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The BGN News Archive
There was a lot of pre-show attention and anticipation for The Len Price 3 from the UK. John Keegan was there at the Burren last Friday to see the action. It was a full house and the band was “snappy and snotty” according to John.
None of what’s going on at Bandcamp bodes well for the company that has developed up to now. For the time being nothing has changed on the user end. Here’s an article in Pitchfork that has more details.
The pop world was morning this week because of the death of Dwight Twilley. Sincerely the first album by the Dwight Twilley Band came out in 1976 just as punk was beginning. At the initial stage of punk especially there was always a struggle to get enough music to fill a whole radio show. Dwight Twilley was one of those groups the DJ’s would throw in. We remember seeing him at the Paradise. His brand of romantic pop was captivating. He reached some pop heights that not many get to.
Jim Sullivan has the inside tales on lots of musicians. He was there at ground zero for many years with the Boston Globe.
It’s not mentioned in the story but that was around the time Al was dating Aimee Mann. Seems improbable but true. Here’s the article ... You can hear the album below.
He says: “The deterioration of local journalism, in Plymouth and across the country, has reached a crisis stage. In the absence of serious, nonpartisan journalism, we are left with a void that has been filled by rumor, innuendo, and misinformation.” They are setting up staff/reporters. If you are interested, you could contact them. Read more here. Will the new employees know about Mark's "Secret Life"?.
Worcester Magazine has a Halloween playlist with local artists. It jumps across genres but does include: Eddie Japan, Sapling, Evil Streaks, Walter Sickert and the Broken Army of Toys, the Devils Twins, and Prefab Messiahs. They give a rundown on the artists/songs
VIDEOS......
Cold Expectations' video of Lou Miami’s “(I Live With) Ghosts” is out now. Boy, Steve Prygoda is done up to look pretty gruesome. What a great backdrop they have at Hammond Castle in Gloucester, MA. That was a genius idea.
The Iron Roses video was premiered on the New Noise website. New Noise say the group combines punk, ska and hardcore and we think that is spot on. All three are easy to hear in the song “Screaming For a Change.” The uplifting lyrics are boosted with the dual vocal attack and the strong melody in the chorus brings it all home. This is all very effective.
We featured the Lambrini Girls before. They've got a new provocative video for the song “Boys in the Band.” It’s about the problem of rape on the music scene in England. They are frank about it so we give you the warning - if you get triggered by this sort of subject matter, give it a pass. Punk is being used by many to deal with social issues. There’s no going back on these things. The Lambrini Girls You're Welcome on Bandcamp RADIO......
Skybar has had a steady stream of guests on his Rising show on WMFO. This week he keeps it going with Dan Cummings of Dead Already. Dan will play his new release “Landlord” live in the studio. Hear the show on WMFO 91.5 on Tuesday 10/24 at 8 pm or afterwards go to the WMFO schedule page. Hit the Rising show on Tuesday at 8pm and then hit the ‘archive’ link.
We went to Ron’s Monday Late Risers Club show looking for the punk again. Early on he played Deady from Louisville, KY. “Have A Bad Time” from their self-titled album is a right on punk effort. It has the negative thing going for it. Don’t be fooled with the synth intro, it gets punky fast. They do a slow, more quiet song with “Sad Sack.” That is a nice switch up. Nice to see a group take a chance like that. Other than that is all noisy punk. Ron remarked that the song “Crashing” by Upchuck sounds a heck of lot like the Pixies. Boy, does it. They really nail it. The group is from Atlanta, GA. The album, Bite the Hand That Feeds is produced, engineered, and mixed by Ty Segall. The rest is garage punk but doesn’t sound like this cut. Brian Young had Psycho-O-Positive on his WMFO A Crash Course for Ravers show. The group is from Hoboken, NJ. They played the Square Root. They did a few songs in the studio. The quiet psych cast a moody spell. Here’s the Psych-O-Positive’s Bandcamp page To hear the show go to the WMFO schedule page. Hit the A Crash Course for the Raves show on Saturday at 1pm and then hit the ‘archive’ link. PODCASTS.........
