The BGN News Archive

Dave Tree drinks the new Tree Beer

WOW!! Now you can listen to TREE and drink TREE, beer that is! The Dorchester Brewing Company has a ‘harcore lager’ named for the band - TREE.

They're having a Beer Release Party featuring (the beer) but also the bands TREE, INGRATE, DJ Treeman, & more!!
Get your tickets here!! Move fast folks there are only 150 tix available. 7-10PM - 21+

Stu Ginsburg has been involved in the local Music Business since 1990 ... from record labels, to club owner, to DJ, or talent buyer in all New England States. He's lately been booking some great shows under the banner "Platorum." Many on the North Shore, and Salem in particular but also at Sammy's Patio, Revere among a lot of other places. He's responsible for some recent shows like The SuperSuckers with the Downhauls and Speed Teeth, and Deer Tick and many others.

John Keegan caught up with Stu and had an insightful conversation. Check it out here.

BOOKS......

The book Monsters, A Fans Dilemma by Claire Dederer is getting a lot of attention. It’s about how you treat art that has been created by an artist who is racist, sexist or anti-Semitic. Can you still enjoy it? Should you? That leads to artists like Hemingway, Woody Allen, Polanski and Picasso ... and that leads to Jonathan Richman’s song “Pablo Picasso.” Dederer quotes two lines from the song and lets it lead her into talking about Picasso’s abuses. She uses the word ‘asshole’ from the song a few times. It fits so well into the point she was trying to make.

We love these situations where you can see the culture picking up on punk and its art long after its original creation (1972). “Pablo Picasso” seems so simple as a song but it expresses something real that has resonated since it came out. The song has a Wikipedia page with a footnote to our 1980 BGN interview with Richman.

VIDEOS......

They did it first! The Spackles are the first group this year with a Halloween themed video! It's “Spy in the House of Frankenstein”. The guys look like horrible!…and this time it’s on purpose. They are zombiefied. The vid was filmed at the Haunted Overload in Lee, NH.

They have guest appearances by Mr. Frankenstein and his bride. The song is suitable to the topic. The Spackles know exactly what’s needed in a case like this. The comic/horror culture is their play yard.

The video is as cheesy as hell. It’s just a bunch of sock puppets superimposed on a concert clip. That just makes us love it more!! This is a video of “I’m a Fucking Delight” by the Rip Taylors from Nashville. It’s been stuck in our noggins since we heard it a week ago when we reviewed it. We sing it to ourselves to increase our feeling of self-esteem and well-being.

Salem Wolves have a video for “What You Need” from their Psychotron Speaks album. Salem Wolves have an inherent drama in their songs and that is at the fore in “What You Need.” The video uses that somber tone, it's done up in black and white. The visuals look like a graphic novel of a brooding hero. The backdrop is the Atlantic Mills in Olneyville, Providence. The song and visuals are a perfect match.

The Prozacs are going to do a split album Better Late Than Never, with The Downstrokes. it will be out in December. Each group has released one song with a video. Here’s the Prozacs video for the song “Getting Bored.” That’s a sure fire punk song subject matter and is a no-miss for Jay Prozac’s pop punk prowess.

PODCASTS.........

Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico has long-time song writer Emily Grogan in for a talk.

Emily grew up in Sharon in a music loving family. She was always surrounded by music. She plays sax as well as guitar.

Emily has some good stories ... she had Mr. Butch setting up a gig with Steve Albini’s Rapeman back in the day. Then she was playing Primal Plunge (Allston) with GG Allen. She goes through a series of bands, one where she played drums. She interacted with a lot of punkers in the 80’s. She joins up with Jerri Cain Rossi in NYC in 1992. In 1998 she forms the Emily Grogan Band.

Her story gets more complicated ... she ends up in a band called Hormone Replacement Theory and that leads to a the realty TV show called Rocker Moms - here's in episode 1. There’s lots more turns in her unusual career. Tune in and take it in.

The Elastic Glam show this week had a must listen song right off with “Bargain Bin Bowie” by Spoon Speaker Man. It seems to be about someone getting drawn into the glam lifestyle. A choice cut. It has a video worth watching too. Other new songs were by Bobbie Dazzle, Starbenders, Kat Robichaud and Last Diner Party.

Throwbacks were Slade, Queen, Shocking Blue, Iron Virgin (“Rebel Rule” from 1974), Hello (1977) and the Cure.

In the local vein it was the new Tiger Bomb and Tell. There’s always a lot to take in on the Elastic Glam show.

On Sonic Overload, Al Quint played two songs from Reagan Youth in memory of the death of guitarist of Paul (Bakija) Cripple.

The last song in that set was an intense hardcore song “Sytematic Indoctrination” by a Mass group Solitary Neglect, who were around between 2002 to 2005. We have that song imbedded below.

Later Al had a four song set for the Gang of Four. It was 45 years ago that the Entertainment album came out which is why they are doing their Long Goodbye Tour (with dates in Mass! see gig listings below)

Near the end he played two punk classics: The Dickies with “You Drive Me Ape” and The Forgotten Rebels with “Surfin’ on Heroin”.

