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The BGN News Archive
Vanyaland talked to booking agent Derek Widtfeldt in their recent article on the reopening.
Not so happy news - It happened in Chicago - watch out it could happen here!! Four record stores were robbed. One store had $10,000.00 dollars of boxed sets and rare Chinese metal records, just what we don’t want to hear. The store owners are a bit perplexed, stealing is one thing but it will take work to sell some of the items they took. It looks like it might have been one gang of thieves. Here’s an article on the theft
For many people running a record store is their ideal job. Matt Kessler, from Too Many Records (perfect name Matt!) in Portland, OR, has a video where he discusses the five hardest things about running a record store: finding collections, not selling online, getting people into the store, keeping up with current prices and disappointing the regulars. There are a lot more videos about the world of vinyl records on his YouTube channel Matt posts choice drops on Instagram and in the store Facebook group
So there's a fund raiser drive so that those stores can get $$ to help pay for the mag. And there are some perks for those that donate a certain amount of dollars!! Records stores in Massachusetts on the list are Wanna Hear It Records, Watertown, MA, Belltower Records, North Adams, MA. Here's a link to help out.
Last week we forgot to mention that Scott “Top Ten” Kempner of the Dictators died at 69 from complications from early onset dementia. The Dictators 1975 album The Dictators Go Girl Crazy was one of those just pre-punk albums that punks loved. It was real hard to find good music in those years. After the Dictators, Top Ten was in the Del-Lords (1982). Those albums got played a lot on punk radio too. Some background in Variety
Hmmm, how things have changed…not for SSD but for Guitar World. No way would they have any hardcore group in that mag back in 1981. It took 40 years but SSD and hardcore won the battle for respect. The article is of good length and well done. They get the story right and yes, talk about Al Barile’s double humbucker SG. There are a few Philin Phlash photos. That’s one big advantage for the band - always having Phil around to document the shows. The video for “How Much Art” done this year is packed with Phil’s photos .
Go to Worcester Magazine to get the full list and comments. And there's still time ...and alternative markets...to do your holiday shopping: December 16, 2023 (Saturday) Small Mart - at Deep Cuts in Medford Square from 12PM - 5PM This market features a curated selection of local artisans, vintage, records sellers, makers and crafters! RSVP on Eventbrite for a free ticket (tickets not needed for entry)
December 23, 2023 (Saturday) Small Mart is at The Crystal Ballroom in Davis Square. The SMALL MART marketplace has a sense of humor and wants to turn the idea of the big box store on its head by empowering local businesses to come together to create a space of accessibility for a thoughtful shopper. The vendors have been carefully chosen and their goods are unique and small batch. FB event page VIDEOS...... Evil Felipe are sharing videos of them in the process of creating. The latest is the making of their video for Summer Rain (above left). Looking at the finished video here would be good preparation for viewing the ‘making of’ one. In the other video it’s humbling to see the group in a home studio recording and mixing the music that became their Into The Ivy album (video to the right is Part One). It’s such an excellent sounding album that we picture them in a typical formal studio set up. It’s the same with the video filming. It seems all very loose but the finished product works in every way. We figure many groups work this way now but this is the first time we have got a glimpse of the process. Check out the other videos here: Part Two, Part Three, Part Four Evil Felipe will release their new song “Forever and a Day” soon.
Green Day have a very blunt statement about substance abuse and it’s personal ... personal to Billy Joe who has had drinking and drug problems. The video for “Dilemma” is so spot on!! It shows the group having a grand old time screwing around and partying, all portrayed in black and white. Then the video goes to color and you see a reenactment of what happened in the ‘real world’ where drinking results in obnoxious and boring behavior. It is so true and hilarious. In the rock/punk world we are always in bars, which is a constant temptation to many. Drugs have always had a cool cachet to them. Even if we know better now, it’s still a struggle for so many to stay straight. This video is a good lesson. Here’s some info on the video and the Green Day touring plans RADIO...... Skybar had Linnea Herzog in the studio on hisWMFO Rising show this past week. Linnea has a short rock band history, basically Powerslut was her first group and then Linnea’s Garden.
Linnea said, even as she was promoting the Mirrors EP, the group was going in to record some more songs. She then did a live version of a new song called “Chaotic Bisexual Summer.” That will shake up the closed-minded and that’s why it’s good to keep these subjects up and in public view. Listen to the show go to the WMFO schedule page. Hit the Rising show on 8 to 10 pm on Tuesday, then hit the ‘archive’ button. This Tuesday (12/12) Skybar will have Shiverlane in for an interview and to play some live songs. Their last few songs have been hits to us. We can’t get enough of “Aeroplane Driver.”
