The BGN News Archive

RIP Claudia Perry critic for the Real Paper in the early punk days

If you were around in the early Boston punk scene you might remember Claudia Perry. She was a critic who wrote for the Real Paper and other papers outside of Boston. She died on May 16th, we found out from a Jim Sullivan post on Facebook.

There weren’t many critics in those early years so we remember them all. Claudia, who was an MIT grad, left Boston soon after and did a lot of different things. She was a four-day winner on Jeopardy then went on to the Tournament of Champions, the Masters Tournament, and the Battle of the Decades. wow!! In 1999 she was Grammy Nominated with Bill Ivey and others for the liner notes for "From Where I Stand - The Black Experience in Country Music." She was a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee for 16 years. Here's her full obituary Claudia was also a sports writer and threw the first pitch at a Red Sox game at Fenway! Here's her obit from the Society for Baseball Research.

James Chance died this week at 71. His health was in decline for some time. At a time when it was hard to shock and surprise Chance did both. As part of the No Wave movement in New York he made music that no one was prepared for. As a performer he confronted audiences physically and no one was prepared for that either. He was in Teenage Jesus and the Jerks with Lydia Lunch before he started the Contortions.

Here’s a article in the Guardian and here’s a long and detailed piece in Mojo that will tell you the whole James Chance story.

“We didn’t have a clue what we were doing. Or whether it was going to be loved or even listened to. But the first playback was one of those moments you never forget. It just hit the spot and captured a moment. It was like taking off in a jet.” That was Rat Scabies of the Damned talking about “New Rose” the first English punk single to be released.

The story of that early single has been told, but the Louder website has the whole story and goes into some of the background of the band members. They reassess and put the bands success into perspective. They continue to give some episodes from the band’s early touring and their first tour of America.

The revived Creem magazine has a playlist on Spotify that has some worthy tunes. It is 35 songs long and they all rock. They have songs we’ve talked about by Redd Kross, Jesus Lizard, Split System and Nick Cave.

VIDEOS......

The Prozacs' video for “Problems” has lyrics that are an exercise in self-criticism. The video is animated with colorful illustrations by Felipe Guarche Da Silva. You can hear the whole excellent album on Bandcamp

Redd Kross have a video for the song off their new self-titled double album. This was shot up in the Hollywood Hills with the band lip-syncing a live performance and messing about a bit.

What a righteous guitar riff on the low strings. It seem simple but the song just rides on that monster.

We had part one of a SSD promo trailer. Here's Part II and Part III.

Part II covers how SSD adopted Straight Edge philosophy and how Springa took on Al’s lyrics. It almost looked like Al gave Springa a compliment – that’s must see TV!

Part III covers the creation of Get It Away and covers the band over time, and how they changed. The live clips are awesome.

RADIO.....

On last week’s Rising show on WMFO (Tuesday at 8pm) Skybar had Drew, singer and guitarist of Diablogato, in to talk. Even though we've seen them many times we didn’t know their story, this was the chance to get that.

Drew talks about how they got together and their philosophy that has given them a 10 year run so far. Drew also talks about how all the band members contribute to the songwriting. We liked hearing how they do their videos. They are all one day shoots.

To hear Skybar’s whole show go to the WMFO schedule page Hit the Rising show on 8pm on Tuesday, then hit the ‘archive’ button.

Upcoming on A Crash Course for the Ravers:

July 6 will have guests Anthony Kaczynski (from The Magnetic Fields, Fireking, Figures on a Beach) and Dave Harrison (from the False Positives, The Voodoo Dolls). They'll each play a set of originals and choice covers with solo acoustic guitar. Facebook page

On July 16 ACCFTR will also have two guests; local ska band Double Star and the return of Simon Ritt doing a salute to Johnny Thunders for his birthday. Facebook page

On WMBR’s Gorilla Got Me, DJ Sara had a new transformative cover of The Cure’s “Fire In Cairo”. Sweden’s Hellacopters put their hard rock into the tune and beef it up. You have to hear it before you can imagine it.

To hear Sara’s Gorilla Got Me go to the WMBR archive page and hit the show for Friday 6/21.

