Song #64 On My MP3 Player - Dangerous by The Neighborhoods

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I have decided to share with the Lost Soul faithful every song that is stored on my MP3 player which is a Philips GoGear Vibe 4G model. All posts are in alphabetical order. Song #64 on my MP3 player is 'Dangerous' by The Neighborhoods which is the fifth track on their 1987 album Reptile Men.

The Neighborhoods are sadly an overlooked band that released some great music during the 1970's and 1980's. Their earlier music had a power pop quality and it evolved into an impressive hard rock sound. I've been a fan since the mid 1990's and the music of The Neighborhoods is well represented on my MP3 player. Today's selection is 'Dangerous' which is an excellent example of their later hard rockin' sound.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Song #56 On My MP3 Player - Cliches by The Neighborhoods

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I have decided to share with the Lost Soul faithful every song that is stored on my MP3 player which is a Philips GoGear Vibe 4G model. All posts are in alphabetical order. Song #56 on my MP3 player is 'Cliches' by The Neighborhoods which is the tenth track on their 1987 album Reptile Men.

I first heard the music of The Neighborhoods on a Rhino punk compilation CD titled Mass Ave.: The Boston Scene (1975-1983). The song was titled 'No Place Like Home' and I wanted to hear more of their music. I used to know a guy named Clem Lane and he was a great guy that was subscribed to a Guided by Voices mailing list. Clem was a guy that knew just about every bad that ever existed. I'm not joking. One day I posted to the Guided by Voices mailing list and asked where I could get more of The Neighborhoods music. Clem responded and sent me a mix tape. I became a fan of The Neighborhoods, or The 'Hoods as they are called back in Boston.

The Neighborhoods were a Boston band formed in 1977 and it was 1992 when they disbanded. The band started off with a scrappy pop punk style that matured into a slick rock sound. 'Cliches' is a great example of their later sound and I hope you enjoy today's selection.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll

If I Had A Hammer by The Neighborhoods

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This week is covers week at The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. I am going to share some well-known and some overlooked covers. The song of the day for September 12, 2012 is 'If I Had A Hammer' by The Neighborhoods, a cover on their 1984 album Fire is Coming.

'If I Had A Hammer' was written in 1949 by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays. This might be one of the top  protest songs of all time. Peter, Paul, and Mary had the most successful cover of this song, but I decided to share a rockin' version by the Boston trio, The Neighborhoods.

Shame on you for not knowing The Neighborhoods. They started off with a punk influence in the late 1970s and by the late 1980s and early 1990s they had progressed into a pretty slick rock band. The 'Hoods, their Boston area nickname, didn't gain much mainstream attention outside of their hometown, which in my opinion is pretty sad.

My first exposure to The Neighborhoods was on a Rhino 70s Boston punk CD. 'No Place Like Home' caught my attention because it was a Ramones inspired anthem about finding solace in music while you are bombarded with nonsense from your parents and teachers. I tried to find their music at a local store, but I had no luck. I asked my friends on a Guided by Voices mailing list if they knew anything about The Neighborhoods, and a music expert, Clem Lane, told me that he would send me a mix tape of their tunes. Clem was kind enough to record Fire is Coming and The High Hard One. I still have that mix tape and I've played the hell out of it because The 'Hoods were an incredible band. I hope you enjoy this cover of 'If I Had A Hammer'.