This week on the Electric Glam show we get local Smitt E Smitty and the Fezztones with their Halloween ready song “Growler” to follow the T. Rex opener. We were glad to hear Clone with their song “Smack Rabbit”. We get NY Dolls with “Frankenstein” and Lou Reed doing “The Halloween Parade.” Rodger Joseph Manning who used to be in Jellyfish gets a glorious glam sound on his “Rockin’ It Our Way”. Another worthy show.
NEW MUSIC/CDs......
This week we have two superior pop albums by bandmates that have been doing solo for a while. Geoff Palmer and Brad Marino were in The Connection. Within the collective of fellow musicians Zack Sprague, Kris Rodgers and Kurt Baker they have been pumping out album after album of pop rock. It almost defies belief. It’s not just that the albums are good, it’s that they come out one after another with no indication that the well will run dry. Even within these two albums as you listen you think, can there be another pop winner after this one?…and the next one? and there is. As you listen to Geoff Palmer’s An Otherwise Negative Situation you are struck how each song is immediately a world into itself. Whatever that trick is, Palmer has it. His voice and the way it's recorded does a lot of the work. The voice is slightly nasal but captures the lyrics and the spirit of pop and brings it all home, time and time again. We were sold on this album with the early releases of “In the Groove”, “FOMO”, “Give It Up” and “Ignite”. “We Run”, “Dark Thoughts” and “Stuck With You” are all up there with those songs. “Surfing Nebraska” shows how Geoff can have fun with a genre song. “Backseat Driver” starts with a live quote from Janis Joplin, although we can’t figure out why specifically. This was recorded at Woolly Mammoth ... chock up another win for Minehan. We have “Dark Thoughts” on our Top Ten Songs Brad Marino's album is titled Grin & Bear It. One of the many attractions of Marino’s songs is the guitar work. The slide work in “Up and Up” is a nice change up. The 12-String work in “Hung Up” is killer. That’s a Kurt Baker song too. Almost every song has a short, well thought out, ripping solo and choice fills. The title song “Grin & Bear It” has a distinctive halting choppy verse, a simple but effective trick. It catches your attention and you welcome the flowing chorus sections. The songs all are arranged with tricks like that give the tracks individuality and their hooks.
“Another Sad and Lonely Night” is a Bobby Fuller cover. Brad does service to Rolling Stones fans by rescuing “Doing Her Thing” an unreleased 1967 song and doing it up. It’s like an art restoration. He follows that by covering later Stones with “Monkey Man” to close out the album. Bandcamp now has six songs open to listen to but that doesn’t give you the hit of hearing these 11 songs in a row rocking along and adding up. The official release day for this is November 3.
We have “Looking Then” on our Top Ten Songs
We featured the RI group Structure Sounds’ song “Wave” a while back. It sounded like Bad Religion. That song is now part of their new album Light Up Your Sorrow. The closest sounding songs to “Wave” are “2030” and “Tightwire” which are both worthy efforts. “New Horizons” also kicks. We like their bedrock guitar sound and the way they let things get sparse, it seems natural to them. Their new video is of the song “Andrea.” It has the characteristics of a pop song but kicks harder. We love the whole idea of that ... and it works. Boston locals Double Star describe themselves as ‘Oddball pop rock with horns and harmonies’ and we agree with that. They also are a ska band but they tend to leave that out sometimes. Their EP Late At Night, Inside My Head, has one song that’s ska, the previously released “I Know You Say.” The title song is very evocative. The lyrics say “all I want is a space to breathe.” It’s that idea of a quite space. The last song “This Is Not The Stuff We Are Made Of” continues in this vein of reflective thought. Double Star are forging their own musical road.
Sweden’s Psychotic Youth have been around since 1985 and have a dozen albums. You never know that from the fresh sound and energy that radiates from their new generous 15 cut album, Happy Songs. You have to pile up the adjectives to capture the sound, it’s skate, surf, pop punk. They really got to us with “Out of This World.” The way they sing ‘girl’ and ‘world’ – we get weak in the knees for that. Here's a video of that too! We have “Out of The World” on our Top Ten Songs “I Don’t Wanna Go” is a done Ramones style. “Can This Be The One” was the preleased single and is hard to resist. Once you dip in, this is a roller coaster that’s hard to get off!! Here's some good shows coming up .....
