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Boston Rock

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Public Image Ltd.: Flowers of Romance (Virgin, import LP)

Review by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 30 April 1981

FLOWERS OF Romance reminds me of this old Sid Caesar joke. He introduces a jazz musician as being "...on radar, to let us know if ...

Wall Of Voodoo

Profile and Interview by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 30 April 1981

DURING THEIR second set at the Rat, L.A. band Wall of Voodoo broke into a medley of soundtrack themes from classic spaghetti westerns, even including ...

The Clash, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, The Mo-dettes: The Clash: The Foul-Up

Report and Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 25 June 1981

THE LIGHTS dimmed. Dramatic Spanish bolero music from Clint Eastwood's For a Few Dollars More came on over the speakers, and the spotlights roamed from ...

Circle Jerks: The Circle Jerks: the Channel, Boston MA

Live Review by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 6 August 1981

YOU KNOW what kind of a time you're in for when you see a twenty-song set list for a thirty minute set. LA punk: you ...

David Johansen: Paradise, Boston MA

Live Review by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 3 September 1981

DAVID JOHANSEN danced out into the audience at the Paradise dressed in a sparkle headband and a denim jacket with a likeness of Marilyn Monroe ...

Joe Ely, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Joe Ely: The Garden, Boston MA

Live Review by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 3 September 1981

THERE IS always a part in a Tom Petty song when he knows he's got you, when he zeroes in and touches you. Like the ...

The Go-Go's, The Specials: Hey Hey! We're the Go-Go's!

Report and Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 1 October 1981

INSIDE SPIT, amid cans of Tab and boxes of equipment sat the Go-Go's looking... well, miserable. ...

23 Skidoo, Altered Images, The Beat, The Birthday Party, John Cooper Clarke, Elvis Costello, Depeche Mode, Ian Dury, Fad Gadget, Furious Pig, Girls At Our Best!, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Josef K, New Order, Out on Blue Six, Pigbag, The Scars, The Shakin' Pyramids, Ski Patrol, The Skids, The Specials, Seething Wells: How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Report by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 1 October 1981

Merit Badges Goes To Dianaland ...

The Fabulous Billygoons, The Specials: The Specials enjoy themselves

Report and Interview by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 1 October 1981

YOU COULD'VE taken a seat in the Bradford Hotel lobby and gotten a pretty good show for free. Besides all manner of impatient fans milling ...

Lene Lovich: Oyohoh ah-OO ah-OO

Report and Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 5 November 1981

THE HOLIDAY Inn lobby is decorated with hot pink velvatine chairs and a large marble water fountain. She even manages to stand out there: bright ...

Devo: The Devo Dilemma

Report and Interview by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 10 December 1981

HOW DO YOU TELL THE WORLD IT REALLY ONLY DESERVES POTATOES WHEN SOMEONE'S GOT IT CONVINCED IT SHOULD EXPECT STUFFING? ...

Grace Jones: Orpheum Theatre, Boston MA

Live Review by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 21 January 1982

Amazing Grace ...

Pete Shelley: Never Mind The Buzzcocks

Interview by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 21 January 1982

PETE SHELLEY last appeared in these pages just over a year ago, during the Buzzcocks' final tour. They recorded three singles which were to lead ...

The Raybeats Go On

Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 21 January 1982

IT REMINDS you of a movie. Doris Day goes, by accident of course, probably after a fight with Rock Hudson, to a party. In the ...

Bush Tetras: Beatin' Around The Bush

Report and Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 18 March 1982

PRIMITIVES ...

Romeo Void, Way of the West: Paradise Rock Club, Boston MA

Live Review by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 18 March 1982

SAN FRANCISCO'S Romeo Void rode into town on the swell of the enormous local success of their 'Never Say Never' EP. Their two-day stay saw ...

The Human League: Dare (A&M)

Review by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 18 March 1982

AFTER SEVERAL weeks at the top of the British album charts, and buoyed by the club success of soap-operetta 'Don't You Want Me', Dare has ...

The Human League Wants You

Profile and Interview by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 20 May 1982

ONCE UPON a time in Sheffield, England, there were four men who called themselves the Human League. They made expressive synthesizer music with intriguing lyrics ...

Toots & The Maytals: Toots and the Maytals

Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 20 May 1982

HE SEEMS overwhelmingly tired, huddled in the corner of the dressing room smoking a chillum. He is dressed like a champ: satin boxing shorts and ...

ABC: 'The Look of Love (Parts One, Two, Three & Four)' (Neutron, 12" EP)

Review by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 7 July 1982

I HOLD IN my hand a record by a group with three letters: ABC led by FRY, Martin that is. His previous excursions into vinyl, ...

The Clash: Highways To Hell: Clash Clampdown U.S.A.

Report by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 7 July 1982

IT'S SUMMER and the Clash are back, not on Broadway but on the radio. 'Rock the Casbah' is blaring out of car windows not just ...

Public Image Ltd: Working On A New Public Image

Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 22 September 1982

A GUITAR is being tuned, loudly, in the studio. Keith Levene strikes a familiar chord which quickly becomes a theme. Public Image Ltd.'s theme. ...

The Undertones: → Undertones

Profile and Interview by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 20 October 1982

WE CAN now exhale in relief — the Undertones are back and they've hardly changed. They've gotten some lines in their formerly cherubic faces since ...

The Psychedelic Furs: Love Their Way

Report and Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 17 November 1982

The Singer ...

