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The BGN News Archive
Saturday we headed to the C Note in Hull which had an excellent line-up (Ruffian Dick, Hard Wired, Wood, Worm) topped with The F.U.’s.
We were curious to hear Ruffian Dick whose album She’s Hypnotic was a wild affair. Right off you have to adjust to the guitarist dressed in shinny gold and the bass player with a black mask. Then there’s singer Aaron Sickness. He sneers his vocals and naturally camps it up. He reminds us of Johnny Brainbox of Baabes.He sings into a large old style microphone that he carries without using a mic stand. They have two guitarists with two different styles. One shreds which is a nice boost to some songs. Three of the members are brothers…a band of brothers, so to speak. They did songs from She’s Hypnotic and you should listen to that if you haven’t yet . There’s so much good material on that. They covered “Twilight Zone” by Golden Earring, that song has been interpreted as about drugs, a mental breakdown and even as inspired by a paragraph in the Bourne Identity.
Next was Hardwired who are well known on the South Shore. Michael Weddle always made sure they played any shows he put on at the C Note during the Rat Reunion era there. The Hardwired songs had a darkness to them and were hardcore mixed with metal. They scored early with “River of Blood”. You could hear then that the singer knew how to deliver a memorable lyric. Near the end of one song he unleashed a powerful blast of intense singing and he got a big applause for it. He made is mark again in The Anti Nowhere League’s song “So What”. He owned the classic Oi rush of lyrics that gave a laundry list of unsavory things the singer might have done topped with the in-your-face reply – “so what?” That performance was a killer! They played some fan favorite covers: “Ace of Spades”, “Blitzkrieg Bop” and the Misfits “Skull”.
Next was another South Shore group The Woods. We saw them a while ago at the Pinz complex in Kingston. They are characterized by good musicianship. The drummer was fast and inventive, the bass player was comfortable playing bass chords and the singer had a wide range, from high and clear to screamo in a second. The songs were well put together and always made way for the tuneful vocals while delivering a hard rock kick. The song that stuck out to us was “What’s It’s For”. They said they were going to release an album out in a few months.
So far the bands all used the same back line but with The FU’s they rolled in the heavy amps. You couldn’t imagine them playing without them. The power is half the battle. The band is headed to Japan for a week’s tour. This show was part of their warm up. If that’s the case – no problem. They were ripping through strong material, some old and some new off their latest album Death Squad Nostalgia. Everything was solid and tight and hardcore hard. The other groups this night had hardcore qualities to them but none were as fast playing or singing or just damn raw and gritty like The FU’s. This is the real deal. The guitarist of Hardwire said they were the reason they began playing. It’s not common to get a warm and fuzzy feeling with a hardcore group but we get it seeing John Sox and his band doing their thing. Just when you think it can’t be better, out comes “Young, Fast, Iranians”.
This whole night was booked by Mikke Worm of Wreckless Wreck Chords. Mikke has been bringing punk to the South Shore for a while now. We interviewed him in 2018. The reality is that the North Shore has more venues that book punk which is why these shows at the C Note are vital. The final group of the night was Mikke’s group Worm. Suitably they began with an older song for them; “Our Roots” which is an anthem for South Shore punkers.
Worm cover a lot of territory. Mikke puts on a big Halloween show at the C Note every year so the group played a Misfits like Halloween song. The last half of the set was new material that had some strong social commentary. “Pill For That” was a winner. “End of Privacy” matched emotion with cutting lyrics. For all these new songs Mikke put down the guitar and concentrated on the singing and that worked well for the group. Hey, we didn’t mention the drummer – he was speedy, putting in fast rolls constantly where you didn’t expect. He was a big asset. Mikke let The FU’s play a few more songs in their set, that meant it cut into Worm’s set time. Who does that? Mikke is a mensch!! WORM is playing the Midway for a 3-7 pm matinee on Sunday Sept. 15 with Working Poor USA, Barry Larry, StressBall, Fice
Sad news spread around this week about the passing of Bobby Gaudreau back in April of this year. Bobby was in some awesome bands like Facts About Rats, The Eight Balls and The Annoyed. He sang for The Queers for a while too. He disappeared from the music scene after being hit in the head with a guitar while on stage. But his legend lives on!! You can read his obituary here. It was sad to hear that John Frederick Brierley AKA Johnny Mystery of the Va Va Voodoos has passed. Bootleg Dan brought the VVV's to town. They played some great garage rock. They have a lot of material on Bandcamp. They covered “Pablo Picasso” by Boston’s favorite Jonathan Richman.