PODCASTS.........

After a T.Rex opener Sethyspice played three local groups to start the Elastic Glam Breakfast show this week. They were Crow Follow, Looking Glass War and Garden of Hedon. Later he slotted in Girl With A Hawk.

The Voltz from the UK with "Fire Up Indigo” show you the new glam along with The Scarlet Opera and Gyasi.

Twisted Rico has a show with Jennifer Boyle and Mark McKay talk about the Boston Punk Trivia Contest that’s at the Somerville Armory on August 18 from 12:30 to 6pm. Facebook page After the contest there'll be performances by Lobo Hombres, The Grubs and Already Dead.

There’s a great story where one of the Grubs left a CD and some actual grubs in the jar on the organizer’s porch. The organizers have a good handle on how to set up the night and it sounds like lots of fun. There’s been a few trivia shows. Joanie Lindstrom started the ball with her WMBR Trivia Nights and then Bret Milano and Erin Amar had a run of Trivia contests that stopped with Covid.

This week DJ Mike’s show on Wormtown Underground Radio Network is packed with satisfying punk summer songs. He played the best set up song “Long Hot Summer” by Helen Love. It’s bubblegum punk with the lyrics being a laundry list of punk and new wave bands. Here it is on YouTube

Mike played our number one song for a sweltering summer day; Unnatural Axe’s “Summertime”. We love the Dogmatics version too that they did on the Axe Tribute album Ruling from the Backseat. He later played “Drinking By the Pool” by the Dogmatics to get their summer hit. Later The Real Kids' “Common at Noon” was played.

Mike was right on the new song by the Fleshtones,“The Dedication Song” is a reworking of an old Freddy Cannon song. The Fleshtones name check a few cities and the first city they mention is Boston. How cool is that? Hear it below.

There was “Cruel Summer” by Bananarama followed by the Superchunk version. We didn’t know the Stranglers covered “Summer in the City”.

He also played “Heatwave” by The Jam, Jonathan Richman’s “Summer Feeling”, Husker Du's “Cool Summer”, “California Sun” was represented by the Dictators and the locals Blue Moon Band represented Worcester.

There were new songs by Color Killer, J Prozac, Evil Felipe and Cretins and lots more excellent music.

Tim Livingstone got to the Dogmatics’ “Summertime” on his Radio Warfare podcast. It was in a set with Nick Lowe’s “So It Goes” and Brad Marino’s “Ramones and Stones.”

Tim played “Isolation” by Ultrabomb. That’s the group with Greg Norton of Husker Du in it. Their album Dying to Smile has been out a few weeks. “Isolation” is a slow brooding musing on loneliness. It builds up incrementally for its four minutes. The track is embedded below. The rest of the album rocks as you would expect of an ex Husker Du. Hear it on Spotify.

We featured Trash Flow Radio (from WAIF in Cincinnati) before with it’s well done tribute to Steve Albini. Their latest show focuses on pre-1982 rock. Their featured artist this week was Willie Loco Alexander. They played the Lost song “Maybe More Than You” from 1965. As the DJ Joel played “Kerouac” he commented that it would probably be the slowest song he ever played on the radio but that he loved Willie’s voice. Hearing the song certainly awakened our memories of that early punk time in 1975. Joel finished with a solo Loco song “You’re Eyes Are Crossed”.

The rest of the show is all high energy garage, psyche and punk. Funny, this is the second podcast this week that comes with a hand written playlist. A little retro there.

NEW MUSIC/CDs......

If they wanted to prove they could write a successful pop song about absolutely anything, this would do it. The Shang Hi Los gave us “Morganatic Panic” this last Friday. Jen D’Angora wrote the tune. The lyrics are about Prince Edward VIII abdicating the throne of England to marry American socialite and divorcee Wallis Simpson. That was a big deal in 1936 and is of interest to us…because of this song!!

The song cranks thanks to the chunking guitars and that dynamite rhythm section. There’s a nice twin guitar lead in the middle with some background vocals to add to it. They even manage to throw in a few “Da Doo Run Runs” at the end. Ya know, just because they could!

