IN THIS ISSUE

Rita: This is quite an issue you are holding in your hands. Each one of the artists on the cover deserves to be dominating the page. THE BANDIT KINGS’ wonderful song, “Epic Hello” (and CD of the same name)—tilted the scale to earn the top spot on the cover. In a very close tie for second you have the loud, artsy, minimalist rock of DO NOT FORSAKE ME OH MY DARLING, the acoustic folk/rock/jazz of singer-songwriter SARAH BLACKER, and the shakin’ country rock LIZ FRAME & THE KICKERS. They are all amazing acts based in New England. These performers are already local stars—their communities support them well. Time for you to catch the acts that suit your taste if you haven’t yet. Lolita: And notice the new feature T Max added to the layout. It’s on the next page (page 5) and tells you what page you can find all the feature stories, reviews, and special features. Rita: It’s called an index. Most magazines have them. Lolita: Shhhhsh… T Max thinks he just invented it.

WARM AND COLD MONTHS...

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Rita: Now that we’ve left the warm days of summer behind, besides the temperature, what is the difference between the warm and cold months? LINDA VIENS (Adam & Eve/ Angeline): For me the difference in the warm and cold months is deeply ritualistic and psychological. When it’s warm, I must be outside, in nature, as much as possible, even if it’s yard work and not something as scrumptious as swimming, but the cold invites me to come inside, get to more reading, writing and studying, watching films, etc. Though that said, there is nothing like a run in the cold winter air, or a walk around Walden Pond when it’s frozen over; every season has its magic! *** RICK BERLIN (the Nickel & Dime Band): The cold months feel new. The school year always began as the weather turned. New faces, new clothes, new classes, new everything. The leaves die and fall just as we’re getting started. It’s all backwards. Love that. *** KRISTEN MILLER (Kristen Miller): The difference? In the cold months I need a project to get me through the darkness. Last year, I wrote film scores to three short Maya Deren films. This year, I hope to tackle a longer film. And make a music video too. *** KEN FIELD (Revolutionary Snake Ensemble/ Agachiko/ Birdsongs of the Mesozoic): I feel like I should be more careful about walking around my apartment naked in the cold months, since there aren’t leaves on the trees in between me and my neighbors! *** NIKI LUPARELLI (Niki Luparelli & the Gold Diggers/ the Steamy Bohemians): In the cold weather, car accidents caused by some dude staring at a girl in a skirt riding a bicycle, hoping for a quick glimpse of her white panties, so that he didn’t see that ice cream truck coming, are far less likely. Lolita: Niki, how many accidents did you cause this summer? NIKI: If you don’t count the Italian ice guy, three. I don’t ride a bike, but I am an areola 51 waiting to happen at any given champagne filled moment. *** AMANDA NICHOLS (Crash Safely): The excuses given for not coming to the show. *** MARK BRYANT (Plimro Records): During the warm months, I wake up early and go bike riding in downtown Plymouth. During the cold months, I wake up late and go drinking in downtown Plymouth. *** LIZ BORDEN (Liz Borden Band): The difference is I become moodier than usual. So does everyone else once it gets cold. It’s darker earlier, we are stuck inside with the windows closed. We eat more and dress warmer from head to toe. We plan our days and events around snowstorms and end up staying inside more. We all be come vitamin D deficient and wear boots. Warm months are so much better! *** KIER BYRNES (Three Day Threshold): In the winter, you can store beer on the back porch and it’ll stay cold. In the summer, this won’t work, so there’s a whole lot less space in my fridge. *** CHUCK ROSINA (WMBR/WMFO): The lack of light in winter is a difference from summer... or to be positive, the increased time for nightlife in winter. *** WAYNE HUMPHREY (Diabolis in Musica): The warm-month names are two syllables or less. The cold months are three syllables or more. Rita: Wow, Wayne, you are a creative observatitude dude. Though March may not fit with its “in like a lion and out like a lamb” slogan. It doesn’t really turn lambish until early April most of the time, so I’d have to label March a cold month. Look everybody; Wayne has tears coming to his eyes. Let’s make Wayne feel better and start calling the third month of the year Marchuary.

