Lyres (band)

Lyres
OriginBoston, Massachusetts, US
GenresGarage rock, alternative rock
Years active1979 (1979)–present
MembersJeff Conolly (organ, vocals)
Steve Aquino (guitar)
Paul Murphy (drums)
Dave Szczepaniak (bass)
Past membersRick Coraccio (bass)
Timm Buechler (bass)
T.J. O'Brien (guitar)
Jeff Gregory (drums)
Jeff Phelps (bass)
Jason Eaton (guitar)
Jared Everett (guitar)
Ricky Carmel (guitar)
Danny McCormack (guitar)
John Bernardo (drums)
Jack Hickey (guitar)
Matt Miklos (bass)
John Smith (drums)
Bob MacKenzie (drums)
Howard Ferguson (drums)
Mike Lewis (bass)
Peter Greenberg (guitar)
Phil Lenker (bass)
Websitewww.limbos.org/lyres/

Lyres are a Boston-area garage rock band led by Jeff Conolly, founded in 1979 following the breakup of DMZ. Their most popular songs include "Don't Give It Up Now", "She Pays The Rent" and "Help You Ann".[1]

History

The original lineup of the band featured Conolly (organ and vocals), Rick Coraccio (bass), Ricky Carmel (guitar), and Paul Murphy (drums).[2]

By 1981, The Boston Phoenix was calling Lyres "the city's reigning garage band."[3] In December of that year, the New Musical Express (NME) praised the band's first EP, AHS 1005, and its "infectious rhythms". NME's Richard Grabel wrote that Lyres had "an understanding of the dynamics of interplay between rhythm guitar and cheesy organ that borders on the remarkable" and that "what they do is too perfect to ever be out of fashion."[4]

Former DMZ members Coraccio, Murphy, Peter Greenberg, and Mike Lewis all rejoined Conolly in Lyres at some point from 1979 to the early 2000s.[5] The A-Bones drummer Miriam Linna (a former drummer for the Cramps) and the A-Bones and Yo La Tengo bass player Mike Lewis filled in with Lyres for a show in 1986. Stiv Bators of the Dead Boys and Lords of the New Church, and Wally Tax of the Outsiders also recorded with Lyres in the late 1980s.[6][7]

Lyres were less active in 1989, due to Conolly living in California for a brief period.[8][9] After a renewed period of activity in the early 1990s, the band went through a dormant period until 1999. Conolly is the one member who has been in every lineup during the large number of Lyres personnel changes."[10] In 2009, Lyres played at the Go Sinner Go festival in Madrid and an additional date in Porto Nuovo.[11] This line-up included a fill-in Peter Greenberg on guitar.

"Help You Ann" and "She Pays The Rent"

The song "Help You Ann" was released as a single in 1983 and as the second track of Lyres' debut LP, On Fyre, in 1984. It was named number 13 on the list of the greatest Boston songs of all time published by Boston magazine in 2006.[12] The single ranked number 24 on The Village Voice annual Pazz & Jop critics' poll for 1983.[13] Blender magazine placed it at number 360 on their list of the 500 best songs from 1980 to 2005.[14] The song was recorded by the Chesterfield Kings on a 1998 single and covered by Courtney Love on her live shows in the early 2000s.[1][15] Love has expressed her admiration for the Lyres a number of times.[16][17]

Swedish band the Nomads released a version of the Lyres' tune "She Pays The Rent" in 1985 as the A-side of a single. Music critics highlighted the horn section, which is unusual for garage rock bands.[18][19]

Current line-up

  • Jeff Conolly (organ, vocals)
  • Steve Aquino (guitar)
  • Paul Murphy (drums)
  • Dave Szczepaniak (bass)

Discography (incomplete)

LP albums

  • On Fyre (1984)
  • Lyres Lyres (Ace of Hearts, AHS 10015, 1986)[2]
  • Recorded Live At Cantones (Pryct PR-1003, 1987)
  • A Promise Is a Promise (1988)
  • She Pays the Rent Live (Impossible Records, 009, 1988)
  • Live 1983 Let's Have A Party!! (Pryct PR-1004, 1989)
  • Happy Now (Impossible Record, 028,1992 / Taang! Records, T66, 1993)
  • Some Lyres (Taang! Records, T82, 1994)
  • Live At The Rat, Sept 3, 1980 (Crypt Records, 2019)

EPs

  • AHS1005 12" 45 rpm (Ace of Hearts, 1981) [title commonly referenced as "Buried Alive" after the first track on the disc][2]
  • Lyres (New Rose, 1985)
  • Nobody But Lyres 12" 33 rpm (Taang! Records, 1992)

