Jeff 'Monoman' Conolly (1956-2026)

Monoman was a genuine character. His deep knowledge of all things rock'n'roll, particularly the more obscure one was legendary. Dick Dickerson wrote about his somewhat difficult personality a few hours back on Facebook and it reminded me of Nick from The Nomads saying pretty much the same thing a few years ago. Even Tim Warren was diplomatic when I asked him about Jeff and Mike Mariconda added that Conolly always carried a glass of water full of vodka with him. I guess everything related to his complex identity is true. But he was also the rock'n'roll madman and nerd we all used to adore. I have written so many pieces about Lyres and DMZ that it would be redundant to repeat myself. This is just a farewell to ol' "Jeffrey's excitable personality that was mushroomed in the land of dirty water" as Miriam Linna once wrote. Safe travels motherfucker.

Various Artists - "Songs DMZ Taught Us - 28 Beat & Proto-Punk Originals To Scare The Shit Out Of Your Local Mohawk Caricatures!" (WAX CD 003)

Welcome to our 3^rd installment on what this space regards as ‘heroes’, leavin’ out almost always what the large crowd might thought or not on what is ‘rock & roll’! WAX CDs are here at WTS HQ, a rejuvenescent breath and each time me and Jean Philippe exchange ideas, rip records and design the covers of a ‘new release’,  we’re in a “speed’ situation! And DMZ were/are for both of us a legendary outfit. Of the few in their era that wore proudly the then unknown roots of punk with the Sonics, the Wailers or the Troggs. A band that pre-dated Lyres and the whole 80s garage revival movement (or trend) by far! No paisley shit, no mop top pretentiousness, just raw undisputed energy deeply sourced to every Kennedy era US town daddy's garage and teen faces full of acme and raunchiness!

We knew that in 2011 most of these songs if not all, are well known but there’s always a new field to seed your weeds right? This time most of the tracks ripped by Jean Philippe and with a good reason. He transferred most of the songs here from vinyl records instead of CDs (I was about to do the opposite, i know... I'm a lazy bastard!) and gave our label the marking we declare! WAX from waxed godammit! Our pattern was every single DMZ release through the years plus a new Munster release of a Lyres line up represented by the 4/5 of DMZ. So, as our title proudly pronounce, what you get is "28 Proto-punk & Beat" rave-ups, by the original artists (in some cases not) "to scare the shit out of your local punk caricatures"! And believe me, these blasts they'll do it snugly! So long.
*No bootlegging on WTS - WAX CDs. This is ONLY for Soul Self Satisfaction and/or educational purposes. Share and dance freely!

The Complete (?) List of Songs DMZ & Lyres Taught Us

OK the last week i hooked so much on this "Songs the Lyres taught us" thing, that made me go listen to all my stuff by the Lyres/DMZ family (it's been a while since the last time). And that's A LOT! Anyway, i just noticed I'm a geek. Certainly I'm a geek. I never was a geek in school, but rock n' roll surely made me. I tried to find all the cover versions Jeff did with both bands and place beside them the originals or the versions made him record them. I found from the bomplist site a good one on the Lyres by a guy that signed as Jeroen (by the way very cool job buddy!). With red letters are my updates on Jeroen's Lyres' list. If I made a mistake somewhere forgive me and please correct me too, the way great Jim Marshall did (known worldwide as The Hound). I copy his comment here.Thanks man!

"Actually the original versions of Skinnie Minnie was Bill Haley & the Comets, the original Let's Have A Party was Elvis (pre-Wanda, but the Lyres do the Riverias arrangment), Sick & TIred was originally done by Chris Kenner, Ain't That Lovin' You Baby by Jimmy Reed, Geraldine by the Ole Miss Downbeats, Gettin' Plenty Lovin' by the Gardenias (as My Baby's Tops w/Ike Turner's band, two years before Esquerita's version), Little Sally Tease by Don & the Goodtimes, Louie Louie by Richard Berry, then the Wailers w/Rockin' Rob Roberts."

