The Return of BIX

Long ago, September 1991 to be precise, while doing a radio program at WCUW with Jeff Worm we were contacted by a man called Andy Askin about giving airtime to a band from Lithuania he was promoting on their first US tour. They are called BIX and are here to spread their brand of music in America. We played the tape and got a positive response from our listeners. Soon, Andy was back to tell us Bix would be paying shows in the area and would like to let everyone know. They played Sir Morgan’s Cove, The Worcester Artists Group and The Blue Plate in Holden, where their performance was videotaped by Michael Harrington from Jefferson. The response from the crowds was over the top. Soon after the Blue Plate Show The Band were given the chance to record two songs at the famous Longview Recording Studio in North Brookfield. It took two days, and they came away with new renditions of their numbers “Sex Revolution” and “Mexico”. Before they left town, I invited them down to WCUW for an interview, then it was off to Lithuania. That video tape sat in my collection for 34 years, and I recently decided to digitize it. Upon completion I took a chance and contacted Samas from Bix via Facebook to see if he had any interest in seeing it. To my surprise he told me that indeed YES! He also told me that tape was the only film of them playing in the US. and they are in the process of gathering content for a 40th anniversary documentary and would be coming to New York for that purpose. He invited me to come down for an interview but I was not able to travel at this time, so he and his producer would come to Worcester to interview Me. I was overwhelmed and would meet up with them at any time. They arrived and we journeyed back to Longview, only to find it’s no longer a recording studio. The owner kindly let us walk around so they could film some clips for the doc. We went back to Worcester and filmed my interview at Ralph’s Diner, so they could get a club background for the film. (Thanks, Vincent!). I also decided to do another interview with Samas to update the one from 1991. After that it was goodbye again and now wait for the documentary to be released sometime in October. I have uploaded the video to Youtube and played some new songs on my latest show from the seven disc box set they gave me. (Thanks!) Hopefully sometime after the doc is released they will come back to the US and play once again.

At The Blue Plate

Revisiting Longview Farms

WURN show with both interviews Worceter Telegram article by Walter Crockett

Wormtown Underground Radio Network NEW Show

The latest from me on wurn.net Special set In Honor of Heidi Brenke-Malone. listen here WURN on Mixcloud

RIP Tod Kosiewski.

Last week news came of the passing of Todd Kosiewski, bassist and singer of Worcester band Public Works and as his alter ego Lucky Parker. Public Works played locally and gained a loyal fanbase, then eventually they were picked up by British band The Wonder Stuff and toured the US opening shows for them. After leaving Public Works, Todd started a country band dubbing himself Lucky Parker and continued playing around the area to the rave reviews of those who attended. His passing last week came as a shock to all who knew him. He was just 54 years old. Here I've gathered all the videos and recordings I produced for you to enjoy and remember.

At WURN.net....

Lucky Parker....

Wormtown 46 TV Party!

Happy Birthday Wormtown! For the 46th Anniversary, here is a special interview conducted at Ralph’s Diner by Clint Conley for WCVB Boston’s Chronicle program. Brian Goslow and myself describe how Worcester became known as Wormtown. Even though we no longer actively celebrate the Scene with parties or shows, people still wonder …Why?

Happy Wormtown 45

We started out all those years ago to promote the local Punk/New Wave scene, which still continues today on a whole different level. You can hear some of the new and old music from the area at WURN on Mixcloud where you can find my latest show on demand. It's not all local, but it's all good!

Worcester 300, Wormtown 44.

Hank Stolz, legendary Worcester Radio host, invited myself and Brian Goslow over to his studio via WCRN for an interview about Wormtowns' place in Worcesters History in celebration of it's 300th Annivesary. You can find the podcast version here. Talk of the Commonwealth

Happy Birthday Wormtown!!

44 years ago we started calling Worcester, MA Wormtown to unite the music scene as it was. To celebrate this date, we offer a newly re-dubbed copy of the tape that was to become a followup to the Wormtown 78 LP that was issued in the fall of 1979. Produced by John Jordan in his studio in Upton, it contains songs previously released on Beast Records by The Commandos, Crazy Jack and the Automatics, and never before released tracks by The Blue Moon Band. Wormtown is all but a memory now, but holds a special place in the hearts of those who know what true local music is and was about.

Wormtown 2