The Mighty Mighty BossTones
by Christian Cotterman
The The Mighty Mighty BossTones are a punk/ska band from the city of Boston,
who describe themselves as "ordinary people trying to do extraordinary things
with a limited budget and questionable talent." Energetic and powerful,
they also say their biggest non-mucial source of inspiration comes from all
the people they meet from tour to tour, album to album. The BossTones also
have started their own recording company, Big Rig, "to give Boston
edge/punk a chance", with artists such as Mung and Impact Unit
signed, and a benefit CD in cooperation with Safe and Sound and
The Friends of Shannon Fund*. They have established a sound and
attitude that is truly unique and wholly Boston. We somehow conviced these
Mighty Bosstones to divulge some of their boss tips:
Fashion: The three-button suit, a classic seucker, with a pair of white,
wing-tipped buck-style shoes, a 2" wide tie or a standard bowtie are some of
the outfits we will be sportin' this summer. Boston designer Charles Edward Powers
is creating some of our stylish ensembles. Also, remember that there's never
a bad place or time to wear plaid. Fun is the name of the game with fashion at
a Bosstones event.
Cars: When you travel with as many people as we do, compacts are out
of the question. A large Eagle 45 bus is ideal, but for the streets of Beantown
you might see Gittleman in his vintage 1970 Pontiac LeMans convertible. But
then in Dicky's basement, you can see his classic '63 Vespa scoot. And always
remember to never drive drunk.
Hygiene: Personal hygiene is of the utmost importance. We're all too
often in quarters too close to accommodate anyone who stinks. Looking
good takes a lot less effort than you might think. So I'll just address looking
good. Haircuts on the road are provided by Higgs. His 'Fade' is his strongest
cut, but he has also been known to shave heads, give mohawks, and brightly
color any of our mops. One tour of Europe had us sporting 'Dances With Wolves'
inspired 'Mohican-cuts.' Another time we all 'Geri-curled' Michael jackson-style
to celebrate his marriage to Lisa Marie. Individuality is number one when trying
to decide on the best doo for you. Most Bosstones shaving kits include: Tom's
of Maine toothpaste, Old Spice, or Aqua Velva after shave, Advil, J.O.B. cigarette
papers, Barbasol, Bacitracin for any new tattoos that can take place on the road,
and a number of different hair products - Murray's hair grease being the most popular.
Authority: A good starting point for dealing with authority is respect.
Respect works well when dealing with anyone, but it goes right out the window
when you're dealing with someone who chooses not to respect you. This has been where
we have run into problems in the past. We can be the nicest guys in the world,
but when some knothead with a little juice decides to flex the power given, then
all hell can break loose. In the past years we've seen security at musical events
evolve for the better. Overall though, we've found that anyone who wants a career
that allows them to pull unneccesary power trips on people, and takes great joy in
doing that, have the IQs of grapes. These people are best avoided.
Working: Work is a good, healthy, character-building thing. Hard work is
even better, but a good job is hard to find. In this band we've all had many shitty
jobs. Dicky tarred roofs during the dog days of summer in Boston's most dangerous
neighborhoods. Joe Sirois spent time serving food at Denny's, but his memories
of working the graveyard shift still haunt him. Ben worked behind the bar at a
favorite watering hole of ours. When his employment ended there, so did the free
drinks, and our loyal patronage. The key is to find a job you like. We've been
lucky enough to do just that.
- The Mighty Mighty BossToneS
*The Friends of Shannon Fund was created in memory of Shannon
Lowney, one of two women killed in an attack on a Brookline, Massachusetts, abortion
clinic.