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The BGN News Archive
BGN 2024 Year End Review
JANUARYThe year started with the sad news of Matt Burns' death. We miss Matt! He was at so many shows, either in the audience or equally as often on stage as drummer. When we think of him now we think of decades of clubbing that we shared with him. Also, at the beginning of the year Jimmy Flynn passed. He was a mainspring in the hardcore scene. His name was synonymous with the Hardcore Stadium.
Ted Condo of 6L6, the hybred punk/metal group from the 90's died. Ted was only 57. David John Woods died on January 12. We would see him all the time out at shows, especially the Real Kids shows. Dusk in Providence is closing. Bim Scala Bim play their 40th Aniversary show at the Crystal Ballroom. Carissa Johnson replaces Brad Hallen on bass for the Nervous Eaters. Before the year is out we will see her play with the Eaters at the Bellforge Art Center. Key of Caustic is calling it quits. They had
a great series of singles, then the album Unleashed.
It saddened us to post the death of Stanley Clark, the original guitarist with Nervous Eaters. He was on the famous recording of "Loretta".
Willie Alexander had his 81st Birthday this month. We had a video (see above) and a page on the event. Want List Records has new location in Belmont and are open for business as of Saturday 1/20. Two issues of the BGN were included in the Brooklyn Museum show Copy Machines Manifestos and are in the HUGE Phaidon book of the show. The Dogmatics taught every band out there a lesson on how to grow your career. They have toured with their film Dogmatics, A Dogumentary and this month play the Regent Theatre in Arlington for a sweet gig. VIDEOS... The Nervous Eaters have a busy year. They begin with a video of "Why You Tell'N Me Now?" Video below left. Buffalo Tom has been rebooting their career. They have a new song “Helmet” that is on their next album titled Jump Rope. We think it’s impossible not to like this song. Video above right. Paul Rachman's American Hardcore documentary is on You Tube for Free. Still is...see it here. We post two videos from Juliana Hatfield's new album Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO. The NY Hard Chronicles interviews Dickie Barret of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. 'Nuff said. PODCASTS... Skybar has Andrea Gillis as a guest
on his Rising show on WMFO. They talk a lot about Justine
Covault. Brian Young plays a set in memory of Matt Burns on his A Crash Course for the Ravers show on WMFO. Sonic Overload plays a set in memory of Jimmy Flynn. In the last week of January The Elastic Glam Breakfast Show had guest host - Def Leppard lead singer Joe Elliot. Joe has a glam loving background. He sings in both David Bowie and Mott the Hoople tribute bands.
RADIO... Joanie Lindstrom plays a Channel remembrance show. She talks about the groups she saw when the price for admission was $5.00. MUSIC...
Hammered Saint have their first vinyl release; a 45 single pressed on white vinyl and limited to 300 copies. The songs are “Dirty Work” and ”Steal The Show”. Tony Kaczynski is always busy and this year seemed especially busy, but for his own music only the single "Today" was released in 2024..
Matt Wolz of Graneros has a new band named Fox Canadian.
Rob Moss and Skin Tight Skins release a song a month until the final album Records is released in December. It took a decade or so but The Wynotts release their album Way Back Now. Lots of good songs on this and they spread the word with some good gigs through the year.
Ruffian Dick release the She's Hypnotic album and their live shows feature the ace material.
Sun Drifter have a timeless sound. They release An Earlier Time album
Evil Felipe have a new single titled "Forever and a Day".
Rum Bar Records kicks in with releases from The Glimmer Stars, The Mochines, Jittery Jack and Amy and WIMP!
Dream of a Man in a Top Hat have several releases this year. In January they give us the single "Dimmer Switch".
Hammered Saint release covers recorded at their practice space that include Sonics, Gun Club and The Avengers.
Canyons and Locusts are another group that feeds out regular singles. There latest is "Soo All the Way"
Hardcore group Billy dish up a scorching "Escape"
Cosmic Joke are a hardcore group on Triple B Records. We like "Hedonic Treadmill" off their self-titled album
Wirelines from New Bedford has a new album Tragic History of the Sea. It's got screemo vocals and lyrics that you want to hear.
