In addition to releasing all that great Dogmatics music, Rum Bar Records has endeavored to rescue Jerry Lehane's other projects from the dustbin of history. The latest Lehane-related band to get the Rum Bar revival treatment is Hotbox. Hotbox was his band after Matweeds (which was his band after The Dogmatics). Also on board were Pete Mulford (Last Stand) on guitar, Frank Pagliughi on bass, and Pete Sisco on drums. Hotbox's self-titled album contains eight songs recorded in 1990 and 1991 (right around the same time that Lehane recorded the songs for his solo EP). This release is not just a treat for Dogmatics fans. It's a terrific little rock 'n' roll record that really holds up well in 2024. Certain songs are reminiscent of The Dogmatics, but overall the vibe is a little more early '90s indie/alternative. The first time I heard "Time Goes On," I was wondering how these guys got Billy Idol to sing for them. "If You're Lonely" is fantastic poppy alt-rock a la Husker Du and early Goo Goo Dolls. "Way Ahead of Me" brings to mind the power pop side of The Dogmatics, while the smash hit "Girl I Want" is quintessential Boston garage rock. "When It's Over" almost sounds like a precursor to Massachusetts punk greats The Lobby Magnets/Johnny Bravo/The Johnnies (who, of course, were huge Dogmatics fans). "You Got What I Want" is darker and harder-edged and could have been a huge alternative rock hit under more favorable conditions.
Hotbox proved to be a short-lived band due to Sisco relocating to California. Famously, the band did get to open Bill Clinton's primary rally in New Hampshire in 1992 (and get rewarded by Clinton's campaign team with two cases of beer). Let history show that Bill Clinton may have never become "the comeback" kid had it not been for Hotbox! Vagrant Records released the band's debut single, "Girl Like You," but as far as I can tell, that was Hotbox's only official release until now. This album is a reminder that Jerry Lehane is a wicked good songwriter, and I applaud Malibu Lou for realizing that the world needed to hear these songs. Don't sleep on this one!
Well here was a really nice surprise: a new single from one of my favorite bands of all-time that appeared on Rum Bar Records' Bandcamp the other day without my prior knowledge! "Library Girl" is The Dogmatics' first new music in nearly a year. If it hadn't been for the Infinite Jest reference, I might have thought this track was recorded in the '80s! It's 100% vintage Dogmatics and vintage Jerry Lehane — a mid-tempo punk-pop banger straight out of the Boston garage rock textbook. A song exploring one of the most timeless fantasies in the history of the male psyche is something you'd definitely expect from The Dogmatics, and "Library Girl" does not disappoint. It's definitely a song made for repeat spins. And some of those lyrics made me laugh out loud! More new music from The Dogmatics (perhaps even a full-length album!) is coming in 2025. Those of you who are big Dogmatics fans will also be stoked about Rum Bar releasing an album from Hotbox (Jerry Lehane's early '90s band with Pete Mulford from Last Stand) next month. Stay tuned!
Well here's a Rocktober surprise for you! The mighty Dogmatics have released a single called "I Can't Get Over You" — their first new music in a year-and-a-half! This Rum Bar Records release will pump us all up for more music from Dogmatics in 2024! What I admire about Dogmatics is that they've built a body of work in recent years (2019's She's the One EP and last year's Drop That Needle EP) that stands on its own merits. Even if you'd never heard the group's classic releases, you'd still consider them one of the best rock 'n' roll bands going just based on what they've put out there since reuniting. "I Can't Get Over You" is nothing more and nothing less than a straight-ahead rock 'n' roll tune in a timeless style. It's got a great hook, and it will get your toes tapping in no time flat. This could almost pass for some lost gem from Buddy Holly or Bobby Fuller, and that's about the highest compliment I could pay a song. Jerry Lehane sure knows how to write a three-chord rock 'n' roll tune! They say you can't get anything for a dollar anymore, but "I Can't Get Over You" is evidence to the contrary. You're gonna play the heck out of this single!
