The BGN News Archive

John Hovorka is back in town.

We have given attention to “Bridgeport Lathe” for a few weeks. We posted four versions on March 11. That song exists in its own genre and it has fascinated since its release in 1979. The man responsible was John Hovorka. After the 2 X 4s he had the crazy popular Turbines, then to The Dawn of Mechanized Farming. He moved to Brooklyn, NY and now is back in Massachusetts and will be doing a solo appearance along with Martin, Morel and Fredette at the Midway on April 14 at 4pm. Facebook page

Brockton is a stop on the NOFX final tour - August 30 and September 1 at Campanelli Stadium. The lineup is amazing with the Circle Jerks, Bouncing Souls, Lagwagon, Teenage Bottle Rockets and top of the bill on Sunday, Dropkick Murphys.

Get tickets here. They have several VIP tickes that go for a few hundred, then the topper a $1000.00 for on stage viewing where they say you "actually stand on stage" and VIP lounge with "flushable toilets." or slightly less to actually stand on the on platform on the side of the stage. Gawd we hate that stupid crap. Who ever came up with this stuff?

Congratulations to the Kids Like You and Me guys. 2024    is their 15th anniversary! Here is our interview for their 10th Aniversary. They have a couple shows coming up in April    - check the gig listings below. They'll also be doing some outdoor shows in    local parks this summer.

The Butthole Surfers seemed like a crazy out of control group. In reality they were a crazy out of control group. The Louder Sound website has an article that get specific on that assessment. You have to be young and stupid to live through what that band did to themselves, and they admit that.

We saw them at the 1991 Lollapalooza tour and almost doubted that our memory of them shooting a shotgun off on stage repeatedly was real. Well, the Louder Sound article has a video of them doing that!! The video doesn’t give you the effect of how loud it was though.

All this is on the occasion of the band issuing remastered versions of all their records. Those reissues are on Bandcamp now.

The Cavedogs had their reunion show at the Burren this last weekend. For those that couldn’t make it you can listen to their Fall Back In It album which is posted on the Q Division website. It’s full of The Cavedogs’ humor between the tracks. It is set up as The Cavedogs Funtime Hour. There is a live version of “Midnight Hour” and the demo for “La La La”. “Tayter Country” is there in Spanish under the title “Pais de la Patata” (Potato Country).

VIDEOS......

John Powhida went with star power for his latest video. He has Eric Law in the driver’s seat, literally. Eric is driving John to “Jerry’s House” as the song title reveals. Jerry is Jerry Marotta who was the drummer for Orleans and then many touring groups including Peter Gabrial whose album John displays during the video. Jerry also has recording studios now too.

RADIO......

Last Tuesday 3/26 Skybar had Dan Kopko in for an interview on his Rising show.

They started with Dan’s first group Maximum from the 80s. They got a record deal with Enigma but no record ever happened and Enigma went belly up. Eventually Watts happened amidst the Abbey Lounge scene. Watts had great gigs and Lou Mansdorf keeping the albums coming out. Then it was the Shang Hi Los whose creation happened when covid started and that effected how the group did things. Then they talked about Peppermint Kicks with Sal Baglio. Then Dan did the solo thing and he talks how that happened.

Below we have all the interview parts of the show. To hear the whole show go to the WMFO schedule page Hit the Rising show on 8 to 10 pm on Tuesday, then hit the ‘archive’ button.

Joanie Lindstrom played “White Nectarines” by Sweat, from Los Angeles this week. It’s hard to know what the song is about from the lyrics but generally there seems to be anger directed at being manipulated. The vocals are focused and intense and the music drilling and deep.

We listened more to Sweat's Love Child album that this song comes from and it’s all similarly full throttle.

To hear Joanie’s show go to the WMBR archive page and hit the Late Risers Show for Thursday 3/28.

Ron, on Late Risers, did a whole set revisiting the Goat: The Jesus Lizard Tribute album. He plays the cover version and then the Jesus Lizard original.

His next set was super lo fi with Itchy & the Nits, The Darts and The Trashwomen. He ended with Itchy & the Nits dong “Tie Me Up” a Gizmos cover.

The name of one group got our attention first…Suzi & los Quattro, from Barcelona, Spain. Their song “Radio! Stereo!” proved them to be power pop. The album Faster & Louder from 2017 is full of power pop goodness.