Jittery Jack and Amy Griffin has a very high profile tour with Reverend Horton Heat. That’s a perfect match for Jittery Jack. There are twelve shows all over New England. Shows close to town are the Yarmouth Music Room 9/24, The Narrows in Fall River 9/21 and Off the Rails in Worcester 9/20. The latest album by Jittery Jack and Amy Griffin is Tonight’s The Night which is on Rum Bar
It’s National Punk Rock Week again at the Parker Hill Library, 1497 Tremont St, Roxbury. The Boston Public Library branch is having events like they did last year. Here’s the schedule
VIDEOS......
Parlour Bells have released “Slasher Movie Weather”. The video is like a mini slasher movie and with the song you get Goddamn Glen’s evocative vocals. It’s a nice combo. We love videos like this that are local. You can see how much work and time must go into them.
Sample lyric:
Then there’s Go Betty Go who show you what you can do with some money. They formed in 2000 and were from Glendale, CA. They had a five year hiatus from 2007 to 2012. “Party at Sea” sails along at a good clip coupled with the rich colorful imagery. There’s a Titanic turn around at the end.
Qlowski is from London. Their new song “Surrender” from their album The Wound is very goth. The recording sounds like a throwback. It has some of the qualities of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus. Their video for this that also has interest. It’s in black and white and done in a German Expressionistic manor, a visual throwback to match their recording. It seems like a low budget effort but is all the more impressive because of that. This is the only song off the album at the moment. They are on Bandcamp RADIO...... Skybar had Evan and Linda Shore in the studio to get all the current info on Muck and the Mires out and up to date. The first Muck and the Mires album was all done by Evan and he recruited members in 2001 when the album got attention and released on vinyl in Germany. They were asking for the band to tour, but there was no band. They talked about Jim Diamond from Detroit. Muck and the Mires record/mix their albums with him. He’s the guy for garage rock. Now they're promoting a new a five song 7 inch with Rum Bar Record, But they've also already recorded their next 14 cut album that will be released next year. They are doing even more recording in November for a single for a French label. They talked a while about their extensive European tours. Evan played two songs live, “If I Knew Then What I Know Now” and “Hey Sunshine”. Next Friday (Sept 6) Muck and the Mires will be playing the Burren with Sharp Class and Chelsea Curve. More info on the band’s website Hear the interview below. The Rising is on WMFO 91.5 FM on Tuesdays at 8pm. After that got to the WMFO schedule page Hit the Rising show on 8pm on Tuesday, then hit the ‘archive’ button. PODCASTS......... Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico gets a fabulous interview with Jackie Fox of the Runaways. She revealed that she was recovering from Covid at the time. Steev asked some questions on her growing up, she was born in Los Angeles (Woodland Hills). She grew up with music and playing guitar. Jackie has a lot to say about Kim Fowley and his mindset about the group and their recording. She has insights into how the songs came about and shaped. She told a story where an exasperated Jackie slashed her own arm in anger. She remembers that legendary Rat show where Iggy and Bowie showed up to hear them. After the Runaways she ended up in Harvard and was in a class with Barack Obama. She became an entertainment lawyer so when she tells a story its very straight forward and sounds more truthful than you usually get from a musician. Steev really got a revealing and detailed interview with Fox.
We never miss our weekly Elastic Glam show. This week Sethyspice played new glam artist Chris Mess . He played “Glitter”. We checked out the Bandcamp page and thought the whole EP was good glam. Below we have another song to listen to titled “Dandy’s”.
Another good find was The Half-Cubes doing the Phil Seymour song “Precious To Me”. The Half-Cubes are half of the members of the Flashcubes (Tommy Allen and Gary Frenay).
“Foggy Notion” by the Velvet Underground was an inspired choice. Some early Boston punk bands played that song. Some older glam classics were "Marmalade" and "Hello" (“New York Groove”).
On Sonic Overload Al Quint plays hours of hardcore and it’s always rewarding to hear how the local hardcore is as hard and ferocious as any other. This week he had locals Chainsaw doing “Knife” that proves that point. Hear it below. One of his punk sets started with The Rezillos' “Bad Guy Reaction” to The Damned with “So Messed Up” leading to Elvis Costello's “Radio Radio” live on Saturday Night Live in 1978 that got them banned on for a decade. Al did an 80s electro dance set with Dept S, Wah! Heat, and Heaven 17 (“Fascist Groove Thang”). The show ended with Boston’s The Mighty Ions with a demo of “Time To Get Out of This Place”. But there was more to come….because Al is taking Labor Day off. So he had an extra set of Labor themed songs: The Butthole Surfers with “I Hate My Job”, Kraut and “Unemployed”, Acid Reflux “All Bosses Are Bastards”, Daddy’s Boy and “Work Won’t Love You Back” Hear the Butthole’s “I Hate My Job” and Kraut’s “Unemployed” below. NEW MUSIC/CDs......