Behold a veritable unearthed treasure from the heyday of Boston punk rock n' roll! Matweeds formed in 1987 from the ashes of two legendary bands: The Dogmatics and Stranglehold. This band was co-fronted by Jerry Lehane and Jim Keough and featured a star-studded cast of players from Boston's garage/punk scene. Hooligans In The Vestibule, the band's sole recording, went unreleased for 36 years. Rum Bar Records has proudly given this EP an official release on glistening compact disc.
Far from a mere historical artifact or "only for super fans" novelty, Hooligans In The Vestibule is a terrific little EP that's more than worth ten of your hard-earned dollars. In this band, Lehane and Keough shared singing and songwriting duties. Influences run the gamut from Stones/Faces rock n' roll to rhythm & blues to garage rock to hard rock. The band's secret weapon was saxophonist Nate Bowditch. His playing adds something very vital to all of these songs, and it never sounds out of place. Also on board were lead guitarist David Fredette (Titanics), rhythm guitarist Richie McKenzie Hughes (Stranglehold, The Oysters), bassist Frank Schact (Last Stand), keyboardist John Goetchius (Mighty Mighty Bosstones), and drummer David Collins (X-DYS). This EP captures the excitement of a new band still working out its musical identity and having one heck of a good time in the process. The Lehane-penned barroom anthem "Stay" is more than a little reminiscent of The Dogmatics and truly a lost classic of Boston rock n' roll. Honestly it's as good as anything in the Jerry Lehane songbook. "I Can Feel the Fire" is a rollicking rendition of Ronnie Wood's 1974 solo hit. "Devil's Knocking" is a quintessential blues rock party starter. "Your Love Is Worn" is a sincere Stonesy ballad featuring the legendary Rich Gilbert on pedal steel. "What's Your Name" is a more than passable stab at '60s garage/psych. "Fear and Whiskey" and "Kiss" sound like '80s glam metal by way of early Aerosmith. This EP is exactly what you'd expect it to be based on the title and cover art, and it's hard to believe it went unreleased for so long. Clearly this was a band that was on to something good.
No doubt, Hooligans In The Vestibule is a time capsule of the later '80s Boston rock underground. But the songs more than hold up to the passing of three and a half decades. If you're a regular Rum Bar customer, this one is not to be missed.
I can still remember how excited I was when I first heard that The Dogmatics would be putting out new material for the first time in decades. It has been two-and-a-half years already since the release of the band's "comeback" EP She's the One -- which turned out to be every bit as good as I had hoped. Advance singles released in recent months had me thinking that the follow-up Drop That Needle would be even better. I was not wrong! Out today on Rum Bar Records, Drop That Needle finds the best band to ever come out of Boston in fine form. Push play, and you'll be delighted to hear that The Dogmatics still sound like The Dogmatics. But by no means does this release fall into the "for fans only" category. Far from resting on their laurels, The Dogmatics are quickly establishing themselves as one of the most excellent garage rock and roll bands going today. I previously referred to the the title track as the "ultimate garage rocker" and see no reason to disagree with myself. "Automat Kalashnikov," the first Dogmatics song to be written and sung by Peter O' Halloran, is a crackling return to the band's punk rock roots. "Think Twice" is unlike anything you've ever heard from The Dogmatics before. This folk tune is a collaboration with James Young (from Peter O' Halloran & The Hired Men), who sings lead vocals and plays mandolin. I hope The Dogmatics do more songs like this in the future! The Jerry Lehane penned rocker "Don't Break My Heart" sounds like the best Rockpile song you never heard. Finishing off the EP is "Acid Rain," a song written by the late, great Paul O' Halloran and featuring his brother Peter on lead vocals. This was the track I was most excited to hear, and it does not disappoint! You can feel Paul's spirit in this recording, and his lyrics are truly chilling in the wake of what's been happening to our environment in recent decades. What a wonderful tribute to Paul O' Halloran! To this day, there is no Dogmatics without him.