PODCASTS.........

Congratulations to Steev Riccardo for releasing his 300th show on Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico. We glommed onto Blowing Smoke during Covid and it was one of the things that helped us through those years. This week Steev has three guests Tom Wilson (hardcore kid and roadie), Chris Conway (The Gypsy Moths and Tang worker) and Herb Morsiglio (engineer). The conversation is wide ranging and gives you an idea of the views and musical war stories that are representative of Boston punk fans.

Elastic Glam Breakfast this week started with “Cosmic Dancer” our all-time T. Rex fave. Have you heard Nick Cave’s version? That slips seamlessly to The Cocktail Slippers with “I Still Dream You”.

Then Hattie Bunny did a turn for Easter and played five fave Glam songs…”Fox On The Run”, “Joe the Lion” (Blowie), “I Wanna Be Your Dog”, “Pulling Rabbits Out of A Hat” (Sparks) and “Tiger Feet by Mud.

“Nighttime” by Starcrazy (Australia) was heavier than most glam tends to be. It worked for us.

Another great show, so glad to have this every week.

Radio Warfare is an hour music show originating from Florida on the Mixcloud platform. The DJ is Tim Livingston and his unerring good taste makes it a guarantee that it’s a worthy listen. There’ll be a mix a familiar groups and things he’s searched out. Tim played a new Ian Hunter song where he is backed up by Cheap Trick. That will be on an upcoming Hunter album. He played a cut from Watts, “Better (For a Girls Like You)”, which proves Dan Kopko has plenty fine songs through his catalog and only more to come.

In there is “1000 Miles” by Hoodoo Gurus and “Five Foot One” Iggy. We were glad to hear “After Dark” off the Cruzados’ Rum Bar release. Tim ended with “I Go Dark” from The Neighborhoods.

Tim only comes in to announce songs in the middle and end, to maximize the music. It is hard to get the playlists to some Mixcloud shows but Tim lists his playlists on his Facebook page

NEW MUSIC/CDs.....

We love The Spackles because you never know what they will do next.

They've been releasing singles: First they gave us the song “Happy To See You,” as straight forward as they ever will get. Then it was the kitschy “Man With The Ex-Ray Eyes” followed by the fun throwback soundtrack theme to “The Blob.” Now we get "The Dotted Line." A song they describe as ‘prog infused proto punk’ and we guess it is. The group has so many influences that other things will be in there too. We are fixated on the guitar solo section where one guitar line gets a counter melody from another and another. We think there are four tracks here, but there may be more. It’s a guitar pig pile.

Galaxy Cake is a somewhat new band. They've just released their first song “Pick Me Up” on Rock Garden Records. This is the first chance non-club goers have of finding out what they sound like. They have a garage sound with fuzzed up guitar. The lead vocals are notable especially when there are a few flourishes that catch the ear. When you are expecting to get a guitar solo you get a flute solo and it’s refreshing. You can’t say the flute is gritty but it has as much of an attitude you can get with the instrument.

The song is about the trials and tribulations on getting to band practice. The MBTA gets the best jibe:

“Sink holes and fire, forever in a mire
We're in a state of decay
Bust open the windows, jump off the tracks
It’s just the MBTA”

This is fine debut and we look forward to more.

The Kinks were 60s hard rock. As the group went along they became more popular for Ray Davis songwriting. John Felice holds Ray in high regard. That brings us to the song “This Time Tomorrow” from the Lola Vs Powerman album. The Kinks use acoustic guitars and piano in the arrangement. The new version by Tall Poppy Syndrome brings in the electric guitars and power chords to re-rock-up the arrangement. Boy, does it ever work!!

The Tall Poppy Syndrome have notable members: Vince Melouney from the Bee Gees (circa 1967), Clem Burke from Blondie and from Paul Kopf and bassist Alec Palao from the current lineup of the Seeds.

The Kinks version on YouTube.

Why do we like expletive laden songs? We don’t know, but we sure do. Maybe it’s what we think but can’t say. We’ve certainly felt like what this song expresses. JJ Speedball from Australia does “I.D.G.A.F.” - you can probably guess what that is, if not have a listen.

The rest of the album is as edgy and blatant as this song.

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

April 2, 2024 (Tuesday) Kenne Highland Birthday Bash at The Jungle. 7PM til closing. Come wish Kenne a HBD. You can buy Wade's bbq and bring it into the Jungle to eat also which is what Kenne is gonna do!