OUR UNIQUE NEWS

Lolita: Read closely now, the Noise is the only print media reporting this rare news. Parts of it will be used in a music trivia game someday. THE EVER EXPANDING ELASTIC WASTE BAND is headed to Argentina and Chile (this is after their trip to the Voodoo Fest in New Orleans) with both MORPHINE drummers JEROME DUPREE and BILLY CONWAY. Then they are off to Amsterdam to play the IDFA/PLAY Film and Music festival in tandem with a screening of the recent documentary film Cure for Pain: the Mark Sandman Story. *** THE GOBSHITES are going to Ireland to record with CAIT O’RIORDAN (the Pogues) and RICHIE RAMONE (the Ramones). *** Virgin Airlines will be playing BIRD MANCINI’s song, “Because It’s December” on one of their in-flight channels during the month of December. *** JENNY DEE & THE DEELINQUENTS have included “That Moon Was Low,” written by the legendary GRAHAM PARKER, on their latest single. *** AJ WACHTEL used to play in BLIND LEMON PLEDGE. The funny part is that through sponsorships he now has dust-free furniture. The unfunny part is that AJ’s vision is a major problem. He’s blind in one eye and the other recently had surgery on it. *** Noise writer JUSTIN KORN is currently in medical school. If it doesn’t work out, he and another student plan to start up a record label, Medical Records, or Cough Again Records. *** Drum Center (800 Islington St., Portsmouth, ME) presents a STANTON MOORE drum clinic on November 16 (6:30pm) at the Frank Jones Conference Center (400 Route One Bypass, Portsmouth, ME). Tickets are $10/ available at the Drum Center. *** Since it has opened, Zuzu, the restaurant that is surrounded on three sides by the Middle East, has only been open at night (5:00 pm on), but now you can enter that space, under the name Z Rant, for brunch and lunch between 10:00am and 3:00pm. *** Ipswich Music has moved from 197 High Street to 195 High Street, 2nd floor. It’s an attractive sunny space used to teach and display musical instruments and supplies. *** Passim administers a program called the Iguana Music Fund, which provides seed grants between $500 and $2,000 to artists with ties to New England to support specific career-building projects or to aid those serving their community through music. For more information, go to www.passim.org. *** For those who remember the late and great MIKEY DEE (WMFO/ Planetary Group/ the Noise), his presence in local music is still mighty. The Mikey Dee Musicians’ Trust Fund aided JJ RASSLER, who damaged his left hand in an automobile accident. *** Drummer DAVE MATTACKS (Paul McCartney/ George Harrison/ Brian Eno/ Elton John) is playing again and well on his way to recovery from back surgery. *** AUDREY RYAN has written a book, The Need to Be Heard, about the record industry and will be playing and reading at her release show on Saturday, 11/5, at the Nave Gallery at the Presbyterian Church in Somerville. Rita: I’m reading a local folk music novel called Revival by SCOTT ALARIK. I’m only on page 59, but in my mind I’ve already become the pretty, young, inexperienced girl singer, Kit. I’m hoping I gather at least some local notoriety by the end of the book. I’ve already slept with an older guy, Nathan, who experienced some fame, so I’m sure some of it will rub off on me.

