Home really delivered on that front. It also has a ton of interesting stories and tidbits about many famous musicians and bands, so you’re pretty much guaranteed to learn something new about one of your favorite artists. It’s a great listen on audio as well.

I Don’t Want To Go Home is available now. Thanks to Harper and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who once owned a rock and roll club, Nick Corasaniti's "The Stone Pony: An Oral History of Asbury Park's Iconic Music Venue" resonated with me on a deeply personal level. This book is not just a chronicle of a historic music venue; it's a vivid and palpable journey through the highs and lows of running a rock club, the camaraderie of the music scene, and the relentless spirit required to keep the doors open night after night.

Corasaniti masterfully captures the essence of the Stone Pony's rise, fall, and rebirth through compelling interviews with music legends like Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Southside Johnny, and members of the E Street Band. From the very first page, I felt like I was back in the trenches, reliving the excitement and challenges of owning a venue dedicated to live music.

The narrative begins in 1970, a time when Asbury Park was grappling with the aftermath of devastating race riots. The city was left fuming and seemingly beyond repair. Yet, just four years later, two bouncers from Seaside Heights, Jack Roig and Butch Pielka, took a chance on a dilapidated bar they had never set foot in. They named it the Stone Pony, and it quickly became a beacon for rock music and the heart of a town on the brink of collapse.

Reading about the early days of the Stone Pony, I could almost hear the sound checks, feel the buzz of anticipation before a big show, and see the faces of regular patrons who made the place feel like home. Corasaniti is open to the gritty reality of what it takes to keep a club alive. The Stone Pony's story of survival amidst economic hardship and urban decay is a testament to the resilience and passion that define the rock and roll spirit.

What struck me most about this book is its exploration of the Stone Pony's legacy. The venue didn't just launch the careers of local legends like Springsteen and Stevie Van Zandt; it became an international rock pilgrimage site. The Stone Pony's ability to attract diverse musicians across genres is a testament to its enduring influence. As I read, I found myself nodding in agreement, remembering how our club, much like the Stone Pony, had to continuously innovate and adapt to survive.

Corasaniti's use of oral history brings authenticity to the narrative, which is engaging and nostalgic. The voices of musicians and patrons alike offer an intimate glimpse into the world of the Stone Pony. Their stories reminded me of the countless nights spent listening to bands, the spontaneous jam sessions, and the unspoken bond everyone who walked through those doors shared.

"The Stone Pony" is not just a book about a music venue; it's a celebration of resilience, community, and the power of music to bring people together. Corasaniti's writing transported me back to my own days of running a rock club, making me feel the pulse of live music and the vibrant energy of a packed house.

In conclusion, "The Stone Pony: An Oral History of Asbury Park's Iconic Music Venue" is a must-read for anyone who has ever been part of the live music scene. Corasaniti has crafted a heartfelt and compelling tribute to a legendary venue and the city that nurtured it. This book is a reminder of the magic that happens when people come together to celebrate music and the unwavering spirit required to keep that magic alive. Whether you're a music enthusiast, a historian, or someone like me who's lived the rock and roll life, this book will resonate deeply and inspire you.

I Don't Want to Go Home was an interesting history of the Stone Pony. It was fun and gave insight into a place I've heard so much about already!

Thanks netgalley and harper for letting me review this ARC! I am getting this review in right before publish date.

If new jersey has one fan, its me, if its got no fans im dead, etc, so reading the story of one of few pieces of my home state that is looked on fondly by both locals and the rest of the world was a treat. This oral history starts with the asbury riots and ends with the SeaHearNow festival, hitting all the important misic, political, and emotion points on the way. It watches the pony fly and fail from a local bar with a great house band to a power house music venue and the fertile ground for njs music scene. Yes, bruce springsteen and south side johnny stories make up like a good 3/4 of tbr book but selfishly i love the punk and hardcore chapters, and thank god the souls get their due for really holding asbury and the pony together from the 90s til now. So many stories in this book are priceless- can you imagine pulling up to the sand lot and seeing the e street band pitching softball to a seven foot tall pony bouncer? I love to think about it. I think some of the anecdotes maybe got repeated from a few too many points of view, and sometimes i felt like i was slogging through a bunch of whiteboy whining to get to a good story, but overall, i really enjoyed reading this and i am definitely going to be giving this book to a lot of people for christmas.

Harper Collins provided an early galley for review.

Over the past few years, I've read several nonfiction books done in this oral history format (what I like to refer to as "the talking heads documentary style"). I find it works well for me; for other readers the mileage might vary. This time we're swinging down the Jersey shore to a famous watering hole that was the epicenter of a lot of great music.

This slice of history is presented by the likes of Southside Johnny, Little Steven, Bruce Springsteen (and many in his circle), John Cafferty (of the "...and the Beaver Brown Band" fame), and so so many more. The cast of characters alone has over 100 names and runs five pages. Corasaniti has done his research and conducted many original interviews to put this story together.

The remembrances and anecdotes cover a lot of ground, featuring both local acts that got their start in Asbury Park as well as many national acts that passed through town. The reader gets an overall sense of what that music scene was like, especially from the people who worked there night after night, year after year.

For music fans, this is definitely an enlightening read. But, more than that, it paints the picture of the rise and fall and rise again of not just a famous music spot but also a community.