April 2, 2024 (Tuesday) One Fall, High and Dry, Massive Nightmares at Notch Brewing Brighton

April 3, 2024 (Wednesday) The Koffin Kats, The Queers, Muck & The Mires, Sourpunch at Sonia - 7:30PM All ages show! FB page

April 3, 2024 (Wednesday) Crash Cadet, Sly Fang, Answerman at The Silhouette Lounge

April 3, 2024 (Wednesday) Smirk, Valley Gals, Gossip Collar at Deep Cuts Medford

April 5, 2024 (Friday) Hammered Saint, Diablogato, Shang Hi Los at Faces, Malden - FB page. Tickets

April 6, 2024 (Saturday) Bootleg Dan Blast!! with Densityblackcat (NYC), The False Positives, Hi-End, Stop Calling Frank, DJ Sherman spinning at The Warehouse XI in Union Square Somerville (right by the Jungle)

April 6, 2024 (Saturday) River City Rebels, Nick & The Adversaries, Cuidado - 8pm All Ages Faces Malden MA

April 6, 2024 (Saturday) Huck 2 and Island of Alaska at The Jungle Somerville.

April 8, 2024 (Monday) Tatooine Punk Scene, Tine Wine, See You At Rogers at The Silhouette Lounge

April 9, 2024 (Tuesday) a KLYAM show - Moron's Morons (Warsaw, Poland) - Fun tongue in cheek, lo-fi garage punk destroyers on tour! They have put out records on Slovenly Recordings and Sweet Time. Joining them are local rock and roll kingpins: Adult Learners (Power Poppers feat Kathy Snax and ex members of Tampoffs, White Pages, Germ House, Sticker Shock), Andy California (the one and only, needs no introduction, but ex Monsieurs and Tunnel of Love for the uninitiated), and our very own non musician guru, G. Gordon Gritty! - 1/2 of KLYAM and a member of Johnnie and the Foodmasters) at O'Brien's

April 10, 2024 (Wednesday) Guided by Voices, Cul de Sac, Kids, Blatant Doom Trip - Warehouse XI, Union Sq Somerville

April 12, 2024 (Friday) Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion, Children of the Flaming Wheel, Pink Lids at Faces Malden

April 12, 2024 (Friday) Mini Beast, Major Stars, Rope Trick, The Endorphins at The Rockwell Somerville

April 12, 2024 (Friday) Rock & Roll Rumble Prelim Night with Never Gonna Make It, The Ghouls, Cold Expectations, The Roland High Life at The Middle East Up- FB page

April 12, 2024 (Friday) Beantown Booking Presents: The Long Wait, Spiller (EP Release Party), C.O.B,. TJ Welch & The Wasted at Koto Salem

April 13, 2024 (Saturday) Waldemar, Labrador, Sue Bell - 8pm All Ages Faces Malden MA

April 13, 2024 (Saturday) Children of the Flaming Wheel, Electric Street Queens, Orange Whip, Christian Kids -8PM at The Midway FB page

April 14, 2024 (Sunday) Martin/Morell/Fredette with Mike Weidenfeller and John Hovorka at The Midway - 3PM matinee show

April 15, 2024 (Monday) Rockin Bob Punk Band, Some Kind of Nightmare, Super Beef at Koto Salem.

April 14, 2024 (Sunday) Plymouth Punk Rock Market Returns to Weymouth at Barrel House Z - Noon - 4PM. FB page.

April 16, 2024 (Tuesday) Mallcops, Invisible Rays, Luddites, Modern Faces at Notch Brewing Brighton

April 19, 2024 (Friday) Wreckless Wreck Chords presents Spring Stampede With WORM, C.O.B., Witches Tears, The Woods, Jobber at The C Note, Hull - FB page

April 19, 2024 (Friday) Quattracenta, Thalia Zedek Band, Rip Room - at The Midway - 9:30 show.