Singles

  • "How Do You Know?" b/w "Don't Give It Up Now" (Sounds Interesting S145-002A/B, 1979)[2]
  • "Help You Ann" b/w "I Really Want You Right Now" (Ace of Hearts, 1983)
  • "Someone Who'll Treat You Right Now" b/w "You've Been Wrong" (Ace of Hearts, AHS 115, 1985)
  • "How Do You Know?" b/w "Stacey" (New Rose, NEW97, 1985)
  • "Here's a Heart (w/Stiv)" b/w "Touch" and "She's Got Eyes That Tell Lies" (Ace of Hearts, AHS 2015, 1988)
  • "Touch" b/w "Jezebel" and "Go-Go Girl" (New Rose NEW 116, 1988)
  • "We Sell Soul" b/w "Busy Body" (Taang! Records, 62 NR 18682-1, 1991)
  • "Baby (I Still Need Your Lovin')" b/w "Gettin' Plenty Lovin'" (Norton Records 45-013, 1992)
  • "Self Centered Girl" b/w "What's A Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This?" (Telstar Records TR11, 1993)
  • "Boston" b/w "Shake It Some More" (Norton Records 45-20, 1993)
  • "Baby It's Me" b/w "I'll Make It Up To You" (Chunk Records, CH456, 1994)
  • "Stay Away b/w "Grounded" (Moulty Records, M106, 1994)
  • "7" b/w "Feelin' No Pain" (Moulty Records, M108, 1995)
  • "Give Your Love To Me" b/w "Security" (Norton Records, 45-035, 1995)
  • The Chesterfield Kings / The Lyres – "Help You Ann" / "She Told Me Lies" (Living Eye, LSD 6, 1998)
  • "Tear You Up" b/w "Felice Noddydod" (D.U.I. Records, DUI 004, 2003)
  • "Soapy" b/w "You'll Never Do It Baby" (Munster Records, MR 7246, 2012)
  • "Don't Give It Up Now" c/w "How Do You Know?" (Dirty Water Records)

Compact Discs

  • On Fyre + 8 Bonus Tracks (New Rose 35 CD, 1984)[10]
  • Lyres Lyres (New Rose, 103 CD, 1986)
  • A Promise Is a Promise (Ace Of Hearts, AHS 325, 1988)
  • Those Lyres (Norton Records, CED 240, 1995)
  • The Early Years Live 1979 - 1983 (Crypt Records, CR-057, 1997)

Compilations

  • Various – Hotel Massachusetts (Chunk Records, CHD1005, 1994)
  • We Sell Soul (Impossible Records, IMP021, 1991)
  • Various – DIY: Punk, Power Pop, And New Wave 1976–1983 (Rhino, PRO2 90134, 1992)
  • Various – DIY: Mass. Ave. – The Boston Scene (1975–83) (Rhino, R2 71179, 1993)
  • Various – Turban Renewal – A Tribute To Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs (Norton, ED-234, 1994)
  • Various – Cheapo Crypt Sampler (Crypt Records, CR-CD-1443, 1994)[20]
  • Shitkickers (Impossible Records, IMP041, 1995)
  • Those Lyres (Norton Records, CED 240, 1995)
  • Various – Left Of The Dial: Dispatches From The 80s Underground (Rhino, R2 76490, 2004)
  • Various – Destroy All Humans! 2: Soundtrack (Lakeshore Records, LKS 338802, 2006)

In other media

The song "Help You Ann" was featured on the game Destroy All Humans! 2 and on the TV show Rescue Me.

References

  1. ^ a b Foster, Nancy L. (August 18, 2004). "The Lyres to set Toast on fyre Aug. 20". The Somerville Times.
  2. ^ a b c d Deming, Mark. "Lyres". AllMusic.
  3. ^ Simmons, Doug (September 8, 1981). "Honest Lyres". The Boston Phoenix. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  4. ^ Grabel, Richard (December 12, 1981). "Indie USA: American Independent Singles". New Musical Express.
  5. ^ "Lyres and DMZ lines up". Limbos.org. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
  6. ^ Fennessy, Kathleen C. "A Promise Is a Promise – Lyres". AllMusic.
  7. ^ Deming, Mark. "Wally Tax". AllMusic.
  8. ^ Milano, Brett (2007). The Sound of Our Town: A History of Boston Rock and Roll. Commonwealth Editions. p. 112. ISBN 978-1-933212-30-2.
  9. ^ Angel, Johnny (February 13, 2003). "Monomania". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012.
  10. ^ a b Schinder, Scott; Lamey, Charles P.; Robbins, Ira. "Lyres". Trouser Press. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  11. ^ "El sótano: Go Sinner Go - 22/05/09". RTVE (in Spanish). May 22, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  12. ^ Rimas, Andrew (July 15, 2006). "Rock This Way". Boston Magazine. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  13. ^ Christgau, Robert (February 28, 1984). "The 1983 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  14. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born". Blender. October 2005.
  15. ^ "It Must Be Love!". New Musical Express. October 27, 2001. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  16. ^ Sullivan, Jim (December 2, 1998). "Checking in on the latest Courtney". The Boston Globe. p. F01.
  17. ^ Hopper, Jessica (April 14, 2014). "You Will Ache Like I Ache: The Oral History of Hole's 'Live Through This'". Spin.
  18. ^ Finch, Madeline (Summer 1986). "The Nomads: She Pays the Rent". Sound Choice. p. 58.
  19. ^ Christgau, Robert (March 11, 1986). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved September 28, 2024 – via robertchristgau.com.
  20. ^ Phares, Heather. "Cheapo Crypt Sampler Review". AllMusic.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.