80's Worcester Memories and Some Local Worcester Bands

City Lights, City Nights....

Just uncovered this forgotten piece of 80's nostalgia in time for Christmas. Actually it's my own nostalgia--my band from college.

If you look carefully, you can make out the Hollywood sign in the background. Oh, wait, that's probably the old Polar Cola sign just off of I-290. I don't know if they still have that giant polar bear on the building, big enough to do battle with Godzilla. That's right, this is Worcester Massachusetts, not L.A!

It was a fun time, we were hated and adored, sometimes by the same people. Basically a covers band with a few originals, but quite possibly the first band on campus to be "new wave". We played dorm basements, drank beer. It was a lot of fun creating and hanging up jokey ads for our little gigs. One night we actually did perform in town at a Halloween Battle of the bands at Ralph's Chadwick Square Diner. Spoiler alert: I think out of the three bands, we may have finished fourth.

We had it all, the smart one, the cute one, the mysterious one, the cool one, the rebel, the sad one.
One of these guys is a Worcester Rock N Roll legend....I guess I gave away who the cool one was.

The college radio station at the time WCHC, had a playlist at the time which included playing area bands as well as bands from Boston. One of those local bands that was played a bit was The Unattached.

I don't know too much about the band, aside from hearing them on the radio--I've found one song uploaded on YouTube, but I think that there must have been more recordings, maybe a cassette release or an ep. The one thing I do know is that I recall Pat telling a story that they caught Jamey Jetson, the Unattached singer running down an alleyway after a Lynch Mob show trying to make off with one of their amps.

Here is a song off a compilation on the Throbbing Lobster label--Let's Breed!



I think a compilation of Worcester bands came out in 1980, but it seems a shame that with all of the Nuggets, Pebbles Power Pop Garage and Psych Rock scenes that have been issued that there isn't more done for the local punk new wave scenes around the U.S. Sure, some are out there, but we can always use some more. Think of all the cool singles that must be floating around that people ought to be able to be hear. I know there is a nice comp of Milwaukee bands A History in Three Chords, but that seems to be out of print these days.

Anyway, here's a few other noteworthy bands from back then.

The Odds




The Commandos




Just thought for a change of pace that I would share something personal. No fears, this is not devolving into a crappy Facebook Wall.