I didn't found on DMZ something similar, so i did the list myself. I think i own everything by them so i thought to give it a try.

Feel free to revise on any mistakes or pass overs.

This is it:

DMZ:

* - "Are You Gonna Be There?" - Chocolate Watchband

* - "Barracuda" - The Standells

* - "Bloody Englishmen" - The Stooges ("I Wanna Be Your Dog" with different lyrics)

* - "Can't Do That" - The Beatles

* - "Can't Stand The Pain" - The Pretty Things

* - "Cinderella" - The Sonics

* - "Come On Now" - The Kinks

* - "Comin' After Me" - The Flamin' Groovies

* - "Don't Start Cryin' Now" -  Slim Harpo/Them

* - "Frenzy" -  Fugs

* - "From Home" - The Troggs

* - "Glendora" - Perry Como/Downliners Sect

* - "Heart Of Stone" - The Rolling Stones

* - "He's Waiting" - The Sonics

* - "Let's Talk About Girls" - Chocolate Watchband

* - "Nobody But Me" - The Isley Brothers/Human Beinz

* - "Out Of Our Tree" - The Wailers

* - "Raw Power" - Iggy And The Stooges

* - "Rosalyn" - The Pretty Things

* - "Strychnine" - The Sonics

* - "Teenage Head" - The Flamin' Groovies

* - "You Left The Water Running" - Sam & Dave

* - "You're Gonna Miss Me" - 13th Floor Elevators

THE LYRES:

                                                    

* - "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" - Jimmy Reed/Beau Brummels                                                            

* - "Baby, I Still Need Your Lovin'" - It's Them (Highs In The Mid 60s Vol.21)                                       

* - "Baby It's Me" - Richie's Renegades (Polaris Story)                                                                

* - "Boston" - Gene Clark/The Beefeaters (An early version of The Byrds)                                            

* - "Busy Body" - Roy Lee Johnson/Jolly Green Giants (Teenage Shutdown Vol.1)                              

* - "But If Your Happy" - The Scavengers (IGL Story 1)                                                                    

* - "Can't Stop The Want" - Sandy Sargent                                                   

* - "Changed Man" - Otis Redding                                                                                      

* - "Cinderella" - The Sonics                                                                                              

* - "Diddy Wah Diddy" - Bo Diddley                                                                                    

* - "Dirty Robber" - TheWailers/The Sonics                                                                                    

* - "Don't Tell Me Lies" - Tommy Tucker/The Esquires (IGL Story 2)                                                     

* - "Don't Wanna Cry" - The Buckinghams (Glimpses 1)                                                                      

* - "Feelin' No Pain" - ("Feelin' No Pain" was by the Del-Satins (Columbia 42802, 1963).They did the backup vocals on Dion's post-Belmonts records. If I remember rightly Dion wrote or co-wrote the song.)    

* - "Geraldine" - Classic Ruins                                                                                        

* - "Gettin' Plenty Lovin'" - Esquerita                                                                                

* - "Give Your Love To Me" - Les Copains                                                          

* - "Go Go Girl" - John's Children  (Marc Bolan's Freakbeat group)                                                       

* - "Gonna Find A New Love" - Yo Yo's (Teenage Shutdown3)                                                              

* - "Grounded" - Syn (Broken Dreams 1, Magic Rocking Horse, Perfumed Garden)                                    

* - "Happy Now" - See ''But If You're Happy''                                                                            

* - "Have Love Will Travel" - Richard Berry/The Sonics                                                                         

* - "Here's A Heart" - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich                                                    

* - "How Can I Make Her Mine" - Bobby Roberts & The Ravons (Garage Punk Unkowns 1-or box set-, Vile Vinyl 1)          