The Lolas from Birmingham, AL are just so good! Their newest song is another pop gem titled “From the Start”. The vocals have harmonies all the way through. The guitars have jangle to spare. The guitar solo has some fast runs that make your head swim. The whole production sounds like a combo of sixties and seventies classic power pop. They should start another Yellow Pills compilation just to stick this on it. Guys, you’re killing us!
Our own local power pop punkers Glowbox have a sweet release too. We first saw the group at the International Pop Overthrow at The Union Tavern (formally PA’s) in 2019. If you want that power pop you don’t have to go far with this group in town. "No Place Like Nowhere" has such a great feeling to it. The muscular guitar work and the insistent beat sells the song even before the vocals and extras come in. And listen to that bass, it helps the groove while still having time to do these short up and down runs. So nice ... and well recorded/mixed so you can hear it. There is interesting guitar fills all along and a solo with a cool tone. Usually we like a pop song to be three minutes top, but here the four and a half minutes is perfect. We would be hitting repeat anyway. I mean we did, but it would have been more. Hey, we’ll stick this on our new imaginary Yellow Pills collection too. "No Place Like Nowhere" comes with a video too
Liberation Hall records has just released Emergency at the Old Waldorf 1979 it's a live set by 999 recorded in 1979. Nick Cash writes up some of the liner notes. We haven’t had enough 999 these last few years so it’s refreshing to have this. Right now only the song “Emergency” is up to hear on Bandcamp. The album has 17 cuts. “Nasty Nasty” and “Homicide” are also on the album. It’s officially released on October 18, it will be available on vinyl (some on red vinyl), CD and Download. but can be preordered on Bandcamp and Amazon. 999 played Punk Rock Bowling this year and continue to tour all the time. See their webpage for more info
Here's some good shows coming up .....
September 6, 2024 (Friday) Linnea's Garden celebrates the release of their newest single "No Vision," performing at the Middle East Upstairs with special guests Lipsmear, TIFFY, and Lover of Eve September 6, 2024 (Friday) Bootleg Dan presents: Sharp Class, Muck and the Mires, The Chelsea Curve at The Burren - FB page September 7, 2024 (Saturday) Jennifer Teft &the Strange and Little Billy Lost at The Burren. Music starts at 7pm - FB page September 7, 2024 (Saturday) Girl with a Hawk on A Crash Course for the Ravers 1PM on WMFO- FB page September 7, 2024 (Saturday) The Spackles, The Blends, Camp Creep, Playing With Fire, at The Jungle (Spackles at 8PM) - FB page September 8, 2024 (Sunday) The Somerville Rock And Roll Yard Sale is in Union Square Somerville FB event page September 13, 2024 (Friday) Fierce & Fabulous!!! American Ocelot, Ruby Grove, Girl With a Hawk, Happy Little Clouds at The Jungle - Doors at 7/Music 8
September 14, 2024 (Saturday) The Teardowns, State of the Union, The New Frustrations at The Square Root, Roslindale, September 14, 2024 (Saturday) Bootleg Dan presents: The Prime Movers Reunion!! with Thee Sonomatics at The Burren 7PM show FB event page. September 14, 2024 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb, Robin Lane, and The Nervous Eaters at Askew Provi RI September 14, 2024 (Saturday) Miracle Blood, Sapling, Endation, Slow Quit at Distant Castle in Worcester. September 15, 2024 (Sunday) Wreckless Wreck Chords Presents MidDay Madness with WORM, Working Poor USA, Barry Larry, StressBall, Fice - at The Midway - Matinee 3-7 All Ages $15 3pm Doors - FB page. September 15, 2024 (Sunday) The Thigh Scrapers, The Stigmatics and M.O.T.O.'s Paul & Cory are at the Worthern Attic in Lowell
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: John Powhida, Tiger Bomb, Rick Barton Band at Blue in Portland, ME September 20, 2024 (Friday) Tiger Bomb and The Nervous Eaters at Sonia September 20, 2024 (Friday) Bootleg Dan presents: John Hovorka Band, Crow Follow, Connor Storms and his Bouquet, at The Burren 6:15pm show September 21, 2024 (Saturday) The "Rat Reunion" at The Bellforge Art Center with Nervous Eaters and The Dogmatics. This'll be outside anda its 3-7PM. Link to tix and updates September 21, 2024 (Saturday) The Cynz, Spanking Charlene, Kanak, are at The Parkside Lounge NYC September 22, 2024 (Sunday) Speedfossil 10th Anniversary show. They'll have some past members of Speedfossil joining us for a few songs, as well as sets from The False Positives, Cold Expectations, Stop Calling Me Frank at Tavern At The End of the World. 5-8:30PM show. FB page.
