365 Days #284 - Chet Bolins - All American Masher (mp3s)

MP3:
01 All American Masher (3:12)
02 Boom Boom (2:53)
03 Rock n Roll on the Radio (3:30)
04 Avenue of Love (3:11)
05 Without Love (3:51)
06 Love Mugger (3:14)
07 Animal for Your Love (4:31)
08 Willie the Snake (3:29)
09 Superman Love (2:40)
10 Dance the Night Away (2:51)

Of all the weird viny records I have owned, it's the Chet Bolins album "All American Masher" that has received the most enthusiasm by people with some knowledge of the Chet Bolin Band. From the time I purchased it in 1984 to two decades later, I didn't know much about it either, but the enthusiasm got me to look into it.

Bolins is the song de plume of Chris Darway, who fashioned a weird sort of new wave lounge act persona with his wife. They apparently became somewhat legendary in the Philadephia area and a little more of the story is told here.

As for me, I picked it up sealed for 88 cents at Sounds Records on St. Mark's Place in 1984. I was there with a girl I had fallen madly for and wouldn't have even bought the record if she hadn't urged me to. She was on her way to live in England and I was pretty sure I wouldn't see her again. She had a good sense of humor and great taste in music, I trusted her instinct and picked it up.

Two days later and I had that album (red vinyl!) to show for the day and the girl was gone. A few songs are great fun, a few aren't easy to get through, but the title track is one of my favorites ever, an obscurity that deserves more recognition in this world.

I have kept the album all these years and cherished it, a nice reminder of that day with that special girl. As luck would have it, though, the girl eventually popped up in my life again, we ended up getting married and having kids together. I'm not quite sure she's as fond of Chet as I am, but I'm sure she understands the soft spot I have for him.

- Contributed by: John Mitchell

Image: Cover

Comments

[Chris R.]

I have to say that I'm a 36 year old lifelong Philadelphian and I'd never heard of Johnny's Dance Band. So much for semi-legendary... I'll have to ask some older friends who were seeing live music around that time about them, see if anything stuck. I have a copy of the Masher LP myself, I think I paid $4 at a used record store. It's the only copy I've ever seen, and I have my head in record bins around here a lot, so I assume this is comparatively rare. I assume "across the river from New Hope" (referenced in link) is Lambertville, NJ, which is about an hour's drive from the city proper.

[Bill in Cincy]

The Chet Bolins Band sounds like Frank Zappa meets Clarence Clemmons & the E Street Band. I like what I'm hearing. The saxophone work on the title track is exceptionally good. Besides, any song that can mention underwear, satirize American ideals of masculinity, and denigrate the French is a must hear in my book.

[-tom]

Wow, I haven't heard this in like twenty years. For a short period of time when this album came out they were pretty damn popular in the Philadlephia area. WMMR was even playing a few of the songs in their regular rotation. I actually have an autogrpahed copy of this I won in a radio contest. Good stuff. Thanks.

[Mickey Mephistopheles]

I recall the cover for this album hanging on the wall at Java Wally's, the coffee bar outside the library at the Rochester Institute of Technology, as part of a mosaic of random album covers serving as wallpaper. Thanks to the 365 Days Project and WFMU for providing context.

[Brian K. Mitchell]

Used to see JDB at the Queen Vic hotel regularly so becoming a Chethead was a natural evolution. The horns and the vocals really added something special.

This album really stayed playable way past most of my other 80's vinyl. I've wanted to turn others on to it but was never willing to part with my lone copy to do it. You have provided a wonderful out for me, and a way to keep this gem from getting lost to oblivion. Kudos.

By the way, Bill Mac is a childhood buddy of mine. I found WFMU through him, and just discovered this portion of the site thanks to Googling Chet Bolins and coming across your entry. What a great station, and what a great site! Good work all youz guyz!

Always enjoy meeting another Mitchell! Regards!

[Babette]

Monsieur Bolins does not sing zat bad, but zee one armed monkey finished ees career!

[MLD6]

This is such a weird album...it sounds really stupid and commercial, but like from a genre that never existed at all, even though 1/2 new wave, 1/4 oldies horn section, 1/4 show tunes doesn't sound like THAT weird of an idea. And yet the lyrics are incredibly clever and funny, despite the boring song titles.

I've listened to this like ten times, and the ONLY thing I can think of that it sounds like is the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack, and it took a long time to realize even that. But it doesn't really sound like that either. Were there other bands like this, a genre that has been totally forgotten?

[DC/C]

I came across an ART site -"Jewelry " which led me to Chris Darway and then this... I only remember Johnny's Dance Band because of Nancy Darway (married to Chris) who mentioned the band to me when I met her , I believe in the mid 80"s. I met Chris Darway too of course..wow...so funny I am looking at this site now - seeing these videos - recognizing Nan and Chris in photos !! I met them when I was visiting family in Lambertville NJ. I too, like Chris, I had a metal smith/jewellery background and I got to know him and his lovely wife Nan and their boys. Hope they are all doing well!