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Richard Nolan was and still is the principal singer/songwriter and front man of this rock & roll band, THIRD RAIL, which has been a driving force in the Boston rock scene beginning in March of 1975.
When Richard had graduated from Boston College and also from New England Institute of Embalming, he decided to form a new rock & roll band with Gary Soprano (Twist of Time, White Load, Klone, Tom Fey Band, Sneaker, studio musician and record producer) which would allow him to showcase songs he had been composing for years since high school. They called the new band WHITE HEAT and the group performed in small venues west of Boston for about a year. The group was somewhat heavy metal and they dressed in black and white. At one point early in 1975, the group had to change its name after discovering that disco crooner Barry White had a band named WHITE HEAT. Within three weeks, THIRD RAIL was reborn in guitarist Gary Soprano's basement recording studio in Newton, Massachusetts in 1975.
The newly formed original version of Richard Nolan and Gary Soprano's Third Rail moved into a vacant hardware store basement on Main Street in Waltham, MA. It was there that the band performed shows for up to twenty guests on a weekly basis until they began playing in a legitimate venue, The Boston Club at 969 Commonwealth Ave in Boston. Third Rail was hired to perform every Thursday night on a balcony in the front lounge of what is today The Paradise Rock Club & Lounge, then called The Boston Club.
Third Rail played on the front-lounge balcony in between wrestling matches that were held on Thursday nights in the bigger back-room. Sometimes the matches were quite original in nature, such as women wrestling in chocolate pudding or Jell-O. A vast diversity in patrons began to develop on Thursday nights until the situation climaxed on August 8, 1975. That hot night, as Third Rail was playing before a packed lounge with various types of "naked female" patrons dancing on stage, a nasty fight broke out on the floor beneath the band. Instead of stopping the show, Third Rail continued performing as chairs were being thrown and patrons were punching each other. Soon the Boston Police showed up after the brawl had spread out the front door and onto the trolley tracks on Commonwealth Ave. The police escorted Third Rail band members to their vehicles and closed the Boston Club for good that night. The venue was vacant for a few weeks and then re-opened as Dummies and Third Rail went back and played often on weekends in the big room.
Jim Harold, owner of The Rathskeller in Kenmore Square, saw Third Rail performing at The Boston Club and hired the band to play in his hip basement room called "The Rat" which was beneath The Rathskeller. Third Rail performed many weekend shows at The Rat over a period of several years and was one of Bostons original premier punk rock bands. The group went on to play all over New England and in Manhattan, sometimes on a bill with legendary rockers like Ramones, The Cars, Talking Heads, Dead Boys and Mink DeVille. In New York City, Third Rail performed at CBGB, Maxs Kansas City and The Ritz. From 1975 until 1985, there was a number of musicians in Third Rail. The last performances during those middle years were in 1985. Third Rail's parting Boston show was on Saturday, September 14 at Jumpin Jack Flash near Fenway Park.
In 2005, Nolan contacted a few former Third Rail band members and decided it was time to re-unite for a 30th Anniversary Tour. The first performance of this long-awaited series of shows began on Saturday, March 5 before a sellout crowd at Kirkland Cafe in Somerville, MA.
Richard Nolan, along with Gary Soprano and drummer David Birmingham are currently in David Minehan's Woolly Mammoth recording studio cutting new tracks. Watch for upcoming shows in 2009 on the Third Rail website and here on myspace.com.
Included here for your listening pleasure is the classic (and rare and raunchy) RONDEY RUSH, and IT'S OVER NOW and DARK AGES both produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars.
Third Rail supports the Ovations for the Cure of ovarian cancer foundation, which is dedicated to the relentless pursuit of a cure for ovarian cancer through awareness of ovarian cancer risk factors and its subtle warning signs, and through the continued support of new and ongoing ovarian cancer research and treatment initiatives. Please support this great cause.
Hello Third Rail and friends ~ This is Richard Nolan, Third Rail co-founder, inviting YOU to become a member of Richard's classy little fan club on MySpace.
We now have at least 250 throbbing members in this intimate group and YOU would be a great addition
So click on the blue link and join right now. Thanks from Richard
Just droppin by to say thanks for the support. Alot of new muic comming out including the new single "See me in your city". Check out the new photos and comment me back on what you think of the music. Thanks!!!!
Thank you for the support Richard...Sorry I missed you in Boston. Ill be home next summer we should get together then! Keep in touch I miss talking to you. Love DM
FINALLY, NEW MUSIC! "The Art Of Broken Glass" (EP), click myspace.com/mrjmedeiros and take a listen! Available on itunes or directly from my site. New Mr.J songs to add to your profile! WORD!
You can also follow on twitter.com/mrjmedeiros for free music.
HelloThird Rail, A small word to say to you that our album is now available on Itunes, http: // www.amazon.ca / and in everything the good record dealers! Bye Standing Waltz
Are you ready for a different kind of show? The Dock Sessions: Acoustic & Indie Music, Art on display by local artists, Andy's Bueno Salsa, and images of stars & galaxies projected in the background (in honor of the International Year of Astronomy 2009).
Open mic after Linus is done! This time, there are lots of drink specials! Only $2 validated parking! See you there.
Hope your having a great week. Nuclear Theatre needs your help if you have a free minute. Were up for band of the month on this great internet radio station called www.power92radio.net. If you could check out their station, click on the surveys link on the left and vote for Nuclear Theatre we would greatly appreaciate. Also, We have three new tracks up if you haven’t heard them: The Acid Rock Song, Narcotic Love Affair, and the rock ballad Bleed Me Slow. Let us know what you think. Thanks N.T.
Howzit you friends of THIRD RAIL :) This is Richard Nolan, lead singer and songwriter of this legendary Boston rock & roll band.
Today I wanna tell you about two hot upcoming multi-band gigs which I am producing in early June on back-to-back Saturdays 5000 miles apart ha ha.
The first is on Saturday, June 6 on the north shore of Oahu in Hawaii.
My partner in this show is The 808 Scene Zine which is a popular free handout rock monthly magazine all over this island of one million people.
Here is the playbill in this event which features 7 original bands playing from 5:00 until 10:00 pm >
Direct from Maui ~ QUICK DAY SCOUT
PIMPBOT
SMITZ
DISASTER KIT
ABOVE REPROACH
TIME's THE ENEMY
THE RESORTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The second early June event is on the east coast USA and is scheduled for Saturday, June 13 at Club Bohemia, which is located beneath Cantab Lounge, 738 Mass. Ave. in Central Square, Cambridge, Boston MA 02138.
This event features 4 wicked original bands, starring >
GARY SHANE & THE DETOUR
THE BRIGANDS
THIRD RAIL
THE BOIZE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So let me warn you. This is a small club and the place will be sold out by showtime since the room only holds 100 people. Club Bohemia is the new version of "The RAt" which was the rage in the 1970-1990 era. Be there by 8:30 pm if you want to get in.