Looking Glass War plan to release four new singles. “See You In Hell, Liberty Bell” is the first. In the song the group sound is tasteful and compact with the bass being prominent. The bass is something to tune into and give attention. Then the gorgeous vocals steal the show.

The band is such a classy act. They remind us of eighties groups like Simple Minds and Psychedelic Furs. There’s so much craft in this recording. The song sounded like a radio hit on this week’s Elastic Glam Breakfast show. Looking Glass War bandcamp page

The Salem Wolves just released the second single from their concept album The Psychotron Speaks. “November” has lots of drama in the arrangement. The band knows how to build and sustain the feeling. Everything about this song and arrangement are big. You can tell this is a crucial moment in the overall story.

The album is coming out on Tor Johnson Records. You can order the cassette version of the album now at the label website

There’s a version of the record with Trading Cards, signed photos, pins and a 50 page booklet!!

Crow Follow’s new digital single is “I’m In Love With You.” In many ways it’s a simple love song but it's done up Crow Follow style. We love the local club reference: “Did I see you at the Man Ray Benefit? /You wearing Mylar, I can see right thru it.”

The song has a primitive beat and a tribal feel. Crow Follow always makes it seem they are in a magical landscape and inviting you in. The group is on Rock Garden Records.

Slo-anne are a duo from Boston. Right off their song “ded” sounds like “Wild Thing” but they take it to other places and in the end there is so much of them in it that you give them a pass.

Their album comes out on June 27. They have songs like “squelch”, “cramps”, “melting” and “shitty dreams”... they don’t like capital letters either.

The band's Facebook page.

The hot weather got us in the summer mood this week and the new release by Brad Marino synced in with that. Brad has a four song EP called Hot Rod Rampage. In the early sixties the surfing craze was immediately followed by the hot rod craze. Both were synonymous with summer.

Brad covers three songs by the Super Stocks, Surfaris and the Beach Boys. This is perfect territory for Brad who captures the sixties zeitgeist on all his creations. He nails the tone and fun of these hymns to hot rods. The car/boy relationship was expressed as fervidly as the boy/girl relationships. The rhythm section has that forward momentum down pat too. The guitars are heavier than the original sixties recordings and that feels like the right decision.

The last song “Tripwire” is an instrumental written by Marino. That shows he could do a whole album of that too. We really enjoyed this.

Joanie Lindstrom played The Woggles’ “Hole In My Heart” this week and that’s when we realized the new Woggles album Time Has Come was out. We found it on Spotify.

For many of us The Woggles songs are inextricably connected to their live shows. Their shows are so immersive you find yourself a band zealot. When we hear “Hole In My Heart”, “Never Get Over Me” and “Do the Slug” we imagine ourselves swaying away, staring at Mighty Manfred’s stage moves.

Other good songs “Toad In A Hole”, the organ heavy “Wearing On My Soul”, “Her Majesty’s Pleasure” and every other song too. It’s 12 songs and no duds. They have been doing this for 48 years and have delivered the garage goods all the time.

We are going to leave you with Australian group Mondo Arturo doing “Punk Rock Queen.” We love songs about infatuation with a punk person. This is in the Ramones vein and breezes along. They have a guitar that weaves through the song and surfaces to add a twisty riff now and then which makes it.

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

June 25, 2024 (Tuesday) Gossip Collar, The Brave Noise, Andy California, and Stress Balls - Middle East Up

June 26, 2024 (Wednesday) Troll Milk, KO Queen, Dental Dames, Exposed Ass at The Silhouette

June 28, 2024 (Friday) Galaxy Cake, Catwolf, Crow Follow, Emily Grogan at The Jungle

June 28, 2024 (Friday) The Daylilies, TELL, Church and Puppets at The Warp & Weft in Lowell - FB page

June 29, 2024 (Saturday) Scissor Fight, TREE, The Long Wait, Neighborhood Shit at the Brighton Music Hall for an all ages early show at 6PM. TIX