"Aging like fine wine" is undoubtedly one of the most egregious music reviewer clichés in the book, but it certainly describes The Dogmatics to a T. Put on Drop That Needle, and you'll hear sounds that are both familiar and full of surprises. Not content to be remembered for their old classics, The Dogmatics are well on their way to authoring a whole slew of new ones. This band honors the past but is not stuck in it. And as the garage/punk/rock and roll scene continues to flourish at the grass roots level, it's a joy to see more and more people becoming hip to an eternal truth: The Dogmatics rule!
How about another great new song from my favorite band to ever come out of Boston! "Drop That Needle" is the brand-new single from the legendary Dogmatics -- the leadoff track from the forthcoming CD EP of the same name. Just like the previous teaser single "Automat Kalashnikov", "Drop That Needle" finds this venerable band in vintage form. So much has changed in the world over the past four decades, but The Dogmatics still sound like The Dogmatics! In contrast to the pure punk rock energy of "Automat Kalashnikov", "Drop That Needle" is the ultimate garage rocker. It's two minutes and 40 seconds of perfect rock and roll celebrating the joy of listening to vinyl records. It's full of shout-outs to musical greats from Boston and beyond...a couple of whom even lend their talents on backing vocals! Scott Hudson, who has been a fan of this band from the beginning, was so stoked on this song that he built an entire broadcast of The Ledge in celebration. The Ledge episode #512, "Drop That Needle, features 34 songs about buying, collecting, and listening to records. If there's one singular passion that just about everyone reading this shares, this would be it! And while the irony about "Drop That Needle" is that it's not coming out on a 45 (yet!), you canorder the "Automat Kalashnikov" single on flexi vinyl! The full Drop That Needle EP releases in May on Rum Bar Records, and I cannot wait!
Well here was a pleasant surprise! It's no secret that The Dogmatics are my favorite of all the great garage/punk/rock and roll bands from Boston. Releasing today on Rum Bar Records is a brand-new Dogmatics single titled "Automat Kalashnikov". This is the first new music released by the band since 2019, and it's the first Dogmatics song ever to be written and sung by Peter O'Halloran! My immediate response to this track was that it sounds like vintage Dogmatics. If you told me this was recorded 35 years ago, I wouldn't doubt you for a second. You could slip in this song anywhere on the EST 81 compilation, and it would not sound out of place! It's the kind of punk rock tune that will hit you with a jolt of energy and then quickly get stuck in your head. Seriously: what an earworm! The single is being released on CD (available next week) and orange flexi vinyl (available February 28) with The Dogmatics' classic "You Say" on the B-side. Stay tuned for much more new music from The Dogmatics in 2022!
Talk about a New Year's surprise! Rum Bar Records has kicked off 2021 with a special treat I never saw coming: the most comprehensive collection to date of classic recordings by the mighty Dogmatics! Back in 2013, I wrote a review of the long out-of-print Dogmatics 1981-86 compilation. The new Rum Bar collection Est 81 finally brings all of this material back into circulation, with the addition of the rare track "X'mas Time (It Sure Doesn't Feel Like It)". It collects the songs from the band's two albums Thayer St. (1985) and Everybody Does It (1986) along with its debut single "Gimme The Shakes" and some old compilation cuts to form the definitive retrospective on one of the greatest bands to ever come out of Boston and one of the greatest bands of the '80s, period. I previously described 1981-86 as a "must-own for anyone who reads this blog or digs the kind of music I write about". That goes double for Est 81, which will be available on CD from Rum Bar later this month!