September 28, 2024 (Saturday) DRAGO 20th Anniversary Show with The Downhauls, Dead Like Death, The Blue Bloods at The Midway = this is a matinee at 3PM. FB page. September 28, 2024 (Saturday) Eddie Japan, Lovina Falls and Roxy and The Crisis at Faces Brewery September 29, 2024 (Sunday) Supersuckers, Downhauls, TJ Welch and the Wasted and Speedteeth (That's Jesse Meyers and Andy Excuse's new band!!) at Sammy’s Patio - Revere Beach - Facebook page October 4, 2024 (Friday) The Wyld Gooms, Tiger Bomb, Shades of Night at Geno in Portland. October 5, 2024 (Saturday) Plymouth Punk Rock HALLOWEEN Market - Over 60 vendors selling Weird Stuff For Weird People and live music by Diablogato and Saint James and the Heretics, and there'll be a COSTUME CONTEST and tarot readings, Mayflower Brewing Company Plymouth - FB page for info October 5, 2024 (Saturday) Dreadnoughts, Hub City Stompers, the Pourmen at Sammy's Patio Revere FB page October 11, 2024 (Friday) Barrence Whitfield, Liz Proteau and Mach Bell star in Sci Fi Rock Opera “Beasties” live on stage w/choral cast and band. Regent Theatre, Arlington 6:30pm doors, 7:30pm showtime. October 18, 2024 (Friday) The Fuzzstival at The Armory: Sweeping Promises, Babybaby Explores, Yhwh Nailgun, Bong Wish, Balaclava, Mingko, Nurse Joy, Lupo Citta, The Spatulas, Plant Fight October 19, 2024 (Saturday) The Fuzzstival at The Armory: Doug Tuttle, Greg Freeman, Latrell James, Francie Medosch (of Florry), Paper Lady, Prewn, Clifford, War Machine, Corporeal, Pew Pe. October 19, 2024 (Saturday) 5th annual Punktoberfest music and craft beer festival! Full lineup of bands AND breweries coming soon! Save the date…at Thirsty First Lowell. October 24, 2024 (Thursday) Stupidity, Cocktail Slippers and the Wynotts at Alchemy, Providence FB page. October 25, 2024 (Friday) Moving Targets, The Long Wait, Spiller - Middle East Up - Facebook page
October 26, 2024 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb, The Cocktail Slippers, Stupidity, Muck & The Mires at The Bayside Bowl, Portland, ME FB page November 1, 2024 (Friday) Coffin Salesman (Record Release!), Motel Black, Saeddyr, Squallie Greenthumb at Faces Malden. ! November 23, 2024 (Saturday) Hi-End, Duck and Cover, Color Killers at The Square Root December 6, 2024 (Friday) Warrior Soul, All Sinners and Speed Teeth at Koto Salem 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.
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Gulcher
Records, where you go for all things Gizmos,
is having a set sale. They have every Gizmo release out there. Beyond
Gizmos they have a Thundertrain record here and there
.... one is a Japanese release for $100. 
Monday 9/16 is Vinyl Record Painting. Here you bring your records and use them
as a canvas…paint right on them. Do not play after painting, please.
At the beginning Skybar quizzed Evan about his early days. Evan is a NY guy.
He was also a Ramones fanatic and hung out with them. When he started his first
group, the Voodoo Dolls it was natural for the Ramones to ask
them to open for them.
September 6, 2024 (Friday) Rixe,
Public Trust, The Massacred, The Rejekts, The Pump at Sammys Patio 
September 14, 2024 (Saturday) Kids
Like You and Me present SUPAP - Somerville Underground Pop Arts &
Performance Showcase - with Unnatural Axe, Children of the Flaming Wheel,
Fugue State, Mike from Picnic Lunch... 1:30PM at Lincoln Park (46 Lincoln
Pkwy, Somerville, MA) This is an outdoor show FREE- but $5-$15 suggested donation
for bands. 
September 16, 2024 (Monday) John
Cooper Clarke comes again!!! at The City Winery [7:30PM] 
September 28, 2024 (Saturday) Rich
Mirsky is on A Crash Course for the Ravers on WMFO 1-4PM. 
October 10, 2024 (Thursday) Barrence
Whitfield, Liz Proteau and Mach Bell
star in Sci Fi Rock Opera “Beasties” World Premiere live on stage w/choral
cast and band. Regent Theatre, Arlington 6pm doors,
7pm showtime.
October 25, 2024 (Friday) Bootleg Dan presents
Cocktail Slippers, The Chelsea Curve, DJ Sherman at The Burren 
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