We thought there was not only good hardcore songs this week but whole sets that were solid core and satisfying. An excellent week on Sonic Overload.

You can hear the whole show on the Sonic Overload web page

NEW MUSIC/CDs......

We heard Skybar play this Fatal Flaw song on his Rising show. We saw Fatal Flaw a few times around 2015. and they've been out gigging lately.

Fatal Flaw are power pop but “Stop Pushing Me Away” doesn’t have a jangle to it. This song has an emotional core and it sounds like it comes from personal experience. The band plays, chunking at the power chords, and the melody carries the song along. The guitar solo hits home. We found ourselves hanging on the lyrics and the way the singer phrased them.

Back in 2015 we thought this group should have a higher profile around town and we still think that.

Parlour Bells' new EP To Be or Not to Behave includes “Slasher Movie Weather” which we loved along with its video .

“The Ballad of Felix Monica” is suitable story for Parlour Bells, it's about a UFO incident over Lake Superior in 1953. We love the guitar solo in this. It’s a short phrase that seems like a repeated scream because of the thick tone and the string bending.

There's variety in the songs with “Knight Owl” being heavier, “Slasher Movie Summer” more cinematic, “Dixies” slower and serious and “The Ballad Felix Monica” is ghostly and other worldly.

The recording is excellent. The band is top notch. They are always the perfect accompaniment and you cannot deny Goddamn Glenn’s voice. We get drawn in like a spell every time we play “Slasher Movie Summer”.

Rum Bar Records has unearthed another Boston treasure: Hotbox. That band was a combo of the Dogmatics, Left Nut, Matweeds, and Last Stand. Thepre-released single “Girl I Want” was very good. Now we know the rest of the album is all as good as that and more.

The album starts with “Time Goes On” which begins with a mammoth sounding two chord arpeggio. These recordings sound big and loud in a natural way not in just large amps turned up.

Listen to “When It’s Over” come crashing out of the gate. It’s big chords and pounding drums that surprise you and this is after three other songs that are not pussy footin' around.

The last cut “If Your Lucky” starts with some fast chording and a group ‘yee haw” done with a surfeit of enthusiasm. The group sounds like they are the embodiment of boundless energy. These eight cuts literally never, but never, let up for a minute.

What an edge this group has, they seem all wound up. The guitar solos are highlights as they aim to cut and slash. Some of this can be attributed to the good recording but this album was recorded at two different studios, it’s the group who brought the goods. Most songs are written by Jerry Lehane and we should all tip our hat to him for the amazing songs he has given us and continues to give us with the very much prolific Dogmatics in 2024.

You gotta ask yourself what we were doing in 1990 that we didn’t notice this group more back then?

It’s more Rum Bar Record action with Gene Champagne. Gene is a Canadian drummer who was in the Killjoys and drummed for Teenage Head. His Let’s Jet album has him playing all the instruments. There’s one song out now -“Rock ‘n Roll Boy.” It's a simple Ramones style 1-4-5 progression. We are just suckers for this, there's no resistance. We got hooked and did a non-stop replay for an embarrassing amount of times.

We love where the guitar plays a line in the low strings that connects the chord structure at the 56 second mark…and it only happens there. Another spot we like is at the end, where the guitars go staccato on the “rock ‘n roll boy” line. The melody line has a few ear worm moments too. Love it.

Stop Calling Me Frank, also on Rum Bar, are closing in on their 40th Anniversary. They'll have an album with some old recordings on it. One of those is “Off the Hook” which they released on Friday. It's the old Rolling Stone song done up SCMF style. They speed it up, liven it up and add a horn arrangement. Then there is the guitar work by Dan Zug who lets loose in the middle. There’s gonna be no way to stop the boppin’ when they play this live.

We are crazy for One More Billy from Australia. We spotlighted three songs by them. Now, they have a six song EP titled Six Sick Songs. The new songs are “Rotten New World”, the title tells the story. “Drugs on the Floor” is a solid block of sound that the group rides and rages. Wow, killer. “I Need a Break” sounds like they are on the edge and ready to crack up, but every song sounds like that.

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

October 10, 2024 (Thursday) Davila 666, Las Nubes, Ladrones, Gossip Collar at Deep Cuts, Medford, MA

October 10, 2024 (Thursday) The False Positives, The Cynz, Freeloader, at The Burren,

October 10 & 11, 2024 (Thursday & Friday) 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 11, 2024 (Friday) Linnea's Garden, Battlemode, Frogs, Mighty Tortugal at The Jungle

October 12, 2024 (Saturday) Warthog (Ramones tribute) and Social Destruction ( Social Distortion tribute) at Koto Lowell

October 12, 2024 (Saturday) Thee Associates, The New Frustrations at The Barrel House Z in Weymouth - FB page.

