Lyres on Youtube
This is a test. If this post works, I’ll add commentary below.
Oh yeah. Now this is some good stuff, courtesy if Tim Kelly, dj at 88.5 WMBR and my oldest, and one of my three closest, friends.
Tim’s brothers’ like to make fun of his tastes as “dirt-rock”, and while they’re busting chops, they’re also kind of accurate. The Lyres, formed from the remnants of DMZ, are one of the longest running bands in Boston. I’ve been seeing these guys for years, and along with the Fleshtones and the Bags, they’re one of the few bands that can still make me lose my mind and start dancing like one of the kids in an Archie comic book. Jack Hickey’s ragged-but-rockin’ guitar playing provides the grinding chugging engine behind front-man Jeff Connelly Monoman’s whirring organ, while long-standing bass player Rick Coraccio holds it all together over the bluggidda-bluggidda of whoever’s playing drums.
One of my favorite Lyres albums is “Lyres Lyres” featuring songs like “Help You Ann” and of course “She Pays the Rent,” one of their all-time classics. They have an enormous catalog of 45s, compilations cds, and full-length albums as well.
Unfortunately, Jeff Connelly’s life has been nothing but a self-destructive wreck. I say this with a heavy heart: like so many other musicians, writers, and associated artists, the man has issues with alcohol and drugs. The last time I bumped into Jeff was at the Middle East, where Jim and Jennie were opening for Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire. We’d loaded in our gear, and I was standing at the bar waiting to order a beer. An obese and filthy drunk was standing next to me, wearing what looked like a garbage bag. He was mumbling something incoherent, and as I excused myself, our eyes briefly met. “J– Jeff?? Is that YOU?” I couldn’t believe it: it was indeed Mr. Connelly, and he’d clearly been off the wagon for some time, a bloated, stinking wretch who looked like he was about to collapse on his feet.
As I write these words, I think of all the other musical geniuses that have died in the street. It’s sad. On the other hand, it won’t keep me or you from enjoying this video.
PS: Speaking of “Help You Ann”…
here’s “Help You Ann”.
November 9th, 2006 at 3:26 pm
Hi,
I read your comment on Jeff Conolly being an obese stinking drugged wretch. When was it that you met him? Was it this year? I heard he had cleaned out somehow but apparently it is not the case… This is sad. Do you have any news on how he’s been doing recently?
Thanks!
Alex