The BGN News Archive

Aimee Mann in the Young Snakes

It’s been a long time since we saw Til Tuesday play the Rat. It’s been 35 years since the band broke up and 40 years since “Voices Carry” was released. The band reunited for a show in Pasadena for the Cruel World Fest. On the Parade website Aimee Mann said she had to readjust her voice to sing in her old style again. They have a short video of her singing a bit of “Voices Carry”. Now...we wonder...will Mann reunite The Young Snakes??? Check out these videos!

CBGB’s lives on in the form of an outdoor festival in Brooklyn on September 27. The acts include: Iggy, Jack White, The Damned, Cro-Mags, Melvins, Murphy’s Law. Linda Lindas and many more. Tickets are $73 to mark the year the club opened in 1973. More details at MSN website.

There is an article in the Nashville Scene website that makes some valid points on how The Damned had some traditional rock influences in their music at a time when punk seemed to reject mainstream rock.

The article is in conjunction with the band playing the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville. New Rose” begins with “Is she really going out with him?” which references the Shangri-Las. Rat Scabies drums are surf rock style and Brian James throws in some Rockabilly riffs. Then pub rock, glam and even Pink Floyd crop up. The Damned also had some prog rock favorites. Read the article in Nashville Scene

There was an article in the Boston Sunday Globe magazine section about dealing with menopause by using punk as inspiration. "Headbanging My Way Through Perimenopause" by Brooke Hauser.
Menopause (also perimenopause), is an “emotional mosh pit” says Hauser. She explains that menopause makes her crave "the screamy music of my youth. Bikini Kill, and turn it up to 11." In her searching she found Michelle Cruz Gonzales, former drummer of Spitboy, who coined the phrase “perimenopunk” to describe “reclaiming that angsty space you had as a teenager”. Gonzales wrote the book The Spitboy Rule about her time in the group.

Hauser talks about using the punk attitude to deal with menopause. You can use punk grit to fight change or accept change, whatever works. She quotes Bikini Kill bass player Kathi Wilcox, “There is seriously nothing more punk than a menopausal woman.”

We continue to note these articles on the power of punk to help you live life. We know it’s true because it’s worked with us….for decades. The Globe article is here if you can get by the paywall.

Kurt Baker revealed on Facebook that he is now living in NYC. He’s not playing gigs, but is spinning records. He had a show last Tuesday 5/21 at the Beauty Bar. He spins Power pop, punk, glam and new wave. We know he has great taste in music. His Facebook page.

O’ Brien’s have upstepped their game. They have a new web page design that gives you more info and is much more lively. Then they have their weekly Spotify playlist that has songs from every group playing that week. We have this week’s below.

VIDEOS.....

The Spackles have a new video for their song “Pistols at Dawn”. The images are scooped up from classic cartoons of days past. Even the beginning of the credits has some clever music quotations from Mike Howlett. The song has a killer riff that’s in the metal vein and allows for some almost shredding in the solo. The group is always going to musical places you can’t predict.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard about Evan Dando and the Lemonheads. It seems he’s got a new digital single out and a video that goes with the song “Deep End”. The video is clever. It happens in the time it takes Evan to get across a crosswalk. During that time he is in a Neverland. The video has a shock ending. We flinched.

The song has a fast chord shuffle that sounds like a real workout for a guitar player. The other song is “Sad Cinderella” by Towns Van Zandt. Both songs have help from Juliana Hatfield and J. Mascis. Both songs can be heard on Bandcamp.

RADIO......

Skybar started his 5/20 Rising show with a song he’s played a few times and we are hooked on it too – “ You Better Let It Go” by Italy’s Heart’s Apart. We have it below for a fast listen.

His guest for the show was Lee Harrington. Lee told his story of first seeing The Neighborhoods way before he became a member. His story was like a lot of people – total amazement at how good the group was. Lee later became a member of The Peytons and became friends with Minehan at shows and that led to being invited into the 'Hoods. Lee credits College Radio for the success that the 'Hoods had. Skybar plays some 'Hoods’ songs written by Lee: “Wailing Wall” and “Love Holiday”.

The Neighborhoods opened for groups like the Clash, Izzy, Ramones and Bowie. Lee had a lot of stories that we hadn’t heard before and gave an idea of what the Hoods were going through at different times in their career. Skybar also gets Harrington’s post Neighborhoods groups covered too. We have the interview embedded below.