FEBRUARY
Doing this review shows what a rough year this was on all of us. In February we had to report that Jimmy Ryan of the Hoodoo BBQ, Swinging Erudites and Sports Palace passed away. Jimmy evokes a whole era on the Boston scene. Singer Dean Jackson passed away this week and was much memorialized in social media. Dean was the singer for the touring Gang Green last year. Wayne Kramer of the MC5 dies this month. Koto in Salem announces a Koto to open in Lowell. Mojo Nixon dies. Carl Biancucci and Pete Cassani have joined Dave Harrison's new band The False Positives. Moving Targets announce a European tour for April. Alex Cox announces a Repro Man 2: The Ravages of War. We wonder, what's on the soundtrack? VIDEOS... Get some cosmic drifting music from Sundrifter and the song "Limitless". Above left. Speedfossil has a video for their song "Sweetheart". Above right. Ian MacKaye is on NY Hardcore Chronicles. Above left. We get the background on Rob Moss of the Skin Tight Skin on the Joel Gaustin podcast. Above right. Tree worked so hard gigging this year. They also had a video for "Cheats at Golf". There's an edgy video for the Nervous Eaters latest release "Vampires". PODCASTS... We tune in every week for out dose of glam on the Elastic Glam Breakfast Show. One week they have their version of the Grammys named The Glammys. Wachtelligence by A. J. Wachtell has on Steve
Berkowitz. He has had a long career. One highlight - managing
the Cars and Syncro Sound.
Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico has Emily Doran and Andy Excuse of Hammered Saint. This is embeded below. Another show has the Dogmatics' Jerry Lehane, James Young and director of the Dogumentary Rudi Childs. Getting it Out Podcast has an interview with Jonathan Anastas of DYS.
Radio... Punk playing station WRPS in Rockland celebrated 50 years on the air. Garret Vandermolen of Speedfossil was Skybar’s guest on his Rising show on WMFO. The next show had a tremendous talk with Rick Barton of the Dropkick Murphy's and more. MUSIC...
The Promised End are members from many other groups. Combined they made a hardcore heavy album For the Buried and the Broken.
A single by Dream of a Man in a Top Hat is named "The Laughing Kind". It's post punk and has darkness in it despite the title.
Taken By Vultures had the oddball song of the year with "Dr. Klaw" about underground illegal lobster sellers. We completely buy into Happy Little Clouds with their new release "The Emperor's Song".
Jimbo Jones from Key of Caustic starts a new group Mad Cherry. He releases a nice effort "Contemplation" that bodes well for his future material.
MARCH
The big news in March is US. The BGN is on Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico. We talk about the early days of Boston punk...no surprise but we hope entertaining. Evil Felipe announce that they will do a live right to vinyl recording session with Leesta Vall Records in Brooklyn. The line-up for the 2024 Rock and Roll Rumble is revealed and excitement about the Rumble is still there in 2024. We find out that Lenny Kaye will bring his Nuggets Anniversary show to The Cut in Gloucester in May. Speedfossil say they will play the International Pop Overthrow in Liverpool and record at Abbey Road in May. VIDEOS... "The Emperor's Song" was the moment everyone sat up and played a lot of attention to Happy Little Clouds. The video sealed the deal. Spiller was another group that 2024 gave us. This video for "Sparkler" was one of the first things we saw. Above right. Mach Bell's Fourth Annual Cowboy Awards awarded best writer to our own Captain Easychord. See the joke jammed show - above left. When we look back at the material The Shang Hi Los are putting out, we will all be amazed. This month they gave us a video for "Op Operator". Above right. PODCASTS...
Because that's not enough Steev talked with Chris Pearson who was in Green Magnet School and now in Spiller. The Elastic Glam Radio Show keeps us up to date with the New Glam and also plays the old glam like David Essex, Marmalade, Sweet and Slade. Wormtown Radio Podcast with DJ LP piled up the punk compilations, many of them Boston based, for a show we loved listening to. RADIO...
Dan Kopko of Shang Hi Los was on the Rising show with Skybar on WMFO. MUSIC...
Sal Baglio's Amplifier Heads' release “They Came To Rock” is a rock opera with many guests.
Rob Moss and Skin Tight Skin are up to their fifth single in the work up to a new album. “You and Time” has some fantastic guitar by 1960s garage rock legend Randy Klawon.
The Shang Hi Los deleiver another well-crafted ear worm with "Op Perator.
Buffalo Tom are back and are at the top of their game. "Girl Singing” is gorgeous, wistful rock
Zip Tie Handcuffs have "Runaround" a single preceding an album Moss to come out in May.
Spiller release a 4 song EP titled 4 Song Ep. Clever. Some excellent work. One song is for Justine Covault.
The Stroll was a 50's dance craze, the song "Stroll" by Screw Cart is a dance party in hell. Hey, that's their thing.
APRIL
John Hovorka of the 2 X 4's and Turbines has been in NY for a few years. Now, he's back and a there's a line-up of live shows. Kids Like You And Me have been booking shows for a while. Actually 2024 is their Fifteenth Anniversary and they have some special shows lined up. The Cavedogs have a reunion at the Burren. Chris Parcellin passed away. Chris did the film Boys From Nowhere which reveled in the early Boston scene. He was also in a few groups, most notably the Brigands. Chris loved Boston punk and was such a nice person to be around. Steve Cataldo gets interviewed on Coolest Conversations with Mighty Manfred. Hear that below.
