The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Biography
A great deal of the groundwork for the mid- to late-'90s explosion of ska and ska-metal was laid by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, who were one of the first bands to cross high-energy ska with hardcore punk and heavy metal and who also helped shift its tone toward testosterone-filled party music. The Bosstones built up a devoted cult following throughout their career, but their level of commercial success never quite matched that of more pop-oriented third wave ska bands, like No Doubt and Sublime, who followed in their wake; however, the band did achieve a long-overdue breakthrough in 1997 with the modern rock radio smash "The Impression That I Get."
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones formed in 1985 in Boston, featuring Tim Bridewell, Dicky Barrett (vocals), Nate Albert (guitar), Joe Gittleman (bass), Josh Dalsimer (drums), and Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton (saxophone), plus dancer Ben Carr. While all the members shared a love of ska, their tastes also ran elsewhere; Barrett, in particular, was involved in the local straight-edge hardcore scene and played with a band called Impact Unit. Originally calling themselves simply the Bosstones, the group appended "Mighty Mighty" to their name after discovering a Boston-area a cappella group with an identical moniker. The group appeared on a ska compilation, but then disbanded temporarily to allow Albert to finish high school. In 1989, the Bosstones re-formed and recorded their debut album, Devils Night Out, which was released in 1990 on Taang! Records. The follow-up, 1992's More Noise and Other Disturbances, saw several personnel shifts; Bridewell and Dalsimer departed, the latter to attend college, and the two were replaced by drummer Joe Sirois, saxophonist Kevin Lenear, and trombonist Dennis Brockenborough, a lineup that lasted through much of the band's career. 1992 also saw the release of the Where'd You Go EP, which contained several hard rock covers.
In 1993, the Bosstones signed a major-label deal with Mercury and released Don't Know How to Party; in spite of their fondness for plaid, a holdover from their early pajama-clad gigs, the group also landed a television commercial for a jean company. 1994 saw the band paying homage to their hardcore roots with a mini-album of mostly covers, Ska-Core, the Devil and More, as well as the full-length Question the Answers, one of their finest efforts. A year later, the Bosstones appeared in the film Clueless, performing "Where'd You Go" and "Someday I Suppose," two of their most popular numbers; they also landed a main-stage slot on that summer's Lollapalooza tour.
Even if their music often strays far afield from classic 2 Tone ska revival (especially their earlier material), the Bosstones, unlike many of their contemporaries, have retained some of that movement's political consciousness. In 1996, the band helped organize the Safe and Sound benefit album in response to Boston-area family planning clinic slayings, and also perform frequently at benefit shows for battered women's groups; most of their concerts also feature information booths from the Anti-Racist Action Group. In 1997, the breakthrough of ska-pop bands like No Doubt and Sublime paved the way for the accessible, 2 Tone-inspired Let's Face It to become the band's biggest-selling album yet; it was eventually certified platinum, buoyed by the success of the anthemic "The Impression That I Get," which fell just short of topping the modern rock charts that summer. Live from the Middle East followed in 1998 as a stopgap release, and the band experienced its first personnel shifts in some time: saxophonist Lenear was the first to leave, replaced by Roman "The Showman" Fleysher, and guitarist Albert departed again, partly to care for an ailing family member and partly to finish his education at Brown University (Kevin Stevenson of the Shods had already served as his temporary touring substitute in 1997). Albert's replacement, Lawrence Katz, signed on after the band completed the follow-up to Let's Face It; titled Pay Attention, the record was released in the spring of 2000 and produced another modern rock radio hit in "So Sad to Say." A Jackknife to a Swan appeared two years later, as did a split with Madcap. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
Selected Discography
"with hardcore punk and heavy metal"? I've never understood people (including the band themselves) who call the Bosstones "ska-core". Turning on a distortion pedal and playing whole notes of un-palm-mute d power chords makes you neither metal nor hardcore. I guess it was just the only thing to call them, since you couldn't really call them ska-punk.
|
||
ska is great but the best two ever are streetlight manifesto and reel big fish. Another that not many people know about but are great is nofx. But i like it all so i dont need any comments about how my taste in music sucks.
|
||
lister I'm gonna assume you like the Bosstones because you're on they're section and I'm gonna remind you that the Bosstones basically founded 3rd wave but it seems you hate 3rd wave so let people love the music they love and quit being an obnoxious idiot who posts bad things about music they hate to make themselves feel superior. Personally I love ska in almost all of its incarnations . Madness is one of my favorite bands and I love Desmond Dekker but I also love Reel Big Fish and the Aquabats.
|
||
Ebon ... Are You HIGH? Talk about a sting of 3rd wave CRAP! Tell me where in the Hell does Dropkick Murphys fall into "SKA!" Op Ivy/Rancid are alright and Skankin Pickle have some novelty but if you want ska go with The Skatalites, The Aggrolites, Desdnond Dekker, The Specials, English Beat, Bad Manners, Judge Dread, The Slackers, Madness, Toots and the Maytals, The Toasters, NYC Ska-Jazz Ensamble, Bim Skala Bim. REAL Ska does not have Moshing or guitar Solos.
|
||
ebonypen has named a lot of the most popular ones. Definitely start with that list.
|
||
In reply to the comment before me, There's tons: The Mad Caddies, Streetlight Manifesto, Reel Big Fish, The Planet Smashers, Less than Jake, Upstanding Youth, Catch 22, Skankin' Pickle, Goldfinger, Buck-o-Nine, The Aquabats, Operation Ivy, Save Ferris, Dropkick Murphys, Rancid, Five Iron Frenzy, and many more, but those are just some favorites. GO SKA!!!!!!!!! ! !
|
||
This is a great Ska band! If anybody knows any other real good Ska bands leave me a comment please
|
||
Ska Kicks A**! I love it even Though i was just introduced to it last summer. well sort of.
|
||
Hum, no Question the Answers. I loved this album, but it got scratched! Is it out of print or just not on Pandora?
|
||
I remember watching a Thrasher skate video interview with Dicky Barrett back in like '95 or so. I could barely understand anything he said because his voice was so raspy. Sounds better singing though.
|
||
Love love love. So much love for these guys.