April 20, 2024 (Saturday) The Downhauls, Tim McCoy Rock Quartet, The Steamies (w Tim & Ron of Chelsea Curve), Jay Allen & The Archcriminals at The Midway for a 3PM matinee

April 20, 2024 (Saturday) Wreckless Wreck Chords Presents WORM, Dirty Walter And the SmellTones, Pint Killers, Mitch Kramer, C.O.B. at The C Note, Hull - FB page

April 20, 2024 (Saturday) Hard in the Head II with The F.U.'s, Cuidado, The Modern faces, Couch Sex, at the Gerry 5 VFA Marblehead, MA

April 20, 2024 (Saturday) The Long Wait, Sonic Bomb, Tj Welch And The Wasted at Thirsty First Lowell

April 20, 2024 (Saturday) Mach Bell (MBE), The Cynz (Record Release Party), Muck and the Mires, The Hi-End. at The Square Root, Roslindale Sq.

April 22, 2024 (Monday) Hopeless Otis, Bad Idea USA, K.C.U.F, Latch at The Silhouette Lounge

April 23, 2024 (Tuesday) Score Cone, Galaxy Cake, Blazers Over Turtlenecks at Notch Brewing Brighton

April 24, 2024 (Wednesday) Kids Like You & Me will be spinning records at the coolest bar, State Park in Kendall Square, Cambridge! They'll be playing weird punk and the golden oldies with a frequent lean on Dangerous Doo Wop. If you want to hear Connie Francis and Connie Lingus, cum here! 9 P.M. FREE!

April 27, 2024 (Saturday) The Crank-Tones at The Midway for a 3PM Matinee

April 27, 2024 (Saturday) Cran, Battery March, Hammered Saint, Rejekts, The Minor Inconveniences - Cambridge Community Center all ages [6PM]

April 28, 2024 (Sunrday) Hassle Flea & Art Market with Minibeast and Goon Platoon and over 100 cool vendors - 12:30 - 3:30 at The Cambridge Commiunity Center, 5 Calendar St...outside of Central Square check out the FB event page for updates. …..

May 4, 2024 (Saturday) The Lights Out, Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight, Brain K & The Parkway at Faces Malden

May 5, 2024 (Sunday) The Chisel, Home Front at The Middle East All Ages 7PM doors.

May 11, 2024 (Saturday) Somerville Porch Fest!!! PF website Linnea's Garden and Happy Little Clouds are already registerd: 32 Stone Ave Somerville (Union Sq) 4-6 pm

May 11, 2024 (Saturday) Johnny Plankton & TSMS, Hands Of Spite, FastTracks, Richard Mirsky & A.M.P at The Midway for a 3PM matinee

May 16, 2024 (Thursday) The Dead Boys, Nervous Eaters, The Plimsouls at Sonia this is a 7PM show.

May 16, 2024 (Thursday) Helmet and Cro-Mags at The Middle East All Ages 6PM doors. FB page

May 17, 2024 (Friday) Worshipper, Sundrifter, Earthlore at Koto Salem

May 17, 2024 (Friday) Sharp Class are back! Also on the bill The Chelsea Curve and Muck & The Mires - at The Burren FB page

May 18, 2024 (Saturday) DnA's Evolution, Trading Tombstones. The Spackles, The Mighty Suicide Squirrels at The Midway for a 3 PM matinee

May 18, 2024 (Saturday) Joan Jett covers night with Andrea Gillis & Friends, CE Skidmore & Friends, Brooke Feinberg & Friends At faces malden

May 25, 2024 (Saturday) Mach Bell Experience (MBE), David Hull and the Dirty Angels. Magic Room, Norwood MA

May 31, 2024 (Friday) Wreckless Wreck Chords Presents Memorial Day Bash With WORM, Working Poor USA, Kermitsfinger HagglersBoston, Scumbari at The C Note - 7:30PM door- FB event page

June 1, 2024 (Saturday) Plymouth Punk Rock Market - Noon- 5PM - FB page

June 1, 2024 (Saturday) The Wynotts, The Black Cheers, Spillers at New World Tavern Plymouth.

June 8, 2024 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb, Galaxy Cake, Clean Girl & The Dirty Dishes at Marshall Wharf Brewing in Belfast, ME - FB page.

July 13, 2024 (Saturday) Bim Skala Bim 40th Anniversary Show with Void Union, Duppy Conquerors, Some Ska Band, and Brunt of It -8:00 PM | Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre. Two shows! Special guests, FB page.

August 9, 2024 (Friday) Barrence Whitfield & Sal Baglio’s Giant Rocket Roll Show! at The Bull Run in Shirley - FB page.

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.