The Eaters also get a write up in the Patriot
Ledger in preparation of their show at Fall River's Narrows
club. John Bernhardt celebrated 40 years as a DJ on Breakfast of Champions on WMBR. VIDEOS... John Powhida has a video for his song "John's House" and he has Eric Law driving him in the vid. Above left. Come are releasing their old albums. The New Music website catches the band on the road and has an interesting interview. Above right. Diablogato produce a video for their song "Lost Highway" that captures the off kilter world of David Lynch. Above left. Speedfossil's new video is for the song "IRL" which stands for In Real Life. There's two worlds going on here. Above right. RADIO: Skybar (Rising WMFO) talked with Dan Kopko of Shang Hi Los and we have the interview embedded on the site. The next week Skybar had the group The Spackles in for questions and some live songs.
John Powhida was a studio guest one week on the Rising show. On Sonic Overload Al Quint played “Home” a demo by Busted Statues. It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything by this late 80s band. He also played "Action Man" by the Not. We have that to hear below.
WMFO's On the Town with Mikey Dee had a boss live set by Shiverlane. We embedded the set in the BGN and here it is below.
PODCASTS: Steev Ricardo has his 300th Blowing Smoke
with Twisted Rico show with three long time music scensters,
Tom Wilson, Chris Conway and Herb
Morsiglio. Sethyspice plays a heavier than usual Glam tune "Nighttime" by Starcrazy. The Shang Hi Los received Coolest Song in the World for "Op Operator" on the Underground Garage. Then they got interviewed on Coolest Conversations by Mighty Manfred.
Thalia Zedek was interviewed on the Into Music podcast. She had lots of early Boston stories.
MUSIC...
The Spackles new song is titled "The Dotted Line". It reflects a few influences.
Galaxy Cake release their first song "Pick Me Up" and it's a good calling card for them. It is sort of garage and sort of psych and did we mention a flute solo?
Hammered Saint get grouchy with their song "Get Off My Lawn"...and when Emily Doran is yelling that at you - you get off the friggin' lawn.
MAY
People remember Justine Covault on her birthday!! In honor of this special day Tom Baker released a cover of the Steve Earle song “You’re Still Standing There” that he recorded with Justine. The Ghouls won the 2024 Rumble. A new Cape Cod not-for-profit group Outer Frequencies is bringing rock bands to Cape Cod. Joanie Lindstrom got exotic on her vacation. She went to Ecuador. There she was subject to the Quito Pigeon Shit Scam. The Rockwood Music Hall closed. There were financial problems evidently. Steve Albini dies. There's an outpouring of accolades for him.
Somerville Porchfest was crazy successful. People were everywhere. The porchfest idea reaches a new level. Longtime DJ Peter Choyce has a heart attack. He has been recovering....and posting on social media since. Linnea's Garden release the song "Chaotic Sexual Summer" and toured with that motto. Sapling release "Eris Worship" with imagery from Tom Robbins book Jitterbug Perfume. VIDEOS ... Chronicle, the local TV Show, tells the story of Wormtown which involves Brian Goslow and LB. Above left Sal Baglio released The Amplifier Heads video “They Came to Rock” about aliens coming to earth to learn how to rock. Above right. The Chelsea Curve are in England! They were at the 2 Tone Coventry Museum. Evidently the museum has some instruments at the ready. The Curves got in there and did up the reggae song “Monkey Man.” Above left. Smitt E. Smitty and the Feztones have a vid for their “Bye Bye Sunday Afternoon” release. It’s in Fez-A-Scope! Above right. Tree have a new song and video for "Happy". Above left Pat McGrath and Barrence Whitfield are featured in a Chronicle story on record collecting. Above right. PODCASTS... Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico had an interview
with Jessie Meyer of Diablogato. We tune into Radio Warfare podcast because of the song selection and because they regularly feature Boston groups. One played The Wynotts and "Hey Sharon." Al Quint has a whole show playing productions by Steve Albini on Sonic Overload. Bay State Rock was back after a hiatus. They stopped again in June. We're wondering about the exact situation with the show now. Rat Tales interviews Kenne Highland. MUSIC...
Happy Little Clouds follow up "The Emperor's Song" with "I Don't Suppose".
Lynda Mandolyn gives us some sweet songs this year. "Billet Doux" is one.
Color Killer compile all the singles they've released on an album Home Schoolin'.
Hammered Saint's latest is "City People". Curt and Emily show their chops.
Condition Baker are a new group from Holbrook. "Sweet Nothings" puts them on the map.
Screw Cart delves into historical atrocities with "Smallpox Blanket".
"So Desperate" has a darkness that Salem Wolves can evoke so well.
