By T Max and Joe Coughlin

20 YEARS AGO
Issue #88 - October 1989

Cover: The Bentmen
Bands: Green Magnet School, the Swinging Erudites, the Lemonheads, the Slaves, Dresden Danse, Scatterfield, Ray Mason Band, Well Babys, Laughing Academy, Johnny & the Jumper Cables, Siamese Triplets
Gossip & Stuff: Wow—Magic Dick (J. Geils Band) and Rick Danko (the Band) play on the Del Fuegos’ first RCA release. *** Jesse Mayer (Jesse von Kenmore) leaves the Drive to play with Meltdown, and officially establishes his monthly band change. *** Members of Hüsker Dü supply background vocals on the D.Y.S. disc on Taang! No truth to the rumor that D.Y.S,’s bass player was required to grow a handlebar moustache for the sessions. *** Here are the Scorpios (who are resentful, stubborn, obstinate, secretive, suspicious, and jealous): Peter Prescott (Volcano Suns) 10/26, Nat Freedberg (Titanics) 10/28, Kris Thompson (Jasmine Love Bomb) 11/8, Billy Ruane (Middle East) 11/10, Jim Janota (the Bags) 11/12, Chris Doherty (Gang Green) 11/14. Strange, when you consider all the musicans with these traits who aren’t Scorpios. *** GG Allin is arrested in Michigan for aggravated assault with intent to murder. I’d be remiss not to mention that the judge conceded to “substantial inconsistencies” in the victim’s account. Still, Allin plea bargained to reduced felony assault charges, and was locked up from December of ’89 through March of ’91. *** CD Playbacks is advertising. They later become CD Spins. And later the store becomes Chemistry—our present back page advertiser. *** When Juanita (WFNX) was six she was beat up by these big guys unless she gave Football Head a comic book. There are several ways to interpret this, none of them good.

15 YEARS AGO
Issue #143 - October 1994

Cover: Boston Rocks for AIDS
Bands: Dirt Merchants, Morphine, Modern Lovers, Quivvver, Bulkhead, Bongo Fury, Paula Cole, the Stompers, Dambuilders, Kustomized, Rattle Heatre, Crown Electric Company, the Syphlloids
Gossip & Stuff: *** Turkish Delight’s entertaining press release includes fifty things to do on the T. Rita tries #42 (Pretend you’re blind. Try to get off the train on the side where the doors don’t open. See if anyone helps.) I tried this too. No one helped, so I tried again, naked. The cops couldn’t help me get out fast enough. *** Curve of the Earth Records hands Roadsaw a giant check for $1,000,000.00 *** Listen to this 1994 item: Boston’s Chief of Police is quoted at Green Day’s concert at the Hatch Shell saying, “If that fuckin’ guy says ‘fuck’ one more fucking time, I’m gonna pull the fucking plug.” No truth to the rumor that Mayor Menino backed up these comments by saying, “Blugh argh flemma geebo foofoo.” *** Audrey Clark’s 9-year-old son Ian dazzles the audience at the 360s’ record release party with his guitar playing and singing ability. *** After Allen Bush (Night Music) talks to a woman at National Music Expo, she sticks her tongue down his throat. Unfortunately, she’d been keeping it in a jar of formaldehyde. *** Mark Hamilton takes over WZBC’s local show, Mass. Ave. & Beyond. Unfortunately, WZBC’s signal doesn’t reach beyond Mass. Ave. *** Morphine can be heard in the movie Spanking the Monkey. Unfortunately (for my neighbors), I can also be heard spanking the monkey.

10 YEARS AGO
Issue #195 - October 1999

Cover: The Sheila Divine, Boston Rock Opera
Bands: Helicopter Helicopter, Betwixt, Heidi, Rocket Science, Seventeen, Banjo Spiders, the Sugar Twins, Suzi Lee, Splashdown, the Outlets, the Amazing Royal Crowns, Damn Personals, Real Kids, the Explosion, the Nines, Hip Tanaka, Cannibal Animal & Me
Gossip & Stuff: This Creepy Halloween issue is scattered with real monster photos, including the Mummy, the Bride of Frankenstein, Nosferatu, Mr. Hyde, Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein, and Igor. *** The Question of the Month is, what’s the best costume you ever wore on Halloween? Answers: Corin Ashley (the Pills): A telephone pole with lots of flyers stapled all over; Peter Choyce (WZBC): A cheap witch’s mask. That’s all I wore; Bleu (Bleu): A guy taking a shower; Kier Byrnes (Three Day Threshold): I went as Robert Palmer, complete with an entourage of girls dressed in black tights and slicked back hair; Jay Allen (Clamarama Records): I pierced my body with 75 syringes and smeared myself with leftovers from a slaughterhouse. I was medical waste; Bridget Murphy (the Flux): A well-shaved pussy. No truth to the rumor that Bridget landed an endorsement deal with Gillette as a result. *** Tim Catz writes in to let us know that the letter war between Joe Coughlin and Bob Dubrow sounds like two schoolgirls arguing over who’s better, Backstreet Boys or ’N Sync. He was still upset after learning that Roadsaw’s million-dollar check was bogus. Besides, New Kids on the Block were the real kings anyway. And to think, I gave that guy good reviews. Sheesh!

5 YEARS AGO
Issue #245 - October 2004

Cover: Raymond (now Hooray for Earth), the Montgomerys, Mittens, Motormags
Bands: Quintaine Americana, Tanya Donelly, Seńor Happy, Voodoo Screw Machine, the Rudds, Muck & the Mires, My Own Worst Enemy, Dave Aaronoff & the Details, Aloud, Gobshites, Tiger Saw, Daisycutter, Thalia Zedek, Mercy James Gang
Gossip & Stuff: Though this issue is put together in September of ’04, it is apparent that the Sox are on their way to glory. There are eight graphic Sox references in the issue, and that’s not counting the Question of the Month, which is, how ’bout those Sox? Not one answer acknowledges our hometown baseball team that is about to win its first World Series in 86 years. All the answers are about how worn out they are, how they don’t stay up, how they go up to the knee, and how they get lost in the laundry. At least no one mentioned the Chili Peppers on the cover of Rolling Stone. *** Jack Drag’s “Debutante” is the soundtrack for a Hummer TV commercial. Hummers? Like you see at tailgate parties? Does this have anything to do with Football Head? *** Leah Callahan is buying a house, getting married, and releasing a CD. *** Jay Allen and Karen Martakos get seriously wounded by a beer bottle at T.T.’s. Karen is an innocent bystander to a fight that breaks out because of rough moshing. *** Apollo Sunshine makes a video to teach their fans how to dance to one of their songs. Unfortunately, it’s a hardcore version of the Hokey-Pokey. *** Lexi Kahn (editor of the Noise at the time) is the sister of Mike Lombardi, one of the stars in Denis Leary’s hot TV show Rescue Me. Several seasons in, and Leary has still not been rescued.