The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones biography

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (informally referred to as The Bosstones) are an American ska-core band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. Since the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton and dancer ("Bosstone") Ben Carr have remained constant members. The current line-up also includes drummer Joe Sirois, saxophonist Kevin Lenear, guitarist Lawrence Katz and trombonist Chris Rhodes.

The Bosstones are often credited as one of the progenitors of the genre of ska punk and the creators of its sub-genre ska-core, a form of music which mixes elements of ska with punk rock and hardcore. Since the release of their 1989 debut Devil's Night Out, the band toured and recorded extensively throughout the 1990s, becoming a key figure in the development of the American third wave ska scene and one of the first bands to popularize the genre in the musical mainstream, reaching their commercial peak with their platinum-selling 1997 album Let's Face It and its hit single "The Impression That I Get". The band had released seven studio albums, three EPs and a live album by the time they announced a hiatus in December 2003.

In the fall of 2007, the Bosstones reunited to resume recording and touring.

History

Early history (1983-1988)

The band's roots lay in the hardcore scene of the early 1980s along with a strong influence from the British 2 Tone ska scene of the 1970s. Bassist Joe Gittleman played with local hardcore band Gang Green, while vocalist Dicky Barrett was a member of Impact Unit and, later on, the Cheap Skates. The Cheap Skates lineup went through frequent changes and would feature members of Gang Green on occasion. It was through the Cheap Skates that a core lineup coalesced around Barrett, Gittleman, Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton (saxophone), Nate Albert (guitar), Josh Dalsimer (drums), Tim Bridewell (trumpet) and Ben Carr (a ubiquitous, dancing non-musician onstage presence, later credited as "Bosstone"). The group decided on the name, "the Bosstones" as a reference to their hometown. While some of the band members were influenced by bands such as AC/DC, Social Distortion, Motörhead, The Clash and Stiff Little Fingers, Barrett had become enthralled with 2 Tone ska, which was in the tail end of its existence.

In 1987, the Bosstones made their recorded debut when they were featured on the Mash It Up ska compilation. The Bosstones' contribution was "The Cave." Another early recording, "Drums and Chickens," appeared on the 1989 ska compilation Mashin' Up The Nation. By the time Mashin' Up The Nation was released, the Bosstones had temporarily disbanded in order for Albert and Gittleman to finish high school. After their graduation, the band reunited. Around this time, it was brought to the band's attention that an a cappella group, The Bosstones, had already used the name during the 1950s. A bartender friend arbitrarily suggested that they become the "Mighty Mighty Bosstones", in order to avoid any possible legal hassles, to which the band agreed.

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