JUNE
Charlie's Kitchen in Harvard Square, home of Monday rock gigs for years, gets a new owner. The Sex Pistols announce shows without Johnny Rotten. The new singer is Frank Cater. Joanie Lindstrom travels to Norway and Sweden. She sees Michael Monroe in concert and hangs out with Stupidity. We get the news that the 50th Anniversary of the Rat will be celebrated at the Belforge Art Center in Medfield. Groups are the Nervous Eaters, Dogmatics and Tree with Oedipus as MC.
Skinny Mike and Steph close Mike's Monster Guitars in Central Square on Mass Ave. Claudia Perry who was the rock critic in the Real Paper as punk was raging, dies. She had a long and interesting career beyond Boston Punk. The unique personality James Chance dies. He made headlines with his antics in the Contortions. VIDEOS... Salem Wolves' video for "So Desperate" reveals the wrestling theme of their new album. Above left. Ruffian Dick perform a live video set for WBR (Wave Radio Boston). Above right. Speedfossil insert some scenes from their Liverpool trip into their video for "Silver Lining". Above left. The Prozacs have a video for "Problems" a cut off their new album. Above right. Radio... Skybar has Bob and Chrissy of The Wynotts in for a discussion on his WMFO Rising show. Bob Cenci sings a few songs live. Hear it below. On another show he interviews Drew from Diabligato who tells the story of the forming of the group. PODCASTS... Sethyspice gives us a threefer of Suzi Quatro and still that's not enough for us. He also plays locals like Sapling and Tell. NEW MUSIC...
We spotlight "All the Time" a song by Worcester's Marko Bruiser
“The Spirit of Massachusetts Avenue” by Boston group Already Dead gets lots of attention for the group.
Rob Moss and the Skin Tight Skin latest song “Right Hook” features local guitarist Curt Florczak.
We love "Fuck Off" by New Hampshire's Gagger. We find the group Poor Impulse Control from a recommendation by Dave Tree. The group is from Cape Cod and the album is Where Angels Fear to Tread.
Down by Law have a new album in 2024 titled Crazy Days.
It's too hard to summarize but we are blindsided by Pavid Vermin and the album Brutality is My Only Friend on Rum Bar.
Also on Rum Bar is the new album Problems by The Prozacs.
The latest by Shang Hi Los is "Morganatic Panic" which sent everyone to Google to find out what the title meant.
The Looking Glass War give us "See You In Hell, Liberty Bell" which sounds like a radio hit....where are the stations to play something like this?
Crow Follow give us "I'm In Love With You" which names ManRay.
Slo-anne give is "ded" which sounds a little like "Wild Thing" but a lot like Slo-Anne.
Brad Marino was tuned into summer early with Hot Rod Rampage. Songs about waxing your woodie - is that a double entendre?
JULYThe Prime Movers announce a reunion at the Burren on September 14.
Medford's Porch Southern Fare & Juke Joint closes after 8 years total. They were important during the pandemic. They were one of the first places to have live music. There was a sudden closure of the Democracy Center in Cambridge. It was home to a lot of independent shows. Yet another great song release from the Nervous Eaters in the work up to their album on Wicked Cool Records. The new song is "Just For You" and has a ringing twelve string backdrop. VIDEOS... Preston Wayne from Worcester tells his story on Rat Tales podcast. The NYHC Chronicles interviews Dave Smalley of Down with Law and DYS. You don't see or hear Springa on podcasts but he does show up on NYHC Chronicles. Miracle Blood have a new song and video with “Phenomenon.” The video has the band fleeing from the Walking Dead. RADIO... Tim Kelly on WMBR's Late Risers Club finds an old tape of Lou Miami & the Kozmetix doing "Fascist Lover". It was in the WMBR tape library and sounds like live in the studio down at the station. It's done differently than the single. We embed it on site. Hear it below. Brian Young on A Crash Course for the Ravers has David Harrison of the False Positives in the studio. David talks about the new group members and new recordings. The next week Brian has ska group Double Star and Simon Ritt both as guests. Skybar has Rumble winners The Ghouls in for a timely talk. The Stigmatics are one hard gigging group. They are guests on A Crash Course for the Ravers on WMFO. PODCASTS... It's a busy month at Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico. Steev had one of the most interesting groups around now - Sapling. He gets all three members talking about how they do things "out of the box". We have that show embedded below.
The following show Dave Smalley turns up to tell his tale of hardcore goings on that started with DYS. It's Robin Lane's turn to talk. She has some unreleased material, we find out! That should be rectified. And yet one more show on Blowing Smoke...Nat Freedberg. He always give frank assessments of what he thinks is going on in the scene.Al Quint plays some unflinching hardcore songs to celebrate the Fourth of July on Sonic Overload. AJ Wachtel has legend Lizzie Bordon reviewing her long career on his Wachteligence podcast. MUSIC....
American Ocelot has a self titled album. Their first with the current line up.
The Cretins have been around for a while. They look at things straight on and title their album We're Gonna Get So Old.
