There was a time when the free jazz was flowing and joyful, and Taylor Ho Bynum was part of that. The trumpeteer and composer went on to play with Anthony Braxton and record an array of influential albums, including The Middle Picture, Asphalt Flowers Forking Paths, Owl Jacket, and Navigation. A reviewer from Next commented that Bynum "deploys a litany of buzzes, whistles, drones, pinched fanfares and garrulous brass muttering in acrobatic arcs that twist and somersault." He has been the director of the Coast Jazz Orchestra at Dartmouth College since 2017.
Boston Bands in the 90s
Boston Bands in the 90's: Sebadoh
Lo-fi pioneer Sebadoh shown here with the original line-up of Lou Barlowe, Jason Lowenstein, and Eric Gaffney performing early renditions of such hits as Oven is My Friend, and As the World Dies, the Eyes of God Grow Bigger, and tossing out the occasional witty banter. Raw, intense, with a driving beat and minimalist, distorted guitar—beautiful tunes and beautiful times. “Every time I get up on stage, it’s like the spirit of punk rock inhabits my body.” Indeed.
Billy Ruane was a staple of the scene at one point, and he documented endless shows throughout the 90’s and beyond. These videos came out of that.
Sunburned Hand of the Man at the Green Street Grill [11/30/97]
Boston Bands in the 90's: Sunburned Hand of the Man
Opening with some ethereal sounds from out the plastic recorder of our youth, Sunburned Hand of the Man only gets weirder the longer you sit with it. This mesmerizing exploration into 90s psych rock becomes increasingly unhinged and powerful as it continues. Good both for the meditating mind, and any and all nostalgic lotus-eaters, and especially those latter-day rockers who like myself went running off to the far end of the world to end up lost in Japan or Indonesia, or tucked among the foothills of the Himalayas, say, and camped out at a Tibetan monastery. This one’s for you, man!
Billy Ruane was a staple of the scene at one point, and he documented endless shows throughout the 90’s and beyond. These videos came out of that.
Elliott Smith performing at the Green Street Grill [1/4/98]
Boston Bands in the 90's: Elliott Smith
Much as I would like to think of Elliott Smith as a Boston band of the 90’s he surely is not, but what is captured here is a musical event in the 90’s Boston rock scene featuring a not-quite-as-famous Elliott Smith playing songs from the earlier ends of his compositional spectrum. It is a lovely artifact we wanted to present to the larger listening community. Enjoy!
Billy Ruane was a staple of the scene at one point, and he documented endless shows throughout the 90’s and beyond. These videos came out of that.
Boston Bands in the 90's: Helium
Mary Timony, darling of the underground rock scene of Boston in the 90’s and 00’s, with her gritty and sweet songs and arthouse friends, was a captivating presence. I didn’t meet her till five years after this video was taken, at a loft in Dudley Square, but she was a secret crush of mine at the time. The music captivates—its prettiness and the deadpan of its delivery. Enjoy!
Billy Ruane was a staple of the scene at one point, and he documented endless shows throughout the 90’s and beyond. These videos came out of that.
Sanford belting out a vocal
Boston Bands in the 90's: Neptune
When we came across this amazing early footage of Mutable favorites Neptune playing the Middle East in March of ‘97, we simply had to post it for your listening pleasure. What a time it was! For those of you not in the know, all the instruments the band’s playing here were all built from scratch using scrap metal soldered together by lead singer Jason Sanford. I believe the body of that guitar you are seeing Jason playing in this clip is actually cut from a fridge door.
Billy Ruane was a staple of the scene at one point, and he documented endless shows throughout the 90’s and beyond. These videos came out of that.
Boston Bands in the 90's: Thalia Zedek
Thalia Zedek moved to Boston in 1979, and throughout the 80’s and 90’s she led some notable bands, Live Skull and Uzi, but most memorable will always be her 90’s band, Come. Seen here performing a more pared down set with Beth Heinberg at the Middle East Upstairs. All footage care of the legendary and now deceased Billy Ruane and his Road to Ruane feed.
Billy Ruane was a staple of the scene at one point, and he documented endless shows throughout the 90’s and beyond. These videos came out of that.
Boston Bands in the 90's: Crank Sturgeon
Crank Sturgeon is a phenomena. He has continued to perform and tour from Maine, and has released an album through Mutable, an album where his noise art was remixed by Lineland as Other Occasions Not Minded. Crank Sturgeon is a tireless innovator with an indomitable spirit and an endless capacity for the most abstract forms of play. He can be seen here playing at the Middle East Upstairs, all footage care of the legendary and now deceased Billy Ruane and his Road to Ruane feed.
Billy Ruane was a staple of the scene at one point, and he documented endless shows throughout the 90’s and beyond. These videos came out of that.
Boston Bands in the 90's: Morphine
Here at Mutable, we remember the 90s with a fondness, and especially the bands in Boston of the 90s. We thought we’d start this series of live footage of Boston 90s bands with the notorious Morphine as filmed below at the Middle East in Central Square circa 1990. You may not be able to go to live shows currently, but you can remember the world that was, when bands, both momentous and ill-advised, played the venues of Boston with vim and vigor. All footage care of the legendary and now deceased Billy Ruane and his Road to Ruane feed.