The BGN News Archive

Paul Christian in The New Alibis Photo by Nicole Tamaro

Boston crew lost another friend this week with Paul Christian who died in a work-related accident. Paul was in a number of bands most notably Far From Finished and The New Alibis. There is a Paul Christian Family Relief Fundraiser for his wife and young son he has sadly left behind.

Dix Denney the guitarist for The Weirdos died this week. They started in 1975. “We Got the Neutron Bomb” single was a mainstay of early punk radio. Here’s the song on YouTube

We saw the Weirdos in 2015 at the Brighton Music Hall Here's a short piece on the Louder Than War website

The Rock & Roll Rumble released the list of bands playing (and times) this year. Go to the Rumble Facebook page, link below, to see all that.

We were glad to see The Chelsea Curve, Paper Tigers, Michael Kane and the Morning Afters, The Endorphins, Devil Love, One Fall and Gretchen Shae and the Middle Eight. It will be interesting to see how One Fall does. They're a new group this year but with very experienced members. And this will be good exposure for Tysk Tysk Task. They are a daring new group that will benefit in a lot of ways from the experience.

There’s bands we don’t know ... and that’s part of the Rumble. Before it’s over we will have heard more about all the groups in the contest.

And we can start on that right now. Someone has an unofficial Spotify list of the bands. Check it out below.

Rumble Facebook page

Moving Targets are going to tour Japan from May 3 to May 8. They'll be in Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama, how cool!! They have one show at the Kyoto Pop! Pizza. That’s fantastic.

Listen to their latest album In The Dust if you haven’t yet. It’s one of their best! Their Facebook page

The Lemonheads' Come on Feel is getting a 30th Anniversary edition. There will be one disc with the original album – no indication that it is remastered but then another disc with: 14 alternative versions, unreleased demos, covers and rarities.

It will have different formats. It will be on CDs and vinyl versions (choice of yellow or red color). It’s out on May 19. More about it on with track listings on the Slicing Up Eyeballs website

There was a small intrusion of "punk" in the Academy Awards this year. Daniel Kwan who co-directed Everything Everywhere All At Once had a tux with PUNK emblazoned on the back.

It was inspired by a similar sweater worn in the movie by Michelle Yeoh. That sweater was bought in a thrift store in LA’s Chinatown. Kwan's jacket was by LA’s men’s label Goodfight. The 'PUNK' on the original jacket was just a random word used for design purposes…that’s what they say, but maybe there was a punk fan who did that. In any case it brought PUNK into the minds of people who saw it and who see it in the movie. Punk gets thrown into the mainstream consciousness in mysterious ways.

That original jacket sold for $15,000.00 at a fund raising event!!

Read an article in GQ about the jacket Another article in the Insider and an interview with the Costume Designer for the film, Shirley Kurata

BOOKS......

The New Republic had a review of Corporate Rock Sucks: the Rise and Fall of SST Records by Jim Ruland.

SST Records started in the early eighties with Black Flag. They plugged into popular college radio and had big success with Sonic Youth, Husker Du and Dinosaur Jr. In the late eighties things fell apart as they were accused of withholding royalties from bands.

The New Republic takes that story and feeds their editorial that the whole alternative scene is nothing but the new establishment and nothing is ever changed. Is that true? When we look around everything but everything has changed.

The article states:’’ …the legacy of an underground that has largely self-styled to meet mainstream tastes. We might let SST’s story serve as a reminder that before the punk movement was sanitized into the “alternative” format, there was a real alternative.”

But even talking about SST Records, and not RCA or Sony, is a full reversal of the status quo of 1976. We can see an independent punk culture and businesses all around us. The punk rock flea markets, plenty of small labels, a system of small connected clubs, independent news/magazine sources and new self-owned record stores are popping up all the time.