Circus Battalion give a new pun anthum with "X-Acto".
Girl With a Hawk give us a classy sounding song with "Way With Words".
Duck & Cover and the Down Hauls give us a fun split EP. Nat Freeberg's new album is Let Yourself Go. He is one hard working guy.
Salem Wolves from Providence generated interest in their ambitious project The Psychotron Speaks. It gets released.
Shiverlane continue their winning streak with the tune "Little English Pleasures".
Already Dead releas a 14 cut album Something Like a War that is a very impressive piece of work.
AUGUST
Cheetah Chrome fell off the stage in Las Vegas and broke some ribs and his pelvis. Before the end of the year he is up and ready to gig. August 4 is the 50th Anniversary for Thundertrain. Jackie Fox of the Runaways creates a board game titled Hard Rock: 1977. It uses the rock world as a storyline for players. Steve Albini has a street named after him in Chicago.
Bill Abbate who was a DJ on WBCN and WFNX dies. He was described as incredibly kind by all that knew him. Elvis Costello was in town and practicing at Q Division for his show in Newport. Greg Kihn dies. His song "Jeopardy" was ubiquitous on the radio. We take in the WRPS 50th Anniversary show with The Dogmatics, The Wynotts, Screw Cart and Stars Like Ours. VIDEOS... Linnea's Garden has a song and video for "Cherry" which is about beauty. Above left. Sonic Lobotomy has a half hour live set with Boston band The Degenerates of Punk. Above right. Radio... Skybar has guests Happy Little Clouds on his Rising show on WMFO. PODCASTS... Steev has JJ Gonson in to update her current plans
on his Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico podcast. AJ Wachtel has the unique David Bieber from the Bieber Archives in for the Wachteligence Podcast. Al Quint on Sonic Overload spotlighted songs that dealt with Nixon’s resignation 50 years ago. He also had a Boston art band set with Art Yard, Dangerous Birds and Vitamin. That brought those early eighties back…and the days of The Underground. We always get new glam on Elastic Glam Breakfast show. One week it was Gyasi with “Cheap High”, Black Gasoline with “Crucify Me” and The Rare Occasions playing “Mr. Bubbles. We’ve come to love the Violet Palms with their song of the intriguing title “All This Joy Has Made You Dull”. MUSIC...
"Lungs" is the third song this year from Happy Little Clouds.
"Cherry" is a preview track from a new EP by Linnea's Garden.
With every release Looking Glass War gets more impressive. "Rumination House" is their latest.
False Positives new song “Long Distance Romance” features their two new members. That would be the legendary pair of Carl Biancucci (Classic Ruins) and Pete Cassani (Peasants).
"Stood There Watching" is from Stop Calling Me Frank who have been playing for 40 years.
In the Rum Bar world there was a new EP release from The Laissez Fairs. They are masters of neo-psych.
Maryanne Toilet and the Runs sing their bawdy tales on their 17 song release called All Clowns are Beautiful.
Worshiper dish up their third album of metal and classic rock; One Way Trip.
The Satch Kerans Band has a revealing storyline in "Chantel".
Adventure Set give us a very elegant "ELT".
We give a lot of space to the Nervous Eaters who have finally released the whole new Rock n Roll Your Heart Away album.
SEPTEMBER
We cover a show at the C Note in Hull which had an excellent line-up of Ruffian Dick, Hard Wired, Wood, Worm and topped with The F.U.’s. We find out 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. It was sad to hear that John Frederick Brierley AKA Johnny Mystery of the Va Va Voodoos has passed. The band is from Albany, NY but Bootleg Dan brought the VVV's to town a few times. Jittery Jack and Amy Griffin has a very high profile tour with Reverend Horton Heat. It’s National Punk Rock Week again at the Parker Hill Library, 1497 Tremont St, Roxbury. It looks like this Boston Public Library branch will have these events every year. The secret is out - The Bags celebrate their 40th Anniversary at the Crystal Ballroom on January 11
David Hild of The Girls dies. The legend of The Girls looms large to those that saw them play . Also Lester Esser of Scanner Darkly and Primitive Romance passes away. Arthur Freedman tells us about the night his archived material that will play at the Loeb Theatre in Harvard University. The show titled Boston Punk: Rewound/Unbound happens November 7. We report on the Rat Reunion show at the Belforge
Art Center with Nervous Eaters, Tree
and The Dogmatics. We do a report on the John Cooper Clarke show at the City Winery. Opening poet was another Englishman Mike Garry It's announced that the opening of the new Great Scott will be in 2025!! To celebrate Great Scott there were shows at O’Brien’s pub from September 22 to 28. The lineup: Linnea’s Garden, Air Traffic Controller, Dutch Tulips, Black Beach, Salem Wolves, Zip Tie Handcuffs, Tysk Tysk Task. John Keegan does a report on the Prime Movers reunion show at the Burren. Jay Allen says that the monthly residency of The Mess-Arouond will end at the Plough & Stars in December. We find out later that it's moving to the Square Root in Roslindale. VIDEOS... Parlour Bells released “Slasher Movie Weather”. The video is like a mini slasher movie and with the song you get Goddamn Glen’s evocative vocals. Above left. The Spackles go psychedelic! At least for this video of their song "The Dotted Line". Above right. There was all sorts of new SSD material out this year
with the re-release of their album. Poor Impulse Control is a hardcore group from Cape Cod. We liked their album Where Angels Fear to Tread. Now they have a video for the strong song “Go Away” from the album. Above right. The Prozacs toured Italy this year. They also had time to make this video for the song “On My Own”. That’s a cover of a song by the Bates, a German group. Above left. Parts Per Million (from Boston) are some raging bad-ass hard rockers. Their new video “Her Song” put all that power behind supporting women’s rights. Above right.
