The Blackjacks

Formed in 1983 by former Thrills guitarist Angel and former Outlets bassist Whitey with Mr. Erna (in Erna's basement), the Blackjacks were determined to be nothing like the twin scourges of that year--cheesy British synth-pop and poseur "roots Americana" from former New Wave fops turned Hank Williams freaks.They succeeded--and were likely the first of the glam/sleaze/psuedo Stones-Dolls bands of the American stripe, augmented by their former roadie and Nikki Sixx lookalike Mabry (Hanoi Rocks being their Euro counterpart).Brought to Homestead in 1984, they released one classic EP ("Basic Blackjacks") and one full length lp "Dressed in Black" for Throbbing Lobster. The title track of the former was a massive college/alt hit in the winter of 1985.Despite massive local success in Boston, acrimony, drugs and indifference broke up the original version of the band. Angel re-formed the group twice more, in 1986 and 1988, to little fanfare and walked away from the band and Boston on the last night of its existence in June 1989. Johnny started the Broken Promise, Housewives on Prozac and Army of Bozos in LA, Whitey joined the Nor'Easters, Erna co-formed the Dropkick Murphys and StreetDogs, Mabry also moved to Los Angeles and joined Black Cherry.They did one reunion, minus the unreachable Mabry (now found, for the time being in Cleveland, doing psychic readings!), in Boston, 2004.