The Bangles: Big Bangle Theory

Profile by Byron Coley, Boston Rock, 15 December 1982

WHEN ALL'S been said and done, the Recycler has got to be one of the coolest rags in the entire LA press sump. Now, every ...

ABC: Love For Sale

Report and Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 26 January 1983

THEY ABIDE by a Code of Gentlemen, wear elegant tuxedos or tweed, and shake hands limply. The women they desire are haughty and haunting; they ...

Culture Club: Kissing To Be Clever (Virgin, LP)

Review by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 26 January 1983

THIS IS disco music with some reggae and soul thrown in. My God, I can close my eyes and see the flashing ultra violet lights, ...

The Cars, Ric Ocasek, Alan Vega: Ric Ocasek: Beat-Attitudes

Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 26 January 1983

A DIRTY white sofa is pushed away from the wall to make room for paint cans, brushes, and newspapers matted on the floor. The only ...

Culture Club: Hey There, Georgie Boy...

Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 30 March 1983

THE PIANO lounge of Boston's Marriott Longwharf Hotel is imposing — sharp white walls and ledges surround ceiling-high glass windows, dramatizing the expanse of the ...

Dexys Midnight Runners: Rambler in the Rye

Profile and Interview by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 30 March 1983

AT LAST, a foot in the door! Dexys Midnight Runners: the name is finally getting around because of their brilliant, buoyant single 'Come On Eileen', ...

3 Mustaphas 3, ABC, Dennis Bovell, Captain Sensible, Elvis Costello, The Damned, Everything But The Girl, Frank Chickens, Haircut 100, JoBoxers, Malcolm McLaren, Musical Youth, Shriekback, Wah!, Wham!: I See London

Report by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 30 March 1983

IF YOU'RE keen to witness a major cultural capital in hibernation, try being in London the week between Christmas and New Years. Just about everything ...

Lou Reed: Legendary Hearts (RCA)

Review by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 27 April 1983

ON THE cover and sleeve photos for Legendary Hearts, Lou Reed, Darth Vadar helmet under his arm and guitar and amp strapped to his motorcycle, ...

R.E.M.: Murmur of the heart

Report and Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 1 June 1983

PALE FROM lack of sleep combined with a terrific hangover, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck is perched on a barstool, swallowing aspirin. The employees of the ...

Spandau Ballet: True (Chrysalis)

Review by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 1 June 1983

UNABASHED HEDONISTS Spandau Ballet seem to have shifted their focus from the fast-lane London club scene to a langourous Club Med existence. The resultant product, ...

Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five, Man Parrish: Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Man Parrish: Club New York, Nine Lansdowne Street, Boston MA

Live Review by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 5 July 1983

Club New York Takes It On The Hip-Hop ...

Heaven 17: The Luxury Gap (Arista, LP)

Review by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 5 July 1983

THE LUXURY Gap, the long-awaited second album by Heaven 17, is the best album of 1983 thus far. Here is an album so alive it ...

Nona Hendryx: None Have A Voice Like Nona

Profile by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 5 July 1983

"SEXY." WBZ-TV's Joyce Kulhawik purses her lips together and pouts: "Provocative. Hot." Nona Hendryx shifts uncomfortably in her seat as the Live on Four camera ...

Simple Minds Dream A New Gold Dream

Interview by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 5 July 1983

JIM KERR'S eyes light up. "I saw (the German film) Fitzcarraldo three weeks after our album was complete, and there was a subtitle in it ...

Eurythmics: Sweet Soul Music (Is Made of This)

Interview by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 8 August 1983

"I SUPPOSE it's ironic, since I come from a place where you maybe see one black person a year, but I identify with soul music ...

The Blasters, Germs, Green On Red, Rank and File, Violent Femmes: Slash Records: All You Need To Change The World Is Better Distribution.

Interview by Byron Coley, Boston Rock, 8 August 1983

Since their inception as the seminal punk tabloid of the late '70s, the Slash organization has always kept its finger on the pulse of new ...

Tom Tom Club: Close to the Bone (Sire)

Review by Betsy Sherman, Boston Rock, 6 September 1983

ANOTHER BAHAMIAN excursion for Talking Heads' Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth; another Tom Tom Club album. Chris and Tina, assorted sisters and brothers, producer Steven ...

Keith Levene, Public Image Ltd: Keith Levene: The Bitterest PiL

Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 11 October 1983

THE URGENT guitar playing that cuts through the rumble of 'The Public Image Theme' isn't just the sound of a guitar going through an amp. ...

Jonzun Crew, New Edition, Maurice Starr: Michael Jonzun: Pack Jammin' from Roxbury to the Top Ten

Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 14 November 1983

AT THE END of the street on the top of a hill in Roxbury is a two-story, weather-beaten wooden house. The first floor windows are ...

Big Country: The Wild The Innocent & Big Country

Profile and Interview by Julie Panebianco, Boston Rock, 14 November 1983

THE MUSIC scene of late — with the Scottish sounds of Aztec Camera, the Eurythmics, and Big Country all climbing the charts — reminds me ...

Wire Train: Plato Would Have Hated Them

Interview by Rob Tannenbaum, Boston Rock, 21 February 1984

A LONG, LONG time ago — even before Chuck Berry was born — a guy named Plato announced to everyone within earshot that if he ...

The Clash: I Call On Joe Strummer — And Live to Tell About It!

Interview by Jon Young, Boston Rock, 16 April 1984

WHAT BECOMES a legend most? In the case of the Clash, overcoming the obstacles and carrying on, head held high. If you've followed their inconstant ...

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