The Daylilies give us a sweet video/song. We were charmed. The Daylilies song is “Petillant”. Petillant means - of wine: mildly and slowly effervescing. That theme runs through the lyrics. RADIO... Skybar has Linda and Evan Shore into his Rising show. It's all about getting up to speed with Muck and the Mires news. Next, Skybar had Chris Wagner from The Modern Day Idols as a guest on his Rising show. Wagner related the groups' history with some recorded tracks and live songs in the studio. PODCASTS... Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico gets a fabulous interview with Jackie Fox of the Runaways. She was recovering from Covid at the time. The next show on Blowing Smoke had fill-in interviewers with Destiny Costa of Mark Skin Radio and Mike Newman of WFMO. The phone guests for the week are Sharp Class, the UK group that The Chelsea Curve brought to Boston and NYC. A day or two later Steev got behind the mic again and interviewed Dan Cummings of Already Dead. Elastic Glam Breakfast podcast had a Marc Bolan Special show marking the 47th anniversary of his death on 9/16. There were a few Bolan duets with Cilla Black, David Bowie, Elton John and Ringo Starr. Sethyspice ended the show with Bowie performing his song for Marc Bolan titled "Lady Stardust." Radio Warfare with Tim Livingstone had a show with a lot of familiar tunes. It was Rum Bar heavy with current releases The Cheap Cassettes, Richard Duguay, The Amplifier Heads and Joe Jennings’s MVP. The rest of the songs are marked with Tim's usual good taste. On Sonic Overload, Al Quint did a local punk set with Mission of Burma (“Secrets”), Someone and the Somebodies with “People Are Dumb” and Limbo Race (“There Goes Kafka” was off a Wicked Good Time Volume 2). There is also a memorial set Al did for the passing of David Hild of The Girls with “Jeffrey, I Hear You” and Lester Esser with songs from both his groups Primitive Romance doing “The Spirit’s Still There” and A Scanner Darkly with “This Is the Way”. We have those songs embedded below. MUSIC...
We get a perfect pop confection with "No Place Like Nowhere" from Glowbox. We still can't believe this superb power pop outfit is local.
It's a Rum Bar world, we just live in it. They release another buried old Boston treasure in HotBox. The group had Jerry Lehane in it. The self-titled album has a lot of the characteristics of the Dogmatics.
The phenomenon that is Telemor has a new chapter. Tom Hauk of the much loved Atlantics has 66 releases on his Bandcamp page going back to 2014. The new album is suitably titled Mr. Happy. Telemor is unrelentingly sanguine.
The new Dogmatic song is "Library Girl". The female of their obsession is reading Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace.
Gossip Collar is a new group with Tom and Victoria of Spitzz. Their new album is Spinning Silk for Parasites.
We were really impressed with Hilken Mancini's new album Hilken Mancini Band. It's quality songwriting and playing with notable guest musicians.
No one is as consistant as Kurt Baker. "Delusional" is a pop rocker with an Alkaline Trio feel to it.
Rob Moss who was in Government Issue has been releasing singles off his album for close to a year now. That album Records is finally out. There are some locals in there like: Sal Baglio, Paul Armstrong (1-4-5), Dan Kopko, Jen D’Angora, Charles Hanson and Curt Florczak.
The Ghouls won the 2024 Rumble but are just now releasing their second recording. The single "Pocket of Gold" shows their rockin' strengths, the things that won them The Rumble.
Portland's Tiger Bomb give us a melodic/sweet garage rocker with "Ready to Go".
Bob Cenci loves his orange guitar and sings as much on his song "My Guitar Is So Cool". Right now it is available as a dollar download on Bandcamp. The Cretins have a split single with the Rip Taylors. The Cretins' "Beach" is actually an anti-beach song.