YUM YUM EAT ’EM UP

Lolita: Instead of eating desserts, now I just talk about them. I figured out if I could lose one pound a week… for one year… I would lose 52 pounds. If I did it for two years I could practically get back to my weight at three years old. So, let’s talk about desserts. What’s your favorite? SATCH KERANS (Satch Kerans): Key Lime Pie at Larry’s Lobsta Land on rte. 128, Gloucester, MA. *** DIANE YOUNG (TCAN): Hot fudge sundaes are by far my favorite dessert... best deal around is at CPK... order the kids sundae, just big enough, hot fudge is amazing and they even put mini M&M’s on top ... all for 99 cents... Sharing a banana split at JP Licks is really great too. Lolita: Last time I shared a banana split in public a policeman gave me a ride downtown. *** ANN MARIE SHIMANOSKI (the Bandit Kings): That’s a tough one. I do have quite a sweet tooth. It’s a toss up: My mother’s home-made apple pie or coconut ice cream from Goodies in Danvers…yum! *** JIM COUNTRYMAN (Lovewhip/ Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers): Vegan chocolate cake with raspberry filling and vegan chocolate ganache frosting (it was Erin’s b-day recently!) from Fiore’s Bakery in Jamaica Plain, soooo good! *** SOPHIA CACCIOLA (Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling/ the Michael J Epstein Memorial Library/ Space Balloons/ Darling Pet Munkee): The cheesecake at Veggie Galaxy is pretty kickin’. *** ANNE BROWN (the Noise): My favorite dessert is the chocolate vegan brownie with vegan caramel and soy ice cream at Julian’s in Providence. How it cannot in any way be faulted healthwise and still be totally delicious is a tribute to the remarkable cooking skills and exciting menu of this favorite restaurant. *** MIKE SCRIMA (Force Us to Stop): My girlfriend makes a pretty amazing carrot cake from scratch. It fakes me out so I don’t realize I’m eating a vegetable, which I’m not usually getting enough of. *** CHRISSY VACCARO (the Spoilers/ the Grinds): My favorite dessert is apple pie—really any kind of pie, but it’s fall... so we’ll say apple. I get it from my mum. She makes the best pies! *** MR. CURT (MC3): Creme brulee—that creamy custard with a flamed-sugar topping. The best I’ve ever eaten is from Flour, Joanne Chang’s South End pastry palace. *** EDRIE (Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys): The apple pie at the German Harvest Supper held every autumn at St. Peter and Paul in Strasburg, North Dakota, is the best ever! *** MELVERN TAYLOR (…& the Fabulous Meltones): A large chocolate Fribble at Friendly’s. Friendly’s in general is the best place to eat. I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise at 2:05 on the hill. *** LIZ FRAME (Liz Frame & the Kickers): Oh man, I love dessert! Wish I could eat it more often (gotta watch the weight!), but when I do eat it, one of my favorites is rice pudding with raisins. I get this amazing brand called Cozy Shack at my grocery store. I could eat the whole tub in one sitting. *** T MAX (the Noise): I am addicted to the wonderful raspberry frozen yogurt served at Café Bishco on Main Street in Gloucester. There’s a full cup of raspberries mixed into the fat-free yogurt. Lolita, I’m with you—I’m out to lose one pound a week for a year.

PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION

Lolita: Last month one of our better reviewers mentioned that Steve Ward wrote the best song on the CATBIRDS’ new CD, when actually it was STEVE WOOD. Rita: And no, that’s not a typo for STEVE WINDWOOD. *** Lolita: In Gloucester we had to start a catalog to keep up on the bandits. Case in point: On the cover of this issue, from Gloucester—THE BANDIT KINGS. Remember the pet of the month named Bandit?—he is owned by singer-songwriter CHARLIE BIANCHINI from Gloucester. And JENNY DEE & THE DELINQUENTS (members TONY and SAMANTHA GODDESS are Gloucester residents) have a song (on their new single) called “Bandit of Love.” Rita: Hold on, the bandit who lives next door (in Gloucester) just stole my heart. *** Lolita: KIER BYRNES (Three Day Threshold) got covered in grease on his honeymoon with his gorgeous new wife, MANDY MORIN—no, that must be MANDY BYRNES now. Rita: First of all, Lolita, you should address Kier Byrnes as Doctor Kier Byrnes. And your second faux pas—he wasn’t covered in grease—the newlyweds went on their honeymoon to Greece! *** Lolita: So, when did Jeremy Irons start playing with members of MORPHINE? I thought that guy was a British actor. Rita: Yes he is, and he doesn’t sing with members of MORPHINE in the EVER EXPANDING ELASTIC WASTE BAND—that job has been occupied by JEREMY LYONS! *** Lolita: And who could possibly mix up CHELSEA BERRY with CLARA BARRY? Both talented female singer-songwriters came out with CDs at the same time and got coverage in the Noise. Did we screw up the names? Rita: No, in that case we didn’t, but the possibilities are endless. Catch a mistake we make in this column and next issue we’ll put your name in print (probably spelled wrong).