On her Thursday Late Risers Club Joanie played a slamming garage rocker from Swedish group Deadly Spirits. When we went looking for it we found out she had the wrong song title. It was “Too Hard, Too Fast”. It’s full out rocking as is the rest of the album - Shadows and Serenades of the Deadly Spirits.
The guitars as fuzzed up in spots and the organ is always a plus. We have “Too Hard, Too Fast” embedded below. To hear the whole album go to the Bandcamp page.

To hear Joanie’s Late Risers Show go to the WMBR archive page. Hit the LRC show for 5/22.

PODCASTS......

We got a good yellfest with a crisp recording that hit hard early in them 5/12 Sonic Overload show. The group was E-150 from Spain and the song was “Azul”. The recording is from 1999. Azul means blue in Spanish but that doesn’t explain what the well done yelling is about.

Al Quint takes a lot from current events. This week he had a song for the new pope. Rudimentary Peni’s song is named “Pogo Pope” and the title is most of the lyrics and we like that. Very punk.

We have those two songs embedded below along with local faves Nice Guys doing “Shitty Thing”. The Nice Guys was one of Mr. B’s (RIP) favorite groups. We saw him at every Nice Guys show we ever went to.

To hear the whole Sonic Overload show go to Al’s Blogspot page.

LB Worm had a special version of the Wormtown Underground Radio show. He recreated the playlist from his first show on 5/13/80. It sounds as good today as it would have in 1980.

There was plenty of class punk with Buzzcocks, Wreckless Eric, Vibrators, XTC, Boomtown Rats, Sex Pistols, Jam, Specials and more. There was a superb Boston music section with: The Neighborhoods, Classic Ruins, La Peste, Real Kids, Willie Alexander and DMZ.

LP played a song by Worcester’s own Crazy Jack who we saw at Cantone's where he punched out one of the front windows. He did the rest of the set with a bleeding hand. Those were the days.

The rock classics taht LB played were top shelf with Who and Troggs among them.

The 5/16 The Elastic Glam show always starts with a T Rex song. On the 5/16 show Sethyspice played an obscure one, at least for us, titled “Blackjack (Big Carrot)”. We loved it. It had minimal lyrics and that was no problem with all the T Rex trademark sounds.

There was plenty of impressive new glam with the likes of The Voltz – “New Faces”, Gyasi – “Bang Bang”, Glitter Wizard – “She’s a Star”, The States (Melbourne) – “Gimme Joy” and Bobbie Dazzle – “Back to the City”. The throwback “Wired Up” by Hector was a nice find, and where else are you going to hear “Mad Mad Banana” from 1972 by Funny Thing and “Chewing Gum Rock” from 1976 by Nicky Bulldog?

NEW MUSIC/CD’s .....

We had the video for TJ Welch and the Wasted song “Dorchester Girl” featured last in the last BGN. This time we have the whole self-titled album that the song came from. Boy, did we enjoy this.
The group has a strong hard rock/punk sound. The rhythm section is always primed. Our ears went to the bass a lot. On bass is Mike Lucantonio (Gang Green). There are some gritty and cutting guitar solos through the album. We went through the songs just re listening to those a few times.

“Dorchester Girl” is a good example of their songs. It has a catchy melody and invites singing along. It has a hint of an Irish lilt to it but never goes full tilt. The subject matter is all local and real to life. They sing about being “54” years old: “My hair is gray and my knees are sore. / I’m 54 and I like it”. “617” is about Boston. They are on the road and they miss their city. In “Where Have All The Bootboys Gone” they pine for the old rock and roll early days. “Hey Wizzard” is about Jeff Freedman the legendary bouncer of Wizzard Security. There was a drive to put up a statue for him. Writing a song for him increases his legendary status.

Our fave is “A Female Joey Ramone” which is about what you think. We like that they didn’t pander and ape the Ramone’s sound but kept their own hard rock style to slam it out. The only misstep is a cover of “Lawyers, Guns and Money”. That song is overplayed and we would have wanted another original.

TJ Welch does the video show Sonic Lobotomy. I assume he’s going to do a show of the band playing this album…aren’t you TJ?