October 25, 2023 (Wednesday) The Zip-Ups, Magen Tracy & the Missed Connections, Stars Like Ours, at Sally O'Brien's October 26, 2023 (Thursday) Mudhoney at The Brighton Music Hall 18+ TIX October 26, 2023 (Thursday) Tim Sköld and Nero Bellum combine forces for their brand new project, NOT MY GOD. with special guests Snakes of Russia, Klock Work Echo, Death Loves Veronica plus local guest metal industrial band Deprived at Koto Salem October 27, 2023 (Friday) Hand of the Tribe, Black Helicopter, Wrought Iron Hex, Luxury Deathtrap at The Jungle October 27, 2023 (Friday) Bootleg Dan Presents: The Grip Weeds, 1.4.5., Preacher, Kenne Highland Airforce at Lost Horizon, Syracuse NY FB page. October 28, 2023 (Saturday) The New Frustrations, State of the Union, The Grommets, Stop Calling Me Frank at The Midway for a 3PM matinee show. October 28, 2023 (Saturday) Halloween Hangover with blindspot, Twig, Joshua Sweet at The Jungle
October 29, 2023 (Sunday) GBH and NIIS at The Middle East down. Tickets October 31, 2023 (Tuesday) Monsters at the Midway with Your Friends In Hell, Coffin Salesman, Minusworld, Thou Merciless Graves November 1, 2023 (Wednesday) Beans On Toast, CE Skidmore - 8pm All Ages - Faces Malden November 1, 2023 (Wednesday) Handsome Dick Manitoba playing classic punk including The Dictators songs also on the bill Muck & The Mires, Stop Calling Me Frank -Sammy's Patio, Revere November 1, 2023 (Wednesday) Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets at Brighton Music Hall November 2, 2023 (Thursday) JJ Gonson is having a photo show at EvenetThem Studio in Mefford. There will be photos, merch, tunes and of course there will be CHEESE! Maybe even a Photo Booth. 5-8PM. FB page for addy etc. November 2, 2023 (Thursday) Key of Caustic, Baabes, No Detour, Octavate at The Jungle November 2, 2023 (Thursday) Beans On Toast, Little Low -8pm All Ages Faces Malden
November 3, 2023 (Friday) Paper Tigers will be playing their whole album Charmer in its entirety at O’Brien’s November 3, 2023 (Friday) Modern Day Idols Single Release Party with Tad Overbaugh and the Late Arrivals at Square Root, Roslindale. November 3, 2023 (Friday) Decent Criminal, Sleepwell, Saint Throwaway, Massive Nightmares - 8pm All Ages -Faces, Malden November 3, 2023 (Friday)
Night of The Living Fez! with The Strangemen
(Reunion), Two Ton Com'n & The Heavyweights, Smitt E. Smitty & The Fezztones,
November 3, 2023 (Friday) Handsome Dick Manitoba playing classic punk including The Dictators songs at Race Street Live Holyoke, MA November 4, 2023 (Saturday) Awakebutstillinbed, Stay Inside, Like Roses, Me In Capris - 8pm All Ages- Faces, Malden
November 5, 2023 (Sunday) Handsome Dick Manitoba playing classic punk including The Dictators songs at The Music Room in Yarmouth November 5, 2023 (Sunday) Bootleg Dan presents Captain Easychord, Hummingbird Syndicate, American Ocelot at The Worthen Attic 4PM Early show November 6, 2023 (Monday) Renegade Cartel, Falsely Accused, GhostGuard at The Jungle November 9, 2023 (Thursday) Jeffery Lewis, The Burning Hell, Only Child - 8pm All Ages Faces Malden November 9, 2023 (Thursday) The Cocktail Slippers, The Chelsea Curve at Cafe Nine New Haven, CT November 10, 2023 (Friday) The Cocktail Slippers (Norway), Diamond Dogs (Sweden), Soraia at The Burren Back Room November 11, 2023 (Saturday) Cocktail Slippers and Diamond Dogs will be on A Crash Course for the Ravers WMFO 1-4PM before their Portland show at Geno's