One point they make was more on the nose, that is the internet side of things. That's where the independent seem to be subservient to the establishment. Musicians of all types put their music on Spotify and other platforms for almost no return. People pour content into Facebook and Facebook reaps the benefit. You could post all your content on your own page. You would be independent, but you wouldn’t have the audience. There’s the rub. As punks we should be thinking of these things and looking for alternatives.

The New Republic article

VIDEOS......

There is more going on with The Damned. They have a new video for “Beware of the Clown" which is from their new album Darkadelic out April 28 (preorder here!).

The album includes “The Invisible Man” which was their previous video. The album track listing is here on the Punk Rock Theory website

The video has good production qualities. It’s not a Hollywood production but they put some money into this. The song is about being cautious about the politicians you follow. The Captain plays the Politian Clown. The whole band gets in on being the press crops. They make quite a group!

It’s the third year for the Mach Bell Cowboy Awards. It’s a celebration of all things Mach Bell.

Steev Ricardo won Podcaster of the Year!!

The awards are so self-referential that The Event of the Year was won by Mach Bell himself for the Mach Bell Experience debut. To his credit he accepted with humility and grace.

We just came across this by chance: a movie called Punk Rock. Turns out it was made in 1977 ... and has some interest. Right now it's up on Amazon for ninety nine cents . We couldn’t resist.

The story line has a private eye looking for his boss’ murder. That leads him to Max’s a punk rock club (which is Max’s Kansas City where some of the bands were filmed). There the Squirrels are playing, they sound like a pre punk NYC group of the time. They’re supposed to be punk, but they aren’t. Then you have a full performance of The Fast. (Here’s a vid of The Fast doing the same song at Max’s Kansas City in 1979. Click here for that. ). They give The Fast another whole song with “Boys Will Be Boys”. This clip is posted on YouTube by Paul Zone who informs that the performance was taped at Max’s Kansas City in 1977. Click here for that.

Elda and the Stilettos are in the movie. We talked about Elda Stiletto a few weeks ago. She was part of the NYC scene big time.

You get to see Greenwich Village in its late 70s seediness. The detective shows up at Bleecker Bob’s and Trash and Vaudeville. The movie has some porno sections that have been cut for this budget version.

One review succinctly states, “1970's bad punk story line porno... almost unwatchable.” Well ya, there’s that, but it does connect to New York in 1977.

Talking about though early New York scene…Martin Scorsese is releasing Personality Crisis: One Night Only a film about David Johansen’s full career. There seems to be a lot about the Dolls, then Johansen’s solo career and then the Buster Poindexter creation. There is a new live club show that connects the story.

It premieres on April 14 on Showtime.

Stop Making Sense is being re-released on the 40th Anniversary of its original release. The promo vid has David Byrne picking up his Big Suit from the dry cleaners.

It will come with a new soundtrack album. That will come out on August 18 on Rhino. It will be mixed by Jerry Harrison and E.T. Thorngren. There will be two new songs: “Cities” and “Big Business / I Zimbra.” There will be new liner notes from the band’s four members. More on the film on the Consequence website

RADIO......

Ron on Monday’s Late Risers Club broadcast the first hour live. Other stations are doing live show but WMBR is just starting the process now. The last live Late Risers was exactly three years ago from Ron’s Monday show, on March 17, 2020. Ron played some songs from that last broadcast show.

Ron revealed that a lot of the long unused equipment is not working. The phones and clocks aren’t working either. That has to be fixed before the station can go full time.

The hear Ron’s whole show go to the WMBR Archive page and hit the link on the Monday 10am show for Feb 20.

On Friday’s LRC show Mook began with a new Scowl song titled “Shut Dow.” This starts like a regular hardcore song with a rough screamo vocal then it alternates with a melodic vocal. It’s a little different and works great. Here it the song on YouTube

The hear Mook’s whole show go to the WMBR Archive page and hit the link on the Friday 10am show for Feb 17.

