the Doughboys

I often want to write about music on this blog, but it can be hard for me to find the words. If i'm writing about a new record it can be easier, but if i'm writing about a classic band or album, i've got to fight thru the emotions and memories to properly write something down.
This morning I listened to the Doughboys "Home Again" as i walked to work. Memories came flooding back to me as i walked thru the foggy crisp air. I remember buying a cassette copy at Sound Connection while skipping school back in 1989. I was still figuring out the whole punk thing, the past couple years i'd been buying punk records and tapes really randomly. You know the saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover"? Yeah I totally did. I remember picking up the Doughboys tape and thinking the cover was pretty cool, but then i looked inside and saw pictures of the band members jumping in the air and i remember thinking that looked pretty cool.
I bought the tape that day and 18 years later i still listen to it and it still makes me smile and gives me goose bumps. I've heard people complain about the production on this record, but i feel like it's muddy quality is part of it's charm. The songs are really poppy and jangly, and the vocals are kinda whiny and slurred, and I feel that with clear production values alot of these songs would come off sounding limp and lifeless college rock. I for one love the guitar sound on this record, it sounds sloppy and loose, like John Kastner is just bashing away at the guitar. The bass could've been turned up a bit, but the quietness is part of the charm of the bass/vocal part in "I won't write you a letter". And speaking of that song...that's a song that i would listen to when I was far from home, or feeling sad, and as cheesy as it sounds i would put that song on when I returned home from a road trip/tour. And you gotta love a record that has kazoo on it!
"Home Again" was a record filled with songs that always seemed really vulnerable, and lonely. When i was younger I used to listen to it after a night out raising hell, it became my soundtrack to help me come down from whatever substance i partook in that night.The songs made me feel not alone. Even today the songs made me not care about the fact that i was walking to work.
I saw the Doughboys on this tour for the first time at the Bronx in Edmonton. I can't remember who opened, but i'm sure i still have the flyer in a box somewhere. During the first song John Kastner did this leap off the bass drum and it looked just like the picture from the inside of my tape! The band was amazing at this show, lots of movement, played the songs well, etc. I still wear the shirt i bought at this show, although I think you can see thru it now.
I saw the band live alot of times over the years, and generally enjoyed their records they released. One strange show was in the late 90's when they opened for the Offspring in a hockey arena. At that point John was joined by guys from Big Drill Car so it was a pretty cool lineup, and they played songs from the Doughboys and BDC catalog.
Maybe tomorrow morning i'll listen to the first album "Whatever".