OCTOBER
Tree is a group and now Tree is a beer. It's a beer by the Dorchester Brewing Company. We post an interview with Stu Ginsburg who has been booking punk/hardcore shows on the North Shore since 1990. We went to Gloucester to catch the Willie Loco Alexander art show "Goya's Head Found on Half Moon Beach" at the Jane Deering Gallery in Gloucester. We give you a run down on what it was like.
We give you the lineup of the International Pop Overthrow that's happening at the end of the month at The Square Root. Simon Ritt gives a report on The Darlings shows in Nashville. We announce that the Boston Groupie News is going biweekly. We did weekly for 22 years. VIDEOS... The Spackles are the first group this year with a Halloween themed video! It's “Spy in the House of Frankenstein”. The guys look horrible-but it's on purpose! Above left. Salem Wolves have a video for “What You Need” from their Psychotron Speaks album. The backdrop is the Atlantic Mills in Olneyville. Above right. Prozacs make a video for the song “Getting Bored.” That’s sure fire punk song subject matter and is a no-miss for Jay Prozac’s pop punk prowess. Above left. Miracle Blood have a performance video for "Hello Hell" shot in Athens, GA. Above right. We have two videos from Rat Tales. One is of Ad Frank whose story we were dying to know and The Dogmatics' members Jerry and Pete. PODCASTS... Emily Grogan has a long and interesting rock career and she dishes it all out on Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico. Another show finds the return of Adam Sherman who gave lots of insights into his time with the Nervous Eaters. We love getting our weekly dose of hardcore from Sonic Overload. We hope you do too. One example is when Al Quint played a Boston group Insult with their song “I Wanna Be a Burn Victim” that came off Runt of the Litter Vol 2. He followed that with Crucial Unit doing a crushing “Let’s Unite the Punx and Skins.” We have those two songs embedded below. RADIO... Skybar on his WMFO Rising show has a return visit from Linnea Herzog. She talks about her completed tour and sings a few songs in the studio. A following show has Skybar talking with Goddam Glen of Looking Glass War and Parlour Bells. We also learn how Skybar got his name! MUSIC...
We're blown away with the amazing power pop "Stop Pushing Me Away" by Fatal Flaw. If you are this good, shouldn't you be famous somehow?
Parlour Bells new EP is the cleverly titled To Be or Not To Behave. Top notch musicians and recording. Add to that Goddamn Glen's dramatic voice and it can't be denied.
Stop Calling Me Frank release an older recording of them doing "Off the Hook" by the Stones. They speed it up and give it the SCMF treatment.
It's aggressive hardcore from Cape Cod's Poor Impulse Control. The song is "Fresh Cut Stomp"
Looking Forward to the Moment is the name of the new Linnea Herzog EP. Some songs were pre-released.
We love hearing Pete's voice in the Dogmatics "Scarlet Letter" the group's new song.
Stop Calling Me Frank dish up their First Six Years as the album title declares. Some live cuts, some old singles.
NOVEMBER
One of the giants in local music reporting, Steve Morse of the Globe died. He reported a lot on rock and he almost lived in rock halls to do it.
Askew in Providence will close on December 1. Moving Targets starts a Kickstarter page for their next album. Their latest albums have solidified their status as one of Boston's leading bands. We report on Arthur Freedman's big night at Harvard. His films are shown and Dangerous Birds have a reunion. The locals fill up the Loeb Film Center. OC45 indicate that they will become active in January of 2025. We can't wait. VIDEOS... The I Want You give us a clever low budget horror movie for their video of "Darkside". Sonic Lobotomy has Glider in to play a set and give a short interview. We post Arthur Freedman's video of the Dogmatics set at the Rat Reunion at the Belforge Arts Center last month. RADIO... A Crash Course for the Ravers has Stephen Fredette who tell his musical story starting with Scruffy the Cat and then talking of his future plans. Skybar has Abbie Barret in the studio. She talks about her career and her new song "Freedumb" which concerns the situation in the world today. PODCASTS... Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico did a transatlantic interview with The Legendary Rich Gilbert who is in Italy now. Rich has had time in Nashville too. We get the stories from all parts of his wide ranging career. The Sonic Overload 11/11 show was a post-election catharsis, and nothing works better than hardcore for that. Al Quint let loose on a few sets. MUSIC...
Fatal Flaw give us another pop gen with "Enough". It's tuneful and has an uplifting message.
The Northern Line is a brand new local band. Their first single "Lightning Strikes" is a dose of Brit pop.
We're sold on Shiverlane and love this new album Sketches from the Departure Lane.
You can tell Diablogato know exacly what they want to transmit in their album Snake Oil Salvation. It's coolly crafted.
The Gypsy Moths capture a romantic break up in "Heart to Break".
Boston loves Sweden's Stupidity. They cover the Fleshtones in "Cold Cold Shoes" and some Fleshtones do the backing vocals.