Last Tuesday (3/21) Skybar had Linda Viens of Girl With a Hawk on his WMFO Rising show. They talked a little about how technology has equalized access for musicians but to distinquish yourself above all that content…that’s hard. Linda played a few songs live.

He started the show with the new State of the Union song “’Tether.” It’s been a long time since we got a new song from them and it was reassuring to hear them at the top of their game. We figure the song will show up soon on some online platforms.

The following song was “Black Heart” by Answerman. The song has a nice feel. It’s somewhere between indie and garage. This is the first song released from an album due on April 21. Hear it below.

Listen on Tuesday at 8pm on WMFO at 93.5 fm or after go to the archive page and hit Tuesday at 8pm then hit the archive button.

PODCASTS.........

Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico has on JJ Gonson of Once on for the third time. This summer will also be the third year she's doing the live shows at Boynton Yards. The second year they only did nine concerts and that willbe the number for this year too. The shows will move to the parking area next to the one it’s been in for the last two years.

Gonson dropped a bomb – she said the shows will be free!

You can see the shows Gonson is booking at the Yards and the Rockwell on the Once website.

JJ also talked about Girls Rock Camp Boston (www.grcboston.org). They help younger people performing rock music in a supporting environment.

She talked about her many photos of Nirvana and right now she also has photos at Block Café (on Bow Street, Union Sq, Somerville )

It’s hard to keep up with JJ Gonson!! The video version is here

The Wachtelligence podcast had Dan Vitale of Bim Skala Bim.

The good thing about Dan’s interview is that you get the history of ska’s popularity in Boston/USA along with the band’s history. Dan also produced the documentary Chet’s Last Call and he also runs a B & B in Bocas Del Toro in Panama. He keeps busy. Bim Scala Bim Facebook page The Chet’s Last Call doc where you can always rent the film

NEW MUSIC/CDs......

Neon Leon is another piece of the puzzle that was early 70s rock in NYC. “Neon” Leon Matthews was friends with Johnny Thunders and the Dolls and David Peel. He knew the Rolling Stones well and was the last person to see Sid and Nancy together just before Nancy’s death. What a resume! He lived in the Chelsea Hotel for a while and played Max’s Kansas City. The song “Rock’n Roll is Alive” mentions Kansas City in the lyrics.

The version of “Heart of Stone” has Mick Jagger on it.

Matthews is still alive and plays in Germany sometimes. The music isn’t that far from the NY Dolls. This is something to hear if you loved that era in New York.

Doug Tuttle’s new album is Keeping Alive. Doug does psych and is big cut above the rest. He always seems to get the right fuzz tweeked sounds in the right place. What a twisted tone he gets on the guitar solo in “A-Lo Urras”. It sounds backwards, sitar like and fuzzed.

“While Keeping Alive” is the trippiest song. It has a magnetic draw that leads you to a languid dream world that you will not want to return from. When it ends it stops you stop short...you think it should just go on …for how long, who knows. We have it on our Top Ten Songs.

This came out March 15 and the whole album isn’t posted on Bandcamp but you can buy it now.

Today Junior’s new single “Sweet Little Nothings” continues their streak of impressive material. It’s bright and poppy but anything but predicable. It starts with a staccato four chord set up. Those four chords are not obvious ones. You know right off that this is not rock by imitation. The rhythm evens out by the time it gets to the chorus where the chord jabs turn into arpeggios.

The singing captures the vulnerability of hopeless infatuation.

The group does this sort of thing all the time too. Simply one of the best.

Here's some good shows coming up .....

March 20, 2023 (Monday) Vanishing Point, Ruffian Dick, A River Of Trees, Captain Easychord at The Midway

March 23, 2023 (Friday) Sweetie, Zip-Tie Handcuffs, Twelveyes at Notch Brighton - FREE!! just bring some shelf staple foods to donate

March 24, 2023 (Friday) Band Hangouts with Severed Boy, Knock Over City, BedTimeMagic, Casket Rats at Bone Up Brewing Company in Everett. FB Page.

