BOSTON, MA. (Top40 Charts/ Universal
Music Group) - Boston, Massachusetts wrote a significant chapter in the American rock-'n-roll history books, producing a long, varied and successful cast of rock characters and bands. Think Aerosmith, The Cars,
Modern Lovers, J. Giels Band, Extreme and, of course, the multi platinum star-crossed band named for the city itself, BOSTON.
Now think Ernie and the Automatics. (www.ernieandtheautomatics.com)
This six member band is also putting its mark on Boston's musical territories with the release of their first CD, "Low Expectations."
Ernie and the Automatics are already celebrated in
Boston because its members are wired directly into the DNA of Boston's rock'n'roll community. They have been through the city's rock'n'roll wars over the past few decades, good times and bad, big hits and lawsuits. But now they emerge as Ernie and the Automatics, without any apparent Post Traumatic
Stress Disorders for their collective experiences.
They are "Boston's rock royalty."
The members of Ernie and the Automatics have sold over 30 Million records for labels, major and minor, all across the world.
Ernie and the Automatics boast two former original members of the multi-platinum selling band BOSTON. Barry Goudreau on guitar and Sib Hashian on drums, reunited for the first time in 25 years.
Brian Maes, lead vocals and keyboard, was with Goudreau post-Boston, when he formed RTZ with other Boston-ites, the late Brad Delp and bass player Tim Archibald. Maes and Archibald also toured the world together in
Peter Wolf's House Party Five. Saxophonist Michael "Tunes" Antunes arrived in the Automatics line up while still performing with John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, best known for their hit "On the Dark Side" and music on the cult classic movie "Eddie and the Cruisers".
Together, it all adds up to a lot of history and a great back story.
Now Ernie and the Automatics are set to release their debut CD, "Low Expectations," all original material written by the band and all stamped with the group's FM radio friendly sound with a relevant and rockin'ly familiar edge. Or is it rock with a blues edge?
Notes Hashian: "I know that if we all got together in a recording studio, we could make something happen. I was right, we went in and the result was 'Low Expectations.' The whole package."
Goudreau says the band now plays about 80 dates a year - clubs and concerts. They have opened for a broad array of rock and blues legends including, B.B. King,
James Cotton, Johnny Winter, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Chuck Berry, Rick Derringer, Los Lobos, Godsmack, Extreme, America, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and many more. Goudreau notes: "Ernie and the Automatics have spent a couple of years building up a solid reputation in New England. There's a string of clubs we play regularly - not bad with no radio play"
The Band's debut CD of all original material is especially satisfying to all the band members as it underlines the cooperative spirit, all-for-one and one-for-all tempo of Ernie and the Automatics and allows them to comment on past activity as listeners to the opening track will find out. "The Good Times (Never Last)" is cowriter Goudreau's commentary on life in
Boston and his loyalty to the late Brad Delp.
Ernie and the Automatics see "Low Expectations" as the band's calling card, announcing that they are ready for a national audience. "No question we're big in New England but now is the time to make our move," says Goudreau. "We've got a national sound." Rock with a blues edge or blues with a rock edge?
The band pleads guilty to either or both.