PODCASTS......... The Elastic Glam show is still Christmas strong. The T.Rex opener was some Christmas songs from a 1972 fan club issue. Silverglam proves again that the glam sound works wonders on Christmas material with “No One Waits Till Christmas.” We love hearing any Clone song, this week it was “Magpie Love.” The 1976 throwback “Star Studded Sham” by Hello brought us back to the day. Then it was some live Slade, can’t beat that. The “Glam Rock Christmas” by Romano Nervoso summed up the show too. The Elastic Glam show is having a New Year’s Eve countdown of songs from 2023. They have a list where you can vote for your favorites here
Blowing Smoke had Jaime Sciarappa and Chris Foley of SS Decontrol. With the reissue of The Kids Will Have Their Say the band has gotten a lot of interest. This was a chance to hear drummer Chris Foley’s story. He auditioned for SSD when he was 16. That would be in 1981. Jaime says that when Chris auditioned they all thought, “Man, this guy can play” and they knew they couldn’t. Chris gives an insight into the conversation about being Straight Edge. He drank but was amenable to changing. They talk a lot about recording The Kids Will Have Their Say. It wasn’t easy. They said that the Get It Away album will come out in 2024.
Steeve did another interview this week with Paul Fox. Paul was hanging around with a lot of the early hardcore groups and gives a lot of stories of how the band members got introduced to each other. He was also around for some early punk shows.
NEW MUSIC/CDs......
Abbie Barrett has a well done Christmas song out. We like that it is aimed at adults. The lyrics are filled with Christmas hallmarks like frosted glass, mistletoe, carolers and stockings by the hearth, but the singer is alone and wishing on the Christmas Star for help. The playing is choice and restrained. The background vocal arrangement is striking. This is a class job. A true Romantic Christmas gem.
It’s the seventh Christmas for the Miracle on Comm Ave series. This album is a fund raiser for Child’s Play which is a charity to buy video games and other toys for terminally sick children. You get The Black Cheers doing the negative thing with “I Can’t Begin (To Tell You How I Hate Christmas), Joey Baron (ex of the Drunk Nuns) gets a long way with just a uke and sound effects and Michael Kane creates instant atmosphere with that voice. Buy on Bandcamp for an easy charity gift for Christmas They've raised almost $600.00 so far.
Richie Parsons' new punk EP Rhymes With Rock. is on Bandcamp now. Unnatural Axe do shows every now and then but don’t actively do new songs but Richie has been doing different material, so when he had some punk songs that just came to him over the years, he decided to recorded them. This is primo punk!! That we get it in 2023 seems extra special. We can hear the Axe playing these at some future show. We were there as these were being recorded too We have “#1 Punk” on our Top Ten Songs.
Girl With a Hawk’s five song EP Keep’er Lit collects four previously released songs and one new one. You can see how the songs stand on their own and also how they have a commonality that makes this a powerful collection. Linda Viens is able to fill her songs with personal emotions while making them universal at the same time. “The Romantic” is all about her having that quality and she makes it very much a positive thing to be proud of. The song has a Velvet Underground feel to it which we love. “Feel Me” is Linda’s song to Justine Covault. We’ll always feel that loss when we hear the song. It also makes its mark with its psych guitar and new wave keywork. “The Ones” is a wonderful salute to friendship. You can see on Linda’s social posts that she values friendship. This is a graphic illustration of how you take what you love and the elements of your life and make music. “Same Stars” slots into the universal connection we share just because we are human. We are all under the same stars. In “Good Enough” the band gets to crank it out. This song is loose and full of energy. We love the mix on this where the instruments are pushed way to the left and right. At times they feel like they are tucked into the speakers. The voice is in the middle, where the bass takes over the same sonic space for some attention. The horns are in the right speaker with a sort of soul arrangement. You need to replay to hear what the guitarist is doing in the left channel.
Huck 2 have been releasing some fine singles for about a year now. Those singles are now part of the new album Soylent Red, White and Blue. They're veteran players who play just what the songs need. There’s very little flash, but the riffs fit the songs like a glove, that along with the lyrics and vocals make some of the song resonate beyond the mere notes. They all have a ‘feel’ to them. Their live set on a Crash Course for the Ravers this year reinforced that they had superior live chops. The lyrics show the group to be a thinking man’s group. They are making comments on the world (“Stop the World”). There is politics (“Letter Home”, “Echo Chamber”) but it’s not overt or overbearing. You have to dig in just a bit. They capture a poignant situation of homelessness in “Neighbor”. Our faves are “Evelyn”, “Star” and “Echo Chamber”. This was recorded at Woolly Mammoth with Minehan.
