Time was, I used to go out to see bands just about every weekend. You know, in the good old days before I had kids, and before standing around for three or four hours on my flat feet led to the kind of lower back pain that keeps Bengay in business.1
That there, right at the end of the previous paragraph? My first ever footnote on this, or any other, blog.
As I was saying: Beth and I went to the Middle East, TT the Bear's Club, the Lizard Lounge, Bunratty's, the Kinvara, Johnny D's and other clubs in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville. Many of the bands were touring acts, but plenty were local talent. Some of my favorite locals we saw included Slide, Charlie Chesterman & the Legendary Motorbikes (R.I.P., Charlie), Morphine (R.I.P., Mark Sandman), Susan Tedeschi, Bullet LaVolta and Sleepy LaBeef.
For a short time, I did some unpaid work for Summit Records (which grew into Boston metal label Wonder Drug), and got to see bands including 6L6 and Honkyball.
No matter how many bands a music nerd such as myself sees, there are always some that get away. I never saw Dead Kennedys, for instance. I had an opportunity in college, and I passed it up. I missed Gang of Four in their heyday, but made a point of catching them when they got back together in 2005.
On the local level, I wish I'd seen Chevy Heston. They were on Boston's Cherry Disc Records, which counted among its artists Letters to Cleo, Tracy Bonham and Heretix.
Chevy Heston (at one time known as Chevy Half-Ton, I believe) included several players over its short career, including Mikey Welsh (later of Weezer) and George Tsiaras of the aforementioned Honkyball. The primary dudes were Matt Martin and Zephan Courtney. After Chevy Heston broke up in the late '90s, Martin went on to form Kate Diamond, a band named in an obvious take-off on handbag designer Kate Spade.
Chevy Heston's songs are short, hypnotic and occasionally vulgar.
Here's an example, the title track of 1995's Destroy, whose songs speak of slutty high schoolers, perverted teachers and administrators, violent mishaps, drugs and conspiracies.
Here's "Pressurized at 16" from 1994's self-titled effort.
These are the only two individual videos for Chevy Heston songs I've been able to find on YouTube. Fear not, though, for I have found a 40-minute concert recorded in Oklahoma City in 1996. Enjoy!
1. The word "Bengay" makes me giggle. Can't help it.↩