June 29, 2024 (Saturday) Lonely Leesa & The Lost Cowboys, The Daylilies, The Lights Out, American Ocelot at The Midway 8PM show

June 29, 2024 (Saturday) FeelsGood, Blue Hyenas, blindspot, Warrens at The Jungle

June 29, 2024 (Saturday) Bootleg Dan presents The Satch Kerans Band, Hummingbird Syndicate and Mike Younger at The Burren

June 29, 2024 (Saturday) Brad Marino Band, Tiger Bomb, The Nervous Eaters at The Press Room, Portsmouth NH - this is an EARLY SHow starting at 6PM

July 4, 2024 (Thursday) Impact Driver, Moose Knuckle, Helldog, Impulse Control, Working Poor at O'Brien's

July 4, 2024 (Thursday) Another awesome Scurvy Dog Mega Show - check out the FB page for bands etc.

July 6, 2024 (Saturday) Anthony Kaczynski and Dave Harrison each play a set of original songs and choice covers with solo acoustic guitar at The Village Social Club in Brookline Village - 8-10PM. FB page.

July 11, 2024 (Thursday) Ragz to Stitchez, Typhoid Mary, The Jacklights, and Vallory Falls for a of punk at AS220 - Provi, RI ! Doors at 8:30, show from 9pm-midnight, $10 cover!! FB page for tix etc.

July 13, 2024 (Saturday) A Crash Course for the Ravers has Double Star and Simon Ritt as guests to celebrate Johnny Thunders birthday 1-4PM on WMFO FB page

July 13, 2024 (Saturday) Rum Bar Records & Los Coronas CC Present Diablogato's Party with Screamin' Rebel Angels, Diablogato. The Dogmatics, Girl With A Hawk at the Porch in Medford 1-6PM. FB page

July 13, 2024 (Saturday) Rockin Bob Punk Band, Kermit's Finger, The Grommets, Lobo Hombre at The Midway for a 3PM matinee show

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.

July 13, 2024 (Saturday) Linnea's Garden, the Worst, Mattias, and CJ Honey at State Park in Kendall Sq. Linnea's Garden will be celebrating the release of their new single, "Cherry"!

July 13, 2024 (Saturday) Psychic Weight, Neighborhood Shit, Latch, Silent Spring and more at the Peabody VFW in 20 Stevens St Peabody, MA.

July 14, 2024 (Sunday) Cape Crush, Loser's Circle, Blame it on Whitman, Dear Maryanne at The Midway for a 3PM Matinee

July 17, 2024 (Wednesday) Gossip Collar, Frogs, Burn Kit at The Silhouette

July 19, 2024 (Friday) Bash At the Beach With WORM, Rockin' Bob Punk Band, Spectacle, Scotty Saints & The True Believers, Screw Cart at The C Note, Hull FB page

July 20, 2024 (Saturday) A Crash Course for the Ravers has The Stigmatics on WMFO 1-4PM. FB page.

July 24, 2024 (Wednesday) Sloppy Seconds, The Queers, The Raging Nathans - at The Middle East Down

July 24, 2024 (Wednesday) Bad Mary, Double Star, Thigh Scrapers, Stigmatics at The Middle East Up _ FB page

July 24, 2024 (Wednesday) The Hi-End, Tim McCoy Rock Quartet, J Prozac Band at The Square Root,

July 25-28, 2024 Nice Fest is back! It's got LOADS of bands - this year it's at the Rockwell, and Crystall Ballroom AND outside at the Grove st parking lot. Too many great bands to list here but check out their FB event page and website.

July 26, 2024 (Friday) Carrot Flowers, Toadpatrol, Bleach The Sky, Ruffian Dick at The Union Tavern - FB page

July 26 & 27, 2024 Rock Garden Showcase with Adam M Sherman, Jennifer Tefft & The Strange, Robin Lane, Little Billy Lost, Ricky Rat, Smitt E. Smitty, Hummingbird Syndicate, Crow Follow, Captain Easychord, Satch Kerans Band at Warehouse XI Union Sq Somerville - check the FB page for what bands what night

July 27, 2024 (Saturday) Honkeyball, White Dynomite, Welsh Boys, Hammered Saint, Catching Hell at the Middle East down - 7PM!