* - "The Hustler" - The Sonics                                                                     

* - "I Can Tell" - Bo Diddley                                                                       

* - "I Confess" - New Colony Six                                                                

* - "If You Want My Love" - Nightcrawlers                                                

* - "I Love Her Still I Always Will" - The Outsiders                                     

* - "I'll Make It Up To You" - The Roadrunners 

* - "I'll Try Anyway" - Pete Best Combo                                                     

* - "I Need You" - The Kinks                                                                     

* - "Itchin' In My Heart" - The Supremes                                                    

* - "It's Alright" - The Kinks                                                                        

* - "It's Over" - The Scavengers (IGL Story)                                              

* - "Jagged Time Lapse" - John's Children                                                  

* - "Jezebel" - Teddy Boys (Garage Punk Unknowns)                                  

* - "Let's Have A Party" - Elvis Presley/Wanda Jackson/The Rivieras    

* - "Let's Talk About Girls" - Grodes/Chocolate Watchband                      

* - "Lily" - Drusalee & The Dead (Hang It Out To Dry)                     

* - "Little Sally Tease" - The Standells/Don & The Goodtimes          

* - "Long Gone" - The Customs                                                                  

* - "Louie Louie" - Richard Berry/The Kingsmen                                      

* - "Love Man" - Otis Redding                                                                   

* - "Love Me Till The Sun Shines" - Dave Davies/The Kinks (Dave Davies, brother of main Kinks' songwriter Ray Davies, wrote the tune and originally released as b-side to Dave's first single "Death of a Clown". Later recorded by the Kinks too and appeared on the album "Something Else By The Kinks")                                                

* - "Lovin' Cup" - Paul Butterfield                                                             

* - "Never Be Free" - Dale & the Devonaires (IGL Story 1)             

* - "Never Met A Girl Like You Before" - The Kinks                                  

* - "Nobody But Me" - The Isly Brothers/Human Beinz                           

* - "No  More" - Either the Chessmen, Morning Dew or Ron Grey & The Countdowns, no time yet to check this.

* - "No Reasons To Complain" - Alarm Clocks (Back From The Grave 1)  

* - "Now I've Got A Witness" - The Rolling Stones                                    

* - "Out Of Our Tree" - The Wailers                                                                            

* - "Pain" - Phil and the Frantics                                                                        

* - "Rescue me" - Fontella Bass                                                                            

* - "Ring Dang Doo" - Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs                                                      

* - "Running Through The Night" - Mystic Tide (Ear Piercing Punk)                                          

* - "Security" - Otis Redding                                                                              

* - "Self Centered Girl" - Living Ends                                                                    

* - "7" - The Sevens                                                                                      

* - "Shake It Some More" - Tony Sheridan/Jay Jays                                                          

* - "She's Got Eyes That Tell Lies" - Him & The Others                                                

* - "Sick & Tired" - Fats Domino                                                                       

* - "Signed DC" - Love                                                                                    

* - "Since You've Been Gone" - The Kingsmen/Uncalled Four ?/?                                                  

* - "Skinny Minnie" - Bill Haley/The Sonics                                                                    

* - "Soapy" - Mickey & The Cleancuts (Ho Dad Hootenany)                                                

* - "Stacey" - Hangmen Of Fairfield County (Hipsville 29 BC)                                              

* - "Stay Away" - Mystic Tide (on Mystic Tide comp)                                                        

* - "Stoned" - The Rolling Stones                                                                              

* - "Stormy" - Jesters Of Newport (Back From The Grave)                                                  

* - "Sun Going Down" - The Outsiders                                                                          

* - "Swing Shift" - The Wailers                                                                                

* - "Take A Look At Me" - Mr. Lucky and the Gamblers (Teenage Shutdown 1)                                  

* - "Teach Me To Forget" - The Outsiders                                                                      

* - "Tired Of Waiting" - The Kinks                                                                            

* - "Today I'm Gay" - Jay Jays                                                                            

* - "Touch" - The Outsiders (Pebbles 25)                                                                      

* - "Upside" - ? and the Mysterians                                                                        

* - "The Way I Feel About You" - Pete Best Combo (English Freakbeat 5)                                          

