Haha Walking down the steep stairs going through the basement door with music blasting alot freeky people all around felt like you were walking into Hell , But you would have the best time of your life !!! Played there many times miss it
Don’t forget the 90’s! For us youngn’s of the next generation, after Boston’s first wave and “college rock” scene faded, it was also sacred ground for us. We weren’t into the meathead-core scene, or the “mature” (edgeless) post-punk/alt scene, so when the Rat began booking more all ages weekend punk shows, it felt like some kind of social movement, and we built a massive community (with which many of us are still connected). Every weekend, throngs of kids from across New England would converge on that parking lot to meet friends, make new friends, get into fights on occasion (and perhaps to ask Mr. Butch to buy 40’s). Aside from touring bands, the Rat helped foster a pretty unique and eclectic home-grown punk scene (Showcase, Unseen, Pinkerton Thugs, Toxic Narcotic, many more). Proud to have played there many times. Do scenes, communities, and chaotic creative spaces like this even exist anymore?
@HilaryChandler Yoooo @Hillcat what ever happened to those decoupage tables upstairs u designed?.. those were cool. I wonder who took the Rat Wall. I’d bet @JackFokinSnyderKhed left titty someone took the downstairs toilet seat. 🤣🤣🤣🤮
I moved to Boston in 79, I had heard about the Rat because of the band the scene basically disowned. The Cars. Are y0u punk or new wave. Second night I was in town I saw The Girls, Human Sexual Response and I think PUNK fLOYD,JjOHNNY ANGEL's gREAT NICKNAME FOR mISSION OF Burma. I PLAYED THE Rat lots OF times The MySTERY DATES, tHE LONERS, tHE InSTEPS Favorite memory, my mom came to see her two sons play there, On the bill also Lou Miami.
Great stuff, but why no mention of the band who “owned” the Rat throughout the 70’s, to me the best unsigned band ever from Boston, Reddy Teddy( including the inimitable, irrepressible, magical Matthew MacKenzie-R.I.P.). What coulda been, shoulda been🎉.
@@andrewszava-kovats4427 Drove with Granny with the Nervous Eaters equipment in a box truck to NY so the Eaters could open for the Fast at Max's, Nervous Eaters blew them away that night, Jimmy even took me out for a steak at Tad's steak house( cafeteria lol) What memories of a great weekend with Steve, Stanley, Rob, and Jeff Wilkinson, RIP.
I think I went to THE RAT 50 times. I believe my first show at the rat was The wrecking Crew. Keith Bennet was at my work getting food. he asked me to come to the rat I didn't know anyting about hardcore or punk rock I was more into metal. That change my life 100% hardcore rules
The Rat was not my favorite Boston club. It was underground and had a rough and tough vibe. The bouncers and door men (Mitch) had a violent edge and they stole door receipts from the bands. That said, everyone played there and Jimmy Harold, the owner was okay once you got to know him. The best thing was the Boston Scene was un-pretenious, you could talk to anybody and that was wonderful! I'm glad for all the great shows and great bands that played their first shows there: the Jam, the Dead Boys, the Ramones, Suicidal Tendencies, Pere Ubu, the Feelies, Willy Loco Alexander, the Cars, La Peste, the Real Kids, DMZ, the Lyres, the Police, Unnatural Axe and all of their derivative bands, the Pixies, the Lemonheads. Robin Lane, Till Tuesday, Joe Perry and Thundertrain. And of course, I need to mention the Rentals
Awesome documentary, thank you. I remember seeing Flock of Seagulls at The Rat with tix I won from WBCN (or was it WFNX) when I was at BU. Also remember seeing a band there (forget which) and Sinead O'Connor was in the audience! I remember Mike Mills and Michael Stipe perusing records at Nugget Records before their show then dipping into The Rat. My college pals and I drank with Peter Zaremba of The Fleshtones at the Rat once. And, finally, after watching Til Tuesday at Jumpin Jack Flash in the Fenway, we went to the Rat and Aimee Mann wound up there too, I got her autograph on a Rat napkin from just weeks before she broke out with Till Tuesday ("Love In a Vacuum" was the Boston hit, before "Voices Carry") and she spoke to me kindly when I approached her as she was drinking with her local friends at the Rat's main floor bar; I still have the napkin! 🐀 #RIPJimHarold #RIPMitchCerullo
i lives across the street in the Buckminster building, and some times was so drunk i slept in the rat, i ended up roadie for the real kids, and tenni comma and the silencers, and third rail , fukin times were so great it was historical. like the flappers of the 20's........ lets not forget catties under the freway, the bouncer leo ended up marrying my sister.
Stumbled upon this while trying to find Warworld's self-titled album, and I'm glad I did. Still trying to find the album, though... Any hints would be appreciated.
They played Cantone's. My band opened for them. I don't recall them ever playing at the Rat but if they did it would have been later, post Miriam Linna.
It's a shame what Kenmore Square looks like now. They even built a new bus shelter. All the character was sucked out of the whole place. But this brought back so many great memories! I loved seeing some of my old friends talking about our history, and it's fun to reminisce but Dave Minehan said it best: "What went on down there in today's world just wouldn't happen anymore. I mean, it was LAWLESS."
THank you for making that and putting it here....I really enjoyed that! I spent a fair amount of time down there in the mid 70's, 80's and early 90's before it closed -I'm just someone who liked the to come listen to the bands and keep a low profile in the back....the Rat was where it was at! A sandwich at the Deli Haus - a stop down at Nuggets to buy used records......and yes that bank of phone booths! (RIP Jimmy Harold)
Wow - watching this again now with beloved owner Jimmy Harold gone (too soon) makes it all even more clear what a special place the Rat was - the characters and people and staff and players and friends made - THE MUSIC - it's all so unique and beautiful - an amazing time and place to be a part of. I am proud to have worked and played there. Thanks for creating this documentary Andrew!
It was a great vibe. Mitch at the top of the stairs waiting to greet you. The smel,l the awful sound, constant high frequency from the sound system, generally, the music was terrible but a great venue and cultural center that I am so happy to have been a part of.
The music didn't die when the Rat closed, but the shows become tougher to find. It was really common to see a punk/hard-core show at a place like an elks club or vfw after the Rat. The bigger bands got the Middle East or one of the landsdowne clubs, but the small bands had to grind. I loved the Rat, but those shows at, say, the Brighton Elks Club were also something I'll never forget
Valuable information, many thanks for sharing (and assembling) this Andrew! On a side note: would be great to see early Data-Bank-A performances and videos here on your channel.
@@andrewszava-kovats4427 There has been three DVD releases on True Age Records compiling Data-Bank-A footage - I'd be thrilled to see them! All the best from Finland.
Outstanding production, highly educational for someone like me whose only access to this era comes through small youtube channels - this knowledge and history should not go unheard