Crow Follow’s new single is titled “Fold Like Money”. They got a funk thing going on in the tune, but their signature sultry sound is still the sound you identify first. Getting a group sound of your own is a huge thing. This song like others of the band sounds like a soundtrack for a movie yet made. It burns slowly and reeks of atmosphere.

We’ve been big fans of Les Lullies from France. They have that garage punk style that is right up our alley. They always put their debt to The Real Kids up front and we love them even more for that.

They have a new live album out now titled Une nuit à Leipzig. It’s from a show in Leipzig from 2024 at the Club Zero. Once you start listening it’s hard to stop. It’s got a raw sound with lots of presence. They didn’t digitize and clean this up at all. By the end you feel like your ears are ringing like you were at the club gig itself.

You can hear The Real Kids influence and no more than in the song “Pas De Regrets”. For thirty seconds you would swear it’s a Real Kids live cut. We have that song embedded below. To hear the whole album go the Bandcamp page. You can buy the vinyl version at the Adrenalin Fix music site.

Spark of Life is a Southern California band. Their new album, Plagued By the Human Condition., is coming out on 5/30.
The song that's out now is “ Better Keep It To Yourself”. It has a post punk sound. We found it deepened and burned itself into our minds after a few listens. It has a brooding dark mood that seems to come from an inner monolog. It’s punctuated at the one minute mark with a scream and then again at the two minute mark where it slowly fades out. For a short song it packs a punch.

We talked about this new Bad Beat album LP 2025 and the song “Make Sense”a few weeks ago. Since then we’ve gone back to the album from this Detroit band and have come to appreciate the whole anger fueled project.
We find lines that jump out from the hardcore din. The vocalist delivery is top volume without going screamo. He makes you feel the stress and urgency. When he puts everything into “Shut the fuck up” you know you’ve been there too.

The band is right with the vocalist, unrelenting and ready with ever more energy. It’s top hardcore playing by everyone. Faves (along with “Makes Sense”) are: “My Revenge”, “Wearing Thin”, “Regular Brain” (all 29 seconds) and “Empty Brain”,

Glitterfast is a punk band from Japan. We reviewed their song “JAPANPUNK” a while back. Now there's a self-titled four song EP on Slovenly Records. All four songs are primo garage punk that will rattle your speakers. It does our hearts good to hear vital punk like this in 2025. “JAPANPUNK” is an inspiring anthem even though we can’t understand the words.

Sick Fizz’s (Australia) last album The Future is the Pits was a glorious garage punk mess. They now have a new album titled Taking Care of Fizzness.
The one song streaming now on Bandcamp is “OMG Not This Guy Again”. It’s a raw and ragged rocker with a classic garage chord progression. The band sounds loose but they aren’t, they hit their marks. It’s like the Keystone cops, it looks like a mess but it’s a ballet. Now we wait for the rest of the 12 cuts to come out.

Oh boy, this is a challenge. The name of the new Private Function album is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ They are a wild Aussie group. They mess with your mind a bit.

A lot of time they do the opposite of what you expect. They have a song titled “Shit” which has one word in it – Fuck, and then a song titled “Fuck” with one word in it – Shit. Even though they are punk/hardcore they cover “SOS” by Abba, they have an electronic song “Magical Prawn Door” and another song, “Ready to Be Rich”, that sounds like Thin Lizzy at times. Their song “Koala” is a pop love song, completely out of character.

We liked their song “Gamma Ray” where the chorus fits the words Gamma Ray into the Ramones “Gabba Gabba Hey” chant. You should dip into this 19 cut album and see what you can find.

It’s an odd pairing but (HED) P.E. a nu metal group from Huntington Beach is covering some 80’s New Wave. Their album New and Improved, on Cleopatra Records, will have songs: “Just Can’t Get Enough”, “Red Red Wine”, “I Ran”, “Time After Time” and AC/DC’s “All Night Long”.

The current song streaming is “I Melt With You” by Modern English. They make it beefier, which you would expect, and they add some ska in the verse. The vocal is gritty which works. The best thing is that they capture the whole sonority of the song. They capture the arrangement details that give the song its character.

The Coolies are on Wicked Cool Records. They have a digital single out now “Bad Bad Boy”/”Over You”. It a light well done pop rock confection. It’s notable because it has Clem Burke RIP of Blondie on drums. He recorded this while he was going through cancer treatments. It probably is the last thing he recorded. Kathy Valentine of the Go Go’s is on bass on this.