July 28, 2024 (Sunday) Matt Burns Memorial Show with Frank Rowe, Larry Newman, Spike, Captain Easychord w/Schlemiel, Kenne Highland's Air Force, Classic Ruins, The Reverand Joseph Fagan and his Deacons of Love, Vogon Poets, Shiny Beasts, Crow Follow at The Burren 7-10PM FB page.

July 28, 2024 (Sunday) Linnea's Garden, the Worst, Mattias, and CJ Honey at State Park in Kendall Square. Linnea's Garden will be celebrating the release of their new single, "Cherry"! FB page

August 3, 2024 (Saturday) Plymouth Punk Rock Market - 60+ vendors selling weird stuff for weird people - Live music, Craft beer and a food truck (or 2), Vinyl records, vintage clothing and housewares, original art, handmade, jewelry, oddities, and more! Noon to 5PM All ages, FREE EVENT at Mayflower Brewing Company. FB page

August 3, 2024 (Saturday) Cheap Cassettes, Chelsea Curve and Shang Hi Los at The Square Root - FB page

August 3, 2024 (Saturday) Mayhem In Manchester!! with WORM (their 21th Anniversary Show), Street Trash, WarGraves, Gagger at The Shaksheen Pub - FB page

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

August 10, 2024 (Saturday) Bootleg Dan presents The Midnight Callers, Freeloader, Rattle Bones at The Burren 6PM show!!

August 11, 2024 (Sunday) Brunt of It, PWRUP, Sgt Scag, Threat Level Burgundy at The Midway for a 3PM matinee

August 15, 2024 (Thursday) Bootleg Dan presents John Powhida CD Release Party, Shang Hi Los, The I Want You, at The Burren 6:15pm show

August 17, 2024 (Saturday) Booze Cruz'n on tha Harbah- yes on a boat with The Queers, Unnatural Axe and Stop Calling Me Frank - boat leaves at 4PM SHARP- Rowes Wharf - FB page for info and tix

August 17, 2024 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb and Muck & The Mires at Belfast Harbor Festival After Party - The Marshall Wharf, Belfast, ME

August 18, 2024 (Sunday) Boston Punk Rock Trivia at The Armory FB page

August 18, 2024 (Sunday) Surf at The Midway with The Electric Heaters, The Nebulas, The Beachcombovers, Kioea 3PM matinee

August 18, 2024 (Sunday) The Peelers, The Pourmen, The Gobshites at Alchemy in Prov. RI 7PM -FB page.

September 6, 2024 (Friday) Bootleg Dan presents: Sharp Class, Muck and the Mires, The Chelsea Curve at The Burren - FB page

September 6, 2024 (Friday) Bootleg Dan presents: Sharp Class, The Chelsea Curve at Parkside Lounge NYC

September 8, 2024 (Sunday) The Somerville Rock And Roll Yard Sale is in Union Square Somerville https://www.facebook.com/SomervilleRockAndRollYardSale

September 8, 2024 (Sunday) The Lowell Summer Music Series has Belly playing Boarding House Park: 40 French St., Tickets

September 14, 2024 (Saturday) Bootleg Dan presents: The Prime Movers Reunion!! at The Burren 7PM show

September 14, 2024 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb and The Nervous Eaters at Askew Provi RI

September 19, 2024 (Thursday) Legendary Queer-core Pop Rockers Pansy Division, The Fatal Flaw and Gene Dante at Faces in Malden

September 19, 2024 (Thursday) Bootleg Dan presents: Arthur Alexander Band, The Glimmer Stars, Tiger Bomb at Blue in Portland, ME

September 20, 2024 (Friday) Tiger Bomb and The Nervous Eaters at Sonia

September 20, 2024 (Friday) Bootleg Dan presents:Arthur Alexander Band, The Glimmer Stars, Crow Follow, at The Burren 6:15pm show

October 26, 2024 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb, The Cocktail Slippers, Stupidity, Muck & The Mires at The Bayside Bowl, Portland, ME 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.