March 24, 2023 (Friday) TREE @ Ralph's Rock Diner - FB page

March 24, 2023 (Friday) Modern Day Idols at Exhibit A Brewing In Framingham. 7-9pm

March 25, 2023 (Saturday) The Sleds, Classic Ruins, The Grandstand Jockeys, Sand Machine at The Midway for a Matinee 3-7PM

March 25, 2023 (Saturday) Baabes, Linnea's Garden, Happy Little Clouds at Sally O'Brien's

March 25, 2023 (Saturday) The Freqs, Deprogrammer Cult, Rue, Ghost Planet at The Worthen Attic, Lowell

March 26, 2023 (Sunday) Andy California, Nurse Joy, Daughter of the Vine, Estradiol at State Park - 8PM, free!

March 30, 2023 (Thursday) Modern Day Idols, Powderhouse at Notch Brighton 7-9:30PM - FREE just bring some shelf staple foods to donate

March 31, 2023 (Friday) Robotic Hawks, Phantom Ocean, Bad Idea USA, Sorry, Ma! at The Square Root

March 31, 2023 (Friday) The Church - The Hypnogogue Album Tour at The Sinclair FB page.

March 31, 2023 (Friday) Dead Low (Record Release), Klaxon (RI), Vicious Ritual (RI), Working Poor U.S.A. at Flashback Arcade+Bar, 294 main st, Hyannis, MA

March 31, 2023 (Friday) Blindspot, Mindset X at The Shackskeen Pub Manchester, NH

April 1, 2023 (Saturday) Holy S%&T I'm turning 60 - Jay Allen's Birthday Show with Justine and The Unclean, Tom Baker's Double Down, Muck and The Mires, Stop Calling Me Frank, The Shang-Hi-Los, The Spackles (Ex-A Bunch of Jerks), Jay Allen and The Archcriminals, Spiller, The Dogmatics, Quest for Tuna at French Club, Waltham, MA, 5pm to Midnight- FB page

April 1, 2023 (Saturday) Diablogato, Coffin Salesman, Casket Rats at Faces Brewing Malden FB page.

April 1, 2023 (Saturday) Children Of The Flaming Wheel, OOF(NYC), Germ House at Fields West Allston

April 4, 2023 (Tuesday) Minx, Electric Aces, Melted Chapstix, Pete Cassini at O'Brien's

April 5, 2023 (Wednesday) Matt Charette, Linnea's Garden, Lobohombres, Time & Place at The Silhouette

April 6, 2023 (Thursday) Jack McKelvie & The Countertops and Thalia Zedek at Notch Brighton

April 7, 2023 (Friday) Ballbusters, Horsefight, The Thigh Scrapers, and The Stigmatics at The Raven in Worcester

April 8, 2023 (Saturday) Randy Black & The Heathcroppers have a First Saturday of Every Month 4-6PM residency at Plough & Stars

April 8, 2023 (Saturday) Slide into Spring with Crow Follow and Connor Storms & His Bouquet at The Village Social CLub. Brookline. 7:30-10PM. FB page.

April 8, 2023 (Saturday) Hobo Wizard, EZ Cheef, Grave Tripper, Unharrowed at Shred City (52 Main St #3, Wilmington)

April 8, 2023 (Saturday) A Celebration of the Life of Michael Weddle at The C Note in Hull.

April 8, 2023 (Saturday) Screamin' Rebel Angels, Diablogato, Helen & The Trash Pandas at Askew, Providence, RI - FB page

April 10, 2023 (Monday) The Hi-End, The Haymakers, Jay Allen and the Arch Criminals at the Silhouette in Allston

April 13, 2023 (Thursday) Jack McKelvie & The Countertops and Dutch Tulips at Notch Brighton

April 14, 2023 (Friday) Hambone Skinny at The Square Root

April 14, 2023 (Friday) Kingshot, Happy Little Clouds, Galaxy Cake, American Ocelot at The Jungle

April 14, 2023 (Friday) Glowbox, Speedfossil, Girl with a Hawk - music starts at 8PM at Sally O'Brien's

April 15, 2023 (Saturday) The Ballbusters ( Jeff Crane (ex-of Classic Ruins) and Dave featured on A.C.C.F.T.R.!