Peter and Paul O'Halloran met Jerry Lehane in the first grade at St. Matthew's in Dorchester, Massachusetts. They remained schoolmates for eight years until both families moved out of Dorchester. These three eventually formed the Guttersnipes in Boston with drummer Dan Shannon. The Guttersnipes were quickly renamed the Dogmatics, and Tom Long joined on drums after Shannon left for college. The rest, as they say, is history. Throughout the early to mid '80s, The Dogmatics and their Thayer St. loft were at the heart of Boston's thriving underground music scene. I know I've said this numerous times about numerous bands, but the Dogmatics should have been huge! Ultimately the band's failure to conform to the fashions of punk and hardcore in the mid-'80s is what made it so great. At a time when the hardcore scene was becoming humorless and rigidly conformist (a phenomenon the band goofed on so spectacularly on the classic track "Hardcore Rules"), here you had a bunch of smart-assed kids playing fun rock and roll songs about good looking girls, drinking by the pool, teenagers on drugs, and tyrannical Catholic school nuns. And musically, the Dogmatics weren't going to fit into any neat category. They took pieces of punk rock, garage, pop, and '50s rock and roll and created a sound that was uniquely their own. In a very short amount of time, the Dogmatics wrote more classics than a lot of bands come up with in decades. I mean, come on: "Sister Serena", "Shithouse", "Thayer St.", "Gimme The Shakes", the semi-cover "Teenage Lament"...I could go on and on!
Tragically, the world lost Paul O'Halloran in a motorcycle accident in 1986. Knowing it wouldn't be the same without Paul, the band chose to call it quits. The Dogmatics later did several reunion performances with brothers Johnny and Jimmy O’Halloran filling in on bass. Eventually the band got back together on a permanent basis. In October 2019, Jerry Lehane, Tom Long, and Peter & Jimmy O’Halloran joined the Rum Bar family and recorded She's The One, the first new Dogmatics release in over 30 years. The band continues to honor the memory Paul O'Halloran, to whom Est 81 is dedicated. I'm certainly not the most unbiased reviewer in this case. Rum Bar Records is my favorite record label, and the Dogmatics have been one of my favorite bands ever since I caught one of their reunion shows in 2007. But I honestly believe that Dogmatics 1981-86 is one of the most essential punk rock band retrospectives ever assembled, and I'm beyond excited that it's been reborn as Est 81. Fingers crossed for new Dogmatics music in 2021!
Red on Red Records has been officially launched! Red on Red is the newest venture from Justine Covault (Justine and the Unclean, Justine's Black Threads, WhistleStop Rock). Red on Red has already assembled a fantastic roster including The Neighborhoods, Nightspell, Kid Gulliver, The Chelsea Curve, Cold Expectations, and of course Covault's bands Justine and the Unclean and Justine's Black Threads. The label has also signed Berk/Lehane, a collaboration between Simone Berk (Kid Gulliver, Sugar Snow) and the legendary Jerry Lehane (The Dogmatics). 2020 continues to be the year of Simone Berk - which is one of the few good things that can be said about this year! Red on Red has just released Berk/Lehane's single "An Irishman For Christmas" . Sure, the title brings to mind one of those cheesy Hallmark movies that I can never stop watching. But I can assure you that there's nothing cheesy about this song! Co-written by Berk and Lehane, this song is properly described as "Boston-Irish-interfaith-romance-folk-punk". It tells the story of a girl transplanted from Cleveland to Boston who dreams of a very special Christmas gift - an Irishman to call her own. If "romance-folk-punk" is an actual genre, that's yet another genre for me to embrace! And Berk/Lehane are supported here by a star cast of Boston musicians: James Young, Ed Riemer, Billy Loosigian, and Norm Hartley. I've jokingly stated that my disinterest in "modern" Christmas music includes anything recorded after 1970. But honestly, "An Irishman For Christmas" is an absolute delight and instantly joins the list of songs I will look forward to playing every year at Christmas time. Was there ever any doubt that a collaboration between these two individuals would turn out amazing? If Hallmark ever does come calling for the movie rights, I hope Simone, Jerry, and Justine hold out for the highest possible compensation!
