bad jamie music

two really drunken photos of us at misshapes at don hills.  very messy.

we all wanted to say thank you for making our stay in Boston memorable.

we'll see you in New York soon.

:)

Something we've known for a long time - even as far back and when we were recording the EP - was the inevitibility of Jeff going off to med school.  When I moved back from Australia I knew that we would either be signed to some indie label and whisked off to tour the world and live happily in hotel rooms and the backs of buses for the next few years, or Jeff would soon go back to school, and I'd move the hell out of Boston taking the Bad Jamie name and all her belongings with me.

She'll be leaving many of her personal items at The Middle East Downstairs tomorrow night.  At the final show, Bad Jamie will leave her striped emo sweater because she's too old for it and it doesn't fit right anymore.  She'll leave pointless screaming fits she thinks are sexy.  She'll leave the big loud drum she bangs on for attention. 

Another band can snatch up these belongings and use them to their advantage.

Boston has been good to us.  We've worked with some great club promoters, met some friendly truly interested journalists, and owe our local success to these genuine people.  We owe some success to the people who showed interest but refused to admit it.  And we owe just as much success to douche bag promoters who think they're hot shit and can't tell their arse from their elbow.  

Tomorrow night I share the stage with 3 of the best friends a guy could have.  Two of them I've known since we were taking the bus to primary school.  One helped me run for class president in 5th grade (I lost).  The other finishes my sentences and has since we were in love when I was 15.  [And now in an accusatory manner]: Anyone who sees Bad Jamie's "break-up" as just another shitty band coming to terms with never getting anywhere has absolutely no idea.

While Jonathan and I will keep the name, the time we spent in Boston with Jeff will always be remembered by us as the original Bad Jamie.  The next installment will certainly be a very different one.  It will be soon.  It will be more grown up.  And there may be a screaming fit or two.

-Johnny

june 9, 2007.  gay pride boston.  rain showers all day.  like the cool off tent at a lollapalooza or something.

points of note for possible future participation:

a) anything organized by the city is going to run two hours late.  don't wake up at 7am.

b) lie to the other band members about what time to be there.  lie in either direction according to personality.

c) act like you're the talk of the town so you get the best time slot. 

d) always remember to let the boys with manicured eyebrows who sing along to a CD go first

e) techno is NOT what the boston gay community thinks it is

f) you WILL get shocked by a microphone if it is wet.

g) bring a sharpie

thank you pride.  we had fun.  you have many of our CD's now.

-j

june 6, 2007

another demonstration as to why Boston is not a world-class city

Kings of Leon (the main act and the main reason anyone would purchase a ticket for $47) pulled out at the last minute.  The Cinematics (the only other reason to go) were put on at 5:45 while 90% of everyone still waited in line.  Bloc Party played outdoors before the sun even set.  whose brilliant idea was it to put the "good" bands on outdoors before 8pm and the bands no one gives a shit about at Avalon after 10? 

Bang Camaro have 16 lead singers!  sixteen!  it would behoove them to pick one (or even two) of those singers so we could understand at least one word that's being sung.  is gimmick the future of music?  is something terribly wrong with America?  more importantly, when did Boston end up less cool than Cincinatti? 

props to Shiny Toy Guns.  musical risk and gimmick are not one-in-the-same.  while they're not worth $47 they made me forget for 30 minutes how disappointed i was.

Jeff and I ran into the guitarist from Bloc Party on our way off of Landsdowne.  you know, the one with the hair.  Jeff told him how bad they sounded on that outdoor stage, which he may have actually appreciated.  Bad Jamie don't kiss ass and aren't here to make friends (apparently!).

We played a fun show Tuesday night at Harpers Ferry in Allston with Televandals and Medicated Kisses.

We recently played with Televandals in March (I think) and they're great guys doing some interesting music.  The last time we played with Medicated Kisses was during the Emergenza semi-semi-finals at the Middle East.  We played like shit that night but somehow managed to pack the club and got more votes than them, effectively ruining their chances at making the finals.  That was over a year ago and they don't seem to have held any grudges.

We took the opening spot because quite honestly we didn't want to play at 11:30 on a Tuesday.  Soundcheck was way too rushed for no apparent reason other than the need to put the radio on.  The center monitors sucked and I couldn't hear shit.  Jonathan's kit was set up stage-right because the drum riser had Mike from Televandals' kit still set up.  It was fucked up set up because "you know...the opener", which is bullshit.  That's right - we're "the opener" alright - for fucking Def Leppard! 

Arrogance aside now.  It took about 3 songs for me to really get pissed off.  We were performing like we were eager to get out of there, go home, and get ready for work the next day.  "Push" (the highlight of our new sets for me) was so fast I could barely keep up.  Turns out Jonathan's monitor wasn't working either so I forgive him now but that night I was quite unsympathetic.  I sort of flipped out at Nate and Jon and told them to slow the fuck down and I started up "Get It Right" (which wasn't on the set list).  Something told me to stomp on Jeff's foot over and over again and rub up against him during the first verse in between lyrics.  He looked bored.  I'm SO fucking sick of that song that I lost the plot in the second verse.  I'm not sure what I did, but I wouldn't call it English or Music. 

The rest of the set was pretty good.  We just needed a wake up call of insanity and frustration.

