Monoman Jeff Connolly has died. “On Fire” by his band The Lyres could have been recorded in 1965. That’s a compliment, it’s up there with anything by the Standells, Music Machine, and dare I say , ? and the Mysterians.
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Monoman Jeff Connolly has died. “On Fire” by his band The Lyres could have been recorded in 1965. That’s a compliment, it’s up there with anything by the Standells, Music Machine, and dare I say , ? and the Mysterians.
The Lyres - Baby (I still need your lovin)
TAANG! Records 1992
The Lyres - ...but if you’re happy now. (TAANG! Records1992)
Lyres_BFVF_Boston_1979
No one brings the ART of garage rock sound to the Boston Music scene like Jeff “Monoman” Connolly. See the full video of “Don’t Give It Up Now” at Boston Flashpoint: http://www.kinodv.net/blog/?page_id=928
Mix #9 Tracks 4--6 Theme: Radio On: Boston Rock in the 80's 4). “Don’t Give It Up Now” -- Lyres
My introduction to Jeff Connolly came through a hilarious article in the Boston Phoenix, in which our hero left a series of obstreperous voice mails to a reporter he saw as out-of-touch. At the risk of getting a phone call from “Monoman”, I hadn’t realized that he was anything other than a sweaty drunk who yelled at the bartenders at the Middle East. Yes, Connolly has engaged in hilarable drunken shenanigans and had a defensive relationship with the media. He’s also put out a string of three-minute Farfisa-driven sides that have a dark, dangerous sound, like Sky Saxon of the Seeds. 5). “That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate” – Mission of Burma There are bands I love, and then there’s Mission of Burma, a band for whose reunion shows I walked two miles in a raging snowstorm to see. As a kid, Burma were legendary. They broke up while I still had baby teeth, but “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver” was still on the playlist at ‘FNX when I started listening to the station. You’d hear rumors about a Burma reunion, but it still took me by surprise when it finally happened. Listening to those songs always takes me back to “We Want the Airwaves” on my headphones, under the covers. Hearing this right before I was supposed to go to bed was not the best thing for my sleep, but I can’t say I regretted it. 6). “Voices Carry” – Gang Green It may not surprise you to learn that my younger brother was a big fan of Gang Green. The Gang Green guys were biologically old enough to have fathered him, but their music was loud and fast and their band photos pissed off my mom. Which, really, is all you can ask for in a hardcore band. They closed out the 1986 Rumble with their notorious cover of the Til Tuesday hit “Voices Carry," in which they smashed a synthesizer onstage. --Chelsea
100TH POST!! INTERVIEW WITH JEFF CONOLLY OF LYRES
Hello dear readers of One Chord Progression!
For our 100th post, we thought we'd bring you something a little out of the ordinary.
Here, for your reading pleasure, is not only an interview with THE Jeff Conolly of Boston's Lyres, but also our email exchange pre-interview (with his permission). It was too good to keep to ourselves.
Thanks for reading our stupid interviews...keep reading...we promise they'll only get stupider.
Rock n roll,
Anthony & Anna
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Pre-interview email exchange:
From: One Chord Progression
To: Jeff Conolly
Hi Jeff,
How are you? We have a Brooklyn-based music blog called One Chord Progression (www.onechordprogression.tumblr.com) We would love to interview you! It would be 10 quick and dumb questions and we could do it over email. Have a great day!
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From: Jeff Conolly
To: One Chord Progression
HOW ABOUT ONE QUESTION AND ONE EMAIL AT A TIME START WHEN-EVER YOU LIKE BUT: JUST ONE QUESTION/EMAIL AT A TIME THANX --JEFF
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From: One Chord Progression
To: Jeff Conolly
So if I understand correctly, since we have 10 questions, you want me to send you 10 emails, right?