"An Irishman For Christmas" is just one of two singles that Red on Red has rolled our for the holidays. I will be posting on the other later this week. Also of note, Red on Red will be celebrating its launch with a virtual showcase at ONCE VV this coming Saturday, November 21. The streaming show will feature exclusive, best-of, and rarely seen videos from its artists, including two live videos of The Neighborhoods, new videos for best-of-catalog songs by Kid Gulliver, Cold Expectations, and Justine and The Unclean, special guests appearances by The Dogmatics and Mess Around co-hosts Jay Allen (with his band the Archcriminals) and Tom Baker (with his band The Dirty Truckers), and culminating with the exclusive premier of the Red on Red theme song and video!! The song was recorded by Justine with David Minehan, Lee Harrington, and Jim Janota, and the video showcases all of the label roster artists and its creative partners. The show wraps with a live chat/interview with label head Justine and some of her roster artists, hosted by DJ JoEllen Saunders Yannis of WMFO's On The Town With Mikey Dee. For more information, check out the Facebook event page or sign up here!
What was I just saying about Rum Bar Records having become home base for the best of Boston rock and roll? It doesn't get any more "Boston rock and roll" than The Dogmatics. And today Rum Bar releases the debut EP from Dogmatics singer/guitarist Jerry Lehane. Incredibly, these recordings had gone unreleased for 29 years until today. Talk about an unearthed treasure!
These five tracks were recorded over a three-day period in 1991 at the Cars-owned studio Synchro Sound. Lehane made a special deal with sound engineer Tom Hamilton that allowed him to record the EP on the cheap by going in after midnight. Lehane, who was between bands at the time, enlisted the services of several talented friends to play on his debut solo record. This included Charlie Chesterman (Scruffy the Cat, Harmony Rockets, the Motorbikes), Chris Doucette (The Galley Slaves, Witch Doctor, Hotbox), Danny Coughlin (Children of
Paradise, Lazy Susan, Eric Martin & the Illyrians), Chris Erikson
(Sacred Cows), Randall Gibson IV (Scruffy the Cat, The
Flies, the Illyrians), Lance Hewitt (Timmys), and Scott Seiver (Ted Leo,
Tenacious D, John Legend, Pete Yorn). It's just so cool to envision all of these amazing musicians gathering late at night to cut a record! At this point, you may be wondering why it took almost three decades for this EP to see the light of day. There does not appear to be a good answer to this question. Thankfully, Malibu Lou heard these songs and immediately wanted to release them. The original plan was for Lehane to record three brand-new songs with Ed Riemer and create a mash-up of old and new. But then came the pandemic, and all of that went out the window. So what we have here are five tracks out of the 1991 time capsule that really hold up. If you're expecting a Dogmatics feel, well there's certainly a little bit of that. You'll hear the guitars that open "Kiss My Tattoo" and instantly know who you're listening to. And the rocking and rolling "Fish" could easily pass for a lost Dogmatics track. But over the course of these five songs, Lehane covers a good deal of musical territory. "Kiss My Tattoo" is high energy garage rock, Boston style. "Runaway With You" is a Stonesy barroom ballad that Lehane's current label mate Tom Baker would be proud to have written. "All I Can Do" is twangy, aching, and reminiscent of the Replacements.
Several of the songs on this EP, including the raging "Kiss My Tattoo", were written in the aftermath of a painful breakup. It has to be a little weird for Lehane, now happily married for over two decades, to hear these songs and relive that particular moment of his life. But in purging himself of some unpleasant memories, he created some remarkable music. And then there's the excellent "Feel Like Dying" - a song about a soldier heading off to the Gulf War. That might seem very specific to 1991, but the themes of the song are every bit as relevant and impactful today. It's amazing how a 29-year-old EP fits in so seamlessly with the rest of the music coming out on Rum Bar Records today. Then again, that kind of makes sense. There's a long list of current Rum Bar artists who would consider The Dogmatics and Jerry Lehane to be huge influences on their songwriting and musical style. Hopefully by next year, we'll hear those new solo tracks. Jerry Lehane is a national treasure! Be sure to check out this recent interview he did with Anngelle Wood!