April 15, 2023 (Saturday) Cold Expectations (Record Release Show), Hammered Saint, Butterknife at The Square Root

April 15, 2023 (Saturday) Harris, Sidewalk Driver, Stars Like Ours, Aaron and the Lord at The Crystal Ballroom - FB page.

April 20, 2023 (Thursday) Black Flag at the Middle East Down - 2 sets- Set 1 the band performs the album My War, Set 2 - Blag Flag classics. $30 TIX here FB page

April 20, 2023 (Thursday) Gang Green, The USM (a full member reunion), Far Above The Ground Grip Bite at Alchemy in Provi, RI. Doors at 7, Music at 8- FB page.

April 21, 2023 (TFriday) Trash Rabbit The R.B.N.X., Lurking Class (NY) The Only Things, Film & Gender at The Worthen Attic
8:00 PM • $10 • 21+

April 22, 2023 (Saturday) Welch Boys, Loser's Circle, ChumHuffer, Cry Havoc, Scumbari at The Midway for a Matinee at 3PM

April 22, 2023 (Saturday) The Thigh Scrapers, Mad Painter, The Stigmatics, Johnny Plankton & the Sea Monkeys of Sole at The Jungle - a matinee show - 3:30 PM – 7:15 PM. FB page.

April 22, 2023 (Saturday) White Dynomite, Casket Rats, The Long Wait at Garage B at The Speedway by Notch - 8:30 music - FB page.

April 22, 2023 (Saturday) Lenny Lashley, Centrist Class Traitor, Already Dead, Time and Place at Fields West, Allston

April 22, 2023 (Saturday) Answerman, The Grubs, The Love Shamans at Faces Brewing in Malden - FB page

April 23, 2023 (Sunday) Villain of the War, SleepJumper, Today Junior, Jiddo at The Silhouette

April 23, 2023 (Sunday) Plymouth Punk Rock Market - Spring 2023 edition! Mayflower Brewery Plymouth - FB page to keep up to date.

April 24, 2023 (Monday) Waiver Wire, Stay In Nothing(UK), Indoor Friends, The Dreamtoday at The Silhouette

April 28, 2023 (Friday) Emo Night Karaoke with live backing band & special guest Monica Whitlock at Middle East - Downstairs.

April 29, 2023 (Saturday) Brunt of It, Hans Gruber & The Die Hards, Nick & The Adversaries, Sgt Scag at The Midway - FB page

April 29, 2023 (Saturday) Jeff Rowe, Matt Charette, Hall Monitor & Mike Moderski at Fields West, Allston

April 29, 2023 (Saturday) TOLAs, The Modern Day Idols, Glowbox at The Square Root

April 30, 2023 (Sunday) Scream Along With Billy - Lou Reed’s Berlin - Once at The Rockwell - 7PM. Tickets

April 30, 2023 (Sunday) Gorilla Biscuits, With Honor, Gel, Peace Test, Anklebiter, Bulletproof Backpack at The Met - Pawtucket, RI. All Ages - Early show 2PM- 10PM - FB page

May 1, 2023 (Monday) Mill Pond Falls, Norris The Terrible, Modern Day Idols, Jim Healey at The Silhouette

May 5, 2023 (Friday) Township and Stars Like Ours at The Burren - 7PM FB page.

May 6, 2023 (Saturday) Randy Black & The Heathcroppers have a First Saturday of Every Month 4-6PM residency at Plough & Stars

May 6, 2023 (Saturday) Dark Spring Boston Festival at The Middle East Down - line up coming - FB page.