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From: Jeff Conolly
To: One Chord Progression
HEY I GUESS YOU UNDERSTAND ME THEN WITH ONE QUESTION PER ONE EMAIL THEN I CAN --FOCUS-- ON YOUR QUESTION WITH TEN QUESTION IN ONE EMAIL FROM I CAN'T FOCUS ON JACK SHIT
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From: Jeff Conolly
To: One Chord Progression
BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS NOW: WITH JUST THE --ONE-- QUESTION IN AN EMAIL IT'LL BE EXACTLY LIKE --YOUR-- 'ONE CHORD PROGRESSION' NOW I THINK WE'LL BE 'LEVEL'
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And now, may we present, our 100th post: an interview with Jeff Conolly of Lyres!
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Lyres: One of the Best!
WHO ARE YOU?
I'M A SLIGHTLY/MOSTLY MIXED-UP PERSON EXACTLY LIKE ANYBODY ELSE WHO MOSTLY KNOWS WHAT
HE'S DOING BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME KNOWS ABSOLUTELY --NOTHING-- BECAUSE:
THINGS ARE CONSTANTLY MOVING FORWARD AND YET/ALSO.....
THERE'S A CONSTANT 'NEED' TO HOLD 'STEADFAST' TO 'THE THINGS' THAT I/WE THINK ARE
REALLY VALID AND HAVE extraordinary 'VALUE' TO SOMEHOW BE 'SHARED' WITH PEOPLE/SOCIETY
THIS IS --EXACTLY-- THE EXACT --SAME-- THING THAT 'D.J.'s' DO FOR HUGE MONEY WHEN THEY 'SPIN THEIR ELECTRO-BEAT RECORDS FOR 'SOCIETY'
I'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE EXACTLY THE SAME AS 1,000,000,000,000 'D.J.'s' SINCE MARCH 1976 WITH THE VERY 1ST DMZ PERFORMANCE
I'M DOING IT --NOW-- 36+ YEARS LATER:
'STUFF I --LIKE--//--LOVE-- AND: --YOU-- LISTEN
Who are you wearing?
USUALLY I AM WEARING THE STUFF THAT I FIND AT THE LAUNDROMAT
PLEASE NOTE: I ONLY --PUT-- ON STUFF THAT I MYSELF LAUNDER 1ST.........
What kind of help did you give Ann?
I NEVER ACTUALLY HELPED ANN BUT I CERTAINLY WANTED TO..............
What is the first thing you'll say to Dick Dale when you meet him?
"...HEY MR DICK DALE..... I DON'T PLAY GUITAR BUT I HAVE WRITTEN A SURF-STYLE INSTRUMENTAL SONG IN 1977 CALLED 'BORDERLINE'"
Describe your March 31 Local 269 show in a couple of sentences.
A PARKING CHALLENGE THAT WAS MET AND REWARDED WITH MANY HOTDOGS
Best lie you ever told?
THE GROUP THAT IS CALLED 'LYRES'
Besides Lyres, best Boston band of all time?
WHILE THERE IS NO ONE 'BEST' BOSTON BAND I WOULD PROBABLE SAY 'THE RED SOX'
Who has the best organ in the band?
RICK HARTE IS NOT ACTUALLY 'IN' THE BAND BUT HE CURRENTLY HAS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE VOX CONTINENTAL COLLECTION I'VE SEEN
Best Stiv Bators story?
SAW THE --VERY-- 1ST APPEARANCE OF THE DEAD BOYS VERY 1ST LOAD-IN/SOUNDCHECK AT CBGB'S IN AUGUST 1976 AND
THEY HAD --NO-- BASS PLAYER WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS LAME
'....THE OTHER STIV BATORS/CONOLLY STORIES ARE SET IN PARIS AND ARE TOO EXPLOSIVE TO REPEAT BUT THERE --IS-- THAT 'HERE'S A HEART' 12" PICTURE SLEEVE W/CAROLYN...'
What CAN a girl do?
SHE USUALLY ENDS UP DOING WHAT SHE WANTS ANYWAYS........
Watch Lyres here:
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Links:
Lyres on Facebook
Catch Lyres with Twin Guns and Dick Dale at Brooklyn Bowl on July 21! INFO HERE.