The Fictional Rock 'n' Roll Where Are They Now

Tommy and Gina

The saga of Tommy Robinson and Gina Jones, a tale as quintessentially American as apple pie... or perhaps a Jersey diner's infamous pork roll sandwich. Dig it: Perth Amboy High, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, 1984, where Tommy strutted the basketball court as the Panthers' star shooting guard while Gina raced her way to glory on the track. Tommy’s band, Autumn Fire, made waves on the local music scene with each member daydreaming of nights at the Stone Pony. After tossing their graduation caps in the air, Tommy and Gina took the daring leap southward across the Raritan River to South Amboy to start their post-high school adventure together.

Tommy, with dreams of rock 'n' roll stardom swirling in his head, wrangled his band, Autumn Fire, to follow suit. Meanwhile, Gina, her faith anchored to Rock Autumn served up coffee and slung lunch specials at the Hatch 44 Cafe. Tommy took a job as a longshoreman with his uncle’s union. A cozy one-bedroom flat did the trick.

But, as life often does, it threw a curveball their way. Tommy’s longshoreman union, ILA Local #1478, went on strike, Tommy's band stumbled hard, and before you could say "Springsteen," their dreams of Jersey Shore stardom fizzled out. Tommy hocked his guitar and the pair broke their lease. Living on a prayer is no way to live as it turns out.

Tommy reluctantly accepted an assistant manager position in his father’s hardware store and settled back into Perth Amboy life. Gina had other plans. With a $39 bus ticket in hand, she dashed to the Pacific Northwest where she met and formed a quick friendship with feminist activist Kathleen Hanna who fronted local band Bikini Kill. She took an internship with a record company and got directly involved with the Riot Grrrl Movement. A quick student, she learned the nuances of record production. She was instrumental in producing and engineering albums from Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Slant 6, Skinned Teen, and L7, ultimately living Tommy’s rock dreams.

Gina was at the vanguard of third-wave feminism and began speaking on the feminist movement alongside Hanna regarding rape, domestic abuse, sexuality, racism, patriarchy, and female empowerment. She authored three books, The Woman’s Riot, Riot Grrrls and Rebel Boys: Third Wave Feminism in Punk Rock, and Rebel Girls With a Cause. She was twice nominated for the ​Bonnie Ritter Outstanding Feminist Book Award.

Tommy eventually took ownership of Perth Amboy Hardware and found his groove coaching middle school basketball while wrangling family life with his second wife Jennifer. Gina lives quietly with her long-time partner and three golden retrievers on a sprawling ranch in Northern California wine country.

The two recently reconnected over social media and have made plans to attend their 40th high school reunion in Perth Amboy with their respective partners later this summer.