Asbury Park Press
KID STUFF: THE CRADLE WILL ROCK;
Pop-punk musicians perform for the kiddie set
13th October 2006
By Ed Condran

Once upon a time, Jason Ringenberg and Ralph Covert rocked hard professionally. Ringenberg was the leader of cow-punk pioneers Jason and the Scorchers, and Covert fronted the pop-rock act Bad Examples. Each group petered out around the turn of the millennium, which looked like a good time for Ringenberg and Covert to start their respective families.

"I started playing songs for my daughters and I had a really good time," Ringenberg recalled. "And then it occurred to me that maybe I should record some of these songs."

Ringenberg, who tends to a five-acre farm in suburban Nashville, Tenn., crafted "A Day at the Farm with Farmer Jason" in 2003. The affable performer is touring behind his latest effort, the playful and tuneful "Rockin' in the Forest with Farmer Jason." Similarly, the prolific Covert, who releases discs under the moniker Ralph's World, was inspired to write kiddie tunes after the birth of his daughter Fiona five years ago.

"I wrote some songs that I played for her and in a "Wiggle Worms' class, which had children 18 months and up," Covert said. "I had so much fun playing for the kids. I had no idea it would be this big of a blast."

Ringenberg and Covert never would have guessed that they would leave the rock club world for theaters and arenas, yet both are part of "Jamarama Live," which stops Sunday at the Ritacco Center's Poland Spring Arena in Dover Township. The jaunt, which also features Lazytown and Buck Howdy, caters to young music aficionados. "It'll be fun playing these nice, big venues," Covert said. "What I've discovered is that when you play clubs, you should be more animated. You can add something to the show. But when you play the bigger places, you keep it more like the album."

Covert learned a great deal during his 10-year stint with the Bad Examples and he applies that experience to Ralph's World. "When you're in a band like I was with the Bad Examples, you go through a lot," Covert said. "You do the best you can. You test yourself. The good thing is that I take all that I went through with that band and I use it for Ralph's World. It's helped a lot. That experience will come in handy when we do Jamarama. "I'm going to approach it like it's a kid's Lollapalooza."

Both Ringenberg and Covert are more than happy to trade late-night smoky environments filled with jaded scenesters for afternoon shows in well-ventilated halls packed with enthusiastic kids.

"It's cool getting out there in front of an audience that wants to have a good time," Ringenberg said. "There's no pretension. It's just a lot of fun. I also love to finish off a show at five in the afternoon and I'm done for the day. I don't miss being done at 2 a.m. This is a much easier lifestyle and it's a great time. The other thing is that I had my band for about 20 years. You get to a point in life and you're ready for a change."