I can't day I know a damned thing about music, but MMB is really impressive, with some amazing talents. If I DID know a damned thing about Ska, I'd probably describe them as "legendary" or "classic." Well worth risking looking silly at skanking to go see live. |
||
if you want to know more about ska not only in English and from here but also for other part of the world for example (mexico,arge n t i n a , e n g l a n d , l a t i n a m e r i c a , s p a i n ) you can check out my profile and my stations, and also if you want there are some web site that will be really interested for people that lover ska www.2toneroo m . o r g / r a d i o and www.ioriska1 . b l o g s p o t . c o m if somebody know more links please let me know.
|
||
Sick Band! Seen them at warped tour and more. Love the guys growling voice. Fun stuff. "Hope I never lose my Wallet" and "the impression that I get" are the best songs. If you like this you should check out The Sugar Packets at www.myspace. c o m / t h e s u g a r p a c k e t s . Listen to the song Downhill Dilema. Kind of like Jewish Ska or something. Reminds me of Ska mixed with Fiddler on the Roof. It's absolutely amazing. Puts on a killer show, and is on of the most creative and unique ska band.
|
||
Anyone notice how the part of their name "Bosstones" is like Boston. I couldn't imagine why they did that. Maybe cuz their FROM Boston!!!
|
||
saw these guys at the middle east in the mid '80's on a tuesday/wene s d a y show for 3 bucks.went to see a friend who lived down from m.e..if you like mmbt try morphine,ent r a i n , b l a k e babies{julia n a hatfield},le m o n h e a d s { e v a n dando}
|
||
Best band ever! The world is a better place now that they've started playing again.
|
||
One of my favorite ska bands for sure. Got to see them with Streetlight Manifesto and it was an amazing show.
|
||
how about Dont Know How to Party, More Noise and Other Disturbances , and Question the Answers????
|
||
Yeah I saw them in July with Dropkick and they kicked butt the whole show and Dicky even got those in the cheap seats on the floor it was awesome
|
||
They should modify this to include the fact that they are currently back together, AND touring. Plus word of a new album, to be released soon is out and around.
|
||
Saw them at baby head in providence Rhode Island in like 96 or 97....totall y awesome...it was a small club about 150 - 200 people max.....ques t i o n the answers just came out - they killed it - I'll never forget they opened the show with THINK AGAIN - crazy.....si n c e that album was on a label they now can't stand....
|
||
More Loud Noise and Other Disturbances is the best one ever. Every song on that album kicks a**! I got to dance with them and Ben Carr on stage for one of their shows. Best night of my life! If I could wrap them up and put them in my pocket i so would. Oh yeah Chocolate Pudding is their best track ever. If you've never heard it that sucks but if you have rock on and don't forget it's only a buck and it comes in a cup:)
|
||
yeah they don't list the two albums I have! no one understood why I listened to them back in the day, I thought it was completely cool and different, they had their own style, I think I first saw them on the Jon Stewart show on MTV, they just looked like they were having the time of their lives, they guy that dances around on stage is f**kin' awesome
|
||
they are the best band ever i wish that they had just a bosstones station and it was just them but about warped tour i dont think that theyre playing it ill ask joe about it but ive seen the list for the cd and theyre not on it
|
||
so the BossTones are playing the same day as the Less Than Jake, Big D, Goldfinger, Suburban Legends show! f**k!!!!!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
|
||
Pandora needs to add "Party" and "More Noises"
|
||
Where did you find info about them being on warped? I havent seen anything confirming that.
|
||
But they weren't covering the Angry Samoan's version they gave credit to the people they were covering.
and the ep was Ska-Core The Devil and More |
||
Where'd You Go Ep, Skacore the Devil and More Ep. Both great for the fact that they showcased the bands influences from Van Halen to Bob Marley. One of the greatest live shows ever. I have been going to Bosstones shows since 1990 when they first came to the westcoast in support of Devil's Night Out. They are back doing shows and will be on this years Warped Tour.
|
||
There are a couple that aren't listed. " don't know how to party" and " question the answers".
|
||
Thanks for the info, Steve.
THE BOSSTONES ARE BACK!!! I saw these guys at the Middle East 12/29/2007 & at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel on 12/31/2007. They were incredible! I drove from Charlotte, NC to Boston, MA. I'll never forget it either. |
||
They had a 5 or 6 track ep come out in the 90's that isn't listed here. However, one of the songs on the album was called "light's out" which was a punk song originally created by The Angry Samoans back in the 80's. The Bosstones didn't credit the angry samoans. Give credit where credit is due especially from one punk/ ska band to another punk band.
Steve |
| report abuse |