November 11, 2023 (Saturday) The Cocktail Slippers (Norway), Diamond Dogs (Sweden), Soraia, Tiger Bomb at Geno's Portland, ME - sold out - sorry! November 11, 2023 (Saturday) Swamp Roots (Artie Sneiderman and Steve Aquino) along with The Black Souls and Thee Sonomatics are having a rock & roll and blues show at the Century Sportsman's Club in Auburn, MA - It's an Early show - starts at 6:00pm! Here's the FB event page for more info November 12, 2023 (Sunday) Cynz, USM, C.E. Skidmore, The DFB at The Worthen House Attic November 12, 2023 (Sunday) Diamond Dogs, Soraia at Divine Theater, Holyoke MA November 15 - 18, 2023 (Weds - Sat) International Pop Overthrow at The Square Root Rosindale November 16, 2023 (Thursday) Cocktail Slippers, Muck and the Mires, Stigmatics, Sourpunch at Alchemy Providence November 17, 2023 (Friday) Mighty Suicide Squirrels, Degenerates of Punk, Key of Caustic, Goon Platoon at The Jungle
November 17, 2023 (Friday) Acrylic Killers, Honey Cassette, Alfred Be Loud at the Jeanie Johnston Pub in JP November 17 & 18, 2023 (Friday & Saturday) Letters To Cleo and Gigolo Aunts at The Paradise Tickets November 18, 2023 (Saturday) The Fast Tracks, Hammered Saint, The Spackles, Sex Zombies - a 3PM Matinee at The Midway November 18, 2023 (Saturday) Color Killer, Rockin' Bob PunkBand, Super Beef, Solipsis at the Middle East - Matinee show starts at Noon!! November 19, 2023 (Sunday) The third night (the other two nights are sold out) celebrating the life of Paul Christian and benefitting his family with Squallie Greenthumb, Nick and the Adversaries, Diablogato, Ruin the Night - There will be lots of surprises, raffles, etc! at Faces Brewing - FB event page November 24, 2023 (Friday) Bootleg Dan presents- Kurt Baker Acoustic, Brad Marino, Kris Rodgers, Drew Eckmann Band at Geno's Portland, ME November 25, 2023 (Fri, Sat, Sun) Blood Lightning (Record Release), Kind, Casket Rats, Lipsmear at The Middle east Up November 25, 2023 (Saturday) Girl With A Hawk, Cold Expectations at The Divine Theater Holyoke, MA
December 1, 2 & 3 2023 (Saturday) Triple B Records presents The FINAL America’s Hardcore Fest with Negative Approach, Slapshot, Mindforce, Gridiron, Fury, Shipwreck, Spy, COA, Restraining Order, Buried Alive, Adrienne, Best Wishes, C4, Combust, Missing Link, Wild Side, Wreckage, Vantage Point, and more TBA. December 2, 2023 (Saturday) The Hammer Party, Black Helicopter, Spiller, George James T Maze at The Midway December 2, 2023 (Saturday) The Swelltune Records Holiday Shindig with the Rock-A-Sonics! - 8pm All Ages Faces Malden December 2, 2023 (Saturday) Buffalo Tom at The Paradise December 2, 2023 (Saturday) Hammered Saint at Parkside Lounge NYC December 3, 2023 (Sunday) Triple B Records Presents : Americas Hardcore Fest Day 2 with Negative Approach, Slapshot, Spy, Restraining Order, Wild Side, Grand Scheme, C4, Vantage Point, All Ages, $30 Advance / $35 Day of Show, 5pm Middle East Down December 3, 2023 (Sunday) The Chelsea Curve, State of the Union, DJ Sherman at The Worthen Attic December 8, 2023 (Friday) Huck 2, Gretchen Shae and The Middle Eight and Key of Caustic at Koto Underground, Salem
December 9, 2023 (Saturday) Connor Storms, Fire King, Crow Follow at The Square Root December 10, 2023 (Sunday) Back Porch Carousel rocks The Plough & Stars for the holiday season - 4PM show - FB page. December 10, 2023 (Sunday) Mad Painter, Church Puppets, Galaxy Cake at The Worthen Attic December 15, 2023 (Friday) Sheer Terror, Nothing But Enemies, American War Machine, ICU, Rejekts, Clearance at The Middle east Up December 15, 2023 (Friday)