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

May 27, 2025 (Tuesday) The Welcoming Committee, Charmed and Strange, Lucious, and Sleep Destroyer -at  O'Briens

May 29, 2025 (Thursday) Major Stars, Gossip Collar Notch Taproom Brighton

May 29, 2025 (Thursday) Lipsmear, Looking Glass War, The Northern Line, DJ Ben Sherman at The Middle east Up

May 29, 2025 (Thursday) The Stigmatics, Little Billy Lost, The Feinbergs, Fish McStew at The Stone Church Music Club, New Market, NH FB page

May 30, 2025 (Friday) Thalia Zedek Band, Vivid Bloom, Harsh Foxing at O'Brien's

May 30, 2025 (Friday) Punk Rock Night at JJ's Tavern - DNA's Evolution, Disqualifier, Common Disaster, Degenerates of Punk at JJ's Tavern 99 Main Street Florence, MA FB page

May 31, 2025 (Saturday) 148 Hawthorne St - Malden Porchfest with 12PM-Combo Combo, 1PM - Steve Walther Orchestra, 2:PM Crow Follow - FB page.

May 31, 2025 (Saturday) Randy Black & The Heathcroppers and Emily Grogan band at Sally O'Brien's

May 31, 2025 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb, Jennifer Tefft, Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems at The Press Room Portsmouth, NH - FB page.

June 6, 2025 (Friday) Poor Impulse Control (Record release party), Moose Knuckle, Scumabri, Impact Driver at Flashback Arcade Bar Hyannis MA FB page.

June 6, 2025 (Friday) Joe Kaplow, Alexander, TELL at O'Brien's

June 7, 2025 (Saturday) Worm, Already Dead, and Fracture Type at Long Live Roxbury Brewery 152 Hamden St Boston

June 14, 2025 (Saturday) ShaggahS, The Cynz, at the Burren, Somerville 7pm The Burren

June 14, 2025 (Saturday) Takes Us Alive, The Spackles, The Brigands at The Jungle

June 14, 2025 (Saturday) The Slow Death are at Faces Malden

June 14, 2025 (Saturday) Linnea’s Garden  at Aeronat Brewery Allston - this show is FREE!! 6:30PM

June 19, 2025 (Thursday) Blue Hyenas, Stars In Debt, blindspot, Liam Slavin at The Jungle

June 20, 2025 (Friday) Linnea's Garden at Aeronaut Brewery - FREE!! starts at 6:30PM

June 20, 2025 (Friday) Closing Reception for Spring Gaze show at The New Alliance Gallery with art by Alvan Long, Duncan Wilder Johnson, and others - check the FB page

June 20, 2025 (Friday) Louder Than Milk, Bobby Oakes & The TV Models, Bob Cenci's Orange Guitar at Jeannie Johnston Pub JP Only $5!!

June 21, 2025 (Saturday) The McGunks, Pleasure Wheel, The Welch Boys, C.O.B at The Midway

June 21, 2025 (Saturday) Weekend Nachos, Dropdead, Wound Man, Peace Test, American Ethos - All Ages show at The Middle East FB page

June 21, 2025 (Saturday) The Rumjacks, Crazy & The Brains, Mickey Rickshaw - ALL AGES at Sonia - FB page -7PM.

June 21, 2025 (Saturday) Straw Dogs Reunion also with The Humanoids, Rockin' Bob Punk Band, Ruffian Dick at Thirsty First Lowell.

June 21, 2025 (Saturday) One Fall, 40 Reps, The Downhauls at Moon Base One Salem - this is a benefit for BAGLY

June 26, 2025 (Thursday) Murphys Law, The Take, Duck & Cover at The Middle East 7PM doors. ALL AGES

June 26, 2025 (Thursday) Faster Pussycat, The Super Suckers, The Rumours, The Lonely Ones at Koto Lowell 21+, 6:30PM doors - FB page

June 27, 2025 (Friday) The Gruesomes (legendary Canadian garage punk band) , Muck & The Mires, The Chelsea Curve at The Middle East UP Event Page

June 27, 2025 (Friday) Rockin Bob Punk Band, Color Killer, The F.U.’s and from California, Stay Out at the Middle East UP, 8pm

June 28, 2025 (Saturday) TREE and Incendiary Device at Brighton Music Hall - 6PM - TIX