I grew up in the Asbury Park area. I spent many an evening at The Pony. I was SO excited for this book. And, I applaud the writer for what was clearly a lot of interviews. But... other than a paragraph or two at the beginning of each chapter, it's just excerpts from the interviews. The chapter introductions were good, but the rest is just... lazy, sorry. Every chapter is the same - short intro, then a long list of responses from the interviewees. It's just not interesting, and it's just not good writing - it's just not writing, it's not an "oral history." It's just transcribing. Bummer. I really wanted to love this - I could already picture it on my coffee table, and being my gift to everyone at our HS reunion this summer.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Harper for an advance copy of this musical history about a world renown music venue, its scrappy rise to the top, and the many people who played, worked, or listened to the rock n roll played there.

Everyone wants a place that welcomes them, knows what the want, makes the pain of the day go away, where the beer is cold, the music hot, with a chance to shake rattle and roll. A place that has a great story. And a lot of stories about being there. The Stone Pony in Asbury Park is one of these places, probably the last of the great rock and roll venues left standing. A testing ground for certain players, a proving ground for legends, the biggest being Bruce Springsteen. But don't forget Southside Johnny, and the others who still make the scene. The Stone Pony has been packing them in since the middle of the seventies, weathering changes in music, the business of music, politics, economics and more. All while never lowering the volume. I Don't Want to Go Home: The Oral History of the Stone Pony by reporter Nick Corasaniti is a story of New Jersey, making it, getting left behind, and of course music, told in the tales of those who were there.

Asbury Park was one a popular place, with a happening music scene, a popular beach business, and a place that was fun and exciting. The 60's though were a time of strife with riots over race burning or forcing out many of the venues, or businesses in the area. There had been attempts to make a club, one which had brought many musicians together, some of which would become legendary. Nothing lasted. Until 1974 when a guy decided he wanted a bar. Jack Roig bought the first place he saw, a place not even listed yet, and brought in Butch Pielka to help him run it. Times grew lean, as disco was being played, and disco dancers weren't spending money. Local acts asked for times, even paying to rent the Stone Pony to give shows. Show which eventually caught on. And soon a local guitar slinger Bruce Springsteen, would make the place his home, and things began to look up, even as music, the economy and everything around started to change.

I am a huge fan of music books, and love oral histories because in music, as in all things, success has many parents, and there a lots of different stories of why things worked, and why they didn't. Somehow the truth rises to the surface. This is a very good book, with a lot of different voices, from musicians, to employees, neighborhood people, finance people and more. One can see the reporting background that Corasaniti has in tracking down people, and asking the right questions to get to the truth, and to get some great stories. Like a musician being fired from his own band, after hiring the guy who was telling him to go. The mutual respect that many musicians had for each other. That disco people didn't spend much money in the bar, but drank a lot of ice water. The musicians run the gamut from legendary, to local bands, but all have a lot to add. Also Corasaniti spends a lot of time on what was happening outside the bar, race riots, the rise of punk, local politics, urban blight, and gives a very good sense of what was going on, and what was affecting the Stone Pony, and how in many ways it's continuing success is so impressive.

Recommended for music historian, Bruce Springsteen enthusiasts, fans of New Jersey, there must be one or two, and people who love stories about rock and roll.

Having family who live near Asbury Park, along with my dad who grew up in the area, I was used to hearing stories of the Stony Pony and Asbury in General. Now, having read this, this book confirms to me what my family has told me about the place and the town. Seeing Asbury thrive and the entire Jersey Shore as well makes me happy to see this as well.

Regarding the actual book, I thought that this was a good Oral History which highlighted more the Pony than just Bruce. I was happy that Mr. Corasaniti highlighted him when he needed to and not make this all about Bruce and have the Pony as a background.

I think the biggest issues that I had were that some of the chapters made no sense into why they were included, and I feel that he could have had a description of who the people were when they were introduced in the book rather that at the front of it. I know I was reading this digitally, but even if I had a hard copy, I think that flipping back and forth to see who was who could get annoying.

Overall, a great read and will be ordering several copies when it comes out for my family for sure.

I was born and raised in Monmouth county New Jersey and, being really into music and spending the majority of weekends at different concerts and shows, I couldn’t begin to fathom how many shows I went to between 1993 - 1996/97 - many of them at the Pony.

In October 2023, my teens and I traveled to NJ specifically to go to the Stone Pony to see our favorite band (The Damned). Going brought back a lot of memories and I was really thankful to be able to share going to see a really, really great show at the venue I spent much of my own time at with my kids.

Getting an early copy of this was such a gift (thank you Harper Books 😘) because while I did spend a lot of time there, outside of the Bruce Springsteen connection, I knew nothing about the history of the Pony, and reading this taught me a lot. The author definitely did his due diligence with research and with the featured voices (many of those brought back memories as well), stories, and history this book shines brightly as the end result of what had to have been a labor of love.

This is one that I’ll certainly be getting for our bookshelves and it’s a definite recommendation from me.



Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for the DRC

As someone who grew up in NJ in the 90’s/2000’s I have very specific memories of Asbury Park. I also remember the first time my parents ever agreed to let me go to the Stone Pony … I was in middle school. It was a school night. Not sure how that happened. BUT I remember feeling the magic that so many describe in this book. There is something about the Pony that nobody will understand until they’ve experienced it themselves.

This book gave me so much more detail on things that I have heard bits and pieces of but spun it into easy to read interview responses while telling the entire history of the Pony and the city of Asbury Park.

The interviews are great and are a wide variety of people - performers, employees and government officials … those I never would’ve thought to include. Research was done. A lot of NJ musicians from various decades are included. I know Bruce is a basically New Jersey’s musical sweetheart (and I’m not knocking that at all) but seeing smaller artists who got to see a similar love for the venue was great.

I no longer live in NJ and often times miss Asbury / shows at the Pony dearly but reading this awoken something inside me and that desire is stronger than ever.

I’m buying this to keep in my living room the moment it releases for all my loved ones to peek at and enjoy.