New England will be performing a reunion concert the Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA on August 15th. This is the first time all four original members have performed together since 1983. Tickets for this event can be purchased here.
New England is a four-piece rock and roll band hailing from Boston, MA. John Fannon (guitar & vocals), Hirsh Gardner (drums and vocals), Jimmy Waldo (keyboards and vocals) and Gary Shea (bass) broke out of the local scene with the release of their self-titled album on Infinity/MCA in 1979. The first single, Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya (see video below), became an AOR smash and even cracked the Top 40. The album was produced by Mike Stone and Paul Stanley of Kiss, with whom New England toured for much of 1979 and 1980.
For their sophomore effort, entitled Explorer Suite, the foursome once again called upon veteran knob-twirler Mike Stone. Highlights from this album are the orchestral title track, It’s Never Too Late, and Conversation, which features New England’s trademark lush background vocals. The touring never let up for the boys from Boston as they split their time on the Explorer Suite tour between headlining large clubs and sharing arena billing with Journey, AC/DC, Cheap Trick, and Kiss among others.
For the third album, Walking Wild, the legendary Todd Rundgren was at the helm. The results of these sessions were hard-driving anthemic tunes such as Don’t Ever Let Me Go, L-5 (co-written by Fannon, Waldo & Rundgren) and the kick-ass rocker Holdin’ Out On Me, which features Hirsh Gardner on lead vocals. The frustration over the lack of label support grew and the band parted ways. While Fannon & Gardner went on to successful careers as producers and Shea & Waldo formed Alcatrazz with Graham Bonnet
& Yngwie Malmsteen, nothing seemed to match the excitement of New England. The real strength of New England was the combination of four strong & diverse individuals: Fannon’s lead vocals & songwriting, Waldo’s whirling keyboards, Gardner’s driving skin-pounding and high-pitched vocals and Shea’s thunderous bass lines.
While the records speak for themselves, the fans are the reason New England lives: Waldo explains,“I would tour all over the world with Alcatrazz and every country we’d go to people would have New England albums for me to sign. It really shows you the power of music. We have fans all over Europe & Japan, places we never even toured. It’s amazing.”
Watch the video for Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya below.
Listen to their self titled debut album below.
47 Responses
I grew up in MA and I have never heard of them either…and I grew up during that time period. I have heard of the band “MASS”….but not “New England”….learn something new everyday I guess…
I saw them open for Kiss at MSG in 79′ and they were pretty bad. The crowd booed them off of the stage but in fairness to them I guess everyone was just ready for Kiss and not an opening act with no name recognition. I had no idea Paul Stanley was involved with them.
Like their first two albums. Saw them with Kiss also
I agree the music is good, it was probably just the atmosphere that night with the crowd amped up for Kiss. My memory of them being bad is probably because I felt the same way as many others just wanting to see Kiss take the stage. Sometimes opening acts unfairly bear the brunt of a restless crowd.
A few years later at MSG I lucked out seeing Bon Jovi open for The Scorpions. Had no idea who they were at the time, I believe it was when Runaway was breaking, but came away very impressed. Anyway, congrats to NE on their reunion.
Saw them twice on the Dynasty tour…the crowd was pretty apathetic to them in Atlanta but they went down very well at the Nashville show. Nashville back in that era was pretty hard on opening acts so if you didn’t deliver, they’d beat you down. I’ve literally seen bands get pelted off that stage there.
dana: I don’t know who curt is, but you don’t sound like him. you are the real deal.
Good one Elliot-LOL!!!!!!!!!!!
D 🙂
thanks dana. i’ll be here all weekend.
I remember seeing this band in Columbus ohio at vets with cheap trick and ufo
I was there too, don’t remember much of New England but Cheap Trick and UFO brought it
Thanks Eddie I was mistaken about the Paul writing thing! I need to wear my reading glasses more often and thank for turning us on to something new! We need more of this to many bands with great music we need to know about. Hello hello hello was a song I knew but had know idea who sang it. Cheers
Why the two kiss sold anything amazes me! Each to there own but I hated both those CD’s big time! Would never knock someone for there likes and dislike but I stop liking kiss 20 years ago! So I don’t check sells stats on them or any band I let the music do the talking as long as I like that is what matters in my eye’s. The name kiss sells weather the music is good or not. Peace out metal heads
Saw them open for Styx in ’79.