I was lucky to spend last night celebrating the 81st birthday of my friend Willie Alexander—with a capacity crowd of some 500 people packed into the new Gloucester nightclub The Cut. Willie is a godfather of Boston punk rock—and the room was packed with friends, artists, poets, musicians, and we were all happy to see each other and celebrate Willie. I thought: This is the community I want to be part of. And: Willie is always an inspiration—rakish and thoughtful and stylish and beloved and full of moxie and still making art.
Poets Jack Evans, Jim Dunn and Amanada Cook read tributes to Willie who resides in Gloucester these days. The Neighborhoods, Rick Berlin, 3rian King, Mission of Burnham (Mission of Burma with Gang of Four drummer and Gloucester resident Hugo Burnham) were among a couple dozen acts who performed. John Felice of The Real Kids and drummer David Robinson of the Cars and Modern Lovers played the Modern Lovers song “Roadrunner.” And Willie took the stage with his bands, the Persistence of Memory Orchestra and the Boom Boom Band.
Previously:
2019: The Secret Art Of The Godfather Of Boston Punk, Willie Alexander
2017: Willie Alexander At Home
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