October 13, 2024 (Sunday) Zip Tie Handcuffs, and Black Helicopter at The Scurvy Dog, Prov - 2 PM matinee!

October 13, 2024 (Sunday) Falsely Accused, Captain Easy Chord, Johnny Plankton, 4-7pm at The Worthen Attic

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 18, 2024 (Friday) Salem Access TV is filming this show - it will be broadcast at a later date: The bands are Gwello, The Negans, and Aluminium. it's at 285 Derby St Salem. Starts at 5PM!!! This is a Symphonix exclusive event - there are only 40 tickets available for sale at $20 each & This is a BYOB event - check out the FB event page for HOW to get tickets.

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 Pew.

October 19, 2024 (Saturday) 5th Annual Punktoberfest music and craft beer festival at Thirsty First Lowell. Bands will be Nick Barbarian, Savor The Silence, Welch Boys, First Pick, Ruffian Dick, The Ghouls, OnlyThings, SOTAH, Sonic Bomb, CE Skidmore and the DFB and The Promised End - TICKETS!!

October 19, 2024 (Saturday) Stop Calling Me Frank's 40th Anniversary featuring Jay Allen, Stop Calling Me Frank (two sets!), State of the Union, The Piranha Brothers, The Spackles at The Midway

October 21, 2024 (Monday) The Stress Balls, Dave Strong, Joe Gallo and the Qualms - At the Jungle, Somerville, MA. 5PM/Free

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 25, 2024 (Friday) Bootleg Dan presents Cocktail Slippers, Stupidity, The Chelsea Curve, DJ Sherman at The Burren

October 25, 2024 (Friday) Cape Cod show with Noun (from Philly, featuring Marissa Paternoster from Screaming Females), Grasshopper Green (Falmouth), Modern Hut (New Jersey) at The Christ Church Episcopal in Harwich Port. 6:30 doors, 7:00 bands $15, all ages, no drugs/booze.

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

October 30, 2024 (Wednesday) Gang of Four are at The Cut in Glooucester! Tickets.

October 30- Nov. 2, 2024 (Weds - Sat) International Pop Overthrow is here, at the Square Root. 21 bands. In there are: Hummingbird Syndicate, Corin Ashley, Speedfossil, Cold Expectations, Fezztones, Sal Baglio, Kelly Knapp, Girl With a Hawk and many more. Check the FB page for bands/times/tix

November 1, 2024 (Friday) Coffin Salesman (Record Release!), Motel Black, Saeddyr, Squallie Greenthumb at Faces Malden.

November 2, 2024 (Saturday) Neutral Nation and Diablogato at Askew in Providence. Doors at 8, bands start at 9. FB page

November 8, 2024 (Friday) Boston Punk Rewound/Unbound. The Arthur Freedman Collection - "2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Rat, a location that looms large in both the Freedman Collection and in Boston lore. To mark the occasion, the Harvard Film Archive and the Loeb Music Library—who collectively steward the Freedman tapes in the collection—have partnered to bring you an evening celebrating the bands, venues and wider scene documented in the Freedman collection."

Read more here!! and see you there!! 7PM at The Harvard Film Archive 24 Quincy Street Cambridge, MA 02138

November 8, 2024 (Friday) Hilken Mancini Band, The Cujo, Mary Lou Lord at Sonia , Cambridge,

November 8, 2024 (Friday) Steve Conte Trio, Tiger Bomb, The Shang Hi Los at Koto Lowell - FB page.

November 8, 2024 (Friday) Wormtown show with Swamp Roots, Thee Sonomatics and The Wray-Ons (playing the music of the Link Wray & The Wraymen) at Husky's Pub (413 Park Ave, WorcesterMA) Bands start at 8 PM. .

November 9, 2024 (Saturday) The Pist, Grip Bite, Neighborhood Shit, Trollmilk, 1PM doors - Matinee All Ages Middle East FB page

November 9, 2024 (Saturday) Shaggahs, The Wynotts, Carnivals, Hot Franks at Faces in Malden - FB page

November 9, 2024 (Saturday) Silver Screams, Black Helicopter and Jay Allen and the Archcriminals are at The Square Root.

November 9, 2024 (Saturday) TRAITRS, Dead Leaf Echo, Gretchen Shea and the Middle Eight at The MIddle East Up

November 16, 2024 (Saturday) Kal Marks (Release Show!) Paper Lady, Black Beach at Deep Cuts, Medford

November 23, 2024 (Saturday) Diablogato, The Long Wait, Speed Teeth at Faces in Malden tickets

November 23, 2024 (Saturday) Hi-End, Duck and Cover, Color Killers at The Square Root

November 30, 2024 (Saturday) Midway Matinee of Punk! with WORM, Presidential Disgrace, Screw Cart, Neponset Monestary - at The Midway for a 3PM Matinee!!

December 6, 2024 (Friday) Warrior Soul, All Sinners and Speed Teeth at Koto Salem

April 20, 2025 (Friday) Gang of Four at The Crystal Ballroom, Somerville. Tickets.

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.