While on my listening trip thru' the US mid 70s u-ground, the compass today pointed towards Beantown. No need to go 'n explain the joys of bands like DMZ or the Real Kids to you NBT readers, but this particular trip threw up a couple o' questions that I figured one of you might be able to answer. One of the 45s I pulled out was Marc Thor's Holiday Fire, hardly an earthshattering disc, but it made me wonder who might be on there as well. As far as I know Marc first appeared on the Live At The Rat comp where he was backed by DMZ-ers Rick Coracio, Mono Mann and Jay Jay Rassler. Soundwise I figure it's different crew on the 45, but if anyone can tell for sure, I'd really appreciate it. (also, can somebody put a date on this thing?). The second disc that threw up a bunch of question marks is by the Bonjour Aviators, a 1976 hard-rock styled 7" that might be best compared to early BOC on a budget. Diggin' thru' the excellent Boston Groupie News site, it quickly becomes clear that this band was very much part of the scene, doin' support slots with the likes of Television and the Heartbreakers. But no word on any further activities. Did these guys put out anything else? Did they pursue any other musical careers? I wanna know!
Sunday, January 15, 2006
While on my listening trip thru' the US mid 70s u-ground, the compass today pointed towards Beantown. No need to go 'n explain the joys of bands like DMZ or the Real Kids to you NBT readers, but this particular trip threw up a couple o' questions that I figured one of you might be able to answer. One of the 45s I pulled out was Marc Thor's Holiday Fire, hardly an earthshattering disc, but it made me wonder who might be on there as well. As far as I know Marc first appeared on the Live At The Rat comp where he was backed by DMZ-ers Rick Coracio, Mono Mann and Jay Jay Rassler. Soundwise I figure it's different crew on the 45, but if anyone can tell for sure, I'd really appreciate it. (also, can somebody put a date on this thing?). The second disc that threw up a bunch of question marks is by the Bonjour Aviators, a 1976 hard-rock styled 7" that might be best compared to early BOC on a budget. Diggin' thru' the excellent Boston Groupie News site, it quickly becomes clear that this band was very much part of the scene, doin' support slots with the likes of Television and the Heartbreakers. But no word on any further activities. Did these guys put out anything else? Did they pursue any other musical careers? I wanna know!
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Hey Jeroen-Bonjour Aviators' Fred Pineau was part of the Count Joseph Viglione/VARULVEN axis and wrote reviews/conducted interviews for that long-forgotten fanzine back in the late-seventies. Frankly, I always took Bonjour Aviators to be yet another Aerosmith-influenced buncha wannabes (and there were many going around in the mid-seventies, from Thundertrain to White Lightning [the NYC band made up of a buncha Greek guys affecting British accents, not the all-black group!]) not that there's anything WRONG with that...y'know, good enough but nothing special next to the big guns of the underground of the mid/late-seventies, but I gotta admit that they had a pretty hot metallic/pop single on their hands. And that was a good thing considering just how few of the underground groups of the day got to release anything at all!
For what it's worth, Bonjour Aviators also played the oft-hyped CBGB Christmas Festival in '75, I believe opening for Talking Heads of all groups! (The Heads' name naturally emblazoned in large letters on the advert while BA's name appeared in miniscule type below!)
The fact that these Bostonians never got signed by a major is definitely a testament to the stupidity of record labels both mainstream and indie at the time, though par for the course considering how some totally unknown groups outta the underground would get signed while the bigger names langished, and vicey versey. It's funny, but nowadays bands with little if any intelligence or acumen can release reams of material documenting their every sneeze, yet we'll be lucky if we even hear a fraction of what the early/mid-seventies garage groups had recorded, and if you ask me they had a lot MORE to tell us than today's fluffweights ever will!
Muchos gracias Chris!
Was kinda hoping you'd be able to deliver some info on this!
I kinda figure that these type o' bands might be "nothing special next to the big guns of the underground of the mid/late-seventies" but maybe one day 'll turn out to be cult-ish bands anyway. Like kids today bein' more aware of BFTG obscurities rather than Nuggets-type top 40 hits!
Damn, would love to have a peek at some copies of VARULVEN. If you have any trade suggestions, please drop me a line.
Thanks again,
J
Hi Jeroen,
I am Fred Pineau, lead guitarist of the Bonjour Aviators. We were a Boston band that became part of the New York scene before there was a scene in Boston. We played Max's Kansas City and CBGB's several times, opening for Television, The Dead Boys, Talking Heads (when they were a 3 piece), among others.
When the scene opened up in Boston, we were among the first bands to play The Rat, brought Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers there and opened for them for two nights (the last gigs with Richard Hell on bass).
After the Aviators broke up, I went on to another popular Boston band, Third Rail, and then joined The Atlantics. While with The Atlantics, we were signed & recorded for ABC Records & MCA Records. Our biggest Boston hit was a self released 45 titled "Lonleyhearts", and we were immortalized by Rhino Records when it was included on the Boston DYI compilation.
I'm still playing with my new band, The Illegals - check us out at www.theillegalsband.com
Fred
Hi Fred, thanks very much for your relpy! That sure answers my Questions. You've got quite an impressive C.V. there by the way. Checked the Illigals site and was rather impressed by the MP3s on offer (and figure most NBT readers would be likewise). Please keep me posted on whatever is up with your band and I'll happily forward it here on the NBT blog...
Thanks again,
Jeroen
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