Screw Cart’s new song “Mudroom” might seem like a harmless romp….but this is Screw Cart. They might be “hootin’” and “hollerin’” in the mudroom but it’s not simple party time. This is the group that had the “Cheese Wheel” of gothic terror and the “Road Trip” to Satan’s place. The mudroom here is for primal fun. They want you to join their “legion of doom.” They try to make it sound like fun, those tricksters!! They get some great guitar sounds. Listen to the intro. The very beginning sounds like a Creedence Clearwater Revival song for a few seconds. Man, this group is putting out some sharp stuff. Screw Cart are doing a 3PM matinee show the Midway on Sunday Jan 14 with Stop Calling Me Frank, The Spackles and Jay Allen & The Archcriminals
We know Cindy Lawson from her Rum Bar Records release Don’t Come Crying to Me. Cindy has a longer recording history though. Looking around we found her Whoops Kitty album from 2022 where she has a song titled “Jonathan Richman.” The song has an air of innocence about it, trying to ape Jonathan’s tone and that works. The lyrics in the chorus go, “Jonathan you make me happy, Jonathan you make me smile”. We bet there are enough songs about Jonathan that you could have an album of those.
Here's some good shows coming up .....
December 14, 2023 (Thursday) Modern Day Idols, Autumn Hollow at Notch Brewing Brighton December 15, 2023 (Friday) Sheer Terror, Nothing But Enemies, American War Machine, ICU, Rejekts, Clearance at The Middle east Up FB page December 15, 2023 (Friday) Actor|Observer, Sleep Spirit, girih, Empty Halls at The Shaksheen Pub, Manchester, NH - 7PM doors. FB page. December 16, 2023 (Saturday) SMART MART Holiday Market Deep Cuts in Medford Square from 12PM - 5PM for a market featuring a curated selection of local artisans, vintage, records sellers, makers and crafters! RSVP on Eventbrite for a free ticket (tickets not needed for entry) and here's the FB page. December 16, 2023 (Saturday) Light of Day Records and Indie617 present a rockin' night to benefit The Cancer Care Equity Center at Dana-Farber with Muck and the Mires, Vapors of Morphine, The Chelsea Curve, Muzzins, The Ray Liriano Experience, Uncivil Servants and Henry Santoro will be MCing the event! 6pm, at the Crystal Ballroom Tickets start at $25 with various tiers of support. All proceeds go to Dana Farber Cancer Care Equity Center. TIX HERE December 16, 2023 (Saturday) Massa Nera, Infant Island, New Forms at The Democracy Center - all ages - portion of proceeds will be donated to Youth On Fire Harvard Square.
December 16, 2023 (Saturday) 6th Annual Toys for Tots at The Midway with Matt Charette and the Truer Sound, Loser's Circle, Jonee Earthquake Band, Dave Wells, this is a Matinee 3 PM Show, ALL AGES! and bring an unwrapped toy to donate. December 16, 2023 (Saturday) Abysmal Depths Productions is proud to bring you this Toys For Tots benefit holiday show. Bring a donations of an unwrapped toy to be donated to the Toys For Tots program - Bands: Loser Birds, Rocket Gods, The Woods, D-Coy, Artificial Extinction at Porters Pub in Rockland (South Shore near Brockton) Facebook event page. December 16, 2023 (Saturday) Mach Bell Experience with Wicked Theory - 7pm Magic Room, 83 Morse Rd. Bldg. #5, Norwood MA TIX HERE December 17, 2023 (Sunday) Black Mold Unholy Market, 11AM-5:30PM Salem Town Hall - 40 amazing local vendors - free admission - and the most Unholy Market of the season! Get your last minute holiday gifts and have a good time!! Check the FB event page for vendors. And it's FREE to enter! 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) The Holiday Mess-Around - with Rum Bar Records recording artist Kate Redgate, Tad Overbaugh , Dave Harrison, and Richie Parsons w/guest Tony Kacynski. December 18, 2023 (Monday) Johnnie & The Foodmasters, The Wailin Milfs, Delons at The Silhouette December 20, 2023 (Wednesday) Show Wrap Party and Gallery Talk for JJ Gonson's Photo Show - The show closes at the end of December. so here's a party and gallery talk. Doors open at 6pm At 7pm JJ will talk about her experience shooting bands and her history with touring and photography. After that there will be snacks and entertainment until about 9:30. FB event page. and to buy JJ's merch and photos go to her website December 23, 2023 (Saturday) LAST MINUTE GIFT SHOPPING at Small Mart Holiday Market at The Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre 11-4 - The vendors have been carefully chosen and their goods are unique and small batch......FB page Already Dead, The Ungraded, Degenerates of Punk and COB on December 23rd. Thirsty First December 27, 2023 (Wednesday) Bike Thrasher, Miracle Blood, Neck Dive at Faces Malden December 28, 2023 (Thursday) Shiverlane and Freeloader at Notch Brewing Brighton
