The Duke of Gloucester at the dog bar yacht club #68

When visiting the Boston area, I got the impression something had shifted and I understood that this uneasy feeling was related to the contrast between the names of some districts which sounded so jolly British like Sommerville, Amhurst, ... Gloucester while others were definitely american as Natick, and Massachusetts spoke for itself.
I imagine my sweet friend Ms Xqwizite reading these lines and not able to repress a leer while raising her eyes to the sky. "Hilaaaarious !" would be the statement, but ... Ms X got nostalgic about Boston lately and I cannot resist reiterating a post about a genius from the local rock scene on which I got so ludicrously keen.

Willie Alexander had been living in Gloucester for a long time now but last year he went back to Mass. Ave. with the original Boom Boom Band.
This extraordinary vintage group has just released a new immaculate CD (" The dog bar yacht club ").

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Look at these 2 pictures, 25 years are the gap between the two albums but the attitude is the same. Willie loco and the Boom Boom band look determined and enjoy themselves. The music is great and the songs just like in the old times. "Gravelly Hill" is a beautiful starter, "Who Killed Deanna" is one of these archetypal Willie street movie song about Somerville neighborhood, "Telephone Sex" is the old boom boom gaga style !!
Willie "loco" will be in Paris at the end of the month to celebrate the 25th anniversary of New Rose Records . Paris and Boston will get connected once more and I bet there will be many of us to attend Willie's concert.

Another band from Boston #67

Do you remember the mighty Neighbourhoods ? I was introduced to them by the ever so precious Ms. Xqwizite who kept on raving about this band from Boston, "which were kings of kewwwwwwl ..."(to quote her).

Through my Bostonian acquaintances I had previously noticed the band on the DIY Mass. Ave. compilation cover and also heard them on the Ace of Hearts label compilation cd. But it was quite impossible to find anything recorded though they released some LP's. Ms. Xqwizite, did I mention that she is irresistible ? she is actually, had also warned me to be cautious as the last incarnation of the band at the end of the 80's did not please her as much, their musical direction having shifted to more metallic shores. I did not care really as there was nothing to listen to.. and now some fan has produced a site which is already a treasure, dedicated to the band..
There are lots of live recordings from the very beginning, a perfect way to rediscover a sadly underrated band which should have made it but blah blah blah...

Go to this site at : http://www.thehoodsonline.com/home.htm
This band used to rule just as Ms X told me .....