MUSICAL CHAIRS

Lolita: You know this game. We start the music and when it stops, another local musician has joined a band. DARLING PET MUNKEE is a garage/surf rock group that includes MICHAEL J. EPSTEIN, SOPHIA CACCIOLA, (both of Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling) and CATHEERINE CAPOZZI (Axemunkee). *** The guitar-driven, melodic, indie rock group, THE FIELD EFFECT, consists of DOUG OREY (vocals/ guitar), NICK GRIECO (lead guitar/ backing vocals), ANNIE HOFFMAN (bass, backing vocals), and ADAM HAND (drums). *** APESHITS include SKINNY MIKE (Coffin Lids) on guitar/vocals, ELIAS CARLSON (66 Breakout) on guitar/vocals, MATT BURNS (Coffin Lids), and GREG MAHONEY (Triple Thick). Their name represents the band well in that they play monkey, ape, and gorilla songs with some hairy complementary visuals. ***AMERICAN WATER is JOHN KINNECOME (guitar/ vocals), DENNIS McCARTHY (drums), MIKE HIGGINS (bass) and MIKE JOY (lead guitar). Their new CD, This is Where It Ends, is produced by DAVID MINEHAN. *** Pedal steel player DAVE MIDDLETON is the newest member of GROWNUP NOISE, even though he hails from Sacramento, CA. The group is a true bi-coastal band. *** NOELLE LeBLANC (x-Damone/Noelle) now fronts ORGAN BEATS. *** MARK CUTTLER (guitar/ mandolin/ vocals), JOHN FUZEK (guitars/ keys/ banjo), and DAN LILLEY (guitars/ harmonica) are the heart of FOREVER YOUNG—an eight-piece Neil Young tribute. *** JOHN POWHIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT has been upgraded to included JIM ZAVODOWSKI, PETER MOORE, MIKE CASTELLANA, and NATHAN LOGUS. *** MR. CURT has formed a sub division of THE MR. CURT ENSEMBLE called MC3. It includes CLARA KEBABIAN, MARTY WHITE, and Curt himself. *** Look for the debut of RANDY BLACK & THE HEATHCROPPERS (nod to Thomas Hardy), a new rockin’ band that includes LARRY DERSCH (Angeline/ AKACOD/ Common Ailments of Maturity), MATT GRUENBERG (the Dark/ Atom Said), and of course, RANDY BALCK (Limbo race/ Dr. Black’s Combo). *** Keyboardist DOUG MAJOR has joined BRITANICA. Doug has played with Ravi Shankar, Leonard Bernstein, Aretha Franklin, Wynton Marsalis, and Yo Yo Ma. *** DUKE LEVINE and KEVIN BARRY play guitar and lap steel respectively on LIZ FRAME & THE KICKERS’ new album. *** MICHAEL MAROTTA has taken over DAVE DUNCAN’s host position on WFNX’s Boston Accents local music show, 8-10 Sunday nights. DAVE is now doing afternoons at 102.7 WEQX, based in Manchester, Vermont, and serving the Albany market, Western Mass and southern Vermont. He also does a show Sunday nights 8-10pm called Going Underground featuring the best new national releases, with songs by unsigned New England and New York acts thrown in for good measure. Rita: If Dave didn’t throw those extra acts in, would his show have bad measurements?

WHEN DIFFERENT SPECIES MATE

Lolita: Sometimes I just sit around looking at the peaceful animals and wonder what it would be like if two different species mated. What would the offspring look like? Let’s see what combination of species our friends can come up with. ELIJAH EBENEZER WYMAN (Tiny Mountains): I would like to see a cat and dog mate because when I was a kid I thought dogs were boys and cats were girls. Depending on its sex I would either call it a dog or a cat. *** BONNIE BARISH (the Dynamic Duo): It would be interesting to see a long-haired cat, like a Persian, mate with a Pomeranian dog, and I would call that a Dogmatic Cattastrophie! *** PETER RINNIG (QRST’s): A giraffe and a giant sea tortoise would make a giratortoise, but I would call it a submarine. *** CHANDLER TRAVIS (the Dick Travis Singers): Absolutely! But I try to make sure no one’s watching! And Shaun Wortis. *** MICHAEL J. EPSTEIN (…Memorial Library/ Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling/ Darling Pet Munkee/ Space Balloons): I am stretching the question a little from two to three, but I am allergic to virtually every animal except for birds, horses, and cockroaches. My dream is to someday ride into battle on a hybrid steed, a flying horseroach of the hawkbarbroach breed, if you will. The creature’s battle cry alone will spread fear across the world. Children will never sleep again. *** FRANK ROWE (Classic Ruins): I would like to see the North American bison mate with the South American giant Andean condor. The resulting offspring would be called the Giant Buffalo Wing Special. Rita: I don’t eat meat any more so we’ll have no more of that foolish death talk about my fellow Earthians. Lolita: I don’t eat Lima beans, so are they off-limits in this column too? Rita: No. Unless you keep a Lima bean as a pet. Anyway, that segues nicely into a favorite vegetable survey I ran this month. Favorite vegetable votes came in for popcorn and aubergine. Popcorn is stretching it and… aubergine? What the heck is an aubergine? EDRIE (Walter Sickert & the Army of Toys): Aubergine is eggplant. I was in the UK when I answered this and that’s what they call it. I liked the name. It tickled my fancy button. Lolita: Yeah, now guys will be asking me if they can tickle my fancy button. But are you sure an aubergine is not an auburn-colored tangerine? Rita: Drum roll please… the most favorite vegetable from the survey is… carrots! Second place: asparagus. Third: broccoli. Lolita: That’s typical—the top two are phallic vegetables we stick in our mouths. Sounds like another banana split experience. Rita: What about the broccoli? Lolita: If you don’t eat it right away, it goes limp.

