Boys Life 1979 - 1984
Boys Life was a band from Malden, Massachusetts consisting of John Surette (vocals, guitar, bass), Robert Weiner (drums, vocals), Chris George (bass) and Neal Sugarman (saxophone, keyboards, vocals) who were all around 16 - 18 years old. They took their name from a monthly magazine put out by The Boys Scouts of America for boys aged 6 to 18 years old. During the first 3 months of their existence they began playing shows wearing Boy Scout uniforms, but later scrapped that schtick. John Surette's older brother Dave (a former manager of a Strawberries Record Store) managed the band and helped write lyrics. They released some 45's that got them some attention. Their first 6-song EP was produced by David Robinson, the drummer for the band The Cars and Modern Lovers and released in 1983. Their EP received mention in the CMJ New Music Report.
Boys Life received a lot of airplay on famed Boston radio station WBCN, and "A to Z" was the number one local song of the year on WBCN. Their EP also topped the best of the year poll in The Boston Phoenix and they later forged a relationship with English band The Jam in 1980. The Jam were booked to play a Boston club called The Channel and they wanted to go see some bands, so Boys Life took them to a club called The Metro. A not yet famous band, U2, were playing that night, but when the group said they were playing at competing club The Channel, they were not let in. So they went over to another club called The Underground in Kenmore Square to see the Future Dads and The Prime Movers play. After a number of beers Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton got onstage along with Surette and Sugarman, Ritchie Parsons (Future Dads guitarist) and Dennis McCarthy (Prime Movers drummer). They played "Substitute", "Heatwave" and "Slow Down" and a 20 minute drunken cover of "The Batman" theme before calling it a day. As they were exiting the stage, who was standing right in front watching, but Bono and The Edge from U2!
Boys Life opening for the Jam at The Channel the next night, and also opened up for them at the Orpheum Theatre in 1981. They were the opening band for Stiff Little Fingers in New York City, and for Echo and the Bunnymen at The Ritz (10-16-1981). They opened for a bevy of local Boston bands including The Neighborhoods .