TTHHEE TTAATTTTOOOO BRISTOL PRESS MAKING A PERMANENT IMPRESSION SINCE 1994 VOLUME 6 No. 2 True punk is back By JOE WILBUR Chicago teens trash tests The Tattoo By HILA YOSAFI one of the tests last school year. gram, a retest, and teachers’ rec- Commissioner Theodore The Dropkick Murphys are easily the most successful Boston About 10 students purposely ommendations, 5 percent of the Sergi of the Connecticut punk band in a decade. Their anti-ska, heavy guitar The Tattoo failed this test. students end up repeating a Department of Education said hardcore/revivalist punk sound and stridently working class, social- Instead of sitting down for They did not break any rules grade, Hansen said. all standardized tests “have a ly conscious lyrics conjure up early Clash and remind you that, tests, students in Chicago are by doing this, but were punished Tanzman said the “Riverside purpose of improving teaching though we have, in the last decade, been barraged by more standing up for themselves. for it. Publishing Company said the and assessing progress of the Offspring /Green Day style California- pop-punk than you can shake Some high school students are Tanzman said the chief exec- tests were limited and not to be students. Everyone realizes an MTV Video Music Award at, fed up with the myriad of stan- utive officer of the Chicago used for the sole purpose of pro- there is a useful purpose but it this is what Punk is SUPPOSED to dardized tests that are mandat- school district “didn’t say any- motion.” can be abused. It hasn’t been, be all about. MMuussiicc rreevviieeww ed by the state of Illinois. thing about our punishment However, Tanzman said, the yet.” On their first full length album, “You’re learning this ‘cause until it reached the news.” The test company then said it was Tanzman and his group do “Do Or Die” (Hellcat, 1997) DMK it’s on the test, you’re not learn- students were to serve 10 hours okay because the city is paying it not think the tests are all bad, established themselves as blue collar Irish-American Boston boys ing it ‘cause it’s relevant,” said of community service, which to administer the tests. however. There is something the who know their roots — both musically and culturally. Will Tanzman, a senior at Tanzman said they did not Hansen said Tanzman had “a tests could be useful for, he said. Produced by Rancid’s Lars Fredrikson, the album offered Whitney Young High School, a object to. cynical point of view” on this “You can just look inside the acoustic ballads, bagpipes, flutes and re-workings of traditional Irish magnet school, in urban Phil Hansen, the chief matter. classrooms and see the schools drinking songs woven into an early- hardcore punk foundation. Chicago. Tanzman is the moder- accountability officer of Chicago There is intense test prepara- are failing. Ninety to 95 percent Matt McClogan’s vocal style — not a growl but a hearty, Boston ator of the Organized Students Public Schools said, “I’ve grown tion and a lot of class time spent of Chicago schools’ students tinged howl, was raw but not unlistenable — at times even warm and of Chicago, or the OSC. to respect them. They’re very on how to take the tests, such as who go on to Chicago junior col- always a wonderful compliment to the material. “In the Chicago public intelligent, very well-spoken the five paragraph essay format, leges end up taking remedial Bassist/songwriter Ken Casey penned “Boys on The Docks,” a schools, everything needs fix- young people.” Tanzman said. classes,” he said. In that case, heartwarming pub singalong about his grandfather, who had been ing,” said Tanzman. Hansen said in order to “The teachers got pressured he said, the tests could deter- instrumental in organizing Boston’s dock workers’ union during the A group of students from attend Whitney Young, a selec- from the principal to raise the mine promotion. Depression along with the hardcore anthem “Fightstarter Karaoke.” Whitney Young believed they tive high school, students have (test) scores,” Tanzman said. Tanzman ranks among the The Murphys’ debut was a godsend, a beautiful return to punk could make a difference. They to take a standardized admis- Hansen said the lower per- top 10% of his class and would as it was intended: sincere, urgent, socially conscious, infectious. formed the OSC for this pur- sions test. formance schools do spend like to get involved in education A constant theme of that album, and one inexorably tied to the pose. The director of internal more time preparing for the policy in the future. Murphys themselves, was friendship, brotherhood, a bond evolved “We’ve been kinda talking affairs for