CONTEST TIME

Lolita: This month’s contest: How many skulls were in the layout of our creepy Halloween issue? Closest guess (sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) wins an online banner for a week on thenoise-boston.com and thenoiseboard.com, and your name and occupation mentioned in the next issue. Last month’s winner was from someone who felt like he was ineligible. We won’t say his name, but he writes for the Noise, can’t see too well, and has dust-free furniture. The answer to those clues can be found in this column.

ALL GOIN’ OUT TOGETHER

Rita: Looking for us? Try these places first: LENNY LASHLEY lashes out at the Village Smokehouse in Lowell on Friday, 11/4. *** GimmeSound.com and the Noise sponsor THE BANDIT KINGS CD release at the Rhumb Line on Saturday, 11/5. *** Same night ADVENTURE SET is at the Magic Room. *** And again on 11/5, FRANC GRAHAM releases her CD, Steady, at Atwoods. *** As if that’s not enough on 11/5, at Precinct there’s a USA vs. Japan garage rock battle. MUCK & THE MIRES and LYRES represent the States. *** On Sunday, 11/6, THE MICHAEL J. EPSTEIN MEMORILA LIBRARY  performs their entertaining/educational show at Passim. *** At All Asia on Tuesday, 11/8, RITUAL NOISE BOSTON helps to promote this magazine. *** THALIA ZEDEK leads a Billy Ruane Tribute at Radio on Thursday, 11/10. *** On Friday, 11/11/11 (Nigel Tufnel Day) MY OWN WORST ENEMY releases their CD, Electric Like the Moon, at Precinct. *** Same night, watch out for DIRTY BOMBS at Great Scott. *** On Saturday, 11/12, DO NOT FORSAKE ME OH MY DARLING is part of Projektfest ’11 at the Middle East Downstairs. *** Same night THE NEIGHBORHOODS share the bill with UNNATURAL AXE at Church Boston. *** Also on 11/12, JAKE PARDEE plays the Dog Bar. *** On Sunday, 11/13, JOE TURNER & THE SEVEN LEVELS expand the Middle East. *** A lot is going on on Friday, 11/18: ABSINTHE ROSE brings folk punk to the Midway, CHELSEA BERRY opens for MARSHALL CRENSHAW at Me & Thee Coffeehouse in Marblehead, THE DENTS reunite at T.T. the Bear’s, BRIAN EVANS sings “At Fenway” at Shalin Liu in Rockport, MA, and finally T MAX is at Northeastern University's After Hours—all on 11/18. *** FARREN-BUTCHER, INC. plays the Center for Arts in Natick on Saturday, 11/19. *** Same night over at the Cantab, THE RODS (a Rod Stewart Tribute) sing “Maggie May.” *** Also on 11/19, SHAKE THE FAITH reunites at the Magic Room for a 25th anniversary to benefit the Abel Harris Jr. Scholarship Fund. *** Boston Music Awards will be held on Sunday, 11/20, at the Liberty Hotel in Boston. *** ROB POTYLO does his triple CD release party at Church on that same night. *** SARAH BORGES delights the crowd at Johnny D’s on Wednesday, 11/23. *** THE BANDIT KINGS play the Dog Bar on Saturday, 11/26. *** HENRY ALLEN directs the LobstahCrackah Ballet (12 performances over three weeks), 12/15 to 1/1/12 at the Annie in Gloucester. Rita: I hope you all enjoy Thanksgiving. It’s good to be grateful for anything you have.