June 28, 2025 (Saturday) Neighborhood Shit, The Neon Hookers, Gumskab, In Remembrance, The Blind at O'Brien's

June 28, 2025 (Saturday) Angry Trees, TELL, Jade Array, Hot Start at The Jungle

June 29, 2025 (Sunday) Worm, Cry Havoc, Rags to Stitches, Screw Cart, Hardwired at The Midway for a 3PM matinee

June 29, 2025 (Sunday) Frenzy Of Tongs, Scumbari, The Stress Balls, Angry Red Planet -at The Cantab, 21+ 8pm

June 29, 2025 (Sunday) Black Beach, King in Yellow, Parachute Club at Moon Base One Salem - sober space ALL AGES 1-5PM

June 29, 2025 (Sunday) Murphy's Law, The Take, Klaxon, Grip Bite at Alchemy. TIX

June 30, 2025 (Monday) Bunuel, Murderous Again (Lyndia Lunch, Tim Dahl, Kevin Shea), Today Is the Day, Spiritual Poison at Alchemy TIX!!

July 6, 2025 Sunday) Greg Norton, (original bass player of Hüsker Dü) and Büddies, Jon Snodgrass (Drag the River, Ft. Collins Co) and David Jarnstrom (Rad Owl, BNLX) and guest singers Scott Reynolds and Lenny Lashley playing songs and celebrating 40 years of Hüsker Dü!  at Faces in Malden.

July 11, 2025 (Friday) Casket Rats, All Sinners, Officer X, Phantom Rider at Ralph's Rock Diner Worcester - FB page

July 13, 2025 (Sunday) Corin Ashley Band, SCMF, The Chelsea Curve, at The Worthen Attic

July 16, 2025 (Wednesday) Alvilda, Brower, The Downhauls, The Crimps, Balloon Thief at The Middle East UP

July 18 & 19 2025 (Thursday & Friday) Ryan Packer Presents Mike Mccolgan and the bomb squad "Do or Die" in its entirety, Violent Way, The Welch Boys, Klaxon at The Middle East (Down) 7pm $30

July 19, 2025 (Saturday) The Wynotts, The Haymakers, American Ocelot at the Square Root, Roslindale 8pm

July 26, 2025 (Saturday) The BickerSins, Vinto Van Go (Chicago), Sourpunch, at Buttonwood's Brewerry Provi

July 26, 2025 (Saturday) Already Dead, East End Redemption, The Frenzy of Tongs, Circus Battalion, COB at The Midway for a 3PM matinee

July 26, 2025 (Saturday) Thrust Club, The Flaming Little Sh*ts, Ruby Grove, Tiffy at The Jungle

July 31, 2025 (Thursday) The New Bomb Turks, The Drowns, Gossip Collar, Static Friction at Sonia TIX

August 2, 2025 (Saturday) The Dwarves, Burn Kit, Scumbari at Deep Cuts TIX!! FB page

August 15, 2025 (Friday) Futon Lasagna, Blackout Shoppers (NYC punk), Skum City (NYC Punk), Basics at Ralph's Rock Diner Worcester

September 5, 2025 (Friday) Tough Luck Festival (2 days!) Day One: Slow Joy, Trophy Wife, Actor|Observer, Exit 18, 5Ever, Sophie's Body - Brighton Music Hall TIX

September 6, 2025 (Saturday) Tough Luck Festival (2 days!) Day Two: Great American Ghost, Move, Euclid, Blood Tithe, Survive The Sun, Sevalynn - Brighton Music Hall TIX

September 7, 2025 (Sunday) Rock and Roll Yard Sale in Somerville Union Square FB page for more info vendors etc

September 19, 2025 (Friday) Brad Marino , Chelsea Curve, Glimmer Stars at The Burren

September 21, 2025 (Sunday) Shonen Knife, Pack AD - All Ages at Sonia

September 27, 2025 (Wednesday) The Grip Weeds, Tiger Bomb, at The Burren

October 18, 2025 (Saturday) Al Barile Day at Roadrunner All proceeds to benefit Dana Farber Cancer Institute for info coming...

October 30, 2025 (Thursday) Stupidity, Chelsea Curve, Little Billy Lost, at The Burren

January 27, 2026 (Thursday) Hooligan Holiday Boston with The Oppressed - ALL AGES show 7PM doors. 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.