May 6, 2023 (Saturday) Alexander, Tuxis Giant, Housefires & Al Z (Tatooine Punk Scene) at Fields West, Allston

May 10, 2023 (Wednesday) The White Bear Principle, FEEP, Nightvisions at The Silhouette

May 12, 2023 (Friday) MOD NITE with The Sharp Class (UK); Chelsea Curve, Tiger Bomb, Muck & The Mires, DJ Sherman at Geno's Portland, ME- FB page

May 13, 2023 (Saturday) Somerville PorchFest!! Crow Follow, Linnea's Garden, Happy Little Clouds 4-6PM at 32 Stone Ave. FB page. Porchfest website

May 13, 2023 (Saturday) Muck and The Mires, The Chelsea Curve, Sharp Class, Tiger Bomb at The Jungle - FB page

May 13, 2023 (Saturday) Kepi Ghoulie with his best lineups ever! Bface on bass and Atom Bomb on drums at Faces, Malden - TIX

May 13, 2023 (Saturday) The Hold Steady, Dinosaur Jr. with special guest Come at Roadrunner 7PM - FB page.

May 19, 2023 (Saturday) The Downhauls EP Release! at The Lizard Lounge - more info to come on the FB page.

May 24, 2023 (Wednesday) Doom Lover, Thrust Club, Daphne Blue Underground, Really Great at The Silhouette

June 1, 2023 (Thursday) Gretchen Shea and The Middle Eight, Detroit Rebellion, Stubborn Hearts at Notch Brighton FREE but RSVP here and bring some shelf stable food to donate.

June 8, 2023 (Thursday) Tysk Tysk Task, PiNKLIDS, Trash Rabbit at Notch Brighton FREE but RSVP hereand bring some shelf stabe efood to donate.

June 11, 2023 (Sunday) The Thigh Scrapers, Classic Ruins, The Ballbusters, Loretta at The Midway for a 3PM Matinee show.

June 15, 2023 (Thursday) Chris Wagner (Modern Day Idols) solo show at the Natick Common, Natick. Set time: 5-7pm.

June 15, 2023 (Thursday) Modern Day Idols, Tad Overbaugh and the Late Arrivals, If We Go At All at The Central Tavern, Milford.

June 21, 2023 (Wednesday) Lupo Citta, Valley of Weights, Nat Freedberg at The Silhouette

June 26, 2023 (Monday) Gretchen Shea And The Middle Eight, Salem Wolves, Luxury Deathtrap at The Silhouette

June 26, 2023 (Monday) The Murder Junkies 30 Year GG Deathaversary Tour (Playing a full set of all old GG songs) with local lineup Psycho, Midnight Creeps, Scümbari - At Alchemy, Provi, RI Doors 7pm Music 7:30pm - FB page.

August 8, 2023 (Friday) Modern Day Idols at Exhibit A Brewing, Framingham. 7-9PM

August 19 & 20, 2023 (Sat & Sun) In Between Days Festival - 2 Stages, 2 Days, 24 bands ... and Cool Vintage and Local Market Place, Vinyl Record Pop Up Shop, Food, Modest Mouse , Weakened Friends, Paper Tigers, Clarissa Johnson, Dutch Tulips and the South Shore’s own Gypsy Moths. You'll want to get your tickets now because they have a ‘tier’ system. They have some "tier" ticket scheme so the longer you wait the higher the ticket prices are. FB page

October 11, 2023 (Wednesday) The Mission UK & The Chameleons: Deja Vu Tour 2022 Rescheduled to 2023!!! also on the bill Theatre of Hate

November 3, 2023 (Friday) Modern Day Idols Single Release Party with Tad Overbaugh and the Late Arrivals at Square Root, Roslindale.

CONTACT US AT....misslynbgn@yahoo.com Send us your gig listings, your anything else you've got!! You want your CD reviewed?? Contact us for that too.