It was difficult having the drums stage right instead of center so I don't think we'll be doing that again.

Televandals were great.  Admittedly, their music isn't pop and it's not so melodic.  Not everything has to be.  Despite that, they've got a lot going for them and I can see them becoming a successful band in Boston.  Mike (the drummer) told me he's leaving the band today.  It's a damn shame because he controlls the synth and drum loops that help make their sound something different from the other rock bands in this town.  I have confidence they'll figure it out, however. 

In typical fashion, we didn't stay for MK.  Also a damn shame because I know they put on the best show out of pretty much any band in the city.  Alanna, Jeff, and I shot the shit during Televandal's set.  Aaron (bass) congratulated me on a good show.  Man he's good looking.

The next one will be at Gay Pride on City Hall Plaza in Boston.  We're also recording a new song that should be ready by the end of June.

Boston-Herald-2007-04-14

click to make big.  then click again.  that's right.

last night's show was really good.

nice door people, great soundguy, friendly bar people, and free drinks. 

jonathan, nate, and I knew that amanda palmer from the dresden dolls was there but we agreed not to tell jeff because sometimes he gets really nervous before shows.  he's really the only, and i always see him looking like he's going to throw up anywhere from 3 hours to 3 seconds before we go on stage.  not to mention, jeff usually has 2 to 3 ex and current lovers coming to the show, so he has more than enough to worry about without knowing if amanda palmer is in the audience.

i broke a string during soundcheck so that was out of the way.  i could hear myself fine because we had a competent soundguy.  jeff taught me to string my guitar cable through my belt-loop and i was well strapped down.  i think it was after the second song that I remembered amanda palmer was in the house and i was noticing her at the corner of jeff's side of the stage close to the door.  i had this big strange purple and aqua sweater on that i found at filene's basement that looks like the uniform of some future sport and i was getting hot in it.  miss palmer eventually made it to the front of the stage after a few songs and the room filled up more. 

i love doing new material that we're still nervous about because it has this type of undressed energy that's tough to find once a song is second nature.  the highlight song for me was "the bomb" which is relatively new and not recorded yet.  TT's is perfect for that sort of song and with the echo in the room i really milked the vocal part.  the lowlight was "city boy" which is also not recorded but will be soon.  it was rushed and missed its swagger. we opened with "come on" and it was full of good nervous energy. all up, we felt good about the performance and had a great audience response.

the lovely amanda palmer talked to me and jeff in the green room while we put away guitar cables and told us how much she enjoyed the show.  jeff gushed like a fan for a minute about The Onion Cellar and I could tell she didn't want to hear it (probably more about the state of The Onion Cellar than about jeff gushing...)  what a talented musician though, and certainly one of the most impressive performers to come out of Boston.  i also touched her arm and told her we should do a show together and she said "yeah, we should".  it would be a good show.

i think we just give out CD's now at shows because I don't remember getting any money for any last night.

"the kin" played a great set but to be honest i didn't watch all of it.  we spend time after we play talking to our friends and family and fans who came out to see us.  i do know that they're fronted by two aussie brothers who now live in NY and we had a great chat with the blokes earlier in the night.  they have a drummer who plays a smaller drum kit with his hands while one bro is on fender rhodes and the other guitar. 

next up was "fluttr effect" who are awesome to watch and easily the most unusual band in the area.  this 6'5" guy, however, stood right center stage directly in front of kara (the lead singer)!  between songs, he'd cock his head back and release this animalistic high pitched squeal that was offensive and crazy.  kara's also about 5'3" and tiny and adorable, which says a lot about the situation.  she tried on my tight plastic coat i was wearing and she was swimming in it.  joe said that the two of us standing next to each other made him feel fat.

the show minus the dude was incredible. they're comprised of rock-fusion drums, a cello with effects, a midi-marimba for percussion and synth, a guitarist with atherial effects (and he wore wings!), and a beautiful vocalist.  i'm glad i watched them because i don't usually stay to the end of one of our shows.  occasionally we're all sort of grandfatherly. 

-johnny

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Last night 3 of us went to the ever popular Great Scott in Allston to see The Klaxons, or Klaxons, or Flaxseed I think it is.  Yes that's it.  Personally, I was very excited about seeing them all week.  I stole Jonathan's iPod nano (b/c he has TWO iPods so I don't feel rotten about it at all) and I've been blasting their music against my poor eardrums all week.  I also have some strange form of the plague currently, and my hearing is a bit dulled.  Anyway, the fact that I paid $60 for 3 tickets on eBay to be express mailed to my office, and the black sweat I now have from going out with the flu makes their lackluster performance hurt me so much worse.

A few phrases to describe last night's show:

"Rice and sandals tonight..."

"I'm just a seacow..."

<The sound of a flapping mackeral stuck in your mouth>

All up, Flaxseed made a great record.  They should keep making records.  We can play those records at clubs where people play records.   People can take ecstacy and dance poorly with glowsticks.  The misguided ones can mosh (fucking retards).  But Flaxseed can stay at home next time.

The highlight of the evening was seeing Michael Marotta from afar and clapping for him.  Yay Marotta!

-Johnny

hi,

allow us to introduce ourselves

Letter of intro

press, photos, images

Herald-Article_2007-02-23

music for your ears and your ego

any feedback would be appreciated

cheers,

bad jamie

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