* - "We Sell Soul" - The Spades (Epitaph For A Legend) - ( pre-Elevators Roky Erickson band)             

* - "What A Girl Can't Do" - Hangmen (Psychotic Moose)                                                    

* - "What's A Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This" -  It's Them (From Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally called themselves Them. In the words of Jeff changed their name to It's Them cause Van Morrison got pissed)                              

* - "What's Wrong With You" - The Outsiders                                                                    

* - "When I Needed You" - Chain Reaction                                                                  

* - "The Witch" - The Sonics                                                                                  

* - "Wooly Bully" - Sam The Sam & The Pharoahs                                                        

* - "You'll Never Do It Baby" - The Pretty Things

PS: Take a good look at the detail from the scanned back sleeve of  the Lyres' "Live at Cantones" LP (Crypt). I always was and i always ll be a huge fan of the loudmouth and provocative Tim Warren! This rude piece made me love the Lyres before even hear a note! It's at least hilarious (if not waaaayyy true!) and i wanted to find a chance to post it here since a long time. I think it's the perfect occasion! Stay tuned, more Monoman goodies are comin'!

DMZ - DMZ!! Live!! 1978!! (Crypt - 1986)

If you ever wonder how these animals may sound on a concert, this LP by Crypt tells the story in all Monoman-ophonic glory! Recorded live at Barnaby's, Methuen, Mass. on June 2, 1978 by Erik Lindgren and released on midst of the 80s. All things you're probably imagine are here. Raw and at full speed rock n' roll. Great Monoman originals stripped to the bone plus the unusual for the era covers by bands known only to collectors then such as the Sonics, the Wailers, the Human Beinz and an outta this world execution of Iggy & the Stooges' hymn, "Raw Power"! Unfortunately this gem never re-released by Crypt and from time to time you can see it on eBay changin' hands in salty prices...Hey Tim, why don't you pick on this one? On my recently relocation to our new house this record for some reason slipped and scratched in almost all Side B... For this reason the upload is an old rip of mine on a low 160 Kbps and not in the usually higher quality standards of this blog.
Anyway, a hotshit's always a hotshit and believe me this recording doesn't measured down by compression's algorithms!

Live!! 1978!!

DMZ - Relics (Voxx - 1981)

The first ever record i bought from the Lyres was "A Promise Is A Promise". I promised you things by Jeff & Co. so let's start. To this day i still can't pick out a record from Jeff as my favorite. However I know well that one of my first perseverance's were DMZ. An early literature work of how rock n' roll should sound in the 70s. A study on what is punk and who were his grandfathers. As i said many times here, when i was in my teens the calendar wrote 1992... It wasn't easy to find records like this in a country so many thousand miles away from the east coast of the United States in the heart of the grunge craze. So it took me long time to find and complete the discography of these Boston legends. This Voxx LP was my first hit. I still remember clearly how my eyes got out when i saw it packed in a chain of other records. Never got a second thought. I spend my pin money quickly and ran home to hear this platter. Four songs here produced by Craig Leon, later known from the works he did with the Ramones. The other five are 4-track rough n' wild demos and all together a sexist and fun-y punkadelic beast that even today has no rival. Their version of  the Standells' "Barracuda" is my favorite ever. No one ever got even close to this. 13th Floor Elevators well known now (not then) standard "You're Gonna Miss Me" is sure sodden but not on psychedelics, full on speed n' amphetamines and don't forget that Monster Magnet stole "Busy Man"'s intro for their hit "Powertrip". "Can't Stand The Pain" is the Pretty Things classic and who ever can overlook the Conolly penned punk vignette "Lift Up Your Hood"?
These songs re-released by Bomp! (Voxx's parent label) on CD many years before as "When I Get Off" and my eye just caught that the same label recently put out the same LP this time on big fat 180 gr. vinyl. Hurry up. As i like to say, you must own music like this! This is a vinyl rip that i did quickly this afternoon, of course on 320 Kbps. Taste the vinyl scratches on digital format!

When I Get Off