Jay Allen - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Check out the full band on myspace. www.myspace.com/jayallenandthearchcriminals
I am embarking on a solo career after 20 years playing and fronting punk/pop ,bands in and around Boston. Although never widely heralded, all my projects, Quest for Tuna (1983-1992), Thumbcramp (1990-1992), and Bosley (1993-1998), all garnered their fair share of critical acclaim, local radio airplay, and audience loyalty for their unique brand of never-serious, good-time, hard-rockin garage-punk.
September of 2003 brought the release of my first solo album, Fun is Fun, But This is Unsanitary, on Clamarama Records. This 18-song epic, (I know its a lot), spans his songwriting career of the last 20 years, including the never before released favorite from the Quest for Tuna days, Toaster Oven.
Now I'm bringing the same brand of garage-punk into a acoustic solo setting, playing songs written throughout his career as well as some newly penned ones. Included in his set are some stripped-down covers of classic punk, local Boston songs, TV show themes, as well as classic rock and pop tunes. His sense of humor, growly voice, and low key approach have earned him many kudos at local clubs such as The Plough and Stars, The Midway Cafe, O'Brien's Pub, The Middle East, The Abbey Lounge, T.T. the Bears, and even Club Passim.
I can also be seen playing solo on bills with some like-minded souls in a little thing we call The Union. The Union is a collection of rock n roll veterans, well-grounded in punk, hardcore, and indie rock who have steadfastly refused at an advanced age, to succumb to adulthood and give up the ghost, playing solo-acoustic sets. A night with The Union is a night of edgy songwriting with a substantial penchant for the sauce. The Union is myself, Doug MacDonald, Bob Cenci, Eric Doberman, Natalie Flanagan, and Charlie Leger. Kenny Chambers has left The Union or at least thinks he has. Once you take the oath and join The Union you're in for life. But at least on bills Charlie will be replacing Kenny.
As of today I'll be debuting my new band Jay Allen and The Archcriminals featuring Henry Ryan (The Skels and The Sprained Ankles) on bass and Randy Tartow on drums. I'll probably add another guitar player to overshadow my guitar ineptitude.
Below you can download all the tracks from solo release "Fun is Fun, But This is Unsanitary"
Jay Allen
c/o Clamarama Records www.myspace.com/jayallenmusic
17 Anselm Terrace Brighton, MA 02135
phone or Fax (617) 782-8425 e-mail [email protected]

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 28/03/2006
Band Website: myspace.com/jayallenmusic
Band Members: For many years I played solo because I was far too lazy to work in new members. The No. 1 reason, no one yells at me when I'm late for rehearsal.
Inspired by my former bass player, the beautiful Ivahna Rock, I got off my duff and put a band together, Jay Allen and The Archcriminals, featuring Henry Ryan (The Skels, The Sprained Ankles) on Bass, and the equally nefarious Larry Litigot, (Penis Flytrap, Padded Hell, and a short stint in Sugabomb) on drums.
Influences: I'm a punk rock guy at heart, but playing solo acoustic guitar has mellowed that a little bit, although I've always had a lot of roots music in my blood, now I'm just as apt to pull out a Ray Charles cover, right into the Dead Boys or Alice Cooper. Keeps 'em on their toes.
With the addition of the Archcriminals backing me, I'm now reliving that punk rock dream.
Sounds Like: I was once asked by a naive woman who upon hearing that I played acoustic guitar and sang if I was like James Taylor. Of course, although one second of my growly tones would have easily convinced her otherwise, I told her imagine James Taylor, hadn't been living on The Vineyard, never been married to Carly Simon, didn't give a fuck about the pouring rain or any rhythm attached to it, but instead had been punched in the face about 50 times and was started to get pissed about it, then I would sound like James Taylor. She walked away, imagine that.
The band adds bass and drums and most times I distort the guitar to give me total punk rock sound ala my days in Bosley, Thumbcramp, or even Quest for Tuna.
Record Label: Clamarama Records

My Blog

Jay Allen & The Arch-Criminals / Twist My Nuts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ71z1Jljxw Live at The Midway Cafe Jan 30th, 2009
Posted by on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:16:00 GMT

Sex and The City

So the movie Sex and The City is quite the rage for many who can't wait to see how the lives of the main characters have progressed since the popular HBO ser...
Posted by on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:16:00 GMT

A funny story

Here's a funny story about my mother, who some of you may have met a couple of months ago when she was in town and considered a very cool, sweet woman. ...
Posted by on Sun, 21 Oct 2007 07:13:00 GMT

Check out this review

I haven't blogged in quite some time and I probably should start now just as a forum for the random thoughts that race through my brain, and should be recorded for all time. However this entry i...
Posted by on Sat, 22 Sep 2007 05:53:00 GMT

Reports from Vegas

Here's the skinny from the long weekend in Vegas. As always a simply stunning weekend of booze, rock 'n' roll, and gambling that centers aro...
Posted by on Sun, 23 Apr 2006 08:34:00 GMT

Reviews of The Union at The Abbey

Not a show I really wanted to do, I love the Pub Stage at The Abbey, I've been told they built the thing with me in mind, a scary thought in deed...
Posted by on Sat, 08 Apr 2006 08:08:00 GMT

My first blog entry-April 3rd 2006

I've finally entered the 21st century with my first true web presence, not even in my record label days did I have any sort of web presence so now I've finally gotten off my ass and am dragg...
Posted by on Mon, 03 Apr 2006 16:23:00 GMT