Here it is: the first new record by the mighty Dogmatics in 33 years! Rum Bar Records proudly releases She's The One this week on both 7" vinyl and CD. I won't delve too deep into the legacy of this band since I've already devoted a couple of posts to that. Suffice it to say that the Dogmatics are one of the greatest bands to ever come out of Boston. Here they are in 2019 with classic era members Jerry Lehane, Pete O'Halloran, and Tom Long all in tow. Jimmy O'Halloran holds down bass duties with tremendous love and respect for his late brother Paul. And while I would have been completely overjoyed with any new music from the Dogmatics, She's The One is no run of the mill comeback. This thing's a stone cold triumph!
What I've always enjoyed about the Dogmatics is that they were so many things at once. They had that rockabilly thing going on, but they were a punk band at heart. They wrote perfect pop songs but played them with absolute irreverence. In essence, they were precursors to nearly every band I champion today. Three decades on, these guys are older, wiser, and perhaps a little more musically proficient. But really these are still the same old Dogmatics - that one band you can always count on when all you wanna do is crack open a cold one and listen to some fun rock and roll. Jerry Lehane has penned three new songs for this release, and they are all top tunes. "She's The One" is a hot shot of power poppin' pub rock with a driving beat you will not be able to resist. If you're a longtime fan, you'll get chills hearing Jerry and Pete's unmistakable dual guitars launch into action! This is at worst my third-favorite song to ever be titled "She's The One". "I Love Rock and Roll" has more of a thumping '60s garage flavor to it. As the title suggests, it's a song that celebrates rock and roll. It pays tribute to all of the great music of the past and offers tremendous hope for the future. Songs like this can sometimes be unbearably corny, but they can also be totally fantastic. You can probably guess which side of the column I'm checking off here. This track would not have sounded out of place on the last Dogmatics album in 1986! "The Ballad of Wilbur Ross" is the one major surprise on this release. It's a very traditional-sounding Celtic folk ballad - done so well that you might mistake it for an actual traditional Celtic folk ballad!
Digital and CD versions of She's the One feature really cool bonus covers of two of the greatest punk groups to ever come out of New England. "Black Plastic Shoes" was originally recorded by The Reducers and appeared on their classic debut album from 1984. "Summertime" was a track off of Unnatural Axe's legendary 7" They Saved Hitler's Brain. Both of these songs were previously available only on tribute compilations. And in true Dogmatics fashion, the band puts its stamp on both of these songs. I was beyond stoked when I heard that the Dogmatics were joining the Rum Bar Records family and releasing new music. Now that the record is here, I could not be happier! If you already love this band, you will love these songs for sure. And if this is your very first encounter with the Dogmatics, I hope it leads you on a lifelong journey into their classic back catalog. What a damn great band!
I don't often do "teaser" posts. But come on: we're talking about the almighty Dogmatics! This is one of my favorite bands of all-time, and in my mind THE definitive Boston garage/punk/rock and roll band. Dogmatics have not released a record in 33 years, but that is about to change! A while back, Malibu Lou let me in on the news that Dogmatics were joining the Rum Bar Records family. You can imagine my reaction to that! The result of this union will be a brand-new album coming out this fall. To get us all primed for this splendid event, Rum Bar has released Dogmatics' cover of Unnatural Axe's "Summertime" as a digital single. Appropriately enough, it appears now in the midst of...summertime! I am totally stoked for new music from Dogmatics and for a whole new generation of garage/punk fans to receive a proper introduction to one of the best bands to ever come out of Boston. In my 2013 review of the band's 1981-86 compilation, I lamented that Dogmatics' Facebook page had only 790 likes. Well now the count is over 1300 and growing! Be sure to crank "Summertime" while you're drinking by the pool, and be on the lookout for the new album coming soon! And if you're still unfamiliar with Dogmatics, be sure to check out my YouTube playlist or the entirety of 1981-86 on Spotify!