OSC, Whitney High exams. However, the higher per- The standardized curriculum through years of dedication to one another and their scene. about standardized tests…We senior Manuel Rodriguez said, formance schools use some class throughout Illinois, Tanzman That may be why I was so surprised to learn that, at some point had five our junior year,” said “We just think that they’re being time “working on the skills” such said, “ignores free thinking and before the recent Vans sponsored Warped Tour and the recording of Tanzman. So the student group abused.” as “inferences and making com- creativity and treats students their new album, “The Gang’s All Here” (Hellcat), the group split decided to focus on this cause of One of the tests is used to parisons,” he said. like they’re sponges who are with vocalist Matt McClogan. While the split was somewhat shroud- stress for students. determine promotion in the Rodriguez said while teach- supposed to soak up the stan- ed in mystery, DMK released a statement saying Matt no longer felt Tanzman said multiple choice third, sixth, and eighth grades, ers support their endeavors, dardized curriculum and point that he could, in good conscience, continue with the band and that tests don’t reveal anything. Hansen said. they “can’t say anything publicly of view instead of teaching them the band is “part of a movement that Matt no longer feels a part of.” “The tests aren’t accurate,” About 10 percent of the stu- ‘cause they’re afraid they might how to think for themselves.” Sounds suspiciously as though McClogan didn’t want to sell out, said Tanzman. “They’re very lim- dents fail this exam, and must lose their jobs.” Tattoo staff writer Chantelle though the consensus among fans seems to be that he couldn’t han- ited.” attend a six-week summer Hansen said parents haven’t Garzone contributed to this dle the touring. Whatever the reason - the Gang’s All New. The OSC organized a sit-in for school, he said. After the pro- commented either. story. Replacing McClogan on the new album is Al Barr, the heavily tat- tooed, high octane vocalist formerly of Boston’s The Bruisers. Barr’s vocal style is much more hardcore — more a growl than McClogan’s, but, again, not unpleasant. He lacks the Boston accent that was half the Murphys’ charm and certainly a trademark, but he does do won- derful things with what he has. “The Gang’s All Here” expands on “Do Or Die” — going in a more Making much of their molecules punk and less hardcore direction. While the Murphys admit to trying to attract a wider audience, Bristol Eastern they’ve far from sold their souls for rock and roll. High School sopho- Although I initially found myself a bit thrown by the new sound, mores recently the album grew on me like a fungus. made physical mod- “Ten Years of Service,” which includes the socialist musings els of molecules. “Who’s gonna save us from this lonely picket line?” and “The status Showing off their of our future in both past and present time/ is relegated to member creations are, in the of a higher class than mine” is much catchier than it sounds and the photo at the left, controversial “Pipe Bomb on Landsdowne” is an old school Boston Lauren Mentasti, hardcore assault on the city’s drug addled rave culture. with Chris Morse Also offered are the Murphys’ punked out arrangements of the and Dennis Cote in traditional songs “Amazing Grace” and “The Fighting 69th.” the background, All in all a very satisfying album from a band on its way up who and at the right, has clearly already conquered two dreaded musical states — respon- Jeremy Reid and sible for killing more punk bands than bad contracts and heroin Bob Skarvelas. combined -- change and growth. Heather Pilarcik- Even sex won’t Murawski / The Tattoo sell Body Shots The Odd Couple comes to BEHS By AMANDA LEHMERT issue that sex may not be the answer if it isn’t consensual. By JESSICA NORTON different. by seniors Sara Madden and Scannell. The The Tattoo The Odd Couple is about two people who other characters are Renee played by senior In the end, as viewers, we are The Tattoo There’s “foreplay.” Then there praying that the last sexless cou- are divorced from their spouses because Colleen Younghans, Sylvie by senior April is “good sex and bad sex,” fol- ple can Odd things are happening at Bristol they can’t stand each others’ personal Street, Vera by senior Carolyn Choi, Mickey lowed relentlessly by “afterplay.” come Eastern High School. habits. One is too neat and the other is a by senior Hila Yosafi, Jesus by junior John What’s left is a pathetic comedic At together The fall play this year — Neil Simon’s The complete slob.