Notes on Chris Mascara and Berklee's new internet radio presence
By JIM SULLIVAN | May 1, 2007
Chris Mascara |
Chris Mascara has been thinking about musical genres and labeling, particularly as they pertain to himself and his band, MASCARA. The singer/guitarist and his mates were riding home from practice recently when drummer Matt Graber said, “I hate it when bands too readily label themselves.” Bassist Bo Barringer said he’s been calling Mascara “glam-prog.” Chris, a Boston Rock Opera vet, tells me he winced at that but then realized it was okay — if he could define the terms. He likes “the dramatic delivery and unabashed showmanship” of glam and the “Sonic Youth, Syd Barrett” side of prog. What other qualities does he favor? “A big rock canvas. Gritty, literate confessions. A distinctive guitar sound. A voice echoing Mercury and Buckley.” Mascara — band and man — have been lying low during the winter, but they’ll re-emerge to play the Abbey Lounge on May 17 with, he says, “a new line-up, new songs, and new battle scars.” Said scars include changes in Mascara’s line-up, an IRS audit, and Chris’s hospitalization for severe asthma. The plan is to get a few gigs under their collective belt and then hit the studio by mid summer, “while the material is still fresh for us.” Right now they’re shopping for a producer, an engineer, and a studio.On April 30, BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC launched four non-commercial Internet radio stations at www.thebirn.com. There are more than 30 shows in every genre: music from alumni, Berklee concerts and lectures, and much more. It’s locally produced but worldwide in scope. Spokesman Nick Balkin is counting on Berklee’s large international student population and its “big presence internationally, in Japan, Europe, Latin America” to bring in a worldwide audience. . . . And local hard-rockers TILL WE DIE are releasing their full-length debut CD, Pressing On, June 19. They’ll celebrate with a CD-release gig at Avalon June 23 at 5 pm. Tim Koukos, the head of their label, Screaming Ferret Wreckords, likens them to early Godsmack.
On the Web
Chris Mascara: http://www.mascaramusic.com/
Berklee College of Music: http://www.berklee.edu
Berklee Internet Radio Network: http://www.thebirn.com/
Email the author
Jim Sullivan: jimsullivanink@verizon.net
Related:
Playing with poetry, Boston music news: June 1, 2007, Boston music news, February 16, 2007, More 
- Playing with poetry
Chris Mascara played Jesus to Gary Cherone's Judas. His band's new mini-album is a harrowing tale of personality meltdown and recovery.
- Boston music news: June 1, 2007
Not only have the reunited J. Mascis/Lou Barlow Dinosaur Jr. just released a new album, they’re coming to town.
- Boston music news, February 16, 2007
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones started it with their yearly Yuletide multi-night “Hometown Throwdown,” which ended after 2002. Now Darkbuster have revived the tradition with their “Hometown Throwup,” which in its second year takes over the Abbey Lounge February 18-24.
- Politicos Latinos
This article originally appeared in the February 22, 1983 issue of the Boston Phoenix.
- Boston music news: November 16, 2007
If you’ve been a fan of New England metal and hard rock over the past decade, then the name Ironlung should be familiar.
- Violence and vegetation in Western Massachusetts
This article originally appeared in the December 12, 1972 issue of the Boston Phoenix.
- Where hip-hop lives
Ever since rappers got wind of the title of Nas’s recent Hip Hop Is Dead, they’ve been calling up radio stations, printing T-shirts, doing whatever they have to do to get the message across: “No it’s not!”
- Neo-new-what?
The real album of the year is a disc that probably didn’t cross many people’s paths in 2006, a Rhino comp titled Future Retro that pairs various DJs/electronicists (Richard X, Tiga, the Crystal Method) with classic new-wave tracks by the Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, and New Order.
- Jamaica via Vermont
It's a strange state of affairs when white guys in guitar bands start purposely mispronouncing the words of their songs to sound Jamaican.
- Will time have passed Buddy by?
Wherever Buddy Cianci does his first radio show, the host station is guaranteed to have a huge audience.
- Portland scene report: November 9, 2007
Surprise, surprise, Pete Kilpatrick is one of 10 semifinalists.
- Less
Topics:
New England Music News
, Internet, Internet Broadcasting, Science and Technology, More
, Internet, Internet Broadcasting, Science and Technology, Technology, Media, Berklee College of Music, Radio, Sonic Youth, Internal Revenue Service, Syd Barrett, Less