When it comes to all the fabled punk rock scenes of "back in the day", I'd probably take Boston over New York, Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco, or even L.A. And my favorite Boston band, by far, would have to be the Dogmatics. To me, they're pretty much the definitive Boston garage/punk band. Their music is Boston. Although the group's recording career was cut short by the tragic death of bass player Paul O'Halloran, the Dogmatics produced more legendary songs in a six-year period than most bands turn out in decades. Originally issued on CD by Shredder Records in 1995, Dogmatics 1981-86 is one of the all-time essential compilation albums. It's a must-own for anyone who reads this blog or digs the kind of music I write about. Seriously: I'm giving you all 30 days to acquire it. There will be inspections.
By the mid-'80s, punk music was largely turning away from the melodic sensibility and rock n' roll roots of its early days. But the Dogmatics didn't fit in one bit with that trend. They were pure fun. They played sloppy, poppy punk rock n' roll with a heavy rockabilly influence. They were like Eddie Cochran, Johnny Thunders, the Ramones, and early Replacements all rolled into one. And at a time in which punk rock was becoming very political and overly serious, the Dogmatics preferred writing songs about chasing girls, guzzling beer, and enduring the terrors of tyrannical Catholic school nuns. The classic track "Hardcore Rules" hilariously goofs on the bonehead direction punk music was beginning to take circa the early to mid '80s. It's my favorite Dogmatics song. Never ones to take themselves seriously, the Dogmatics were the class clowns of mid-'80s Boston punk - Irish/Catholic hooligans in search of teenage kicks playing shambolic three-chord rock n' roll with melody and guts. Comprised primarily of the band's LPs Thayer St. (1984) and Everybody Does It (1986), the 20-track 1981-86 is pure gold from start to finish. It sounds like a "greatest hits" collection, and in a certain respect that's precisely what it is. I'll put the likes of "Hardcore Rules", "Shithouse", "Teenage Lament", "Drinking By the Pool", "Sister Serena", "Gimme The Shakes", and "Thayer St." up against the classic songs of any garage/punk band of the Dogmatics' day. While these guys may have presented themselves as marginally talented degenerates making simplistic party music, they truly had a knack for writing perfect punk/rock n' roll songs. They shoulda been huge.
Brothers Pete (guitar/vocals) and Paul O'Halloran (bass/vocals) and Jerry Lehane (guitar/vocals) were Catholic schoolmates and childhood friends for eight years at St. Matthew's in Dorchester. Although separated for several years when both families moved out to the 'burbs, they stayed in touch and reconnected in Boston as young adults. Paul, who'd previously played in the Savage Beasties, recruited Pete and Jerry to join him in a new band along with drummer Dan Shannon. Tom Long eventually replaced Shannon on drums, and the permanent Dogmatics lineup was set. As their band bio says, "The Dogmatics would eventually end up playing every shitty little club and backyard party in most of the United States." At a time when the likes of Gang Green, Lyres, Outlets, SSD, Classic Ruins, Negative FX, Unnatural Axe, Jerry's Kids, and Mission of Burma made Boston a true hotbed for underground music, the Dogmatics and their Thayer St. loft were at the heart of the city's thriving scene. Paul's death in a motorcycle accident in 1986 essentially ended the band - it just would not have been the same without him. In recent years, the Dogmatics have done a number of reunion shows with Paul's brothers Johnny and Jimmy O'Halloran taking turns filling on on bass. I, along with my fellow Now Wave writers Brian Mosher and Vinnie Bratti, was lucky enough to see one of those shows - on Cape Cod back in the summer of 2007. It was without doubt one of the ten greatest performances I've ever witnessed. Several top bands of recent years, such as The Locomotions ("Saturday Nite Again") and Heap ("Whipped"), have kept the music of the Dogmatics alive by covering their songs. And while 1981-86 has been long out of print on the CD format, you can still buy it in digital form off of iTunes or Amazon. While the Dogmatics are rightfully revered in their home territory, outside of Boston I'd still consider them to be criminally underrated. Their Facebook page has a mere 790 likes. Come on, world! You're missing out!
.jpg)
