Punk is a music genre often associated with grassroots and “sticking it to the man”. Par for the course for the evolution of anything, the harsher edge of punk has softened from studded and spiked leather jackets and mile-high mohawks of the eighties to button-down flannels and sometimes Hawaiian shirts and Vans. But the message tends to be one and the same; rebellion, anti-norm, and angst wrapped in a DIY bow.
The most telling feature of Tomorrow Never Comes (Epitaph Records) is the cover. A band logo and four headshots are framed in a grid. It’s like seeing a novel that puts more emphasis on the well-known author instead of the book’s title, and it’s a testament to the longevity and the roots (radical) of Rancid, a band that’s been active since the early 1990s. Their tenth full-length focuses on the musical experience instead of a flashy album appearance.
If you ask a fan of ska to name three pioneering acts, you’ll likely find a lot of people answering with Reel Big Fish, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (RIP) and Less Than Jake. And for good reason. The staying power of the three legendary bands speaks for themselves; Reel Big Fish formed in 1991, the Bosstones were around as early as the mid-1980s, and Less Than Jake first surfaced thirty years ago.
It’s easy to forget how courageous and inspiring it is to lay all your cards on the table, especially as an artist in the public eye. To the layperson, it might feel uncomfortable if a few friends or family members find something out about them that’s personal or revealingContinue reading
Mighty Mighty Bosstones 12-28-2016
At House Of Blues Boston, MA
All Photos By Matt Lambert/Trebmal PhotographyContinue reading