December 16, 2023 (Saturday) Jittery Jack & Amy Griffin Record Release Party with Deke Dickerson, Pledge Pins - 7pm All Ages Faces Malden December 17, 2023 (Sunday) Slimedog's Drag Puppet Punk Xmas Show (with poetry & free pizza)! Featuring... Kermit's Finger, Grimly Pleased, The Jacklights, Charmed & Strange, The Instamatics, plus poetry from Jake Tringali! FB page December 17, 2023 (Sunday) Stars Like Ours, The Magic City, Roxy And The Crisis at The Jungle
January 26, 2023 (Friday) Hooligan Holiday Night 1 - Suited and Booted with DJ Boss Hooligan, Stress The White Boy, DJ Ruben Doc Marten Soundsystem January 27, 2023 (Saturday) Hooligan Holiday Night 2 - The Templars, Battle Ruins, Merauder, Violent Way, Powerhouse at The Paradise March 2, 2023 (Saturday) Negative FX, Wrecking Crew. Wound Man, Savage Heads, Please Die, Eye Witness at The Middle East Down - all ages 1PM matinee show 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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We’ve been looking at the Bandcamp situation with fear for a while now.
This week it came out that Songtradr who bought Bandcamp has laid off about
half the staff. Songtradr claims it’s just to make the company more competitive.
Recently on the Rock and Roll Globe website Jim wrote an article
on the early days of Al Jourgensen by looking at the recording
of his first Ministry album With Sympathy (1983). Two of the musicians
on that album, recorded at the Cars Synchro Sound studio, were from local group
Adventure Set. They were Brad Hallen, now
of the Nervous Eaters, and Mark Pothier. There’s a lot
to unpack in this story. You get Jourgensen’s side and you get some Adventure
Set history.
Mark Pothier of Adventure Set went on to work as an editor
of the Boston Globe. He's been in the news recently because he's been
hired as the Editor & CEO of the Plymouth Independent a new outlet
for the Plymouth, MA area.
October 23, 2023 (Monday) Dark Electro
Night with Deftly Demolition, Robert Bushinsky, Lucretia's Daggers at
the Silhouette Lounge 
October 28, 2023 (Saturday) SPOOKY Halloween
Spectacular with Guided By Choices, The Martignettis, CCR by Perfectly
Lethal, Sparks by Travels With Brindle - 8pm All Ages Faces Malden
November 2, 2023 (Thursday) Handsome
Dick Manitoba playing classic punk including The Dictators songs at
Geno's Portland, ME
November 4, 2023 (Saturday) Plymouth
Punk Rock Market Invades Weymouth! Noon - 4 PM at Barrel Z - 
November 11, 2023 (Saturday) KLYAM's
annual Rama Lama Ding Dong Fest! with Johnny & The Foodmasters,
Balaclava (NY), Gossip Collar (ex-Spitz), Nurse
Joy, Orange Whip (new band with members of Funeral Cone/Ancient Filth)
at O'Brien's 
November 17, 2023 (Friday) Tribute night
to your favorite goth & post-punk bands: Staring At the Sea performing
The Cure and Gretchen & the Banshees performing Siouxsie
& the Banshees at The Midway
November 27, 2023 (Monday) Dark
Rain, Authentic Dissent, Rawstrum, Gavriloprincip at The Midway
December 8, 2023 (Friday) Girl
With A Hawk CD Release Party, Cold Expectations, USM, at The Burren
January 11, 2023 (Thursday) Punk
Rock Karaoke with members of (Bad Religion, Circle Jerks The
Dickies, Pennywise, Goldfinger) Pick a song,they give you the lyrics.They
call your name and voila! you are the singer in a punk rock band backed by the
finest hand picked side men.Simple...there will be a sign up sheet at venue
- The Middle East Down. 
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