Oh the Humanity have a new album, Ground to Dust coming out. They pre-release "Gutted" a powerful hit.
Lady Pills have three songs streaming off their new album Renowned in the Roaring Twenties on Bandcamp. This is a group to get to know.
Gretchen Shae & the Middle Eights new release is "For You". The main draw - Gretchen's voice.
Aria Rad and his Coffin Salesman give us very dramatic opus with "Fire to Burn".
Miracle Blood give us a massive sounding recording with the album Hello Hell.
DECEMBERThere seemed to be so many deaths this year and we again have to stop and acknowledge some more. Bob Syring passed away. He was a big presence in the Allston scene for years. Bob and his partner Wendy had the infamous Sleazy E Ranch in lower Allston.
The story gets bigger and bigger. People are concerned that Cheetah Chrome wants to use Artificial Intelligence to recreate Stiv Baters voice. Cheetah downplays the concern. Steve Catado posted on social media that he had an operation for his wrist. All is well and he is promising Nervous Eaters activity in the new year. There's going to be a new club in downtown Salem called Moon Base One. VIDEOS... Chet's Last Call documentary is now on all streaming platforms. The Prozacs have a neat new Happy Birthday pop punk song titled "Hey What's Your Face". RADIO... Skybar has Hilken Mancini on his Rising show in a wide ranging discussion of her career. She talks about her fine new album Hilken Mancini Band. The Mike on the Mic show had both American Ocelot and Jen D'Angora of Shang Hi Los in the studio to talk. Brian Young had Simon Ritt on his A Crash Course for the Ravers. Simon played two new recordings. One was "Go Screw" with Billy Loosigian on it. Skybar had Tim and Judy Sprague from Crow Follow on his Rising show 12/2. They premiered their latest single "Sylvia Says" which was inspired by Justine Covault. PODCASTS...
Al Quint did an all covers show on Sonic Overload. We give you small example below where it’s Death From Above covering LaPeste's “Better Off Dead” and local group Puppy Mill doing up the Rings' “Automobile”. Elastic Glam Breakfast show did a Christmas heavy show. Glam and Christmas go together perfectly. MUSIC...
Sapling quietly release "Hoping Mechanism". It's a little jazz and lyrics that have a Dadaist feel to them.
Galaxy Cake release an EP, The Void Above and the Fog Below. It is garage and psych with some rockin' flute.
Rum Bar wraps up the year with Second Shot a 38 cut sampler called. All primo Rum Bar releases.
Richard Mirsky gives us an unusual Christmas song. "A Cognitive Dissonance Christmas" has a sheet of white noise with the melody in the bass. It's an aural yule log.
David Greenberg of Duplex Planet has many quests read his autobiographical excerpts in his album My Autobiography, Vol.1.
"Something Something" is the new song by Screw Cart. The band shines and singer Mark Kennedy gets his insinuating remarks in there too.
Tom Baker releases Justine & Me, a tribute to Justine. Tom processes things through music and you get all the emotions here. It's heart wrenching.
We get a full album by Gossip Collar. In Spinning Silk for Parasites they make goth with their own personality stamp.
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Blowing
Smoke with Twisted Rico had a nice wide ranging talk with Andrea
Gillis - she of the amazing voice. 
It seemed like the Road to Ruane documentary, about Billy
Ruane, would never get finished. It did. It played the Somerville Theater.
We have some thoughts.
The Dogmatics: A Dogumentary wrapped up its Film Festival
run by winning "Best Feature Documentary" at the World Music & Independent
Film Festival (in the DC metro area). In its run the film gardened
14 selections, 9 nominations, 5 awards.
The Nervous Eaters change the song
title of "528" to "Rock'n Roll Your Heart Away" and that turns out to
be the title of their upcoming album. 
Johnboy Franklin passes away. Everybody knew Johnboy
from his presence at all the good shows for decades. 
There is info coming out about a big celebration in memory of Ducky
Carlisle at the Brighton Music Hall.
News is that Great Scott will reopen up in
the same building as O'Brien's on Harvard Ave. 
The Silhouette Lounge lost one of the silhouettes
off its sign on top of the building. 
The Kids Like You and Me guys had an outside show
in Somerville’s Lincoln Park. It was billed as the "Somerville Underground
Pop, Arts and Performance Showcase". Unnatural Axe headlined,
they also had Mike from Picnic Lunch, INTAC,
Fugue State and Children of the Flaming Wheel.
Breweries are the new friendly spaces for punk. We went to The
Barrel House Z brewery, a new spot in East Weymouth to catch
The New Frustrations and Thee Associates.
The legendary Propeller Product recording that originally
came out on a cassette is rereleased on vinyl. 
Andy Paley of the Paley Brothers
died from cancer in his house in Vermont. Andy had a big influence on
music through his productions. We loved his local group the Sidewinders.
He was mourned with a national audience. 
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