December 30, 2023 (Saturday) The Manglers at The Square Root January 5, 2023 (Saturday) Black Mold Market Presents- Last show before Koto renovations! Come out and celebrate! with Troll Milk, Freak, Dental Dames, The Downhauls, Brix'n Mortar at Koto. FB page January 6, 2023 (Sunday) Double Star, The Jacklights, Fox Canadian at The Jungle for a 3PM matinee show January 8, 2023 (Monday) OrangePeelMystic, Scove Cone, Blazers Over Turtlenecks at The Silhouette 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. We went to one in 2015 and it was loads of fun!! January 13, 2023 (Saturday) Kid Gulliver at The Square Root January 14, 2023 (Sunday) Stop Calling Me Frank, The Spackles, Screw Cart, Jay Allen and The Archcriminals at The MIdway - MAtinee show at 3PM. January 14, 2023 (Sunday) Chris Brokaw's new band Lupo Sita with Hidden Fountain and Pledge Pins at O’Brien’s
January 24, 2023 (Wednesday) Sweet Petunia, SiMoN (On Tour From Japan), Ivy Boy, Daphne Blue Underworld at The Silhouette 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) BikeTrasher, Miracle Blood, Neck Dive at Faces Malden - tix here! January 27, 2023 (Saturday) Hooligan Holiday Night 2 - The Templars, Battle Ruins, Merauder, Violent Way, Powerhouse at The Paradise February 7, 2023 (Wednesday) Pledge Pins, Nice Guys, Andy California at The Silhouette
February 10, 2023 (Saturday) Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight, Ex-Hyena, Looking Glass War at Faces Malden February 10, 2023 (Saturday) The Dreadnoughts, Mickey Rickshaw, The McGunks at Askew in Provi, RI February 17, 2023 (Saturday) Warthog (Ramones Tribute), Tsunami of Sound, Bikini Whale (B52s Tribute), The Angry Debutantes at The Midway February 25, 2023 (Sunday) LøbøHømbre, Pint Killer, The Hagglers, Shuriken at The Midway for a 43PM matinee show 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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Happy news!! The Thirsty First Tavern in Lowell is up and
running again since early this month. It closed about a year ago has moved to
Market Street in the former Uncharted space. The've already
begun having shows. Thirsty First tells the BGN that you should check their
And speaking of record stores - if you pick up a free Razor Cake
at your local record store you should know the stores actually PAY $150.00 for
those copies that are free to you. These stores are small businesses
to whom $150 is a lot, that's one of the reasons we like 'em, right? 
SS Decontrol has gotten a lot of attention with the rerelease
of The Kids Will Have Their Say album. This month
they're in 
Worcester Magazine ran down their favorite albums of 2023. They cover
a wide variety of music. On the rock end they gave the nod to The Jacklights'
EP Final Girl and Signal Light
by Justine and the Unclean. It hit us that Justine never had the chance
to play out with that album material. We were glad to also see amor
fati by Sapling on the list. Then there's Ghost
Parade by Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys
and Where Neon Meets The Rain by the Looking
Glass War.
December 17, 2023 (Sunday) Black
Mold Unholy Market, 11AM-5:30PM Salem Town Hall - 40 amazing local
vendors - free admission - and the most Unholy Market of the season! Get your
last minute holiday gifts and have a good time!! Check the 
She mentions that 
December 13, 2023 (Wednessday) Josie
Cotton, The Plimsouls, Brad Marino Band at The Middle East Up.
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) Stars
Like Ours, The Magic City, Roxy And The Crisis at The Jungle - Early
show 4-7PM
December 29, 2023 (Friday) Tree,
They Will Be Done, Inverter at Alchemy, Provi.
January 19, 2023 (Friday) O Positive
and Three Colors, are reuniting at the Paradise Rock Club (show at
8pm) for WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS-A Benefit Concert For A Friend In
Need. The evening will raise funds for a friend’s medical bills in her battle
against brain cancer. 
February 8, 2023 (Thursday) The
Dreadnoughts, The Gobshites, Mickey Rickshaw at The BUrren - 7-9PM
show.
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